The market and McCain

I notice when the point spread narrows (I think the latest is about 3-4), the market improves. Investors seem very afraid of Obama and his socialist tax plans. Imagine. No one wants to risk growing their business if they will just be taxed more for their efforts. Of course, it could go the way of FDR. The market was recovering in the early 1930s and then he killed the economy for the duration of the decade with his alphabet soup programs keeping up the high unemployment rate.

Fluff and fold

That's what I call some of the Christian writers on the market today. Wear it no matter where. Calvin, Luther and the Puritans--now that's starch and iron, pull it out of the closet to look and think your best. Straighten up and look 'em in the eye. Neither are wrong. All are saved. But I hear or read so much of the Fluff and Fold I get bored and put the basket away for another day. Often there is little about Jesus or grace. Just a new way to write a "to do" list as if the cross never happened. At Bible study on Saturday I watched a video for 30 minutes of a dynamo, well-known pastor from Chicago who didn't mention Jesus once in his Bible thumper about "faith" driving out "doubt." It was 99.9% Old Testament.

Here's a blend--a little starch, a little lycra. The authorship is uncertain, probably from a black preacher, but I found it in Anne Graham Lotz' book, My Heart's Cry this morning. When I googled the final phrase, I found another blogger using it today.

I'm part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of His. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith in Jesus Christ, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go 'til He comes, give 'til I drop, preach 'til all know, and work 'til He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me--my banner of identification with Jesus will be clear.

"I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ."

Now that's worth hanging a blog on.

What are we doing here, a Catholic asks

And all Christians should too.

"The truth is, the first thought that came to my mind [Alfred E. Smith Dinner with McCain and Obama] was a simple one: What are we doing here? If abortion really is what we say it is -- the gruesome murder of unborn children -- do our actions reflect that belief? And if those who support abortion are guilty of facilitating such a horror, how should we respond to them?

If this were 1855, would we be inviting pro-slavery politicians to take a break from a hard fought race, and share a laugh and a meal? As one who finds courage and inspiration in the example of the Radical Republican abolitionists, I just can't imagine it. . .

Maybe it's time we step back and re-evaluate some of our own traditions and habits to make sure they square with what our Faith demands. Should we be honoring or featuring pro-choice politicians (from any political party) at Catholic events? The bishops have spoken out against this as regards the universities, but what about Catholic functions in general? Should we have a common policy? In 2004, neither John Kerry nor George W. Bush were invited to the Alfred Smith dinner, owing to Kerry's support for abortion. That sounds like a fair approach to me.

Obviously, Jesus dined with sinners and publicans -- true. But he didn't give them a platform to preach to the faithful. That's the difference here." Deal W. Hudson

Wagging a finger at other institutions and organizations just got a whole lot harder.

America should follow the Little Red Hen

This one's good. Takes you back to some good stories--The Little Red Hen, The Three Little Pigs, and the Little Engine that Could. Stories of thrift, hard work and how to handle the shiftless and the big bad blow hards.

In a couple of weeks, a large number of voters, likely even a majority, will go to the polls to choose a political Pied Piper to lead them to an America where everyone shares and hugs and plays patty cake in equal-size houses. Nolan Finley, Detroit News

Sarah's not as skilled at the dodge

The other three are much more evasive, but just more experienced at hiding from the voter, according the the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has gotten the most heat for being evasive in this season of political debates, but new research suggests that the contrast between her and the other top-of-the-ticket candidates has less to do with her lack of responsiveness than with the three senators’ skill at dodging questions without seeming to.

When she point blank told Gwen Ifill that she was going to change the subject--I almost cheered, because I've been waiting for a candidate, any candidate, to tell the press the question is either stupid or out of line, but apparently voters are so accustomed to the clever dodge and weave play

"Voters say they prefer candid politicians, but the experiments suggest politicians may pay a higher price for intellectual honesty than dishonesty.

“When (Palin) acknowledged the question and said, ‘I don’t want to talk about it,’ it was intellectually honest, but it alerted people that she was not going to answer the question,”

Top Tear Jerker movies

I think I'd agree with most of these, except I'm old enough to remember the Lassie movies and the original National Velvet.
1. Bambi (1942)
2. Ghost (1990)
3. The Lion King (1994)
4. E.T. (1982)
5. Titanic (1997)
6. Beaches (1998)
7. Philadelphia (1993)
8. Watership Down (1978)
9. Boys Don’t Cry (1999)
10. Steel Magnolias (1989)

However, this is the one that will make you weep buckets, Gallant Bess (1947). I probably had to be carried home. What's the saddest movie you ever saw?

Seen at Neatorama. I had to visit there because Laundress must still be sick from cleaning her basement. Her site was a one stop for the odd and unusual.

Penny wise and pound foolish

I don't live there, so I don't know why Illinois is in such tough economic shape. Democrats? Unions? High taxes on new business? Young people leaving the state? Illegals slurping up the social services? Obama's policies when he was in the legislature upping the ante for health insurance? All the taxes going to Washington, DC then riding the rails back to Chicago?

Anyway, we never got over to see Frank Lloyd Wright’s Dana-Thomas House, which ranks 114th on the list of the AIA’s America’s Favorite Architecture. We love FLW's architecture, but the buildings don't wear well, and are horribly expensive to renovate and maintain. Now it's on the chopping block with other historic sites and parks and is set to close December 1. Not sure how they'll keep it from deteriorating.

I looked at the Democratic House web site, but they sure aren't taking any responsibility. Not sure it's been updated since March. Then at the party site, I clicked on press releases, but it was under construction. Couldn't find much except links to other Dem states.

They're just like the Ohio Democrats who took over in 2006. Same message, lots of promises, but absolutely no progress except in voter fraud and scandals in the governor's staff, both of which went up.

"With your help, we can build on the remarkable Democratic successes in the 2006 elections and retain our majorities in the Illinois House of Representatives and Senate

"About once a year we have the joy of experiencing Chicago traffic when we drive to Mt. Morris from Lakeside (otherwise we have a peaceful drive through corn fields and wind farms coming up from the Champaign-Urbana area). It's never any different--always under construction, with one overpass where I just have to shut my eyes and not look at all the broken concrete (I'm not driving, btw). The tolls go up and up and up; the traffic is like a moving parking lot no matter what time of day we go through. But here's where some of the money is going, according to the Governor's web site.

In an effort to reduce congestion, cut down on emissions and invest in Illinois jobs, Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today unveiled a new Illinois Tollway Improvement Plan which will include the introduction of Green Lanes and interchange construction. Building on the successes of the Tollway’s current Congestion-Relief Program, the second phase – Tomorrow’s Transportation Today – is a $1.8 billion project designed to continue congestion-relief efforts, improve the environment and enhance mobility across Northern Illinois.

New words for increased taxes: invest in jobs, green as a prefix to anything, and relief. Oops. Almost forgot spread the wealth around.

How to push us over the cliff into a depression

"Most people now living have never seen a credit crunch like the one we are currently enduring. Ms. [Anna] Schwartz, 92 years old, is one of the exceptions. She's not only old enough to remember the period from 1929 to 1933, she may know more about monetary history and banking than anyone alive. She co-authored, with Milton Friedman, "A Monetary History of the United States" (1963). It's the definitive account of how misguided monetary policy turned the stock-market crash of 1929 into the Great Depression."

". . . firms that made wrong decisions should fail," she says bluntly. "You shouldn't rescue them. And once that's established as a principle, I think the market recognizes that it makes sense. Everything works much better when wrong decisions are punished and good decisions make you rich." The trouble is, "that's not the way the world has been going in recent years."

Fighting the last war.

Too pretty to stay inside today

Can't remember if I posted this poem here. Originally wrote it this summer for my other, other blog on retirement after an e-mail from . . . forgotten whom. . . oh well.

Song of the Other Sister
by Norma Bruce

Glucosamine chondroitin
maybe some ibuprofen
Viactiv with calcium
fish oil and Senior Centrum.

Ohioans need vitamin D,
build those bones for all to see;
Stretch and bend, wear socks and shoes,
Take a walk after the news.

Breathe deeply now, in and out,
wave to your friends give a shout,
life is good we can't complain,
but we'd settle for less pain.

Thursday evening I asked my husband how much he weighed because I wanted to see if he was "government approved."

"160," he shouted from his lounge chair in the other room.
"Oh, you've never weighed that in your life." I said.
"But I have my check up tomorrow, so we'll find out."
"Are you 5'8"?"
"No, I'm 5'9" same as always."
"Can't be. You're getting shorter." I said.

Turns out he was 156 and 5'9" so I guess we were both half right. Dr. Wulf says he has the body of a 55 year old. Must be all that dancing with the ladies he does (leads an aerobics class and he's the only guy). So now what do I do? I'm married to a younger man. How will I keep up?

A U.S. citizen should be able to:

If the citizens were more knowledgeable on these seven points, we'd have fewer problems and misunderstandings during the Christmas seasons, fewer misinformed school officials and better collections in our public libraries.

1. Explain the position that religious liberty is a universal human right, the preservation of which depends upon a reciprocal responsibility to respect that right for everyone.

2. Explain how the constitutional principles of religious liberty are the ground rules that enable people of all faiths and none to live together as citizens of one nation.

3. Explain the principles of religious liberty or freedom of conscience as found in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

4.Explain various interpretations of the constitutional relationship of religion and government in American political life.

5. Explain the significant role religion and religious belief have played in American history and politics.

6. Explain the relationship of religious liberty to the strength and diversity of religious life in the United States.

7.Take, defend, and evaluate positions on constitutional issues regarding religious beliefs and practices.

Finding Common Ground; a First Amendment Guide to Religion and Public Education, on-line edition, “Appendix B, “A history of religious liberty in American public life.” The on-line edition has more material than the print edition, 1997, as well as an article from 2007 by the editor, Charles C. Haynes of the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt.

Hilltop Lutheran

Although I’ve expressed some concern about our church’s relationship with the federal government through faith based initiatives, I have no reservations about our unordained (non-ordained?) pastor at Hilltop Lutheran and navigating around the rules of ELCA. He has a heart for Jesus and the people living in the neighborhood. Hilltop Lutheran serves a "transitional" community which 50 years ago was thriving and middle-class. Most of its members had moved to the suburbs. It became part of Upper Arlington Lutheran Church six years ago.

Hilltop‘s unorthodox mix also includes an unordained spiritual leader, Steve Scott, 51, a former lawyer. In the 70s, he worked with Young Life, an urban ministry for high-school students. He began preaching at the church two years ago and became its minister in November because of a "compelling sense that it‘s the right thing to do," he said. He can‘t perform marriages but can do most other pastoral duties. Full story in the Columbus Dispatch

Another one who escaped

Obama's fairness doctrine

The damage of Obama's slip up in talking to Joe the Plumber, and why the press is trying to take your eye off Obama and focus on an ordinary citizen working for a living for a plumbing company in Ohio, is that even the most undecided voter knows that "spread the wealth around" is socialism.

For some reason, the voters haven't caught on to the lie, "95% will have their taxes reduced." These are the same people who don't realize credit means debt and sale means spend. In this parable he's talking about reinstating welfare for millions; millions of people don't pay taxes, so they will get a tax credit, i.e., will be paid for not paying taxes. McCain has been really weak in demolishing this phony claim.

Also, voters don't seem to remember one of the most successful features during the Clinton years was the Congress forcing his hand on welfare reform. Oh! the Democrats moaned and groaned, they predicted horrible things, but the economy soared by putting people to work. And Clinton got the credit--about his only positive legacy. The "community organizations" immediately went right to work pushing the newly employed or low income into NINJA loans so they would have something to do when they took their clutches off the necks of the poor.

Also, voters in 2008 don't remember the promises Bill Clinton made about reducing taxes on the middle class during his campaign in 1992 (I voted for him, did you?)--took about a month when he told us that he really couldn't do that--we'd all have to pay more. Maybe McCain is too much of a gentleman to bring it up, but he could turn that one over to Sarah.

Someone, and I don't care if it is Governor Palin or Senator McCain, needs to tell the voters that when Obama hits up the rich for more taxes (because "it's fair" or "patriotic"), he is simply penalizing the investors. The truly rich will still hire the accountants and lawyers and buy their boats, houses, and travel, but there will be much less left to invest. I saw some figures on how much Cindy McCain has lost recently. You're not sorry? I am. That's money that won't create jobs. (And she won't pay taxes on her losses, remember, so we're hurt two ways). So tax rate for the top 10% goes up, but Joe the Plumber or Jane the Pharmaceutical rep may be 100% out of a job. Jobs are created by the rich, not the poor.

Bush certainly hasn't been frugal. He's thrown money at education like he was a drunken Democrat from Massachusetts instead of a recovering Republican from Texas. He's infuriated conservatives. But he knows the way to bring in more money is to reduce the tax rates--that really spreads the wealth. Our nation's unemployment was under 5% for most of the Bush years because of his tax cuts. And before the housing meltdown caused by Democrats failing to rein in Fannie and Fred, the market was at an all time high. Obama doesn't care. He wants your job--as long as some rich investor gets taxed more. If you are 100% unemployed, well good, it just gives him more opportunity to make you more dependent on him. Makes him feel good--or powerful--or both.

The Team Obama's treatment of Joe the Plumber is just a foretaste of what's to come.

McCain supporter attacked by Obamatite

Although the press reported some mean language at a McCain rally and the MSM was all over it, the Secret Service and police and people attending never heard or saw a thing. However, according to Pajamas Media, an irate Obama supporter attacked a McCain supporter holding a poster causing injuries and a police report. "The overly formal document doesn’t mention this important detail: the victim was a small, quiet, middle-aged woman wearing glasses, and the attacker was a loud, angry man who went into orbit at the mere sight of McCain campaign signs." Get a grip, folks. It's just our future. I don't watch the NBCBSABC news much. Have they been as good at tracking down this guy's license to assault, tax records, voter registration and divorce papers as they were with Joe the Plumber?

John the Plumber, not Joe

is making robocalls in Ohio according to Maggie Thurber, a radio talk show host in Lucas County keeping an eye on local, state and national politics. When you check the caller ID number, you get recorded B.O. I still think they're mad that Joe the Plumber was more articulate than Barack the Candidate.

The Junior Senator from Illinois on the issues

was elected on 11/02/2004, and began service in 2005. He immediately began to run for President. I looked at Project Vote Smart I browsed through a few topics that interest me--abortion, agriculture, commerce, environmentalism, but you may want to check others.

Prohibiting the Funds in S 1200 from Being Used for Abortions--Senator Obama did not vote. I think he does this a lot--sort of his political footprint--tries to make it small. However,

NARAL, Planned Parenthood, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association give him a score of 100. National Right to Life Committee and Illinois Federation for Right to Life give him a zero.

Americans for Tax Reform which believes in a system in which taxes are simpler, fairer, flatter, more visible, and lower gave him a zero in 2005 and a 5-15 in 2007 as he was moving closer to his goal of being the party’s choice (they gave McCain a 70). Citizens for Tax Justice which wants higher taxes for the wealthy and the closing of corporate loop holes, gave him 100 (they gave McCain a 50). National Taxpayers Union, which "Seeks to reduce government spending, cut taxes, and protect the rights of taxpayers." gave him an F, or a 6 (gave McCain a 78).

National Association of Government Contractors gave him a score of 100 (McCain a zero) as did the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (this endorsement begs for a comment about Chicago type justice, doesn’t it?) which gave McCain a 33. U.S. Chamber of Commerce which promotes human progress through an economic, political and social system based on individual freedom, incentive, initiative, opportunity, and responsibility gave him a 33 and McCain a 100.

The Arab and Iranian interest groups are very savvy; they gave both candidates almost identical scores--very high. The NAACP have Obama 100 and McCain a 5--they will just never forgive him for not voting for the day off for MLK day, no matter how much he grovels.

Club for Growth gives Obama a 33 and McCain a 100; Americans for Prosperity give Obama 42.9 and McCain 100; John Birch Index gives Obama 18, McCain a 38. American Wind Energy Association and League of Conservation Voters give Obama 100 and American Land Rights gives him an 11.

I realize McCain is older, more experienced and has been reelected often, however, when the two pages (bio/resume) are compared side by side, the differences are stunning. The item on BO's very short resume you need to notice is The Woods Fund of Chicago, which sort of bundles all the funding and scary friends together in a neat package.

What happened to the $160 million Annenberg challenge?

Through Bill Ayers, Obama got a piece and had the opportunity to “spread the good(s)” in the 90s and launch his career in politics. Peggy Noonan doesn't get it. Do You? Do you really want Democrats controlling all three branches of the government with their Just-Us radical, anti-American social plans?

“[Bill Ayers‘] hatred of America is as virulent as when he planted a bomb at the Pentagon. And this hatred informs his educational "reform" efforts. Of course, Mr. Obama isn't going to appoint him to run the education department. But the media mainstreaming of a figure like Mr. Ayers could have terrible consequences for the country's politics and public schools.”

Ayers is no education reformer

High noon for Noonan

It's too bad that print readers won't see the comments conservatives have sent to the WSJ about Peggy Noonan, who has been suffering from Bush Derangement Syndrome for years, ever since she was left at the altar--wasn't even invited to be a bridesmaid after being a big wheel in the party. Now she's really shaming herself with tantrums about Palin. Readers aren't buying it. I sent a comment, but I'm no match for the pros. They're all pretty good, but this was one of my favorites.

Ms. Noonan writes, "In the end the Palin candidacy is a symptom and expression of a new vulgarization in American politics."

And here's what the press had to say about the Gettysburg Address, back in 1863: "The cheek of every American must tingle with shame as he reads the silly, flat and dishwatery utterances of the man who has to be pointed out to intelligent foreigners as the President of the United States."

Voter fraud in Ohio

Here in Ohio we’re experiencing massive voter fraud. The Obamanation has so much money and so many volunteers we are being overwhelmed. Check out the Palestra blog for a story on "Mr. Smith," from Florida who had been living in Ohio 2 days (working for the Democrats, living with a host family) and registered and voted during our "golden" week.

A commenter explains why ACORN submits hordes of duplicate and obviously false names on voter registration forms.

The obvious phony voter registrations keep the election boards tied up trying to locate the obvious ones. The new voters with actual verifiable addresses are over looked in this process. In the mean time these organizations have rented houses in various voting districts so dozens of out of state and fraudulent voters have a local address to use for the actual voter fraud. Usually these places are dumps unfit for human habitation so the rent is cheap. With millions of dollars backing them and the stakes of putting their man in the White House, how many of these mail drops can they afford? It's almost unlimited. Once they show up and vote at the polls that vote can no longer be traced.

I know well the passion and idealism of the Democrats, young and old, student and retiree. I'm sure they see what they are doing--destroying our country through the ballot--as honorable and just. But they're just wrong.

Obama and ACORN

We know personally how much noise an acorn can make. We lived for 34 years in a house with a metal roof with a huge oak tree overhanging it.

"A common thread in many of the cases that [John] Fund spotlights [in Stealing Elections] is the shadowy presence of Acorn. Two and a half years after the debacle in Seattle, Washington’s attorney general indicted seven Acorn workers for their role in what he called “the worst case of voter registration fraud” in the state’s history. In St. Louis, eight Acorn workers pled guilty to election fraud this past April. On the other side of Missouri, in 2006, four Kansas City Acorn workers were indicted after officials deemed nearly 15,000 of their 35,000 registrations phony.

In the mid-nineties, Barack Obama ran Acorn’s Project Vote campaign in Illinois. He sued the state of Illinois on the group’s behalf in 1995 to implement the Motor Voter law. “After he joined the board of the Woods Fund,” Stealing Elections notes, “Obama saw to it that substantial grants were given to Acorn.” Senator Obama has championed Acorn’s legislative priorities in Congress. His presidential campaign even donated more than $800,000 to Acorn. Obama is the oak grown from Acorn, a group so proud of its association that it boasts “Obama Organizing Fellows” and runs a “Camp Obama” training event. While Acorn boasts of its Obama association, the candidate, of course, is more reticent. That’s because he well knows that many non-dead, non-animal voters would not find a close association with such a group a desirable quality in a potential president." Read the article at City Journal.