Pat's Posts

Core Values

2010-01-21T15:56:00.000-08:00

Reflecting on the election of Scott Brown, President Obama has some strange opinions. Speaking with Stephanopoulos, Obama said.

“Here’s my assessment of not just the vote in Massachusetts, but the mood around the country: the same thing that swept Scott Brown into office swept me into office.” I had not realized that prior to Obama's election we were so concerned as a nation about a monstrous bill taking over health care being shoved down our throats. I also was unaware that terrorists were being provided with all of American's civil rights including a trial in Federal Court with lawyers funded by our tax dollars.

Obama went on to say, “We were so busy just getting stuff done and dealing with the immediate crises that were in front of us that I think we lost some of that sense of speaking directly to the American people about what their core values are and why we have to make sure those institutions are matching up with those values.” I truly do not feel Obama can tell me what MY core values are. I would have a lot more respect for him if he would stop the incessant talking at us and as he recommended for citizens at one time to "sit down and shut up!" If he has the ability to listen to what Americans say are our core values, perhaps he will have some clue as to why Scott Brown won the election. Brown wants to make sure the institutions are matching up with Americans' core values rather than have the institutions go on their wayward path while Obama attempts to define what our core values should be.

Scott Brown Wins

2010-01-20T04:08:00.000-08:00

The people of MA have done a great service to their fellow citizens across our great nation and deserve our thanks for their willingness to become informed and vote for the good of all citizens.

Brown shares the views of so many of us who reject the overwhelming spending and debt accumulation. He rejects the hidden negotiations and back door deals which have led to the unfair dealing with all citizens as special interests get special treatment. He believes taxpayer funds should be used for our national defense and not for defense lawyers for the terrorists who want to destroy us.

He states he owes no special interests and will thoughtfully look at legislation as to it's benefit to the state he represents and the nation as a whole. Praise God! Not every vote he makes will please everyone but he is for fiscal restraint and willing to look at issues instead of voting a party line.

Although Senator Elect Brown is well educated, he does not come across as an elite. He speaks as a man who has worked and lived among ordinary citizens. He appears to have a strong, achieving family to support him. May God grant him wisdom and strength as he performs the job he has been elected to do.

Hope Increases

2010-01-14T05:13:00.000-08:00

After watching Sarah Palin on both O'Reilly and Glenn Beck's program, my hope is increasing that more people are aware of our need to return to the Constitution as developed by the incredible insights of the founding fathers.

As humans, we are and always will be imperfect. There will always be some who believe they have the answers as to how others should live. These people work to gain a position of power over others so that they may mandate how the "common people" should live and establish laws to take away freedoms and funds to allow themselves to live with luxury they feel is undeserved by those who actually work. They attempt to divide the "common people" by nourishing conflicts between us. The conflicts may be racial, gender based or caused by differing levels of wealth. They proclaim that everyone is entitled to share in the wealth even when they make no attempt to work toward the production of said wealth.

It is so refreshing to see and hear that we have among us people such as former Gov. Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck who are willing to admit to our dependence on God for wisdom and appreciate the true
intellect and wisdom of those who developed the documents such as the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. May God continue to bless those who do not seek personal power but rather seek to serve the people while relying on God for the wisdom and insights needed to lead this great nation.

The Verdict

2010-01-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

*After living what I felt was a 'decent' life, my time on earth came to the
end.*

The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting room of what
I thought to be a court house.

The doors opened and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by the
defense table.

As I looked around I saw the 'prosecutor.'

He was a villainous looking gent who snarled as he stared at me. He
definitely was the most evil person I have ever seen.

I sat down and looked to my left and there sat My Attorney, kind and gentle
looking man whose appearance seemed so familiar to me, I felt I knew Him.*

The corner door flew open and there appeared the Judge in full flowing
robes.

He commanded an awesome presence as He moved across the room I couldn't take
my eyes off Him.

As He took His seat behind the bench, He said, 'Let us begin.'

The prosecutor rose and said,**

'My name is Satan and I am here to show you why this man belongs in hell.'**

He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole, and in the
past when I cheated others. Satan told of other horrible perversions that
were once in my life and the more he spoke, the further down in my seat I
sank.

I was so embarrassed that I couldn't look at anyone, even my own Attorney,
as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about.*

As upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was
equally upset at My Attorney who sat there silently not offering any form of
defense at all.*

I know I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my
life - couldn't that at least equal out part of the harm I'd done?*

Satan finished with a fury and said, 'This man belongs in hell, he is guilty
of all that I have charged and there is not a person who can prove
otherwise.'*

When it was His turn, My Attorney first asked if He might approach the
bench. The Judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan, and
beckoned Him to come forward.

As He got up and started walking, I was able to see Him in His full splendor
and majesty.

I realized why He seemed so familiar; this was Jesus representing me, my
Lord and my Savior.*
He stopped at the bench and softly said to the Judge, 'Hello, Father' and then He
turned to address the court.

'Satan was correct in saying that this man had sinned, I won't deny any of
these allegations. And, yes, the wages of sin is death, and this man
deserves to be punished.'

Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father with outstretched arms and
proclaimed, 'However, I died on the cross so that this person might have
eternal life and he has accepted Me as his Savior, so he is Mine.'

My Lord continued with, 'His name is written in the Book of Life, and no
one can snatch him from Me.

Satan still does not understand yet. This man is not to be given justice,
but rather mercy.'

As Jesus sat down,* He quietly paused, looked at His Father and said,
'There is nothing else that needs to be done.'*

'I've done it all.'

The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down. The following
words bellowed from His lips...

'This man is free. The penalty for him has already been paid in full.
'Case dismissed.'

As my Lord led me away, I could hear Satan ranting and raving, 'I won't give
up, I will win the next one.'*

*I asked Jesus as He gave me my instructions where to go next, 'Have you
ever lost a case?' *

Christ lovingly smiled and said, 'Everyone that has come to Me and asked
Me to represent them has received the same verdict as you, ~Paid In Full~'

'Stop telling God how big your storm is.
Instead, tell the storm how big is your God!

From an e mail==author unknown

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? A Christmas Memory

2009-12-24T06:41:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful christmas Eve with light snow falling. I was happy to be with my brother and his family as we headed to their church for Christmas Eve services. The church was small and modern in decor and rather stark. A single poinsettia plant was the only decoration in the front of the church near the altar. I do not recall the music, but it was not the usual carols and Christmas hymns. It seemed a little strange to me since my church always had a tree decorated with Christmons and evergreen garlands in various places.

The pastor began to read from scripture as follows from the book of Genesis 32:

24But Jacob stayed behind by himself, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25When the man saw that he couldn't get the best of Jacob as they wrestled, he deliberately threw Jacob's hip out of joint. 26The man said, "Let me go; it's daybreak." Jacob said, "I'm not letting you go 'til you bless me. 27The man said, "What's your name?" He answered, "Jacob." 28The man said, "But no longer. Your name is no longer Jacob. From now on it's Israel (God-Wrestler); you've wrestled with God and you've come through." 29Jacob asked, "And what's your name?" The man said, "Why do you want to know my name?" And then, right then and there, he blessed him.

I am thinking that this is the strangest choice of scripture I have ever heard for a Christmas service. What happened to the "and it came to pass in the days of Ceasar Agustus?"

The pastor continued talking about Jacob wrestling with the angel and the question of what is your name? He explained that in those days, only those with a close relationship to a person called them by name or even knew their name. He asked what name could we apply to ourselves. Could we call our selves "good" since surely there are times we are good. However, since there are also times when we are not good it really would not be a name we could claim. Could we call ourselves "generous", because often we are generous, but then again there are times when in fact we are not generous. How about "loving?" Certainly we are loving to those in our family and circle of friends. Are we loving to all strangers and those whose lifestyles offend us? Not always, so we really can not claim loving to be our name.

This pastor was an outstanding speaker and even though I felt the message was strange for Christmas eve, my attention never drifted.

The pastor continued to suggest positive attributes we could claim as our name but always found a reason why we really did not live up to the image implied by that name. He finally came up with the word "sinner" and elaborated on the many ways in which that truly described us and why we could justifiably claim that as our name. We all fall short. None of us is continually good, generous, loving or any other adjective he spoke of. Yes, sinner is definitely what we are. Sin is what we so often do even though we would choose not to do so. We try and we fail to live the type of life that would be pleasing to God in everyway. We are sinners! That is the name that best describes us. Our name is sinner. We could not claim any other name. He paused momentarily and then ended his sermon by stating,

"Because a baby born in Bethlehem was the Son of God sent to earth so many years ago to suffer and die for our sins, our name is no longer sinner, we are REDEEMED! Amen."

This Christas Eve was about forty years ago and this particular message has never left my memory. I continue to appreciate the reading from Luke each Christmas. I prefer the King James Version since this is what I learned in my childhood. I have many happy memories of Christmas spent first with my parents and siblings and those spent with my husband and son. I have attended many Christmas Eve services and have listened to many well thought out sermons, but this particular one will remain my favorite. I am REDEEMED!

The Future is Looking Brighter

2009-12-13T08:20:00.000-08:00

This email brightened my day.

Not Even Close

2009-12-03T05:50:00.000-08:00

Gary Bauer writes in the December 2, 2009 End of Day Report the answers to a question he posed the day before regarding preferred candidates for the next presidential election.

My Inbox was overflowing this morning with responses to yesterday’s question on preferred presidential candidates in 2012 – and they are still pouring in. But as my staff worked furiously to sort through the barrage of e-mails, two things stood out.
First, I was surprised by the wide range of names that came back. Granted we asked a very open-ended question, but folks obviously are thinking outside the box and willing to consider many options. Quite a few people insisted on a fresh face, such as Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, who tied for fifth place with Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Other suggestions included Senators John Thune and Jim DeMint, as well as General David Petraeus.

Nevertheless, the final results were quite surprising. There was a spirited contest for second place with Mike Huckabee edging Mitt Romney, while Newt Gingrich finished fourth. But to say there was a clear favorite is an understatement. In fact, one individual got more votes than the other 23 names combined. If my emails and her book sales are any indication, Sarah Palin has a very bright future indeed!

I Am Thankful

2009-11-26T07:50:00.000-08:00

I thank my Lord and Savior for the promise of forgiveness and the promise of His grace. I am so blessed to be an American. I am so thankful for those men and women who are willing to serve in our military and pray God's blessings for each of them and their families. What a blessing our military has been over the years as they work to keep us safe at home and guard our liberties from those who would destroy them.

I am thankful that Americans appear to be waking up to the importance of our liberty and the multiple threats to it, I am thankful for those in leadership who strive to honor their oath to our Constitution, few as they may be. I am grateful for those who serve in civilian life to protect us.

I am thankful for the hope represented by Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachman and others who have the courage to speak out for the benefit of ordinary, hard working Americans. May God continue to grant them safety, good health and the strength to continue to speak for us. May they continue to remind all of us of the great history of this nation and the need for us all to do our part by being self reliant with compassion for those truly unable to carry the burdens alone.

Answer to My Question From Last Sunday

2009-11-22T14:25:00.000-08:00

When Sarah Palin is elected!

I just finished reading, "Going Rogue,An American Life." I am more convinced than ever that her leadership and those of like minded people are the CHANGE we really need.

The more the critics abuse her, the stronger my support grows. At 74, I am not into 'hero worship' or easily led by soaring rhetoric. Promises made need some plan, explaining how things will be done, to accomplish the promises. Palin's book gave me a little more insight into how she won the high approval ratings she had before being tapped as a Vice Presidential candidate. She talked to ordinary citizens while on city council, as mayor and as governor. Her team met with large and small groups of Alaska citizens to explain what was being done and why. She used the 'teachable moments' to actually teach the how and the why of pending legislative change and listen to citizens response. They were not hit with 1000+ page bills on line which contradict what is said in public. Senator Reid says Medicare is strengthened. Senator Hagan wrote to me that abortion is not in the bill. Lying to citizens, making deals to buy a Senate vote such as LA getting a million dollars to help the state pay Medicaid is dishonest.

The experiences Palin writes about shows the strength she has to adhere to her principles. I agree whole heartedly with her principles.

When Will The Administration Think About Citizens?

2009-11-15T05:08:00.000-08:00

Political interests appear supreme even if this endangers American citizens. The power granted the Congress and the Executive branch is

flaunted daily and American citizens are expected to sit down and shut up. When our voices are raised they simply ignore us because they want to do everything they can to consolidate their power.

Our military is endangered because of insufficient numbers on the ground in Afghanistan, the president says so not criticize his inability or unwillingness to make a decision because we are not in on the debate.

We are in so much debt that of course an unpopular, extremely expensive entitlement of universal health insurance is being pushed through the Congress.

A terror attack occurs on a military base and we are told by the president not to rush to judgement. Our Congressional members who are responsible for oversight of such matters are told to back off and let the executive branch direct the investigation. The Congressional committee (with some members who are not in the president's party) will be allowed access to whatever "facts" the executive branch feels they should have.

Efforts are underway to grant amnesty to illegal aliens without sufficient time for background checks. That tiresome activity of "vetting" for criminal backgrounds and anti-American sentiments is just too time consuming. If citizens die because criminal aliens are admitted, it is no big deal. If we lose numbers of citizens, think of the overwhelming numbers of new citizens we will gain.

Rumors of more "bailouts" for news organizations and other aspects of our economy will encumber more debt for the taxpayers while giving the Czars more power to control an even greater portion of our economy as well as the news. What news organization that receives bailout funds will dare to criticize anyone who gave them taxpayer money and now, via the czars, will determine who may remain on the payroll and how much money they can make?

KSM and other terrorists from Gitmo will be tried in Federal Court. Citizens of NYC may not like it, but Eric Holder has spoken. Why take the safety of everyday citizens, the judge and the jury into consideration? They are all expendable if our current administration can somehow further demonize the previous administration and those in the military and CIA who acted to keep us safe. After all they may have intimidated the terrorists and it is time the world knows all the details of how, what, why and when information was obtained that protected citizens. The world needs to hear more of the hateful rationale from KSM which would be limited if tried by military tribunal. National secrets might be protected in military tribunals so the world would be denied the knowledge of how terrorists were tracked or caught. IF convicted, the terrorists will delay through appeals and the emotional wounds of 9/11 survivors can continue to be revived. LINK

We the people deserve better than this!

I Honor Our Military

2009-11-11T08:01:00.000-08:00

To those currently in service to our nation, those who served in previous times and those who sacrificed so greatly to protect our nation, I give you my profound gratitude.

While so many things seem to be changing rapidly in our country I acknowledge the steadfastness of our
military, their courage and their faithful service.

I cannot honor the brave men and women who have or are serving without also honoring the families and loved ones who share those who are so dear to them.

May God bless each of you.

Politically Incorrect?

2009-11-02T03:39:00.000-08:00

The song you are about to listen to is from a Las Vegas Diamond Rio concert.
They received an immediate, resounding standing ovation, and continue to do so every time they perform it!

Sadly, major radio stations wouldn't play it because it was considered "politically incorrect." Consequently, the song was never released to the public. So, America, see what you think..

Palin, The Visionary

2009-11-01T10:57:00.000-08:00

In an article titled "Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich: The Visionary and the Hack", Claude Sandroff writes about Newt's attempts to advise Sarah Palin on how she should function. He writes:

"Now that an intense internecine battle is raging over how Republicans should react to Doug Hoffman's Conservative Party bid for New York's 23^rd, one thing is certain: it is Newt whose reputation is in shambles, and it is he who should seek political advice from Palin as to how he might regain his lost stature. And this will remain true whether Mr. Hoffman wins or loses."

It pleases me that so many are now seeing the tremendous impact Sarah Palin makes with her astute observations and well thought out commentaries. If you haven't read Sandroff's article in today's American Thinker, I recommend you do so and read the insightful comments as well. I continue to hope that Sarah Palin will continue to lead with her principled views and courage to share them.

LINK

Sensible solutions

2009-10-31T06:52:00.000-07:00

Simple steps to improve our health insurance have been repeatedly made and blocked. Loud complaints of "lack of ideas" and the "party of no" are often made by the most vocal and found in the media. I encourage you to watch the short film and determine if those complaints are accurate and if there have been other ideas brought forth to be blocked by the party in CONTROL

LINK

Integrity vs. Political Expediency

2009-10-26T05:06:00.000-07:00

It is heartening to see that finally a subpoena has been issued for the Countryside records regarding 'Friends of Angelo.' LINK The ranking Democrats have done all they could to block an investigation that might result in determining if members of Congress (Dodd and Conrad) as well as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac benefited by getting special treatment regarding loans. Chris Dodd has denied, obfuscated and attempted to keep any true investigation from going forward. The 'most ethical' congress has done all in it's power to keep the people uninformed and to protect the long term, ethically challenged members in the House and Senate. I hope this is a harbinger of things to come and that we see some progress in the ethics investigation of Franks as well.

Is Congress finally developing a conscious or are they beginning to see that citizens are more aware of the 'go along to get along' self serving mentality of Congress that may result in loss of their congressional seats?

Are the numbers of people attending Tea Parties finally realizing a positive response to their efforts rather than being minimized and ridiculed as unpatriotic? As the 2010 election cycle grows closer, are members of Congress finally willing to do their job even when it reflects poorly on members of their party? Is the example of integrity and principles over party loyalty as demonstrated by Sarah Palin having an effect?

The Problem With Afghanistan

2009-10-07T05:27:00.000-07:00

Today's Wall Street Journal prints an article titled, Obama and the General. The White House finds a four-star scapegoat for its Afghan jitters.

Gen. Mc Chrystal's assessment of on the ground situations are taking a backseat to the military wisdom of that great strategist Joe Biden with the public relations wiz Nancy Pelosi lecturing the General of the need to follow the chain of command (as she demonstrated by her trip to Syria). Why don't I feel better now that Biden and Pelosi speak out and tell McChrystal he is out of line because of the (Pentagon approved) speech he gave in London? McChrystal spoke plainly and gave his honest assessment, Everyone (with the exception perhaps of Sarah Palin) knows that plain speaking and honesty is not in the best interests of the people. We rely on persons such as Biden and Pelosi to share just that information that they feel we should know. Those "great minds" in the DC bubble surely should tell the world what they think about Afghanistan and how best to proceed. For crying out loud, what does McChrystal know--can't be much because he has made the military a career. John Kerry told students that unless they study hard, they could end up stuck in Iraq. McChrystal must not have studied enough because he is stuck in Afghanistan.

General McChrystal has been quoted as saying he will not resign even if his recommendations are rejected by Biden, Pelosi, Kerry and Obama (hope I got the chain of command listed correctly). I have to agree with the WSJ writers stating,

"But we don't think Gen. McChrystal should stay to implement a Biden war plan either. No commander in uniform should ask his soldiers to die for a strategy he doesn't think is winnable—or for a President who lets his advisers and party blame a general for their own lack of political nerve."

LINK

Censored in Chicago

2009-09-28T08:48:00.001-07:00

Is this still America?

Do We Want Victory In Afghanistan?

2009-09-21T08:56:00.000-07:00

According to today's Washington Post, General McChrystal says that " Failure to gain the initiative and reverse insurgent momentum in the near-term (next 12 months) -- while Afghan security capacity matures -- risks an outcome where defeating the insurgency is no longer possible."

I signed the petition at PETITION directed to President Obama to give the military leadership on the ground in Afghanistan the troops they need to do the job. The president has indicated that he needs more information before he will make a decision. He indicated he is the one who would be responsible for sending troops into harm's way and would have to answer to parents for that decision. My question to Mr. Obama is, what about those already there? Do we not owe those who currently are in the thick of the battle sufficient support? If we are in a war that is worth fighting, let us fight it intelligently with sufficient forces and rules of engagement that give us a chance for victory. If we will not fight to win, then better we bring our current numbers home instead of allowing them to be maimed and killed in a fight we have no intention of winning.

Hungry Animals

2009-09-19T07:04:00.000-07:00

I have always had a pet. I cannot imagine not having the love and companionship a pet can bring to an entire family. I live in a county that has a huge number of homeless animals. Ten years ago I adopted Spot from the local shelter. Spot proved to be a faithful companion and although she is aging, she remains a reliable companion and accepted a forlorn homeless cat that began hanging around. I could not allow the cat to starve and so she became part of our family. Eventually we added a second cat adopted by my son.
We lost both of the cats-the first due to illness and the second I believe due to contaminated pet food.
Next came the pup from the dumpster, then the three found starving in a snowy field-one sick and found to have Parvo virus. Medication and IV fluids came to late to save one but did save the second and the third never seemed sick but was given meds and of course all needed shots. So we now had five dogs. My son joined an internet site and placed pictures of the recent dogs for adoption. Two more joined our "shelter" and were adopted by others via the internet site. The people sign a contract for adoption and allow my son to visit their home pre and post adoption to assure us that these dogs are loved and cared for. Two starving dogs again started hanging around. As I fed them, I knew it was an invitation for them to stay. Off to the vet for exam and shots. They were reasonably healthy but malnourished. The male could barely stand and splayed his hind legs to balance when standing. The female took three days for us to approach her but was very grateful for a meal. She had evidently had pups but appeared better nourished than the male. The male had healing battle scars and had evidently protected the female. They have now been here for over a year and are doing well. They do not set foot off our property even though they are free to roam. (We ran out of electronic units for our invisible fence) We are at capacity since we manage the costs ourselves. We hope others will act. In this economy many feel unable to adopt another mouth to feed, not to mention the necessary veterinary costs.

My purpose in writing this is to encourage those who are able to adopt at their local shelter and to let you know that there is an internet site where you can answer two questions a day to help feed shelter dogs. It only take a minute and will help care for dogs and cats that are in shelters large and small. Our shelter is not one getting assistance but all shelters serve to help defenseless animals live in a safe and caring environment while they await that person who will adopt them. Please place the following site in your favorite blog roll and visit them daily. LINK

Character vs. Race

2009-09-18T09:38:00.000-07:00

Kyle-Anne Shiver writes in today's American Thinker an article well worth reading.
"It's all about character. It ain't about race. Don't you media elitists dare rob MLK and all of us who fought alongside him of that victory by shielding the first black president like he was some kind of boy. He's a man. Equal to his white-male predecessors in every single respect. And if he can't take the heat in the hottest darned kitchen on the planet, he needs to get the heck out and take his nanny press with him."

LINK

Understanding Sarah

2009-09-12T09:40:00.000-07:00

Claude Sandroff writes in an article posted on American Thinker titled "Virtue and Sarah Palin",

"On July 3 when Sarah Palin announced from her Wasilla home that she would step down as Governor, we got a glimpse of a person none of us had seen before: this remarkable woman, nothing less than a phenomenon, always unflappable now seemed wounded and shaken. Five simple words were particularly haunting: "...and it's not so comfortable."

One of the most famous woman in the world, Sarah Palin relinquished state power in the simplest of settings. It was obviously not comfortable, nor easy. However we define Palin, as frontier feminist, movement conservative or middle class populist this will always stand as her finest hour. It might not have been her finest performance, but it crystallized in a moment the very essence of virtue."

I encourage all to read this and consider how fortunate we are to have a leader with Virtue.

LINK

9/11 May We Never Forget

2009-09-11T06:47:00.000-07:00

We'll Go Forward From this Moment
by Leonard Pitts Jr., the Miami Herald ©2001

It's my job to have something to say. They pay me to provide words that help make sense of that which troubles the American soul. But in this moment of airless shock when hot tears sting disbelieving eyes, the only thing I can find to say, the only words that seem to fit, must be addressed to the unknown author of this suffering.
You monster. You beast. You unspeakable bastard. What lesson did you hope to teach us by your coward's attack on our World Trade Center, our Pentagon, us?
What was it you hoped we would learn?
Whatever it was, please know that you failed.
Did you want us to respect your cause? You just damned your cause.
Did you want to make us fear? You just steeled our resolve.
Did you want to tear us apart? You just brought us together.
Let me tell you about my people. We are a vast and quarrelsome family, a family rent by racial, social, political and class division, but a family nonetheless. We're frivolous, yes, capable of expending tremendous emotional energy on pop cultural minutiae -- a singer's revealing dress, a ball team's misfortune, a cartoon mouse. We're wealthy, too, spoiled by the ready availability of trinkets and material goods, and maybe because of that, we walk through life with a certain sense of blithe entitlement. We are fundamentally decent, though -- peace-loving and compassionate. We struggle to know the right thing and to do it. And we are, the overwhelming majority of us, people of faith, believers in a just and loving God.
Some people -- you, perhaps -- think that any or all of this makes us weak. You're mistaken. We are not weak. Indeed, we are strong in ways that cannot be measured by arsenals.
Yes, we're in pain now. We are in mourning and we are in shock. We're still grappling with the unreality of the awful thing you did, still working to make ourselves understand that this isn't a special effect from some Hollywood blockbuster, isn't the plot development from a Tom Clancy novel. Both in terms of the awful scope of their ambition and the probable final death toll, your attacks are likely to go down as the worst acts of terrorism in the history of the United States and, probably, the history of the world. You've bloodied us as we have never been bloodied before.
But there's a gulf of difference between making us bloody and making us fall. This is the lesson Japan was taught to its bitter sorrow the last time anyone hit us this hard, the last time anyone brought us such abrupt and monumental pain. When roused, we are righteous in our outrage, terrible in our force. When provoked by this level of barbarism, we will bear any suffering, pay any cost, go to any length, in the pursuit of justice.
I tell you this without fear of contradiction. I know my people, as you, I think, do not. What I know reassures me. It also causes me to tremble with dread of the future.
In the days to come, there will be recrimination and accusation,fingers pointing to determine whose failure allowed this to happen and what can be done to prevent it from happening again. There will be heightened security, misguided talk of revoking basic freedoms. We'll go forward from this moment sobered, chastened, sad. But determined, too. Unimaginably determined.
You see, the steel in us is not always readily apparent. That aspect of our character is seldom understood by people who don't know us well. On this day, the family's bickering is put on hold. As Americans we will weep, as Americans we will mourn, and as Americans, we will rise in defense of all that we cherish.
So I ask again: What was it you hoped to teach us? It occurs to me that maybe you just wanted us to know the depths of your hatred. If that's the case, consider the message received. And take this message in exchange:
You don't know my people. You don't know what we're capable of. You don't know what you just started.
But you're about to learn. the days to come, there will be recrimination and accusation,fingers pointing to determine whose failure allowed this to happen and what can be done to prevent it from happening again. There will be heightened security, misguided talk of revoking basic freedoms. We'll go forward from this moment sobered, chastened, sad. But determined, too. Unimaginably determined.
You see, the steel in us is not always readily apparent. That aspect of our character is seldom understood by people who don't know us well. On this day, the family's bickering is put on hold. As Americans we will weep, as Americans we will mourn, and as Americans, we will rise in defense of all that we cherish.
So I ask again: What was it you hoped to teach us? It occurs to me that maybe you just wanted us to know the depths of your hatred. If that's the case, consider the message received. And take this message in exchange:
You don't know my people. You don't know what we're capable of. You don't know what you just started.
But you're about to learn. we will weep, as Americans we will mourn, and as Americans, we will rise in defense of all that we cherish.
So I ask again: What was it you hoped to teach us? It occurs to me that maybe you just wanted us to know the depths of your hatred. If that's the case, consider the message received. And take this message in exchange:
You don't know my people. You don't know what we're capable of. You don't know what you just started.
But you're about to learn., sad. But determined, too. Unimaginably determined.
You see, the steel in us is not always readily apparent. That aspect of our character is seldom understood by people who don't know us well. On this day, the family's bickering is put on hold. As Americans we will weep, as Americans we will mourn, and as Americans, we will rise in defense of all that we cherish.
So I ask again: What was it you hoped to teach us? It occurs to me that maybe you just wanted us to know the depths of your hatred. If that's the case, consider the message received. And take this message in exchange:
You don't know my people. You don't know what we're capable of. You don't know what you just started.
But you're about to learn.

Credit to: www.forgotten-ny.com/

Has President Obama Read HR3200?

2009-09-10T05:26:00.000-07:00

I listened to President Obama last night. I know he is determined to pass his bill and wanted to get more Americans onboard.

I cannot believe his assurances that illegal aliens will not be covered. I cannot believe that abortion will not be covered. Why do his words make me question his reliability? It is simple, any amendment regarding need to verify legal status and any amendment clearly spelling out that abortions are not part of women's health services have been defeated and ARE NOT in the bill. The bill is long, vague and will allow those who later write the actual rules and regulations based on the bill to have free reign. They may then include abortion and omit any regulation that requires proof of legal residence or citizenship.

I do not believe his commentary regarding how well the economy is recovering. Unemployment continues to rise. Inflation is an ongoing threat. If the president feels so much savings is possible through rooting out fraud and waste, why is an overhaul of the entire system needed? Why do we need a huge bill to begin identifying those who are defrauding the government systems in place? Why did he reverse himself regarding taking money from Medicare to fund the new plans? When is he speaking the truth and when is he simply saying whatever he thinks will fool enough of us with false reassurance? He failed to explain how, with limited funds, more people will be covered with no cuts in services being made. The president wanted to convey his respect for senior citizens, the contributions made over past decades and the need to honor promises made to them. This is great rhetoric and yet this administration and Congress have already announced that COLA's will not occur for two years for those on Social Security while costs of Medicare will rise and the spending/debt will result in inflation and rising costs of basic needs for seniors.

Obama called for bipartisan efforts and then slapped the conservatives who have pointed out the very real need to ration care as a means of keeping the proposed program revenue neutral. With a fixed amount of money and an expansion of numbers covered, the president denied an honest appraisal such as made by Governor Palin. Those of us who have managed a family budget know that if more members are added to a family with income remaining the same, reapportionment of funds will need to be implemented. Obama may have always had someone to underwrite his increasing financial needs but this is not an experience shared by the majority of citizens. Congress is able to increase the amount of money it wants to spend by finding new ways to tax working people. I for one do not trust the politicians ability to be frugal when past performances demonstrate the opposite.

Why didn't the president recommend that Congress start over, simplify the bill, and include tort reform as a primary measure in cutting the costs for Americans? This speech did not reassure me. Do you feel reassured?

UK Death Panels

2009-09-09T04:55:00.000-07:00

Drudge links to two examples of the effects of the UK bureaucracy on a premature infant and an elderly man. In both cases, care is withheld.

As a retired nurse, both scenarios make my blood boil. I cannot understand not trying to save life. I believe that there was a possibility to save the infant boy had he been given a chance by utilizing the technologies we have developed. It is costly to offer a newborn care in an intensive care unit and there was certainly a slim chance the baby would survive. Even minimal care of placing the baby in an incubator for warmth, monitoring the oxygenation levels and cardiac function would indicate that a thorough evaluation of prognosis could be made. Instead, the mother was told that due to the gestational age guidelines they would not attempt to save the baby's life.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1211950/Premature-baby-left-die-doctors-mother-gives-birth-just-days-22-week-care-limit.html

The second article describes a daughter's efforts to obtain care for her father after he suffered a stroke. Instead of continuing supportive care

and attempting rehabilitation, the father has had fluids discontinued. It appears the father is also getting sedation/pain killers that in the elderly cause confusion. The confusion appears to be a criteria of the bureaucracy that indicate a terminal state. The so called named terminal state may be induced by medication and then the "death panel dictates" are invoked. The man is fortunate that he has a daughter speaking for him but it sounds that he is written off as far as any meaningful intervention to return the man to a state compatible with life.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6156076/Daughter-claims-father-wrongly-placed-on-controversial-NHS-end-of-life-scheme.htm

Will our health care system in the future use cost as the deciding factor in determining if an individual human is to be given a chance to live or simply allowed to die? Will "best effective care" deny fluids and have death hastened through the use of drugs such as Morphine which depress respiration, are not eliminated from the body because in dehydration the kidneys cannot eliminate the drugs and thus enhance the

process of dying? Are all of us seniors looking at compassionate care or will we be deprived of life saving technologies that give a few more months or years with those we love and by whom we are loved and cherished.

In the early 90s, I had a knee replacement and became confused by heavy duty pain medication. In 2001, I again was confused after being overmedicated following surgery.

I cannot help but wonder if I would have been determined to be terminal because my mind was not functioning clearly.

There truly does come a time, after we have exhausted our best efforts, that decisions do need to be made regarding discontinuing aggressive treatments. Basic human rights and common sense would indicate that decisions would be made by the patient (if able, or based on previous decisions made by the patient), family and attending physician. I have no desire to be on a ventilator if I am unable to regain the ability to breathe on my own. I have a living will. My family and friends know that when I am unable to make decisions and have no reasonable hope of regaining a sentient state or being able to return to a stable physical state that I do not want treatments to prolong life. I do however want fluids and comfort measures used until God calls me home.

Happy Labor Day

2009-09-07T12:14:00.000-07:00

For you who are working on this holiday--our police, firefighters,cooks and wait staff in our restaurants, and those in the medical field and other occupations that are covered 24/7--my best wishes and thanks for all you do. To those with a most welcome day off to spend with family I hope it is restful and enjoyable. For those of you longing to find a job and return to our labor force, I pray our economy will turn in your favor and that of this great nation.

Is My Blog Terminally Ill?

2009-09-03T03:41:00.000-07:00

Somehow I really messed up my blog site!

I had just installed the code for Bloggers for Palin and was pleased to see the button on my blog along with the blog roll. It was good to be linked to many who share my positive feelings about Sarah Palin and the strengths she offers our nation.

I then decided to clean up my favorite links and other listings in my sidebar. I really was doing very well and then I did whatever that lost most of my sidebar. I was annoyed at myself as I am using a new Mac computer and just learning my way around after years of using XP on Windows. All I could do is rebuild my blog and would start out reinstalling My Bloggers for Palin blog roll. Alas, I went to my dashboard and found tabs for Posting, Settings, Layout and Monetize. The Template tab has disappeared and I have no idea how to reclaim it. My backup for the template was lost on my old computer.

If any of you have the technical knowledge to advise me, I would appreciate it. If not, please accept my apologies for lacking the blog roll. If I am unable to resuscitate Pawigoview, I may have to develop an entirely new blog. I will keep you posted.

The Wisdom of Sarah Palin

2009-09-02T06:31:00.000-07:00

Today's American Thinker has a great article comparing the wisdom of Sarah Palin, the graduate of a state university to that of Dr. Ezekial Emmanuel, a Harvard graduate. Of course Sarah Palin shows more wisdom, understanding and compassion for people than the Harvard educated ethicist. The truth that multiple degrees do not necessarily mean a person has wisdom are pointed out by Stuart Schwartz,Ph.D. They reiterate theories and make plans/decisions believing in their superiority of intellect, confirmed by the advanced degrees from some lauded educational system. They are shocked that education and critical thinking are not limited to those with academic degrees. Persons learn great lessons from everyday life and it's struggles, failures and successes. Those with less formal education often have a set of principles and skills that allow them to succeed because they continue to learn and are able to incorporate life's lessons.

In my experience, teaching in a college nursing program, the student with the highest academic achievement is often not the student who is able to apply that knowledge appropriately. Ability to write great papers and score at the top on tests does not necessarily transfer to ability to be an effective practitioner.

http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/09/sarah_palin_vs_dr_death.html

Why Punish Honduras?

2009-08-31T10:30:00.000-07:00

Finally, an article questioning why President Obama is attempting to undermine democracy in Honduras. O'Grady writes;"Mr. Obama's methods are decidedly uncool. Prominent Hondurans, including leading members of the business community, complain that a State Department official has been pressuring them to push the interim government to accept the return of Mr. Zelaya to power."

Why does Obama appear to consistently disrespect our closest allies and join hands with Hugo Chavez? Does he approve of ignoring the Supreme Court of Honduras and the Constitution of Honduras? Will he ignore our Supreme Court and our Constitution in his quest to transform our government and foreign policy. He demonstrates this more and more.

LINK

AMERICA'S FUTURE; SARAH PALIN

2009-08-29T11:36:00.000-07:00

Sarah Palin, One Year Later

2009-08-29T10:46:00.000-07:00

One year ago today, John McCain introduced Sarah Palin to America. For those who knew nothing about her, it was an enormous surprise. To those of us who knew a little of her history and success as the Governor of Alaska,it fulfilled a heart felt hope that somehow McCain might recognize her impressive record and the principles she exhibits.

Governor Palin brought excitement and hope to a lack luster campaign and candidate. Suddenly we had hope that McCain truly had more insight into the needs of our nation than he himself was expressing. It almost worked and may have succeeded if people had really listened to Sarah Palin instead of the media who felt a need to eviscerate her.

Many changes have taken place in the past year and we need leadership that embodies the principles and wisdom of our founding fathers, I do not know what role Sarah Palin will play in the future of our republic but hope she will continue to be active on the behalf of our country.

May God continue to bless this great nation with leaders who love it and our freedoms.

The Bizarre Bazaar of Czars

2009-08-27T09:25:00.000-07:00

Is Congress asleep? The power grab by the executive branch by appointing czars (even when called special advisors) who require neither an FBI clearance nor a congressional hearing and who report only to the White House defeats the Constitutional checks and balances. Congress is supposed to represent the people and have sworn an oath to uphold the Constitution. The majority of members of Congress served during the previous administration and complained loudly about the executive powers of the Bush administration. Is loyalty to the citizens and our Constitution secondary to party affiliation? This Independent voter wants to know.

If we survive the Obama administration may we be lucky enough to elect someone like Sarah Palin to restore honesty in government.

You Betcha!

2009-05-24T05:32:00.000-07:00

As I recall, the phrase “you betcha” was derided during the last presidential campaign as indication of lack of intelligence or at least an indication of education at lesser schools of higher education. The elites who attended the Ivy League colleges would never use such terms. Sarah Palin was pilloried for speaking in the vernacular so common to the folks of the heartland.

The May/June issue of the AARP magazine contains an article about Maria Shriver, written by Jeanne McDowell. Maria Shriver is executive producer of a documentary dealing with Alzheimer’s disease. Maria is motivated to research this devastating disease because her father suffers from it. This is a sad development in any family and certainly strikes the members of elite families as well as those from humble backgrounds. I commend Maria for her love and compassion for her father and her attempts to learn all she can to educate her children as to the changes in their grandfather and the nation via a book for children and now the four part documentary.

In spite of the seriousness of the article, I had to laugh when McDowell asked Shriver if she was afraid of getting Alzheimer’s and Maria (a member of the Kennedy clan, wife of a governor and a child of privilege with the best educational opportunities our great nation offers) answered YOU BETCHA. BIGTIME.