SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS

None of us can see into the future. I certainly cannot. We do however have the benefit of our years and our experience to somewhat predict what is coming down the road. From time to time I ponder what is happening and I worry about what the future holds for my kids and grandkids. As I see it now, I have some serious reservations. This column will try to offer some ponderings. I also will ask some questions. There is just so much that I don’t understand.

I have watched liberalism grow over the past few years at the expense of traditional Americanism and traditional values. I have watched as personal responsibility seems to have disappeared. I have watched as our great colleges and universities have despoiled the minds of our young people and created a group of dependent slugs. These youngsters seem to have the opinion that they are somehow owed success and a life without stress or worry. How would they have fared crossing this great country in the early 1800s on wagons being pulled by horses and oxen? If they had to dig in the dirt or go hunting in the woods for their food, how would they do? If liberalism as we know it today had existed then, would we as a country have survived or prospered? I doubt it.

Today it seems that the people who live in the Northeast portion of this country and in Washington DC believe they hold all the intelligence in America. They think they know best. What if they had to feed themselves? What if they had to produce their own fuel and electricity? What would their philosophy degrees from the Ivy League schools be worth then? How uncomfortable would they have to get before they changed their thought processes?

Here’s another thought. How much money do you think China has spent to get the favorable trade agreements they enjoy and to whom do you think this money was paid?

On that same line of thought, how many jobs have been and are being sent to foreign lands because of our tax structure, regulations, and our labor union demands? No one on earth can out produce us but we continue to buy foreign goods because they can produce them at much cheaper prices with much cheaper labor costs.

Why do we continue to re-elect the morons who have created this problem and flourish financially at the expense of the country? When will we hold their feet to the fire?

Now for some other questions. Do the jurors who found OJ Simpson and Casey Anthony not guilty of murder ever go to their respective police departments and ask how the search for the real killers is going? Just asking.

Why would anyone ever cite as an authority a newspaper like The New York Times on any subject? Never has a newspaper so lost its credibility as have they. As for me, I wouldn’t wrap my dead rotting fish in that paper for fear the fish would be contaminated by the process.

Who is paying to make sure MSNBC is still on the air? I think their audience is something less that two or three hundred a night. Just wondering.

What must one do in order to be put into prison for some serious time? It seems most of the crimes being committed are being committed by frequent fliers. We see twenty-somethings who have a felony record as long as your leg and they are running loose to commit more crime. Many have conviction on top of conviction and yet are on the street. Are the judges and lawyers looking for job security? Just asking.

Does anybody actually watch the reality shows on TV? Now there’s a puzzle. And who the hell is Kim Kardashian and why should I care?

Oh, and if Harry Truman was alive today do you really think he would be a Democrat?

Finally, does anybody else wonder about these and other things? There is just so much that I do not understand. I guess the world is just passing me by.

Happy New Year.
Ron Scarbro, December 27, 2011

TWAS THE TIME BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Twas the time before Christmas and all through the House
The Reps and the Dems continued to grouse
There seemed to be nothing of which one could see
Where any of them could ever agree

The economy and budget were in disarray
With taxes and debt too heavy to weigh
Elections were coming too soon to forget
So they must look good lest they regret

That if one party exceeds and the other one fails
The voters might see to it that their ship sails
The country it seems is not high on their list
Re-election they think is all that they risk

When out in the country there arose such a shout
Get your job done or all of you are out
We tire of your nonsense and your silly games
Santa is too and has taken your names

From the top of the hills to the valleys below
The people have seen and are all in the know
It’s the country that counts so it’s not about you
I think you’ll be hearing it and you know it is true

Don’t be surprised if next Christmas you see
Unemployment checks in your stocking I hope you’ll agree
The people will speak and on this they’ll be clear
A very Merry Christmas to us all and a Happier New Year

There are so many things I could write about this Christmas week. My wife has scolded me and told me that I should just once lay it all aside to concentrate instead on the season. Among the many things that have upset me and I am angry about is the Keystone pipeline project and the failure of the Obama administration to think of the country first and put politics on the back burner until we experience some recovery. Next week I’ll write my thoughts about this little fiasco and what it means to this country.

But this is Christmas week and I know my wife is right. I want to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all of you who regularly read these musings and to the many of you who offer your comments. I get great pleasure from doing the writing. It is a reward in itself. It gets even better when I know you read and enjoy these thoughts. Linda and I wish for you all a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. I believe it is going to be great.

Ron Scarbro Christmas 2011

THE GOVERNMENT WE CHOSE

We have the government we have chosen. We, through our elections, have put into place the people who make the laws and set the policies that govern our society. That’s funny because I recently saw a poll which stated that over 75% of the respondents believe we, as a country, are headed in the wrong direction. Is this “buyer’s remorse?” The voters of this country elected Obama and Reid and Pelosi along with all the others and this is what we get. I believe we deserve what we get. After all we voted for it.

You have all heard the definition of insanity. That is when you continue to do what you have always done but expect a different result. That cannot happen. That is insanity.

Now President Obama says he needs four more years to complete his task and that the voters should re-elect him. That would be insanity. It is clear to me that four more years of Obama would probably be enough time for him to complete his vision of destroying America as we know it and replacing it with some sort of socialist European type country. If the voters in fact re-elect this incompetent to four more years, we deserve the destruction that will surely follow.

And so I ask the question, “Are you satisfied with the direction we, as a country, are headed? Are you among the 75% who said no?” If you are not satisfied, what are you willing to do about it?

I have heard some on the left say that the Republicans are hampering their attempts to change this country into the welfare state that they envision. I so hope that is true. I have children and grandchildren to consider. I want a world for them that in some way resembles the world I entered as a young man. One has only to look across the pond to see Greece, or Spain, or for that matter most of the European Socialist countries and see the trouble they are in. That, ladies and gentlemen, is our future unless we turn this ship of state around. Is that the future you want for your children and your grandchildren?

I watch in stunned amazement as the media and the Democrat party team up in an effort to destroy all that is good about America. Good people, many of whom are Democrats but also many Republicans, seem to park their brains at the door when they get to Washington. For reasons I cannot explain they fall into the pattern of spending money we do not have to buy things we do not need for people who are too lazy to care for themselves, and in the process weakening our military and lowering America’s position of influence in the world. It needs to stop now. Responsible people must get off their duffs and get busy electing the people who will bring this nonsense to an end.

In another poll I read that 42% of respondents believed Obama deserves another term as President. That group must approve of the fact that the stock market is in the toilet, unemployment is anywhere between 9 and 11% depending on whom you believe, real estate values are the lowest they have been in decades with foreclosures going through the roof, America’s debt is the highest it has ever been, and across the board there seems to be a general malaise about our lives. Is that what America is all about? I don’t think so.

We do have the government we have chosen. We are headed in the direction we have chosen. If, like me, you are unhappy with that direction, help change it. I remember an exercise I used to do in typing class, “Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country.” That says it all.

Ron Scarbro December 13, 2011

CHRISTMAS IS A CHRISTIAN HOLIDAY

Governor Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island refuses to call the beautifully decorated spruce tree in the State Capitol a Christmas tree. Even though it came from a Christmas tree farm, he chooses instead to call it a holiday tree. My question of Chafee would be, “Which holiday is it? What holiday has, as one of its traditional symbols, a lighted, brightly decorated fir tree?” It would appear that in an effort not to offend a scant 1 or 2 % of the population whose life’s mission it is to be offended, he chooses rather to offend the other 80 to 90% of the citizenry.

News flash. Christmas is a Christian holiday. It is not a Jewish holiday. It is not a Muslim holiday. It is not an atheist holiday. Christmas, however, is observed all over the world in all countries with all faiths. Some observe Christmas as a religious time. Others do not. How one chooses to observe Christmas is their business.  How you choose to celebrate Christmas doesn’t alter what Christmas is however. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and no amount of political correctness will change that.

Here is what concerns me. The PC police seem to find this as a time to spew their nonsense and try to interfere with the vast majority’s celebration. School districts all over this country are issuing new rules about what is proper and what is improper to say about this holiday. It seems they don’t want to upset non-Christians by calling this holiday by its proper name. Many retailers who use this season to fatten up their bottom lines require of their employees all sorts of PC greetings so as not to offend the atheists or the Muslims or even the occasional Jew. If you choose to do business with such a retailer, that is your choice. I will not. I met a Jewish lady once who was offended when I said Merry Christmas to her. How sad. I suspect she was one of the 2% whose life mission it is to be offended.  

Here’s something to think about. Christians make up as much as 80% of our population. The total numbers of Muslims, Atheists, and Jews together represent far less than 10% of our population. In this country they all have the right to any religion they choose. I promise I will not try to interfere with any celebration they might be involved with or be offended by any greeting which might be construed as a religious greeting. Muslims can have their month long fasting period of Ramadan and dedicate five periods each day to prayer. That is certainly their choice and their right. All I ask in return is they all be a bit more tolerant of my religion and my religious holidays.

Finally, it occurs to me that those who would deny God, to their dismay, will discover soon enough their folly. You see, life is a terminal condition for us all. In the meantime I would not want to be standing anywhere near Lincoln Chafee during a thunderstorm.

Ron Scarbro December 4, 2011

BUDGETS AND DEFICITS

Unless you are a sitting Member of Congress or a former Member of Congress, you did not create the current deficit or the budget problems so they are not your fault. If you are a senior citizen drawing your benefits, you did not cause the shortfall in the Social Security fund. That also is not your fault. The “Super Committee.” What a joke. This was doomed from the beginning. The reason for all our budget and deficit problems is simple. Members of Congress care far more about re-election than they ever cared about the American people and everything they do is directed toward that end. The reason we have a budget deficit is because Congresses past and present have developed hair-brained vote buying schemes with no regard to the ultimate requirement of paying for them. When their excesses are played out and their business unfriendly regulations upset normal business cycles, tragedy is bound to occur. That is where we are right now.

While it is true I am not an economics genius, common sense says there are right ways and wrong ways to approach this mess. The idea that we can increase taxes to create a recovery is ridiculous. Taxes are regressive not progressive. Taking money from productive citizens to give to unproductive citizens is absurd on its face. Consider this example of a baker. Let’s say he can take flour and sugar and make donuts. He can then sell those donuts to create profit. If he is successful he will hire employees who will also be consumers in the marketplace. His income is taxable as is the income of his employees. If the government decides to increase the baker’s taxes to a point where he cannot continue to hire or even has to reduce his staff, how on earth does that help with the deficit? If he does not make donuts he makes no profit thereby reducing his tax payments. If he lays off employees, they pay no tax and become dependents on the government. If he does not retail his product, sales taxes are not collected. Cities and counties are then left without necessary revenues. If he doesn’t buy flour and sugar the farmer’s income suffers. Is this so difficult for the morons in Washington to figure out?

The government doesn’t produce anything but laws and regulations. They do not create profit. They do not make donuts. They only stifle productive people and hamper growth. Are we going to have to face bankruptcy as a country before the geniuses in Washington figure this out? I have written before that for us to recover, government has to get out of the way. No good citizen of this great country would ever refuse to pay reasonable taxes for reasonable services. We know we must finance our military and our infra-structure. But things have certainly gotten out of hand. Now we must face some facts. We have over spent and over promised. The time has come to deal with our issues.

I find it amazing that we can send millions and millions of dollars overseas while here at home our senior citizens and veterans basically have to beg for the benefits they bought and paid for in good faith. I will never excuse the Congresses who raided the Social Security fund to buy votes. These benefits are legal debts which the government owes and as such are inviolate.

So here’s the deal. The only recovery that is possible will occur when business is allowed to grow without interference from government. You want to see the economy improve, reduce corporate taxes. In fact reduce taxes across the board. Encourage investment and entrepreneurship. Allow those businesses who are holding vast sums of money in foreign countries to return that money to this country without penalty. Change the attitude in Washington to a positive one. Quit doing battle with business and Wall Street. Stop all this class envy and class warfare. We are one people and the only way out of this mess is all of us working together to that end. Today I wouldn’t mind if every single Member of Congress was replaced. I especially look forward to the unemployment of Barak Obama. We, as a country, are better than this and we need a true leader who knows and loves this country. Time is running out.

Ron Scarbro November 29, 2011

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2011

Today our Thanksgiving table will be set with our traditional meal. I would call it a feast. There will be a turkey and it will be stuffed with cornbread stuffing. I will once again make too much stuffing and so I will place the extra in a baking dish and bake it along with the turkey and it will be called dressing. When the turkey is done, Linda will make gravy to cover the meat, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. Some people might call it sauce, but people from the south call it gravy. I will prepare fresh green beans with bacon and bacon grease. You should be aware that in the south bacon grease is a condiment. Most, if not all, vegetables are cooked in bacon grease. There will also be sweet potatoes baked with pecans and brown sugar that will more resemble a dessert than a vegetable. Dinner rolls will accompany the meal for sopping. That again is a southern term for gathering up any remaining gravy on your plate. Sopping is a very definitive word. And speaking of dessert, Linda will have made two pies. First a pecan pie. Southerners might recognize this as “Karo Nut Pie,” but the common name is pecan pie. Of course the other pie is pumpkin pie. You know pumpkin is a squash so you could say this is a vegetable too?

That is our traditional meal. There will be no tofu or tofurky anywhere near our home. In other words no soy beans will be harmed in the preparation of this meal. We will have the same meal whether we have a house full of people or just the two of us. Why, you ask? The reasons are simple. First it is our tradition. Secondly, the food and the smells coming from the kitchen remind us of our lives together, our families, and in some respects our childhoods. Finally the meal is delicious. What more needs to be said?

I know different people have different traditions. I think those mostly come from their childhoods. I know of some folks from Central America who prepare and serve tamales for Thanksgiving. There are those from The Middle East who serve lamb. I think all such choices are great.

Speaking of tofu, something else came up to discuss at this holiday season. Last week on the news was a story about PETA trying to sue a city in America named Turkey to change their name to Tofu. If ever an organization did more to make themselves irrelevant and foolish looking, I don’t know who it could be. And speaking of vegans and vegetarians, I once had a vegan nurse tell me that I shouldn’t eat anything with a face or a mother. I asked if I could eat oysters and clams. She couldn’t answer the question. So I guess I can.

Also I once saw a TV show starring Charlie Chase called Crook and Chase. Charlie was offered a veggie burger and asked what he thought. He replied that it was actually pretty good. All it needed was a little mayonnaise and some meat. That’s pretty much how I would feel. If you choose only to eat vegetables, be my guest. If you want to go out and graze in the meadow with the cows, have at it. As soon as those cows are fattened up, I will be happy to butcher them, eat and enjoy their meat. To me PETA stands for “People Eating Tasty Animals.” I fear vegetarianism has become a political statement rather than a food choice. Have you ever heard of a vegan conservative Republican? Me either. Whatever.

Today Linda and I wish you and your families a Happy Thanksgiving with all the traditions you enjoy. If you have the luxury of a house full of relatives and friends, good for you. Regardless of how you celebrate this holiday may your day be blessed beyond your dreams.

Ron Scarbro Thanksgiving 2011

THE CAT AND THE MOUSE

The cat killed and ate the mouse. That seems simple enough. This essay will attempt to take this simple statement and report it to the public from the standpoint of the left, the elite media, and the right, Fox News and talk radio. As seems to be the case in events like this, no verification of the actual killing and subsequent eating were ever pursued. The story was just made available to the media by anonymous sources.

Information has reached the newsroom of a recent tragedy. A mouse, from all indications an innocent victim, was reportedly killed and then eaten by a mighty, overweight, and cunning predator. The mouse, in an effort to feed his hungry family and provide a better life for them, broke into the home of a wealthy Wall Street banker. Whether or not the break in was legal is unimportant. What is important is the mouse was hungry and the mouse was only eating the scraps of food the rich home owners and their cat would not eat. Upon discovery, the innocent victim mouse was then pounced upon by the stronger and better equipped cat, dispatched, and then eaten by the greedy predator. It is clear to this reporter that if the cat had been cared for by his wealthy owner and fed properly this tragedy would and could have been averted. Instead another innocent victim, one who could have possibly at some time become a contributing member of rodent society, has forever been removed just to satisfy the lust and greed of the fat cat. The wealthy owner, when asked to comment, said only that cats do what cats do and I am grateful the mouse has been removed from my house. Grateful? Really? Grateful? We here in the newsroom are saddened by this tragic event.

So much for the left wing media. Now for the other side.

Information has reached the newsroom of yet another illegal breaking and entering and its justifiable results. Unknown sources have reported to us that a mouse, by all indications an illegal alien, has attempted to subvert the American system and steal the resources of a hard working family and their beloved pet. This illegal mouse was spotted by the resourceful and diligent cat who did what he was supposed to do. He defended his domicile and was further rewarded by a tasty morsel of food. To those who attempt to defend this mouse it should be noted that he was not only representing himself but he was attempting to find a new home for his entire family.  And, by the way, he had not just one family but many, many families and none by benefit of marriage. It’s reported that he has sired as many as fifty or more offspring and all of them are now attempting to continue in their father’s illegal footsteps.

The cat’s proud owner, a local businessman currently employed by a family owned and operated, neighborhood-friendly bank, was justifiably ecstatic at his pet’s ingenuity, patriotism, and entrepreneurship. His comment, “If we had more capable, energetic, and aggressive cats, this would be a better place to live. Vermin everywhere should take notice. We will not put up with your illegal activities.” Republican candidates for President, when asked for their reactions, all called for a special commendation for the heroic cat. We here in the newsroom all add our congratulations to the owner and his fine cat. Our future is indeed brighter because of this tremendous act and it gives us all  renewed hope for America.

The story was that a cat killed and ate a mouse and I have taken certain liberties with this essay. You and I know it is silliness, but at the same time there is some truth here that needs to be discussed. It is incumbent on all of us to be very careful with what is reported as news and to remember to cull out what is obviously opinion and agenda from both sides of issues. I long for a time when news will just be reported and I will be allowed to come to my own conclusions and form my own opinions. I can hope, can’t I?

Ron Scarbro November 16, 2011