THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES WHO WON, WHO LOST?

Like most of you, I’m sure, I watched the Republican Presidential Debates on Fox News. This column will be a discussion of my thoughts on those debates, who won, who lost, and who just showed up. Truth be told, it is extremely difficult to get one’s points across in one or two minute sound bites, but those were the rules and the same rules applied to everyone on the stage. All in all I thought the debates were entertaining, enlightening, and fair.

There were for me some surprises. Surprise number one was Carly Fiorina. She came across much more intelligent and prepared than I thought she would. She showed herself to be a true statesman/stateswoman. Polished, smooth and sophisticated. I liked her. My next surprise was Marco Rubio. I was expecting a very young inexperienced politician. What I saw instead was a mature educated Senator with a firm grasp of the world and our place in it. I liked him too. Another surprise for me was Gov. John Kasich. He looked Presidential. He was calm, assured, and competent. I came away with a new appreciation for Kasich.

A big disappointment for me was Donald Trump. He looked out of place. He was angry, dour, and mean. I didn’t like him and I doubt many others across the country did either. The sooner he goes back to his other world, the better.

I watched the debates looking for another Ronald Reagan and sadly I didn’t find him. I was hoping to see an individual who showed heart and courage but with the strength it will take to be President and deal with this world. I wanted to see a traditional American with the heart of a conservative. I’ve been told that Reagan was a once-in-a-lifetime guy. That’s probably true but that doesn’t mean I can’t hope. There was no Ronald Reagan there but there were some very good stand-ins.

Who won the debates? I think the American people won the debates. They won because in this group of candidates on the Republican side were people of character, wisdom, and true leadership ability. Almost any one of them would do a much better job than has been done over the past few years.

I think the loser in the debates was the Democrat party. When compared with the quality of individuals on the stage in Cleveland, the entire Democrat entourage looks lame and second rate. I cannot imagine Hillary Clinton as Commander-in-Chief of our military and God help us if Bernie Sanders gets the nomination. In fact it is clear to me that any of the announced Democrats will just be a continuation of the failed Presidency of Barack Obama or worse.

I am not prepared at this time to tell you my personal favorite. I like Bush, Walker, and Huckabee. They are all Governors or former Governors. I like that executive experience. Like you I will watch closely as this race unfolds. There will be several more debates. All of these fine people will be vetted to their fullest. Picking among them makes America the winner and we need a win. Those who don’t make it will be great candidates for the Cabinet. I like Dr. Ben Carson. An intelligent man with the heart of a surgeon. Our government needs people like Carson but in a policy making job. Not as the ceremonial Surgeon General.  

Finally, the world is watching. They are watching and hoping we make the right decision. What we need is a Republican candidate who can win. America needs that, the world needs that. I need that.

Ron Scarbro

WE NEED A NEW SHERIFF

Did you hear about the guy sitting at the bar drinking heavily? The bartender says I thought you told your wife that you had quit drinking. The boozer replied, I did, but I didn’t tell her that I quit lying.

I thought of this when I started learning about the nuclear treaty the Obama Administration had signed with Iran.

Signing a treaty with known liars like Iran is quite similar to signing treaties with another known liar, North Korea. Liars lie. It’s what they do. The chances of Iran honoring their commitment to the free world are virtually nil. Eventually we are going to have to deal with these people and all the phony treaties in the world are not going to stop the need for our intervention. Iran is dedicated to the proposition that Israel must be destroyed. It is a religious requirement of them. There is a real probability that Israel will take out Iran before the ink even dries on this illegal, Mickey Mouse treaty. If the Republican controlled Congress allows this nonsense to go forward they all should be removed from office.

The reason Iran begged us to come to the negotiation table in the first place was that they were economically falling apart. We had them over a barrel. But, when John Kerry sat down with them you would have thought the reverse was true. He gave away the farm and Iran agreed to nothing that would allow us to inspect and confirm their keeping their word. Iran still has at least four hostages and we are about to reward them with a release of the sanctions that brought them to their knees. Totally unacceptable.

The President says a bad deal is better than no deal. He also has said that we should tell him if we have a better idea. How about this. No, Iran. We will not remove the sanctions and in fact we may well increase them. How about this? Release the American hostages and never touch another American again at risk of your very existence. We are acting like Iran has the upper hand in these negotiations. The truth is they are hurting and if we don’t remove these sanctions, they will become far more pliable. And do you really think Israel is going to just sit by and let Iran develop a nuclear bomb? Those chances are slim and none.

I have written before citing none other than the US Constitution that any treaty agreed to by this President but without consent and ratification of two thirds of the Senate is illegal and unenforceable. Obama’s veto threat is valueless. We have rules and even the President has to obey them. Where is the national media on this issue? Clearly neither this president nor any president can legally agree to any treaty with any foreign government without the consent of two thirds of the Senate. Any such “Presidential Proclamation” could be eliminated by the next President.

Iran played Jimmy Carter like a cheap fiddle and then Ronald Reagan came into office. It became clear to them almost immediately that there was a new sheriff in town. They buckled and decided that there was no future in trying the same tactics with Reagan. Iran, North Korea, and countries like them understand only force and they respond only to force. Today I suspect that the rulers in Iran are chuckling as they consider the deal they made with Kerry. That laughter will cease when they come to realize that their little treaty is illegal and unenforceable. We obviously need a new sheriff.

Ron Scarbro

I WILL NOT SEEK NOR WILL I ACCEPT...

After much conversation with my family and due consideration of the work involved, I have decide not to announce my candidacy for the Republican nomination for President of the United States. I understand this may come as a shock and even a disappointment to many of you. My decision is however final. I will use this forum to explain my decision and beg for your understanding.

First, there already is a loud mouthed, opinionated, know-it-all individual in the race so my candidacy would be redundant. I doubt we need another one. Secondly, we have what is tantamount to half the population of the country already announced and I don’t like to be in crowds. Third, the effort it will take to fix the mess our country is in will take two lifetimes and I don’t think I have that much time left. There are of course other reasons but I think you understand my feelings.

I therefore thought I would take this opportunity to offer considerations of the candidates who have announced and give you some of my opinions.

The Democrats. I don’t trust Hillary Clinton period. To me she is a political opportunist with empathy for Hillary and no one else. She would be dangerous to this country. Sanders and Warren are joke punch lines. Both are far left liberal socialists who would be better off in Europe where they could live in the Socialist paradise of, say, Greece. If I had to pick a Democrat it would be Jim Webb, former Senator from Virginia. Webb is a former military man who  comes much closer to what this country needs than any other Democrat currently running.

Now the Republicans. My favorite is Gov. Mike Huckabee. He is a good man with executive experience. I recognize he is far behind at this time but you never know what might happen. Number two is Gov. Scott Walker, another with executive experience and a proven record of problem solving. He also has shown tremendous courage in the face of difficulty. Gov. Rick Perry is next on my list. A daring and effective former governor who is exactly what we need as we face adversaries who need to see our true nature. How about Chris Christie? He would make Putin look like the little puppy dog that he is. He would also put Iran in their place and that is not in possession of nuclear weapons. Finally on this list is Sen. Marco Rubio. Rubio is a young attractive individual who has a real future in our government, but he is very young. I would prefer him as the Vice President.

I understand there are many others that I have not commented on. They are at the bottom of my list as they are with most others. The exception might be Jeb Bush. I like him but circumstance, I believe, will be his doom.

The coming election will be one of the most important in our history. Of primary importance is the danger the world faces and the reality that we are the only nation with the resources and courage to fix it. We absolutely cannot entrust this country to political hacks or loud mouthed self promoters. It is for that reason, among others, that I say, as did Lyndon Johnson facing almost certain defeat, I will not seek, nor will I accept the nomination for President of the United States.

I hope that all of my supporters will understand and get serious about picking a candidate who can and will beat Hillary and return this country to its greatness.

Ron Scarbro

POLITICIANS SHOULD JUST ATTEND COCKTAIL PARTIES

The image was poignant. It was a picture of the front of the military recruiting station in Chattanooga, Tennessee with the sign announcing, “Gun Free Zone.” It was riddled with bullet holes. Has there ever been a clearer statement of the fact that bad guys don’t go by the rules? Gun free zones only apply to law abiding citizens. All others make up their own rules.

The ruling established in the early ‘90s that military personnel cannot carry weapons on duty in this country is blatantly stupid. I was in the military and was trained in the use of many weapons. I was qualified on the .45 caliber pistol, the .30 caliber M1 rifle, and several machine guns including the famous “burp gun.” I was also qualified on the use of hand grenades. In other words I was trained to kill as were all of my comrades in the military. I was even chosen, because of my proficiency as a shooter, to be on a military rifle team to represent the Army in competitions. I doubt that there is anyone in this country who gets more or better training in the use of weapons than our military including the police.

Here is our reality and it is a reality even if it is politically inconvenient or politically incorrect. Radical Islam extremists are at war with us. We didn’t choose this war but we are in it regardless. These morons are going to pop up and strike at any time they choose. They are not going to warn us or play by any rules of civilized societies. They are killers and are motivated by the insanity of their leaders who use an ancient religion as some weird justification to kill. And, this is not going to go away. This war will end when we end it and not until.

Consider this. Some of you will remember what happened to the Japanese Americans during WWII. Innocent farmers and normal citizens were rounded up and put in camps as a method of control and in our faulty opinion at the time, a way of protecting ourselves from the “inscrutable Japanese.” Is that what is next for American Muslims?

We are told constantly that the vast majority of Muslims living in America are peaceful, loyal American citizens. I believe that. I am sure that the vast majority of Japanese Americans living here during the war were also loyal American citizens, but we rounded them up and hauled them away anyway. Putting them in these camps was a catastrophic mistake, but we did it anyway.

I do not believe the Muslims among us will suffer the same treatment as the Japanese, but it is incumbent upon these loyal American Muslims to get control of the radicals in their population. They need to be aware of the goings on in their Mosques. We will never allow them to take our country from us. We will never live under Sharia law. We will never treat our women as less than goats or sheep. If they are to live here, they need to understand what being an American means.

Now this final point. Today a new policy must be announced. All uniformed military personnel must be supplied with hand guns and armed at all times and all must be given concealed carry permits to allow them to carry even in civilian clothing. The radicals are targeting our men and women in the military and we must allow them, even require them to protect themselves and anybody who might be near them. Like it or not, we are at war and our army is designed to kill people and break things. Politicians should just attend cocktail parties and leave the defense of the country to the military.

Ron Scarbro

ONE IS TOO MANY

As a young man I traveled extensively to San Francisco. I went there both for business as well as pleasure. It was a beautiful city. I was always struck by the smells of San Francisco. Down on Fisherman’s Wharf the odor was definitely fishy or you could say the smell of the sea. Nearby was the fragrance of baking sourdough bread. In the Italian section one would smell pasta sauces and sausages. Then there was Chinatown. You never knew what you were smelling, just that it always smelled good. There was also the other side of San Francisco. During my time of visiting the city the hippies were going strong. If you happened to get to the Haight-Ashbury district there was always the distinct odor of dirty humans. You see, the hippies didn’t see the necessity of bathing. The city was always multicultural and diverse.

I will travel to San Francisco never again however. Over the years they have apparently decided to separate themselves from the rest of the country and make their own laws, laws that are in direct opposition to American laws. They became a “Sanctuary City.” As such they are one of many cities which have decided they don’t have to obey American law. Specifically they encourage and allow illegal aliens from all over the world to be housed there without fear of deportation. They give lawbreakers sanctuary.

Of course everyone knows of the beautiful young lady who was murdered and died in her father’s arms killed by one of these protected illegal aliens, one who had been convicted of seven felonies and deported five times. He was in San Francisco because he knew he would be protected from the law.

The alien has now been arrested and will doubtless die in prison, but that should not end the story. Today the Sheriff, the Mayor, and the entire Board of Supervisors should all be arrested and charged with complicity to murder. They are all as guilty as if they were supplying the gun. They are all as guilty as if they were standing arm in arm with the killer. Their actions caused the death of this beautiful young girl.

I know there are many other “sanctuary cities” and I know there are many other crimes being committed by illegal aliens. One is too many. Some say that the great majority of illegals are hard working people who never break the law and just try to take care of their families. That is probably true. But, they broke the law entering this country. In most countries in this world they would be summarily rounded up and sent packing. In some countries they would be jailed or even executed.

One still hears the tired old statement that these illegals do the work that Americans will not do. I think a truer statement is that they do those jobs because their employers can get away paying them less than they would have to pay legitimate American citizens. Many are paid “under the table” with no tax requirement. I have even heard that forty percent of the economy of California is underground and in cash. It would be real hard to prove or disprove because there are no records kept.

Municipalities which give sanctuary are complicit in the crimes committed by illegals and complicit in the crimes committed by the employers of those individuals.

The matter of illegal entry into this country is not going away. The matter of an unsecured border is not going away. There will be a day of reckoning and it is coming soon, and it is not going to be pretty.

Ron Scarbro

MONEY IS CREATED BY PRODUCERS NOT TAKERS

Some people say there is no difference between Republicans and Democrats. For a certainty the lines have blurred over the recent years. For example, I don’t believe Harry Truman could be a Democrat today. It is possible that even John Kennedy might be a Republican according to today’s standards.

As for me, I vote Republican most of the time. I don’t always go along with the “company line,” but the Republicans seem to come closer to my way of thinking than anyone else.  I see myself more as a traditional American than a member of a particular party. To me, the opposite of my traditional thinking is the liberal view. I believe, as do most when polled on the subject, that America is headed down the wrong path and that path is being led by liberal thinking.

All across the world we can see the problems associated with liberalism and socialism. Just look at Greece. They are out of money and have no way of obtaining any unless they borrow it. In order to borrow money they must adhere to new and stringent austerity rules imposed upon them by their creditors. That would be a major change for the Greek people who have been cared for in a birth-to-death socialistic society; a situation which can no longer be provided. Their economy, and therefore their lifestyle, is unsustainable period. And Greece isn’t alone. Many of the little countries which have been supported by the Eurozone are facing the reality that money doesn’t grow on trees and that their free lunch is disappearing.

Are we far behind? Let’s face it. We have been living on borrowed money for several years. We have unfunded liabilities up the wazoo. Social Security and Medicare are going to run out of money. I was just told by a VA employee that the VA is out of money and cannot fulfill its promises to our veterans. I am one who has been told that they cannot afford to pay for my complete procedure coming up very soon. It’s funny though that the food stamp program hasn’t run out of money or the free cell phone program. Makes you wonder doesn’t it?

Some say we should just start up the printing presses and print more money. I think that is what they have been doing and that has certainly contributed to our problem. So, what should we do? What would we say if our creditors suddenly required us to adhere to more stringent austerity rules in order to continue to get credit? The reality is that there are a huge number of people in this country who contribute nothing to the bottom line. They are essentially wards of the government. Between subsidized housing, cell phones, school lunches, food stamps, subsidized health care, and welfare checks on top of it all, they are takers, not contributors. How would they survive if the money spigot was suddenly turned off?

Traditional thinking favors self reliance and self responsibility. Traditional Americans don’t want to see anyone starve but by the same token, they don’t want to see them without any self respect. This lack of self respect is what leads to a house full of children born without a father present. These children then go out to face a world without knowing responsibility. They have never known anybody with a job. They think the gravy train will never run out. The sad truth is that the train will come to an end.

Money is created by producers not takers. Regardless of what the liberals would have you believe, ours is a top down economy. Takers produce nothing but more debt. For us to regain our status in the world, we must return to more traditional thinking and practice. Wow, I think I just heard a train whistle.

Ron Scarbro

WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF EVIDENT

Most of us have a pretty good understanding of the “Declaration of Independence.” I decided to get my copy out and really study it to see if I could get an even better grip on its meaning and its language.

The Declaration came about because quite simply the colonists were tired of being pushed around by a government thousands of miles across the sea whose interest seemed to only be about the tax that government could collect. The British Crown refused to accept our laws or our choices for leadership, or just about anything that the King didn’t think of or approve beforehand.

Some, as has been reported, hard drinkers sat around the pubs of the time complaining about all of the problems levied on them by the British. They didn’t like the so-called Royal Guards. They didn’t like having to pay taxes to a King who did nothing for them. One particular individual famously known as a rum smuggler and bootlegger was upset because the British had seized some of the ships that he was using to bring untaxed rum to the colonies. That individual was none other than John Hancock. He was not a man to be toyed with.

So they decided that the answer was to create their own country with their own government in defiance of British Rule. They asked Thomas Jefferson to draft a declaration to send to the King telling him in no uncertain terms that they were tired of the nonsense and they were henceforth independent of the Crown. All of the signers, all fifty-six of them, knew that to sign that document was an act of treason and it was punishable by death. They signed it anyway.

Stating that we hold these truths to be self evident means simply that the situation should be obvious to anybody with a brain. They went on to say that all men are created equal and are endowed by their God, not some king, to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And that no man, regardless of his station in life, was above the law. This was the beginning of the Declaration.

Next came the long list of grievances and complaints against the King. The list is indeed long so I’ll just say that they were unhappy and were willing to put their lives and fortunes on the line to make it clear to the King that they had had enough.

They also told the King that on many occasions they had complained to no avail. They said this should not come as a shock to the British Government having come before the Crown humbly begging for redress. But they were ignored.

Buoyed some say by the rum that was readily available and concerned that that supply may well be in jeopardy, they signed and sent the letter.

Obviously the King could not allow this insurgency. How dare these colonists. He had to put this revolt down. And he tried. Oh how he tried. It took two wars for the British government to learn that the colonies were not going to give in. That these freedom loving people had too much to lose to give up. And that they never would.

It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t quick. But it was worth it. America was born and prospers yet today. The truths that were so evident to the early colonists are still evident today. We celebrate Independence Day. We celebrate freedom. We celebrate America. Long may she live.

Happy Independence Day.

Ron Scarbro