in August it is projected that 50,000 soldiers will be coming home to little jobs. We are campaigning to sell products online and donate percentage pf profits. This has not been easy since sales are down. We need support for these veterans and start puitting money into projects to create jobs for our economy. Our economy is up to us If people are working then people are earning. If people are earning, then people are spending. If people are spending, then our currency is circulating and our economy is flourishing. Please help today.

we now will see if there are real Americans out there. We support Veterans and help build the economy. All I see is some people running their mouths on change but do not take action here is the chance for real Americans to make a difference.

There is no politician that is coming to your home with the perfect for you job under their arm.  Making you weak and dependent on government is not caring for you. 

The reality is that liberals have been tearing at your heart and soul for the majority of your life trying to convince you that government should be your second chance.  With their art they get you to develop a bad attitude about life.  This bad attitude makes you drop out of school, make children you cannot afford, join violent gangs, abuse alcohol and drugs, and spiral down to an existence of emotional turmoil and mental health hardship.  They do this with their art ridiculing the foundations of society such as family, personal responsibility, education, and hard work.

We too are willing victims as long as we can be passive and emotionally blackmail people into taking care of us.  However, when we get to a certain age we realize we squandered our potential and denied ourselves our romantic ideal.

If Obama cared he would realize the basic human function that gives joy and happiness from planning a dream and working to accomplish that dream.  Obama only cares about feeding his narcissistic need to feed his own ego.

I believe it is appropriate after three and half years to evaluate the lack of progress of Obama.  Jan 21 2009 the unemployment rate was 6 percent.  It rose to 11 percent.  It is now reported at 8.3 percent.  The only reason the unemployment rate has gone down is because people have given up on looking for work. 

In addition, Mr. Obama has stopped economic growth with his bad attitude towards the successful, his enormous spending, and his desire to raise taxes.  Who wants to be successful when Obama wants to take the away the rewards of personal success?

I have said that one function of government is to administrate the departments of that government.  Mr. Obama as chief executive officer of the American government has had “fast and furious”, “GAS splurging at Vegas, “Secret Service in Columbia”, “Department of Energy harassing American energy producers”, and many more scandals related to the departments he, Mr. Obama, is supposed to be administrating.  Part of administration involves auditing for waste, fraud, and mismanagement.

Therefore, Mr. Obama has done everything wrong and it is costing the average American citizen.  A person who cares makes better choices.  These choices actually help people help themselves.

However, all we see from Obama is mismanagement, fraud, and waste.  In addition, we see hatred and rancor from Obama towards anyone who disagrees with him.

Mr. Obama did the economy improve under your leadership? The answer is no.  Therefore, you have not helped anyone.

The bigger question is “why are we being petty”.  America needs mature and personally responsible people, who are self-reliant.  People may tell me that I only say that because I do not understand how hard it is to find a job.  I look at CareerBuilder and Monster.com almost every morning.  Just because you do not want the job does not mean there are no jobs.

We need to care about ourselves.  We need to be the solution to our challenges.  Everyone blames politicians.  Who lets politicians do what they did while in office.  I believe that would be the apathetic, disinterested, and uninvolved citizen.

Now, I have a small fear that the independent voters’ narcissistic need to win will lead to another four years of Obama.  However, you do not attack business people and the Christian church and then expect to win the presidency.

I am not going to say I understand how independent voters actually believe that Obama is a better choice for America. The following is what Obama with his own words and actions has proven:

1.      Obama is not a leader in foreign relations.

2.      Obama hates anyone who disagrees with him.

3.      Obama uses bureaucracies to punish his political enemies.

4.      Obama hates personal success.

5.      Obama does not want anyone but liberals to have wealth.

6.      Obama cannot keep his promises.

7.      Obama likes to spend other people’s money.

8.      Obama stops economic growth with negative criticism of business leaders, high spending, over regulation, and high taxes.

The reason for the benefit cut according to CBS is due to terms and conditions of the benefit extension agreement in Congress. The benefits would be cut off if the unemployment rates fall below a certain threshold.

Speaking to NBC, Loree Levy of the California Employment Development Department said she was pleased with the news because she believed it was an indication of an improvement in economy.

In order for a state to be qualified for the extended benefits, it must prove its unemployment rate is at least 10% higher than it was in at least one of the past three years.

Other states losing their benefits this week include North Carolina, Florida, Illinois, Colorado, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Texas.

Earlier this year, 19 other states lost their eligibility. Authorities say other seven states will lose theirs by September of this year making a total of 34 states facing the reduced federal assistance to the long-term unemployed.

Women are the majority over all in the United States.  Their is two women for every man living in the States, and their votes cannot be taken lightly.  Women are smart, and business savvy.  Women know how the budget works, how business works, and how life works.  Without jobs, money for food and clothing for their children, adding the talking down factor, woman are jumping off the Obama band wagon in droves. 

The youth vote are starting to see through the rhetoric and jumping ship also.  These new voters are liking Ron Paul more and more.  What used to be a naive bunch are now learning more and more and seeing how political rhetoric works. 

The last group contain all of the above but are still the minority of voters.  These are the die hard Obama fans who see rock star and nothing more.  Most of the minority voter will root for their own which is a simple fact.  Although the media who has been in the pocket of the Obama administration for his duration, they cannot sway any longer.  People of like minds have real concerns.  The economy is in the forefront, and the cost of living is another issue on the minds of Americans.  The loss of a home is another concern for Americans. 

While Obama plays with political strategies, the real America is disgruntled. The voter will speak in November just unhappy they really are. It is my prediction, they Obama will surly lose voters by three to one.  Many predict a close race but if you do the real math, we will have a two milion lead for anyone who runs against him. 

That is why we pledge our allegiance to Old Glory…to our flag of 50 stars and 13 stripes, and why we feel pride when we sing out, hand over hearts, to the “Star Spangled Banner.”  We know what has been sacrificed, are inspired by the love and price that has been paid, and are impelled to stay faithful to it.

What does it mean to pledge allegiance to something? 

pledge      noun       ˈplej

Definition of PLEDGE:  a binding promise or agreement to do or forbear

al·le·giance       noun        ə-ˈlē-jən(t)s

Definition of ALLEGIANCE

1 (1) : the fidelity owed by a subject or citizen to a sovereign or government 

   (2) : the obligation of an alien to the government under which the alien resides

2 : devotion or loyalty to a person, group, or cause

As Americans we respect the price that was paid, we love and are proud to be part of this incredible country, and are devoted to support it… but as Christians, do we show the same respect, love and devotion to the One star and His stripes?

We have an obligation to support it…

“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”   Mark 12:17

We should be loyal to it…

“Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”   1 Peter 2:17

Show we are proud of it…

“But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.”   2 Timothy 1:12

Show our devotion to it…

“Pay to all what is owed to them: …respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.”   Romans 13:7

We will stand up for it…

“Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.”   Titus 2:7-8

Understand what has been sacrificed for us…

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”  John 15:13

There is a song that gets me every time I hear it.  I love the message because it is exactly how I feel about my relationship with Christ;

“It ought to be
More like falling in love
Than something to believe in
More like losing my heart
Than giving my allegiance

Caught up, called out
Come take a look at me now
It’s like I’m falling, oh
It’s like I’m falling in love

It’s like I’m falling in love, love, love
Deeper and deeper
It was love that made
Me a believer
In more than a name, a faith, a creed
Falling in love with Jesus brought the change in me”

“More Like Falling In Love”  - Jason Gray

I love this country, and am so thankful and blessed to live here.  But the love I have for this country does not compare to the love I have for my Savior.  One day this country will fall from my eyes and the only thing that will matter is the One standing before me. 

And like most people, I long to hear those words…

“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”   Matthew 25:21

 “What happened here in Colombia is being investigated by the director of the Secret Service,” Mr. Obama said in response to a question at a news conference wrapping up the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena. “I expect that investigation to be thorough and to be rigorous. If it turns out that some of the allegations made in the press are confirmed, then of course I’ll be angry.”

He added, “We’re representing the people of the United States when we travel out of the country.”

It was Mr. Obama’s first public statement since the Secret Service said Friday that it was investigating suspicions that 11 of its employees had taken part in misconduct in a Cartagena hotel involving prostitutes last week. Those employees were immediately replaced and later put on administrative leave.

Five United States military service members who were working with the Secret Service and staying in the same hotel are also facing an investigation because they violated a curfew and may have participated in the misconduct.

According to a senior United States official, some of the personnel members sent back to the United States could be interviewed again as early as Monday. The official said he and other senior officials were baffled and angry that two supervisors were involved in the incident and did nothing to prevent it. “It’s just extremely poor leadership by them,” the official said.

Mr. Obama’s comments came several hours after Representative Darrell Issa, Republican of California and chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, suggested that more Secret Service personnel members may have been involved in the incident.

On the CBS program “Face the Nation,” Mr. Issa also raised the prospect that the episode had not been isolated and said the Secret Service employees had made themselves susceptible to blackmail. “We think the number might be higher, and we’re asking for the exact amount of all the people who were involved,” he said. “But this kind of breach is a breach in the federal workforce’s most elite protective unit, and they don’t just protect the president, of course, they protect cabinet members, the vice president, first families, candidates.”

He added: “Things like this don’t happen once if they didn’t happen before.”

Mr. Issa said he had not decided whether to hold a hearing and raised the idea of the Secret Service using lie detectors to prevent similar problems.

“We will participate in an over-the-shoulder investigation,” he said, adding, “The question is how are they going to make these changes in discipline, and perhaps polygraphs and other items being intensified, so that this can’t happen in the future.”

The head of the Secret Service from 2003 to 2006, W. Ralph Basham Jr., disagreed with Mr. Issa’s statement that such incidents were probably more widespread and had occurred before.

“Obviously there are incidents that happen, and agents have gotten themselves into compromising situations and disciplined,” said Mr. Basham, who is now a principal at Command Consulting Group, a security firm. “But it is rare, and this is not the type of thing that is woven through the fabric of the Secret Service.”

Mr. Basham said he could not recall an incident involving the Secret Service that had received as much attention from the news media. “This is such big story,” he said. “You don’t hear of this happening in an organization like the Secret Service.”

Avoiding prostitutes is “something people in the intelligence world know about and are taught to be conscious of and told to avoid,” Mr. Basham said. “As a young agent, you are taught to be careful and aware of your surroundings so you don’t get compromised.”

The agents could have been blackmailed, Mr. Basham said, but the Secret Service mitigated that threat by sending the agents home.

Throughout the weekend, the White House has said repeatedly that it still has the highest confidence in the Secret Service.

“These men and women perform extraordinary service on a day-to-day basis, protecting me, my family and other U.S. officials,” Mr. Obama said on Sunday. “They do very hard work under very stressful circumstances and almost invariably do an outstanding job.” 

Respectful:

A. Seput

Palisades Park, NJ

The war against Iraq by the US has come under a lot of criticism because of the effects it has subjected to the Iraqis and US citizens. The war started on March the year 2003 during the reign of President George Bush. It is said that the war was planned in early 2002.The war erupted in the name of combating terrorism but it later turned out that terrorism was just a scape goat to waste tax payers money.

Causes of War

Prior to the war there were allegations that Iraq was in possession of weapons of mass destructions. In addition to that Saddam Hussein was thought to be collaborating with Al Qaeda to stage terror attacks against U.S.The UN recommended that Iraq be investigated to find out whether these accusations were true and in deed there was no evidence to support these accusations.

It seems there was bad blood between Saddam Hussein and the then US president George W.Bush because no one expected him to rage war against Iraq after the UN had confirmed that there were no such weapons in Iraq. It is certain that president Bush was completing the war that his father had started back in 1991.Besides that the action of the US and Britain to go against the will of UN revealed that the two countries are dominant over the body and one is left to wonder what would have happened if the violation was done by a third world country.

Criticism on Invasion

To the ordinary citizens of US the war was not necessary because it was already costing them millions of money. In addition to that there was nothing to be gained from the war apart from inflation because the government was directing most of its funds towards the war. In fact the invasion made the situation in Iraq to worsen and that’s most people felt that Iraq should have been left to solve its own domestic problems. To the Americans the war was not worth anything and in fact its an insult to the people of US considering that the national debt has continued to rise to several trillions over the years and yet the money is not being put into good use.

The US war in Iraq caused many innocent people to die. It’s not only the Iraqis who died but also the US military officers. This outcome did not mean anything to president Bush because his main objective was to get rid of Saddam Hussein in fact the September eleventh gave him a good reason to attack Iraq.

It’s true that the people of Iraq were suffering because of the evils committed by their political leader but even so no one should have died. Bush’s administration thought that by removing Saddam from power they would solve the problems of Iraq. The outcome was completely opposite because the ethnic communities started to fight each other and this had never happened before. Women were raped along with their children. The fighting resulted in a humanitarian crisis because the health care providers were overwhelmed by the increased number of patients.

Initially both the Sunni and the Shiite Muslims were attacking US military but later on they started to fight amongst themselves. President Bush then requested the military to hang on for some time until the situation became calm. This was just an excuse of exercising control over Iraq. The outcomes of the war suggest that US had not prepared to handle the consequences that would follow after the attack. There was no need of starting a mission that could not be finished.

The US should have considered using other approaches in solving the problems in Iraq. This is because the use of force led to destruction of infrastructure and private properties. It costed US a lot of money to rebuild the damaged facilities which was expressed by many as wastage of money that would have been put into good use. This is because there are so many problems in the US and the citizens expected the government to give its own citizens the first priority instead of focusing on other people’s problems. For instance by the time the invasion was taking place the rate of unemployment in the US was still high and the nine billion should have been used to help such people to start their own businesses which in future would increase government revenue through tax collection.

From a legal perspective the US had no right to attack Iraq and thus if the legal procedures were followed the US could be sued at the international court and a hefty fine would then be imposed. The invasion further interfered with economic activities such as the sale of oil products which forms the back borne of Iraq’s economy.

This in itself created an impression that the US is a bully to developing nations and is selfish because it’s only concerned about safeguarding its own interests. This attitude has destroyed the relationship between Islamic nations in the Middle East and the Americans. This is because the invasion was expressed as an attack against Muslims and the Americans too think that all Muslims are terrorists.

The attack on Iraq was therefore biased because terrorists are in many parts of the world and if indeed Bush was committed towards ending terrorism he would have commissioned the apprehension of terrorists in other parts of the world. The idea of withdrawing military presence from Iraq should have been implemented earlier instead of waiting until when the situation has worsened. The American people don’t deserve to face the economic hardships they experienced in the name of fighting terrorism because when they pay taxes to the government they expect that money to be incorporated into the states development projects.

In fact were it not for the congress the war on Iraq would not have ended. Prior to the invasion the US was warned against carrying out the attack but Bush and his allies chose to ignore that counsel. Most people blame the congress for not preventing the attack because Bush could not have proceeded without authority from the congress.

Bush’s administration was certain that it could restructure Iraq once the invasion was over and they did not think that the cost could accumulate to several billions. Besides that they expected full backing from the citizens of Iraq but this was not the case because the civilians became hostile to US’s presence.

One thing that Bush’s administration did not know is that even if the US is powerful it can not assume the role of a global policeman and doing so will cause it to fail in other essential areas. It is like removing a spec in somebody else’s eye when there is a log in your own eye. For instance the rate of crime in US is still high and the government should have given such an issue the first priority because when terrorists prepare to launch attacks they collaborate with local criminals.

The war on terrorism would have been won if only the government would have considered preparing US’s security agents to handle terror attacks. This would have costed less money compared to the huge amounts that was spent in Iraq. Besides as the US concentrated on Iraq terrorist groups in other parts of the world were still executing their plans.

The US invasion on Iraq was meant to exhibit the abilities of the government in fighting terrorism but contrary to the government’s expectations the invasion unveiled the incompetence of the US intelligence because all its allegations turned out to be lies. In addition the invasion failed to bring democracy in Iraq because the continued invasion caused the Iraqis to be split along their ethnic lines.

The invasion on Iraq has tainted the US’s integrity because in as much as it claimed its main objective was to bring democracy in Iraq by the year 2008 its focus had shifted to helping the Iraqis fight amongst themselves. This created an impression that US leads double standards because if the presence of US military was meant to restore peace it should have maintained a neutral stand without taking sides.

The predecessors of President Bush including Barrack Obama have a long way in restoring back the respect that was once accorded to the United States. Bush was misguided into thinking that power is determined by military abilities. This is wrong because for the world to respect you they consider how you make decisions and how you interact with the rest of the world.

In fact the first challenge that president Obama encountered entailed recalling the military from Iraq. The failure in Iraq’s attack is owed to the politicking that was allowed to take center stage because if Bush’s administration would have analyzed the positive and the negative side the government would have identified early indicators of failure and thus take an affirmative action.

In conclusion the government should consider removing the intelligence officers who misguided the government so that such a mistake does not recur again in future. It is recommended that the government should analyze criticisms because even though its not what we want to hear it helps us to identify the faults in our decisions. Future presidents should not be allowed to use their influence to solve their personal flaws with other people at the expense of their subjects. The US government should stay away from other countries affairs and let them solve their own problems because if it focuses on other countries problems when will it solve its own problems.

In fact, Rizal, in an essay entitled, “The Indolence of the Filipinos,” actually blamed the Spaniards themselves of what they alleged as a natural indolence of the Filipinos. Rizal, in his defense to the wrong accusation, argued that the Filipinos cannot by nature become indolent because even long before the Spaniards came, the Filipinos were already actively engaged in agriculture, industries, and commerce. In fact, it is the Spanish conquest, argues Rizal, which brought the decline in economic activities of the Filipinos. Rizal listed some of the causes of the Filipino indolence:

i) Because of the forced labor which compelled thousands of Filipino laborers to work in shipyards, roads, bridges, and other public works, resulting in the abandonment of industry, commerce and agriculture;

ii) Lack of stimulus to work harder because the people could not enjoy the fruits of their labor;

iii) Spanish authorities’ neglect and indifference to agriculture, industry, and commerce;

iv) The bad example shown by the Spaniards in despising manual labor;

v) The teaching of Spanish missionaries that ‘it is easier for a poor man to enter heaven than for a rich man’, hence the Filipinos prefer not to work and be poor so that they could easily enter heaven after they die;

vi) The system of Spanish education did not promote economic enterprise and activity, for, as Rizal asserted, the education of the indios was ‘from his birth until he sinks into his grave…is brutalizing, depressive and anti-human’ and ‘deprives the Filipino of his dignity.’

Rizal wrote, “We believe that the cause of our backwardness and ignorance is the lack of the means of education… We are all human and we can improve ourselves through education and culture” (Rizal, The Indolence of the Filipinos).

Image via Wikipedia

by Valerie Kline, March 2, 2012

Every time I log onto my Facebook account, I run across numerous posts about the sorry state of our country.  The economy is in a downtrend, the job market is minimal, and it seems our priorities are a little mixed up from the top down. With all the complaining and commenting going on, however, it seems that few people are willing to get up from their couches or computer chairs and actually take action to make a positive change. 

There are several completely understandable reasons for this lackadaisical attitude.  I think a major one, at least for myself, is that I don’t know where to start.  I can’t run for the President of the United States until I’m thirty-five (which is approaching more quickly than I’d like to think) so in the meantime, I sit around and let the politicians run the country (apparently into the ground).  

So interested in making a difference? Want to know where you can start? The obvious answer seems by registering to vote.  Your county board of elections should have the paperwork and information necessary to sign up. Much of the information is on-line, or can be found with a simple phone call.  Once you’ve taken this step, be sure to find out where you’ll need to go to vote locally and where you can find information on local elections.  

After you’re registered to vote, researching politicians and their views on different subjects is an important part of making informed decisions. Although using a search engine to find information on a specific candidate may seem like a good place to start, many times you’ll spend hours sorting through the propaganda that politicians and supporters manage to put out there before you find any researched and credible information.  ProjectVoteSmart.org and Congress.org are good places to start finding researched information on national and local politicians and candidates. 

You should feel proud of yourself once you’ve managed to vote responsibly, whether electronically, through absentee ballot, or by going to your local county board of elections.  Voting is not only a duty of American citizens, but also a privilege.  Many citizens in other countries don’t have the opportunity to choose who will make the important choices that govern their lives.  So when you vote, do so proudly and be sure to get one of those stickers saying, “I Voted!”

Another way you can get involved in your community’s politics is by volunteering to work for your county’s board of elections.  They always need people to observe and streamline the voting process, especially nowadays with electronic voting.   The citizens that are involved mainly keep an eye on the voting to make sure it remains fair and equal.  This volunteering may cost you several hours of several weeks, but your involvement can mean the difference between an election where someone who shouldn’t have won did and an election where the people actually vote who they want into office.  

 Want to go a step further in your involvement? Run for an office yourself. Before you make the decision to run, make sure you and your family members don’t have any skeletons you’re afraid of jumping out of the closet.  Then you’ll need to decide which office to run for.  Each position has particular requirements, mainly about age and citizenship, so you’ll need to do some research of local offices.  Once you’ve decided what you want to run for, you’ll need to put together a campaign team and become familiar with opposing candidates and their opinions on the issues.  Giving a local survey to feel out issues people think are important to focus on in your geographic area can be a great first step into getting your name out on the street.  It may also provide feedback as to how you will be received by the public when running for office. Having an idea of what is important to the people can help you focus when you begin researching the key issues and determining your perspective on them. Of course you’ll need to raise money and network socially in order to support your campaign. Also, don’t forget to fill out the appropriate paperwork to be put on the ballot!!!

Don’t have enough time to run for office?  Closely behind ignorance, lack of time comes in as a reason to remain passive in politics.  People in today’s society have to be such overachievers in order to find a job, that they have no time to do the research that would allow them to make informed and updated decisions.  That’s why we have a number of boneheads in offices that were seemingly unimportant twenty years ago – because people didn’t have the time to pay attention and critically evaluate their election choices.  

So what are some ways to get involved that involve little to no extra time on your part? Well, there aren’t many, but donating campaign funds is an easy way.  Find your candidate’s website and I’m sure it won’t be challenging to find somewhere to put your money.  Make sure, however, you have an official website or talk to someone actually involved in the campaign to find out how your contributions may be used.  

Another easy way to get involved is to wear buttons or T-shirts that support your candidate.  You can also put signs in your front yard to help get their name out.  Watching a debate on TV may take an hour or two, but the knowledge you gain about your country is worth it.  Getting your friends to vote is another great way to get involved.  If citizens hold each other accountable without the law becoming involved, the government’s system is effective.  

Several people I know have said they do not take action because the government’s choices won’t affect them.  These people are usually teenagers or idiots.  The government’s invovlement in big business has created a system where every decision the government makes has an effect on every consumer.  A perfect example of this is the way gas prices keep going up and down with no real, logical explanation.  When a country begins to be run like a business, rather than a homeland for proud citizens, it takes the chance that the business will fail and go under.  The only way to save that business is to depend on the citizens.  

I’m sure some Americans don’t participate in the government in a form of protest against it.  However, the logic behind this eludes me.  If you want to protest the government and make a change, there needs to be some form of action.  It is our obligation as Americans who enjoy the freedoms, choices, and privileges we do to work for those freedoms and to take part in the protection of them. We can’t assume our government is going to do it for us anymore, because politicians have been distanced from the reality of the slowly dwindling working class and quickly rising lower class in their roles as CEOs of the country.  When we start putting real people in office who understand the challenges of the American citizen as an individual, as families, and as a country, the United States of America will be saved.  Will you be that real person?

Bibliography:

Bram, Thursday. “Politics: 7 Ways to Get Involved Now.” lifehack.org.  9 October 2009. 2 March 2012.  http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/politics-7-ways-to-get-involved-now.html

ehow Contributor. “How to Run for Public Office.” ehow.com. 2 March 2012.  http://www.ehow.com/how_16911_run-public-office.html

Lucier, Kelci Lynn. “7 Easy Ways to Get Politically Involved While in College.” about.com. 2 March 2012.http://collegelife.about.com/od/2008votingandelection/a/7activismways.htm