Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki 1040-1105)

They say that Lee Iacocca paid back every bit of the money he borrowed from the government to save Chrysler.

Lee Iacocca Says:
‘Am I the only guy in this country who’s fed up with what’s happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder! We’ve got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we’ve got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can’t even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, ‘Stay the course.’ Stay the course? You’ve got to be kidding. This is America , not the damned, ‘Titanic’. I’ll give you a sound bite: ‘Throw all the bums out!’

You might think I’m getting senile, that I’ve gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore.

The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we’re fiddling in Iraq , the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving ‘pom-poms’ instead of asking hard questions. That’s not the promise of the ‘ America ‘ my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I’ve had enough. How about you?

I’ll go a step further. You can’t call yourself a patriot if you’re not outraged. This is a fight I’m ready and willing to have. The Biggest ‘C’ is Crisis! (Iacocca elaborates on nine C’s of leadership, with crisis being the first.)
Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis. It’s easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory. Or send someone else’s kids off to war when you’ve never seen a battlefield yourself. It’s another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down.

On September 11, 2001, we needed a strong leader more than any other time in our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. A hell of a mess, so here’s where we stand.

We’re immersed in a bloody war with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving.

We’re running the biggest deficit in the history of the country.

We’re losing the manufacturing edge to Asia , while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs.

Gas prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in power has a coherent energy policy.

Our schools are in trouble.

Our borders are like sieves.

The middle class is being squeezed every which way.

These are times that cry out for leadership.

But when you look around, you’ve got to ask: ‘Where have all the leaders gone?’ Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, omnipotence, and common sense? I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point.

Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo?

We’ve spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened.

Name me one leader who emerged from the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. Congress has yet to spend a single day evaluating the response to the hurricane or demanding accountability for the decisions that were made in the crucial hours after the storm.

Everyone’s hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping it doesn’t happen again. Now, that’s just crazy. Storms happen. Deal with it. Make a plan. Figure out what you’re going to do the next time.

Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when ‘The Big Three’ referred to Japanese car companies? How did this happen, and more important, what are we going to do about it?

Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debit, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry.

I have news for the gang in Congress. We didn’t elect you to sit on your asses and do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity.

What is everybody so afraid of? That some bonehead on Fox News will call them a name? Give me a break. Why don’t you guys show some spine for a change?

Had Enough? Hey, I’m not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I’m trying to light a fire. I’m speaking out because I have hope – I believe in America . In my lifetime, I’ve had the privilege of living through some of America ’s greatest moments. I’ve also experienced some of our worst crises: The ‘Great Depression,’ ‘World War II,’ the ‘Korean War,’ the ‘Kennedy Assassination,’ the ‘Vietnam War,’ the 1970’s oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years culminating with 9/11.

If I’ve learned one thing, it’s this: ‘You don’t get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it’s building a better car or building a better future for our children, we all have a role to play. That’s the challenge I’m raising in this book. It’s a “Call to Action” for people who, like me, believe in America.

It’s not too late, but it’s getting pretty close. So let’s shake off the crap and go to work. Let’s tell ‘em all we’ve had ‘enough.’

Make your own contribution by sending this to everyone you know and care about. It’s our country, folks, and it’s our future. Our future is at stake!!

April 27, 2009
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Mr. Obama:

I have had it with you and your administration, sir. Your conduct on your recent trip overseas has convinced me that you are not an adequate representative of the United States of America collectively or of me personally. You are so obsessed with appeasing the Europeans and the Muslim world that you have abdicated the responsibilities of the President of the United States of America. You are responsible to the citizens of the United States.

You are not responsible to the peoples of any other country on earth. I personally resent that you go around the world apologizing for the United States telling Europeans that we are arrogant and do not care about their status in the world. Sir, what do you think the First World War and the Second World War were all about if not the consideration of the peoples of
Europe ? Are you brain dead? What do you think the Marshall Plan was all about?

Do you not understand or know the history of the 20th century? Where do you get off telling a Muslim country that the United States does not consider itself a Christian country? Have you not read the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution of the United States ? This country was founded on Judeo-Christian ethics and the principles governing this country, at least until you came along, come directly from this heritage. Do you not understand this?

Your bowing to the king of Saudi Arabia is an affront to all Americans. Our President does not bow down to anyone, let alone the king of Saudi Arabia . You don’t show Great Britain, our best and one of our oldest allies, the respect they deserve yet you bow down to the king of Saudi Arabia . How dare you, sir! How dare you!

You can’t find the time to visit the graves of our greatest generation
because you don’t want to offend the Germans but make time to visit a mosque in Turkey . You offended our dead and every veteran when you give the Germans more respect than the people who saved the German people from themselves. What’s the matter with you?

I am convinced that you and the members of your administration have the historical and intellectual depth of a mud puddle and should be ashamed of yourselves, all of you. You are so self-righteously offended by the big bankers and the American automobile manufacturers yet do nothing about the real thieves in this situation, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Frank, Franklin Raines, Jamie Gorelic, the Fannie Mae bonuses, and the Freddie Mac bonuses. What do you intend to do about them? Anything? I seriously doubt it.

What about the U.S. House members passing out $9.1 million in bonuses to their staff members — on top of the $2.5 million in automatic pay raises that lawmakers gave themselves? I understand the average House aide got a 7% bonus. I took a 5% cut in my pay to save jobs with my employer.

You haven’t said anything about that. Who authorized that? I surely
didn’t! Executives at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be receiving $210 million in bonuses over an eighteen-month period, that’s $45 million more than the AIG bonuses. In fact, Fannie and Freddie executives have already been awarded $51 million — not a bad take. Who authorized that and why haven’t you expressed your outrage at this group who are largely responsible for the economic mess we have right now. I resent that you take me and my fellow citizens as brain-dead and not caring about what you do. We are watching what you are doing and we are getting increasingly fed up with all of you. I also want you to know that I personally find just about everything you do and say to be offensive to every one of my sensibilities. I promise you that I will work tirelessly to see that you do not get a chance to spend two terms destroying my beautiful country.

Sincerely,

Every Real American

P.S. I rarely ask that emails be ‘passed around’………….

PLEASE SEND THIS TO YOUR EMAIL LIST……it’s past time for all Americans to wake up!

Ms Kathleen Lyday
Fourth Grade Teacher

Grandview Elementary School
11470 Hwy. C
Hillsboro , MO 63050
(636) 944-3291 Phone
(636) 944-3870 Fax

HIGH SCHOOL – 1959 vs. 2009

Scenario 1:

Jack goes quail hunting before school and then pulls into the school parking lot with his shotgun in his truck’s gun rack.

1959 – Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack’s shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.

2009 – School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario 2:

Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.

1959 – Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.

2009 – Police called and SWAT team arrives – they arrest both Johnny and Mark. They are both charged them with assault and both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario 3:

Jeffrey will not be still in class, he disrupts other students.

1959 – Jeffrey sent to the Principal’s office and given a good paddling by the Principal. He then returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.

2009 – Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. He becomes a zombie. He is then tested for ADD. The school gets extra money from the state because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario 4:

Billy breaks a window in his neighbor’s car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1959 – Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college and becomes a successful businessman.

2009 – Billy’s dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. The state psychologist is told by Billy’s sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy’s mom has an affair with the psychologist.

Scenario 5:

Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.

1959 – Mark shares his aspirin with the Principal out on the smoking dock.

2009 – The police are called and Mark is expelled from school for drug violations. His car is then searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario 6:

Pedro fails high school English.

1959 – Pedro goes to summer school, passes English and goes to college.

2009 – Pedro’s cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against the state school system and Pedro’s English teacher. English is then banned from core curriculum. Pedro is given his diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario 7:

Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the Fourth of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up a red ant bed.

1959 – Ants die.

2009 – ATF, Homeland Security and the FBI are all called. Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. The FBI investigates his parents – and all siblings are removed from their home and all computers are confiscated. Johnny’s dad is placed on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

Scenario 8:

Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.

1959 – In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.

2009 – Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

Armed with a cabinet of criminals and tax cheats, Obama is taking the Presidency to a new, unprecedented low. I find it amusing, although not surprising, that he can hardly find an honest man among his Democratic peers. It’s not surprising, because Obama’s political roots are from the Gomorrah of politics, the great state of Illinois.

I absolutely love Mayor Daley’s comment regarding Chicago’s portion of the stimulus package. I believe he said he wanted the details of the stimulus to remain secret, because he didn’t want the press poking around in it, and asking a lot of questions. I got to hand it to Mayor Daley, at least he’s openly dishonest.

So here we are, less than 70 days into the Obama legacy. How many Executive Orders has Obama issued? I’ve lost count, but I’m pretty sure the number is over 15. Never before in US history has a President assumed so much unchecked power. For comparison, Jimmy Carter issued 2, Ronald Reagan, 0.

Equally as disturbing is the number of Czars Obama is appointing. These Czars have no oversight by Congress or the Senate. They answer only to Obama. Does this sound like Democracy? Does this sound like a President? Or an Emperor? Perhaps more like a Chairman. Chairman Obama.

I have decided the whole thing is an education problem. Clearly Obama, as well as, most of the politicians in America have a very poor knowledge of history. This administration is repeating mistakes made in history by a great variety of people, people like Stalin and Hitler. Mistakes that were questions in the past that have been answered by history. Obama ignores the answers to these questions that history provides us. Instead, he pushes our country toward a proven path of disaster.

The problem goes beyond our politicians, it begins in our schools who apparently teach very little US or World history. What they do teach has been censored and tailored for political purpose. Parents don’t realize, there are certain history books politicians don’t want your children to read. One such book is, The Making of America, The Substance and Meaning of the Constitution, by W. Cleon Skousen. Although I’m not finished with it yet (it’s about 900 pages) I think it is the finest book on US History I’ve ever read.

I was told this book was Ronald Reagan’s favorite history book and that he wanted it to be required reading in our schools, but of course that never happened. However, I think if the American youth had been reading this book there would not be a President Obama, or for that matter a Nancy Pelosi, or a Harry Reed (Dr. Smith), and countless others.

Of course it’s not all ignorance, a good portion of the problem is greed. America has promoted these people to a Royal level. It’s an addiction. Show me a politician that has ever run a hotdog stand successfully, yet they are all rich. How does that happen? Via a life of “Public Service.” These people are leeches sucking the People of America dry. They don’t care about the outcome, they’re rich! And you are, or will be, poor. An indentured slave, working to pay for entitlements you hope to receive.

Merry (belated) Christmas everyone! It’s been crazy here at the Amazing house. If you didn’t get a Christmas card from us, it’s because we didn’t mail one! Sorry about that.

It’s nice to have a birthday on Saturday. The kids will be home and have nothing to do, but wait on me and clean their rooms, yeah right!

I don’t have any special plans today. I should go shopping as I haven’t done any of that as of yet. However shopping today in St. Louis will be a nightmare. So I will probably stay by the fire, watch a few movies, and start drinking early. I think a Bloody Mary is in order, don’t you?

Apparently Disney World is throwing a party in my honor, so maybe I’ll catch a flight down to Orlando, you never know. Check out the movie below.

Once again, here we are on the day that America honors its veterans. Each year, I feel this day is increasingly important, for so many modern day Americans have no idea the cost of the lifestyle they lead, and the freedoms they so enjoy.

One of my favorite expressions regarding Veterans Day is this…

If you can read the newspaper, thank a teacher. If the newspaper is in English, thank a Vet.

God bless America, and all her Veterans. Make sure you find one today and thank him or her for their service.

And now for your entertainment and enlightenment, I offer you this fantastic speech given by General Douglas MacArthur for his farewell address to Congress, April 19th, 1951. The speech itself is nearly 38 minutes long with the best of it in the last 15 minutes or so, but I encourage you to listen to the whole thing.

Douglas MacArthur Farewell to Congress

Also, here is another one of my favorites although less authentic, Mel Gibson as Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore in the movie, We Were Soldiers. It’s considerably shorter.

Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore

Happy Veterans Day!

As America spirals into depression with the most left,  socialist, government in history about to take command, one industry is booming, the gun industry.

It seems many Americans are worried about their right to purchase and own firearms under the upcoming administration. As spending is down and American retailers are reporting the slowest sales in years, Americas gun dealers are having a hay-day, reporting record sales from coast to coast.

According the the FBI, in October 2008 there were more than 108,000 more background checks for gun purchases than in October 2007.

I’ve always felt firearm sales should be some sort of indicator, like consumer confidence, or the jobless rate.  A huge spike in sales, should certainly tell us something.

Are Americans less secure with the safety of their environment? Do they feel they will loose their right to purchase a firearm under the future administration? It would seem so.

On the campaign trail, Barack Obama spoke to Ohio voters and said, “I will not take your shotgun away, I will not take your rifle away. I won’t take your handgun away.” 

As a Senator, Obama voted to leave gun-makers and dealers open to lawsuits, and as an Illinois state legislator, he supported a ban on semiautomatic weapons and tighter restrictions on all firearms.

Personally, I think Barack Obama has bigger things to worry about right now, like a huge economic crisis and two wars, but he is clearly in a hurry to change many things about America, and the right to own a firearm could certainly be on the list.

One of the many tricks the Obama campaign used to accomplish this was disabling the security software on their credit card machines that matches a name and address to an account number. This technique allowed the Obama campaign to gather 100 million dollars of completely untraceable money in September alone, much of which involved currency exchange.

The are many advantages to gathering this type of untraceable money. First, it makes it awful hard to return unused (yeah right) or unqualified contributions. Second, this method would also make it possible for anyone to exceed the individual contribution limits. For instance, Osama Bin Laden could eazily dontate $20,000 by making 10 individual contributions of $2000 each.

I imagine, Barack Obama has already begun spreading the wealth around, starting with all his close allies in Chicago.

So, America tolerated this unscrupulous behavior, as well as, a remarkably similar voter registration drive.

Get ready for Obama fraud phase 3. The Obama-Biden Transition Project.

The Obama camp has setup a non-profit corporation to except donations of up to $5000 to supplement the 6.3 million dollars in tax payer funds set aside for the Presidential transition. These funds are normally used to vet potential cabinet members. Apparently Mr. Obama does not feel 6.3 million will be enough.

There are restrictions on how the public funds can be used, but those restrictions don’t exist for these private donations. I guess you have to pay for lavish parties and hookers somehow. Perhaps hire Bill Ayers to do a study on the education system of America. Now that Reverend Wright has resurfaced, maybe there is a slice of the pie for him? The possibilities are endless.

Considering the past track record of the Obama campaign, it is doubtful the source of these donations will ever be revealed, leading to serious questions of who Obama is indebted to, and how that debt will affect his judgement.