A Look Ahead to ‘08

In my blog ‘Lieberman vs. Lamont – A Closer Look’, I discussed what I thought Republicans should do strategy wise in the coming ’06 election cycle.

Obviously by the outcome, Karl Rove decided not to take my advice.

The moderate center was alienated and as a result, the GOP lost both houses. I felt early on we would lose the House, but would retain the Senate. Imagine how sick I felt once I learned the next morning that a majority of Americans decided this time around, blue was a more appealing color. .

The only consolation I have presently is that most of the new Dems occupying the House are moderate and not hard liberals like Pelosi or Rangel.

Either way, that point of this particular post is to point out the wonderful article written today by the former Govenor of New Jersey and EPA administrator. Christine Todd Whitman echoes my thoughts from my blog mentioned above and what the GOP could gain politically in the future.

Let’s hope the GOP listens.

Christine Todd Whitman: GOP Must Return to its Centrist Roots

- ER

It’s the Economy, Stupid

The Labor Department today released the unemployment numbers for the month of October. It showed a drop of 4.6% to 4.4% adding 92,000 jobs to the economy last month.

I point this out because I find it amazing that you hear every other Democrat proclaim how bad this economy is despite the numbers to prove otherwise. Last I heard, 4.4% unemployment is pretty damn good.

In 2000, Presidential hopeful Al Gore boasted about the economy under President Clinton. He said that we “have the strongest economy in the history of the United States.” Top that off with the average unemployment at 5.2% under Clinton, I’d say the VP’s comment was pretty accurate.

Fast-forward to today. Nancy Pelosi and her entourage claim that this is the worst job record by a president since the Great Depression. I find that interesting since the average unemployment under Bush since he’s been in office is 5.3%.

Are you telling me that a 0.1% rise in average unemployment is depression worthy? I think not.

I do have to hand it to the Dems though. They seem to be twisting the economy in a way to make it look bad. They’ve taken away any credit the President deserves on this great economy we have today. We’ll see if any of this will have any bearing on how things will turn out next Tuesday.

Until then, the spin and political babble continue with an election year at it’s finest.

- ER

Kerry, the Babble-Head

John Kerry is sore loser and idiot. I’m sure his political advisor is thinking the same thing.

Yesterday, all hell broke loose for Kerry and the Dems when he made a speech at a campaign appearance Monday in California at Pasadena City College.

Kerry said, “You know, education - if you make the most of it, you study hard and you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq.”

Commenting on his statement the next day, Kerry said that he was referring to the president and that the Republican spin-machine was twisting his words. Later that same day, Kerry said it was a bad joke gone wrong.

I don’t know about you, but it seems clear to me that Kerry was referring to our young men and women in uniform (watch the video below and judge for yourself). Kerry has a history of bad mouthing members of our military ever since he came home from Vietnam. He is a veteran himself, but amazingly enough shows little regard for the members of a brotherhood he’s obviously turned his back on.

Mr. Senator, you take liberty in jabbing at the men and women that protect this country and become outraged when someone questions your military loyalty and background. I wonder why judging by the actions and words you continue to speak.

Your fellow Dems are calling for an apology and rightfully so. I’m waiting and the American people are waiting, but I won’t hold my breath.

ER

Kerry's Comments: Kerry Belittles US Troops
Bush Responds: Kerry Comments "Insulting and Shameful"

- - - Plus, America's finest in Iraq have sent their response to the Senator - - -

The North Korean Menace

Should we wearry be roarried about this man?

If his English is really that bad and he looks like the string puppet from Team America, than I say yes!

In all honesty, he’s more of a regional threat than a global threat at this point. If I were a South Korean or Japanese citizen, I’d be scared out of my mind on what Kim Jong Il is capable of. He’s an eccentric, unpredictable man who caters to the insane and keeps check on his population by installing fear as a tool of control. He’s a fly that needs to be corralled out of the room. Fortunately for us their closest ally is starting to see that.

China and the other surrounding countries don’t want a nuclear North any more than the rest of the sane world, so let’s hope the UN does the right thing and level sanctions against a defiant North Korea.

Deep Fried Bliss

The State Fair of Texas is something that I wait for every year. I love the atmosphere, the car show, the music and yes, the fried food.

This year, the surprises on the variety of different fried foods hit an interesting note. Deep fried Coke is the new fascination and number one promotion when you look at the menu of artery clogging chow. Now, it might sound interesting, but believe me, it’s over rated.

Probably my favorite new dish was the Donkey Tails. It’s a beef frank, slit down the middle, filled with cheese, wrapped in a flower tortilla and deep fried to perfection. It’s a very good addition to an already full menu.

Other items I tried was Cajun Shrimp on a Stick, Fernie’s Fried Chicken n’ Waffle, Fernie’s Fried Mac ‘n Cheese and Fried Avocadoes (this was interesting, but still ok). The one thing I wish I would have tried, but didn’t was the Fried Praline Perfection. I hear it’s awesome and would make a trip back to The Fair just to try it out.

Even with all the new additions, a trip to The State Fair wouldn’t be complete and is always worth going alone just to have an oldie but goodie – a Fletcher’s Corny Dog. It was the first thing I got when I walked in the gate.

Check out all the other new additions to The Fair menu here: NEW FOOD ITEMS FOR THE 2006 STATE FAIR OF TEXAS

Looking Death in the Face

There’s nothing harder than watching someone die before your eyes and knowing you can’t do a damn thing about it. That feeling of finality and helplessness is amplified when that person is someone you love. I went through it with my grandfather and will always remember the last 'I love you' in the surroundings of a hospital.

This past Wednesday evening, a very dear friend of mine (who’s practically my brother) had to witness and experience the finality of death. He’s a football coach and the life he watched vanish before his eyes wasn’t a family member or friend, but a student in the 7th grade.

After a light football practice, this student fell to the ground and became unresponsive. CPR was administered but it wouldn’t help.

I feel for my friend who places so much burden and responsibility on his shoulders when it comes to his players on the field. In a way I can imaging, but at the same time not begin to fathom the desperation of trying to save this young boys life. This feeling of responsibility is multiplied when these coaches are charged to be in the care of all on the field. Nothing he could have done different during practice or nothing he could have done better while giving CPR would have changed the outcome. He needs to know (and does know) that even with the responsibility of these kids on his shoulders, there’s only so much he could have done. It was this young boy’s time to be called Home.

Things will slowly get back to normal for the coaches and the team. Hits will be thrown and plays will be run. Ultimately, we go on. We learn to deal with the pain and anguish of death, but when it looks you in the face, a mental snapshot is taken that stays with you the reset of your life.

- ER

From a Journal to a Blog

Does anyone have a hard time like I do when it comes to keeping a journal?

Every time I get an itch to write something about life or a day’s events, I break out a notebook and decide to write a journal entry. Good intentions aside, I swear it never works out as I intend it to. It works great for a day or two, but then it’s back to being lazy and not really caring to write about the day at all, whether it be significant or not.

This laziness can also be compared to how often I post a blog entry.

Alas, I feel shame.

Either way, whatever and whenever I decide to write, I hope my thoughts are helpful (or in the least bit entertaining) in any subject I’m writing about. All this of course is assuming that someone would actually care to read what I write.

But wait a minute . . . what am I talking about?! Everyone should read what I write, especially extreme liberals or someone wanting advice on high cholesterol and heartburn. The former because you hardcore lefties just need to come to your senses on some issues and the latter because I have a bit of a problem in that department.

Which reminds me, it’s time for me to go grab a Pepcid Complete . . .

- ER

A Clear and Present Danger

Let's not kid ourselves - Iran is a threat. It's more of a threat on a global scale than North Korea, plus Iran has it's backers in the region such as Syria and of course Hezbollah.

In an article writen by Ann Leslie in the UK publication, Daily Mail, Leslie points out how much of a danger Iran really is.

Article: Why This Man Should Give Us All Nightmares

Standing up to the NYT

Sergeant Timothy Boggs (currently serving in Iraq) did something that not a lot of people have the guts to do. He took on the New York Times, a left leaning newspaper that seems to focus explicitly on the bad and not the good when it comes to the War on Terror.

A few months back, the NYT decided to publish top secret intelligence gathering information and the methods used on how the government tracks financial transactions of terrorists. In response to the Times' publication of this story, Sgt. Boggs wrote the Times in disgust on how this particular move hurts, not helps the War on Terror.

I for one congratulate Sgt. Boggs on putting the Times in their place! You can read his letter here and read his blog entries here.

I Think I'm Going to Have Fun With This

Anyone who knows me has an idea of where I stand on the issues in today’s political landscape. Through this medium, I’ll be able to write about any hot-button issue that I personally think needs to be elaborated on.

Now, the beauty of this is that you, the reader will be able to let me know if I’m wrong on my opinion, right (which I will always be . . . j/k), or just have a completely different view on whatever the situation or subject is.

So, here’s to my first post which obviously doesn’t have a topic of discussion, but there will be very soon.

Let the opinions fly!