FOOD FOR THOUGHT

I never cease to be amazed at the audacity of people who choose to believe that they have the right to say and do anything in defense of their positions, but that others should lie down, be quiet and abide by the will of others. Such is the State of our country and it is not a good State.

A PROPER RESPONSE TO ANOTHER INCOMPETENT BUREAUCRAT

 

Ms. Cindy Williams, Assistant Director for Natrional Security in the Congressional Budget office. wrote a piece for the Washington Times, denouncing the pay raise(s) coming service members' way this year. She stated that the 13% wage increase was more than they deserve.

A young airman from Hill AFB responds to her article below. He ought to get a bonus for  this.


"Ms Williams: I just had the pleasure of reading your column, "Our GIs earn enough" and I am a bit confused. Frankly, I'm wondering where this vaunted overpayment is going, because as far as I can tell, it disappears every month between DFAS (The Defense Finance and Accounting Service) and my bank account.   Checking my latest earnings statement I see that I make $1,117.80 before taxes per month. After taxes, I take home $874.20. When I run that through the calculator, I come up with an annual salary of $13,413.60 before taxes, and  $10,490.40, after.

I work in the Air Force Network Control Center where I am part of the team responsible for a 5,000 host computer network. I am involved with infrastructure segments, specifically with Cisco Systems equipment. A quick check under jobs for Network Technicians in the Washington, D.C. area reveals a position in my career field, requiring three years experience with my job.   Amazingly, this job does NOT pay  $13,413.60 a year. No, this job is being offered at $70,000 to $80,000 per  annum........... I'm sure you can draw the obvious conclusions.

Given the tenor of your column, I would assume that you NEVER had the pleasure of serving your country in her armed forces. Before you take it upon yourself to once more castigate congressional and DOD leadership for attempting to get the families in the military's lowest pay brackets off of WIC and food stamps, I suggest that you join a group of deploying soldiers headed for AFGHANISTAN; I leave the choice of service branch up to you. Whatever choice you make, though, opt for the SIX month rotation: it will  guarantee you the longest possible time away from your family and friends, thus giving you full "deployment experience."

As your group prepares to board the plane, make sure to note the spouses and children who are saying good-bye to their loved ones. Also take care to note that several families are still unsure of how they'll be able to make ends meet while the primary breadwinner is gone - obviously they've been squandering the "vast" piles of cash the government has been giving  them.

Try to deploy over a major holiday; Christmas and Thanksgiving  are perennial favorites. And when you're actually over there, sitting in a foxhole, shivering against the cold desert night; and the flight sergeant tells you that there aren't enough people on shift to relieve you for chow, remember this: trade whatever MRE  (meal-ready- to-eat) you manage to get for the tuna noodle casserole or cheese tortellini, and add Tabasco to everything. This gives some flavor.

Talk to your loved ones as often as you are permitted; it won't nearly be long enough or often enough, but take what you can get and be thankful for it.  You may have picked up on the fact that I disagree with most of the points you present in your opened piece.

But, tomorrow  from KABUL , I will defend to the death your  right to say it.

You see, I am  an American fighting man, a guarantor of your  First Amendment rights and every other right you  cherish. On a daily basis, my brother and sister  soldiers worldwide ensure that you and people  like you can thumb your collective nose at us,  all on a salary that is nothing short of pitiful  and under conditions that would make most people  cringe.  We hemorrhage our best and   brightest into the private sector because  we can't offer the stability and pay of civilian  companies.

And you, Ms. Williams, have the gall to say that we make more than we deserve? You can kiss my royal red a**!!!  

A1C Michael  Bragg Hill AFB AFNCC

IF YOU AGREE, PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN FIGHTING MEN AND WOMEN.  THANK YOU No comments:

TRIP ITINERARY AND E MAIL CONTACT

Ken and I depart for Wales, Ireland and Scotland Thursday, October 15.  We plan to keep you updated on our experiences and adventures with regular blogs posted to patsgazette.com and we will monitor mail sent to pat@patsgazette.com.  If you wish you can direct your e mails to us from patsgazette.com.   

 

We request that you do not send any forwarded messages of non essential information to pat@patsgazette.com.  All forwarded mail or FYI enlightenment of political ,entertainment or commentary on the state of incompetence posed by the public in general should be sent to: korpburns@att.net or burns-kenneth@att.net. We look forward to catching up with the realitys posed by those gems of nonsense when we return but we hope to be too busy enjoying the countryside and sights of the United Kingdom to deal with the lighter side of life while on the road. 

 

Keep us in your thoughts as we wander  through the castles and see the countryside of the United Kingdom with a view predominately from the left (at least from the road!)

 

p

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANOTHER LETTER TO MY REPRESENTATIVES IN WASHINGTON DC

I am one of those irrational people against health care reform as it is presently known. I believe in the views and support the people who appeared at town hall meetings all over the country during the summer. Those people expressed their opposition to the current health care bill and their general distrust and discontent with their political representatives. In my opinion, they reflected the majority views of my age group and my sphere of friends. They were not remotely “turf”. They were frustrated individuals who want their representatives to listen to us to our views and act with wisdom and concern. They expressed my feelings and reflected my personal negative views on health care, the energy tax, tarp and the state of incompetence that you and your fellow representatives have practiced to date. We are fed up, frustrated and unable to stand quietly by while the current administration and its followers put nail after nail into the coffin of my beloved country.

I am a disgruntled constituent. I cannot believe that our elected representatives are voting on and passing legislation that they have neither read or understand. That absolutely “blows my mind”. Any politician who votes for a bill that they have not personally read and understand should be removed from office. We, the American people have an obligation to let you know that the current level of accrued debt and the out of control spending must be stopped. We cannot afford the bills that are being submitted, approved and passed. We are broke!!! My opposition has nothing to do with race, right wing extremism or whatever symbolic language that your latest focus group might label me. I believe that the current opposition is based on different visions, beliefs and commitments. It is time you listened to the other side and heard our plea. The opposition is not right on all matters. Neither are you!! I can assure you that I can hardly wait for next year’s elections because change is needed and badly in both parties.

I continue to hear that the opponents have no plan. I happen to like many of the amendments that the opposition has put forth and that have been rejected by the majority party. My major concerns for health care are as follows:

1. Let’s fix what is broken in our health care and gradually implement changes that will make a difference.
2. Whatever plan is ultimately agreed upon, it should also apply to every government worker, member of Congress and the vast governmental bureaucracy. If it isn’t good enough for the government, it isn’t good enough for our citizens.
3. All bills should be posted on the internet at least 72 hours before a vote is conducted;
4. No government plan. I believe firmly that once the government gets involved business will “opt out” of health care as a benefit. No matter what assurances you or the president or anyone in the government gives me, I believe this will happen;

These are but a few of my health care considerations, but I will not bore you with a detailed account because I am “worldly” enough to realize that you really don’t give a dam and that it is a hopeless effort on my part. I have written this only because I think I need to be on record, not that I think it will be read by the addressee in spite of what I expect will be your regular canned chain response with “focus group” phrases.

THE STATE OF OUR HYPROCRISY

Where is our honesty? Is there no commitment to justice or fairness? We give lip service to being a country run by the “rule of law”. This week, in an area where our forefathers fought for the principles of democracy and freedom, the political process stretched this premise to the limit. The State of Massachusetts passed a provision that permitted a sitting Governor to appoint a temporary Senator to replace the late Senator Ted Kennedy. This law was passed to directly contradict a law passed to deny a sitting Governor of an opposing political party that same right. When our politicians “stoop” deliberately and in full public view to act in this manner in open disregard for fairness and the people look on in approval why should ordinary American citizens take to seriously the “rule of law”? Have we no shame?

HEALTH CARE

 

A lot is being said about the necessity to pass health care now.  It seems to me that the most important thing is to get it right and rushing through a long drawn out version of legal nonsense that no one understands (including the authors) is a terrible disservice to the American people.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH DEBATE?

When I was a child our family gatherings were opportunities for family discussions and vigorous debates. After a family noon day meal,shared in close family unity, the conversation would turn from family orientation and family topics of mutual interest to politics and issues of the day. These discussions would be healthy, heated and varied. My older brothers and sisters disagreed on many issues not only among themselves but with my father, whose political positions were strong and well known to family, friends and enemies alike. The debates were lively. Though these discussions would not see the “light of day” in the halls of Congress or in any arena of decision making consequence, it helped everyone formulate their position, reaffirm or question his or her own belief and prepared them for the decisions that they would make at the ballot box. Most of all, we learned to respect that differences of opinion provides the roots to the freedoms that makes our country special. We learned at a young age to question, analyze and by doing so, we learned to make decisions based on merit as we saw it.

I am shocked that the Democratic left and the news media cannot and does not encourage this kind of expression of ideas. Oh, they might say that they certainly encourage family debate -- but what about public debate with their elected officials? That anyone should think that one man or one parties proposed solution should be above analysis and disagreement is beyond my comprehension. Yet that seems to me to be the message forthcoming from our President and his Administration. Although I am very concerned about the socialization of America that seems to be the intent of many of the ideas coming from the current administration, I am more afraid of the failure to accept debate as a necessary American reaction to political ideas. Further, the seeming lack of appreciation by the news media for the simple thought process of our citizens who disagree with the President and the administration is to me simply traumatic. Where is the basic root expression that our journalists and news media are supposed to research and dispense?

What has happened to our country when the President of the United States condemns disagreement and wants to stifle debate? When the President himself attacks a news media that dares express debate about current events, should we not be up in arms? I am shocked that every newsperson in our country is not concerned and condemning the President and his political cronies. Few are doing so and those who do, are condemned by Pelosi, Reed, Obama and their Democratic comrades who were elected to serve the citizens of our great country.

America – it is time we all woke up and recognized that the change that you thought you were getting is not change at all, it is a war on our American principles and the American dream. My mother, father and siblings have all passed away. They were life long Democrats and they surely must be turning over in their grave as the very spirit of our country has turned from one of individual responsibility to unearned dependence”. The party in whom my family placed their loyalty now empowers dependence on the Government and the principles and values that I learned at those family gatherings so long ago, are no longer applicable. I think that they, as religious, dedicated believers, would also be disappointed to know that their faith is under attack as well.

We need to wake up!!! We need to make our voices heard!!! And we need to just say NO to Obama’s plan to further burden us with his plan for a socialized America. And – in case you are wondering – I am not beholden to any lobbyist, insurance company or political party in any way. I am just a freedom loving American citizen who is scared for the plight of my country.

MR PRESIDENT ARE YOU MISGUIDED OR BIASED?

Mr. President you misspoke regarding the Cambridge incident and you should apologize to Sgt. Crowley, the American people and all reputable police organizations. You involved yourself in this matter and now you are accusing the news media of obsession with your remarks. They are doing their job. They are covering your friend's claim of racial profiling and you wrongly chose to get involved, without knowing the facts.

Would you want the police and/or the news media to avoid covering an incident that reflected true racial profiling? Once again, Mr. President, you are trying to control the news media. You have put your loyalty to a friend above your elected position. This is wrong. Mr. President you violated the trust of the American people. Your comments were not Presidential. Further they could even be called "stupid" a phrase that I believe you can appreciate.

AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA

AND THOSE IN WHOM WE HAVE PUT OUR TRUST
EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON?

Mr. President and Congressional Representatives: A mammoth budget breaking stimulus bill was passed earlier this year. Many of you admitted that you did not read the bill before you voted on it. The “Cap and Trade” bill, now languishing in the Senate, was similarly rushed through the House without proper review or analysis. Now Mr. President, you are demanding that Congress pass a health care bill by a date certain. Again, you are sitting the stage for passage of bills that have not been read, debated or properly vetted by the American citizens. In short, you are engaged in an effort to dupe the American public by keeping them unaware and uninformed of what is within the bills that are being passed by Congress and that you are signing into law. I feel like I am being “sold down the river” by you and those who are supporting your agenda, Democrat or Republican.

Mr. President you were elected on a platform for change. Change should herald improvement and progress. It needs to be debated openly, reviewed with due diligence, implemented with care and understood by those who must pay the bill. Its impact and cost must be justified. This is not happening. So far your programs not only seem ineffective in their overall provisions but they are a burden to our already crisis ridden economy and will burden our children for more than a lifetime. In my view, your vision and that of your Democratic controlled Congress is flawed and jeopardizes our freedom, independence and ability to engage in American ingenuity. Personally, I feel that I am surrounded by an incompetent and defunct political system that is supposed to protect my country and serve the best interests of all our citizens.

I wish to be on record as opposing passage of the “cap and trade” bill. Further, I am opposed to any health care program that has not been read by every person who votes on the bill and that has not had proper debate, analysis and review by those who would vote on it and the citizens who will pay for it. Mr. President, if education is so important to you, it is time you and our elected officials let the American people practice their reading skills. This seems to me to be “elementary” Mr. President.

I also believe that the final health care program and its provisions should apply to all members of the government and its hierarchy without prejudice. In short, whatever program that is available to you and all who serve in a government capacity, should be the same program that you and Congress has developed for me and my fellow citizens. . Only then will I feel that I may be getting a “fair shake” in the reorganization of our health care system. At least, I will feel that I am an equal.

In closing, I wish to advise you that I am fed up with your socialistic agenda. Further I sadly question your loyalty and that of the Democratic party to the America that I love. The country of your vision is not the country that my parents taught me to believe in. They and my family were life long Democrats. My heart cries out for them and that in which they believed.

GOVERNOR MARK SANFORD - HEEL EXTRAORDINAIRE

It is painful to watch our politicians fail so hopelessly. Governor Sanford comes to mind as the latest disappointment along with Senator John Ensign and before them, there have been a “slew” of politicians and people in high places who have fallen victims to what seems to be misplaced testosterone.

Let’s review. – Stories abound of the endless escapades of the Kennedys, starting with the patriarch, Joe, President John, Senator Bobby and last but not least, Senator Teddy. This was the family commonly thought to be highly endowed with liberal intellect on whose word we all clung shamelessly. In fact, they may have been a shade above the rest of us in charisma but common sense, principles, values and simple commitment were not well represented in their character. They all brought pain and suffering to their spouses.

Let us not forget the many rumors of “interests” by other persons of high repute i.e., Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower and who can forget the most notable of recent fame, Bill Clinton? Were there others? -- Certainly, notably Thomas Jefferson and wasn’t Benjamin Franklin accused of having a roving eye? Of course, no one can forget Prince Charles and his former paramour and now wife or the myriad of similar stories from other countries that abound. Unlike we Americans, many other countries throughout the World see the issues relating to illicit sex as nothing more than the “expected antics from an ‘old boys network’” that is alive and well. However, in addition to the recent tearful expressions of contrition by Senator Ensign and Governor Sanford, there is the prior conduct of fellow politicians such as Gary Hart, John Edwards, Elliott Spitzer, Larry Craig, Mark Foley, David Vitter to name those of fairly recent reporting As far as I can tell, the stories of adultery seem evenly distributed between Republicans and Democrats. I suppose that we can assume that simple stupidity and an over engaged sexual magnetism by deprived egos seeking satisfaction outside the parameters of accepted values is not limited to one party or another.

This is a long list of philanders, but I feel sure that these are just the “tip of the iceberg”. How many people have committed similar acts and seemingly “got away with it” or simply ended an existing relationship by means of divorce and moved on? In today’s world there is hardly a family that is the product of one marriage but increasingly, there is the current spouse, the ex spouse and sometimes several ex’s both male and female. There are his children, her children and their children. Who knows, maybe there are also the “unnamed children”? There are the spouses, mates, friends and “significant others”. What will we think of next? In fact, maybe we will embrace the mid east stereotype of several wives?

Unspoken for the most part, are the many examples of women who are guilty of the same acts of adultery as those herein outlined. In short, our society today is filled with unkept promises, unfaithfulness, lack of principle and no moral character. Increasingly in today’s society women are “opting out of marriages” on their own. Just a few years ago women were stuck in bad marriages and thought that they had no alternative to “making do” with what they had. Today, they are electing to end a “bad marriage” and are insisting that husbands share not only the responsibility for support but also share equally in the day to day events of child rearing. Good for them!!!

I was deeply impressed with Jenny Sanford’s response to her husband’s infidelity. She did not attempt hypocrisy by standing beside her husband while he made excuses for his “love story”. She rightly left him to turn in the heat from the “fire pit” that he, personally, had stoked.

His comments have served only to reassert the degree of his total selfishness and his lack of love or caring for his wife or the children he sired. He is a man who I would judge as having been on the receiving end of total unselfish and devoted love. A wife who gave up her career, abandoned her pivotal role in a life style of comfort and security, moved to South Carolina to be a wife, mother and political partner and who worked endlessly to help him achieve his ambitions. He has repaid her with his uncomplimentary remarks about his “love story” for another. In my judgment, this is not a love story. It is the height of selfishness and ego? If there is a love story here – it is not Mark Sanford’s. It is Jenny Sanford’s traditional commitment to her mate, family values, devotion to duty and belief in the potential and future of “her man” who, in the end, completely abandoned her in an act of selfish ego.

I hope that Jenny Sanford throws the beast out and accepts that the husband she loved and did everything for has fallen in love with another. In the process he handed his wife and his children the deepest humiliation that a husband and father can give those who unselfishly loved and trusted him. He discarded any symbolic expression that might otherwise have suggested that he ever was a responsible husband, father or person of family values. Only Mrs. Sanford can decide what is right for her and her children. In my opinion Mark Sanford should be put on the next ship to Argentina where he might live ever after with his paramour and write his great “love story”. It will undoubtedly be a mythical vision of an enlarged organ that briefly replaced his brain.

THERE OUGHTA BE A LAW!!!!

On Friday, long days of debate and clamor culminated in the passage of HR 2454 the “American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009” or the so called “cap-and-trade bill”. The bill passed the U. S. Congress by a vote of 219 to 212. Eight Republicans voted for this bill. One might say that the Republicans carried this bill to victory. Shame on them.

I personally wish to be on record as recommending that every one of the Republicans should be returned, unceremoniously, to their profession of choice in he private sector in the next election. Of course, the same fate should rightly be passed to the Democrats who voted for the bill but given the state of the Democratic mentality, who could ask for such insight?

Although I have strong personal views about this vote, my greatest concern is that the bill was 1,201 pages long with an amendment of 300 pages attached to it in the “wee” hours of Friday morning. It was said that there was only one copy of this bill available to be shared by the entire Congress. If this is true, that is a travesty!!! America – do you realize what is happening? We have elected representatives who are representing us without reading or even knowing the full facts of the legal repercussions to which they are subjecting us. How can, or why would, anyone vote on a bill that they have not read and do not fully understand the contents therein?

This is the 2nd bill in 2009 that has been passed by our “erstwhile?” politicians without proper review and analysis. In this administration, speed has become the bulwark from which everything is done. Why is that? -- Perhaps because discussion and analysis would reveal the truth and the truth might prohibit good people of sound mind from acting with proper oversight? We are fast becoming a 3rd World thought process. What happened to the Presidential Candidate whose pivotal platform espoused cleaning up government, getting rid of lobbyists and running a transparent government? We now know that change is – Bush to Obama – elephant to donkey. Everything else remains the same. Except now, the news media embraces a government that robs us of our freedom and heralds it as messianic. And -- the news media wonders why the American people no longer subscribe to the pulp?

Perhaps we should pass a law that requires every Congressman and/or Senator to sit through the reading of a bill before it is voted on in either the Senate and/or the House of Representatives. Further they should be required to attest that they understand the contents on which they have voted – maybe we should ask them to take a test to verify the degree of their understanding before they vote? During the reading of the bill, the television cameras and the radio microphones should be transmitting the contents of the bill to the American people so that we can also know the bills contents as well as how many of the politicians were listening and how many were sleeping. Now President Obama—that would be change!!!

Of course, I can hear the cry of foul and the hysteria that “nothing would get done” because these provisions would hold up the passing of new business. So be it. Perhaps this would motivate shorter, more concise legislation and just perhaps, we might get some honest, hard working representation.

America – let’s vote the whole gang out and get a new group who really care for America and care what happens to the people who pay the bill for the incompetence that currently represents us. Everyone should start looking around for people who are committed to your principles, share your values, believe in your future, have a vision for tomorrow and are committed to stopping waste, fraud and the socialization of America.

CALIFORNIA’S FISCAL CRISES

If a family has an emergency they do whatever they have to do to meet that emergency. If their personal ability to meet that emergency requires cutting back and/or amending their lifestyle, they do it. Why can’t California’s politicians and government in general get that very elementary message? And, is this the same government to which we want to give more and more power to run our lives?

California has over spent for years. Now, the coffers are dry. It is obvious that things have to change and some services that we believed critical and absolute, may suffer. That is the price that must be paid for our failure to apply fiscal constraints when life (and the coffers) was fluent.

Would the legislators and the Governor of California please take note and do what they must do to get the State rolling. Taxes are not the answer. Already people are considering how to get away from the over spending, over taxation and over socialization of this beautiful State. It is time that California developed sound principles of fiscal management. If not, we the citizens need to make some radical changes in our government hierarchy!!! We need action today. That action needs to be in the form of cutting everything but the essentials of government until we can get a sound fiscal policy that will permit us to operate within our means.

WHERE OH WHERE IS MY COUNTRY GOING?

My head reels from one disappointment to another as a result of the incompetence, ineptness and total disregard of American values by every politician in either the Federal, State or local governments. Does one have to be a crook, dishonest and totally without principle to be a politician? Frankly, it would seem so.

First, we have President O'bama who is obviously an intern trying to get his bearings on what it means to be President; Nancy Pelosi who was briefed by the CIA and totally missed the reason for the briefing -- then had the "gall" to say they lied to her; Diane Finestein supporting a bill that would enrich her husband's company through Governmental contracts and having the "gall" to deny that she knew it would benefit her husband; Chris Dodd, Barney Frank and the list goes on and on!

The above are reasons Democrats should be upset!!! The Republican list is just as bad with the latest John Ensign and Governor Sanford examples indicating just how low the Republican heirarchy has stooped.

Where do we go next people? We are indeed a country in trouble!!! Not only have we lost principle, logic, wisdom and family values -- we have lost responsibility, caring, love and commitment.

It is good to be old and know that one will not be around to reap the rewards of our stupidity!!!