Now it's Official, Rep Paul Ryan is Romney's pick to serve as his running mate in November. It is an interesting choice...one that makes both the Tes Party activists and the Democratic party loyalists happy.
For the Tea Party, the choice firms up Romney's commitment to entitlement reform (including the repeal of Obamacare), tax reform and a smaller government based on enumerated powers. For the social conservatives, Ryan is a solid family man who is both pro-life and pro-second amendment.
For big government Democrat loyalists, they beleive that they can demonize the Ryan budget proposals...scare the elderly and they can use Ryan to paint Romney as radically out of the mainstream.
There's an old saying, "Be careful what you wish for". The Democrats in 1980 wanted to run against Ronald Reagan and the Repub;icans in 2008 wanted to run against Barrak Obama. How'd that work out for them?
If the 2010 election results are any indication of the wisdom of the American voters...(they tossed out 73 liberal big government DC politicians and nearly 700 more at the state and local level across the country)...adding Ryan to the national ticket could turn dreams forthis November into their worst nightmare.
What follows are some thoughts from the past few days. Enjoy...and pass this newsletter on to your social media contacts. Visit www.inspireandignite.com and join the Second Continental Army.
[More below the fold.....]
PRESIDENTIAL PERKS
How much do the president and vice president make in taxpayer funded perks above their hefty salary and benefits packages?
The short answer is, "A lot!" You might think that their salaries and homes and retreat center in MD would be adequate, but obviously you're wrong…the leisure expenses this administration is running up on the taxpayers' dime are exorbitant.
The President and First Lady have taken 16 vacations costing the taxpayers 80 million dollars, that's more than once every quarter…and the First Lady has taken 3 additional vacations adding a cool 1 million dollars to the taxpayers' account.
The Vice President, although he has an executive mansion in DC provided by the taxpayers, flies home to Delaware every weekend in Air Force Two…sometime twice a weekend if he returns on Saturday to play golf with the President…the cost of these VEEP jaunts? That's one million dollars annually.
And the president recently asserted that, "Everybody knows I've worked real hard" We're sure its hard work running up a $16T deficit.
ROMNEY, REID AND TAXES
Have you heard the wild accusations the Liberal Senate Majority leader Harry Reid has made against Mitt Romney?
Harry Reid claims that he has heard from an unnamed source who worked at Bain Capital with Romney that for 10 years Romney did not file tax returns. If that were true, Romney would certainly be facing significant scrutiny from Obama's IRS investigators…oh, we must have missed those headlines.
On the other hand, Harry Reid has refused to comply with a Congressional request that he release his own recent tax returns.
Of course that means that Harry Reid must be hiding something. Does he have connections to the Nevada crime world? Has he used his position to advance his personal finances? What bribes and payoffs has he received from the Las Vegas Casino industry? Just why won't Harry make his income tax records public?
Harry, the most incompetent Senate Majority leader in history, unable to produce a federal budget for more than three years must have a lot to hide.
THE FUTILITY INDEX
Have you heard of the "Congressional Futility Index"?
The futility index developed by the Washington Times to compare the effectiveness…or ineffectiveness of Congresses stretching back 60 years.
How do you think the liberal Senate under Harry Reid's leadership has fared this year? Would it surprise you to learn that his is NOT the worst do-nothing Senate since World War II? It is only the second worst…topped only by last year's Senate led by…you guessed it…Harry Reid.
Yes sir, Harry Reid and the liberals hold the record for the two least productive Senates in the past 60 years.
How about the House? The President, Reid and their lap dog media love to label the conservatives…and particularly the Tea Party members of the House as obstructionists. They would have you believe that it is Boehner's House that is the problem in DC.
However, according to the "futility index" the current House rates just above the average for the past 60 years. Harry and the press consider that an inconvenient truth.
WHERE'S THE FEARSOME CHURCH
Wasn't the outpouring of support for traditional marriage and free speech last week amazing? Did you recognize God's hand at work…those long lines certainly weren't orchestrated by men? When God shows up like that the secularists are greatly confused…even fearful.
Watching that play out last week at Chick-fil-a, I began to wonder why the world is not more afraid of the church…in the Gospels the politicians and leaders were terrified of Jesus…in Acts the lost were in awe of the disciples…so, what's happened to the 21st century church?
Liberal politicians and the media are afraid of the unions…they are afraid of the Gay movement…they are afraid of the environmentalists…but they mock the church. Could it be because we cower in the corner, to politically correct to offend anyone? Or, is it our God is powerless against the secular machine that dominates the public square?
Or, could it be He's waiting on His people to boldly proclaim the truth so that He can show Himself mighty…Mr. Cathy spoke truth…and God showed up!
LIAR, LIAR PANTS ON FIRE
Are the terms liberal and liar synonymous?
If the tone and content of the recent political debate is any gauge, the answer would seem to be. "Yes".
Harry Reid, the liberal Majority Leader in the Senate recently declared, "The word is out there that Mitt Romney didn't pay any taxes for 10 years." The word is out there only because Harry put it out there…and it is so obviously false that even the Washington Post called Harry a liar.
That was followed by a campaign ad claiming that Mitt Romney was responsible for woman's cancer death because Bain Capital closed a steel mill where her husband worked leaving them without health insurance. The facts in this case are so distorted that even the liberal media has labeled the charges as baseless lies.
When confronted about the ad, the administration claimed no knowledge…until a conference call emerged showing key campaign officials were involved…only then did they confess. It would seem that liberals and the truth have a very strained relationship.
NUMBERS, NUMBERS, NUMBERS
How is someone supposed to make any sense of the economic numbers that are swirling about?
How does it make any sense that the economy can add 170,000 new jobs in July and the unemployment rate go up when we only added 60,000 jobs in June and the unemployment rate didn't change?
How can the President claim to have created over 2 million new jobs since taking office and yet there are 4 million fewer people working in America today than there were when he took office in January 2009?
How can the official government unemployment rate be 8.3% when we keep hearing the real unemployment rate is nearly 15%?
The answer…first disregard anything any politician or the media says about the economy, they all, liberal and conservative, Republican and Democrat have an agenda. Second, ask yourself two questions…is the total workforce bigger or smaller than it was a year ago (month-to-month numbers are meaningless) and, is your family better off today than they were a year ago?
CONVENTION SPEAKERS
What can we learn from the list of speakers the political parties have scheduled for their conventions? The selection of speakers can tell us a more about the party than candidates stump speeches.
The Democrats have two former presidents speaking:
Jimmy Carter who has endorsed the Hamas terrorists and left office with double digit inflation, unemployment and interest rates…and Bill Clinton who has criticized the president and called him an "amateur", but because of his craving for the spotlight will nominate him for a second term.
The Republicans will have Governor Scott Walker who has taken on the public employees' unions, balanced the Wisconsin budget and survived a vindictive recall effort…and Pam Bondi, the Florida Attorney General who led the court battle against Obamacare.
This fall's election offers a stark contrast in governing philosophies. We will choose the party of big government and international appeasement or smaller government and a commitment to historic American values. And, whoever wins will set the course of our country for decades to come.
CLASS VERSUS CRASS
Is there any difference between the character displayed by the liberal and conservative sides in the ongoing public debate?
Certainly the conduct of the Tea party faithful and the Occupy people stand in stark contrast. For all the headlines the tea parties have generated there are no reports arrests or violence…while the liberal Occupy movement has made headlines only because of their arrests and their violence.
The difference is made personal in the recent responses of two young ladies representing these different values. Sandra Fluke, testified to Congress that the American taxpayer should underwrite her $3000/year contraception bill. Her, "me first" entitlement mentality perfectly represents the liberal worldview.
Rachel, the Chick-fil-a waitress who recently suffered a verbal assault from a liberal protester responded, "Thank you for allowing me to serve you" and later publicly forgave her attacker.
One can only hope that Rachel and not Sandra represents the heart and soul of America…that gracious strength and forgiving hearts are still at the core of who we are as Americans.
HEADLINES
"Times Are Booming for Washington's Governing Class"…and the debt she keeps on rising.
"Court Finds Obama Appointees Interfered with the New Black Panther Prosecution"…Obama insists it was Bush's fault.
"UPDATE: Is America Running Out of Doctors?"…this couldn't be about Obamacare, could it?
"Obama Endorsed by Hugo Chavez; Romney By Lech Walesa"…one a dictator and one a champion of democracy...hmmm…kinda makes you wonder.
"Bloomberg Criminalizes Non-Nursing Mothers"…let's see, no trans-fats, no salt, no sugary drinks…and now no baby formula…NYC is really looking out for you.
"Obama Visits Swing States Where Economy Is Recovering"…ironically they are all governed by Republicans who have rejected Obamanomics and, surprise, economic growth is the result.
"Chicago: The Deadliest Global City"…Chick-fil-a ought to be thankful the Mayor doesn't want 'em there.
"US Athletes Owe IRS $8986 per Gold Medal"… maybe Obama will intervene and declare they didn't really win those medals…someone else did.
"Obama Dubs Romney Tax Plan Romney Hood"…to which Romney replies, "He's full of Obamaloney".
"Sunday Marked the First Anniversary of America's Credit Downgrade"…that's Obamanomics at work.
"Postal Service Now Losing One Million Dollars an Hour"…that's big government at work.
"Obama's Green Energy Disaster: $578,333 per Job"…where can I get one of those jobs…oh, I know…donate to the Obama campaign.
"Papa John: Pizza Prices to Go up under Obamacare"…Obama says it's Bush's fault.
"Email Shows Geithner, Treasury Terminated Pensions of Non-Union Workers"…yes, and at the same time they funneled taxpayer dollars into the under funded and scandal ridden union pension funds.
"Obama Economy on Track to Restore Lost Jobs By 2025"…and the good news is…oh, wait, that is the good news.
"Genocidal War Lord Given Spot on UN Human Rights Council"…who said the UN doesn't have a sense of humor?
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Captain Jim Kinney USN (ret)
