05/14/11

Sound Off is where citizens can express their views on matters of concern to Llano residents. The usual caveats apply: Nothing defamatory, follow the "K.I.S.S." rules , and no anonymous submissions. If you don't have the strength of your convictions to use your real name and where you reside, it won't be published in Klee's Kaleidoscope. If you wish to have your name withheld from publication I'll be glad to do it.

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Texas Child Protection Agency Abuser? (May 16, 2011)

Hello Mr. Klee,

I just wanted to let your readers know about a huge government rogue organization who is not only killing and abusing children, but breaking laws and stomping all over citizens civil rights, but costing tax payers billions of dollars. I know of a case that would break your heart and all other American's, too. And their dollars is funding these tragedies!

I know three children for instance, that if something isn't done quickly about the abuse of Texas Child "Protective??????!!!!!!'" Services they could die. CPS has been notified many many times of the danger of the situation they have put the children in (7 siblings total). from the time that they illegally "kidnapped" them there has been while in their custody numerous documented injuries and also sexual molesting and one 14 year old lost her virginity in the state home they put them in. The mother was told that she could not file charges cause the boy was still a minor. Mother was not notified of injuries when they happened.

Two days after they took them the 16 year old broke his arm...they finally told her right before she visited him. They said he 'fell' running. The boy was excellent at track. His sibling said he was slammed into a wall. One of the children broke a finger and wasn't taken to get medical attention until it was too late and now it healed wrong.

One of the little ones is allergic to bees. They took him on a field trip and didn't take his epie pen and he got stung and almost died before medical help got there. The put two of them on a strong phycotic drug and alot of the time he is like a zombe. He has heart family history and with that drug you cant take it if you have heart problems in your family. They still force it on him. He had hallucinations and the child attorney said they were to take him off and put him on something else or at least cut dose.....they DOUBLED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and added a sleeping pill to shut him up and put him to sleep......

I could go on and on at the danger they have done to these kids. They took the kids cause the mother was given concussions and beat up all the time by her abuser husband of about 17 yrs. The children are all highly intelligent and talented at drawing (even the case workers have admitted that) and have never had any broken bones or other significant injuries (doctors were amazed at that for a Mom to have so many without having at least a broken bone) Okay so the CPS goons take the kids because she is putting them in danger so to speak with her abuser.....but within several months they take the kids and put them into the custody of the ABUSER.....?????? and tell her see is not even allowed to see them except if they are there.

There are so many things they did too illegally.....They kicked the mother out of her own house and told her she could not even get her 'stuff' and where everything is in her name the lease the utilities, etc ......they broke and entered her house while she was not there (she had witnesses and she filed a police report)....they have forced her to take ADHD or she will never get her kids back..(I guess the government can force you to put drugs into your body or else lose your kids)...they tried to get her commit welfare fraud to get the abuser help because he made too much money and didn't qualify...we have conversation of that on texts, not only is she trying to get her to commit welfare fraud, but she is planning to use public funds of salary of another worker and the gas etc. she uses and she used the 'bribe' of 'you can visit your children while you do this...there are like I said so many things they have done, it is too much to write.....but I have seen so many dollars being spent needlessly just on this one case with them and the trauma they have put the children through....permanent trauma and injury!!!!!!

People need to know!!!!!!

Now to the three in imminent danger. One of the little one 5 years old has a bad infection in his little foot and the 'dad' poke it and made it worse.....the child is in much pain and the dad will not take him to the doctor.....one other got glass in his foot and it was in 2 weeks and he started having a fever and when I called the case worker all she did was trash the mother.. forget them making the dad take him to the doctor......and the one who is on strong psychotic drug that hey force on him has been taken for the state home also and given to the abuser dad and his apt is nasty dirty no air conditioning and the drug requires him to be in cool (air conditioned environment).........he can die or have heart or other damage...and on top of that.....they say they have nothing to eat and they are showing the signs. Also, the drug the one takes requires the child get food! The case worker/CPS fires every contract person company that is standing up for the Mom.

There are many many witnesses to this illegal stuff. The mom can't afford an attorney and the state one provided didn't show up at the hearings!!!!! The case worker was asked about the 'lack of representation in court and that right' she said quote 'it would have made any difference any way because the outcome would have been the same'.....What?????????!!!!!!!!!!!! The dad has managed to get food stamps from the tax payers by quitting his job.......and yet there is no food in the house. The dad has the older 'grown' brother watching the kids (if you could call it that...they run the streets) and he has his 'weed' smoking fiends over and what little food is in the house they eat.

This government agency has kidnapped these children and nobody's is safe either. You are guilty until you prove innocent and even when they have nothing on you, you still can't get your kids short of spending thousands on attorney and then with the way these people have snubbed the law/constitution etc.

I don't know if that would work. I knew they were bad but if you do a little due diligence on the matter you will see, too. And they seem to be untouchable!!!!! By the way, the mother was put into a Battered Women Shelter and all of the women she met there were put on ADHD meds ...and forced to take them.....what are the odds of so many having ADHD. Could it have to do with the fact that each person on that one drug is bought by you and I and other tax payers to the tune of around $300. each...Chaaaaachingggggg!!

Have you ever checked into this major tax dollar sucking organization that is destroying families and committing crimes? Clean this corrupt org out and America will save HUGE amounts of tax funds.

Do you have any suggestions on what this mother could do - where she can get help?

Thanks,

(Name withheld by request)

High School Principal (May 16, 2011)

A Speech Every American High School Principal Should Give.... By Dennis Prager sent in by a reader.

To the students and faculty of our high school:

I am your new principal, and honored to be so. There is no greater calling than to teach young people.

I would like to apprise you of some important changes coming to our school. I am making these changes because I am convinced that most of the ideas that have dominated public education in America have worked against you, against your teachers and against our country.

First, this school will no longer honor race or ethnicity. I could not care less if your racial makeup is black, brown, red, yellow or white. I could not care less if your origins are African, Latin American, Asian or European, or if your ancestors arrived here on the Mayflower or on slave ships. The only identity I care about, the only one this school will recognize, is your individual identity -- your character, your scholarship, your humanity. And the only national identity this school will care about is American.

This is an American public school, and American public schools were created to make better Americans. If you wish to affirm an ethnic, racial or religious identity through school, you will have to go elsewhere. We will end all ethnicity, race and non-American nationality-based celebrations. They undermine the motto of America , one of its three central values -- e pluribus Unum, "from many, one." And this school will be guided by America 's values. This includes all after-school clubs. I will not authorize clubs that divide students based on any identities. This includes race, language, religion, sexual orientation or whatever else may become in vogue in a society divided by political correctness.

Your clubs will be based on interests and passions, not blood, ethnic, racial or other physically defined ties. Those clubs just cultivate narcissism -- an unhealthy preoccupation with the self -- while the purpose of education is to get you to think beyond yourself. So we will have clubs that transport you to the wonders and glories of art, music, astronomy, languages you do not already speak, carpentry and more. If the only extracurricular activities you can imagine being interested in are those based on ethnic, racial or sexual identity, that means that little outside of yourself really interests you.

Second, I am uninterested in whether English is your native language. My only interest in terms of language is that you leave this school speaking and writing English as fluently as possible. The English language has united America 's citizens for over 200 years, and it will unite us at this school. It is one of the indispensable reasons this country of immigrants has always come to be one country. And if you leave this school without excellent English language skills, I would be remiss in my duty to ensure that you will be prepared to successfully compete in the American job market. We will learn other languages here -- it is deplorable that most Americans only speak English --but if you want classes taught in your native language rather than in English, this is not your school.

Third, because I regard learning as a sacred endeavor, everything in this school will reflect learning's elevated status. This means, among other things, that you and your teachers will dress accordingly. Many people in our society dress more formally for Hollywood events than for church or school. These people have their priorities backward. Therefore, there will be a formal dress code at this school.

Fourth, no obscene language will be tolerated anywhere on this school's property -- whether in class, in the hallways or at athletic events. If you can't speak without using the f-word, you can't speak. By obscene language I mean the words banned by the Federal Communications Commission, plus epithets such as "Nigger," even when used by one black student to address another black, or "bitch," even when addressed by a girl to a girlfriend. It is my intent that by the time you leave this school, you will be among the few your age to instinctively distinguish between the elevated and the degraded, the holy and the obscene.

Fifth, we will end all self-esteem programs. In this school, self-esteem will be attained in only one way -- the way people attained it until decided otherwise a generation ago -- by earning it. One immediate consequence is that there will be one valedictorian, not eight.

Sixth, and last, I am reorienting the school toward academics and away from politics and propaganda. No more time will be devoted to scaring you about smoking and caffeine, or terrifying you about sexual harassment or global warming. No more semesters will be devoted to condom wearing and teaching you to regard sexual relations as only or primarily a health issue. There will be no more attempts to convince you that you are a victim because you are not white, or not male, or not heterosexual or not Christian. We will have failed if any one of you graduates this school and does not consider him or herself inordinately lucky -- to be alive and to be an American.

Now, please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of our country. As many of you do not know the words, your teachers will hand them out to you.

Senior Speaks out! (May 16, 2011)

This forwarded to me by a reader. Please pardon the language.  Consider the outrage!

A senior citizen speaks. Here's a guy that really knows how to vent!

Alan Simpson, Senator from Wyoming , Co-Chair of Obama's deficit commission, calls senior citizens the Greediest Generation as he compared "Social Security" to a Milk Cow with 310 million teats.

Here's a response in a letter from a unknown fellow in Montana ...  I think he is a little ticked off !  He also tells it like it is !  "Hey Alan, let's get a few things straight...

1.  As a career politician, you have been on the public dole for FIFTY YEARS.

2.  I have been paying Social Security taxes for 48 YEARS (since I was 15 years old.  I am now 63).

3.  My Social Security payments, and those of millions of other Americans, were safely tucked away in an interest bearing account for decades until you political pukes decided to raid the account and give OUR money to a bunch of zero ambition losers in return for votes, thus bankrupting the system and turning Social Security into a Ponzi scheme that would have made Bernie Madoff proud.

4.  Recently, just like Lucy & Charlie Brown, you and your ilk pulled the proverbial football away from millions of American seniors nearing retirement and moved the goalposts for full retirement from age 65 to age 67.  NOW, you and your shill commission is proposing to move the goalposts YET AGAIN.

5.  I, and millions of other Americans, have been paying into Medicare from Day One, and now you morons propose to change the rules of the game.  Why?  Because you idiots mismanaged other parts of the economy to such an extent that you need to steal money from Medicare to pay the bills.

6.  I, and millions of other Americans, have been paying income taxes our entire lives, and now you propose to increase our taxes yet again.  Why?

Because you incompetent bastards spent our money so profligately that you just kept on spending even after you ran out of money.  Now, you come to the American taxpayers and say you need more to pay off YOUR debt.

To add insult to injury, you label us "greedy" for calling "bullshit" on your incompetence.  Well, Captain Bullshit, I have a few questions for YOU.

1.  How much money have you earned from the American taxpayers during your pathetic 50-year political career?

2.  At what age did you retire from your pathetic political career, and how much are you receiving in annual retirement benefits from the American taxpayers?

3.  How much do you pay for YOUR government provided health insurance?

4.  What cuts in YOUR retirement and healthcare benefits are you proposing in your disgusting deficit reduction proposal, or, as usual, have you exempted yourself and your political cronies?

It is you, Captain Bullshit, and your political co-conspirators who are "greedy".  It is you and they who have bankrupted America and stolen the American dream from millions of loyal, patriotic taxpayers.  And for what?  Votes.  That's right, sir.  You and yours have bankrupted America for the sole purpose of advancing your pathetic political careers.  You know it, we know it, and you know that we know it.

And you can take that to the bank, you miserable son of a bitch."

Author Unknown

Reader's name withheld by request 

Klee's Kaleidoscope Should Go National

Harv,

I've been getting your Kaleidoscope for over a year now, but this last edition is "priceless." You've got everything right! I think you should take the Kaleidoscope national! Your layout is great, your articles are great, your cartoons are great! For those of you who that don't know it, Harvey and I were best friends way back in grade school but that fact does not color my opinion of the Kaleidoscope. I just think it really is a great newsletter.

Dr. Frank J. Trapani

Walla Walla, Washington

America’s Deficit Problem is Leadership (April 18, 2011)

My stomach is too weak for me to have watched or listened to the entire "performance" by President Obama yesterday, but I have heard and read enough to know that it was a politically motivated, non-serious attempt to address our deficit problems and an appeal to the far left of his party and clueless independents.

He attacked Republicans in general and the Ryan proposal specifically. He offered no definitive ideas for spending reduction, but was very clear that those "millionaires and billionaires" he detests (those folks the rest of us call business owners and capitalists) need to give the government more of their hard earned money.

What a contrast with a real leader like President Reagan, who understood not only how to work with the opposing party, but what made the economy grow, a vibrant and growing private sector with low taxes, not a bloated and growing public sector fueled by higher taxes on the most productive sector of the economy

The only positive thing that came to mind regarding the speech was that the President is beginning to make former President Carter look good and that is no mean achievement!  

Richard Fishman, California

Wal-Mart v The Morons (April 4, 2011)

1. Americans spend $36,000,000 at Wal-Mart every hour of every day.

2. This works out to $20,928 profit every minute!

3. Wal-Mart will sell more from January 1 to St Patrick's Day (March 17th) than Target sells all year.

4. Wal-Mart is bigger than Home Depot + Kroger + Target + Sears + Costco + K-Mart combined.

5. Wal-Mart employs 16 million people, is the world's largest private employer, and most speak English.

6. Wal-Mart is the largest company in the history of the world.

7. Wal-Mart now sells more food than Kroger and Safeway combined, and keep in mind they did this in only fifteen years.

8. During this same period, 31 big supermarket chains sought bankruptcy.

9. Wal-Mart now sells more food than any other store in the world.

10. Wal-Mart has approx 3,900 stores in the   11. This year 7.2 billion different purchasing experiences will occur at Wal-Mart stores (Earth's population is approximately 6.5 Billion.)

12. 90% of all Americans live within fifteen miles of a Wal-Mart.

USA  of which 1,906 are Super Centers; this is 1,000 more than it had five years ago.

You may think that I am complaining, but I am really laying the ground work for suggesting that MAYBE we should hire the guys who run Wal-Mart to fix the economy.

This should be read and understood by all Americans Democrats, Republicans, EVERYONE!!

To President Obama and all 535 voting members of the Legislature,

It is now official you are ALL corrupt morons:

(a.) The   Social Security was established in 1935. You have had 76 years to get it right and it is broke.

(b.) U.S.  Postal Service was established in 1775. You have had 236 years to get it right and it is broke.

(c.) Fannie Mae was established in 1938. You have had 73 years to get it right and it is broke.

(d.) War on Poverty started in 1964. You have had 47 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to "the poor" and they only want more.

(e.) Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. You have had 46 years to get it right and they are broke.

(f.) Freddie Mac was established in 1970. You have had 41 years to get it right and it is broke.

(g.) The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before. You had 34 years to get it right and it is an abysmal failure.

You have FAILED in every "government service" you have shoved down our throats while overspending our tax dollars.

AND YOU WANT AMERICANS TO BELIEVE YOU CAN BE TRUSTED WITH A GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM?? -

MAYBE WE OUGHT TO KICK  YOUR EGG-HEAD BUDDY BUMS OUT OF OFFICE AND HIRE WAL MART TO RUN THE GOVERNMENT???-*

WAL MART SEEMS TO KNOW HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS.... WHY DON'T YOU GUYS JUST ADMIT IT'S WAY BEYOND YOUR PAY GRADE, AND QUIT?

(Sam Walton, who started Wal-Mart in Bentonville , Arkansas , always drove himself to work in his pick-up truck)*

Richard Fishman

California

Mandated Health Insurance . . . in 1798 (January 31, 2011)

Former Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice sends in the following article re mandated health insurance in 1798.

HISTORY AND THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE FOR HEALTH INSURANCE

by Rick Ungar

Congress Passes Socialized Medicine and Mandates Health Insurance -In 1798

The ink was barely dry on the PPACA when the first of many lawsuits to block the mandated health insurance provisions of the law was filed in a Florida District Court.

The pleadings, in part, read --

The Constitution nowhere authorizes the United States to mandate, either directly or under threat of penalty, that all citizens and legal residents have qualifying health care coverage.

State of Florida, et al. vs. HHS

It turns out, the Founding Fathers would beg to disagree.

In July of 1798, Congress passed – and President John Adams signed - “An Act for the Relief of Sick and Disabled Seamen.” The law authorized the creation of a government operated marine hospital service and mandated that privately employed sailors be required to purchase health care insurance.

Keep in mind that the 5th Congress did not really need to struggle over the intentions of the drafters of the Constitutions in creating this Act as many of its members were the drafters of the Constitution.

And when the Bill came to the desk of President John Adams for signature, I think it’s safe to assume that the man in that chair had a pretty good grasp on what the framers had in mind.

Here’s how it happened.

During the early years of our union, the nation’s leaders realized that foreign trade would be essential to the young country’s ability to create a viable economy. To make it work, they relied on the nation’s private merchant ships – and the sailors that made them go – to be the instruments of this trade.

The problem was that a merchant mariner’s job was a difficult and dangerous undertaking in those days. Sailors were constantly hurting themselves, picking up weird tropical diseases, etc.

The troublesome reductions in manpower caused by back strains, twisted ankles and strange diseases often left a ship’s captain without enough sailors to get underway – a problem both bad for business and a strain on the nation’s economy.

But those were the days when members of Congress still used their collective heads to solve problems – not create them.

Realizing that a healthy maritime workforce was essential to the ability of our private merchant ships to engage in foreign trade, Congress and the President resolved to do something about it.

Enter “An Act for The Relief of Sick and Disabled Seamen”.

I encourage you to read the law as, in those days, legislation was short, to the point and fairly easy to understand.

The law did a number of fascinating things.

First, it created the Marine Hospital Service, a series of hospitals built and operated by the federal government to treat injured and ailing privately employed sailors. This government provided healthcare service was to be paid for by a mandatory tax on the maritime sailors (a little more than 1% of a sailor’s wages), the same to be withheld from a sailor’s pay and turned over to the government by the ship’s owner. The payment of this tax for health care was not optional. If a sailor wanted to work, he had to pay up.

This is pretty much how it works today in the European nations that conduct socialized medical programs for its citizens – although 1% of wages doesn’t quite cut it any longer.

The law was not only the first time the United States created a socialized medical program (The Marine Hospital Service) but was also the first to mandate that privately employed citizens be legally required to make payments to pay for health care services. Upon passage of the law, ships were no longer permitted to sail in and out of our ports if the health care tax had not been collected by the ship owners and paid over to the government – thus the creation of the first payroll tax in our nation’s history.

When a sick or injured sailor needed medical assistance, the government would confirm that his payments had been collected and turned over by his employer and would then give the sailor a voucher entitling him to admission to the hospital where he would be treated for whatever ailed him.

While a few of the healthcare facilities accepting the government voucher were privately operated, the majority of the treatment was given out at the federal maritime hospitals that were built and operated by the government in the nation’s largest ports.

As the nation grew and expanded, the system was also expanded to cover sailors working the private vessels sailing the Mississippi and Ohio rivers.

The program eventually became the Public Health Service, a government operated health service that exists to this day under the supervision of the Surgeon General.

So much for the claim that “The Constitution nowhere authorizes the United States to mandate, either directly or under threat of penalty….”

As for Congress’ understanding of the limits of the Constitution at the time the Act was passed, it is worth noting that Thomas Jefferson was the President of the Senate during the 5th Congress while Jonathan Dayton, the youngest man to sign the United States Constitution, was the Speaker of the House.

While I’m sure a number of readers are scratching their heads in the effort to find the distinction between the circumstances of 1798 and today, I think you’ll find it difficult.

Yes, the law at that time required only merchant sailors to purchase health care coverage. Thus, one could argue that nobody was forcing anyone to become a merchant sailor and, therefore, they were not required to purchase health care coverage unless they chose to pursue a career at sea.

However, this is no different than what we are looking at today.

Each of us has the option to turn down employment that would require us to purchase private health insurance under the health care reform law.

Would that be practical? Of course not – just as it would have been impractical for a man seeking employment as a merchant sailor in 1798 to turn down a job on a ship because he would be required by law to purchase health care coverage.

What’s more, a constitutional challenge to the legality of mandated health care cannot exist based on the number of people who are required to purchase the coverage – it must necessarily be based on whether any American can be so required.

Clearly,  the nation’s founders serving in the 5th Congress, and there were many of them, believed that mandated health insurance coverage was permitted within the limits established by our Constitution.

The moral to the story is that the political right-wing has to stop pretending they have the blessings of the Founding Fathers as their excuse to oppose whatever this president has to offer.

History makes it abundantly clear that they do not.

UPDATE: January 21--Given the conversation and controversy this piece has engendered, Greg Sargent over at The Washington Post put the piece to the test. You might be interested in what Greg discovered in his article, “Newsflash: Founders favored government run health care.”

Bob Gammage

The Great Mystery (January 17, 2011)

WHO IS HE?  Ever wondered why no one ever came forward from

Obama's past saying they knew him, attended school with him, was his friend, etc. Not one person has ever come forward from his past.

VERY, VERY STRANGE...

This should really be a cause for great concern.  To those

Who voted for him, you have elected the biggest unqualified fraud that America has ever known.  Sort of adds credence to the idea of The Manchurian Candidate thing happening here!

Let's face it.  As insignificant as we all are ... Someone

Whom we went to school with remembers our name or face ... Someone Remembers we were the clown or the dork or the brain or the quiet one or the bully or something about us.

George Stephanopoulos of ABC News said the same thing during

The 2008 campaign.  He questions why no one has acknowledged the President was in their classroom or ate in the same cafeteria or made impromptu speeches on campus.

Stephanopoulos also was a classmate of Obama at Columbia -- the

Class of 1984.  He says he never had a single class with him.

While he is such a great orator, why doesn't anyone in Obama's

College class remember him?  And, why won't he allow Columbia to release his records?

NOBODY REMEMBERS OBAMA AT COLUMBIA !

Looking for evidence of Obama's past, Fox News contacted 400

Columbia University students from the period when Obama claims to have been there, but none remembered him.

Wayne Allyn Root was, like Obama, a political science major at

Columbia who also graduated in 1983.  In 2008, Root says of Obama, "I don't know a single person at Columbia that knew him, and they all know me. I don't have a classmate who ever knew Barack Obama at Columbia. EVER!

Nobody recalls him.  Root adds that he was also, like Obama,

"Class of  '83 political science, pre-law" and says, "You don't get more exact or closer than that."  Never met him in my life, don't know anyone who ever met him.  At the class reunion, our 20th reunion five years ago, who was asked to be the speaker of the class?  Me.  No one ever heard of Barack! And five years ago, nobody even knew who he was.

The guy who writes the class notes, who's kind of the, as we say

In New York, the macha who knows everybody, has yet to find a person, a human who ever met him."

Obama's photograph does not appear in the school's yearbook and

Obama consistently declines requests to talk about his years at Columbia, Provide school records, or provide the name of any former classmates or friends while at Columbia.

Http://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_Allyn_Root#column-one

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_Allyn_Root#column-one

NOTE:  Root graduated as Valedictorian from his high school,

Thornton-Donovan School, then graduated from Columbia University in 1983 as a Political Science major in the same class that Barack Hussein Obama was supposed to have been in.

Some other interesting questions...

Why was Obama's law license inactivated in 2002?

Why was Michelle's law license inactivated by Court Order?

It is circulating that according to the U.S. Census, there is only one Barack Obama but 27 Social Security numbers and over 80 aliases.

The Social Security number he uses now originated in Connecticut where he is never reported to have lived.

No wonder all his records are sealed!

We must go on and continue sending these out to everyone.  Pass

This on to everyone on your mailing list ... Pass it across America!

Pat Hoffman

Llano Stadium Light Poles (December 20, 2010)

With respect to your article on the light poles at the stadium:

The State has had a number of poles fall at stadiums, so all districts were asked to have their poles examined.  In doing so, we noted the problems outlined in your article. 

The consensus of the engineers looking at the poles was that ours were in danger of falling in a strong wind.  While we would have preferred to just try to fix the problem, we had no assurance from the engineers that we could do so and provide the required safety to anyone at the stadium. 

Reluctantly, we saw no choice but to have the poles taken down. Knowing the potential of failure and doing nothing would have potentially subjected us to litigation and would have been impossible to explain. 

The next issue is whether new poles should be installed.  Granted we could have chosen not to do so.  However, that decision has ramifications.  Football games would have to be moved to Saturday.  While this sounds easy, it isn't.  The opposing team has to agree to do that.  Also, we don't have just the Friday night varsity games at night.  We also have junior high teams and other non-varsity high school teams.  When all this was considered, we believed the best answer was to replace the poles.

Our budget for next year is going to be difficult.  Right now, my best guess is that we will have severe cuts in some areas, maybe to the point of decreasing student performance.  I will keep you informed as we go as to the problems.

Ronald Rudd, President

LISD School Board

Obamacare’s Local Impact (December 20, 2010)

This week the impact of Obamacare on senior citizens (and those planning to be senior citizens) became crystal clear.  I saw my dermatologist Monday and my primary care physician on Wednesday.  My dermatologist, whom I've been seeing for years, responded to my question about how the Medicare cuts will affect him by flatly stating that he and many doctors he knows will quit seeing Medicare patients if the 26%(?) cut in their fees is not restored by Congress.

I asked my primary care doctor the same question and he didn't quite say he would quit seeing us but he did put the problem in perspective.  When he gets $100 from Medicare, $62 goes to his overhead (staff, supplies, office space and insurance) which leaves him $38 "profit."  There is not much he can do to reduce overhead so the $26 cut comes out of his $38 leaving him with just $12.  This means his income is cut by 68% (26/38).  I don't think any of us could stand such a drastic cut in income.  You may not have thought it was not so bad for the doctors to get a 26% cut but in fact, my doctor is suffering a cut of more than two-thirds.  who can blame him if he decides to stop seeing Medicare patients?

The Texas Medical Association says that in Texas, 200 doctors a day are opting out of Medicare.  Where is that going to leave us?  If your doctor drops you, good luck on finding another.

As I recall, Obama said if we were happy with our doctors and insurance plans we could keep them.  This doesn't seem to be working out so well for seniors.  I'm not so sure this was an "unintended consequence.  As you know they cut $500 billion from Medicare to fund other parts of the so-called health care reform.  Perhaps the long run strategy is to (in effect) deny us health care so we will die sooner and that will save a lot of money.

Medicare needs fixing to avoid insolvency but this is a cruel way to fix it.  I recommend that all of us write our Congressman and Senators right away and ask them to restore the Medicare cuts before all the doctors abandon us out of self defense.

If you agree with this, please forward it too all your friends who are in this sinking boat with us.  I will do some more research and send updates.

Hugh Dawson

Why?

As an ex G.I,,Just answer me one question. WHY

When I was inducted into the army, each inductee was required to sit before a psychologist and was asked the obvious questions. If there was any doubt, of your sexual inclinations you were not admitted into the Army.

You don't like that? O.K. But that was standard Army procedure for many years. So then they initiated the "don't ask, don't tell". That too was O.K. You weren't asked and you didn't tell. It was kept secret.

Why must the army homosexuals be overt? Nobody knows, nobody tells. 

The only reason I can imagine is to identify each other for potential liaison's..why else.

I've heard of, though haven't experienced two guys getting it on in the shower room. Sorry, but I choose not to be exposed to that!

So just answer me the question WHY? Why can't we just leave "don't ask, don't tell Why must they be overt”?

Dr.Frank Trapani

http://www.drftrapani.blogspot.com/=

LISD Board President Responds to District Rating, Sexual Assault and Funding (September 6, 2010)

I've been out of town and did not get a chance to read this until today, but I would like to respond to the school issues. 

To me, the Texas Performance Measure should not have been put in place.  It cast shadows on solid improvement by Llano ISD.  In the ratings, the TPM came into play on 11 students spread over the whole district, so it was not a pervasive change for us.  All of those students were economically disadvantaged and virtually all were minorities. 

Like all districts in Texas, we struggle with the problems in this area and are addressing them.  The main thing about the rating is that we are in the top 20% of districts in Texas.  This is substantial improvement from being two students away from academically unacceptable three years ago.  We still have work to do.  We need the high school to be exemplary because that is the culmination of the education a student gets.  Getting it there won't be easy, but I think we will make it.

With respect to the sexual assault charge by a teacher:  My understanding is that the alleged assault took place after the teacher was hired.  In any case, our district does a thorough background check with law enforcement agencies (which Llano is a part of), and the check came back clean.  We are somewhat at the mercy of the agencies to report.  To the best of my knowledge, no one in the community knew of this prior to hiring.  While I am not at liberty to discuss details, we will resolve the issue to protect the students.

Funding for schools will be a problem.  While I can't speak for the other board members, I think everyone would like the educational system as a whole to be reevaluated rather than throwing money at the problem.  I don't see that happening, but I wish it would. If the funding issue is not resolved, a number of school districts will go bankrupt. 

We are strong enough financially to withstand the first wave of problems, but we can't hold out forever.  Here is my guess:  Democrats will block sales tax increases.  Republicans will block income taxes.  The Legislature will decide to put the problem back in local hands and raise the required roll back election rate from $1.04 to something higher, heading us back to extreme property taxes which was the case before the big reduction.  Any other ideas?

Be Kind to Your Enemies – It Drives Them Nuts! (August 23, 2010)

When driving to, from, and through Frankenmuth, Michigan, I'm always intrigued with the many small simple crosses in the front yards of the homes we pass by.  Those crosses are a statement of support for Frankenmuth's Christian foundation. 

Two years ago an atheist living there complained about two crosses on a bridge in town.    He requested that they be removed and the town removed them. He then decided that, since he was so successful with that, the city shield should also be changed since it had on it, along with other symbols, a heart with a cross inside signifying the city's Lutheran beginnings.

At that point, the residents decided they had had enough.  Hundreds of residents made their opinions known by placing small crosses in their front yards.   Seeing this quiet but powerful statement from the community, the man removed his complaint.  Those simple  crosses remain in those front yards today.

After passing those crosses for two years, it finally hit me that a small cross in millions of front yards across our country could provide a powerful and inspiring message for all Americans passing them every day.  I think it might be time to take this idea across America.

We have an administration that says "we are not a Christian nation" and everywhere you look the ACLU and others are trying to remove from our history and current lives any reference to God, prayer, or the fact that our country was founded on  Judeo-Christian principles.  Our administration can't bring themselves to talk about "radical Muslims or Islamic terrorists" for fear of offending them, but they can talk about Americans "clinging to their guns and their religion", or insinuate that our own military troops coming home from service overseas might turn into terrorists.   The majority of Americans are Christians, why are we letting this happen to us?

It's time to stand up and make a statement. a small, quiet, but powerful statement.  If you agree, place a small white cross in your front yard or garden for all to see that they are not alone.  It would be a beautiful thing to see crosses all across America.

God has richly blessed America but America is falling short of returning thanks for it...we can help to change that.

NOTE: E-mailed to me by a friend who takes no credit for the letter.

From The Other Side of the Fence (July 19, 2010)

This letter was forwarded to me by a friend who in turn received it from Tom O'Malley, who was a Director with S.W. BELL in Mexico City:

 "I spent five years working in Mexico. I worked under a tourist Visa for three months and could legally renew it  for three more months. After that you were working illegally. I was technically illegal for three weeks waiting on the FM3 approval.

 "During that six months our Mexican and U.S. attorneys were working to secure a permanent work visa called a ‘FM3’. It was in addition to my U.S. passport that I had to show each time I entered and left the country.   Barbara's was the same, except hers did not permit her to work.

 "To apply for the FM3, I needed to submit the following notarized originals (not copies):

 1. Birth certificate for Barbara and me.

 2. Marriage certificate.

 3. High school transcripts and proof of graduation.

 4. College transcripts for every college I attended and proof of graduation.

 5. Two letters of recommendation from supervisors I had worked for at least one year.

 6. A letter from the St. Louis Chief of Police indicating that I had no arrest record in the U.S. and no outstanding warrants and, was "a citizen in good standing".

 7. "Finally, I had to write a letter about myself that clearly stated why there was no Mexican citizen with my skills and why my skills were important to Mexico. We called it our 'I am the greatest person on Earth' letter. It was fun to write."

 "All of the above were in English that had to be translated into Spanish and be certified as legal translations, and our signatures notarized. It produced a folder about 1.5 inches thick with English on the left side & Spanish on the right."

 "Once they were completed Barbara and I spent about five hours, accompanied by a Mexican attorney, touring Mexican government office locations and being photographed and fingerprinted at least three times at each location, and we remember at least four locations where we were instructed on Mexican tax, labor, housing, and criminal law and that we were required to obey their laws or face the consequences. We could not protest any of the government’s actions or we would be committing a felony. We paid out four thousand dollars in fees and bribes to complete the process. When this was done we could legally bring in our household goods that were held by U.S. Customs in Laredo, Texas. This meant we had rented furniture in Mexico while awaiting our goods. There were extensive fees involved here that the company paid."

 "We could not buy a home and were required to rent at very high rates and under contract and compliance with Mexican law."

 "We were required to get a Mexican driver’s license. This was an amazing process. The company arranged for the licensing agency to come to our headquarters location with their photography and fingerprint equipment and the laminating machine. We showed our U.S. license,   were photographed and fingerprinted again and issued the license instantly after paying out a six dollar fee. We did not take a written or driving test and never received instructions on the rules of the road. Our only instruction was to never give a policeman your license if stopped and asked. We were instructed to hold it against the inside window away from his grasp. If he got his hands on it you would have to pay ransom to get it back. "

 "We then had to pay and file Mexican income tax annually using the number of our FM3 as our ID number. The company’s Mexican accountants did this for us and we just signed what they prepared. It was about twenty legal size pages annually."

 "The FM3 was good for three years and renewable for two more after paying more fees."

 "Leaving the country meant turning in the FM3 and certifying we were leaving no debts behind and no outstanding legal affairs (warrants, tickets or liens) before our household goods were released to customs."

 "It was a real adventure and if any of our Senators or Congressmen went through it once they would have a different attitude toward Mexico."

 "The Mexican government uses its vast military and police forces to keep its citizens intimidated and compliant. They never protest at their capitol or government offices, but do protest daily in front of the United States Embassy. The U.S. Embassy looks like a strongly reinforced fortress and during most protests the Mexican military surrounds the block with their men standing shoulder to shoulder in full riot gear to protect the Embassy. These protests are never shown on U.S. or Mexican TV. There is a large public park across the street where they do their protesting. Anything can cause a protest such as proposed law changes in California or Texas."

THE MEXICAN PRESIDENT HAS THE AUDACITY TO SAY OUR IMMIGRATION LAWS ARE TOO INTIMIDATING, ESPECIALLY ARIZONA'S LAW (and received a standing ovation from Congressional Dems!)

Tom O'Malley, formerly a Director with S.W. BELL in Mexico City

America 's Divorce Agreement (May 24, 2010)

Dear American liberals, leftists, social progressives, socialists, Marxists and Obama supporters, et al:

We have stuck together since the late 1950's for the sake of the kids, but the whole of this latest election process has made me realize that I want a divorce.... I know we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly, this relationship has clearly run its course.

Our two ideological sides of America cannot and will not ever agree on what is right for us all, so let's just end it on friendly terms. We can smile and chalk it up to irreconcilable differences and go our own way.

Here is a model separation agreement:

Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by landmass each taking a similar portion. That will be the difficult part, but I am sure  our two sides can come to a friendly agreement. After that, it should be relatively easy! Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and disparate tastes.

We don't like redistributive taxes so you can keep them. You are welcome to the liberal judges and the ACLU. Since you hate guns and war, we'll take our firearms, the cops, the NRA and the military.  We'll take the nasty, smelly oil industry and you can go with wind, solar and biodiesel.  You can keep Oprah, Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell (You are, however, responsible for finding a bio-diesel vehicle big enough to move all three of them).

We'll keep capitalism, greedy corporations, pharmaceutical companies, Wal-Mart and Wall Street. You can have your beloved lifelong welfare dwellers, food stamps, homeless, homeboys, hippies, druggies and illegal aliens. We'll keep the hot Alaskan hockey moms, greedy CEO's and rednecks. We'll keep the Bibles and give you N BC and Hollywood .

You can make nice with Iran and Palestine and we'll retain the right to invade and hammer places that threaten us. You can have the peaceniks and war protesters. When our allies or our way of life are under assault, we'll help provide them security.

We'll keep our Judeo-Christian values.. You are welcome to Islam, Scientology, Humanism, political correctness and Shirley McClain. You can also have the U.N.. but we will no longer be paying the bill.

You can give everyone healthcare if you can find any practicing doctors. We'll continue to believe healthcare is a luxury and not a right.  We'll keep The Battle Hymn of the Republic and the National Anthem. I'm sure you'll be happy to substitute Imagine, I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing, Kum Ba Ya or We Are the World.

We'll practice trickledown economics and you can continue to give trickle up poverty your best shot.

Since it often so offends you, we'll keep our history, our name and our flag. 

Would you agree to this?  If so, please pass it along to other like minded liberal and conservative patriots and if you do not agree, just ignore it. In the spirit of friendly parting, I'll bet you answer which one of us will need whose help in 15 years.

Sincerely,

A Law Student and an American

P. S. Also, please take Ted Turner, Johnny Depp, Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon, The Dixie Chicks, Sean Penn, Martin Sheen, Barbara Streisand, & Jane Fonda with you.

P. S. S.  And you won't have to press 1 for English when you call our country.

Wal-Mart vs. The Morons (May 3, 2010)

1 . Americans spend $36,000,000 at Wal-Mart Every hour of every day.

2.. This works out to $20,928 profit every minute!

3. Wal-Mart will sell more from January 1 to St. Patrick's Day (March 17th) than Target sells all year.

4. Wal-Mart is bigger than Home Depot + Kroger + Target + Sears + Costco + K-Mart combined.

5. Wal-Mart employs 1.6 million people and is the largest private Employer, an d most speak English.

6. Wal-Mart is the largest company in the history of the World.

7. Wal-Mart now sells more food than Kroger & Safeway combined, and keep in mind they did this in only 15 years.

8. During this same period, 31 supermarket chains sought bankruptcy.

9. Wal-Mart now sells more food than any other store in the world.

10. Wal-Mart has approx 3,900 stores in the USA of which 1,906 are Super Centers; this is 1,000 more than it had 5 Years ago.

11. This year 7.2 billion different purchasing experiences will occur At a Wal-Mart store. (Earth's population is approximately 6.5 Billion.)

12. 90% of all Americans live within 15 miles of a Wal-Mart.

You may think that I am complaining, but I am really laying the ground work for suggesting that MAYBE we should hire the guys who run Wal-Mart to Fix the economy.

This should be read and understood by all Americans

Democrats, Republicans, EVERYONE!!

To President Obama and all 535 voting members of the Legislature,

It is now official you are ALL corrupt morons:

The U.S. Post Service was established in 1775. You have had 234 years to get it right and it is broke.

Social Security  was established in 1935. You have had 74 years to get it right and it is broke.

Fannie Mae was established in 1938. You have had 71 years to get it right and it is broke.

War on Poverty  started in 1964. You have had 45 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is  confiscated each year and transferred to "the poor" and they only want more.

Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. You have had 44 years to get it right and they are broke.

Freddie Mac was established in 1970. You have had 39 years to get it right and it is broke.

The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before.

You had 32 years to get it right and it is an abysmal failure. You have FAILED in every "government service" you have shoved down our throats while overspending our tax dollars

AND YOU WANT AMERICANS TO BELIEVE YOU CAN BE TRUSTED WITH A GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM??

Submitted by

Richard Fishman, Attorney at Law

California

Moving to Mexico (April 26, 2010)

Dear President Obama:

I'm planning to move my family and extended family into  Mexico  for my health, and I would like to ask you to assist me.

We're planning to simply walk across the border from the U.S. Into Mexico, and we'll need your help to make a few arrangements.

We plan to skip all the legal stuff like visas, passports,immigration quotas and laws.

I'm sure they handle those things the same way you do here. So, would you mind telling your buddy, President Calderon, that I'm on my way over?

Please let him know that I will be expecting the following:

1. Free medical care for my entire family.

2. English-speaking government bureaucrats for all services I might need, whether I use them or not.

3. Please print all Mexican government forms in English.

4. I want my grandkids to be taught Spanish by English-speaking (bi-lingual) teachers.

5. Tell their schools they need to include classes on American culture and history.

6. I want my grandkids to see the American flag on one of the flag poles at their school.

7. Please plan to feed my grandkids at school for both breakfast and lunch.

8. I will need a local Mexican driver's license so I can get easy access to government services.

9. I do plan to get a car and drive in  Mexico , but, I don't plan to purchase car insurance, and I probably won't make any special effort to learn local traffic laws.

10. In case one of the Mexican police officers does not get the memo from their president to leave me alone, please be sure that every patrol car has at least one English-speaking officer.

11. I plan to fly the U.S. Flag from my house top, put U S. Flag decals on my car, and have a gigantic celebration on July 4th. I do not want any complaints or negative comments from the locals.

12. I would also like to have a nice job without paying any taxes, or have any labor or tax laws enforced on any business I may start.

13. Please have the president tell all the Mexican people to be extremely nice and never say critical things about me or my family, or about the strain we might place on their economy.

14. I want to receive free food stamps.

15. Naturally, I'll expect free rent subsidies.

16. I'll need Income tax credits so although I don't pay Mexican Taxes, I'll receive money from the government.

17. Please arrange it so that the Mexican Gov't pays $4,500 to help me buy a new car.

18. Oh yes, I almost forgot, please enroll me free into the Mexican Social Security program so that I'll get a monthly income in retirement.

I know this is an easy request because you already do all these things for all his people who walk over to the U.S. from Mexico . I am sure that President Calderon won't mind returning the favor if you ask him nicely.

Thank you so much for your kind help. You're the man!!!

(Name withheld by request)

I’m Not a Democrat! (April 26, 2010)

 Dear Mr. Klee,

I use to enjoy your web-site; I still respect what you are accomplishing through your site. The Democrats are working very hard to destroy our freedoms, our Constitution and our way of life. Apparently you have a strong belief in the Republican Party and conservative values. I am a conservative and if you examine my voting record you will see that I am listed as a “Strong Republican”.

I am obviously not a politician and I’m far from being articulate. When I ran for County Commissioner recently I was hesitant to make campaign promises that I possibly could not achieve, so I depended on my conservative values and ability to work with and help people.

Through your endorsement of my opponent you made it clear your opinion of me and that is fine, we still have freedom of speech and it reminds me of that old saying about opinions, “everyone has one”. What really hurt was your comment that I supported a Democrat; do you think that I voted for Obama? I have searched my mind and in my 43 years of voting I can not remember voting for a Democrat. I do own some property that is a popular place for candidates to put signs and I’ve never discriminated, I allowed anyone who ask to place a sign there, is that it? Even though I ask some questions I do not expect a reply, because I will not visit your site again.

Marvin Gray

Editor’s Note: Mr. Gray is a former candidate for Llano County Commissioner, 2^nd Precinct who lost to Linda Raschke in a run-off election recently.

 The actual statement contained in the “Local Endorsements” article (April 5, 2010) concerning Mr. Gray supporting Democrats was;

 “My covert sources suggest Gray not to be a reliable Party member, supposedly supporting Democrats running against local Republican candidates in the past but I have no personal knowledge of this.” (Emphasis added)

Muslims Reconnoiter Aboard AirTran Flight to Houston (April 12, 2010)

By Tedd Tatruna

Last November I went to Ohio on business and to see my father. On Tuesday, November the 17th, I returned home. If you read the papers the 18th you may have seen a blurb where a AirTran flight was cancelled from Atlanta to Houston due to a man who refused to get off of his cell phone before takeoff. It was on Fox. This was NOT what happened.

I was in 1st class coming home. 11 Muslim men got on the plane in full attire. 2 sat in 1st class and the rest peppered themselves throughout the plane all the way to the back. As the plane taxied to the runway the stewardesses gave the safety spiel we are all so familiar with. At that time, one of the men got on his cell and called one of his companions in the back and proceeded to talk on the phone in Arabic very loudly and very aggressively. This took the 1st stewardess out of the picture for she repeatedly told the man that cell phones were not permitted at the time. He ignored her as if she was not there.

The 2nd man who answered the phone did the same and this took out the 2nd stewardess. In the back of the plane at this time, 2 younger Muslims, one in the back aisle, and one in front of him, window, began to show footage of a porno they had taped the night before, and were very loud about it. Now they are only permitted to do this prior to Jihad. If a Muslim man goes into a strip club, he has to view the woman via mirror with his back to her. (Don't ask me, I don't make the rules, but I've studied)

The 3rd stewardess informed them that they were not to have electronic devices on at this time. To which one of the men said "shut up infidel dog!" She went to take the camcorder and he began to scream in her face in Arabic.

At that exact moment, all 11 of them got up and started to walk the cabin. This is where I had had enough! I got up and started to the back where I heard a voice behind me from another Texan twice my size say "I got your back." I grabbed the man who had been on the phone by the arm and said "You WILL go sit down or you Will be thrown from this plane!" As I "led" him around me to take his seat, the fellow Texan grabbed him by the back of his neck and his waist and headed out with him.

I then grabbed the 2nd man and said, "You WILL do the same!" He protested but adrenaline was flowing now and he was going to go. As I escorted him forward the plane doors open and 3 TSA agents and 4 police officers entered. Me and my new Texan friend were told to cease and desist for they had this under control. I was happy to oblige actually. There was some commotion in the back, but within moments, all 11 were escorted off the plane. They then unloaded their luggage.

We talked about the occurrence and were in disbelief that it had happen, when suddenly, the door open again and on walked all 11!! Stone faced, eyes front and robotic (the only way I can describe it). The stewardess from the back had been in tears and when she saw this, she was having NONE of it! Being that I was up front, I heard and saw the whole ordeal.

She told the TSA agent there was NO WAY she was staying on the plane with these men. The agent told her they had searched them and were going to go through their luggage with a fine tooth comb and that they were allowed to proceed to Houston . The captain and co-captain came out and told the agent "We and our crew will not fly this plane!" After a word or two, the entire crew, luggage in tow, left the plane. 5 minutes later, the cabin door opened again and a whole new crew walked on.

Again...this is where I had had enough!!! I got up and asked "What the hell is going on!?!?" I was told to take my seat. They were sorry for the delay and I would be home shortly. I said "I'm getting off this plane". The stewardess sternly told me that she could not allow me to get off. (Now I'm mad!) I said "I am a grown man who bought this ticket, whose time is mine with a family at home, and I am going through that door, or I'm going through that door with you under my arm!! But I am going through that door!!" And I heard a voice behind me say "so am I". Then everyone behind us started to get up and say the same. Within 2 minutes, I was walking off that plane where I was met with more agents who asked me to write a statement. I had 5 hours to kill at this point so why the hell not.

Due to the amount of people who got off that flight, it was cancelled. I was supposed to be in Houston at 6 pm. I got here at 12:30am. Look up the date. Flight #297 Atlanta to Houston. If this wasn't a dry run, I don't know what one is. The terrorists wanted to see how TSA would handle it, how the crew would handle it, and how the passengers would handle it.

I'm telling this to you because I want you to know.. The threat is real. I saw it with my own eyes..

Tedd Petruna

Editor’s Note: Tedd Petruna, a diver at the NBL facility [Neutral Buoyancy Lab], at NASA Houston

Ok, let me see if I got this right...

If you cross the North Korean border illegally you get 12 years hard labor.

If you cross the Iranian border illegally you are detained indefinitely.

If you cross the Afghan border illegally, you get shot.

If you cross the Saudi Arabian border illegally you will be jailed.

If you cross the Chinese border illegally you may never be heard from again.

If you cross the Venezuelan border illegally you will be branded a spy and your fate will be sealed.

If you cross the Cuban border illegally you will be thrown into political prison to rot.

If you cross the U.S. border illegally you get:

1 - A job

2 - A driver’s license

3 - Social security card

4 - Welfare

5 - Food stamps

6 - Credit cards

7 - Subsidized rent or a loan to buy a house

8 - Free education

9 - Free health care

10 - A lobbyist in Washington

11 - Public documents printed in your language and the right to carry your country's flag while you protest that you don't get enough respect.

I just wanted to make sure I had a firm grasp on the situation...

Richard Fishman, California

History Will Teach Us Everything (March 22, 2010)

I have small children and I worry about the future of this country. I only have four decades of experience but I am an avid student of history.

·        When I was twenty,  I was a flaming liberal and I still don't know why. The sensibility of a twenty year-old is what seems to be directing things now. Instant gratification.

·        Reward without effort.

·        Free "this" and free "that".

·        Social jusice...gimme gimme gimme

 My children will not live this way. They already understand the value of knowledge. 

History will teach us everything.

Gordon Kohler

Wylie, Texas

An Idea Who's Time Has Come (March 22, 2010)

For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress.

Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they didn't pay into Social Security, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws. 

The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform that is being considered...in all of its forms. They insist on jamming in down the citizens’ throats but want no part of it for themselves.

Somehow, that doesn't seem logical.  We do not have an elite that is above the law.  I truly don't care if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever.  The self-serving must stop.  This is a good way to do that.  It is an idea whose time has come.

This is one proposal that really should be passed around.

Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution: 

"Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States.”

Richard Fishman

California

History Unfolding (March 15, 2010)

I am a student of history. Professionally, I have written 15 books on history that have been published in six languages, and I have studied history all my life. I have come to think there is something monumentally large afoot, and I do not believe it is simply a banking crisis, or a mortgage crisis, or a credit crisis. Yes these exist, but they are merely single facets on a very large gemstone that is only now coming into a sharper focus.

Something of historic proportions is happening.  I can sense it because I know how it feels, smells, what it looks like, and how people react to it. Yes, a perfect storm may be brewing, but there is something happening within our country that has been evolving for about ten to fifteen years. The pace has dramatically quickened in the past two.

We demand and then codify into law the requirement that our banks make massive loans to people we know they can never pay back? Why?

We learned just days ago that the Federal Reserve, which has little or no real oversight by anyone, has "loaned" two trillion dollars (that is $2,000,000,000,000) over the past few months, but will not tell us to whom or why or disclose the terms. That is our money. Yours and mine. And that is three times the $700 billion we all argued about so strenuously just this past September. Who has this money? Why do they have it? Why are the terms unavailable to us?  Who asked for it?  Who authorized it?  I thought this was a government of "we the people," who loaned our powers to our elected leaders. Apparently not.

We have spent two or more decades intentionally de-industrializing our economy.. Why?

We have intentionally dumbed down our schools, ignored our history, and no longer teach our founding documents, why we are exceptional, and why we are worth preserving. Students by and large cannot write, think critically, read, or articulate. Parents are not revolting, teachers are not picketing, school boards continue to back mediocrity.. Why?

We have now established the precedent of protesting every close election (violently in California over a proposition that is so controversial that it simply wants marriage to remain defined as between one man and one woman. Did you ever think such a thing possible just a decade ago?) We have corrupted our sacred political process by allowing unelected judges to write laws that radically change our way of life, and then mainstream Marxist groups like ACORN and others to turn our voting system into a banana republic. To what purpose?

Now our mortgage industry is collapsing, housing prices are in free fall, major industries are failing, our banking system is on the verge of collapse, social security is nearly bankrupt, as is Medicare and our entire government. Our education system is worse than a joke (I teach college and I know precisely what I am talking about) - the list is staggering in its length, breadth, and depth.  It is potentially 1929 x  ten...and we are at war with an enemy we cannot even name for fear of offending people of the same religion, who, in turn, cannot wait to slit the throats of your children if they have the opportunity to do so.

And finally, we have elected a man that no one really knows anything about, who has never run so much as a Dairy Queen, let alone a town as big as Warsilla , Alaska ..  All of his associations and alliances are with real radicals in their chosen fields of employment, and everything we learn about him, drip by drip, is unsettling if not downright scary (Surely you have heard him speak about his idea to create and fund a mandatory civilian defense force stronger than our military for use inside our borders? No? Oh, of course. The media would never play that for you over and over and then demand he answer it. Sarah Palin's pregnant daughter and $150,000 wardrobe are more important.)

Mr. Obama's winning platform can be boiled down to one word: CHANGE.  Why?

I have never been so afraid for my country and for my children as I am now.

This man campaigned on bringing people together, something he has never, ever done in his professional life In my assessment, Obama will divide us along philosophical lines, push us apart, and then try to realign the pieces into a new and different power structure. Change is indeed coming. And when it comes, you will never see the same nation again

And that is only the beginning..

As a serious student of history, I thought I would never come to experience what the ordinary, moral German must have felt in the mid-1930s.  In those times, the "savior" was a former smooth-talking rabble-rouser from the streets, about whom the average German knew next to nothing. What they should have known was that he was associated with groups that shouted, shoved, and pushed around people with whom they disagreed; he edged his way onto the political stage through great oratory Conservative "losers" read it right now.

And there were the promises. Economic times were tough, people were losing jobs, and he was a great speaker.. And he smiled and frowned and waved a lot. And people, even newspapers, were afraid to speak out for fear that his "brown shirts" would bully and beat them into submission. Which they did - regularly. And then, he was duly elected to office, while a full-throttled economic crisis bloomed at hand - the Great Depression. Slowly, but surely he seized the controls of government power, person by person, department by department, bureaucracy by bureaucracy. The children of German citizens were at first, encouraged to join a Youth Movement in his name where they were taught exactly what to think. Later, they were required to do so. No Jews of course, 

How did he get people on his side? He did it by promising jobs to the jobless, money to the money-less, and rewards for the military-industrial complex. He did it by indoctrinating the children, advocating gun control, health care for all, better wages, better jobs, and promising to re-instill pride once again in the country, across Europe , and across the world. He did it with a compliant media - did you know that? And he did this all in the name of justice and . . . CHANGE. And the people surely got what they voted for.

If you think I am exaggerating, look it up. It's all there in the history books.

So read your history books. Many people of conscience objected in 1933 and were shouted down, called names, laughed at, and ridiculed. When Winston Churchill pointed out the obvious in the late 1930s while seated in the House of Lords in England (he was not yet Prime Minister), he was booed into his seat and called a crazy troublemaker. He was right, though. And the world came to regret that he was not listened to.

Do not forget that Germany was the most educated, the most cultured country in Europe . It was full of music, art, museums, hospitals, laboratories, and universities. And yet, in less than six years (a shorter time span than just two terms of the U. S. presidency) it was rounding up its own citizens, killing others, abrogating its laws, turning children against parents, and neighbors against neighbors. All with the best of intentions, of course. The road to Hell is paved with them.

As a practical thinker, one not overly prone to emotional decisions, I have a choice: I can either believe what the objective pieces of evidence tell me (even if they make me cringe with disgust); I can believe what history is shouting to me from across the chasm of seven decades; or I can hope I am wrong by closing my eyes, having another latte, and ignoring what is transpiring around me..

I choose to believe the evidence. No doubt some people will scoff at me, others laugh, or think I am foolish, naive, or both. To some degree, perhaps I am. But I have never been afraid to look people in the eye and tell them exactly what I believe-and why I believe it.

I pray I am wrong. I do not think I am. Perhaps the only hope is our vote in the next elections.

David Kaiser, PhD

Jamestown , Rhode Island

[Editor’s Note: David Kaiser is a respected historian whose published works have covered a broad range of topics, from European Warfare to American League Baseball. Born in 1947, the son of a diplomat, Kaiser spent his childhood in three capital cities: Washington D.C. , Albany , New York , and Dakar , Senegal .  He attended Harvard University, graduating there in 1969 with a B.A. in history. He then spent several years more at Harvard, gaining a PhD in history, which he obtained in 1976. He served in the Army Reserve from 1970 to 1976.

He is a professor in the Strategy and Policy Department of the United States Naval War College. He has previously taught at Carnegie Mellon, Williams College and Harvard University . Kaiser's latest book, The Road to Dallas, about the Kennedy assassination, was just published by Harvard University Press.]

Glen Beck Letter

 {This is a copy of the controversial letter Glen Beck read on his TV show from a listener in Arizona}

One, illegal immigration. I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels.. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. 

P.S., I'm not a racist. This is not to be confused with legal immigration.

Two, the STIMULUS bill. I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you No, but you did it anyway... I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.

Three: Czars. I want the circumvention of our constitutional checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution, and honor it.

Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There are many conflicting opinions and it is too soon for this radical legislation. Quit throwing our nation into politically-correct quicksand.

Five, universal healthcare. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision that will burden me, my children, and grandchildren. Don't you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night without even reading it. Slow down!  Fix only what is broken -- we have the best health care system in the world -- and test any new program in one or two states first.

Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty  fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. More is not better! Shrink it down. Mind your own business.  You have enough to take care of with your real [Constitutional] obligations. Why don't you start there.

Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes -- how did they pull that one off?  Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the census with our taxpayer money. I don't trust them with any of our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.

Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs -- and that is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person! Why do you want me to hate my employers? And what do you have against shareholders making a profit?

Nine, charitable contributions. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.

Ten, corporate bailouts. Knock it off. Every company must sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we'll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. (Have you ever ripped off a Band-Aid?) We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.

Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let's have it. Let's say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk.. Please stop trying to manipulate and appease me with clever wording.. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me.

Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now.

Take a breath. Listen to the people. Slow down and get some input from nonpoliticians and experts on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed-reading our bills into law. I am not an activist.. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a parent and a grandparent.. I work. I'm busy.  I am busy, and I am tired. I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.

I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not.

It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance. Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is needless urgency and recklessness in all of your recent spending of our tax dollars.

From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back.

You have forced us to put our lives on hold to straighten out the mess that you are making. We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on bringing our concerns to Washington .

Our president often knows all the right buzzwords like unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don't want your overpriced words. Stop treating us like we're morons.

We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented.. You think we're so busy with our lives that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work, pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone... and we are now looking at you.

You have awakened us, the patriotic freedom spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far. Our numbers are great. They may surprise you. For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on voting day to usher you out of office.

We have cancelled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn't ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us who will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.

Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don't care. Political parties are meaningless to us Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution, and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest.

As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired. Did you hear? We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them.. Because we will get you fired and they will not save you.

If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to know who you are. If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one by one. 

We are coming. Are we coming for you? Who do you represent? What do you represent?  Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are coming."

History is About to Repeat Itself Again

To President Obama and all 535 voting members of the Legislature,

It is now official you are ALL corrupt morons:

The U.S. Post Service was established in 1775. You have had 234 years to get it right and it is broke.

Social Security was established in 1935. You have had 74 years to get it right and it is broke.

Fannie Mae was established in 1938. You have had 71 years to get it right and it is broke.

War on Poverty started in 1964. You have had 45 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to "the poor" and they only want more.

Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. You have had 44 years to get it right and they are broke.

Freddie Mac was established in 1970. You have had 39 years to get it right and it is broke.

The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before. You had 32 years to get it right and it is an abysmal failure. 

You have FAILED in every "government service" you have shoved down our throats while overspending our tax dollars

AND YOU WANT AMERICANS TO BELIEVE YOU CAN BE TRUSTED WITH A GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM??

(Name Withheld by request)

A Doctor Speaks Out on Health Care Reform (February 16, 2010)

Dr. Roger Starner Jones, a physician who specializes in emergency medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center wrote the following letter to the White House. Unfortunately, Obama and the Democrats still don’t get it.

Dear Mr. President:

During my shift in the Emergency Room last night, I had   the   pleasure of evaluating a patient whose smile revealed an expensive shiny gold tooth, whose body was adorned with a wide assortment of elaborate and costly tattoos, who wore a very expensive brand of tennis shoes and who chatted on a new cellular telephone equipped with a popular R&B ringtone.

While glancing over her patient chart, I happened to notice that   her payer status was listed as "Medicaid"! During my examination of her, the patient informed me that she smokes more than one costly pack of cigarettes every day and somehow still has money to buy pretzels and beer.

And, you and our Congress expect me to pay for this woman's health care?  I contend that our nation's "health care crisis" is not the result of a shortage of quality hospitals, doctors or nurses. Rather, it is the result of a "crisis   of culture",  a culture in which it is perfectly acceptable to spend money on  luxuries and vices while refusing to take care of one's self or, heaven forbid, purchase health insurance.  It is a culture based in the irresponsible credo that "I can do whatever I want to because someone else will always take care of me".   

Once you fix this “culture crisis" that rewards irresponsibility and dependency, you'll be amazed at how quickly our nation's health care difficulties will disappear.

Respectfully,

Starner Jones, MD

Letter to Barry Rand, Executive Director, AARP (February (, 2010)

Dear Mr. Rand,    
  
Recently you sent us a letter encouraging us to renew our lapsed membership in AARP by the requested date. I know it is not what you were looking for, but this is the most honest response I can give you. Our gap in coverage is merely a microscopic symptom of the real problem, a deepening lack of faith.  
 
While we have proudly maintained our membership for several years and have long admired the AARP goals and principles, regrettably, we can no longer endorse it's abdication of our values. Your letter specifically stated that we can count on AARP to speak up for our rights, yet the voice we hear is not ours. Your offer of being kept up to date on important issues through DIVIDED WE FAIL presents neither an impartial view nor the one we have come to embrace. We do believe that when two parties agree all the time on everything presented to them, one is probably not necessary. But, when the opinions and long term goals are diametrically opposed, the divorce is imminent. This is the philosophy which spawned our 200 years of government.       
 
Once upon a time, we looked forward to being part of the senior demographic. We also looked to AARP to provide certain benefits and give our voice a power we could not possibly hope to achieve on our own.. AARP gave us a sense of belonging which we no longer enjoy. The Socialist politics practiced by the Obama administration and empowered by AARP serves only to raise the blood pressure my medical insurance strives to contain. Clearly a conflict of interest there!  
  
We do not understand the AARP posture, feel greatly betrayed by the guiding forces that we expected to map out our senior years and leave your ranks with a great sense of regret. We mitigate that disappointment with the relief of knowing that we are not contributing to the problem anymore by renewing our membership. There are numerous other organizations which offer discounts without threatening our way of life or offending our sensibilities.      
 
This Presidential Administration scares the living daylights out of us.. Not just for ourselves, but for our proud and bloodstained heritage. But even more importantly for our children and grandchildren. Washington  has rendered Soylent Green a prophetic cautionary tale rather than a nonfiction scare tactic. I have never in my life endorsed any militant or radical groups, yet now I find myself listening to them. I don't have to agree with them to appreciate the fear which birthed their existence. Their borderline insanity presents little more than a balance to the voice of the Socialist mindset in power. Perhaps I became American by a great stroke of luck in some cosmic uterine lottery, but in my adulthood I CHOOSE to embrace it and nurture the freedoms it represents as well as the responsibilities it requires..      
 
Your website generously offers us the opportunity to receive all communication in Spanish. ARE YOU KIDDING??? Someone has broken into our 'house', invaded our home without our invitation or consent. The President has insisted we keep the perpetrator in comfort and learn the perp language so we can communicate our reluctant welcome to them.  
I DON'T choose to welcome them.
I DON'T choose to support them.     
I DON'T choose to educate them.     
I DON'T choose to medicate them, pay for their food or clothing.  
American home invaders get arrested.     
Please explain to me why foreign lawbreakers can enjoy privileges on American soil that Americans do not get?  Why do some immigrants have to play the game to be welcomed and others only have to break & enter to be welcomed?  
 
We travel for a living. Walt hauls horses all over this great country, averaging over 10,000 miles a month when he is out there. He meets more people than a politician on caffeine overdose. Of all the many good folks he enjoyed on this last 10,000 miles, this trip yielded only ONE supporter of the current administration. One of us is out of touch with mainstream  America . Since our poll is conducted without funding, I have more faith in it than one which is power driven.       
 
We have decided to forward this to everyone on our mailing list, and will encourage them to do the same. With several hundred in my address book, I have every faith that the eventual exponential factor will make a credible statement to you.     
 
I am disappointed as hell.       
I am scared as hell.  
I am MAD as hell, and I'm NOT gonna take it anymore!   
 
Walt & Cyndy  
Miller Farms Equine Transport

EDITOR's NOTE: Try WWW.AMAC.US the new senior organization.

Writer Disagrees that Islam is a Religion of Peace (February 8, 2010)

I’m just fed up.  I’ve had enough.  I’ve been stuffed full of it.

President Bill Clinton told us that Islam is a Religion of Peace.  George Bush assured us that Islam is a great faith of Peace, hijacked and perverted by a few extremists.  President Obama continued the narrative in his famous Cairo speech about what a great gift to The United States is Islam.  We have post-Ramadan celebratory feasts at the White House.

I’ve had all of the Islam is Peaceful brainwashing I can stomach.  Islamic doctrine is not peaceful.  It is violent, bloody and bellicose.  Dying in the act of killing non-Muslims guarantees one a ticket to Paradise.  Jihad, or waging holy war against Infidels, is the highest calling of all Muslims.  Islam is at war with non-believers, and has been at war with us since Muhammad’s death in 632 AD.  His last instructions were that the war must be waged until Islam dominates the entire world.  We’re wasting our time, money and precious lives trying to defend and befriend Muslim governments.  Don’t feed me any more Islam is peaceful.  I can’t swallow another bite of it.  For an American soldier’s take on the idea Diana West published a letter today that every American should read:

“You correctly assessed that we have not gained anything positive from our efforts in Iraq and that the nation is not our ally. (The same is true for Afghanistan.) I will go as far as saying that the Iraqis are our enemies—enemies better equipped to wage jihad against us than they have ever been. We will regret what we have done. We will regret that we created this officially Islamic nation. And we will regret that we created an officially Islamic Afghanistan. We will regret that we have placed ourselves in the service of Islam, waging jihad worldwide as we advance the Religion of Peace and eliminate Christians in the process. (So much for the accusation that the U.S. is on a “Crusade.”) It is a shame that so many people refuse to recognize how horrible Islam is, and that the U.S. made a fatal mistake when it refused to declare war against Afghanistan and Islam—when it refused victory by binding the greatest military force of all time…”

All Muslims do not answer the call to violent jihad.  Most Muslims live peaceful lives.

But the doctrine that underpins Islam is anything but peaceful.  Our elected political leaders and our Press Corps have turned a blind eye for years to what the Koran actually says, what the Hadithe say, and most importantly what recognized mainstream leaders of the Muslim World truthfully say about jihad. There are approximately 1.5 billion Muslims in the world.  If only ten percent of them subscribe to, or participate in, strict adherence to Islam’s mandates, there is an Army of some 150 million Soldiers of Allah lined up to wage war against us.

It is time for America’s government to awaken to what we are really facing.  Stop trying to befriend Muslims States that will never truly be our allies.  Don’t feed me any more of that Islam is Peace stuff.  I’m full.

John L. Work

Ron Moore Responds to “Along Came a Spider” Article (January 25, 2010)

I thought you had been to (sic) quiet about this office so I was not surprised to find out you are on my case again.  Not that I am a fan of FEMA or the proposed floodplain maps since they have good news for most Llano residents on the Eastern end of the county but not so good news on the Western end but to go public with an accusation that this department has required the new-proposed maps or regulations to be in effect is absolutely false. 

Like you wrote, the maps and changes that may go with them are proposed by FEMA, are being offered for public opinion by Llano County even though FEMA’s 90 day period has not started and will be sent back to FEMA with any protests or appeals.  Eventually, FEMA will send them back to Commissioners Court for consideration but that may be this summer.  Until Commissioners Court adopts the new maps it is not legal to use them for any purpose other public review so I don’t know what your source is that claims we required the new maps to be used for building a home but is wrong and needs to be verified.

Have a Happy New Year!

Ron Moore, Llano

Editor’s Note: After checking back with the original source, they have not been able to substantiate that the FEMA proposed maps or regulations were put into effect without them being approved or adopted. It seems the underlying problem might have started with the County Surveyor, Fred Thompson, and not Ron Moore. Thanks for bringing the matter to our attention.

Klee’s Kaleidoscope

History is About to Repeat Itself Again (January 25, 2010)

To President Obama and all 535 voting members of the Legislature,

It is now official you are ALL corrupt morons:

The U.S. Post Service was established in 1775. You have had 234 years to get it right and it is broke.

Social Security was established in 1935. You have had 74 years to get it right and it is broke.

Fannie Mae was established in 1938. You have had 71 years to get it right and it is broke.

War on Poverty started in 1964. You have had 45 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to "the poor" and they only want more.

Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. You have had 44 years to get it right and they are broke.

Freddie Mac was established in 1970. You have had 39 years to get it right and it is broke.

The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before. You had 32 years to get it right and it is an abysmal failure. 

You have FAILED in every "government service" you have shoved down our throats while overspending our tax dollars

AND YOU WANT AMERICANS TO BELIEVE YOU CAN BE TRUSTED WITH A GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM??

(Name Withheld)

The U.S. Should Pull Out of Washington

An interesting letter in the Australian Shooter Magazine this week,
which I quote:  ;  "If you consider that there has been an average
of 160,000 troops in the Iraq theater of operations during the past 22
months, and a total of 2112 deaths, that gives a firearm death rate of
60 per 100,000 soldiers.

The firearm death rate in Washington, DC is 80.6 per 100,000 for the
same period. That means you are about 25 per cent more likely to be shot
and killed in the US capital, which has some of the strictest gun
control laws in the US , than you are in Iraq . 
  
Conclusion:  "The US should pull out of Washington ..." 

Pat Hoffman

Spicewood

A Doctor’s Response to the Health Care Bill

(Note:  Dr. Stephen E. Frazer, MD practices as an anesthesiologist in Indianapolis , IN )

  Senator Bayh,

As a practicing physician I have major concerns with the health care bill before Congress. I actually have read the bill and am shocked by the brazenness of the government's proposed involvement in the patient-physician relationship. The very idea that the government will dictate and ration patient care is dangerous and certainly not helpful in designing a health care system that works for all. Every physician I work with agrees that we need to fix our health care system, but the proposed bills currently making their way through congress will be a disaster if passed.

I ask you respectfully and as a patriotic American to look at the following troubling lines that I have read in the bill. You cannot possibly believe that these proposals are in the best interests of the country and our fellow citizens.

Page 22 of the HC Bill:  Mandates that the Govt will audit books of all employers that self-insure!!

Page 30 Sec 123 of HC bill:   THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benefits you get.

Page 29 lines 4-16 in the HC bill: YOUR HEALTH CARE IS RATIONED!!!

Page 42 of HC Bill:  The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your HC benefits for you. You have no choice!

Page 50 Section 152 in HC bill: HC will be provided to ALL non-US citizens, illegal or otherwise.

Page 58 HC Bill:  Govt will have real-time access to individuals' finances & a 'National ID Health card' will be issued!

Page 59 HC Bill lines 21-24:  Govt will have direct access to your bank accounts for elective funds transfer.

Page 65 Sec 164: Is a payoff subsidized plan for retirees and their families in unions & community organizations: (ACORN).

Page 84 Sec 203 HC bill: Govt mandates ALL benefit packages for private HC plans in the 'Exchange.'

Page 85 Line 7 HC Bill:  Specifications of Benefit Levels for Plans -- The Govt will ration your health care!

Page 91 Lines 4-7 HC Bill: Govt mandates linguistic appropriate services.  (Translation: illegal aliens.)

Page 95 HC Bill Lines 8-18: The Govt will use groups (i.e. ACORN & Americorps to sign up individuals for Govt HC plan.

Page 85 Line 7 HC Bill: Specifications of Benefit Levels for Plans. (AARP members - your health care WILL be rationed!)

Page 102 Lines 12-18 HC Bill:  Medicaid eligible individuals will be automatically enrolled in Medicaid. (No choice.)

Page 12 4 lines 24-25 HC: No company can sue GOVT on price fixing. No "judicial review" against Govt monopoly.

Page 127 Lines 1-16 HC Bill: Doctors/ American Medical Association - The Govt will tell YOU what salary you can make.

Page 145 Line 15-17: An Employer MUST auto-enroll employees into public option plan. (NO choice!)

Page 126 Lines 22-25: Employers MUST pay for HC for part-time employees AND their families.  (Employees shouldn't get excited about this as employers will be forced to reduce its work force, benefits, and wages/salaries to cover such a huge expense.)

Page 149 Lines 16-24: ANY Employer with payroll 401k & above who does not provide public option will pay 8% tax on all payroll!  (See the last comment in parenthesis.)

Page 150 Lines 9-13: A business with payroll between $251K & $401K who doesn't provide public option will pay 2-6% tax on all payroll.

Page 167 Lines 18-23: ANY individual who doesn't have acceptable HC according to Govt will be taxed 2.5% of income.

Page 170 Lines 1-3 HC Bill: Any NONRESIDENT Alien is exempt from individual taxes. (Americans will pay.)

Page 195 HC Bill: Officers & employees of the GOVT HC Admin..  will have access to ALL Americans' finances and personal records.

Page 203 Line 14-15 HC: "The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax."  (Yes, it really says that!)

Page 239 Line 14-24 HC Bill: Govt will reduce physician services for Medicaid Seniors.  (Low-income and the poor are affected.)

Page 241 Line 6-8 HC Bill: Doctors: It doesn't matter what specialty you have trained yourself in -- you will all be paid the same! (Just TRY to tell me that's not Socialism!)

Page 253 Line 10-18: The Govt sets the value of a doctor's time, profession, judgment, etc.  (Literally-- the value of humans.)

Page 265 Sec 1131: The Govt mandates and controls productivity for "private" HC industries.

Page 268 Sec 1141: The federal Govt regulates the rental and purchase of power driven wheelchairs.

Page 272 SEC. 1145: TREATMENT OF CERTAIN CANCER HOSPITALS - Cancer patients - welcome to rationing!

Page 280 Sec 1151: The Govt will penalize hospitals for whatever the Govt deems preventable (i.e...re-admissions)

Page 298 Lines 9-11: Doctors: If you treat a patient during initial admission that results in a re-admission -- the Govt will penalize you.

Page 317 L 13-20: PROHIBITION on ownership/investment. (The Govt tells doctors what and how much they can own!)

Page 317-318 lines 21-25, 1-3: PROHIBITION on expansion.  (The Govt is mandating that hospitals cannot expand.)

Page 321 2-13: Hospitals have the opportunity to apply for exception BUT community input is required.  (Can you say ACORN?)

Page 335 L 16-25 Pg 336-339: The Govt mandates establishment of=2 outcome-based measures. (HC the way they want -- rationing.)

Page 341 Lines 3-9: The Govt has authority to disqualify Medicare Advance Plans, HMOs, etc.  (Forcing people into the Govt plan)

Page 354 Sec 1177: The Govt will RESTRICT enrollment of 'special needs people!'   Unbelievable!

Page 379 Sec 1191: The Govt creates more bureaucracy via a "Tele-Health Advisory Committee."  (Can you say HC by phone?)

Page 425 Lines 4-12: The Govt mandates "Advance-Care Planning Consult."  (Think senior citizens end-of-life patients.)

Page 425 Lines 17-19: The Govt will instruct and consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney, etc.  (And it's mandatory!)

Page 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3: The Govt provides an "approved" list of end-of-life resources; & nbsp;guiding you in death. (Also called 'assisted suicide.')

Page 427 Lines 15-24: The Govt mandates a program for orders on "end-of-life."  (The Govt has a say in how your life ends!)

Page 429 Lines 1-9: An "advanced-care planning consultant" will be used frequently as a patient's health deteriorates.

Page 429 Lines 10-12: An "advanced care consultation" may include an ORDER for end-of-life plans.  (AN ORDER TO DIE FROM THE GOVERNMENT?!?)

Page 429 Lines 13-25: The GOVT will specify which doctors can write an end-of-life order.  (I wouldn't want to stand before God after getting paid for THAT job!)   

Page 430 Lines 11-15: The Govt will decide what level of treatment you will have at end-of-life!  (Again -- no choice!)

Page 469: Community-Based Home Medical Services = Non-Profit Organizations.  (Hello?  ACORN Medical Services here!?!)

Page 489 Sec 1308: The Govt will cover marriage and family therapy.  (Which means Govt will insert itself into your marriage even.)

Page 494-498: Govt will cover Mental Health Services including defining, creating, and rationing those services.

Senator, I guarantee that I personally will do everything possible to inform patients and my fellow physicians about the dangers of the proposed bills you and your colleagues are debating.

Furthermore, if you vote for a bill that enforces socialized medicine on the country and destroys the doctor-patient relationship, I will do everything in my power to make sure you lose your job in the next election.

Respectfully,