Back from Vacation

Two weeks is a long time to try to avoid the news and keep away from all the blogs and news sources. I needed a break from the daily immersion in the nonsense into which our political system has evolved, thanks in large part to the main stream media (MSM) and their self-important spinning and censoring the news. By censoring, I mean the choices the MSM makes every day about what to report and what not to report. Their spins are obvious. I can listen to a speech or comment made by a politician or government official and then hear something quite different from the media's description of what I myself had just heard. Oh well. By the time they figure out what's going on, no one will be reading the newspapers or watching the news. I guess the MSM will have to be re-invented.

Some thoughts since I last posted:

(1) On Hillary - This week I heard on the radios that some people think Hillary is not acting enough like a woman, John Edwards is not acting enough like a man, and Barak Obama isn't black enough. Bizarre. However, it must have bothered the Hillary camp somewhat because they sent out their big gun Bill Clinton who defended Hill by saying that he didn't think she was acting like a man, just like a leader. Then two days later she shows up on CSPAN or someplace wearing a low-cut shirt and showing some cleavage (GASP!). I guess she set out to prove that she IS a woman after all. I question the timing. You rarely see her in anything the slightlest bit revealing. Her handlers choose her wardrobe very carefully and she has Hollywood's best and brightest to assist her presentations. I know, it is a bit catty of me to even mention this.

(2) On the immigration bill - Now is the time for Republicans and other concerned Americans to jump on the good ideas that abound concerning immigration, legal and illegal. First, secure the borders. Then enforce the laws that are on the books and that are being ignored. Deal with each part of the problem individually without an omnibus bill that is too comprehensive to pass. Don't let nothing get done at all. Make the presidential candidates deal with it, debate it and present their ideas.

(3) On Huffington Post, Penelope Trunk has an article titled "It Doesn't Matter that Journalists Misquote Everyone." In it she complains that she's tired of people saying that so-and-so has been misquoted. In her mind, one can misquote with wild abandon because no two people see the same thing the same way. Ok, if you're a fiction writer, I can go along with that. Reporters, however, have a different purpose. Whatever they may feel about it, reporters are supposed to stick to the "who, what, when, where, and how" of a story. Editorialists, or OP-ED writers as they are called now, have the leeway to present their own bird's eye view. She can forget the rationalization, in my opinion. No one should pay any attention to anything she writes from now on. 'Nuff said.

(4) "The Fancy Food Show hit New York last week, and we spotted a welcome trend amid the countless aisles of confections and high-end preserves: Cane sugar is making a comeback. Since the 1970s, high-fructose corn syrup has dominated the sweetener market—its low cost has made it difficult for manufacturers to resist. But ethanol has changed the equation, and customer demand has sparked a return to a classic." This is from a weekly online email from Ruth Reichl at Gourmet Magazine. What is it they say about the road to Hell? Paved with good intentions, I believe. All those ethanol instead of oil pushers who complain about $3/gallon gasoline are going to be complaining about $3/can of corn soon. And anything else that will be used for ethanol. Carrots, $3 each. Looking for green peppers? Sorry, that field is growing corn now. Hamburger? $3 each at McDonalds. Cow's have to be fed and pastures are growing corn for ethanol. Sorry.

Let's just drill for oil, off-shore, on-shore, Arctic, Texas, wherever. Stop feeding the sheiks and start feeding the United States cheaper corn. If we don't, food prices will soar. Maybe that will solve the obesity problem, at least.

A Victory for the American People

After hundreds of thousands, probably millions, of phone calls, faxes, and emails to the Senate offices, the powers that be heard the protest that stretched across party lines and closed off any consideration of the Senate bill 1639. The final tally on the closure vote was 46 to 53, 14 short of the 60 needed "Yea" votes. It was even 5 short of a simple majority. I sent a heartfelt "Thank You" to those senators who voted "Nay" today.

When Congress and the President decide to enforce the current immigration laws, secure our borders, and prevent the wholesale looting of our social systems by illegal immigrants and their familial "chain" to follow, then they can once again address the other pressing problems such as:

1. How to deal with the current illegal immigrant population
2. How to streamline immigration requirements for both skilled and unskilled workers
3. Whether or not granting amnesty to illegals is fair to those who aspire to legal immigration and citizenship
4. How to justify to US citizens the continued granting of free medical care to illegal immigrants, free education to their
children, and other costly social services and privileges
5. How to further seal off the Mexican and Canadian borders to prevent the entrance of terrorists and other criminals
6. How to encourage the assimilation of immigrants, including learning the English language.

I have faith that these issues can be dealt with by reasonable leaders of our country and that solutions that are more fair to our citizens can be found. The inclusion in our society of legal immigrants can continue to make our country strong, vibrant and secure. The priority, however, should be for the citizens of the United States, not for the citizens of other countries who do not wish to follow the legal avenues available for those who wish to share in the American Dream. We welcome those who demonstrate their willingness to follow our laws by adhering to those that currently control immigration.

Letter to Sen. Lott

Dear Senator Lott,

Although not a Mississippi resident, I respect your long service to our country and wanted to contact you regarding your stand on the current discussion on immigration reforms. I was disappointed in your statements regarding talk radio being a problem. I assume your remarks were made hastily and upon reflection you will issue an apology to talk radio hosts and listeners who have the best interests of the Unites States at heart and believe in their right to exercise their free speech on the airwaves. Your comment smacks of a desire to curb their influence on the current political situation regarding immigration. I feel that an informed electorate with pros and cons of each issue freely discussed in an open marketplace is a valuable contribution to the continuation of our democratic republic. I am sure that in your heart of hearts you feel the same way as I. Please let the American people know that this is true.

Also consider the gross unfairness of the current immigration bill about to be reopened for debate next week. This bill is unfair to those who are complying with current laws and facing long waits, financial hardships, just to enter the US legally. It is also unfair to American citizens who, looking ahead to the possibility of few if any social security funds, medicare funds, education funds, etc., to be told that these dwindling resources will be bestowed on illegal immigrants and their family members. It is unfair to the border guards who try to enforce the law and have the knowlege that in the future and very illegals they are trying to prevent from entering the US will be legalized. How demoralizing for them!

The American people are smart enough to recognize what a shoddy scheme this bill is, pure pandering to minorities, an unfair proposal to those obeying the current laws, and a drain on resources supplied by hard working legal Americans.

Stop this bill in its tracks. Enforce current laws first and take more time to develop workable, fair solutions to the situation at hand.

This is especially important when considering the needs of national security in this time of Islamic terror plans.

Thank you for your time.

Sloan