Divorced for unrecognizable differences

"Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet."
Rudyard Kipling (Barrack-room ballads, 1892)

When the expatriated Brit Rudyard Kipling inked this phrase about the inability of his native countrymen to effectively communicate with those he was living with in the sub-continent, he most likely used the local writing fluid of India. Rudy surely attributed this gulf of understanding to cultural differences but applying the same sentiments to today's political views makes it no less observant but clearly less eloquent: Liberal is liberal, and Conservative is Conservative, and John McCain was still defeated.

As the writer of an opinionated blog I've been called partisan, as well as homophobic, neanderthal, bigoted, sexist and, recently, English, but to be honest, none of these apply. Since partisan most usually refers to one fervently devoted to or biased in support of a party or group I don't accept that label. In recent years I've been as disgusted as much by Republicans as I am by Democrats for, despite their proclaimed divergent viewpoints, there is little difference in them when the rubber stamp goes down the spending road.

Evidence of this sameness exists everywhere. Senate Republicans fought hard against the recent spending of nearly half a trillion pork laden dollars after sowing (sic) it full of enough bacon of their own to fill the sties of every lobbyist President Obama supposedly refuses to hire. When it comes to accepting money in some muddied up scheme, Democrat John Murtha and Republican Orrin Hatch seem to be two pigs in a poke. And, I am letting no cat out of the bag (Yes, that is a pig reference. Look it up.) to say the bank bailout plan during the Bush Administration was as much of a swine-dle at the one currently happening under The ONE's watchful eye.

It is only during the heated debate of a campaign that a sliver of discernible difference shows through with enough light to illuminate a separation between the country's two most powerful, and therefore the only one's electable, political parties. However, once the ballot boxes have been suitably stuffed and mostly counted, the elected ones tend to tweez this sliver and the rift of electioneering differences heals quickly. Two examples arose just this past weekend.

During the election, candidate John McCain caught flack for pronouncing, "The fundamentals of our economy are strong." Candidate, and soon to be the First African American President of the United States Barack Obama went on the offensive to say just how offensive he found that statement.

Just yesterday on Meet the Press, Presidential Economic Advisor Christina Romer volunteered this regarding the state of our economy, "The fundamentals are sound in the sense that the American workers are sound, we have a good capital stock, we have good technology." Deja vu or similar view? You decide. Before you do though, consider this further statement that Ms. Romer attributed to The ONE: "There are no such things as Democratic or Republican ideas, there are only ideas."

My vote for McCain was, like many on the right, a vote more in favor of Sarah Palin and it seems more and more like the left's vote for Obama was one for McCain. During the campaign the former full time organizer and part time senator from Illinois berated the former POW over his proposal to tax the health benefits employees receive. Several of the Sunday "talking head" shows yesterday mentioned the trial balloon being floated by the ever campaigning President's White House to do the exact same thing. Of course, the President won't refute or deny this. This is kind of like voting "present" isn't it?

New York Democrats, rather than cutting spending propose to tax fatty foods. Not to be outdone, Utah Republicans propose to tax the highly addictive Caffeine. Finally, there's not an F'ing bit of difference talking to Joe Biden or Dick Cheney when you are just in range of a still on microphone.

Sometimes one of the twin parties births a fraternal rather than identical candidate and a politician of a different stripe takes office. Governors Sanford and Jindel (when he isn't on teleprompter) are two examples. They are candidates who refuse to think, act and dress in the time tested sameness of a Washington bureaucrat. In a few months (if not already) candidates will be appearing in your neighborhood seeking contributions for their run for office. It is up to you to determine if there is a dollar's worth of difference between them and if that difference is worth your support.

Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that once elected they won't, Chameleon like, change their colors to blend in with the other lizards who cold bloodily continue to lay the eggs of more and bigger Government in indistinguishable nests.

If you can find the man or woman who will hold true to their cause, be it on either side of the political spectrum, when all about them are losing theirs, you surely are a better man than I Gunga Din.

La la la la, I am not listening la la la (Fingers in my ears)

From an early age we are conditioned, Pavlovian like, to dread bad news. It starts in grade school when you hear your name and "come to the Principal's office" in the same sentence. Your pulse quickens and sweat stains grow to a point that the girl you like in the front row is sure to notice because you know the experience down the hall will not be good. In college the ringing phone which heralds the call from the Free Clinic with your test results sounds more like the metronome of a dirge than a pleasant ring a ding ding. The normally sweet sound of your boss' secretary's voice on the intercom asking you to come to his office for an unannounced meeting is as grating as Helen Thomas trying to sound sexy. And how far off the chart does your EKG go when your better half announces, "We need to talk".

Face it, sometimes no news is good news. I had a discussion earlier this evening with a liberal co-worker in which he stated those of us on the right just don't listen. I figure he just doesn't get it. None of us like to hear conflicting viewpoints. Like birds of a feather we tend to hang out on telephone lines crowing about with like minded bird brains rather than flap our gums with the flockers down the wire who have opposing opinions. But, just like Lindsey Lohan needs to hear the truth about her weight, drug abuse, alcoholism, partying, lack of talent, smoking, poor choice in women and poor choice in men, sometimes those in the media spotlight and public office need to hear it too. If only they would be open enough to listen.

I stated months ago that GM, Chrysler and Ford needed to live or die on their own merit. Even other conservative bloggers didn't want to admit this. Finally, with two of the three returning to Washington with empty porridge bowls like Oliver Twist facing the evil monk asking, "Please, sir, we want billions more", there are calls to let them eat cake. I doubt Congress will listen and there bowls will overflow until the next time.

The grossly misnamed Employee Free Choice Act, commonly called Card Check, has been called outdated, bad for business and a mistake. The weirdly named blue dog democrats are questioning the wisdom of pushing this legislation amongst their own party. The hounds bark is reaching deaf ears as the bill against the right to work is working its way toward passage.

Hillary Clinton has been told that leaving North Korea with nuclear capabilities is akin to leaving your campfire burning and going to bed with a full bladder instead of properly dousing the final embers with water saving efficiency. Pyongyang is hot with radioactive desire to develop a bomb of its own and the former first lady needs to be adamant in her stance against the proposed missile test Lil' Kim Jong just announced. Think she will listen? Me neither.

Most in the main stream media have been telling those in the popular stream media not to worry about the return of the Fairness Doctrine. Recent chirping in the supposed unheard left of center media belie the veracity of the aforementioned advice of those who won't be affected. For years, free market free thinkers have been telling those who call for fairness that government regulation is not the answer. Megyn Kelly on Fox did everything but slap little heard Bill Press upside the head. If you want visual proof of someone who refuses to listen and just doesn't get it, watch this:



Governor Bobby Jindal is going to tell the federal government he and the state of Louisiana don't want their money and that they can stick it someplace else. If you read the Spendulus Law closely you will see the feds will not listen and will try to force the state to accept their generosity under penalty of law.

The hardest of hearing in this potentially long line of deaf and dead between the ears audiences is none other than Nancy Pelosi. After waxing ignorantly about the opinions of the Catholic Church on abortion a few months ago, she was taken to the proverbial Wood confessional to be set straight by none other than the man in charge. Emerging with Eggs Benedict XVI on her face after a 15 minute face to face with Il Pappa, our deer in the headlights, third in line to be leader of the free world seems to be seeking absolution in isolation. Her brief comments to the press make it seem like she and His Holiness attended radically different services as she made no mention of the disservice to the unborn that the Pope called her on. I've long wondered how self-proclaimed adamant Catholics can easily put aside their duty to the innocent and pull the lever for candidates who will push a pro-choice agenda. The fact Obama won the Catholic vote has my head pounding so hard I can't hear much myself. This dichotomy between spiritual and electoral rationals has to be addressed. Nancy will not listen. She owes too much to the Choice crowd to let a little thing like her religion get in the way of her political career and fund raising.

Finally, we were told of the importance of passing the Spendulus Bill to save our economy from the brink of collapse. Today, The ONE announced another $75 Billion to save home owners. Tomorrow, who knows? Monday the House will begin to deliberate on spending hundreds of Billions of dollars more just to get us through to the end of the fiscal year. Spendulus II, the sequel, will not be far behind. With all the thick skulls and auditorially challenged folks in Washington, perhaps it is time for us to start listening a bit closer to what is being said by our elected officials.

I urge you to listen. Our freedoms are at stake. Before it is too late remember,in almost every decent war movie, when the beloved Corporal is fatally wounded by sniper fire, he utters the same line, "I never heard it coming".

S2

Five examples why governors make better presidents than Senators

As The ONE continues to demonstrate his complete lack of understanding of business, capitalism and his own touted transparency, here are comments from five state governors, all of whom, are more qualified and would be better Chief Executives of our country.

Place your cursor over the picture (or go here) to see what they've got to say regarding the Spendalooza.







































And it is my guess they have all paid their taxes! Of course, yet another Obama nominee hasn't.

S2