Lumps of Coal in Taxpayers’ Stockings

Good little boys and girls must wait until Christmas morning to see what Santa brings them for Christmas. Likewise, good little taxpayers are expected to wait until Christmas to see what they get from Congress in the way of a year-end spending package.

You can expect to be surprised, not delighted, with your gift from the scoundrels we elected to represent us. That’s how it goes with this grand old game of kick the spending can down the road into the holidays when we are much too busy shopping for presents and decorating our homes to notice. Sadly it happens every year.

To add insult to injury, the seven remaining bills were put off another two weeks due to the death of George H.W. Bush. Seriously, we had a national day of mourning, which was befitting a head of state. So what did they do for the other 13 days besides twiddle their thumbs? Oh, yes, they went to pay their respects in the Capitol Rotunda, which took all of 15 minutes. Continue reading “Lumps of Coal in Taxpayers’ Stockings” →

George W. Bush Too Nice to be a Good President

President George H.W. Bush was a nice man. In fact, he was much too nice to be a good president.

Bush was no conservative. We knew that before he was elected. However after watching him capitulate to Democrats again and again, I asked someone who knew him well if the Democrats had something on him or did he simply desire to be liked by them. His friend’s voice fell as he confirmed it was the latter.

I do not begrudge the honors our 41st president has received following his death. The office should be respected and these things are befitting anyone who has held the office of head of state of this great country. I also feel for his family as they mourn the loss of a beloved father and grandfather.

I do, however, resent the attempt to reinvent the man as a great president. He was not even adequate. If anything, he torpedoed much of the good that began under Ronald Reagan and is responsible for many terrible things that live on. Continue reading “George W. Bush Too Nice to be a Good President” →

Wage Gap Explained, Again

Why do more college-educated women continue to prefer Democrat candidates over Republican? Surely they are smart enough to understand that capitalism (preferred by Republicans), though not perfect, provides a higher standard of living than socialism (preferred by Democrats)!

Perhaps they simply are too busy working to pay off student loans, while trying to balance a career and motherhood, to notice. These women seem to fall for the line Democrats trot out before every election about the wage gap. It goes like this: Women working full-time make only 82 percent of what a man makes. It’s not fair. No matter how hard you work you are going to wind up on the short end of the stick and, of course, you need Democrats to save you from this ugly form of discrimination.

Democrats are the party that is against all forms of discrimination unless, of course, it involves discrimination against men in general and white and Asian men in particular. Continue reading “Wage Gap Explained, Again” →

An Attitude of Gratitude

Although Thanksgiving Day dates back to the Pilgrims, it didn’t become a national holiday until 1863 when America was in the midst of a bloody Civil War. Abraham Lincoln thought it might help to unify the country and it has been celebrated annually ever since.

An attitude of gratitude can do much to heal the country, but it also can heal the hurts that one inevitably suffers in this life and can make us healthier, happier and more successful. These are scientifically proven facts.

Most of you are familiar with the song “Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep)” from the 1954 movie classic “White Christmas.” It begins,

“When, I’m worried and I can’t sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep and I fall asleep counting my blessings.”

These are not simply pretty lyrics. A 2011 study published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being found that spending just 15 minutes jotting down grateful sentiments before bed, helps one sleep better and longer. Better sleeps leads to better overall health and well being and more productivity. Continue reading “An Attitude of Gratitude” →

Lame-Duck GOP to Fix Immigration?

Now that the election is over, we must address the elephant in the room — the issue Democrats seeking office avoided and most Republicans were afraid to discuss. We must address the migrant caravans making their way toward the United States determined to circumvent the normal entry process.

President Donald Trump was right to send troops to the border to prepare for those who are set to storm the border, shamelessly putting women and children on the front lines. The president is doing the right thing, but he has been put in a terrible position by activist judges and a do-nothing Congress. Continue reading “Lame-Duck GOP to Fix Immigration?” →

The Takeaway from the 2018 Mid-Terms

It’s a little early for an in-depth analysis of the 2018 mid-terms. However, there are a few take-aways that are hard to miss. President Trump is a net-gain for Republicans and a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

Traditionally, the party with an incumbent president tends to lose 30 seats in the House and an average of four seats in the Senate. Although results are still trickling in, the Democrats’ gain in the House likely will be about average. Meanwhile, Republicans in the Senate beat the odds and will score an impressive pick-up courtesy of Mr. Trump.

While Democrats managed to retake the House of Representatives, their net-gain was far less than Republicans achieved in 2010 during Obama’s first mid-term. His party lost 63 House seats with voters angry over the passage of Obamacare.

Voters have short memories. Continue reading “The Takeaway from the 2018 Mid-Terms” →

All You Need to Know before Voting in the Mid-Term Election

Recently, I was sitting in the waiting area of a famous medical facility in Phoenix, Arizona, and overheard two women discussing a recent debate between their candidates for the U.S. Senate, Republican Martha McSally and Democrat Kyrstin Senima. These women were discussing things like which candidate was more persuasive, more forceful, seemed nicer and most sincere. In the end, their votes likely will center on personality.

I wanted to jump up and scream: “Don’t you realize that none of these things are important and the future of this country hangs in the balance!”

Sadly, most people still select their candidates the way a seven-year-old selects her Barbie Doll. The most attractive usually wins. When the candidates are equally attractive, or not at all attractive, it is about which one makes them feel more comfortable or would make the better friend. Continue reading “All You Need to Know before Voting in the Mid-Term Election” →