What Makes A President "Great" (My Top 10 Most Conservative Presidents)

You have probably heard the old saying that "anybody can grow up to be President." But, not everybody is cut out to be President. It takes a special kind of person, someone tough, smart, and driven, just to run for the job. It takes still more talent and character to hold up under the pressures of life in the White House. With Presidents Day coming up, I thought that I would talk and debate on just what it takes to be a great "Commander In Chief" This is very subjective as you know, we all have different views and perspectives on what makes this country great. We elect our leaders based upon our core values that we share with them in hopes that they will apply our values to govern for the good of the citizens. However, that doesn't always pan out the way we want it. Americans expect a lot from their Presidents. Understandably, they want the President to take quick action on problems facing the nation, such as crime and the economy. However, the U.S. Constitution limits the President's power to act. Only Congress can pass legislation, and Congress sometimes moves slowly. The President can only approve or veto (reject) legislation that Congress passes. Even then, Congress can override a veto and make it the law. The Supreme Court can also limit the President's power by ruling that a law or action violates the U.S. Constitution. The President has less power than the average voter thinks he does. He can't simply by himself make major domestic policies. In dealing with foreign countries, the President has more freedom. That is because he must react quickly to threats and opportunities from other countries. Even so, Congress and the courts can limit the President's actions. Also, the President must get Congress to approve any big decision, such as declaring war or approving a treaty. Despite these limitations, Presidents have incredible power. Much of that power is informal, meaning it is not spelled out anywhere in the U.S. Constitution or laws. For instance, President Theodore Roosevelt (in office 1901-1909) said that his office gave him a "bully pulpit" a powerful platform that lets him draw attention to key issues. Theodore Roosevelt was an expert at using the bully pulpit to drum up support for his policies. So was his cousin, President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945). Franklin Roosevelt led the U.S. through two of its greatest crises: the Great Depression of the 1930s and World War II. His radio addresses, called "fireside chats," drew huge audiences. Before one speech, Roosevelt asked people to buy maps so that they could follow his explanation of World War II events. His request produced a nationwide run on maps, and about 80 percent of Americans listened to his speech. Character. Charisma. These are certainly two big attributes to have when your the "Big Kahuna". The President must be that mediator who can bring us all together especially during crisis. I have been studying our U.S. History and the Presidents who have served for most of my life and I really find it fascinating. This is by far my best subject to discuss, but I must tell you that I am very biased when it comes to picking the best Presidents that our country has ever had. It is no secret that I label myself as a Constitutional Conservative. I believe that our country was intended to be governed the way our fore-fathers intended. I believe that the Bill Of Rights are non-negotiable, and that our U.S. Constitution was one of the greatest pieces of literature ever written. Our framers were nothing short of genius. Many of you who read my blog probably agree with my political philosophy, and with most of what I have to say. (181 subscribers!- but I'm not bragging or anything) And if you don't agree, but still are compelled to read my conservative rants, then that is even better! Maybe my common sense ideas might just turn some of you around? If not, I am always up for a good political debate! (but I will have to warn all my liberal friends out there that they better do their homework if they want to get in the ring with me!) I pull NO punches, so get your facts straight. Now like I have stated before, my top 10 POTUS are going to come as close to my epitome as I could possibly research. Obviously anyone else would have a different opinion on how they would line up, so let me start by giving you my best definition on what I believe is a Conservative. (There is just way too many new definitions out there ie: Neo-Cons ect. and I just want to keep it simple.) Conservatives believe in personal responsibility, limited government, free markets, individual liberty, traditional American values and a strong national defense. Believe the role of government should be to provide people the freedom necessary to pursue their own goals. Conservative policies generally emphasize empowerment of the individual to solve problems. NO GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE! Now I could get more specific by diving into the major issues in this country, but I save that for other posts. However, we cannot define conservatism by the policies we think are best in this particular moment. Rather, we must define the policies we think are best as those which flow from the principles of conservatism. Policies follow from principles, not vice versa. The most significant feature of American politics today is the chasm that divides our government officials and the resulting failure of our government to achieve meaningful progress on the looming fiscal issues that threaten our generation and future generations. The conventional wisdom is to blame the politicians. This is the easy way out, since it involves blaming someone other than ourselves. The fact is that we, not our politicians, are to blame. Our elected representatives, now more than ever, are held accountable by a system of hyper-democracy where a single misstep can doom a career. During the 1950s, political histories have shown, politicians were giants on Capitol Hill. They wielded immense power. This power was often abused, but politicians were also able to exercise discretion, to work with opponents to make compromises, and had fewer incentives to sling mud. Today, our representatives are little more than mirrors of the most rabid and best organized constituencies powerful enough to hold them hostage. Political contests are now about power and mobilization, not cooperation and compromise. That being said I believe that President Trump, if anything, will go down in history as the one who actually tried to bring compromise and cooperation to D.C. Trump didn't make my list though we will see if I need to revise this in seven years. So, without further eloquence, here is my top 10 most conservative Presidents who will range form conservative(ish) to the greatest ever to serve. 10. George W. Bush (2001-2009) He certainly has a mixed record by allowing spending to soar, but conservatives can applaud the Bush tax cuts, Supreme Court nominees, and strong response to 9/11. 9. William McKinley (1896-1901) Reduced taxes, encouraged growth of domestic industry, was definitely a business friendly administration. Helped Cuba to gain their independence from Spain. 8. James Monroe (1817-1825): The Monroe Doctrine in 1823 was a warning to the European powers to stay out of the New World and it kept the United States from becoming involved in foreign entanglements for most of the rest of the century. Monroe opposed excessive government spending and vetoed a bill to make repairs on the national Cumberland Road, saying that “Congress does not possess the power under the Constitution to pass such a law.” 7. Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809): Jefferson served the country better before he became President as author of the Declaration of Independence. His troubled second term left the nation’s military unprepared for the ensuing battle with the British in the War of 1812. But he favored states’ rights and a limited federal government, repealed many federal taxes, and was a fierce opponent of government debt. If a tenet of conservatism is getting the best bang for the taxpayers’ buck, then Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase qualifies as one of history’s great bargains. 6. Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961): America’s postwar economy boomed during the Eisenhower presidency. Ike stood firm in opposition to the menace posed by the Soviet Union and repeatedly warned against deficit spending. After two decades of turmoil marked by the Depression and war, the Eisenhower Era of peace and prosperity was just the tonic America needed to emerge as a global superpower. The building of the interstate highway system is one of the few massive federal projects that conservatives can applaud. 5. Grover Cleveland (1885-1889, 1893-1897): Cleveland was a pro-business Democrat who supported lower tariffs and battled government corruption, patronage, and high taxes. He broke the Pullman Strike of 1894, which was threatening to paralyze the nation’s transportation system. He vetoed 584 bills in his eight years mostly to cut excessive spending, yet had only seven vetoes overridden. 4. Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865): Abraham Lincoln saved the Union and freed the slaves. For that alone, he should be celebrated by conservatives. But Lincoln also tied together the principles of the Constitution and the Declaration into a shared group of principles — the antecedent of today’s conservative ideology. Conservatives may not like his suspension of habeas corpus during the Civil War or his disregard of states’ rights, but preserving the Union warrants Lincoln’s inclusion on this list. Few have been as eloquent as Lincoln when he said at the hallowed ground of Gettysburg, “That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.” 3. George Washington (1789-1797): After leading the Continental Army to victory in the American Revolution, Washington was instrumental in setting the United States on a course of liberty and limited government. By eschewing attempts to make him a monarch, Washington ensured the American experiment would indeed be democratic. His words, “The Constitution is the guide, which I never will abandon,” should be the motto of every U.S. President. 2. Ronald Reagan (1981-1989): Reagan stared down the Soviet Union, bringing the Cold War to an end at long last. He championed free markets and limited government, and his across-the-board tax cuts breathed new life into a faltering economy. The Gipper’s constant reminder that the United States was a “shining city on a hill” gave rebirth to the notion of American exceptionalism. Presidents’ Day offers us an opportunity to learn from the examples of great presidents who offer guidance for today’s challenges. For conservatives, the most important president to re-examine is Calvin Coolidge. Coolidge was the most effective, most eloquent, and most conservative American president since the Civil War. And his ideas have a great deal of meaning for us today. Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929): “Silent Cal” presided over a booming economy as he slashed income and corporate taxes, limited regulations on private business, and retired a major part of the national debt. He once astutely said, “Nothing is easier than spending the public money. It doesn’t appear to belong to anybody,” and his presidency was a testimony to that philosophy of government thrift. From 1921-1924 annual federal spending was reduced by a remarkable 43 percent, from $5.1 billion to $2.4 billion (That’s not a misprint: a 43 percent reduction in federal spending!). Tax measures passed in 1921, 1924, and 1926 reduced the top marginal income tax rate from 73 percent to 24 percent (Again, not a misprint). Such reductions in income tax rates are unimaginable today. Thanks to his fiscal conservatism, Coolidge was able to reduce tax rates and still reduce the national debt by almost a third, from $24 billion to $16.9 billion. Much of this work was accomplished by the Bureau of the Budget, which imposed extensive cost savings in government. Given these accomplishments, it is surprising that Coolidge has been neglected by historians. Compared to many of the more highly-ranked presidents in historians’ rankings, Coolidge’s administration was far more peaceful and consequential. Though he would likely have won a second full term in office in 1928, he declined to run. His reasoning was simple: “We draw our presidents from the people. It is a wholesome thing for them to return to the people. I came from them. I wish to be one of them again.” He did not envision a president as someone who stood above the people, godlike, towering over them. He came from the people, and returned quietly to engage in self-government alongside them. I almost put Reagan at the top of this list as I grew up in this era and grew quite fond of his philosophy as well. All of these former leaders have such compelling backgrounds and I encourage anyone interested to research yourselves and enjoy! Like I have stated earlier, your lists may be quite different from mine as everyone's definition of greatness will mainly depend on the values that you- the individual- hold most dear. I thank you for your time. E Pluribus Unim!

Crossing The Great Political Divide (Breakdown Of Trump's State Of The Union)

I'm not very big on "State Of The Union" addresses or political speeches of any kind really. In the past it really all sounded like a bunch of bullshit to tell us what we want to hear, and not exactly what they(the elected) had in mind. Reagan had some really good State of The Union addresses, especially the first one. G.W. had a very convincing one in 01 as well. That was the last time that I had actually sat through an entire State Of The Union speech was in January of 2001. Up until now, I would just catch a glimpse then quickly change the channel. Trump, with all of his "off the cuff" tweets and the fact that he really does wear his heart on his sleeve, absolutely had me curious and even excited to watch his first State Of The Union. After watching and listening to his entire speech, I have come to two definitive conclusions. The first is that our President really does (in my opinion) care about the well-being of the citizens of this great country. He loves this country, and wants to see it governed the way it was meant to be governed. And two, There truly is a political and social divide between both parties. The Dems went out of their way to not only shun, but scoff at most everything he had to say. The only time I saw the Democrats stand up and clap, was when he addressed the United States Military. Several members of congress were also spotted on their phones as well. What blatant disrespect! He should have had secret service agents check their phones at the door! During the last couple of days I've been reading some huge negative responses coming from the liberal media as well. I am convinced that this man is never going to catch a break. They have loathed Trump since day one and it doesn't look like it will change anytime soon. He offered several times during his speech to work together with democrats. Extending his hand to them as if to say "come on guys, how can you not agree with this?" Mr. President, I'm sorry but there is not a rational bone in any of their narrow mined bodies! These morons are going to keep pouting well into the next election. Get ready Dems! You can look forward to 7 more years of sulking and stomping your feet! The simple fact is that this is just what America needs, and has been needing for a long while now. One of my favorite lines from his speech was " We are going to come up with ideas that will not benefit any of us in Washington, and we will all not get what we want. We will come up with solutions that will actually benefit the people that we are elected to represent." So humble, and right on the nail Mr. President! Trump's first year in office has been nothing short of extraordinary. Since President Trump was elected, Democrats have done nothing but reject, obstruct and resist – kicking and screaming every step of the way. Yet that has not deterred our president. In fact, he has kept his eye on the prize: prioritizing the very people who put him in office. Because of that, he has had a historically successful first year in office. President Trump just delivered the biggest set of tax cuts in over 30 years, after rallying Congress and the American people around a plan that puts more money into our pockets. He has cut 10 regulations for each new one added, saving the country billions of dollars. The American economy is great again. The unemployment rate is down to a 17-year low of 4.1 percent and the labor market has exceeded expectations by adding hundreds of thousands of new jobs. The gross domestic product is rising beyond expectations, consumer confidence is at a 17-year high, small businesses are growing and the stock market is soaring. The president was quick to nominate federal judges during his first year, with 19 confirmed by the Senate so far. He’s had the most circuit court judges confirmed during a president’s first year, and appointed widely respected Justice Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court soon after taking office. He’s boosting pay for our troops, growing our military, and giving them the equipment they need to remain the world’s top fighting force. He’s restoring accountability to the Department of Veterans Affairs, because he knows our nation’s heroes deserve much better than they’ve been getting. The president boldly stood for American leadership during a historic United Nations address, where he outlined a forceful new strategy toward nations that pose the greatest security threats to the United States. He was clear and unapologetic about our nation’s new policy: America First. President Trump has made the southern border harder to illegally cross – arrests of people trying to cross illegally into the United States from Mexico are at the lowest point since 1971. His vision for merit-based immigration is one that will reward those who follow our laws, make our country better and are proud to call themselves Americans. The administration is also working to eradicate the most violent street gangs from our nation, and is tackling our nation’s drug addiction and opioid abuse crisis. He’s stayed true to the commitments he made on the campaign trail, after taking office, and again during his joint address to Congress earlier this year. The president has done all of this and more, without taking a salary. He promised he’d donate it, so that’s what he’s done. He donated his first quarters salary which was an estimated $77,000 to The National Parks and Forestry. His second quarterly salary was without hesitation donated to the Department of Education. The third was donated to help fight the war on opioid addiction. Can you remember the last President who gave up his salary to actually help the country? Wouldn't that be something if ALL of Congress gave up their salaries in the form of donations. Let's face it, this is the ONLY time that this is ever going to happen again from a sitting President. We probably will never hear another President put God, country, and patriotism in the same sentence either. During Trump's State Of The Union, he called out BOTH parties daring them to come together and actually make a difference, for the sake and FUTURE of the American people. I would like to close with my favorite quote of the Presidents speech- "Americans fill the world with art and music. They push the bounds of science and discovery. And they forever remind us of what we should never forget: The people dreamed this country. The people built this country. And it is the people who are making America great again. As long as we are proud of who we are, and what we are fighting for, there is nothing we cannot achieve."

The Democratic Party: Corruption, Communism, with Crashing and Burning

These last eight years have been something else to say the least. Especially this last year. Outright defiance and corruption just to get rid of a sitting president. Speaking at a town hall meeting, Republican Allen West made the startling claim that many of his fellow members of the U.S. House of Representatives are members of the Communist Party. As of late, this statement by the former Army Colonel really got me to thinking. His accusation may not be that far out there. After everything that has happened to the United States in the last eight years, my fear is that Colonel West may have hit the nail on the head. When the moderator at the meeting asked, "What percentage of the American legislature do you think are card-carrying Marxists or International Socialist?" West replied, "It's a good question. I believe there's about 78 to 81 members of the Democrat Party who are members of the Communist Party. ... It’s called the Congressional Progressive Caucus." It is a fact that the Communist Party has publicly referred to the Progressive Caucus as its allies. The Progressive Caucus speaks for itself. These individuals certainly aren't proponents of free markets or individual economic freedom. On Facebook, West elaborated: "I stand by the point of my comments. The press wants to write gotcha stories and talk semantics, but just look at the words and actions of the Progressive Caucus. You can call them socialist, Marxist, communist or whatever you want, but the point is, they oppose free markets and individual economic freedom, they want to redistribute wealth, and they want to see the nation fundamentally transformed. Now whomever reads this be it Democrat or Republican, Liberal or Conservative or even Libertarian, is smart enough to know the difference between Liberalism and straight up Communism. Yes, there is a vast difference, or there at least used to be anyway. Now a days it's getting very hard to tell, and it seems as though the definitions and explanations blend into one another like cream into coffee.(It's still coffee- just a bit lighter) So why does this weigh on my intellect so? Knowing the history of how successful communism has been in the past, why should I even worry? We all know that during Election 2016, The DNC lied, cheated, and stole the nomination from Bernie. Then rigged the election to try to get Hillary in and still lost! The DNC Chairmanship to replace the corrupt Donna Brazile (who had replaced the corrupt Debbie Wasserman-Schulz) featured Hillary-Obama puppet Tom Perez and Muslim Congressman Keith Ellison, who wanted to further the Bernie Revolution of unfettered socialism—and he praised the Muslim Brotherhood. Who can forget the Idaho DNC candidate who announced: “It’s my job to tell white men to sit down and shut up!” Another contender from Arkansas was booted … because he was from Arkansas. Great idea, Democrats—kick Southerners in the teeth, and keep asking yourselves why you keep losing. Yeah, smart. Instead of course corruption, the Democrats have embraced more socialistic lunacy. Wait, let’s tell it like it is: The DNC (in my opinion) has gone full commie. This is the modern Democratic Party, people: from slavery to secession, to segregation and socialism, and now outright communism as their mantra. Is it any wonder that working class, gun-rack voters (those bitter clingers) are rejecting the Democratic Party? Over the years they have successfully gained control over every aspect of our lives here in the good ol' U.S.A. Our inalienable rights have been turned into historical ash. Burned by the flames of so called socialistic justice. Personal and economic freedom in this country is on the brink of extinction. These new "Democrats" tread a fine line. The current democratic party champions itself on being the defenders of the poor, and in doing so they create more destitution to justify their existence. This current party also uses many marxist tactics such as leveling charges against political counterparts that they are guilty of committing, trying to control academia, the press, and the entertainment industry. The democratic party also minimizes and attempts to weaken the middle class which is a goal of communism. This political entity also commits one of the worst offenses which is class warfare. The Democrats are more similar to Communists than any person or party in the country. They favor redistribution of the wealth making it so that when you work hard and make a lot of money, you are actually working for the benefit of other people rather than earning what you work for. With their philosophy, all of your life's work does not belong to you but instead belongs to the people who sit on welfare programs collecting money from the government. They ban as many civil liberties as they can, and they infringe on the second amendment. They are power hungry, raise taxes based on income to "equalize" the country. I truly believe that had it not been for our Constitution, the Obama administration would have turned this beloved country communist. Democrats Platform = Marx's Communist Manifesto And if you don't believe that then look it up. The Communist state uses its coercive powers to seize the wealth and properties of those who have earned financial security by their own hands. Communism does not help poor people; rather, Communism makes people poor so that they have to become dependent on the Communist state and therefore beholden to those in charge of the government. Communism is the ultimate exploitative monopoly. No competitors (market alternatives) are allowed. All major industries, including food, banking, transportation, communication, and insurance are owned and operated as state monopolies. Any of these look familiar? Marx: A heavy progressive and graduated tax Centralization of credit in the hands of the state, by means of a national bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly. Centralization of the means of communication and transportation in the hands of the state. Abolition of private property in land and application of all rents of land to public purpose. These are but just a few of Marx's pillars of Communism. You tell me, are we closer to this or the Founder's intent in the Constitution? Now enter Donald Trump. Completely reversing and undoing everything that the Obama administration had set out to accomplish. While doing so, he has single handedly exposed this socialist uprising in its truest most purest form. And the leaders of this uprising aren't just pissed, they want him out by any means necessary. They want to see his head on a silver platter. We the people who are intelligent enough to realize this, must stand our ground and try to give as much support as we can so this does not happen. We really need to band together to protect and preserve our freedoms. Remember people, "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same."- Ronald Reagan. Thanks for reading, and lets all have a prosperous 2018!

Liberal Lunacy and the Republican Tax Reform Bill

Watching and listening to the news lately is like watching a situation comedy. It is beyond rational thinking why anyone would protest having more money to spend in their wallet. Now that the GOP has announced their tax reform bill success, Liberals across America are freaking out. For whatever reason, Liberals hate the idea of Americans having more money in their pockets. The best part of these meltdowns? The worst ones come from Hollywood elites who have money up the ying yang. Here is a direct quote from Conan O'Brien "Rich people are really going to take a bath with this new tax plan. In money. They will bathe in money." Like you're not bathing in your own money, Conan? Come talk to me about being an average, everyday person once you're no longer rich (assuming that will ever happen). Bill Maher tweeted that he hopes the corporations choke on their tax cuts (right before he told them to fuck off) Oh, Bill. Must you forget that corporations provide jobs for millions of Americans, yourself included? I know, it's SO horrible that we provide them with a simple "thank you" for their hard work. "For tinkering around with some details of the tax code and decreasing the bill many Americans pay to Washington each year, “The GOP is monstrous; their policies kill, starve & maim,” wrote actor-comedian Rob Delaney. Josh Gad, that cuddly snowman from “Frozen” turned tax wonk, tweeted, “If you are not a billionaire, today should very well be marked as one of the most disgraceful acts in modern political history. Madness won.” Madness certainly won over Delaney, who is now urging people to join the “Democratic socialists.” Like the folks who are doing such a great job in Venezuela? Sounding a similar note, Michael Moore said the bill amounted to “Capitalism and Fascism. The coup is underway.” MSNBC and Vanity Fair contributor Kurt Eichenwald tweeted, “America died tonight. Economic suicide . . . Millennials, move away if you can. USA is over. We killed it.” Comedian Patton Oswalt agreed: “There’s no America now . . . sorry, feeling real despair this morning.” A more optimistic take came from political pundit Bill Palmer, who tweeted that the bill didn’t kill the whole country, but only “Millions of Americans died tonight . . . This was mass murder. They all belong in prison.” California Gov. Jerry Brown was still more upbeat, saying only, “This day will live in infamy,” a reference to Pearl Harbor, which started a war that killed a mere few hundred thousand Americans. Why do all these liberals have longer faces than Secretariat? The Trump tax plan was ingeniously designed to cut taxes on many Americans — but raise them on liberals. These people are always begging to pay more taxes. They finally got their wish! They are talking how they have been betrayed! Ha! Actually, we were betrayed when the government stepped into our personal lives and tried to guarantee that they could take care of us physically (through healthcare) and when we get older (through social security). And, in case you forgot, things like social security were never meant to be a permanent staple in Americans' finances. They were never meant to replace pensions. They were designed to "stimulate" the economy during the Depression. And look how well that has done for us. But then again, Democrats make the dumb argument that because the Tax Cut and Jobs Act passed that companies would rather receive tax cuts than pay their employees more. Democrats say that businesses should simply want to increase their employees' wages. Why can't we have both? If companies have more of their money to spend on talent and growing their business then it's better for everyone. The company acquires talented people and the employees receive higher pay. Here is a tweet from Austin Neal "Since the GOP is so set on “saving the middle class money” by “cutting taxes,” maybe they should take the more direct route and raise the minimum wage to $15 dollars an hour. It’s way more direct" Austin, you clearly don't understand how economics work so let me help you out. When you raise the wage you also raise the cost of goods and services. That's how we get these giant inflation bubbles. Artificially raising wages doesn't help anyone. All it does is drive up the cost over everything else. The problem with Democrats as always been they feel access to your money is their sacred right. The Government has no money. People have money that the Government takes. You can't steal your own money from the Government. Those who are opposed to giving tax breaks to corporations are looking at things on an emotional level. They're not being practical. Either that or they don't understand how economics work. Who can be against tax cuts? How do you tell a single mother that you're against her keeping more of her money? You can't. Hey Liberal loons, If you don’t want a tax cut, just pay more! After all, you should definitely do your part to dig America out of the bankruptcy hole Obama put us in. For whatever reason, Democrats want to see people suffer. They want us to work our butts off and hand our hard earned money over to the government. They want to dictate when and how we spend our money. They claim to be the champion of single mothers, women, the LBGTQ community and everyone in between yet they would rather allow people to suffer by having less money in their pockets instead of admitting defeat. The Dems are saying that the Republican tax plan would give high earners the largest cuts. There has been a flood of news stories with that theme since the Tax Policy Center (TPC) released its analysis of the plan. The TPC summary says, “Those with the very highest incomes would receive the biggest tax cuts,” and tables in the report encourage readers to come to that conclusion. However, my parsing of TPC’s data reveals something different: the GOP plan would give the largest relative cuts to people in the middle. On average, middle-income earners would receive larger percentage tax cuts than higher-income earners. If these morons would actually research this tax plan and fully comprehend EVERY line of it, there would be NO REASON not to agree with it. The CATO Institute has a breakdown of the tax plan based on TPC data that is worth reading and comparing. This is significantly the greatest tax reform bill to pass since the Reagan Era. Bottom line, this will be beneficial for economical growth and stability (If we can keep this ball rolling that is) I have a feeling however that the fight over this new plan is not over yet, not in the slightest. You would think that after watching Socialism continue to fail all over the world that the Dems would come to terms that it really just doesn't work. Not in the long run. To conclude, if the economy roars, sustainably, my hunch is that the benefits for the rich won’t count for much. But if the economy doesn’t take off or if we hit some other snag, it won’t be hard for Democrats to make this thing into an albatross. They’ve already managed to make most Americans hate this bill — unfairly in my opinion. If the economic winds blow their way, this could be their Obamacare – in the sense that it will simply be a scare word they can use relentlessly. I’m not saying that will happen, because I don’t know what will happen. And neither does anyone else. Not really. It’s a gamble. That’s my point. Thank you for your time and Happy New Year America!

The Real Reason For The Season

This is the time of the year when the holidays bring families and friends together with the warmth of love and the spirit of giving. It is also the most stressful time of the year. Both mentally and physically. People fight and argue with each other over the most simplest things that on any other time of the year, would not seem so significant. Its the stress of making this Christmas better than the last, and it happens every year. Ever since President Trump said that it would be ok to say "Merry Christmas" again, I have been thinking about just what that means. We can all put the holidays into perspective and realize the true meaning of Christmas, but actually applying it to our daily lives would really make things a lot less stressful and a lot more joyful. Depression is also at an all time during this time, and sadly, suicide rates tend to be higher as well. We as humble human beings need to realize the reason for the season. Christmas is celebrated by billions of people around the world each with their own traditional flare. Some go over the top with lights, while others with a modest nativity scene. In my opinion, there is no such thing as having too much Christmas spirit. In fact, it's time we brought more of it back. The Spirit of Christmas should shine through us every day and not just on the 25th. I believe that if there was a lot more giving and a lot less taking the world would most certainly be a better place indeed. That spirit of giving, that selflessness, that good will toward men is all but a memory for me now. And sometimes I wonder if it will ever come back. I can remember growing up at Christmas time and watching my parents hustle and bustle over what to get everyone. But there was also a feeling of happiness and joy through out our community that you just didn't see every day. I remember the whole town just being lit up, and for one solemn moment, people just being nice to each other. It's kind of sad that it takes a holiday to make that happen, but it's not just that. I believe that it was everyone realizing what the true meaning of Christmas really was. Sure we had the decorations and the commercial effect, but through all that there was a real sense of peace towards one another. Christmas truly was a happy time for me back then, and it still is today. It just seems that the older I get the more different the holiday becomes. Maybe I'm just slowly loosing sight of the bigger picture. I guess the point that I'm trying to make here is that we don't need someone to tell us that it's ok to say Merry Christmas again. We don't need permission and we certainly don't anyone telling us how to celebrate either. But it is necessary and very important to know the real reason why we do. we should never lose sight of that, ever. I would like to conclude with this simple little passage just to keep it real (Luke 2:7-2:14) And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Merry Christmas everyone!

What To Truly Be Thankful For- Winning The Lottery Of Life

The continuing protests by multimillionaire NFL players who refuse to stand for our national anthem – disrespecting our flag and the brave patriots in our armed forces – are setting a terrible example for America’s children on Thanksgiving. The message? Don't be thankful for the many blessings America has given you. Instead, act ungratefully, disrespectfully and unpatriotically. And sadly, some children are now following that example. To cite just a few examples of protests around the country: Four high school football players from Michigan were benched when they said they planned a kneeling protest. In Texas, two high school players were kicked off their team after protesting during the anthem. Good decisions in both cases. And football players on a team made up of boys 8 and younger were joined by their coach in kneeling during the playing of our anthem in Illinois, after the coach told them about the protests started by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Unbelievably, the coach said: “I felt like it was a good teaching moment for me.” Teaching what? Hatred of America? Schools are hyper-vigilant nowadays about not tolerating student expressions that might offend anyone. For example, a school in Texas shut down a voluntary Bible discussion during the lunch hour. God – oops, pardon that expression – forbid that any atheist child should be offended. If students banded together in a planned show of disrespect for a rainbow flag – the symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pride – you’d better believe they’d be punished for intolerance. If students held a protest objecting to radical political Islam, there’s no doubt they’d be disciplined for bigotry. The same would happen if students denounced and disrespected any country on Earth – with one exception. What ever happened to teaching tolerance, respect and what it "really" means to be an American. Sure the U.S. has had it's fair share of controversy and shame, but we are still the free-est country in the world and we should ALL (this includes the self-righteous ingrates who have the opportunity to play for riches here) thankful and eternally grateful for that. Being born in America is like winning the lottery of life. If you’re reading this post, you’ve already won the lottery. If you have been born into a country like Canada, the United States, or any other developed country, you’ve won the birth lottery. You’ve won the lottery of being able to grow up in a country of freedom, education, and considerable wealth. These are truly some things to be thankful for every second you breathe. It’s sad that the birth lottery exists. Not everyone is so lucky. If you lost the lottery, you won’t get the fortune of freedom and education. You won’t have the same opportunity to read or write and you won’t have access to clean water. You’ll probably be guaranteed a life of poverty because you don’t have the basic needs available to you or the education needed. You definitely won’t be able to participate in world discussions since you won’t have a computer or an Internet connection. You’ll be lucky to have a roof over your head and enough food to stay alive. However, if you win the lottery, you will have the opportunity to read and write. You will have access to clean water and the opportunity of wealth. You will be able to learn about the planet and participate in discussions made possible because of a wide array of products such as computers, the Internet, iPads, iPhones, and many other electronic gadgets. You will have access to health care, healthy food, and sanitary waste disposal. You will also have access to all the basic needs as well as the opportunity to travel and think about deeper things in life. It’s amazing what the simple chance of birth can do to how your life turns out. But it's been so easy lately to just take things for granted and out of context. So easy to point the finger and shake it in disgust. So easy to complain about not having enough, when people in other countries are going without. Somewhere along the line we stopped teaching that to our kids. Instead we teach them to take, take, take- and hate,hate, hate. And they see this on social media and on television. They see the lack of respect when their favorite football player takes a knee. I understand that this whole thing started with a protest against police brutality and was fueled to go on by something that our President tweeted, but by not standing for our National Anthem and our flag, those spoiled morons have crossed a dangerous line and the NFL by not addressing this, will more than likely loose half of their customers and fans before all is said and done. Why do Americans stand for the U.S. flag and the national anthem? To all those commie pinko's out there who still won't do it, I'm going to give you just five reasons why you should (or you can get the fuck out!) 1. We stand for the flag today, not to please ourselves but to honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. I believe every American, when the national anthem is played, should cover their hearts and think about all the men and women who have been maimed and killed. 2. We stand for the flag not to focus on what divides us but on what unites us, which is being an American. 3. We stand for the flag not to pledge allegiance to a president, but to honor the reality that we have an elected president and not a lifetime king. 4. We stand not because of past or present pain caused by injustice, but to salute the principle of justice. Patriotism is not pride in the pain of our nation’s past. Rather, patriotism is pride in the principles that paved the way for change, whether that change was trading royalty for representation in 1776 or exchanging enslavement for emancipation in 1863. From John Adams and Thomas Jefferson to Martin Luther King, Jr., many Americans have stood for justice for a more perfect union. “When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men—yes, black men as well as white men—would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” King declared in his 1968 “I Have a Dream” speech. King tapped the principles created by our founders and applied them to make “justice a reality for all of God’s children.” 5. We stand for the flag not for our generation but to set an example for the next generation. If we do not advocate a love of country to our children and the generations to come, then why would our children grow up to fight for their countries, the founding principles and moral truths? When we stand for the flag and anthem, we are standing for our hopes for our children’s future, that they will embrace the principles of patriotism and live out its moral truths of justice, perseverance and courage. We stand for the flag and anthem so they can stand for the flag and anthem. If you do not agree with this and want to continue to sulk over loosing the election, then whatever snowflake. I will continue to stand and be thankful for the many blessings that God has granted. Have a happy Thanksgiving everyone!

We’re Not in a Civil War, but We Are Drifting Toward Divorce

last week there were two telling incidents — one small, the other more consequential — that spoke volumes about the state of our national life. Let’s start small. Over in Seattle, in the midst of a debate over juvenile justice, a city-council member invoked his “Republican friends” as a symbol of the broad-based agreement that incarceration policies need to change. One of his colleagues, Kshama Sawant, snapped back with the proud declaration that she didn’t have any Republican friends. The crowd cheered. Sure, it’s but one small incident, but consider something bigger. The state of California is in the process of taking a series of political steps that are not only cementing its status as a progressive enclave, it’s stumbling toward its own foreign policy. After Donald Trump withdrew America from the Paris climate agreement, California governor Jerry Brown rushed to fill the void. California is touting its collaborations with China to combat global warming. Here’s Brown, in reporting by the Sacramento Bee: “It is a little bold to talk about the China–California partnership as though we were a separate nation, but we are a separate nation,” Brown said of the state, with nearly 40 million residents and the world’s sixth-largest economy. “We’re a state of mind. I include Silicon Valley, I include the environmental activism, the biotech industry, agriculture. This is a place of great investment in innovation.” Indeed, California has such a different view of the relationship between citizen and state, it’s virtually seceding from the Constitution, overriding the First Amendment time and again for the sake of “social justice.” And now its legislature is even taking the first steps to implement a $400 billion single-payer health plan — a plan so expensive and radical that even Governor Brown is skeptical. The trends are clear. In the age of Trump, California is determined to go its own way. None of this is surprising. Our national political polarization is by now so well established that the only real debate is over the nature of our cultural, political, and religious conflict. Are we in the midst of a more or less conventional culture war? Are we, as Dennis Prager and others argue, fighting a kind of “cold” civil war? Or are we facing something else entirely? I’d argue that we face “something else,” and that something else is more akin to the beginning stages of a national divorce than it is to a civil war. This contention rests fundamentally in two trends, one political and the other far beyond politics. Unless trends are reversed, red and blue may ultimately bid each other adieu. First, let’s deal with negative polarization. I’ve written about this before, but it’s worth repeating. Americans tend to belong to their political “tribe” not so much because they love its ideas but rather because they despise their opponents. What is really fascinating to me is the fact that just by watching certain cable T.V. and internet shows, we are no longer divided socially or politically. I mean it. One of my favorite shows is Game Of Thrones and it is LOADED with liberal innuendo and social themes. It is very popular with the deep-blue coastal cities like San Francisco, Seattle, and L.A. Yet I am a mere redneck residing in the mid-west with a political resume that would make today's average lib want to burn me at the stake, and I love the show! Cant wait for the next season! I have a hard time finding anyone who watches the show, much less someone who cares enough to do a deep dive into Westerosi lore. If you watch Game of Thrones, you’re also generally watching The Daily Show and Modern Family. Do you reject George R. R. Martin’s epic series? Then Duck Dynasty is the most likely show for you. Or at least that is the stereotypical consensus. Bullshit I say! Watching something with liberal ideas and themes is about as brainwashing to a conservative as a lib watching Duck Dynasty or Last Man Standing. It's entertainment folks and nothing more so lets just all stop trying to read into that too much OK? That being said, isn't it funny how conservative leaning shows get polorized even cancelled because of the pure hatred one has for another ones point of view. This just proves my prior posts on the mental disorder that is Liberalism. When you live, work, and speak with people of like mind, it’s virtually inevitable that common expressions of shared views will leak into sports, corporate policy, and even debates about superhero movies. Americans have choices, and millions have chosen ideologically closed enclaves. Why wouldn’t they continue to extend that choice beyond the realms of politics and religion? A civil war results when the desire for unification and domination overrides the desire for separation and self-determination. The American civil war is a classic example. There were grounds for separation — North and South were culturally different on a scale that dwarfs modern divides between red and blue — but the North did not consent. It sought to first unify and then transform the southern states. By contrast, had Scotland voted to leave the United Kingdom, would England have mobilized in response? No, the U.K. came close to its own national divorce, the dissolution of a union generations older than the American republic. Here is the core American question. As we continue our own “big sort,” will the desire to separate trump the desire to dominate? Or can we instead choose to tolerate? We need to honestly ask ourselves this question, “Is there a single significant cultural, political, social, or religious trend that is pulling Americans together more than it is pushing us apart?” I don’t believe a civil-war mentality will save America. There are simply too many differences and too many profound disagreements for one side or the other to exercise true political dominance. Red won’t beat blue in the same way that blue beat gray. Adopt the civil-war mentality and you’ll only hasten a potential divorce. The idea that will save America is one of the oldest ideas of the Republic: federalism. So long as we protect the “privileges and immunities” of American citizenship, including all of the liberties enumerated in the Bill of Rights, let California be California and Texas be Texas. De-escalate national politics. Ideas that work in Massachusetts shouldn’t be crammed down the throats of culturally different Tennesseans. Indeed, as our sorting continues, our ability to persuade diminishes. (After all, how can we understand communities we don’t encounter?) If we seek to preserve our union, we’re left with a choice — try to dominate or learn to tolerate? The effort to dominate is futile, and it will leave us with a permanently embittered population that grows increasingly punitive with each transition of presidential power. There is hope, however, in the quest to tolerate. Our Constitution is built to allow our citizens to govern themselves while protecting individual liberty and providing for the common defense. It’s built to withstand profound differences without asking citizens or states to surrender their strongest convictions. We can either rediscover this federalism, or we may ultimately take a third path — we may choose to separate.