Grassroots or AstroTurf...

So, let me get this right. When Democrats organize folks in the community to express their support or dissent to something the government is doing or is planning to do it is a "grassroots" effort. On the flip-side when Republicans organize folks in the community to express their support or dissent to something the government is doing or is planning to do it is a "AstroTurf" effort or worse a "mob".

So, basically what we have is a hypocritical situation. A situation where if it is good for us we will support it and encourage it; however, if it is not good for us we will discredit it and discourage it. Seems like a typical liberal move to me.

Now, the scary part is that the White House has asked your neighbors to spy on you and report you to the White House if you disagree with the Democrat's plan for nationalizing health care. In a blog posted to www.whitehouse.gov by Macon Phillips on Tuesday, August 4, 2009, entitled "Facts are Stubborn Things", there is a request that asks folks to forward something to the White House if it seems "fishy". So, let me get this straight...if you disagree with the White House and your neighbor sees it or even thinks that it is "fishy" they are supposed to forward it to the White House. Now, the scary thing is that records maintained by the White House can fall under executive privilege. Meaning the records and what the White House does with them could be kept secret.

So, let's throw this out there...if President George W. Bush had asked or even expressed an interest in things that were a bit "fishy" and asked your neighbors to report them to the White House...would all hell have broken loose? I guarantee you that the ACLU would have been up in arms and every liberal from California to New York would have been shouting "big brother" at the top of their lungs. The news media would have been going crazy...reporting on the Gestapo tactics of the White House, President Bush, and of course Rover and Cheney.

So, let the hypocrisy continue...but, be careful and make sure you let your elected officials know your perspective. It is your right...do not forget that. Remember how The Constitution starts, "We the people" and don't ever forget that the people are the government and we control the government. I think this is a fact lost on our current elected "representatives" in Congress and the White House.

President of the United States or Pitchman of the United States...

So, does the President of the United States really feel compelled to be on television all the time? This guy gets more coverage than anyone I have ever seen. Is he more interested in being a celebrity or running this country. Also, when did the President become the main "pitch man" of the United States...I mean Billy Mays has been dead less than a month and the President is trying to take his spot. Seriously, I can see Barack selling health care right now on late night television..."act now and not only do you get billions of stimulus but you get 1 trillion...that's right 1 trillion in healthcare costs...but act now this offer only lasts until August!"

This stuff is bordering on lunacy. When have we changed the fundamental direction and idea of our country in less than 6 months...not only is that dangerous...it is wrong. It is time that we all stand firm and tell our elected officials that it is time to slow this President down.

Back in Memphis...

All right it has been a little while since the last entry...but, hey we moved from Hong Kong back to Memphis, Tennessee...I think a little slack is deserved.

So...I will hit the key points of the last 60 days or so.

Randi, Henry, and I successfully moved from Hong Kong to Memphis. The trip was a little easier this time on Henry...as we flew direct from Hong Kong to Newark. We then drove from Newark to Washington D.C. and hung out with the family for a few days as that wicked early March snow storm moved through the country. I think Henry was a little shocked to go from Hong Kong to snow. Albeit he had a grand old time playing in the snow at my parents house. We eventually made it back to Memphis after a little bit of car trouble...my Dad's Mercedes Benz died on us 45 minutes into our trip...compliments of a faulty crankshaft sensor.

Once in Memphis we hung out at our friends' house until our household goods arrived from Hong Kong. That took a little longer than anticipated but David and Andrea were awesome and did not mind us staying for a few extra days. Our stuff finally arrived around the 18th of March and honestly since then we have been getting things settled. It is a heck of an event getting everything moved in, sorting through things that were put in storage, and of course getting things just the way you like them. I think there are still a few things left to be accomplished.

On the political front...I am shocked...well actually I am not shocked at the "mess" that President Obama is creating of our country. Sure, I will get lambasted by a few folks out there...but, seriously folks did anyone really think that an incredibly liberal State Senator turned U.S. Senator who ended up in the White House would be anything but liberal? Let's see what he has done thus far to really create a mess:

1. Bowing to the King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would be a great place to start. Did anyone not tell him that he and specifically the United States is not subject to the King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia? This is beyond belief...and quite frankly it doesn't surprise me...President Obama has kissed so much foreign ass since he stepped into office that Joe Biden needs to kick him squarely in the ass.
2. Giving Gordon Brown DVD's in the wrong format...priceless.
3. Let's get to some serious stuff...how about forcing the President of GM to step down...since when did anyone in the U.S. government get to make decisions about private industry.
4. Apologizing to Europe for the arrogance of America. I don't call it arrogance...I and most American's call it leading. Leading the world in relief work, leading the world in charitable giving, leading the world in defending those that cannot defend themselves (WWI and WWII ring a bell here), and too many numerous deeds done on the world stage to count...from saving South Korea to kicking Saddam's sadistic ass out of power in Iraq.
5. Nominating apparently every individual in politics who is either too stupid to figure their taxes out correctly, too arrogant to pay their proper taxes, or lacking the morals required to pay their proper taxes. For an administration that is all about "paying taxes" they sure don't take their own advice.
6. Nominating some truly left-wing nut jobs to important offices...Harold Koh as a prime example.
7. Creating some dangerous ethical grounds with "stem-cell" research changes...although the Dickey-Water amendment signed two days after by President Obama (probably without his knowledge) put many of the Bush-era restrictions right back in place.
8. Releasing state secrets (CIA interrogation memos) to satisfy the ACLU. Why don't we just broadcast all of our tricks of the trade to the terrorist organizations out there...that way they know what we are capable of...which will make them play fair...right?

Now I am not going to arbitrarily bash President Obama...I will give him kudos for few things:

1. Going to Iraq after his "European vacation" was a good move as the troops always need and want to hear from the Commander-In-Chief.
2. Not pulling troops out of Iraq precariously fast and actually listening to the commanders on the ground is a sound move.
3. Taking the fight to the Taliban and putting more troops on the ground is a solid move.
4. My personal favorite though has to be letting the special operations guys do their thing and kill three terrorists...I mean...pirates off the coast of Somalia to save a U.S. citizen.
5. I am also a fan of him telling Mexico's President Calderon that the U.S. is not going to enact a new "assault weapons ban" just to put a band-aid on the growing drug war in Mexico. Let's be honest if Mexico was securing their border...the guns would not be getting into the country and if we were securing our border...drugs would not be getting into our country...problem solved...secure the bloody border.

Now...let's move onto some lighter subjects. Where oh where do you think FedEx is sending me on my first project since arriving back in the States...you guessed it Asia...you have to love the irony of the situation. Moving all the way back to the United States just to get sent back to Asia.

I understand it though...expatriates are not cheap...and we are all in cost saving mode...even FedEx.

Randi is working hard trying to figure out what she is going to do...school...job...both. All the options are on the table. She had a second interview today at one company and I think she is pretty excited about her prospects there. It looks like it would be a good company to work for and it would provide a challenging environment for Randi to work in.

Lastly, when did humans drop down on the food chain. Today I was walking on the FedEx campus where we have some particularly hostile geese and noticed that several individuals were walking around the geese at the slightest hint of aggression from them. As I strolled closer to one particularly aggressive goose...he/she lifted his/her head and hissed at me. Now on any other day and particularly in any other location this particular goose would have ended up on the wrong end of a Benelli shotgun. However, being at work I suppose there were only two options...walk around this goose and let him/her think just for an instant that they were the apex animal on the block. Not a good option in my opinion...or number two charge said goose and make him move his aggressive ass out of my way. I chose option two and clapped and charged said goose and watched him get out of the way in a hurry. Hey folks...humans are apex predators in case you missed the latest addition of National Geographic. In order to stay that way...animals need to know their place...you can also check your bible for this...we are at the top of the food chain. There is not an animal on earth that we cannot hunt and kill. So...why would we as humans let some arrogant goose think that they are at the top of the food chain? All I have to say is that is one lucky goose...he/she should have been on my plate this evening.

Seriously President Obama...is this your best?

So, I have been quiet as of late...just sitting back and watching everything that is going on in our world as of late. I have to say...I am not surprised. Economic stimulus (1 trillion dollars), foreign funded abortion, closing Gitmo, etc., etc. I will say it again; I am not surprised.

I have no idea how so many people are looking to President Obama for leadership when he has never exhibited any leadership. I blogged about this awhile ago...but, do you realize our President has never led an organization larger than thirteen people. Thirteen people under the DCP organization. Now, some people are surprised that he can't lead 300,000,000 people...I am not shocked.

What President attempts to use scare tactics and writes opinion articles in the Washington Post to attempt to pass legislation. That is not leadership, that is a lame attempt at trying to coerce people into doing something.

I am so glad that not one Republican voted for the stimulus plan in the House...so glad. I hope that not one Republican will vote for the stimulus plan in the Senate. This is not a stimulus plan, this is nothing more than an attempt by Democrats to make the "big government" bigger. There are so many "pet projects" in the bill and so little actual stimulus that I have no idea how they are even calling this thing a "stimulus" plan.

I think our new President is having a "wake-up call" right now. This is not a Dictatorship and our Democracy means sometimes things don't go your way. I hope the Republicans continue to stand strong...otherwise we really could be faced with a calamity...a calamity created by the Democrats and our President.

I think President Obama needs to sit back and reassess his role and what he should and should not do. Objectively looking at his first few weeks in office...they have not been the greatest and I hope he is off to a rough start that will smooth itself out. However, I am not holding my breath as we are talking about a man who has no leadership experience and if there is one thing that is pivotal to the Presidency...it is leadership.

President Obama...stop the scare tactics...stop the oped pieces, stop the "Democrat Retreats", and at least attempt to lead. Also, while you are at...please try and maintain some respect to the office you were elected to...that means your staff need to wear a jacket and tie when coming into the Oval Office...I think that was your first mistake. The office of the Presidency deserves respect, there is a time and a place to be casual and roll up your sleeves...the Oval Office is not the place and now is definitely not the time.

As much as you want to be the next "Abraham Lincoln" Mr. President, maybe you should read some books on his leadership style.