Setting The Record Straight About Newt Gingrich

I know. I know. You don't want to read another article promoting Newt Gingrich. After all, he is in his third marriage. He was criticizing Clinton for his dallying with Monica Lewinsky while he himself was having an adulterous affair with a staff member. And the draconian incident that pounds the final nail in the coffin of Newt's run for the presidency: horror of horrors, he served divorce papers to his wife while she lay in a hospital bed dying of cancer.

If the previous paragraph describes your opinion of Newt Gingrich would you please read on? Yes, Newt is in his third marriage. He is also a brilliant man who happens to be a slow learner when it comes to family and relationships. He is now 68 years old, he tears up when he speaks of his daughters and he appears to be happy and secure in a very stable marriage to his wife, Callista. When he speaks of his former wives he refuses to play the blame game like so many divorced couples are apt to do. There appears to be no shards of bitterness piercing his soul.

Newt Gingrich does not try to defend the sins of his past. "On my bleakest days (referring to his moral failures), I knew that my sin was sin." He is not sweeping anything under the rug. There is no blatant lie coming from his lips such as, "I did not have sex with that woman..." He is not playing mind games with the American public by contemplating just what the meaning of 'is' is. He acknowledges his sin, he confesses his spiritual failures and he claims he has been forgiven by the only One who can grant cleansing to his soul.

There are a couple of myths that haunt Gingrich. The liberal press and his Republican opponents are making hay from some twisted notions. Perhaps most harmful is the notion that Gingrich entered the room of his former wife while she laid in a hospital bed dying of cancer to serve her divorce papers. This never happened. Marianne Ginther was not dying. In fact, she is very much alive today. Jackie Gingrich Cushman, Newt's daughter, has come forward to vouch for her father over this controversial issue. Jackie states that she and her sister have a wonderfully close relationship with both of their parents. She describes the day she was taken by her father to Emory Hospital in Atlanta to visit her mother who had had a benign tumor removed. It was "not considered a defining event for any of us," Jackie explained. Her mother had already asked for a divorce and the daughters had already been informed. It was a painful time in their lives but they have all moved on.

At the risk of readers thinking I am defending Gingrich's past indiscretions, I am not. Gingrich has been smeared by his enemies for condemning Bill Clinton for having an affair with Monica Lewinsky while he was guilty of the same. While both he and Clinton were rowing the same boat on the murky waters of immorality, Gingrich never spoke out about the affair. Gingrich's criticism for Clinton was restricted to his perjuring himself before a grand jury. Perjury is a felony that can earn you five years in the penitentiary.

How long does a person have to carry the baggage of his past? Some might argue that we endure the consequences of our sin for a lifetime. Fortunately for those of us who don't have a stellar past, Christ forgives and forgets our transgressions. But humans haven't the ability to forget. We tend to 'red letter' people who have transgressed. This may not be fair if they have truly been forgiven and restored. The difficulty is in our perception. Forgiveness happens in an instant and most all of us are willing to accept that. Restoration is a long and sometimes tedious process. We can accept that Newt Gingrich has been forgiven but has he experienced restoration? Will he fall back into his former immorality?

Would Newt Gingrich be a good president? That is debatable. When it comes to conservative social issues Newt has been worthy of the conservative title by voting 98.6%, 70 or 71 votes, in favor of protecting life in the womb. He was the leadership behind the Balanced Budget Amendment in the 1990's and he balanced the budget for four years while he was Speaker of the House.

After watching Newt's performance in the debates, no one in America, liberal or conservative is questioning his intellectual ability. Some would like him to win the Republican nomination just to see him on the same stage with Barack 'Teleprompter' Obama in a presidential debate.

Read some of his books and articles and listen to his interviews and realize that Gingrich has a deep historical perspective for this country that the present occupant of the White House totally lacks. He has a vast amount of experience as a congressman and he knows how to get a bill passed. He has been thoroughly vetted, both negatively and positively. His failures are on the table. He didn't pay two million dollars to hide his birth certificate nor is he hiding his participation in academia.

Do his past moral failures deem him incapable of being president? When England was in its moment of deepest despair and Hitler was poised to devour the nation a man emerged like a phoenix rising from the ashes. He was a man known for his failures. He was pegged as an unfeeling intellect, arrogant and self-absorbed. But the British turned to the only man who could see beyond the horizon, the only man who had the proper perception of the danger that threatened them. Winston Churchill's ideas were affective in saving the British from Hitler's war machine during World War II.

As a Christian I am much troubled by Gingrich's failures. But I am also aware that all men are born in depravity and many very capable men may be eliminated from office by an unreasonable standard imposed by fervent Christians. Martin Luther once said, "I would rather be governed by a competent Turk than an incompetent Christian."

If I had a heart condition that required open heart surgery and my life depended on the skill of the surgeon, I wouldn't be asking if that surgeon smoked pot in his youth, I wouldn't be asking if he had been faithful to his wife or if he had ever robbed a bank. I would want him to be the best and most skilled heart surgeon available. Our country is in a life-threatening situation. The next five years are very crucial for the future of Americans. All of the presidential candidates have skeletons in their closets. We have "all sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Should past indiscretions, forgiven by the Savior, prevent a man from serving his country?

God chose Moses to lead his children out of Israel. Moses was a murderer. David was perhaps the greatest warrior-king in the history of Israel. David was a liar, an adulterer and a murderer. The Apostle Paul had dedicated his life to murdering Christians before he was saved and forgiven. He then committed his life to inviting others to meet and accept the Savior he once despised.

Setting The Record Straight About Newt Gingrich

I know. I know. You don't want to read another article promoting Newt Gingrich. After all, he is in his third marriage. He was criticizing Clinton for his dallying with Monica Lewinsky while he himself was having an adulterous affair with a staff member. And the draconian incident that pounds the final nail in the coffin of Newt's run for the presidency: horror of horrors, he served divorce papers to his wife while she lay in a hospital bed dying of cancer.

If the previous paragraph describes your opinion of Newt Gingrich would you please read on? Yes, Newt is in his third marriage. He is also a brilliant man who happens to be a slow learner when it comes to family and relationships. He is now 68 years old, he tears up when he speaks of his daughters and he appears to be happy and secure in a very stable marriage to his wife, Callista. When he speaks of his former wives he refuses to play the blame game like so many divorced couples are apt to do. There appears to be no shards of bitterness piercing his soul.

Newt Gingrich does not try to defend the sins of his past. "On my bleakest days (referring to his moral failures), I knew that my sin was sin." He is not sweeping anything under the rug. There is no blatant lie coming from his lips such as, "I did not have sex with that woman..." He is not playing mind games with the American public by contemplating just what the meaning of 'is' is. He acknowledges his sin, he confesses his spiritual failures and he claims he has been forgiven by the only One who can grant cleansing to his soul.

There are a couple of myths that haunt Gingrich. The liberal press and his Republican opponents are making hay from some twisted notions. Perhaps most harmful is the notion that Gingrich entered the room of his former wife while she laid in a hospital bed dying of cancer to serve her divorce papers. This never happened. Marianne Ginther was not dying. In fact, she is very much alive today. Jackie Gingrich Cushman, Newt's daughter, has come forward to vouch for her father over this controversial issue. Jackie states that she and her sister have a wonderfully close relationship with both of their parents. She describes the day she was taken by her father to Emory Hospital in Atlanta to visit her mother who had had a benign tumor removed. It was "not considered a defining event for any of us," Jackie explained. Her mother had already asked for a divorce and the daughters had already been informed. It was a painful time in their lives but they have all moved on.

At the risk of readers thinking I am defending Gingrich's past indiscretions, I am not. Gingrich has been smeared by his enemies for condemning Bill Clinton for having an affair with Monica Lewinsky while he was guilty of the same. While both he and Clinton were rowing the same boat on the murky waters of immorality, Gingrich never spoke out about the affair. Gingrich's criticism for Clinton was restricted to his perjuring himself before a grand jury. Perjury is a felony that can earn you five years in the penitentiary.

How long does a person have to carry the baggage of his past? Some might argue that we endure the consequences of our sin for a lifetime. Fortunately for those of us who don't have a stellar past, Christ forgives and forgets our transgressions. But humans haven't the ability to forget. We tend to 'red letter' people who have transgressed. This may not be fair if they have truly been forgiven and restored. The difficulty is in our perception. Forgiveness happens in an instant and most all of us are willing to accept that. Restoration is a long and sometimes tedious process. We can accept that Newt Gingrich has been forgiven but has he experienced restoration? Will he fall back into his former immorality?

Would Newt Gingrich be a good president? That is debatable. When it comes to conservative social issues Newt has been worthy of the conservative title by voting 98.6%, 70 or 71 votes, in favor of protecting life in the womb. He was the leadership behind the Balanced Budget Amendment in the 1990's and he balanced the budget for four years while he was Speaker of the House.

After watching Newt's performance in the debates, no one in America, liberal or conservative is questioning his intellectual ability. Some would like him to win the Republican nomination just to see him on the same stage with Barack 'Teleprompter' Obama in a presidential debate.

Read some of his books and articles and listen to his interviews and realize that Gingrich has a deep historical perspective for this country that the present occupant of the White House totally lacks. He has a vast amount of experience as a congressman and he knows how to get a bill passed. He has been thoroughly vetted, both negatively and positively. His failures are on the table. He didn't pay two million dollars to hide his birth certificate nor is he hiding his participation in academia.

Do his past moral failures deem him incapable of being president? When England was in its moment of deepest despair and Hitler was poised to devour the nation a man emerged like a phoenix rising from the ashes. He was a man known for his failures. He was pegged as an unfeeling intellect, arrogant and self-absorbed. But the British turned to the only man who could see beyond the horizon, the only man who had the proper perception of the danger that threatened them. Winston Churchill's ideas were affective in saving the British from Hitler's war machine during World War II.

As a Christian I am much troubled by Gingrich's failures. But I am also aware that all men are born in depravity and many very capable men may be eliminated from office by an unreasonable standard imposed by fervent Christians. Martin Luther once said, "I would rather be governed by a competent Turk than an incompetent Christian."

If I had a heart condition that required open heart surgery and my life depended on the skill of the surgeon, I wouldn't be asking if that surgeon smoked pot in his youth, I wouldn't be asking if he had been faithful to his wife or if he had ever robbed a bank. I would want him to be the best and most skilled heart surgeon available. Our country is in a life-threatening situation. The next five years are very crucial for the future of Americans. All of the presidential candidates have skeletons in their closets. We have "all sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Should past indiscretions, forgiven by the Savior, prevent a man from serving his country?

God chose Moses to lead his children out of Israel. Moses was a murderer. David was perhaps the greatest warrior-king in the history of Israel. David was a liar, an adulterer and a murderer. The Apostle Paul had dedicated his life to murdering Christians before he was saved and forgiven. He then committed his life to inviting others to meet and accept the Savior he once despised.

Election Day - 2011 in Jamaica

As people gather all clad in their various party colors of green or orange to vote on this, Jamaica's 2011 election day, the excitement continues to build. So far there is peace and we hope that this remains. I have heard few honks of the horn and whistles blowing as that will be reserved for the grand announcement of the winner; later some will celebrate their parties victory while others will mourn their loss.

To an outsider looking at the days events unfolding you can't help but feel like you are a part of an island wide sports day. People singing, dancing and cheering their team to victory. Guaranteed not many know what their party truly stands for, they simply vote for the party because their mother, father or grandparents used to vote for that party; "their team, is my team". It's like an inheritance.

In the past, election days have been feared due to the violence that ensues when a member of one of the two political parties, The People's National Party (PNP) and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), believes his/her party lost unjustly and thereby decides to take, sometimes violent, action out on any member of the opposing party.

It must be noted, however, that this type of ignorant behavior is normally seen in the inner cities where education is low and crime is high. In fact most of Jamaica's bad publicity is from the violence that occurs in these small and remote communities.

The air, at the moment is one of peace, as people come, vote and return to their place of employment without incident. Polling stations both Green (JLP) and Orange (PNP) are side by side, no fuss, no arguments, leaving hope for peaceful and uneventful day.

While speaking to two individuals today from opposing parties who were working at the polling stations, both related that they are "promoting a peaceful day and that there is high hope for just such a day even in the inner cities."

For visitors to this beautiful Island, it is just another day. The sun is shinning, the weather is perfect and tours are still running. All stores are open and it's business as usual.

I only hope that whoever takes power today of our little paradise will be able to lead our country in the right direction, educate the people and give them jobs. Hopefully they will not be just great speech makers, as has been the case in the past, and instead take action that is desperately needed.

May the tempers of our passionate people be low and the love for our country run deep.

As is said in our Anthem "To our leaders, great defenders, grant true wisdom from above, justice to be ours forever, Jamaica land we love!"

Election Day - 2011 in Jamaica

As people gather all clad in their various party colors of green or orange to vote on this, Jamaica's 2011 election day, the excitement continues to build. So far there is peace and we hope that this remains. I have heard few honks of the horn and whistles blowing as that will be reserved for the grand announcement of the winner; later some will celebrate their parties victory while others will mourn their loss.

To an outsider looking at the days events unfolding you can't help but feel like you are a part of an island wide sports day. People singing, dancing and cheering their team to victory. Guaranteed not many know what their party truly stands for, they simply vote for the party because their mother, father or grandparents used to vote for that party; "their team, is my team". It's like an inheritance.

In the past, election days have been feared due to the violence that ensues when a member of one of the two political parties, The People's National Party (PNP) and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), believes his/her party lost unjustly and thereby decides to take, sometimes violent, action out on any member of the opposing party.

It must be noted, however, that this type of ignorant behavior is normally seen in the inner cities where education is low and crime is high. In fact most of Jamaica's bad publicity is from the violence that occurs in these small and remote communities.

The air, at the moment is one of peace, as people come, vote and return to their place of employment without incident. Polling stations both Green (JLP) and Orange (PNP) are side by side, no fuss, no arguments, leaving hope for peaceful and uneventful day.

While speaking to two individuals today from opposing parties who were working at the polling stations, both related that they are "promoting a peaceful day and that there is high hope for just such a day even in the inner cities."

For visitors to this beautiful Island, it is just another day. The sun is shinning, the weather is perfect and tours are still running. All stores are open and it's business as usual.

I only hope that whoever takes power today of our little paradise will be able to lead our country in the right direction, educate the people and give them jobs. Hopefully they will not be just great speech makers, as has been the case in the past, and instead take action that is desperately needed.

May the tempers of our passionate people be low and the love for our country run deep.

As is said in our Anthem "To our leaders, great defenders, grant true wisdom from above, justice to be ours forever, Jamaica land we love!"

Who Will Win the Presidential Election in 2012?

With 2012 officially beginning, political pundits and voters alike are turning their attention to the presidential campaign approaching in November. Incumbent Barack Obama has already declared that he will run for a second term. With Obama's approval through the Democratic primaries all but certain, political aficionados have taken interest in what the Republicans will need to do to beat him.
Obama has had an up-and-down presidency thus far in the eyes of the voters. In January of 2009, after taking office, Obama stood at 69% approval. Since then, his approval rating has been on a steady decline. It isn't uncommon, however, for a president to see his or her highest approval rating just after inauguration. After experiencing his lowest approval ratings in the second half of 2011 (38% in August and October), Obama has rebounded. A December 2011 Gallup Poll saw his approval rating at 47%. Many political analysts believe that an incumbent must have around a 48% approval rating to carry a campaign to re-election.
The Economy
One of the more difficult issues Obama has had to deal with during his presidency is the economy. When Obama took office, the United States was in the midst of a recession. In fact, much of the politics surrounding the presidential election of 2008 centered on how to bring the winning candidate would bring the country out of the economic hardship facing so many of its citizens.
The recession ended in June of 2009, allowing Obama to make good on one of his campaign promises. At the end of 2011, however, much of the voting population still feels the pinch of difficult economic times. Thus, Obama will be pressured in 2012 by Republican candidates who promise to change the economic landscape. If their rhetoric can be convincing enough, the Republicans may be able to draw some undecided voters over to their side.
The Candidates
Besides the economy, it seems like the biggest determining factor in the 2012 election will be who the Republicans choose to run for them. The pool of candidates as of the beginning of 2012 has some political analysts suggesting the Republicans may be limited in their ability to unseat Barack Obama due to the lack of a competitive candidate.
The front-runner at this point for the Republicans is Mitt Romney. Romney is the former governor of Massachusetts, and made a run for the presidency during the 2008 election. He eventually conceded the Republican nomination to John McCain, however. While Romney is an articulate and charismatic politician, his voting history has been a bit too liberal for the tastes of conservatives. Romney championed health care legislation while Governor of Massachusetts that appeared to help set the precedent for Obama's sweeping health care reform. Earlier in his career, Romney also was expressly pro-choice, another fact that doesn't sit well with Republicans.
If Romney wins the Republican Primaries, will he be conservative enough to garner the full support of the Republican voting populace? If not, Obama will likely run away with his bid for re-election. Despite some ups and downs in approval ratings and coming into office during a recession, Republicans will have a difficult time wrestling away the office from Obama unless they end up with a candidate that will invigorate the electorate. Romney, however, doesn't seem to be that person.

Who Will Win the Presidential Election in 2012?

With 2012 officially beginning, political pundits and voters alike are turning their attention to the presidential campaign approaching in November. Incumbent Barack Obama has already declared that he will run for a second term. With Obama's approval through the Democratic primaries all but certain, political aficionados have taken interest in what the Republicans will need to do to beat him.
Obama has had an up-and-down presidency thus far in the eyes of the voters. In January of 2009, after taking office, Obama stood at 69% approval. Since then, his approval rating has been on a steady decline. It isn't uncommon, however, for a president to see his or her highest approval rating just after inauguration. After experiencing his lowest approval ratings in the second half of 2011 (38% in August and October), Obama has rebounded. A December 2011 Gallup Poll saw his approval rating at 47%. Many political analysts believe that an incumbent must have around a 48% approval rating to carry a campaign to re-election.
The Economy
One of the more difficult issues Obama has had to deal with during his presidency is the economy. When Obama took office, the United States was in the midst of a recession. In fact, much of the politics surrounding the presidential election of 2008 centered on how to bring the winning candidate would bring the country out of the economic hardship facing so many of its citizens.
The recession ended in June of 2009, allowing Obama to make good on one of his campaign promises. At the end of 2011, however, much of the voting population still feels the pinch of difficult economic times. Thus, Obama will be pressured in 2012 by Republican candidates who promise to change the economic landscape. If their rhetoric can be convincing enough, the Republicans may be able to draw some undecided voters over to their side.
The Candidates
Besides the economy, it seems like the biggest determining factor in the 2012 election will be who the Republicans choose to run for them. The pool of candidates as of the beginning of 2012 has some political analysts suggesting the Republicans may be limited in their ability to unseat Barack Obama due to the lack of a competitive candidate.
The front-runner at this point for the Republicans is Mitt Romney. Romney is the former governor of Massachusetts, and made a run for the presidency during the 2008 election. He eventually conceded the Republican nomination to John McCain, however. While Romney is an articulate and charismatic politician, his voting history has been a bit too liberal for the tastes of conservatives. Romney championed health care legislation while Governor of Massachusetts that appeared to help set the precedent for Obama's sweeping health care reform. Earlier in his career, Romney also was expressly pro-choice, another fact that doesn't sit well with Republicans.
If Romney wins the Republican Primaries, will he be conservative enough to garner the full support of the Republican voting populace? If not, Obama will likely run away with his bid for re-election. Despite some ups and downs in approval ratings and coming into office during a recession, Republicans will have a difficult time wrestling away the office from Obama unless they end up with a candidate that will invigorate the electorate. Romney, however, doesn't seem to be that person.

Ol' Great Grampaw Stu Tells the Kiddies About Republicans

Sit, children, sit around Ol' Great Grampaw Stu's feet. I'm gonna tell ya a story about the good old days when there was TWO political parties in America.
You had your Democrats, and then you had your Republicans. The Democrats were always tryin' to help people what had trouble helpin' themselves. Why, it was Democrats who came up with the idea of Social Security and Medicare, and it was Democrats back in 2015 that made sure each and every one of your runny little noses was protected with single-payer health care!
And then, there was the Republicans. Now THAT was a bunch. They was always talkin' about God and Jesus, but everything they ever did was against everything God or Jesus ever taught. Read a good book about it once. But never mind that now.
See, what these here Republicans did was let a bunch of CRAZY people run the party. Oh, they didn't have a majority in the party, but they was enough of 'em so that they skeered the Speaker of the House, Old John Boehner.
Go ahead and laugh, kids. Grampaw Stu likes to mispronounce that name sometimes!
Anyway, Old John Boehner let this group of 80 or so "Tea Party" members lead him around by his artificially tanned nose! They made him do this. They made him do that. He'd say one thing and then have to turn around the next day and say something completely opposite of what he said the day before because he went and made the Tea Party MAD at him.
Anyway. Way, way back in late 2011, them critters in Congress were tryin' to come up with a bill to extend a tax holiday that meant yer Ol' Grampaw Bill didn't have to pay as much in taxes! But to pass that law, they wanted the millionaires and billionaires to pay a leeeeeetle bit more in taxes. Nothing that they'd miss, being so rich and stuff.
But the Republicans said, "No! We want the POOR people to pay. Poor people can't contribute to our campaigns, so screw 'em! We want to protect the people who DO contribute to our campaigns."
So Old John Boehner and old Harry Reid, who was the head of the Senate at the time, sat down and made a deal that everybody was happy with. Each side would get a little of what they wanted and a little of what they didn't want. That's called "compromise."
But the Tea Party? They didn't like that. No sir, not one bit! They didn't WANT the poor people and middle class gettin' off scot free with a break in they payroll taxes for another year. So, the day after Old John Boehner - whoops, mispronounced his name again. (Settle down, kids!) He had to go back out there with his orange face hangin' out and tell everyone that he was against the thing he was in favor of the day before. And then, he went back to his Tea Party masters and they come up with a plan where they could vote yes on a procedural manner, which actually meant they were voting NO on the payroll tax break extension.
Well, sir, this made the American people madder than a nest of hornets! Once they realized that the Republicans were only looking out for the rich people who were sending all their jobs overseas, they started listening to the Democrats. President Obama's popularity started to go up, even though unemployment stayed high. And by the time the 2012 election came around, the American people were so sick of the Republicans that they voted ALL the Republicans out of the Congress, and a third of 'em out of the Senate. Then in 2014 they got rid of a bunch more in the Senate. Then, by the time the 2016 election was over, there weren't a single Republican left in the House of Representatives or the Senate. Now, President Obama couldn't run for a THIRD term, ya know, so a bright young feller from Wisconsin what had some progressive ideas named Russ Feingold got elected. And he served until 2024. Then they elected another Democrat, and she held the office until 2032. And now, Malia Obama, President Obama's very own daughter is the President. And the only place you can see a Republican any more is in the graveyards and museums.
You see, kids, once Americans started to realize the influence money had in politics and once they realized they could throw OUT the people who wanted to destroy the middle class, make the poor people even poorer while making the rich richer, they had a bellyful of that kind of nonsense. That ain't to say you don't got your conservative Democrats. But calling someone a Republican today? That's an INSULT! Like callin' someone a Nazi was when I was younger.
Now, tomorrow I'll tell ya how the Occupy Wall Street movement helped America realize how them Republicans was screwin' the average American. But Ol' Grampaw Stu is tired now. Time fer bed.
Now SCAT, ya little varmints! And check under yer beds, cuz there might be a REPUBLICAN hidin' under there. (Heh, heh, heh!)

Ol' Great Grampaw Stu Tells the Kiddies About Republicans

Sit, children, sit around Ol' Great Grampaw Stu's feet. I'm gonna tell ya a story about the good old days when there was TWO political parties in America.
You had your Democrats, and then you had your Republicans. The Democrats were always tryin' to help people what had trouble helpin' themselves. Why, it was Democrats who came up with the idea of Social Security and Medicare, and it was Democrats back in 2015 that made sure each and every one of your runny little noses was protected with single-payer health care!
And then, there was the Republicans. Now THAT was a bunch. They was always talkin' about God and Jesus, but everything they ever did was against everything God or Jesus ever taught. Read a good book about it once. But never mind that now.
See, what these here Republicans did was let a bunch of CRAZY people run the party. Oh, they didn't have a majority in the party, but they was enough of 'em so that they skeered the Speaker of the House, Old John Boehner.
Go ahead and laugh, kids. Grampaw Stu likes to mispronounce that name sometimes!
Anyway, Old John Boehner let this group of 80 or so "Tea Party" members lead him around by his artificially tanned nose! They made him do this. They made him do that. He'd say one thing and then have to turn around the next day and say something completely opposite of what he said the day before because he went and made the Tea Party MAD at him.
Anyway. Way, way back in late 2011, them critters in Congress were tryin' to come up with a bill to extend a tax holiday that meant yer Ol' Grampaw Bill didn't have to pay as much in taxes! But to pass that law, they wanted the millionaires and billionaires to pay a leeeeeetle bit more in taxes. Nothing that they'd miss, being so rich and stuff.
But the Republicans said, "No! We want the POOR people to pay. Poor people can't contribute to our campaigns, so screw 'em! We want to protect the people who DO contribute to our campaigns."
So Old John Boehner and old Harry Reid, who was the head of the Senate at the time, sat down and made a deal that everybody was happy with. Each side would get a little of what they wanted and a little of what they didn't want. That's called "compromise."
But the Tea Party? They didn't like that. No sir, not one bit! They didn't WANT the poor people and middle class gettin' off scot free with a break in they payroll taxes for another year. So, the day after Old John Boehner - whoops, mispronounced his name again. (Settle down, kids!) He had to go back out there with his orange face hangin' out and tell everyone that he was against the thing he was in favor of the day before. And then, he went back to his Tea Party masters and they come up with a plan where they could vote yes on a procedural manner, which actually meant they were voting NO on the payroll tax break extension.
Well, sir, this made the American people madder than a nest of hornets! Once they realized that the Republicans were only looking out for the rich people who were sending all their jobs overseas, they started listening to the Democrats. President Obama's popularity started to go up, even though unemployment stayed high. And by the time the 2012 election came around, the American people were so sick of the Republicans that they voted ALL the Republicans out of the Congress, and a third of 'em out of the Senate. Then in 2014 they got rid of a bunch more in the Senate. Then, by the time the 2016 election was over, there weren't a single Republican left in the House of Representatives or the Senate. Now, President Obama couldn't run for a THIRD term, ya know, so a bright young feller from Wisconsin what had some progressive ideas named Russ Feingold got elected. And he served until 2024. Then they elected another Democrat, and she held the office until 2032. And now, Malia Obama, President Obama's very own daughter is the President. And the only place you can see a Republican any more is in the graveyards and museums.
You see, kids, once Americans started to realize the influence money had in politics and once they realized they could throw OUT the people who wanted to destroy the middle class, make the poor people even poorer while making the rich richer, they had a bellyful of that kind of nonsense. That ain't to say you don't got your conservative Democrats. But calling someone a Republican today? That's an INSULT! Like callin' someone a Nazi was when I was younger.
Now, tomorrow I'll tell ya how the Occupy Wall Street movement helped America realize how them Republicans was screwin' the average American. But Ol' Grampaw Stu is tired now. Time fer bed.
Now SCAT, ya little varmints! And check under yer beds, cuz there might be a REPUBLICAN hidin' under there. (Heh, heh, heh!)

Stand Up for Your Leader and Take Responsibility for Your Future

I reread his speech the other day. Many people all over the world can remember that moment when the forty-fourth president of the United States of America gave his inauguration speech, that powerful message of hope. I am one of them. I left my job early that day to be home on time and see his speech on TV. His message also appealed to many Europeans like me. Although I'm not a sentimental person, I remember that I had tears in my eyes when I was listening to his words.
"Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished." These are the sentences that struck me most. They show his belief in the people of his country. His conviction that it is not the people but the system that has to change. By bringing this message he talked about the very essence of the problems of the US. But he also chose the hard way for himself. Instead of playing save and going for some minor improvements of the current situation and in this way probably ensuring his position in office for more than one term, he stepped forward as a real leader does and gave a challenging vision of how he wanted to create a better future for the people of the United States. Many of us, US citizens and others, were inspired by this message. We regained the feeling that things were possible, that we could change things for the better. Since then the slogan "Yes we can" was used by so many around the world as an expression of a new personal empowerment.
However, the recent results of the ABC News/Washington Post poll show that his popularity is down to 49%. He has lost quite some support since the start of his first term. Some people expected more from him and are now disappointed, but maybe these people should not only question their President, but also themselves. What happened to your support, your belief and your trust in your President? Is it all gone? Were your expectations realistic or were you carried away by your emotions and didn't hear the tough parts in his speech? He was clear and realistic about the difficulties that were laying ahead. It was all in the inauguration speech.
His popularity decreases and we could ask ourselves, did the man who brought hope failed or did the people who hoped failed? Don't we fail when we expect a new President to repair something in just a few years, what was destroyed during several terms before him? Don't we fail when we naively expect that one man can fight and overcome all the resistance of the members of the old system just like that? Is it mature of us to think that we can turn our backs when things don't go the way we expected? And have we, the people who have the privilege to live in a democracy, forgotten that we also have a responsibility in this. If we want to bring change in a democratic system, then it takes more than just giving our vote on election day. If we want a leader to bring the change that we hope for, this leader, regardless how strong he is, needs the full support of his followers. This is especially important during critical moments. Not supporting him means to give more power to the leaders who benefit from keeping everything the way it was. In this game, there is no neutral position.
If you believe that his capacity remains undiminished and you are a US citizen, then please reread his speech and fulfill your part of the deal... stand up for your leader so he can continue what he has started and succeed in his ambition to make a better America for you.

Stand Up for Your Leader and Take Responsibility for Your Future

I reread his speech the other day. Many people all over the world can remember that moment when the forty-fourth president of the United States of America gave his inauguration speech, that powerful message of hope. I am one of them. I left my job early that day to be home on time and see his speech on TV. His message also appealed to many Europeans like me. Although I'm not a sentimental person, I remember that I had tears in my eyes when I was listening to his words.
"Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished." These are the sentences that struck me most. They show his belief in the people of his country. His conviction that it is not the people but the system that has to change. By bringing this message he talked about the very essence of the problems of the US. But he also chose the hard way for himself. Instead of playing save and going for some minor improvements of the current situation and in this way probably ensuring his position in office for more than one term, he stepped forward as a real leader does and gave a challenging vision of how he wanted to create a better future for the people of the United States. Many of us, US citizens and others, were inspired by this message. We regained the feeling that things were possible, that we could change things for the better. Since then the slogan "Yes we can" was used by so many around the world as an expression of a new personal empowerment.
However, the recent results of the ABC News/Washington Post poll show that his popularity is down to 49%. He has lost quite some support since the start of his first term. Some people expected more from him and are now disappointed, but maybe these people should not only question their President, but also themselves. What happened to your support, your belief and your trust in your President? Is it all gone? Were your expectations realistic or were you carried away by your emotions and didn't hear the tough parts in his speech? He was clear and realistic about the difficulties that were laying ahead. It was all in the inauguration speech.
His popularity decreases and we could ask ourselves, did the man who brought hope failed or did the people who hoped failed? Don't we fail when we expect a new President to repair something in just a few years, what was destroyed during several terms before him? Don't we fail when we naively expect that one man can fight and overcome all the resistance of the members of the old system just like that? Is it mature of us to think that we can turn our backs when things don't go the way we expected? And have we, the people who have the privilege to live in a democracy, forgotten that we also have a responsibility in this. If we want to bring change in a democratic system, then it takes more than just giving our vote on election day. If we want a leader to bring the change that we hope for, this leader, regardless how strong he is, needs the full support of his followers. This is especially important during critical moments. Not supporting him means to give more power to the leaders who benefit from keeping everything the way it was. In this game, there is no neutral position.
If you believe that his capacity remains undiminished and you are a US citizen, then please reread his speech and fulfill your part of the deal... stand up for your leader so he can continue what he has started and succeed in his ambition to make a better America for you.