2012 American leadership will reap what they've sown

No longer able to keep the lid on countless political pots, rumors swirl that change is coming to leadership at the highest level of Washington.

The news of Nebraska's Senator Ben Nelson (D) retiring, came as no shock to those who follow such things. The decision to give up his 12 year Senate seat was his realization that the support he gave to Obamacare, caused him massive unpopularity with his fellow Nebraskans. Instead of being swept out of office in the upcoming elections, he opted to "retire" in order to spend more "time with his family"

If the upcoming Supreme Courts review of the Obamacare law finds it to be unconstitutional, it will be a major blow to those that supported and rammed it through Congress. No holds were barred subverting long standing Senate rules in order to accomplish it. It is and was, the signature legislation of the Obama administration and many legal experts are betting that the court will rule against it. Rumors now swirl that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, both architects of Obamacare, long to "retire."

But there are a whole flock of chickens ready to come home to roost as a result of poor leadership and poor decisions for the last three years in Washington. That roost is going to get very crowded and uncomfortable as the election season heats up and scrutiny is brought upon key issues that have lead to Americas roiling economy and the many hot spots in the world turn into fires. This time when the politicians try to kick another can down the road to avoid dealing with a touch decision, they will find that it has been filled with concrete and anchored to the ground.

The failing economy will highlight the fixation on ramming health care legislation through, instead of focusing on making Americas economic health a priority. This will be a major campaign issue.

The Middle East has so many issues that are ready to explode and every one of them can be critical to world peace as well as the financial stability of the world. But probably the most pressing one is Iran and it's quest for nuclear weapons almost within it's grasp. The can can't be kicked down the road any longer. If action isn't brought to bear, the world will be faced with nuclear armed mullahs, whose goal is to bring a world caliphate, either in this world, or the next.

Of course the Middle East wouldn't have the power over us if leadership in Washington had taken steps to aggressively pursue a national policy of making us energy independent. Instead, Obama focused on the politics of energy by funneling billions into failed projects like Solyndra. It will be noted during this years campaigns that 80% of the DOE "green energy" loans went to Obama backers. In the meantime Keystone Pipeline is kicked down the road and many other key energy decisions are put off, making America vulnerable and dependent.

The European economic meltdown plainly shows where out of control entitlement spending will lead America. The European entitlement state is an economic dead end, a Punji pit that kills economies. 2012 will be a showdown between those that want to follow the Europeans into economic oblivion and those that want to restore fiscal sanity. Americans will be looking for leaders that have experience in proven real world economic policy.

Republicans for their part have taken stands on issues made to their constituents. But whether it has been a balanced budget amendment, massive cuts in the budget, approval of the Keystone Pipeline, even the rescission of the law mandating mercury laden light bulbs, they have been outmaneuvered. Many Republican lawmakers have expressed dissatisfaction with their leadership in the Congress and Senate for not being wily enough to be able to get their goals accomplished. Will that mean a Republican revolt and new Republican leaders? Stay tuned.

But for the first time in the last three years, Republicans will pick a leader to go head to head with Obama and the rest of the Democrat leadership. Instead of speaking with many voices and many different messages, Republicans will have a bully pulpit to speak from. For the first time in three years, President Obama will have a record to run on and a record he can be questioned about.

America is looking forward to a new year with promise of wholesale changes in the leadership of our country. The old axiom of "when in doubt, throw them out" seems like it might gain traction this year.

For the most unique gifts, time capsules in American and world history: lifemagforsale.com

For other points of view visit Carroll Standard: www.carrollstandard.com

Americans want the 2nd Amendment under their Christmas Tree

Gun sales are breaking records throughout America as Christmas approaches. Is it just the holiday spirit of giving that is spurring these sales? Or is it Americans realization that gun ownership is the last line of defense in self protection?

Either way, the FBI has been flooded with record breaking numbers of requests for background checks from gun dealers. Gun dealers are required to send these forms in to the FBI when customers purchase a firearm. In some states citizens are not allowed to walk out of the store with a new weapon at time of sale, there is a several day waiting period.

Many existing firearm owners and new owners are expressing concern that the government may start to clamp down on gun ownership rights by attacking the 2nd Amendment to the constitution, which guarantees their right to own and bear firearms.

Coincidentally the current volume of gun sales broke the previous record sent in 2008, the first year of the Obama administration. President Obama and Attorney General Eric holder have both expressed opinions that firearm sales are too lax and need to have heavier regulation.

Interestingly, the unfolding gun running scandal known as "Fast and Furious" may have had a secret motive behind it to show a need for stricter controls. A Congressional investigation is ratcheting up to determine just who authorized the scheme and why. But as a result of Fast and Furious, Mexico via Arizona, was flooded with dangerous weapons which fell into the hands of criminals and drug cartels. These illegal firearms have been responsible for thousands of deaths.

But if the intent of F & F was to tighten gun sales, it looks as if it has backfired. Americans are now buying more weapons, possibly as the result of Fast and Furious. The statistics behind the new gun purchasers in the United States show an interesting cross section of who these purchasers are.

Women seem to be purchasing guns in greater numbers, either for self protection or sport purposes. It bears out the trend that women are breaking stereotypes in yet another area that was once a domain of men; gun ownership. This could stem from a variety of cultural reasons, including that women are living alone and want self protection. Women are also enjoying outdoor firearm sports in growing numbers, such as target shooting and hunting.

Other new gun owners seem to be young professionals and young families seeking the security of having a firearm in their home for self protection. Instead of putting their faith in 911 as their last line defense of home and family, this new wave of gun owners is putting their faith in 9mm/.380 and .45 instead.

The National Rifle Association, the worlds largest gun advocacy organization, estimates there are 80 million gun owners in the United States...and the number is growing. This is a disturbing trend to those on the left who would like to see gun laws modeled after many European countries, severely curtailing gun ownership. Of course you must judge this thinking with the same desire of the left who want to model our economic system after Europe. How's that working out for you?

America is not Europe, as evidenced by immigration of an overwhelming number of people over the years moving from Europe to the freedoms that America offers. One of those freedoms is the right to bear arms. But along with that right comes the responsibility of practicing safe gun ownership AND keeping an eye on a government that wants to take your rights away.

For the most unique gifts, time capsules in American and world history: lifemagforsale.com

For other points of view visit Carroll Standard: www.carrollstandard.com

Are these the best politicians money can buy?

Just two years ago, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, deemed the nations business important enough to keep the House in Session until Christmas Eve. Not until they passed President Obama's signature legislation of Obamacare, did she release the members to return to their homes.

That was two years ago. Today we are faced with pressing business on all fronts and instead of working together to solve the problems, our politicians want to put a temporary band aid over them and jet out of town on vacation.

Harry Reid and the Senate cobbled together a 2 month fix, which they then dumped in the lap of the House and promptly left Washington DC. Apparently they thought the House would go along with another temporary band aid, sign it and leave town themselves. They knew the President would sign it as he was pressured because Michelle and the kids had already flown to Hawaii. Rumors were that Air Force 1 was sitting at Andrews Air force Base, jet engines idling, ready to whisk the President to Hawaii.
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But the House of Representatives put a wrench into vacation plans. They think the nation deserves better than a 2 month stop gap measure and told the Senate, lead by Harry Reid, to get back to work and make the deal for a year.

The House, lead by Speaker John Boehner, said the present bill isn't practical and it won't work. Furthermore there is a huge oil pipeline project being held up for political purposes only, it needs to get the go ahead now, not be delayed until after next years elections. The pipeline means thousand of jobs for Americans.

The House has found ways to pay for this 1 year tax extension, unlike other proposals that just keep piling debt upon more debt. So it should be a simple matter for the Senate and the President to agree, rather than grandstand and point fingers while the American public sits in limbo.

Governor Chris Christie said it best, when he questioned President Obama's leadership abilities. Christie blamed him for the gridlock in Washington and said: What are we paying this guy for?

The American people are taking it a step further and saying what are we paying all of these politicians for? Is this all we're getting for the money? Get back to Washington and stay there until you get your job done.

It was OK to keep everyone there for Obamacare, there is no reason why they can't stay there to get this important legislation passed too. Merry Christmas!

For the most unique gifts, time capsules in American and world history: lifemagforsale.com

For other points of view visit Carroll Standard: www.carrollstandard.com

Leftist Mayor wants illegals to vote in US elections

The slow erosion of citizenship rights for Americans will turn into a landslide if the far left Democrat Mayor of New Haven Connecticut gets his wish. Yesterday Mayor John DeStefano announced he wants to allow illegal aliens to vote in his municipal elections. DeStefano estimated 10,000-12,000 illegal immigrants live in his city.

Destefano will be taking his proposal before the Connecticut legislature for permission to enact the law. The proposal would only change voting eligibility for local elections in New Haven, not state or federal elections. Of course, is anyone willing to bet this includes they will be able to vote for their favorite Mayor too?

De Stefano, opening a window into his thought process said: “All I’m just saying is that like women and African-Americans before them, this is a class of individuals that are precluded from having a say in the community in which they’re a part of.

What claptrap! First of all women and blacks were citizens of this country, there is no comparison. The rule of law is if you are a citizen, you get to vote. If you are not a citizen, no voting.

I predict this just might be the straw that breaks the camels back of Americas tolerance. The left has pushed this too far. All for fast and loose rules when it comes to voter registration, absentee voting and actual voting in the booth, they fight tooth and nail the simple requirement of I.D. to prove who you are when voting.

A new poll just came out and it showed that 60% of the American public thinks the Federal Government under the Obama administration, is encouraging illegal immigration into this country. Now a Democrat mayor wants to give them the voting privilege? To add to this perception that American citizenship is being sold out, are revelations of widespread voter irregularities which stabs at the heart of being a citizen:

Colorados Secretary of state discovered 16,000 non citizens on it's voter rolls.

In Indiana, it appears there was a widespread, systematic organized effort by Democrat operatives to cheat the system by forging names of, especially Democrat voters, to put Barack Obama on the presidential ballot for the Democratic presidential primary in 2008,." Charged Indiana Secretary of State Charlie White.

Former Alabama Democratic Rep. Arthur Davis said "What I have seen in my state, in my region, are the most aggressive practitioners of voter-fraud. Local machines cooking the ballot boxes on election day, they’re manufacturing absentee ballots, they’re voting in the name people like Donald Duck, because they want to control politics and thwart progress,”

The integrity of the voting rolls in Harris County, Texas, appears to be under an organized and systematic attack by the group operating under the name Houston Votes," the Harris voter registrar, Leo Vasquez, charged. This group worked under the direction of Sean Caddle, who also worked for the Service Employees International Union before coming to Houston. Among the findings were that only 1,793 of the 25,000 voter registrations the group submitted appeared to be valid.

Nevada District Judge Donald Mosley, while reading the pre-sentence report of registration fraud allegations against ACORN workers said: "It is making a mockery of our election process. If I had an individual in this courtroom...who was responsible for this kind of thing, I would put that person in prison for 10 years, hard time, and not think twice about it. To me this is reprehensible. This is the kind of thing you see in some banana republic, not in the United States."

In the face of these and many more instances of voting irregularities, many Democrat officials say voter fraud is as rare as a lightning strike and calls for voter I.D. requirements as well as certification of existing voter rolls, are racist and designed to suppress voters.

American citizens want to suppress illegal voters, not the votes of American citizens. When our elected officials make a mockery of our election laws, it demeans the whole process of our political system and citizens lose trust.

Many states are taking the lead in straightening out our electoral system by enacting laws that require verification of voters, with real I.D. Instead of helping the states clean up the apparent fraud in the voting system, the US Justice Department signaled that it would be aggressive in reviewing new voting laws enacted by the states in order to preserve the sanctity of their votes.

For the most unique gifts, time capsules in American and world history: lifemagforsale.com

For other points of view visit Carroll Standard: www.carrollstandard.com

US Coal industry under attack -do they need the Molly Maguires?

The American coal industry, which fostered the beginnings of Irish American muscle in the the labor movement, is under assault. In the 1860-70's early Irish Americans shed blood in the battle for workers rights, workers safety, unionization and collective bargaining in those coal fields. Today some people in the industry think there needs to be a modern day version of the secret society known as the Molly Maguires, to defend their livelihood and the nations main source of energy.

But this time the threat to their livelihoods, way of life and standard of living, is not at the hands of a cold-hearted industrialist, but at the hands of government regulation designed to crush their industry.

Back in the 1860-70's Irish Catholic immigrants, fresh off the boat, flocked to the coal fields of Pennsylvania where they toiled in hard scrabble unsafe existences to eke out a living. Exploited by unscrupulous mine owners, the Molly Maguires rose up amongst the Irish ranks and battled back, which finally lead to organizing and unionization http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molly_Maguires

Today's conditions in our nations coal fields and mines are infinitely safer and wages have risen to make it an honorable occupation. Many say these positive changes in the coal industry stem from the battles of the Irish Molly Maguires.
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President Obama said, as candidate Obama, he was going to necessarily make energy prices skyrocket. Maybe most Americans were not aware of that statement, or the main stream media didn't widely report it, but the President was serious when he said this. The President said one of the ways he was going to make energy prices skyrocket, was to attack the very core of Americas power source: Coal

President Obama said that he wouldn't outlaw coal but he would make it so prohibitively expensive to burn coal as a power source, it would "necessarily bankrupt them to build a coal fired power plant. New EPA regulations will force a significant number of coal-fired power plants to close, resulting in a major reduction in electricity supply.

Interestingly enough it is estimated America has a 500 year supply of coal. Over the last 30 years, contrary to popular belief, the air in North America has gotten cleaner. Advances in scrubbing technology in power plants and new efficiencies have made the environment cleaner, not more polluted.

The Presidents attack on the coal industry is meaning a loss of jobs for hardworking Americans in an industry that supplies the fuel for almost 50% of the nations power. This attack is also making Americans utility prices rise at a time when many are out of work or under employed.

Americans are subsidizing alternative energy experiments(Solyndra) to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars, which are put in your taxes and heaped on top of your already expensive utility bills.

Is it time for a modern day version of the Molly Maguires to say enough?

For the most unique gifts, time capsules in American and world history: lifemagforsale.com

For other points of view visit Carroll Standard: www.carrollstandard.com

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Bono says America is a contagious idea

You know you have ascended to the top tier of fame when you just need one name to be known by. Paul David Hewson AKA: Bono, has achieved that lofty status. The face of Ireland to many in the world, native Son, poet, musician, philanthropist, humanitarian, activist, and artist, Bono epitomizes that truth.

Perhaps known for his philanthropy as much as his creativity in the music field, Bono has drawn together quite a far flung army of volunteers in his war on poverty and disease. President Bill Clinton said it best when he told Bono he has "quite a large tent" when describing his diverse army. Under that tent are rockers, to soccer moms, to evangelicals, all united in goals to make the world a better place.

Fresh off his bands U2 world tour that brought in 736 million in ticket sales, Bono sat down for an interview with Governor Huckabee on Fox News to share his thoughts.

First and foremost Bono praised America for it's leadership in the world wide war on poverty and disease. Bono particularly singled out President Bush when he stepped up to the plate and marshaled American and world resources to fight the worldwide AIDS epidemic, especially focusing in on the devastating disease in Africa.

Bono said that one single act by President Bush and America, was the biggest extraordinary fight for good in the world, since Americas involvement in World War II. He said due to Americas generosity and Bushes leadership, untold millions of lives have been saved.

But Bono's gift is that he is a poet with that intangible ability to describe the essence of spirit with the magic of his words. He summed up what America is in a poetic thought by saying "America is an idea, a contagious idea". "A contagious idea that inspires the world."

America understands the value of life, has the spirit of volunteerism and a "can do" attitude that has always inspired the rest of the world. Bono has recognized this special part of America and has been able to tap into that American essence, by recruiting our humanitarian spirit and at the same time steering billions of dollars in aid towards noble causes that make the world a better place.

America generously opened its arms to many waves of Irish immigrants who found shelter from a homeland that did not welcome them. Throughout Americas history, the Irish have repaid that generosity by helping build America into the greatest country the world has ever seen. America and Ireland have a strong special bond of blood and toil and a vested interest in seeing our countries prosper.

So when a world renowned native son of Ireland gives his opinion on the greatness of America, 40 million Americans of Irish descent listen. One of them was me and what I took particular note of was the closing of the interview, when Bono, who is not particularly noted for his conservative views, took a stand in our political situation:

At the end of the interview Governor Huckabee, jokingly said off the cuff, Bono should consider a run for the American Presidency. He replied that the Governor himself should consider a run, as "America needs Reagan like statesmanship that is so missing."

Bono and I see eye to eye on that statement.

For the most unique gifts, time capsules in American and world history: lifemagforsale.com

For other points of view visit Carroll Standard: www.carrollstandard.com