The Future of Education in America: Give the Power Back To The Parents!

I recently was led into debate and discussion as to whether America should keep the current public school (government school) system the way it is, or if we should try to privatize it. Now, before any of you get all bent out of shape and jump to conclusions without the proper information on this subject ( which I believe is a VERY important one) I think that we can all agree that there is something seriously wrong with our educational program here in the U.S. I would like to share my opinion on this matter and try to back it up with some of my research. This "one size fits all" system that is being shoved down the throats of the tax paying, hard working parent here in the United States is definitely broken, and needs to be fixed! I'm at the point right now that I would much rather home school my son than subject him to one more day of government education. It seems to me that ever since Jimmy Carter started the federal government's involvement into education, the quality and care of it has just slowly depleted. There is way to much unnecessary curriculum, and they have strayed form the basics that help kids in the real world. When I went to school,if a child didn’t know how to read before he got to school, he started learning right away. Not just reading but spelling, the multiplication tables, arithmetic and how to tell time. They were even taught penmanship. You know, how to hold your pen or pencil and write clearly? How many people today do you know whose scrawl rivals that of doctors? And when it comes to the way they hold their pens…. As for learning to get along with their peers, that was a natural progression of teacher influence and playground interaction. It also didn’t hurt that most parents were exactly that. Parents. They taught their children to behave, have respect for authority and not talk back to their teachers. Way back when, report cards were totally different from what they are today. First of all, you had to earn your grade. There was no such thing as social promotion. Even more shocking was that at least half the report card was devoted to…Shock! Amazement!.. something called Citizenship. You were actually graded on citizenship. Areas of concern included Courtesy, Cooperation, Obedience, Industry, Effort, Thrift, Dependability, Health, Neatness, Orderliness and Self-reliance. If a child was frequently sick or severely underweight, it wasn’t reported to the Child Protective Service. The teacher or principal talked to the parents and/or accepted a note from the doctor and the word of the parent. But it isn’t that way for a lot of kids today. Education has been dumbed down and many schools are little more than prisons with the teachers acting as wardens. If you doubt that, spend some time on the internet to find out how many schools have metal detectors and the number of weapons they’ve confiscated. School security guards routinely patrol student parking lots to spot weapons that the students forgot they had or didn’t hide sufficiently. High School graduates can barely read on an 8th grade level. Public education today is a lost cause in many parts of the country. Teachers and the better educators are fighting a valiant rear guard action, but it’s essentially a losing proposition. Federal regulation, federal funding, fantasyland promises of free college education for every child, escalating costs and a general dumbing down of the curriculum offered is destroying what’s left of quality education and preventing its revival in most instances. What’s left? Self-education, home schooling, Christian schools, private schools and internet-based schools. None of these answers are perfect, but they do work and work well. Betsy Devos, our new Secretary of Education, is all about a total reconstruction of our public education, and after reading her ideas, I am excited about the ideas and hope they take action to get this ball rolling. To quote her on her new Every Student Succeeds Act "The updated state template will ensure states are able to better serve students with the freedom and flexibility they deserve, and which Congress requires. My philosophy is simple: I trust parents, I trust teachers, and I trust local school leaders to do what's right for the children they serve. States, along with local educators and parents, are on the frontlines of ensuring every child has access to a quality education. The plans each state develops under the streamlined ESSA template will promote innovation, flexibility and accountability to ensure every child has a chance to learn and succeed." Sounds promising? I sincerely hope so. Liberals however, will argue over whether she will turn our educational system upside-down. Do the research before you start pointing fingers and accusations. I am all about debate, but please get your facts straight before you start your liberal rants! That being said, lets get one thing straight. Yes, education is very vital for every citizen in America if they want to succeed in life. The federal government however, should have NEVER gotten involved in this! And like so many other things that have been established on a State and local level for a reason, they continue to completely mess it up! Free market is way more officiant than government . Look at public school graduates vs private school students. The difference is non avoidable. Public students are retarded as a majority in this country. Take the tax money away from education, stop taxing allow individuals to save the money and choose which competitive school to send their kids to. Relying on Washington to set a one size fits all formula for the country is not only wrong but unconstitutional. Show me the clause allowing the federal government to control education, or anything other than the military for that matter, and it will be at the least tolerable. Taxes are too high individuals are relying too much on government because of it it's trickling down to tier children, creating a lazy non motivated society and work force. Education should be a parent’s responsibility, not an economic burden. Parents should also have more freedom to homeschool their children. I believe if we privatized the education system and made enrollment optional, the kids who want an education would be better able to get one. I also feel our national report card would look much more appealing. Public schools are filled today with students who are forced to be there. With a privatized education, students whose parents pay for education will be more motivated to succeed. This will create a competitive atmosphere. Students who go to school just to get their high school diploma will sadly only give you a minimum wage job in today's age. Give families with children a stipend, say $10,000, to spend on education. They can then go to any private school they want. Schools will compete, and in order for them to be profitable, they must offer great quality and efficiency. Now while education may not be a "fundamental right" under the Constitution, the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment requires that when a state establishes a public school system, no child living in that state may be denied equal access to schooling. Education is (and always should forever be) a fundamental human right and essential for the exercise of all other human rights. It promotes individual freedom and empowerment and yields important development benefits. We as parents owe it to our children to raise them the right way. We owe it to them to provide them with all of the necessary tools to succeed in the real world. They are our future. Let us take control of our own future, and out of the hands of " big brother government".

A House Divided

Abraham Lincoln said, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." Although this was in reference to the secession of the South, I believe that the citizens of this great nation have come to this crossroads again. With the current and ongoing violent protests by the libs( actually, I consider them to be terrorist attacks) It seems all to clear that this country is divided. The intensity of the hatred for a newly elected president faced by Donald Trump is equaled only by the reaction of the Confederacy to the election of Abraham Lincoln. That ended up in civil war, a precedent that one hopes will never happen again. Why is Hollywood (in particular) freaking out so badly over Trump? First, because he's a Republican who might actually do the things he said he wanted to do. But second, because this is the first cultural victory the right has scored since Reagan stumbled into one in the '80s. The left is used to losing political battles. They scream and cry over these but they don't truly panic, because they know that as long as they maintain their hammerlock on the culture, Republicans can't really change anything. Blue Team Progressivism is a church, offering you moral superiority and a path to spiritual enlightenment. As a church it's got a lot going for it. It runs religious programming on television, all day every day. Every modern primetime program is like a left-wing Andy Griffith show, reinforcing lessons of inclusion, tolerance, feminism, and anti-racism. Watching a 90-pound Sci-Fi heroine beat up a room full of giant evil men is as satisfying to the left as John Wayne westerns were for the right. The Blue Church controls the HR department, so even if you don't go to church, you have to act like a loyal churchgoer in every way that matters while you're on the clock. And off the clock, on any kind of public social media platform. Jon Stewart and John Oliver are basically TV preachers. Watching them gives the same sense of quiet superiority your grandma gets from watching The 700 Club. The messages are constantly reinforced, providing that lovely dopamine hit, like an angel's voice whispering, "You're right, you're better, you're winning." Hollywood award shows are like church talent shows - the skits and jokes aren't really funny, but it's fun to look at the pretty girls, and you're all on the same team. Red Conservativism is a business, selling a set of political products. They don't make you feel good, they don't appeal to your morality or your spiritual sense of self, but sometimes you really NEED one of their core products like security, jobs, or national defense. Their appeals to "freedom" and "family values" ring hollow these days, but when people are flying planes into buildings, you need a strong member of Conservatism, Inc. in the big chair. For the first time in decades, voters explicitly rejected the Blue Church, defying hours of daily cultural programming, years of indoctrination from the schools, and dozens of explicit warnings from HR. We've been trained since childhood to obey the pretty people on TV, but for the first time in decades, that didn't work. Donald Trump won because Common Sense America wants their culture back, and Blue Team has not been rejected like that before. So why do liberals hate freedom so much? It could be that they just do not know what it REALLY means to be free. To a Liberal Democrat freedom is the lack of something. Freedom from working for example, hence welfare; freedom from getting shot whilst raping, hence gun control; freedom from being burdened by money, hence higher taxes. Since the 1700s my people have been free Americans, now the Democrats want to change the very definition of freedom. Don't let them do that, please remember that freedom is about your ability to do something with as little restriction as possible. It has nothing to do with being equal, it has EVERYTHING to do with having an equal opportunity to succeed in life. But everyone measures personal success differently, especially today. I believe that each and every one of these so called "protesters" need to be charged with destruction of property and vandalism and thrown in jail! When Obama was elected, I didn't hear of any Conservatives throwing rocks at businesses or burning Ol' Glory! The reason is because obviously we are grown ups and can deal with defeat at a much more mature level than these bleeding heart crybabies! That being said, it appears that we have come to a point in our glorious history where the people of this country need to really look at what we want. Out of life, liberty and the PURSUIT of happiness. Because everyone IS different. But our common glue that holds our truths to be self evident, and sets and continues to set the example throughout the world is FREEDOM! I would like to close with another quote form the great Abraham Lincoln, "America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and loose our freedoms, it is because we destroyed ourselves."

The New American Revolution Part Two: The Power of Ignorance and Fear

Hello once again to my faithful (and curious) readers of this blog. Once again I have nothing better to do, than rant and complain about how our voting and election system (along with our government) has become even more self-serving and corrupt. So sit down, buckle up, and let the bitchin" begin! As I have stated in part one of this series, I would like to try to dissect the political platforms of the candidates running for President of the United States, and compare not only their voting histories, but also their political ideologies (and hidden agendas) so that you the reader can make a true formed decision based on facts and not media or corporate influence. So let me again say, that this is in no way an attempt to sway anyone's political positions or opinions. Everyone has there own idea of how America (hell, even the world!) should be, or how they would like it to be. Yes even in the free-est country in the world, there is always room for improvement. There will always be people out there that do not like the way things are going, and wish for something better. So, right off the bat, you need to ask yourself what YOU think is wrong, WHY it's wrong, and how you can change it. I have not lived very long folks, so I couldn't tell you how America (or the world) was back before oh let's say 1974. At least not without looking it up anyway (God I love Wikipedia) Yes I believe I can still remember events from that year on up.( if you're wondering my age, I was born in 1969. Truth be told though, politics really did not interest me until the mid 80's) So, that being said, I know for a fact that at least since "Tricky Dick" was in office, our way of life has been soured. The truth is that everyone has some sort of hidden agenda. Good or bad, well intended or not. For the most part, we all have a reason for most of the things that we do or that we wish to accomplish, because we are after the "end result". Tactics to get that "end result" successfully accomplished maybe, persuasion, manipulation of some degree, or even plain old fashion "force". If we want our outcome to satisfy our agenda, we take control of the situation at hand. So, for us to believe that people in political power do not have any reasons or agendas behind their actions or voting records, is actually pretty foolish. But you see, that is the power of ignorance. We have been conditioned since our first day of school to think in "black or white" format. Our beloved government who so concerned of our well-being, has taken it upon themselves to educate us on the way the world should work. Thank God for the mainstream media as well! For without them, who would enlighten us on the "evils" surrounding and interrupting our very way of life! But I digress. This rant is specifically for tearing up the dumb-asses running for ruler of the free world. So let's get to it! Pretty much for the most part, people in America do not think in "black and white"(gee, I hope I don't get labeled a racist for using this analogy, sorry to offend) but when it comes down to voting...they do...why? Fear, that's why. We are told that if we don't vote for this asshole, this other bigger, smellier asshole will get elected and really stink things up! It's the same thing I have been hearing my whole life, "Those damn Liberals wanna take my guns away," or " Those damn Conservatives wanna tell me how to live my life!" So why in the hell do we keep voting for them? Something else I hear a lot this time of year is, "If you don't vote, yer just givin' the election to the damn Democrat/Republicans!" "If you vote third party, you're just gonna get Hillary/Trump elected!" Nope, I don't buy it. I refuse to be bullied into submitting to a particular political party. especially one that I do NOT agree with completely. Isn't the whole idea to practice your right to vote for the candidate that you agree with the most? After what my state legislators have voted on recently, I am beyond being afraid of the demise of freedom, I am just waiting for it. I am done being led around by these power hungry politicians that think they know whats best for me and my family. They don't! I am just tired of it! That is why (even though it really doesn't matter at this point) I will continue to vote my conscious, which-by the by- does NOT include Giant Douche or Turd Sandwich! Just something to ponder over when your headed to the booths Tuesday and surrender your free-will. If any of you are interested, I will be concluding this rant with a Part Three, that will hopefully define the true characters of those two clowns. Thank you for your time!

Picking Your Poison

First off let me state that this is not an attempt to sway anybody's voting habits or ideology, but rather to open minds and explore other options in the political spectrum that could possibly help bring us to a place where we are not continuously being forced to settle for the "Lesser of two evils". Now, if you are one of those who is not that open minded about politics or the process that come with it, and your quite content with labeling and placing yourself in a certain political category, then by all means- "carry on". But, if you are one of the many (and I do mean many) that are sick and tired off the way things are going in this country, and would like to see an end to the status-quo, then allow me to enlighten you. For over one hundred years, we have allowed this big government- two party system to stay in power and corrupt our freedoms and way of life. Once again my friends, we have a chance to put an end to the political bullying. So, why don't we actually do something about it? Our founding fathers never intended or designed this to happen. In fact they warned of it! They preached that a government " By the people, for the people shall not perish" and somewhere along the line, it stopped being about the people. Remember that both the Democratic and Republican Parties started out as 3rd Parties and due to their enormous popularity, took over as the two major political parties. Jackson and the Democrats wanted to end the Federal Bank and cater to the small businessman and farmer. Lincoln and the Republicans wanted an end to slavery in the south. So what I am getting at here is that we need a common goal to rally around, if we are going to get a 3rd Party Candidate elected. How about, " Stay out of our wallets and stay out of our bedrooms" for a rally cry? Of course though the way that it is rigged now, it is going to be damn near impossible to do that without an all out revolution. It is going to take all of us standing up to the bureaucratic bullshit to make ANY change at this point. We allowed this to happen, so its our own fault. If you like to impose your "values" on others and are ok with global domination, then keep on voting for the GOP. Hey , at least you'll be able to keep your guns right? Now if your into raising taxes and creating government programs to watch over us and take care of us, because we just cant seem to do that ourselves, then by all means vote Democrat. If you think that we should take care of our planet at any cost by imposing laws and regulations that cripple our economy- vote Green. Or just don't vote at all. That way you cant be ridiculed or blamed for putting another dumb-ass in the White House. Like I have stated before, this really is all predetermined anyway. And we will be crowning our Queen in February. Thank you for your time.

Gary Johnson : The Libertarian Candidate (Full Bio)

I thought that I owed it to you all who are tired of the Republicans and Democrats not fulfilling their duties or their promises, and constantly lying to the American public just to get re-elected. I have believed, for quite some time now, that it is definitely time for a change not only in Washington, but on a local level as well. I have voted 3rd Party since 1988 in some form or another. Mainly Libertarian, because I agree with most of what they stand for. Fiscally Conservative, and socially Liberal. Individual freedom, and accountability. In other words, "I am capable of managing my own finances and do not require the Government in my personal or professional business! On a Presidential level, I voted for Ross Perot (Reform Party) in 1992 and GW Bush(R) in 2000. Other than that, its been all Libertarian Candidates for me. If that is something you might want to consider, then I suggest getting some info on candidates other than "Giant Douche, or Turd Sandwich". Remember, you're only wasting your vote if you vote for someone you don't like or trust, just to keep someone you dislike even more from getting elected. Hell, its all rigged anyway. You might as well vote your true beliefs, if you really want change. So without further eloquence, here is the full bio on Gary Johnson. He is the Libertarian running for the office of President of the United States. Gary Earl Johnson is an American businessman, author, politician, and the Libertarian Party nominee for President of the United States in the 2016 election. He served as the 29th Governor of New Mexico from 1995 to 2003 as a member of the Republican Party. He was also the Libertarian Party's nominee for President of the United States in the 2012 election. Johnson founded one of New Mexico's largest construction companies. He entered politics for the first time by running for Governor of New Mexico in 1994 on a low-tax, anti-crime platform, promising a 'common sense business approach'. He beat incumbent Democratic governor Bruce King by 50% to 40%. He cut the 10% annual growth in the budget: in part, due to his use of the gubernatorial veto 200 times during his first six months. Johnson sought re-election in 1998, winning by 55% to 45%. In his second term, he concentrated on the issue of school voucher reforms, as well as campaigning for marijuana decriminalization. Johnson ran for president in 2012, initially as a Republican on a libertarian platform emphasizing the United States public debt and a balanced budget, protection of civil liberties, military non-interventionism, replacement of income tax with the FairTax, and opposition to the War on Drugs. In December 2011, he withdrew his candidacy for the Republican nomination and stood for the Libertarian nomination instead, winning the nomination in May 2012. Johnson received 1.3 million votes (0.99%): more than all other minor candidates combined and the most votes in Libertarian Party history. On January 6, 2016, Johnson announced his candidacy for the Libertarian nomination again in 2016. Johnson won the Libertarian nomination in May 2016, with former Republican Governor of Massachusetts William Weld as his running mate. In August, Johnson's poll numbers began to approach the 15% threshold necessary to make him the first third party candidate since Ross Perot in 1992 to participate in the broadcast, fall presidential debates. So far, they have not let him debate and truth be told, I do not think that are even considering it. Johnson was born on January 1, 1953, in Minot, North Dakota, the son of Lorraine B. (née Bostow), who worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Earl W. Johnson, a public school teacher. In 1971 Johnson graduated from Sandia High School in Albuquerque, where he was on the school track team. He attended the University of New Mexico from 1971 to 1975 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in political science. While in college, Johnson earned money as a door-to-door handyman. His success in that industry encouraged him to start his own business, Big J Enterprises, in 1976. When he started the business, which focused on mechanical contracting, Johnson was its only employee. His firm's major break came when he received a large contract from Intel's expansion in Rio Rancho, which increased Big J's revenue to $38 million. Overburdened by his success, Johnson enrolled in a time management course at night school, which he credits with making him heavily goal driven. He eventually grew Big J into a multimillion-dollar corporation with over 1,000 employees. By the time he sold the company in 1999, it was one of New Mexico's leading construction companies. Johnson entered politics in 1994 with the intention of running for governor and was advised by "Republican Elders" to run for the State Legislature instead. Despite their advice, Johnson spent $500,000 of his own money and entered the race with the intent of bringing a "common sense business approach" to the office. Johnson's campaign slogan was "People before Politics". His platform emphasized tax cuts, job creation, state government spending growth restraint, and law and order. He won the Republican nomination, defeating state legislator Richard P. Cheney by 34% to 33%, with John Dendahl and former governor David F. Cargo in third and fourth. Johnson subsequently won a plurality in the three-way general election, defeating the incumbent Governor Bruce King (a relatively conservative Democrat) and the former Lieutenant Governor Roberto Mondragón (who ran as a Green) with just under 50% of the vote. Johnson was elected in a nationally Republican year, although party registration in the state of New Mexico at the time was 2-to-1 Democratic. As governor, Johnson followed a strict small-government approach. According to former New Mexico Republican National Committee member Mickey D. Barnett, "Any time someone approached him about legislation for some purpose, his first response always was to ask if government should be involved in that to begin with." He vetoed 200 of 424 bills in his first six months in office—a national record of 47% of all legislation—and used the line-item veto on most remaining bills. In office, Johnson fulfilled his campaign promise to reduce the 10% annual growth of the state budget. In his first budget, Johnson proposed a wide range of tax cuts, including a repeal of the prescription drug tax, a $47 million income tax cut, and a 6-cents-per-gallon gasoline tax cut. However, of these, only the gasoline tax cut was passed. During the November 1995 federal government shutdown, he joined 20 other Republican governors who called on the Republican leadership in Congress to stand firm against the Clinton administration in budget negotiations; in the article reporting on the letter and concomitant news conference he was quoted as calling for eliminating the budget deficit through proportional cuts across the budget. Although Johnson worked to reduce overall state spending, in his first term, he raised education spending by nearly a third. When drop-out rates and test scores showed little improvement, Johnson changed his tactics and began advocating school vouchers—a key issue in budget battles of his second term as governor. In 1998, Johnson ran for re-election as governor against Democratic Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez. In his campaign, Johnson promised to continue the policies of his first term: improving schools; cutting state spending, taxes, and bureaucracy; and frequent use of his veto and line-item veto power. Fielding a strong Hispanic candidate in a 40% Hispanic state, the Democrats were expected to oust Johnson, but Johnson won by a margin of 55% to 45%, making him the first governor of New Mexico to serve two successive four-year terms after term limits were expanded to two terms in 1991. Johnson made the promotion of a school voucher system a "hallmark issue" of his second term. In 1999, he proposed the first statewide voucher system in America, which would have enrolled 100,000 students in its first year. That year, he vetoed two budgets that failed to include a voucher program and a government shutdown was threatened, but ultimately yielded to Democratic majorities in both houses of the New Mexico Legislature, who opposed the plan. Johnson signed the budget, but line-item vetoed a further $21m, or 0.5%, from the legislative plan. In 1999, Johnson became one of the highest-ranking elected officials in the US to advocate the legalization of marijuana. Saying the War on Drugs was "an expensive bust", he advocated the decriminalization of marijuana use and concentration on harm-reduction measures for all other illegal drugs. He compared attempts to enforce the nation's drug laws with the failed attempt at alcohol prohibition. Johnson was term limited and could not run for a third consecutive term as governor in 2002. In the 2008 presidential election campaign, Johnson endorsed Ron Paul for the Republican nomination, "because of his commitment to less government, greater liberty, and lasting prosperity for America." On April 21, 2011 Johnson announced via Twitter, "I am running for president." He followed this announcement with a speech at the New Hampshire State House in Concord, New Hampshire. He was the first of an eventually large field to announce his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination. On December 28, 2011, Johnson formally withdrew his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination, and declared his candidacy for the 2012 presidential nomination of the Libertarian Party. Johnson stated that his goal was to win at least 5 percent of the vote, as winning 5 percent would allow Libertarian Party candidates equal ballot access and federal funding during the next election cycle. The final results showed Johnson polling nearly 1.3 million votes and 1.0% of the popular vote. This established a Libertarian Party record for total votes won in a presidential election and the second-highest Libertarian percentage ever, behind Ed Clark's 1.1% in 1980. On January 6, 2016, Johnson declared that he would seek the Libertarian nomination for the presidency. On May 18, Johnson named former Massachusetts Governor William Weld as his running mate. On May 29, 2016, Johnson received the Libertarian nomination on the second ballot. Johnson's views have been described as fiscally conservative and socially liberal with a philosophy of limited government and military non-interventionism. Johnson has said he favors simplifying and reducing taxes. During his governorship, Johnson cut taxes fourteen times and never increased them. Due to his stance on taxes, political pundit David Weigel described him as "the original Tea Party candidate." Johnson has advocated the FairTax, a proposal which would abolish all federal income, corporate and capital gains taxes, and replace them with a 23% tax on consumption of all non-essential goods, while providing a regressive rebate to households according to household size, regardless of income level. He has argued that this would ensure transparency in the tax system and incentivize the private sector to create "tens of millions of jobs." Johnson has said that he supports balancing the federal budget immediately. He has stated he supports "slashing government spending", including Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. As far as foreign policy goes, he has quoted Tomas Jefferson with this answer " Friendship and Commerce with all, entangling alliances with none." Johnson presents himself as a strong supporter of civil liberties and received the highest score of any candidate from the American Civil Liberties Union for supporting drug decriminalization while opposing censorship and regulation of the Internet, the Patriot Act, enhanced airport screenings, and the indefinite detention of prisoners. He has spoken in favor of the separation of church and state, and has said that he does not "seek the counsel of God" when determining his political agenda.Johnson endorsed same-sex marriage in 2011; he has since called for a constitutional amendment protecting equal marriage rights, and criticized Obama's position on the issue as having "thrown this question back to the states." He has been a longtime advocate of legalizing marijuana and has said that if he were president, he would remove it from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act as well as issue an executive order pardoning non-violent marijuana offenders. Johnson has stated his opposition to gun control and has said, "I'm a firm believer in the Second Amendment and so I would not have signed legislation banning assault weapons or automatic weapons." Johnson lives in Taos, New Mexico,in a home that he built himself.He is an avid triathlete who bikes extensively. During his term in office, he competed in several triathlons, marathons and bike races. He competed three times (1993, 1997, 1999) as a celebrity invitee at the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, registering his best time for the 2.4-mile (3.9 km) swim, 112-mile (180 km) bike ride, and 26.2-mile (42.2 km) marathon run in 1999 with 10 hours, 39 minutes, and 16 seconds. He once ran 100 miles (160 km) in 30 consecutive hours in the Rocky Mountains. On May 30, 2003, he reached the summit of Mount Everest "despite toes blackened with frostbite." He has climbed all seven of the Seven Summits: Mount Everest, Mount Elbrus, Denali, Mount Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, Mount Vinson, and Carstensz Pyramid—the tallest peaks in Asia, Europe, North America, Africa, South America, Antarctica, and Oceania respectively. He completed the Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, in which participants traverse a 26.2 mile course through the desert, many of them in combat boots and wearing 35-pound packs. Gary Jonson has his own web site, so if you are interested in his campaign and want more information on him, check it out.

Operation Mind Crime: How Media and Big Government Brainwashed the American Voter

Hello everyone! I am back with another one of my thoughts to ponder over (and get really pissed off at!) Today's rant is over the 2 party system and how I believe that "we the people" are getting cheated out of an honest and truly fair voting process. My example will be the current political debate system and how the powers that be have rigged it so that they always win and we always loose. Oh yea, and lets not forget how dirty the so called "Electoral College" has become! Does our vote REALLY count? If it does, is the information that we are receiving via the news media and commercials rewiring our (free) thought process? With Bernie Sanders now endorsing Hillary Clinton and Ted Cruz now giving the "thumbs up" to Trump, I am totally and unequivocally convinced that the whole thing is rigged and that they're all really working together for power over us! Oh sure, they spin a great yarn against each other every election year to give us that excitement and entertainment we all so crave. In reality, its all just a rouse. Just another part of their plan to control our lives. And not only do we let this happen to us, but we also give up our power to reason and think clearly as well. Selling our souls to a particular political party, regardless of how much we actually agree with them or not. The United States presidential election of 1788–89 was the first presidential election. It was held from Monday, December 15, 1788, to Saturday, January 10, 1789. It was conducted under the new United States Constitution, which was ratified earlier in 1788. In the election, George Washington was unanimously elected for the first of his two terms as president, and John Adams became the first vice president. No political parties existed at the time of the 1788–89 presidential election. Candidates were either Federalists, meaning they supported the ratification of the Constitution, or Anti-Federalists, meaning they opposed ratification. 13 candidates were allowed to run for the office of President of the United States. Since our country's first Presidential election in 1788, the strategies of those campaigning have changed dramatically. Although the tactics that presidential hopefuls used in the early days of our country's history are still relevant, those who seek to be the Commander in Chief today must embrace a vast array of strategies that invite constant exposure and accountability. In 1796, after eight years of Washington, America saw its first exposure to a true campaign during the second Presidential election. Vice President John Adams ran against Thomas Jefferson, who had been nominated by the country's first political opposition party, the Democratic-Republicans. Four years later, the same two candidates raised the stakes during the 1800 election. Jefferson, who had lost in 1796, paid the editor of the Richmond Examiner to print anti-Federalist articles and to praise the efforts of Jefferson's Party. His supporters accused the incumbent president Adams of having a "hideous hermaphroditical character, which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman." In response, a leaflet by Adams' team called Jefferson "a mean-spirited, low-lived fellow, the son of a half-breed Indian squaw, sired by a Virginia mulatto father." This sowed the seeds for our current "smear" campaigns and, begat our love affair with the 2 Party System. The first 3rd Party Candidate to successfully debate and win the election was Abraham Lincoln. So yes folks, it IS possible a Third Party to win an election. I truly believe that a vote for a 3rd Party Candidate is just that, a vote. Not a wasted one either! I am so sick and tired of hearing that if I don't vote for Trump, I'm getting Clinton elected and if I don't vote for Clinton, I'm getting Trump elected. I'll tell you all right now that I am NOT voting for either of these candidates. If that means you think I am wasting my vote, well that's your opinion. I refuse to allow the media and the government to make me think a certain way. Enough is enough! Thank you for your time.

The New American Revolution Part One: The Wake Up Call ( From the American Nightmare)

" You say you want a revolution? Well you know...we all wanna change the world."-The Beatles... So I thought that I would start my political rant with one of the greatest lines, from one of the greatest rock bands ever to set the tone a little brighter than just complaining out of the gate. This will be a three parter and my idea behind this is to hopefully educate and enlighten you all into the reality of the path that this country is headed for. I will also talk about the original American Revolution and try to make parallels and comparisons to what is happening now. I will also expose the Socialists and the fascists that are brainwashing you into thinking "they" are the answer. This is an election year, and I am convinced that this election could really be the "nail in the coffin" of the deceased Lady Liberty. After November, the "American Dream" will have been replaced by " The American Nightmare". Because of years and years of settling for second best and the "lesser of the two evils", we have created the very thing that our founding fathers had fought to end. The very definition of freedom can be subjective. Everyone has their own idea and belief as to what being free really means and how this country should be governed. This in itself has not only begat arguments and debates, but has created animosity and hatred for one another with each of us trying to will the other into submission. It doesn't have to be like this. What if...just what if, we actually lived by our own truths to be self evident and that EVERYONE is created equal. That EVERYONE has the right to life, liberty, and the PURSUIT of happiness? To quote the great John Lennon once more..." You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one..." The majority of us Americans can't stand the current government, but think that real change is only a pipe dream. I contend that if real change in our way of life does not happen soon, there will be no going back and that the only way forward from this point would be to the bottom. So what exactly is the end game here? What is the ultimate goal for America at this juncture? Well, what does "freedom" actually mean to you? To some it means complete anarchy with no rules to bind us so that we may do whatever we wish regardless if it is what some would label "good or bad". To self govern, however, doesn't mean that government can't exist on a federal level. To truly be considered a Nation, a federal government is required. My argument is that the federal government has gotten so corrupt and out of control, that we have been brainwashed into thinking that this is what it's supposed to be like and that everything is as it should be. You know with the few exceptions that "guns er bad" and "homeschooling is bad um kay". Do we truly want the freedom to decide what is best for us, or do we want someone to make that decision for us? Those of us who have raised children have taught and nurtured, and made their decisions for them until it was time for them to go out on their own. Our hopes were that they take our knowledge and values with them. We have all been through this boot camp to prepare us for the real world and for the rest of what life hands us. So, if we are supposed to be responsible adults and learn from our own mistakes, then why are we not truly allowed to do that? We go from our loving, caring, blood related parents to whom we are thankful for, to another adopted parent who we are indebted to the rest of our lives. I believe that every person on earth is different. We all have different needs, aspirations, and dreams. It should be our living right to pursue those dreams, without having to be forever obligated to a stranger that continuously tells us how to think and act. Sadly, the very notion of free thought in this country anyway, sends chills down the spines of the ruling class. To be a free thinker is to be a criminal according to them. The government has spent years molding us into obedient citizens by educating(brainwashing) us in their self evident "truths". Our wake up call was long ago and we hit the snooze button! Then, the alarm went off again, and again, and we keep hitting the damn snooze button!(Every election) Are we that tired and lazy that we wish to stay sleeping and forever stay in this nightmare? At some point we need to wake up, do some calisthenics,grab some coffee...and start a new day!