Rebuilding Patriotism...

Good Evening Everyone,

I apologize for such a long delay in updating this blog. We have been very busy preparing to head home.

Tonight we went down to the soccer field to play a game. As I watched the final minutes of the game before ours, I was struck by the pride that each team has in their heritage. We have a truly multi-national club here in Balad. We have teams from Uganda, Britian, Australia, Ireland, and the United States. We all play the game we love and we take pride in representing our country, even if it a small game in the middle of the desert.

As I contemplated this display of pride, my thoughts drifted back home to the United States. We here in the military as well as in the general population of the U.S. are a group of many nationalities. We are a melting pot, a wonderful experiment that provided amazingly wonderful results. The problem though that I have seen over the last twenty years, is that our young people have seemingly lost their pride in being a citizen of the United States. Americans who have a Hispanic, African American, Irish, Russian, or any other national heritage, have taken great pride in their roots. In my opinion, this pride is great. It is important to honor our past, but it seems that we have become fearful to proclaim our loyaties to the United States.

We have been a nation of united states for over 2oo hundred years. We have a proud history as well and we should take a great deal of joy in showing our pride for this wonderful country that the Lord has provided for us.

I think that it is important for us to recognize those who went before us to help build this nation. If you look at how we came to be such an important country on the world stage, we must give credit to those who willingly or unwillingly helped to strengthen our home.

We would have never succeeded as a nation without the labor of the African Americans. As slaves, they are the people who did the hard work of building this country. The Chinese people who immigrated to our west coast played an important role in building the continental railroad that connected our people from one coast to the other. The Irish and German people who immigrated to our eastern cities worked in deplorable conditions for companies that produced our textiles and built the foundation for the United States in becoming the largest producer of goods in the world. The French provided us with military support that allowed us to win our independence from Great Britain. Spaniards landed in Mexico and in Florida and moved throughout our fledgling country and established many of our early cities. And even the Native Americans who met our first foreign settlers on the Mayflower, provided much needed agricultural guidance to our forefathers.

The social make up of our nation has a wonderfully diverse history. However, weather we come to this land on a slave ship from Africa, or a cutter ship from Europe or a cruise ship from Ireland or China, today we are all in the same boat. We are Americans. We are citizens of The United States and we should be proud of that. We should display 'Old Glory' in a place of prominence and honor and we need to let the world know that no matter where we came from we are moving forward as one people under the banner of the United States of America.

I am saddened when I see our young people rally against the very country that cares for them. I am filled with disappointment when I hear the libral left slam our great nation. Why is there so much hate for the United States among our citizens?

I really don't have an answer for this but I speculate that our young have not had to sacrifice for the freedoms that our forefathers and mothers have given to them. Our youth have had everything handed to them as a gift rather than as a product of their labor. As a result, they have no loyalty to that which was provided for them.

How do we correct this problem? Well, I don't think there is one answer or a quick fix, but there are things that we can do to bring pride back to the hearts of our people. One thing that we should consider is the return to the draft. Now, drafting young people for conscripted service is not exactly a politically correct thing to do, so I would suggest a modified draft. Most of the developed nations have a mandatory service requirement for its young people. It works well and such service helps to instill a sense of pride in these young adults as they have now given a part of themselves to maintaining and caring for their country.

I think that our graduating high school students should be required to devote at least one year of their life to servicing our country. This service does not necessarily need to be military service. I think that we could use this population to work in our national parks, serve on a crew that builds our roads and infra-structure, spend a year in Americorp, or work at a VA taking care of those who sacrificed for their country. I think that we would do well to implement a program much like the Tennesse Valley Act which was enacted by FDR. I think that young people need to understand that living in the United States requires a little devotion. Through this devotion, a young man or woman will feel like they have played an important role in strengthening our country.

As far as military service goes, I would support a resolution that would require all citizens between the ages of 18-25 who choose not to agree to the above services to attend a military basic training and military occupational school during the summer after high school graduation and before they start their freshman year of college. If an individual wants to continue with military service than they can sign up for a two, three, or four year enlistment. If an individual completes his or her summer training and decides to go to college than we can place them in the Inactive Ready Reserves. This status will not require any further service in the military unless our country needs them for emergency purposes. If a person decides to perform their summer military training then they would be exempt from serving their year of national service.

This type of service is not a new idea. The United States has had the draft since our founding and lasted up until the 1970's, when we went to an all volunteer military. As far as mandatory service goes, many high schools now require students to perform a certain number of community service hours as a prerequisite for graduation. These programs work well and allow students have the experience of working for a cause greater then themselves.

Mandatory service to ones country should not be viewed as a punitive measure, rather should be cherished as a time to grow and learn the importance of taking part in the building maintaining of our great nation.

The United States has a rich and diverse heritage and we are proud of our diversity. We should also be proud that our diversity has helped to create a wonderfully great nation. We are Americans and we are proud. Stand up for your country and show your pride for the United States.

God Bless you all,

Jeff

Religion in Government...

Good Evening Everyone,

The topic of religion and government is always bound to start a heated discussion. However, the fear of inciting an arguement should not prevent us from examining this topic.

Now, allow me to make my position very clear. Religion should have no major role in the execution of our governmental duties. With that said, religion should and must have a major role in our local communities activities. What does this mean?

Well, there was a time when the church had tremendous influence on public policy development. Our elected officials, gave great credence to the beliefs and mores of the Christian communities. Often times, officials were elected to office based not necessarily on political beliefs but on their positions in accordance to their Christian faith.

Over time however, our society has drifted from the firm moral teachings of the church and have drifted into the realm of 'anything goes'. Our society has forsaken the moral fiber that lends itself to community growth through a common belief system. Instead our social structure has degraded to a belief system that a person is free to do whatever he/she wishes regardless of the consequences that it may have on the society as a whole. As a result, we have allowed an element of destructive behavior to run freely among our communities. What was once considered aborrhent behavior is now embraced as admirable. Sinful and immoral behavior is now the standard. Our communities are falling apart because we have failed to stand firm on our Christian beliefs and we have allowed those who say that the Christian faith is irrelevant to prevail.

How can this be? 7 out of 10 people in America claim to be Christians, yet we are moving away from those very principle that we profess. So, why is this happening?

Well, I believe that we have become afraid to profess our faith. To stand up for what we believe. We accept the sad truth that we are allowed to express our faith in church on Sunday, yet we need to keep our opinions to ourselves during the rest of the week. Frankly, we fail to really live the Christian faith in our public lives.

I am reminded of the deal that the Lord made with Abraham concerning Sodom. He said find me one righteous man in Sodom and I will spare the city. As you know, no one righteous could be found. Now, I am not saying that their is no one righteous in America but what is similar is that the people of Sodom allowed sin to permeate every aspect of their society to the point where even children could not be considered righteous. I believe we are following along the same path as those citizens of Sodom.

So, what to do? Well, the first step to rectifying any problem is to realize that a problem exist in the first place. Christians have to realize that our communities are drifting further and further from the Lord's will. I believe that our churches need outward thinking. Over the last 20 years or so, our churches have been focused inwardly. We have spent a great deal of time and energy on our church buildings and on our own flock that we have failed to look out at the needs of our community. Sure we have benevolence and we donate to charities but we have lost our influence in the local management of our community's governmental bodies.

I think that we need to rethink our approach to the Christian role in government. Christians need to get out and attend city council meetings. We need to run for political office. We need to vote and support candidates that uphold Christian values. We need to re-establish our influence at a local level and then, I believe that the higher levels of government will follow suit.

Now, I know that I said earlier that religion should have no real role in government and I still support that ideology. But what a Christian, a true, uncomprimising, Christian brings to the table are strong moral values and ethics. Our religious faith aside, the idea that families are important and that the values outlined by the ten commandments are essential to the functioning of a healthy society does not need to be religious based but morally based. A society with strong moral values does not have to be guided by Christian faith but by an idealogy that states that ethical and moral behavior is going to be the standard. Fortunately, these values are exactly the principles of Christ. We do not need to insert Christianity into government, but we do need to interject sound ethical mores into our communities.

I truly believe that a society that has no standards of moral behavior is doomed to collapse in on itself. It is simply a matter of time before it self-destructs. What can save us?

I believe we need to take an active role in ensuring that our influence in our community is felt. We need to uphold the standards of strong families; that marriage is between one man and one woman; that pornography and other vile practices are destructive and should be abolished; that honesty and fair business practices are implemented; that people pull their weight and earn their keep; that crime will not go unpunished; that people respect eachothers property; and that kindness and caring for one's neighbor is encouraged. These are solid principles that do nothing but strengthen a community. To allow moral standards to erode, we risk losing any hope of keeping our society intact.

I pray that the Lord doesn't turn us over to our sinful nature. I pray that we can all step up and be proud of our relationship with Christ. I pray that the Lord doesn't give up on us.

Our hope is in Jesus and the stronger our relationship is with Him the stronger our communities will be. Get out and become involved in your community. It is through you that Christ works. If you don't go out into the fields that are ripe for harvest, then who will?

God Bless You All,

Jeff

From My Cold, Dead Hands...

Good Evening All,

Well tonight I want to briefly look at the topic of Gun Rights. The right to bear arms is a constitutional right granted to us from those who fought to create this wonderful nation. However, over the years the right to bear arms has been under assault.

Now, when our founding father's instituted this right, they wanted to make sure that individuals had the ability to defend themselves from those who would do them harm, even if the harm is coming from the government. Our founding fathers also understood that families needed to eat and guns were necessary to hunt. But times have changed and the use of a gun has taken a tragic change of course. The CDC estimated last year that over 50,000 people were a victim of a gun shot wound. Out of that number 10,100 people died. Additionally, over 16,000 suicides are committed every year by the use of a gun. These are troubling statistics and I am certain that our founding fathers could have foreseen this incredible abuse of the right to bear arms.

So, what is the compromise between those who want to ban guns and the violence that goes along with these weapons and those who want unrestricted access to any weapon that they desire?

I think common sense here should prevail. Firstly, let me say that registered gun owners are not the problem here. In fact, these responsible gun owners are upstanding and responsible part of our community. Registered gun owners are not the people out committing crimes and so any legislation to take guns away from these fine individuals would be criminal in my opinion. The problem of gun violence stems from those who are in the business of purchasing and utilizing guns that they are not legally allowed to possess. Gang bangers, drug dealers, and criminals are the individuals that are threatening the right to bear arms. There is an assault on our cities by those who have no respect for the law.

So, how do we limit access to those who are intent on criminal behavior and those who are responsible?

Well, I think a middle ground should be considered. Firstly, there is absolutely no reason for anyone to possess an automatic weapon. People do not use machine gun or high caliber pistols to go hunting. Assault weapons have no place in our society and most gun owners would agree that these weapons have no role in keeping our communities safe. Secondly, the right to bear arms does not necessarily mean that you can bear these weapons everywhere. I support the idea of allowing an individual to own a weapon for use on their property for protection, collection, or hunting. However, real and effective legislation needs to be enacted to prevent these weapons from being used in our towns and cities.

There is a group of folks who are in favor of a concealed gun permits. I am against this. However, I am in favor of individuals carrying weapons that are open and visible to everyone. Here is Iraq we all carry a M-16 or a 9mm. We carry them in a holster that is strapped over our shoulder and everyone has visibility. I think that a person would be less likely to be come a target for criminals if these criminals see that their victim is packing heat.

I would also advocate for more strict punishment for those who violate the law with a hand gun. In my opinion, if someone brandishes a weapon in a threatening manner they should be charged with attempted murder, kidnapping, and false imprisonment in addition to armed robbery charge. There needs to be a minimum sentence of twenty years without the possibility of parole for any first offense. A message needs to be sent that we are serious about ending the irresponsible use of a gun. Additionally, I believe that anyone who shoots a gun at another person should be charged with murder. Even if the shooter misses or fails to kill their victim, their intent was deadly and should be charged as such. Just because a criminal is a bad shot doesn't take away the fact that he had the intent to murder. These laws need to be harsh and uncompromising.

It is the criminal element that is causing trouble for those who are responsible gun owners. We are a nation of thinkers and we are able to work in the gray areas. The gun debate has always been black and white. Gun owners want unlimited access and gun control people want a complete ban. Certainly a compromise that would include the changes I mentioned above can be agreed upon by both sides.

We are an enlightened and intelligent nation. We should be able to set up laws that will allow those who are responsible gun owners to exercise their right and still ensure that our citizens are safe from those thugs who brandish a weapon with deadly intent.

This is a tough topic and I pray that the Lord provides guidance on this issue. We are losing a generation of young men from gun violence; this simply should not be.

God Bless You All,

Jeff

The Tough Topic of Abortion...

I am so very reluctant tonight to discuss the topic of abortion, but, in light of the recent shooting of Dr. Tiller, a physician who performed late term abortions, I wanted to briefly address this subject.

Let me start by saying that abortion is murder. Is this a strong statement? Yes, it is but what else do you call a procedure that terminates a human life? So, I want to make sure I reveal my stance immediately. Now, I don’t want to spend a great deal of time debating the ethics of legal abortion. What I would like to discuss is the issue of late term abortions.
Late term abortions are now illegal in the United States unless the abortion is to save the life of the mother. Now, on the surface we all understand that if a pregnant woman’s life is in danger and the only thing that can save her life is to abort her baby, then we understand the very tough decision to proceed with the abortion.

The problem with this issue is that rarely is aborting a child necessary to save the life of the mother. In those rare cases, where the life of the mother is in question, the late term abortion procedure is and should never, ever, be utilized. If a woman is in an emergency life or death situation where he life needs to be spared, then an emergency C-section would be performed.
The late term abortion procedure that Dr. Tiller and other abortion doctors perform would never be performed by a competent physician who is working to save the life of the mother.

To understand the late term abortion procedure you have to understand that a woman is placed on the table. The physician ruptures the amniotic sac in the uterus. He then has to turn the baby so that it is delivered feet first. Once the legs and body are out of the vaginal canal the delivery is suddenly stopped with the head still in the vaginal vault. A hollowed trochar needle is then inserted into the base of the babies head and the brain is then evacuated from the skull. The dead fetus is delivered and discarded with the placenta.

This process is not a very efficient method to remove a child if the life of the mother is hanging in the balance. Additionally, if the life of the mother is in question, then why is it necessary to stick a trochar into the child’s brain to kill it, if the physician is simply concerned about saving the mother’s life?

Any pregnancy that may be threatening the life of the mother would be ended by a competent physician through a C-section and an attempt would me made to save the life of the child as well as the mother. Additionally, life of the mother issues should never be performed in a room, in a store in a strip mall.There is never, ever, ever, a medical indication to perform late term abortion in any woman. It simply is malpractice to use such a procedure and is absolutely never indicated to spare the life of the mother. This is why the procedure has been banned.

Unfortunately, Dr. Tiller and a few others, forged medical notes stating that the woman’s pregnancy is putting the mother at risk. This is a lie and any first year medical student should be able to see through this ruse. Late term abortions as advocated by organizations like Planned Parenthood are illegal and are flat out murder. These physicians should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

I know that this sounds like a tough stance and it is, but someone has to advocate for the unborn.Now, I want to make it clear that as much as I hate abortion, I absolutely condemn any violence to abortion rights believers. This is simply not the route in which change will come. As a Christian, I believe that the power of prayer and organized public efforts are the way in which change will come.

Now, I want to take a little deeper look at those young ladies who are seeking abortions. I am very sensitive to rough situations that can overwhelm a person. A young lady who finds herself pregnant faces incredible pressures. Often times, a woman who does become pregnant is abandoned by the man who caused her condition. They feel alone and isolated. Now, this may not be true of every pregnancy, but each woman has to deal with her pregnancy in her own way.As abhorrent as I think abortion is, I truly understand the temptation to consider abortion. It is a very tough decision and in a young lady’s mind an abortion is a logical step in relieving her life of an unwanted stressor. So, please understand that I do not have animosity against women who have taken the abortion route. In fact, I understand their feelings and have great compassion for them. I wish for nothing more than peace and comfort for them.

Because the problem of unwanted pregnancies is not going to go away, we need to stop dealing with this problem by arguing about abortion. An abortion is a branch of a problem that has much deeper roots. No one likes abortion. No one wants to go through the tough decision to have an abortion, but an abortion is a by product of an unwanted pregnancy. The question we should be asking is, ‘Why are so many women getting pregnant who don’t wish to become pregnant?’ This is where our energies and resources should be focused and is the area where both pro-life and pro-choice people can work together to decrease the number of abortions that are performed.

It is to idealistic to assume that abstinence is the solution. As much as I pray that young people will abstain from intercourse, the simple fact is that this is pie in the sky thinking. I would really like to see Planned Parenthood and other pro-choice groups get together with pro-life organizations and focus on pregnancy prevention. I realize that Planned Parenthood does encourage pregnancy prevention through birth control and education. Unfortunately, Planned Parenthood and other pro-choice groups look at pro-life groups as the enemy and visa/versa. This needs to end. It is my prayer that we unite our resources and encourage our young people to practice more responsible behavior. Pro-life groups need to drop their opposition to birth control methods and relax their beliefs that the only way to deal with unwanted pregnancies is through prevention via abstinence.

I believe that appropriate societal pressures, unfettered access to reproductive education such birth control methods, adoption options etc.., and a united front from both pro-life and pro-choice groups can and will decrease the number of abortions that are performed in the United States.

I would like to ask you all to pray for Godly intervention in this matter and to pray for these young ladies that are faced with an unwanted pregnancy. Abortion is an important and highly volatile subject that needs to be taken head on for the good of our society.
I pray that you are all well. May God bless your day.

Jeff

Litigating Litigation

Good Evening Everyone,

Well it is no great secret that we professionals in the field of medicine are no great fans of attorneys. If one has been in medicine for any length of time he or she has had the nightmare of having been deposed or ordered to testify in a medical case brought about by an attorney whose only interest is putting money in his or her pocket.In the State of Illinois we are in serious need of Tort Reform. We are having an extremely difficult time keeping specialty physicians in our state. Ob/Gyn, Neurosurgeons, and anesthesiologist are fleeing our state in large numbers. Why? Because they simply cannot afford the malpractice insurance required to continue practicing.

Our legal system has allowed justice to take a back seat to profit. Lawyers are not out to seek the truth, but to obtain as much compensation for their client and for themselves as possible. Attorneys have caused a trend in our society that absolves individuals of their responsibilities. If a person drives off the road because he fell a sleep at the wheel, he will try to sue the drug company that produced the cold medicine that he took that made him drowsy. A pregnant woman who drinks, smokes, and takes drugs has a baby with a birth defect or the pregnancy is terminated as a result of her lifestyle, she will blame the doctors caring for her. These cases are real and are just a small taste of the ridiculous litigations that are clogging up our court system. I know that I don’t have to go into great detail about all that is wrong with our legal system as you are already aware of the disgusting levels in which some attorneys will sink.

I have often thought about how we could change this system of injustice. I firmly believe that attorneys should not be allowed to receive a percentage of the monies that are awarded ‘victims’. Often times, when a client wins a case the attorney receives more of the compensation than the client. This is especially true in Class Action Lawsuits. If we could make it so that attorneys charge a client by the amount of work that they had to put into a case, then I think you would see a great reduction in the number of cases that are filed. In addition, attorneys and clients who brings suit and lose their case should be responsible for paying the legal fees and time lost of the defendant whom they are suing.

I also believe that an attorney and the client who knowingly brings forth a frivolous or erroneous lawsuit should be prosecuted for abusing the legal system. These lawsuits should be considered criminal and contemptuous of the court.The unfortunate truth in the business world especially in the business of medicine, is that our cost for product or care is markedly elevated to cover the cost of lawsuits. You and I pay the price for these attorneys who are out to make a quick dollar. These bottom feeding attornys are making a mockery of our judicial system.

I have been blessed in that I have only had to testify in court twice and neither case involved a patient that I was treating. They were procedural matters that involved appropriate management of a patient by another provider.

Even so, testifying in court is difficult and one walks away feeling harassed and accused. It is an embarrassment for our legal system to allow this type of fleecing to go on. In England, they have underwent significant tort reform. Even if a client does win his or her case, the law imposes a ceiling on the amount of monies that can be collected. This has helped to reduce the number of cases brought before the courts.I believe that we need a serious overhaul of our system of justice. If we continue down this path of attorney unaccountability then we will eventually drive researchers, physicians, and many businesses out of their trade.The courts should be institutions that protect us, not to punish honest, law abiding citizens who are doing nothing more than earning an honest wage and delivering a quality product.

I hope you are all well.

God Bless,

Jeff

Education: Who's Leaving Our Children Behind?

Public Education:

It is no secret that our public system of education has a tarnished reputation. There are no shortages of reasons as to why this perception exists. Our high school graduation rates are at an all time low, our children’s academic scores are tanking, and young people are entering the work world lacking the necessary educational tools needed to succeed.

Early in the Bush administration our educational system was given the ‘No Child Left Behind’ directive. This was an unfunded mandate that required our schools to put our children through a series of test. The goal was not to necessarily evaluate our children but to assess the quality of education that our children are receiving. The idea is that if students score well than the schools must be doing a good job. If children tested poorly than something must be wrong with the school.

Now, this type of program seems, on the surface, to make sense, but in reality the ‘No Child Left Behind’ is a monumental failure. Here is why:

Our public school systems may not be a model of productivity or efficiency; however, they are by and large doing a great job of providing the quality education that our children need. The ugly and politically incorrect truth, which no one wants to address, is that our children are doing poorly in school not because of ineffective teachers or because of an inadequate academic curriculum. No, the real truth is that our children are failing because we as parents are failing. We are failing to be partners with our children’s teachers and as a result our children are paying the price.

When children do poorly in school we tend to blame someone and all too often we blame the school system or the teachers. Well, this is misplaced blame. Our teachers are there everyday providing a quality education and working diligently to develop young minds. The problem is that our children come home to disinterested parents. There is an old saying that says, ‘Teaching is performed at school, learning is done at home.’ If a child goes home and he or she does not have a parent to supervise their homework studies or to provide educational guidance than that child will not consider education to be a priority in their lives. As a result, his or her school work goes undone and test scores drop.

I feel very comfortable in saying that children who fail in school have parents who are failing their children. It is not the schools sole responsibility to impress upon our children a good work ethic. Creating and developing academic skills is first, the responsibility of the parents. If you have a child that comes home and you have no idea of weather or not your child has homework or if you have a child in school and you are not on a first name basis with his or her teacher, than you are failing your child.

My wife taught high school and one of her biggest frustrations were that the only parents who would come to parent teacher conferences were the parents of the children who were doing well in school. The children who were failing and whose parents needed to be at the parent teacher conferences the most, would consistently fail to show.

Our school systems are doing a great job of supplying our children with a quality education. But if you think that the entire job of educating your child falls on the shoulders of the teachers than you are wrong and you are a failing your child.

It simply does not make sense that in any one class room the majority of children do well and achieve passing grades, while a smaller percentage fail. If we have the majority of children passing then why are the others in the same classroom failing? The answer is this: Failing students are not living up to their responsibilities of paying attention in class and doing their homework. Parents of these failing students are not ensuring that their children are completing their work and are not around for their child when he or she needs help. In fact, often times these parents have absolutely no idea of what is going on in their child’s academic life. They never come to school to talk to the teacher. They never volunteer to participate in school programs and they simply fail to understand that it is their parental duty to help educate their own child.

Being a parent of a school age child is an awesome responsibility. We as parents need to be incredibly proactive in our children’s school system. We need to know the specifics about our child’s school day. We need to devote time, everyday, to helping and ensuring that our children’s homework is completed. And we need to stop complaining about the quality of our schools and start being a supporter of the institutions that are working so hard to educate our children.

As always, our government response to declining graduation rates and poor academic performance is to start a new program to ‘fix’ the problem. It is politically incorrect to tell the truth, which is that parents basically are not engaged in the education of their child.

Jeff

Taxing our Patience...

Good Evening Everyone,

Tonight I would like to address the topic of taxes. When you earn a paycheck the government takes a portion of it via taxes. Then when you spend you paycheck the government again taxes your purchases via sales tax. Then when you decide to save and invest your money, the government will take more money from your interest through taxes. When you purchase your house you will continue to pay taxes on your property even if you own your house outright. If you desire to hand down your property and assets to your children, the government taxes this inheritance. The truth is that we are being taxed to our limit. The government has decided that they are better able to spend your money than you.

I researched the cost that it takes to run the IRS and it is apprx. 12-15 billion dollars a year. Billions of dollars to simply collect your money. It is unbelievable.

So, I started doing some calculations as it pertains to taxing the citizens of the United States. We have over 300 million people in the U.S. Let's say that 200 million of our citizens are working. The average salary in our country is appx. $35,000. Some stats say it is higher while others say it is a little lower, so, let us split the middle and use $35,000 dollars as our calculation starting point.

If our government would abolish the IRS and implement a 23% across the board flat tax with no loop holes and no deductions. Every person and business pays 23% then we would have a family tax burden of $8,050 a year. When you multiply this collected tax times 200 million our government would collect 1.61 trillion dollars simply on the flat tax. Now this doesn't really consider large businesses and coorporations who use tax loop holes to get out of paying their fair share.

This year our federal budget is around 3 Trillion dollars. But if you look at where our tax dollars are going and if you calculate the taxes that people and businesses shield from the tax man, we would be able to collect over 2 trillion dollars.

The government's responsibility is to come up with a budget that operates within the taxes collected. There are numerous programs that you as taxpayers are funding that have absolutely no benifit to the operation and functioning of our government. Our legislative and executive branches need to learn how to live within a stream lined budget.

It seems that our government has the approach that we all work for them. That is backward thinking. The government is suppose to work for us. Our government is to keep us safe from all enemies foreign and domestic and provide for certain interior structures like the interstate system, police, and fire departments. Most programs outside of these two mandates can be eliminated thus, cutting cost.

I would like to say that enough is enough. We are tired of our hard work and income being stolen from us so that the government can spend recklessly. I believe a flat tax with no exemptions for anyone or any business should be implemented and government spending needs to be drastically reduced. I have faith that the American people can spend their money much more efficiently than the goverment.

I pray that you are well,

God Bless,

Jeff

Social Responsibility...

Good Evening Everyone,
Like you, I have been watching my mutual funds, stocks, and retirement portfolio tank. It seems that big business has been unable to manage their affairs appropriately and now our government has to step in and stop the bleeding.

Now, I am not in favor of governmental intervention into private business. I believe in the Capitalist Economic Model of allowing the market place determine the success or failure of a business. I believe that we should allow these struggling companies to fail. This would allow another company to step up and do the job with more efficiency. Never should we allow our government to own or have a majority share in any business venture. It is not our governments job to compete in the market place. It is also inappropriate for our government to decide which business receives government funding and which will not. It stinks of socialism and is a dangerous path that ends in an all powerful govenrment and a weak economic structure.

With all of this said, I believe that we as Americans have to take a large part of the responsibility for the economic crisis that faces us. Ever since the end of W.W.II, American's have prided themselves on living well. Suburbs were built in record numbers; job opportunities were plentiful, and people started making a good living. With this prosperity, we grew and flourished as a society. With profitable economic fortunes we started to believe that we were entitled to a certain standard of living. We believed that everyone should have a house and a car and a stable income.

During the three decades after W.W.II, Americans were, for the most part, able to live comfortably with a one income family. However, as the 1970's and 80's rolled around, Americans started develop a taste for luxuries that one income could no longer afford. We believed that each family should have a nice house, two cars, nice furniture, top of the line electronic equipment, etc... During this period, companies started targeting children to buy products that they really didn't need. But with prosperity, our parents purchased these things for us and as a result we started to believe that we were entitled to this increasingly luxurious lifestyle.

As the 1980's came to an end, credit card companies started to mass market their product. Large financial institutions like Bank of America started issuing Visa's and Mastercards to almost anyone who would apply. This extension of credit was the start of our decline. With this newly acquired credit, American's started purchasing things that they simply could not afford. Families were going into huge debt. Families could no longer afford to live on one income and they were increasingly finding it difficult to live on two incomes.

As we went through the 90's, lending institutions started to extend mortgages to families who really weren't qualified to incur such a debt. Families purchased homes that were way out of their price range. Both parents were forced to go to work, which left children to be raised in daycares and after school programs flourished. Many of these families soon realized that they were in over their heads and the financial strain became more than they could bear.
As a result, mortgages went into default, families filed for bankruptcy which meant that credit card companies were left with these individuals unpaid debts, and our economic structure broke down. Individuals could no longer afford the luxuries that they had become so accustomed. Businesses shut down because families lost their purchasing power and as a result, jobs were lost.

Now, we find ourselves sratching our heads and wondering what happened. What happened was that we as individuals have been irresponsible and have made poor economic choices. We can blame banks for giving us credit, we can blame mortgage companies for giving us our overpriced homes, and we can blame our employer because we lost your jobs. But the truth is that, we are too blame for our economic collapse.

It is time that we understand that we need to have a realistic expectation when it comes to our standard of living. I have been to Mexico, Central America, South America, all over Europe, Canada, and to the Polynesian Islands and I found one thing to be consistant in every place I visited. The people of each of these countries lived within their means much more effectively than we Americans. In fact, many of these countries have a healthy disdain for us because they perceive Americans as spoiled rich kids who expect the world on a silver platter. Looking at the amount of resources that we use it is hard to argue with their perception.

Politically we complain that our government is spending too much and we are acquiring too much national debt. But the truth is that we are doing the same thing. Young adults today are wanting to start their married life having everything it took their parents a lifetime to accumulate. This is an expectation that cannot endure. We are responsible for our countries economic woes and we need to face the hard truth that we need to cut back on our standard of living.

Why should it be an exception that a familiy lives within it's financial means and doesn't carry debt? Why is it so difficult for families to wait until they have the money before they purchase something? Why do we insist on immediate gratification?

I believe that if we continue to live with the expectation that we can live above and beyond our means, then the stability of our nations economic structure will be permanently damaged. You need to understand that their are countries who are doing very well at managing their affairs and are accumulating a great deal of wealth. In fact, China is the largest purchaser of our national debt. At anytime they could cash in their bonds and crash our economy. We have given our economic leverage away to another country and we did it willingly with our eyes open.

Financial responsiblity starts with you and me. We are going to have to learn to live within our financial abilities and work to eliminate our debt.

I have faith in the American Spirit and I believe when our backs are to the wall, then we will respond. Why should we have to wait for our backs to be against a wall for us to do the right thing? Let us step up now and control our personal finances. It just makes sense.

I pray that you are all well and thank you for checking in.

Jeff

Proper Role of Government

Political/Social

In the 1801 President Jefferson commissioned a group of men to find a westward water passage to the Pacific Ocean. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were chosen to lead this expedition and after over two years of training, on May 14, 1804 this group of explorers set out. Of course, we know that they were unsuccessful in finding an intact water way to the Pacific Coast but what they did find sparked the imagination of a nation. Meriwether Lewis and his crew returned with stories of unlimited and fertile lands, buffalo as far as the eye could see, and a majestic ocean full of fish. And so, the westward expansion began. President Jefferson aware of the potential of these newly discovered lands implemented ‘Manifest Destiny’, which basically outlined the need for the United States to control the land from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast.

Thousands of adventure seekers, hunters, trappers, farmers, and families loaded up their covered wagons and set out to lay claim to their piece of the American dream. As the flow of people progressed small communities, villages, and towns developed and life in western America took shape. Now, when a community finally did develop its citizens quickly realized that for their own safety and prosperity, they needed to form a small governing body complete with a city council and a sheriff. You see farmers and blacksmith and ranchers in these communities were located in some very isolated areas and as a result they were perfect targets for cattle rustlers, bank robbers, and thieves.

Former Secretary of Agriculture under the Eisenhower Administration Ezra Taft Benson pointed out that each community decided to set up a small government and a sheriff to help them protect their interest. The purpose of the government was to facilitate an environment where its citizens could grow their businesses safely and achieve their goal of caring for their families. The role of government was and always has been to protect the general welfare of its citizens.
Somewhere along the way, through taxation and through legislation our elected officials have taken this simple model of government and have built it into a monster; a monster that is unaccountable to anyone and is in the best interest of no one.

Our government of the people and by the people has become an institution of legislative bodies and committees who sole purpose is to collect taxes and acquire power from the people.
The more taxes collected, the more programs developed, the more power the government obtains. This should not be. Our government should do its best to minimize taxation to cover only those things that are necessary to the common defense of our nation. Everything else needed to make a community function should be carried out by private citizens and companies and/or the states themselves. I truly believe that private companies and corporations are much more efficient at running companies than our government.

Are their abuses and mismanagement? Absolutely, but if businesses fail because of mismanagement, then I am confident that another company with a better business model will step up and do a better job.

Government has no business being in the business of our businesses. We are a society built on the principals of capitalism; that an individual can start a business and with hard work and dedication can grow that business into a successful and thriving industry. Government should never be an obstacle in this process or be a competitor to this model.

Additionally, we started out as a country that said if you don’t work you don’t eat; that you are the one responsible for your success or failure in life and that the income that you make is the income that you keep. Unfortunately, we now have a government made up of professional politicians who feel it is their duty to distribute wealth. They insist on taking the earnings from those who work hard and give it to those who fail to do their fair share.

Our government has decided that it citizenry is too incompetent to manage its money and so they need to step in to do it for us. This is of course ridiculous. Our government continues to accumulate debt at record levels. Our government continues to over tax and marginalize the very citizens who pay for its existence, and our government continues to literally steal from its own people and spend their bounty on programs that are not in the best interest of its people. We are quickly becoming a socialist society where the government holds its citizens hostage to their benevolence. At what point did it become our government’s role to manage our lives?
If our government continues down this path of abusing its citizens with over burdening taxes and intrusive measures that limit our ability to manage our own affairs then we are doomed for failure.

Our federal government has become an out of control monster without accountability. We are accumulating government debt that can never be repaid. We are marginalizing our citizens to the point where they feel hopeless, and we are allowing our government to invade and regulate every area of our lives.
When will it stop?

I would suggest that at some point our citizens are going to stand up and revolt against our own legislative body and demand that power is returned to the people where it belongs. I believe this will happen when our economy crashes and it will crash down around us. When our hard working citizens can no longer put food on the table to feed their family, then and only then will the people rise up and take back our country. It is a real shame that it has to come to that.
Until then, I would suggest that families live within their means, avoid accumulating debt, and take an active role in making your community a better place to live. These are things that our government fails to do.

In conclusion, our government should be an established body of elected citizens that look out for the best interest of the people with as little interference as possible. Our government needs to provide for the common defense and we as a people, can handle the rest.

I pray that you are all well and God Bless you.

Jeff

Politics/Social:

The Problem: Political Correctness...
The first topic of this new blog is to discuss the issue of political correctness. There has been a movement in the United States that started around the late sixties when minorities especially African Americans were seeking equality and trying to fit into a society that they helped to create and build. Unfortunately, that same society failed to accept as equals, these wonderful people as brothers and sisters of our ‘Free’ nation.

As a result of the disparity between the rights of some individuals being more honored than those of others, an effort was started to ensure that equality was available for every citizen. Social programs started under President Johnson helped to overhaul our public service agencies. Laws were put into place to ensure that women and minorities had fair and equitable occupational opportunities and our educational systems underwent a revolution of integration.
The movement for society to become increasingly more sensitive to the needs of all Americans was appropriate and praise the Lord for those who risked life and limb to advance the idea that all people are equal and deserve a fair shot at living the American dream.

Time, however, has not been kind to the cause of equality and fairness and somewhere along the line the train that climbed the steep hill of resistance with forethought and deliberation has become a locomotive steaming out of control, rushing down the hill of absurdity and irresponsibility.

There will be many topics that we will discuss that will deal with issues of fairness and equality and political correctness will be the fulcrum that will tilt the scales one way or the other.
It is in my opinion, that our attempts to ensure that everyone receives the same size piece of the pie regardless weather or not it is earned or the desire to not offend someone has weakened us as a Nation and has made much of the Constitution weak and threatens to void it all together. We as a society are heading down a road of socialistic destruction and we are wasting the hard work and dedication that our forefathers and mothers devoted their lives to provide for us.

Today the permeation of political correctness in all areas of our lives is causing the truth to be hidden and creates an environment where average citizens have been forced to forfeit their rights to free speech, their rights to career progression through hard work and perseverance, their rights to compete fairly for educational opportunities and their rights to create a safe and secure community environment for their families.

Please allow me to explain. We have situations in our society where an individual can be penalized for speaking the truth or expressing an opinion. For example I was at a medical conference a few years ago and I was sitting through a lecture on the current status of HIV research and treatment regimes. The presenter of this lecture was obviously well versed on the subject matter but when he completed his presentation he had failed to mention preventative measures or to speak on the matter of prevalence of the spread of HIV in certain communities. As a result, he was asked about this information and he was very clear to inform us that the governing body who was presenting the conference would not allow him to give information that would cast any particular groups of people in a negative light. So, he was not allowed to provide the prevalent spread of HIV among homosexuals, or to suggest that HIV is spread through irresponsible sexual behavior like having unprotected sex or having intercourse with more than one partner.

As a result of this restriction, this physician was unable to speak the truth that says simply that HIV is a sexually transmitted disease that is spread more predominantly in one group of individuals more than others and that irresponsible sexual behavior is at the core of this problem. Why was this information not allowed? Because the organizers of the conference did not want to offend the homosexual community or to imply that abstinence or having protective sex or limiting sexual activity to one partner was the best measure in which to fight this terrible disease.

This type of restrictive oversight is not only absurd, it is dangerous. Political correctness prevents us from speaking what is the truth and as a result effective solutions to our societal problems are much more difficult to achieve.

Truth, no matter how ugly or offending, must never take a back seat to political correctness. We are currently having serious social and economic problems that are tearing away the pillars of our great nation.

We must stop cowering in the corner fearful to speak the truth because we are afraid of the back lash that the truth would bring. The truth is objective and unfeeling, illuminating and revealing, piercing and direct. The truth is not always pleasant but it must always be the basis for our decision making process.

In Danville, Illinois, where I live, we have a problem with drugs, prostitution, and crime. This was not always the case in our community. The truth is that the crime rate more than tripled
after our city decided to open a public housing project and accept displaced people from the housing projects of Chicago. Our jail is packed with people who have entered into our community because of the public housing. When the police blotters are reviewed it is clear that the majority of criminal activity is caused from people living in or associating with individuals who live in the projects.

Now our city has been afraid to address this problem because the majority of people who live in the projects are African Americans and the city does not want to offend that population of people. So, no effort to confront the Housing Authority on this problem has been made. No effort to encourage and assist individuals in these projects to find a better way of life has been implemented and no effort to go in and remove the criminal element has effectively been accomplished. I ask, Why!?!

The particular race of our criminals is not the concern. What does matter is that we have a large number of criminals among those who live in our public housing projects. That is the truth and in order for us to combat this criminal element we need to identify and accept that public housing projects are breeding grounds for criminal conduct. In similar fashion, we need to combat areas where other criminal activity occurs. If meth is being made in rural white America then we go after it. If embezzling occurs among executives in a financial institution then we need to go after it. If crime is committed anywhere, we go after it. But to simply allow criminal conduct to go on because it is politically incorrect to address it is insane.

As our community of Danville, continues to walk on the eggshells of political correctness our city is falling apart. Businesses have left, productive citizens are moving out, and our streets have become a war zone.

Political correctness also affects other areas of our lives. In our work places, companies have been mandated to hire individuals based on race rather than on the qualifications and abilities of an individual. As a result of this discrimination, companies are forced to hire less qualified individuals and consequently, the quality and productivity of their company is potentially diminished. The motivation to work hard and to become proficient in a career field is stolen when hard work and talent is ignored in place of filling mandates. Why do we accept mediocrity in place of quality? Why should those most qualified person for a position, be denied? Why are we creating a culture where we punish hard work and devotion?

I simply do not see how it is in the best interest for our government to enforce racial quotas on our business community. I believe that the most qualified person applying for a position should be hired for that position. It is that easy. If the person is white, black, male, or female, he or she, if the most qualified should be offered the position. To do otherwise is inherently wrong and punishes those individuals who have worked harder and are more deserving.

Our educational system has endured some of the most devastating effects of political correctness gone wild. Colleges are required to accept students based not on academic achievement but based on color of skin or athletic ability.

Our colleges are filled with students who, despite having a lower SAT, ACT, and/or GPA, were accepted over student who scored higher in all areas of admission requirements. Why? Because our colleges are required to seat a certain percentage of individuals based on race and not on based academic achievement.

Athletes are often times allowed admission to prestigious universities because they excel at a sport. Unfortunately, not all of these athletes are academic successes, yet honor students are denied admission to universities because a bone-headed athlete is taking up the seat. I love athletics but I love education even more and as our universities sole purpose is to educate our young adults, it simply doesn’t make sense to make athletics a higher priority than academics.

Highly qualified students are being denied entrance into medical schools because the law requires that foreign trained students receive priority admission above more qualified American students... This is simply unacceptable, yet, unfortunately it is the standard at universities all over the United States.

Freedom of Speech, perhaps one of the most important constitutional rights provided us in our founding document has been intruded upon by political correctness. Facts and opinions once encouraged and embraced have become vilified and in some cases, made illegal by our own legislatures. Just yesterday a contestant in the Miss America pageant was asked her opinion as her definition of marriage. She said she believed that marriage was defined as a union between one man and one woman. Well, a fire storm of controversy has erupted from the liberal base and this young lady has been humiliated and threatened and has been forced to publically apologize for her opinion. Where is the freedom of speech here? It is ironic that newspapers and media outlets can print slanderous lies about people but a young lady offering her own personally held beliefs is ostracized.

When free speech is impeded then truth and democracy is assaulted. Limiting free speech is dangerous as it stifles the ability of an individual or group to express concerns that affect them in most profound ways. Now, let’s be clear. Slanderous and abusive speech should never be tolerated. Any speech that threatens the life or liberty of another individual does need to be reviewed. However, we are living in a time where truthful speech that is important to communicate is being prevented by political correctness.

As you know, illegal immigration is a huge problem for us. Yet officers, when apprehending a suspect are not allowed to ask the person if they are legal residence of the United States. Now, you and I have to present identification and a driver’s license if we are pulled over, but in many states, especially southern boarder states, law enforcement is not allowed to ask for the same identification. Why? Because authorities believe that we would offend the Hispanic community. Consequently, our laws are not allowed to be enforced and these individuals are free to continue snubbing their noses at our country’s legal system.

Political correctness impinges on free speech in some very personal areas of our life and we may not even recognize it when it happens. For example, recently in California (Of Course) a school suspended a young man because he wore a shirt with the American Flag embroidered on the front. The school said that wearing of the flag would offend other students who may come from a different background or culture. Since when has the American Flag become politically incorrect? Athletic teams have been barred from saying a prayer prior to a sporting event. Clubs and organizations have been prevented from making patriotic remarks. And Christian symbols have been removed from display because they are offensive even though other religious symbols are allowed.

Political correctness and the fear of offending others is nonsense and must be stopped. The truth must be the cornerstone to our way of life. Sometimes the truth hurts but situations are not made better when we run from the truth and hide behind political correctness.

At some point, we as a nation are going to have to step up and let our elected officials know that we are tired of the restrictions in our life that political correctness has placed. We need to speak loudly and be proud that we speak the truth regardless of who it offends. If we cower in the face of political correctness then we are doomed, at some point, to fail as a nation. Our identity as Americans and as a proud country is fading away. Even now some people are afraid to stand up and say that I am honored to be an American. Some of these intimidated individuals are our elected officials.

Possible Solutions:
It is time to speak up. I would encourage everyone to become involved in your community. Let your opinions be known. Get out and vote when elections are held. Write to your congressman when laws and regulations are being implement simply because of the pressure that political correctness has place. Stop allowing political correctness to push you around. Be proud to speak the truth when an issue arises that affects you or your community. The power of political correctness will only lose its power when we unite as a community and say ‘enough is enough’.
In the military, we live by a code of conduct which says simply that a person will act in a responsible manner, treat others with respect, and have a solid work ethic. Career progression is up to the individual and everyone pulls his or her own weight for the betterment of the group. I would love to see our society live by a fair and honest code of conduct instead of the tortured and fluid rules of political correctness.

Ground Rules...

Jefferson Memorial

I took this photo on a beautiful, calm, night. We had the opportunity to have President Bush's Motorcade pass by us as we tried to cross a street.

Today, I had a little bit of free time and made a quick outline of the areas of topics that we will discuss in the upcoming months. The list of issues that I provide is certainly not all inclusive but most matters that we will discuss should be covered under one of these topics.



Here are the areas of concerns that we will focus on:

-Political/Social: Federal Powers, State Powers, Structure of Government, Elections, Sports and Entertainment

-Religion

-Judicial Issues and Protocols (Crime and Punishment)

-Education

-Constitutional Issues

-Business and Economy

-Health and Medicine

-International Relations

-Military and Defense

-Ancillary Issues: Space and Science, Transportation, Environmental Issues Etc…

When an issue is presented, I will use one of the above topics as a header and then go dive into the discussion.Additionally, I must put in a disclaimer as I have done on my other blog. I love to write but I am not and English Composition teacher so please forgive me for an errors in grammer or spelling. I still spell phonetically.

I pray that you are all well.

God Bless,

Jeff

What is Right with the United States...

I want to start this blog by saying, “I love the United States.” I have travelled to many places in the world and I can tell you that, I have never experienced a country as bold, beautiful, and benevolent as our beloved America. All alliterating aside, however, I am concerned that the moral character and the patriotic pride is taking a beating from not only peoples from other countries but from within our own citizenry . We can’t turn on the television without hearing what is wrong with the United States. It seems to be a popular sporting activity to identify and exploit the few cracks that we have in our walls and to over look the firm foundation that our forefathers and mothers worked so hard to create.

Over time, on this blog, we will take a journey down the path of identifying and discussing the many issues that affect us at the family and individual level. I would appreciate points of view from all sides of the political spectrum. Our country is great because we have wonderfully free exchange of ideas and beliefs. We can only grow as a nation if we continue to share our differences.

So, as I start this blog, I would like to identify some of the wonderful things about the United States. These are great qualities of our nation that we, too often, take for granted.

In the United States:
-Any individual can regardless of his/her circumstances at the start of his/her life, can rise to the highest level of society and achieve anything he/she desire. We are able to control our future by hard work, dedication, and the blessings of the freedom that our country provides.

-We have the greatest and most technologically advanced medical system in the world. Our average life expectancy is 75 years and growing. All of our children are vaccinated. Our country is free of epidemic diseases, like malaria, dysentery, TB, cholera, polio, small pox, and many other pathogens that take the life of millions in other underdeveloped countries. Do we have these diseases? Yes, but we have not had to experience the wide spread epidemics that have so devastated many parts of the world.

-We are the most socially and culturally diverse nation in the world. We are a nation of immigrants and we have progressed to the point where race, gender, and religious beliefs are no longer the hinderance that they once were just a few short years ago. We are learning the value of honoring cultural traditions and social mores. Women have broken the glass ceiling in many of the largest cooperations in the world. Minorities are taking leadership roles and leading the majority. Progress to tear down the walls of predjudice is happening at a rapid rate. Everyone is free to worship their Lord in any peaceful manner they desire.

-Children are not going to bed with empty bellies. True hunger is not an issue in the United States.

-We are the most benevolent nation in the world. We provide more humanitarian aid to other countries than any other nation.

-We have the best trained and most professional military in the world. We prepare for war and pray for peace. Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen, serve their country on a volunteer basis. We have no draft and the sacrifices that our troops make are out of love of country.

-We have wonderful educational opportunities for our young people. A college education is available to all who desire. Cost can be a limiting factor, but with student loans, grants, and other educational funding, any student should be able to achieve their dream of obtaining their college degree. After my first enlistment in the Army, I decided to go to school. I didn't take education seriously and was more concerned about the relationship that I had with a lovely woman. When our relationship ended, I was devestated but vowed to re-dedicate myself to never allow anything to stand in my way of obtaining an education. I had little money so I went back into the Army and using the GI Bill and scholarships, I was able to obtain a Bachelor's and Master's degree without incurring financial debt. The Lord and the opportunities of this wonderful country, allowed a poor misguided young man like myself to be able to achieve my dreams. There are similar military and non-military opportunities for individuals to receive a quality education. In the United States, the academic skies are the limit.

-We have the most beautiful and diverse landscape in the world. From the snow capped mountains of the Rockies, to the tumble weed covered deserts of Arizona, from the clear blue waters of the Florida Keys, to the giant redwood trees of northern California, the United States has any climate and any outdoor environment for any taste. Most of our parks can be entered for free or at a nominal cost. The United States has 548 National Wildlife Refuges and 66 National Fish Hatcheries that covers millions of acres. These lands areas are set aside for the betterment of our wildlife and for our enjoyment.

-We have a fair and equitable judicial system. Is it perfect? Certainly not, but everyone has a right to trial and to be judged by a jury of their impartial peers.

-We have wonderful public services. Our interstate system is the best in the world. Our police and fire departments are well trained and devoted to protecting our citizens. Our water is clean and every home has electricity capabilities.

-We value and nurture the arts. Anyone with a special artistic talent can develop and perfect their craft under the guidance of some of the best artist, musicians, author’s, and institution’s in the world.

-And the United States has a government of the people and elect by the people. Any American citizen in good standing can run for pubic office and provide their talents into making our political situation better.

These are just a few of the qualities that America possesses that makes this the most wonderful place in the world to live. I think it is important to be optomistic about the future of our country. The United States will grow and evolve and mature into a nation where all people’s are afforded equal opportunities in a safe and productive environment.

As we discuss issues on this blog, I am a firm believer that we should not only identify problems but present possible solutions. This site will not always be politically correct and sometimes some people may be offended, but it will always be honest and truthful and have a purpose.
My mission statement is: To provide an environment and forum where the citizens of the United States can interact and discuss the issues that affect us all.

God Bless you all and thank you for following along.

J. Scott