The Way I See ItBy cj pollickIllegals Will Be Counted In Census - Have you read about how the government plans to count illegal immigrants in the next US census? What, this amazing and important story has not made your local media source? States that plan to gain in census population counts, due in great part to great numbers of illegal immigrants, will be California (nearly 6 million illegals), Florida, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Texas and other border states. Why would the increase in illegals help those states? The increase in population adds to the number of allowed elected US Representatives in Congress from those states. (Numbers of US Congress members are based upon population.) Historically, the basis of counting citizens in America was that the citizen was a legal citizen. Why then will the Obama administration allow illegals to be counted in the next census? Could the answer relate to more favorable voters for illegal immigration and more government entitlements? Nancy Pelosi (D-Cal.) Says We Won't Buy All The Jets - How do our government officials travel? Private government jets. How much was planned to be spent on 8 new private government jets....$550 million tax dollars? Half of the jets were smaller private jets and the other 4 were jumbo jets. The military said they did not need all of those jets, but Pelosi pushed forward with funding all 8 jets. However, and due to angry protests of this wasteful act, Pelosi changed her mind and has agreed to support funding for 4 new government jets. US Senators were scrambling last week to avoid being a part of this wasteful controversy... as they went home to also avoid talking to their constituents about proposed healthcare reform and why they will not be a part of the health plan they want for our nation. More government waste? The way I see it, not much has changed in the way our big government spends taxpayer dollars. On one hand they say they are fiscally responsible, and then they go and waste about a $100 million of taxpayer funds on private jets. Amazing. Senator Arlen Specter And His Unpopularity - Specter from Pennsylvania, once a moderate Republican turned liberal Democrat, has lost support from both Republican and Independent voters in Pennsylvania. During his recent town hall meeting to discuss health care he was ridiculed and booed by most of the attendees. Specter expected to smooth-talk the gathering of citizens and found that the time for smooth-talking was over. People wanted to express their views and wonder why he was supporting the Obama health plan. One elderly gentleman who was vocal was asked to leave the meeting, and as Specter said, "If you want to leave this meeting you can." To which the man replied, " I was told by your office that I could respond at this meeting and I plan to do just that before I leave." The man then spoke his mind and asked some questions, "You are an embarrassment to us," he replied in leaving. Of course, President Obama learned much from this type of "heated" meeting and Obama aides hand-picked who could attend his meeting in New Hampshire. People in the audience were screened and invited to attend the televised meeting where the audience of 1,200 people rarely asked a question. Arlen Specter's chances of re-election in Pennsylvania? Not good. Hillary Fights Name Recognition - When a foreign student recently asked Hillary about how her husband Bill felt about a certain issue, Hillary quickly responded by saying she was the Secretary of State and not Bill. Testy response by Hillary to a question that could have been more tactfully answered. The plain and simple fact of the matter is that Bill Clinton has more international respect than Hillary Clinton. No big deal and, yes, she knows that such a fact is true. Hillary will always be second to her husband as far as international name recognition is concerned. Unfortunately for Hillary Clinton, she accepted the position as Secretary of State instead of remaining a US Senator from New York. She has not been able to gain political ground with her new government position and has reluctantly played second-fiddle to President Obama's international trips. Politics is a funny thing, if John Edwards' affair had become public before the Iowa primary, Hillary might be president. It was arguably Edwards that cost Hillary some early primary victories. Obama Should Support Healthcare Change In Small Steps - President Barack Obama could support sensible healthcare changes without trying to overhaul the entire American healthcare system in three weeks. By taking small steps, instead of bullying his way to massive and expensive healthcare changes, Obama could obtain more support from citizens instead of losing support of Americans. The President could support in helping to bring change to our healthcare system during his first term of office where there is enough time for elected officials, and others, to read his pending healthcare bill and reasonably debate the merits of drastic changes. For example, most people would support changes in transportability of health insurance from job to job, people would support coverage for pre-existing conditions and larger risk pools developed multi-state to actuarially spread those losses, people would like our government to cap prescription drug costs, citizens want premier healthcare without rationing healthcare due to age or sex, citizens do not want a single-payer big government health plan, citizens want lower healthcare costs that could result from greater competition multi-state (federal regulation of insurance), citizens do not want any form of tax increases and do not support free healthcare for illegal immigrants. These are not small issues; yet, these are some of the things that people would support. President Obama, by supporting these changes in healthcare, could help make our healthcare system better for many millions of Americans. What about the millions of uninsured? That is the next major healthcare problem to resolve, but that issue would require more federal tax funding than what is currently available, and every economist knows that is true. Bottom line? You can't change the entire trillion-dollar healthcare system in three weeks. "Blue-dog" Democrats in the mid-west are learning that their hard-fought elected positions in Republican strongholds are in jeopardy by supporting President Obama's healthcare bill. If the liberal majority forces this issue, then 2010 elections could become quite contentious for many moderate Democrats. Clunkers? - When the federal government opted to further assist the auto industry by providing "cash for clunkers," many thousands of people decided it was time to trade in their "clunkers." What is the number one gas guzzler "clunker"? Ford Explorer, followed by such other notables: Ford F-150, Chev C1500, Chev Blazer, Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Grand Cherokee, etc. What brand cars were people buying? Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Ford Escape, Dodge Caliber, Chev Cobalt, etc. Over $564 million of government funds have been spent as a part of the "cash for clunker" federal rebate. Over 134,000 vehicles have been purchased since July and the numbers are climbing every day. Tiger Was Right To Speak His Mind - Imagine the closing minutes of an NFL playoff game and an official telling the quarterback to speed-up his play calling or he would be fined. Would never happen. Advertisers would go crazy if something like that interfered with the closing moments of a tight football game. Why then should the final two players in a PGA golf tournament be told by an official that they must play faster or be fined? Right, it sounds ridiculous. Many fans watching the Bridgestone Invitational saw two players, Tiger Woods and Paddy Harrington, playing their best to win an important golf tournament only to have their concentration interrupted by an official with a clock. Harrington made some terrible shots and Tiger rightfully wondered why an official was pushing them to play faster when they were the final group. What was the point of pushing the final two players? Tiger mouthed his opposition and was fined by the PGA for his truthful comments. Harrington might have lost the match to Tiger regardless of his 17th-hole errant shots, but the actions of the official irked Tiger and he spoke the truth. Tiger respects good competition without silly interruptions. Leisure. Employ thy time well, if thou meanest to gain leisure. - Ben Franklin. |