Juan Williams Fired for His Opinion

When analyzing the Muslim comment incident from last week's appearance by Bill O'Reilly on The View, Juan Williams said this on Bill O'Reilly's show, The Factor:
“I mean, look, Bill, I’m not a bigot. You know the kind of books I’ve written about the civil rights movement in this country. But when I get on the plane, I've got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous.”

He was saying this is the context of debunking the myth that all Muslims attacked us on 9/11. If you ask me, this is a page from Orwell's 1984. Recall thought police? Juan spoke too plainly and veered from Party doctrine. And he was fired for that.

Health Care Reform and Saving Lives

It has been a long and winding road for the health care reform bill as it makes it's way to the Senate floor. The past summer of discontent revealed a strong and loud voice of opposition to the public option and to any plan that would place the health care needs of the American people into the hands of the government. I can understand why people would oppose giving any type of control to the same government that handled Katrina or more recently, the economy. I am certainly not an economist, but John B Taylor is and he writes on his blog about another economist's views:"Cliff Winston of the Brookings Institution carefully reviews three decades of empirical research on a wide range of microeconomic policy studies in his important book Government Failure versus Market Failure. He comes to the same basic conclusion; as he puts it "thirty years of empirical evidence... suggests that the welfare cost of government failure may be considerably greater than that of market failure." I would rather face the consequences of market failure than government failure. When markets fail, the market can respond with innovative ways to find its own level again. When government programs fail, bureaucrats add new regulations to keep it going because, after all, it is someone else's money so the buck gets passed. I cannot think of a single government entitlement program that has made my life more complete. And it is not like I hail from a privileged dynasty. There was a few weeks in the summer of 1996 when I found myself unemployed, between jobs, laid off, as it were, and I applied for unemployment benefits because I qualified. You know what it did for me? It took the edge off of my desperate search and so I sent out a few resume's and headed to Guatemala to experience cultural exploration and to experience real poverty. It did not make me more motivated to seek employment...that came when the "benefits" were about to run out. I am not saying we don't need unemployment benefits. I am saying there is something wrong with calling it a benefit. I am sure it has helped a struggling family get through a difficult time. I am also sure that it has been abused, wasted, and is vulnerable to fraudulent use. But, again, it is someone else's money. I digress. Right now, we are facing government expansion like never before with nearly 2,000 pages of taxes and entitlements and lots of room for fraud and abuse. But, what is striking to me is that it is all coming down to a question of life. The pro-life advocates, of which I am a shameless member, have kept vigilant eyes on the bill. We have discovered that the bill is an expansion of abortion funding and creates a mandate for federally funded abortions. It is unacceptable and I am willing to bet that it will stop this health care monstrosity in its tracks and bring it to its knees. Abortion is not health care and more and more Americans agree. More and more Senators agree, too. We will not back down on this. Health care should save lives, not end them. Right now, American hospitals will not turn away a sick or injured person who cannot pay. But under this plan, we will see the rationing of health care via government standards that decide what treatments are necessary and who needs them. Go here and let your voice be heard.

Elections Have Consequences

I could use this same title for most of my posts about the actions of the Obama administration. This week, while we are glued to our sets watching the Sotomayor Saga...snooze...., health care legislation is being overhauled and hate crimes legislation is being introduced. Ch-ch-ch-changes....that's for sure. Earth shattering, ground breaking ch-ch-ch-changes. And while I think these changes are pointing our country in the wrong direction, I have to remind myself that elections have consequences. I am aware of a certain clarity that one has when one has not voted for the current administration. And conversely, I am aware of the tendency for those who did vote for the current administration to default to autopilot and apathy and allow this administration to proceed in overdrive. It happened to those who voted Bush into office, twice, I might add. The Bush opponents had a certain clarity about Rumsfeld, that Bush supporters lacked. And now, the clarity and concern has been awakened in conservatives. I am not sure how this awakening will translate into political action. In the meantime, Sotomayor will likely be confirmed without pause. And we will be ushered into an era where the highest court in the land will now use empathy to decide cases. This court will also take into consideration the race, gender, life experience and sexual behavior of an individual before deciding on the case. As Sotomayor continues to parse her words and, by omission, basically acknowledge that abortion is a constitutional right, will we continue to sit in the passenger's seat and watch our country pass us by?

Can't Get Enough Sarah

The nutty blogosphere couldn't say enough mean and hateful things about soon to be ex-Governor Sarah Palin as she abruptly announced her resignation plans. In my quest for the beef of the story, which at this point is...stay tuned...I came across very detailed conspiracy theories. Here are the top theories. The mainstream media hasn't a verifiable clue so they are all speculating that she is seeking another office or perhaps getting an early start on her 2012 campaign. The nutty blogosphere (oh I hope I don't have to eat my words, but she is a politician, so ANYTHING is possible) thinks that she engaged in a pay for play scheme with the builders of the Wasilla sports complex. They have threads a mile long talking about how the windows of her home look just like the windows of the sports complex. GASP!
You can't believe how many people are spending their Friday night theorizing about Sarah Palin's sudden announcement. I feel pathetic reading the comments. But hey, the kids are asleep and this is my time. The vicious rumor mills out there remind me of the stereotypical mean girls that we all knew in High School. You know the ones that couldn't stand it when a girl was prettier or more accomplished than them so they ridiculed and talked about her behind her back. Love her or hate her, we can't seem to get enough of her. So, to all those Tanya Hardings out there, give Governor Palin a break. Until you have walked a mile in her shoes, you cannot possibly know her. If you disagree with her, then stick to the issues and leave the personal attacks to the bullies.

Update:The nutty blogosphere has to eat their words. LOL SARAH PALIN IS NOT UNDER FBI INVESTIGATION

Independence Day

July 4 is also a First Saturday this year. If you know what I am talking about then you are a faithful Catholic deeply consecrated in Truth. If you don't know what I am talking about, this is for you. The First Saturday Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary was first mentioned by Our Lady of Fatima on July 13, 1917. After showing the three children a vision of hell she said, "You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace... I shall come to ask for... the Communion of reparation on the first Saturdays..."

Eight years later, on December 10, 1925, Mary and the Child Jesus appeared to Lucia, the sole surviving Fatima visionary, at a convent in Pontevedra, Spain. Our Lady rested her hand on Lucia's shoulder, revealing a heart encircled by thorns.

The Child Jesus said: "Have compassion on the heart of your most holy Mother, covered with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to make an act of reparation..."Our Lady spoke next, saying: "Look, my daughter, at my heart, surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console me and say that I promise to assist at the hour of death, with the graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, shall confess, receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary, and keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on fifteen mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me."

Our great country is polarized and in turmoil on so many fronts. Just this week North Korea is testing missiles and unemployment is at a 26 year high. By recognizing this First Saturday, we can contribute to the reparations that will bring about an era of peace we have never before experienced. During this Independence Day, let us honor Our Mother who will magnify our prayers and bring us closer to her Son.

Franken Wins!

And now, the circus has a clown. They are going to go crazy overreaching and that is a good thing for the 2010 elections where they will all be tossed out by fired up thinking types. I hope. Hope and change. It's a good thing.

Summer Swimmers

Swimmers 1

I have to brag about my kids and my niece. I am so proud of them. They are facing their fears of cold water, competition, spotlight, and judges. As for my kids, I had to force them to join and I force them to complete one season so that they know what the experience is before they reject it. They are developing the great discipline of rising early and swimming laps in cold water. They are gaining confidence and camaraderie as part of a team that just won their first meet. They may never do this again, but they will know that they have the capacity to achieve. As for me, I am developing the discipline of rising early and ushering them off to practice. I have to work on my attitude in that area. I have become a bag lady. I have a purse, a towel bag, a snack bag, a miscellaneous bag and I bring extra bags for the wet stuff. It's all good. I am just so proud of them! Go Team! Go Team! By the way, click on the title of the painting...beautiful paintings!