They’d rather give away your money
It seems to be do as I say, not as I do. Or, I know better than you.
Many of our elected liberal elite would rather give away your money than their own as evidenced by their (un)charitable giving. While I cannot fault a person for what he gives or doesn't give to help out those in need, this sheds a light on a tenet of the left: it is the government's job to spend your money because you can't be trusted to do it right.
In 1999, then President Bill Clinton responded when asked about cutting taxes in wake of a surplus: "We could give it all back to you and hope you spend it right."
So let's see how some folks are spending their own money:
- According to USAToday, Vicepresident Joe Biden and his wife averaged just $369 per year in charitable giving over the last decade. Each year they gave between 0.1% and 0.3% of their income to charity. Note the decimal point – that is less than 1/2 a percent.
- Joe Biden's boss, President Barack Obama hasn't done much better.In teh years 200, 2001, 2002 he managed to give less than one percent of his income to charity and in 2003 and 2004 he upped it 1.4% and 1.2%, repectively.
- In 1997, Vice president Al Gore gave $353 ($.97 per day) to charity from income of $197,729. He paid $4,500 for preparation of his 30-page tax return, surely taking advantage of as many loopholes as possible.
- Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Secretary of State Clinton, made over $109 million over the last eight years and donated a hefty $10.2 million to charity. However, most of that went to the Clinton Family Foundation. Bill Clinton serves as the foundtion's president, Hillary Clinton as secretary-treasurer, and Chelsea Clinton as a director. The foundation was often used for what would appear to be political gains. During the Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, she appeared at news conference in South Carolina to announce the foundation was giving $100,000 to a library. This, the day after a debate held leading up to South Carolina's primary. The foundation gave $25,000 to a library bearing the name of former Democratic presidential nominee George McGovern, before he endorsed Hillary Clinton for president.
Then there are issues like Obama's choice for Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner. Mr. Geithner failed to pay payroll taxes until immediately before he was nominated to lead the department that includes the IRS. Mr. Geithner was notified several times in writing and acknowledged he would need to pay the taxes, but failed to do so.
Who knows what is best for you and me? Not these folks!
Wonderful
It is the simple things that bring me great joy.
At the top of my earthly list is my family. Nothing is greater than the unconditional love received from a child. No matter how bad my day has been, just seeing their faces and the excitement they have after being away all day is something that cannot be replaced.
They see the world with wonderment and awe: amazed that God would think of creating something as great as a tree. "Birds get to live there." "They keep me cool when it's hot." "We can build a fort." "They make pretty leaves.
I drop my 4 year old son of at school and he runs in excited to great his friends, but as I turn to leave, he comes running back to me to give me a goodbye kiss and tell me to have a great day. I stop a the store on my way to work and the clerk tells me to have a nice day. The difference between the two is that with my son you can tell he actually means it.
For kids, what you can do is more important that what you can't do and giving a piggy back ride is probably one of the best things you can do.
Even when things may make it seem as though it's not, life is wonderful.
Dr. King’s Dream
If any part of Dr. King's dream is to be truely realized in Barack Oabama, then Mr. Obama's position as the first black President should be nothing more than a historical footnote in his presidency.
People are different and our differences make America unique, but it must be our commonalities that bring us together. I do not agree with most of the policies of Mr. Obama (it's hard to say for sure because the word of the presidential candidate often did not reflect the past deeds of the Senator), but I sincerely hope he is successful. We need him to be successful.
Next Step – 2010 Elections
Now that the Republicans have suffered a second consecutive election beating, it is time to right the ship.
In 2010, there will be 34 Senate seats up for election. Republican Sam Brownback of Kansas has already stated that he will not seek reelection. There has not been a Democrat Senator from Kansas since 1932, but the Republicans will need to find a strong candidate beacuase Dem. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius will pobably run for Brownback's seat.
The other 33 seats:
- Blanch Lincoln (D) – Arkansas
- Barbara Boxer (D) – California
- Ken Salazar (D) – Colorado
- Chris Dodd (D) – Connecticut
- Daniel Inouye (D) – Hawaii
- Obama's Appointed Replacement (D) – Illinois
- Evan Bayh (D) – Indiana
- Barbara Mikulski (D) – Maryland
- Harry Reid (D) – Nevada
- Chuck Schumer (D) – New York
- Byron Dorgan (D) – North Dakota
- Ron Wyden (D) – Oregon
- Patrick Leahy (D) – Vermont
- Patty Murray (D) – Washington
- Russ Feingold (D) – Wisconsin
- Richard Shelby (R) – Alabama
- Lisa Murkowski (R) – Alaska
- John McCain (R) – Arizona
- Mel Martinez (R) – Florida
- Johnny Isakson (R) – Georgia
- Mike Crupo (R) – Idaho
- Chuck Grassley (R) – Iowa
- Jim Bunning (R) – Kentucky
- David Vitter (R) – Louisiana
- Kit Bond (R) – Missouri
- Judd Gregg (R) – New Hampshire
- Richard Burr (R) – North Carolina
- George Voinovich (R) – Ohio
- Tim Coburn (R) – Oklahoma
- Arlen Specter (R) – Pennsylvania
- Jim DeMint (R) – South Carolina
- John Thune (R) – South Dakota
- Bob Bennett (R) – Utah
There are also the issues of Alaska and Delware.
In Alaska it looks like Ted Stevens has been reelected, but he was also recently convicted of federal felonies for failing to report gifts on Senate disclosure forms. If his conviction is not overturned on appeal, he is most likely to be expelled by more than the required 2/3 vote in the Senate. That means that Gov. Palin would appoint a replacement and a special election held in 2010. Would Gov. Palin run for the seat?
In Deleware, Joe Biden was elected twice in one day: once as VP and once as Senator. Since he can't do both, he will have to resign his newly reelected Senate seat. Word is he is pushing hard for his son to be appointed to the seat. There would then be a special election in 2010 for the remaining four years of the term.
Plus, a lot can happen in two years to add to this list. I am going to try to thoroughly review each person on this list to see what it may look like in two years for the Repulicans.
Projection: 291-247
Unfortunately, I think the McCain – Palin ticket will come up short. Based on the latest state polls, I think 'The One' will take about 291 – 311 electoral votes with McCain – Palin in at 247 – 227 electoral votes. (The difference is Ohio.)
Let's hope I am wrong.
