"To take from one, because it is thought his own industry and that of his fathers has acquired too much, in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers, have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, the guarantee to everyone the free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it."
~~Thomas Jefferson
~~~~~
In other words, if you want it, work for it. If you don't want to work for it, you won't get it.
Stay safe.
The sporadic musings of a middle aged man who isn't exactly happy with the direction America is taking today....
"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." ~~Thomas Jefferson
"Who will protect us from those who protect us?"
Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. ~ Thomas Jefferson
"None are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free." ~~Goethe
"Who will protect us from those who protect us?"
Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. ~ Thomas Jefferson
"None are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free." ~~Goethe
30 July 2012
Let the games begin...
Verbatim post.
White House gives cool welcome to bill restricting online ammo sales
By Olivier Knox, Yahoo! News | The Ticket – 3 hrs ago
Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., center, leads a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, last week to criticize …The White House gave a cool welcome on Monday to Democratic legislation that would effectively ban online or mail-order purchases of ammunition in the aftermath of the mass shooting at an Aurora, Colorado, movie theater.
"I haven't seen the specific piece of legislation that has been offered up today," spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters at the daily press briefing. "But as that and other pieces of legislation make their way through the legislative process, we'll evaluate them."
The proposal, crafted by Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg and Democratic Representative Carolyn McCarthy, aims to restrict the ability of Americans to buy unlimited quantities of ammunition over the Internet, or by mail order, anonymously.
President Barack Obama has called for a common sense response to the slaughter in Aurora. But the White House has played down his appetite for new legislation as opposed to tightening or toughening existing measures—such as background checks—to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals or the mentally ill. And the president has underlined his support for the Second Amendment to the Constitution.
The new legislation, dubbed the Stop Online Ammunition Sales Act, rests on four pillars, according to Lautenberg's office:
It requires anyone selling ammunition to be a licensed dealer.
It requires ammunition buyers who are not licensed dealers to present photo identification at the time of purchase, effectively banning the online or mail order purchase of ammo by regular civilians.
It requires licensed ammunition dealers to maintain records of the sale of ammunition.
It requires licensed ammunition dealers to report the sale of more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition to an unlicensed person within any five consecutive business days.
~~~~~
My opinion? Fuck that.
Stay safe.
28 July 2012
27 July 2012
26 July 2012
25 July 2012
24 July 2012
Long-legged Mack daddy...
I came across this 2 year old article while researching something else today. Kinda interesting, kinda funny.
www.conspiracyarchive.com
Dr. Manning heads the Columbia Obama Treason Trial which is scheduled for May 14-19, 2010 at the ATLAH building at 38 West 123rd Street in ATLAH, New York, 10027. Unfortunately, the Department of Justice and the Supreme Court have failed in their duties to uphold the Constitution and address the legitimacy and other questionable issues surrounding the White House’s current resident. So, Dr. Manning, being a longtime resident of the Columbia University area, the school that Obama allegedly attended, began an intense investigation into Obama’s educational background and discovered some profound discrepancies.
According to Dr. Manning, Obama (born in 1961) enrolled at the very pricey Occidental College in Los Angeles, California in 1979 and was recruited there in 1980 by the CIA which has made it a practice since its inception to recruit college students. He was, by his own admission, a “C” student, a dope smoker and a member of the Marxist Club at Occidental, a co-educational liberal arts college. In 1981, Obama allegedly transferred from Occidental to Columbia University. It is atypical for a student to begin their education in one four-year school and then transfer to another school. Columbia University requires that incoming students pass certain academic requirements which Obama apparently lacked. However, Columbia had a foreign student program and the CIA has major connections and influence with Columbia and the nation’s other educational facilities."
Read the rest of the story here
~~~~
I don't know whether to laugh or cry. :)
Stay safe.
www.conspiracyarchive.com
"I recently had the pleasure of talking with Dr. James David Manning who has been ministering to the people of Harlem since 1981. He is now the Senior Pastor at ATLAH which stands for All the Land Anointed Holy, Manning’s inspired name for Harlem as of September 14, 1991.
According to Dr. Manning, Obama (born in 1961) enrolled at the very pricey Occidental College in Los Angeles, California in 1979 and was recruited there in 1980 by the CIA which has made it a practice since its inception to recruit college students. He was, by his own admission, a “C” student, a dope smoker and a member of the Marxist Club at Occidental, a co-educational liberal arts college. In 1981, Obama allegedly transferred from Occidental to Columbia University. It is atypical for a student to begin their education in one four-year school and then transfer to another school. Columbia University requires that incoming students pass certain academic requirements which Obama apparently lacked. However, Columbia had a foreign student program and the CIA has major connections and influence with Columbia and the nation’s other educational facilities."
Read the rest of the story here
~~~~
I don't know whether to laugh or cry. :)
Stay safe.
23 July 2012
14 killed in Texas...
By NBC News staff and wire reports
Updated at 5:31 p.m. ET: Fourteen people died after a pickup truck loaded with suspected illegal immigrants veered off the highway and crashed into trees in rural South Texas, authorities said.State troopers and Goliad County sheriff's investigators were investigating Sunday's crash. A trooper told KRIS-TV, the NBC affiliate in Corpus Christi, Tex., that it appeared a tire on the truck blew out before the vehicle went off the road and struck two trees.
Authorities said they did not immediately know the names and ages of the victims.
Read the rest here.
~~~~
Cars kill people. Suspected illegals from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. Tire is suspected to have blown out.
I wonder if this will get as much media time as the shootings in Aurora? Will obama go comfort the families of the victims? What is the difference if you are killed in a theater by a gun or if you're killed on a highway by a truck? Both involved "illegal" activity. Both leave you just as dead. Why is there so much hatred toward firearms and none against all the other ways of senselessly killing each other? Why so much hatred toward people who own firearms simply because they own firearms? It's starting to sound like some sort of mental disorder amongst the haters.
I'm not an "enlightened" progressive. I don't understand.
Stay safe.
22 July 2012
21 July 2012
It's already started...
An interesting take on the Colorado theater shootings here.
The gist of the article...
"In other words, this has all the signs of Fast & Furious, Episode II. I wouldn't be surprised to discover someone in Washington was behind it all. After all, there's no quicker way to disarm a nation and take total control over the population than to stage violence, blame it on firearms, then call for leaders to "do something!" Such calls inevitably end up resulting in gun confiscation, and it's never too long after that before government genocide really kicks in like we saw with Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Mao and other tyrants."
~~~~
The conspiracy theories are starting already. Are you surprised?
Possible? Sure.
Plausible? You tell me.
My initial feeling is that James Holmes is one of the youngsters from the new "Spoiled Rotten Brat" generation who spent too much time with violent video games being substituted for his babysitter as a kid and didn't spend enough time out in the real world to realize that there isn't a criminal intent on taking your life or a pedophile behind every blade of grass. That's just me. I'd guess that he received "participation medals" for his "accomplishments" in early youth athletic activities and had never had his feelings hurt for failing to make the team. He was probably coddled and told at every opportunity how special and capable he was. I think these kids today live in an alternate universe and have no concept of reality. Their parents, and society in general, have failed miserably in the raising of these children. Again, I'm speculating. He may have been the one who wasn't treated this way.
I'd question the fact that there were several babies and young children at the midnight showing of this movie. Mom and dad "just had" to be at the premier, no matter what? I guess that's what they refer to as "good parenting" these days.
It's a social thing, ya know. Gives them "cred" when they can post it on the social media sites. "I was there on opening night. It was bitchin', man." They would be talking about it for weeks!
They didn't expect the "real deal" while attending a movie filled with depictions of violence and mayhem. After spending a lifetime watching movies filled with violence and mayhem, they had no idea how, nor the ability to, deal with it when it became real. They will be talking about that for the rest of their lives. I hope they realize that the damage could have been minimized. It didn't have to be as bad as it was.
In one breath folks will say that "Life imitates art" and will then say with their next breath that watching violent movies and playing violent video games doesn't make people do violent things. I will guarantee you that there a lot of kids who sit in front of a TV playing violent video games and do absolutely nothing else. It is their life. It is their reality. They go to school and can't wait to get out and go home to their game consoles, get online, and start "killing" each other. Mom and dad spend thousands of dollars to keep these little demons occupied and happy. It's less work than raising the children properly. How can these kids not become violent?
I usually describe the decline of American society this way: "We gave up the Waltons and Andy Griffith for the Simpson's and Family Guy. What did you expect?"
I guess I got a little bit off track there, huh?
My prayers go out to the victims. All of them. All of the victims of all the little demons. And of the big demons.
Stay safe.
The gist of the article...
"In other words, this has all the signs of Fast & Furious, Episode II. I wouldn't be surprised to discover someone in Washington was behind it all. After all, there's no quicker way to disarm a nation and take total control over the population than to stage violence, blame it on firearms, then call for leaders to "do something!" Such calls inevitably end up resulting in gun confiscation, and it's never too long after that before government genocide really kicks in like we saw with Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Mao and other tyrants."
~~~~
The conspiracy theories are starting already. Are you surprised?
Possible? Sure.
Plausible? You tell me.
My initial feeling is that James Holmes is one of the youngsters from the new "Spoiled Rotten Brat" generation who spent too much time with violent video games being substituted for his babysitter as a kid and didn't spend enough time out in the real world to realize that there isn't a criminal intent on taking your life or a pedophile behind every blade of grass. That's just me. I'd guess that he received "participation medals" for his "accomplishments" in early youth athletic activities and had never had his feelings hurt for failing to make the team. He was probably coddled and told at every opportunity how special and capable he was. I think these kids today live in an alternate universe and have no concept of reality. Their parents, and society in general, have failed miserably in the raising of these children. Again, I'm speculating. He may have been the one who wasn't treated this way.
I'd question the fact that there were several babies and young children at the midnight showing of this movie. Mom and dad "just had" to be at the premier, no matter what? I guess that's what they refer to as "good parenting" these days.
It's a social thing, ya know. Gives them "cred" when they can post it on the social media sites. "I was there on opening night. It was bitchin', man." They would be talking about it for weeks!
They didn't expect the "real deal" while attending a movie filled with depictions of violence and mayhem. After spending a lifetime watching movies filled with violence and mayhem, they had no idea how, nor the ability to, deal with it when it became real. They will be talking about that for the rest of their lives. I hope they realize that the damage could have been minimized. It didn't have to be as bad as it was.
In one breath folks will say that "Life imitates art" and will then say with their next breath that watching violent movies and playing violent video games doesn't make people do violent things. I will guarantee you that there a lot of kids who sit in front of a TV playing violent video games and do absolutely nothing else. It is their life. It is their reality. They go to school and can't wait to get out and go home to their game consoles, get online, and start "killing" each other. Mom and dad spend thousands of dollars to keep these little demons occupied and happy. It's less work than raising the children properly. How can these kids not become violent?
I usually describe the decline of American society this way: "We gave up the Waltons and Andy Griffith for the Simpson's and Family Guy. What did you expect?"
I guess I got a little bit off track there, huh?
My prayers go out to the victims. All of them. All of the victims of all the little demons. And of the big demons.
Stay safe.
20 July 2012
Tecumseh...
So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion;respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.
Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none.
When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.
When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.
-Tecumseh
Stay safe.
19 July 2012
Zimmerman...
I think that anyone who has been following the George Zimmerman circus with an open mind would agree that George is innocent of the crime that he is charged with. The ongoing attempts at the assassination of his character are a political move in an attempt to create feelings against him, even though nothing being said is relevant to his case. These things are being said to raise emotions against him. A very dangerous game that is being played by the prosecutors.
What really matters in this case? The outcome. (Well, Duh! That's pretty obvious, moron.)
If he is found to be innocent, as he should be, there will likely be race riots all over the place.
If he is found guilty, Whitey will be pissed but will do nothing. Just another of your rights being chipped away. A little grumbling but no action. That's the way the PC world of Whitey works. Whitey has been well trained. Whitey will remain passive and do nothing.
What outcome will be more politically advantageous to those in power?
The real scary part? The fact that DOJ is involved and is pulling the strings. Could the outcome be decided in D.C., far from the trial? Has the outcome already been decided?
If obama had a son, he would look like Trayvon Martin.
Had Trayvon pulled the trigger and killed Zimmerman, we wouldn't have even heard of it. Just another shooting. Happens all the time. The difference is that Trayvon would have been carrying illegally, but that wouldn't matter. Happens all the time. Yeah, he may have been arrested, tried, convicted, and imprisoned. Wouldn't have mattered. We would never have heard about it. Why? Not newsworthy. Just another 'banger being stupid. Happens all the time.
Remember, DOJ is involved. It's a local, non-federal case. Is anyone asking why DOJ is involved? Is it to assure fairness? Is it to assure the outcome? Do they want the riots that will occur if Zimmerman is found innocent, or, do they want that moment in the bright lights of the news cameras to declare that "Justice has been served, Whitey goes to jail. The obama administration saw to it that justice was served for Trayvon, an innocent child"? (Yes, I know that Zimmerman is not white. I suspect that fact will be forgotten, again, as it was in the beginning. I also know, as do you, that Trayvon was no innocent child.)
Why has this story garnered exponentially more attention than the murder of an American Border Patrol Agent in the desert in the middle of that December night by criminals who were in this country illegally, using guns provided them by a failed federal gun traffickingscheme program gone bad? Why is Zimmerman being prosecuted more openly and vigorously than the murderers (and the enablers of the murderers) of Brian Terry? Wait! DOJ appears to have been involved in that one, too. My bad.
Anyway... Just my thoughts.
Stay safe.
What really matters in this case? The outcome. (Well, Duh! That's pretty obvious, moron.)
If he is found to be innocent, as he should be, there will likely be race riots all over the place.
If he is found guilty, Whitey will be pissed but will do nothing. Just another of your rights being chipped away. A little grumbling but no action. That's the way the PC world of Whitey works. Whitey has been well trained. Whitey will remain passive and do nothing.
What outcome will be more politically advantageous to those in power?
The real scary part? The fact that DOJ is involved and is pulling the strings. Could the outcome be decided in D.C., far from the trial? Has the outcome already been decided?
If obama had a son, he would look like Trayvon Martin.
Had Trayvon pulled the trigger and killed Zimmerman, we wouldn't have even heard of it. Just another shooting. Happens all the time. The difference is that Trayvon would have been carrying illegally, but that wouldn't matter. Happens all the time. Yeah, he may have been arrested, tried, convicted, and imprisoned. Wouldn't have mattered. We would never have heard about it. Why? Not newsworthy. Just another 'banger being stupid. Happens all the time.
Remember, DOJ is involved. It's a local, non-federal case. Is anyone asking why DOJ is involved? Is it to assure fairness? Is it to assure the outcome? Do they want the riots that will occur if Zimmerman is found innocent, or, do they want that moment in the bright lights of the news cameras to declare that "Justice has been served, Whitey goes to jail. The obama administration saw to it that justice was served for Trayvon, an innocent child"? (Yes, I know that Zimmerman is not white. I suspect that fact will be forgotten, again, as it was in the beginning. I also know, as do you, that Trayvon was no innocent child.)
Why has this story garnered exponentially more attention than the murder of an American Border Patrol Agent in the desert in the middle of that December night by criminals who were in this country illegally, using guns provided them by a failed federal gun trafficking
Anyway... Just my thoughts.
Stay safe.
18 July 2012
Party...
I know that some of you don't like this video, but seriously... this is a party I'd like to attend. That's just me.
Stay safe.
17 July 2012
Two things...
From Cousin Michael. Michael is from Missouri and he has been full of good pics lately. Think he might be a bit of a conservative fellow? :)
Stay safe.
16 July 2012
What are the odds...?
What are the odds of 3 visitors with 3 different internet providers and 3 different IP addresses, all located in two cities in Mother Russia, randomly visiting my insignificant little blog at virtually the same time today?
Seems a little weird to me. :)
Stay safe.
15 July 2012
Neither choice is acceptable...
True dat.
I don't care for either of them. At all.
Not that it matters.
Romney is hiding something. obama, too, is hiding something. They're both dirtbag politicians.
I would like a candidate who is honest and open and who will have the best interests of America in mind in everything he or she does. That isn't going to happen anytime soon. Too many people with too much money that have to be pleased. Too many powerful foreign interests that have to be appeased.
Which one is cancer? Which one is AIDS? :)
Stay safe.
14 July 2012
Not a word now...
It's been said many times in many places that F&F is merely a diversion. I won't say that I disagree with that but it seems to be becoming a thorn in the side of the current administration. I see that as a good thing.
The Libs are making noise about wanting to see Mittens' tax returns from longer than 2 years ago. That is a diversion. I still want to see the records that obama had sealed when he took office. You know, student loan records, school application and admission records, things like that.
I don't think that there is any question that the Selective Service and Social Security cards are irregular. (Notice how the initials for both are "SS"? LOL) We'll probably never know. True or false, they become diversions when questioned. The Birth Certificate is another story entirely, true or false. None of it matters. All diversions. His actions are all that matter. It isn't good.
I'm currently reading "Conduct Unbecoming" by LTC Robert Patterson (Ret). So far, an interesting read.
Anyway... Tumbling .45 acp brass today. Nothing exciting.
Stay safe.
13 July 2012
12 July 2012
Just a thought...
Has anyone else noticed? It seems that just a few short months ago almost all of the media was shamelessly pro-obama and unapologetically anti-conservative. It now appears that quite a few news sources, like HuffPost and The Des Moines Register, are reporting in an ever so slightly more "balanced" way. I'm not saying that they are fairly and completely balanced, by any means. Just that they seem to be changing slightly. They seem to be less "ejaculate all over oneself" pro-obama than they have been for the past 3 years.
Is some of his luster beginning to fade? Are they finally beginning to see the writing on the wall?
Am I imagining things?
I ask because The Register ran a story this week about the miserable failure of "green" energy and obama's failure to put the 1,000,000 electric cars that he promised on the road. (I've always wondered what they do with the batteries from an electric car when they are no longer viable? Why is the "carbon footprint" required to build an electric car greater than the one required to build an F-150? Where do the greenies think that the plastic used in the manufacture of electric cars comes from? Hint: petroleum) The article stated that 7% of the total energy use in Amerika today is from "green sources". That would be solar, wind, and bio-fuels. It further stated that we could acheive 10% green energy production by 2035, maybe, if the government is willing to subsidize it at the same and greater levels than they do today. The point was that it isn't cost effective on a large scale.
Then HuffPost runs a story today to clarify an earlier story regarding Mittens' NAACP speech. They let everyone know that, even though he was boo'd when he said he would overturn obamacare, he got their attention and received a standing ovation at the conclusion of his speech. The White House spokesman could only say words to the effect of "there are some professional blacks in the NAACP". What does that mean? (That is not an endorsement of Romney. I like him only slightly more than I like obama, which isn't much)
And obama is starting to lose the Latino vote. Read that somewhere today. Go figure. :)
Anyway, I didn't really have anything to say. Just rambling.
Stay safe.
Is some of his luster beginning to fade? Are they finally beginning to see the writing on the wall?
Am I imagining things?
I ask because The Register ran a story this week about the miserable failure of "green" energy and obama's failure to put the 1,000,000 electric cars that he promised on the road. (I've always wondered what they do with the batteries from an electric car when they are no longer viable? Why is the "carbon footprint" required to build an electric car greater than the one required to build an F-150? Where do the greenies think that the plastic used in the manufacture of electric cars comes from? Hint: petroleum) The article stated that 7% of the total energy use in Amerika today is from "green sources". That would be solar, wind, and bio-fuels. It further stated that we could acheive 10% green energy production by 2035, maybe, if the government is willing to subsidize it at the same and greater levels than they do today. The point was that it isn't cost effective on a large scale.
Then HuffPost runs a story today to clarify an earlier story regarding Mittens' NAACP speech. They let everyone know that, even though he was boo'd when he said he would overturn obamacare, he got their attention and received a standing ovation at the conclusion of his speech. The White House spokesman could only say words to the effect of "there are some professional blacks in the NAACP". What does that mean? (That is not an endorsement of Romney. I like him only slightly more than I like obama, which isn't much)
And obama is starting to lose the Latino vote. Read that somewhere today. Go figure. :)
Anyway, I didn't really have anything to say. Just rambling.
Stay safe.
11 July 2012
08 July 2012
Youngest manchild...
My youngest son played in a tournament in San Diego this weekend. Looks like he did alright.
Stay safe.
06 July 2012
Not just for cold winter nights...
...it's for hot summer nights, too.
It's a little slow with a single stage press, but relaxing. .45 acp tonight. It was good.
Stay safe.
Yes, Virginia, it really is a tax...
:)
The Liberals on the SCOTUS said it's a tax. It is, therefore, a tax. I love it when Liberals howl. I think that they may have stabbed themselves in the eye on this one.
Stay safe.
04 July 2012
Yeah...
Happy Independence Day. Give some thought to what it means and what it has cost. What price are we willing to pay to defend and maintain it?
Stay safe.
03 July 2012
Your government at work...
From Jared D. Verbatim Post.
One in seven Americans are on food stamps, but the government is pushing to enroll more — in many instances working to overcome Americans’ “pride,” self-reliance or failure to see a need.
“Our common goal is to increase participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,” the United States Department of Agriculture explains on its “Outreach Toolkits” page. “Our purpose is to ensure that those going through difficult times can feed their families healthy, nutritious food. By working as a team, we can accomplish these goals.”
The USDA has adopted a range of strategies and programs designed to bring more people to SNAP, including taking on “pride.” A 2011 Hunger Champions Award document reveals that local assistance offices have been rewarded for “counteracting” pride and pushing more people to sign up for benefits.
The Ashe County Department of Social Services in Jefferson, N.C., for example, received a “Gold” award for confronting “mountain pride” and increasing food stamp participation by 10 percent.
“Hearing from the outreach worker that benefits could be used to purchase seeds and plants for their gardens turned out to be a very important strategy in counteracting what they described as ‘mountain pride’ and appealed to those who wished not to rely on others,” the document explains. “Eventually, many accepted assistance from the Low Income Energy Assistance Program, the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary program, and others, in some cases doubling a household’s net income. In 1 year, SNAP participation increased over 10 percent.”
Overcoming “beliefs” is a stated method from the USDA to bring more people to the program.
A “Common SNAP Myths” sheet from the “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Community Outreach Partner Toolkit” details the importance of reaching people who do not think they qualify or have beliefs that conflict with accepting food stamps.
“Millions of low-income people are not accessing the nutrition benefits for which they qualify,” the “myth” sheet explains. “To be effective, it is important that our national and local outreach efforts counter myths about SNAP among those who think they are not eligible or have beliefs that discourage them from enrolling.”
USDA claims that eligible people who do not participate are actually harming their communities by preventing additional funds from entering their respective economies.
“SNAP is an investment in our future. It offers nutrition benefits to participating clients, supports work, and provides economic benefits to communities,” USDA explains on one of its outreach pages. “However, too many low-income people who are eligible for the program do not participate and thus forgo nutrition assistance that could stretch their food dollars at the grocery store. Their communities lose out on the benefits provided by new SNAP dollars flowing into local economies.”
The agency adds that there are many hurdles — including reticence to accept government aid — that SNAP advocates must overcome in order to make eligible people accept the government’s help.
According to the USDA, 65 percent of those eligible claim SNAP benefits, a number the agency has been working to increase.
“The most common reason eligible people do not participate is because they do not realize they may be eligible,” USDA explains. “Others choose not to apply because of myths or misunderstandings about SNAP benefits or because of stigma that continues to persist. Others make a cost-benefit decision that the time involved in applying for benefits is not worth the expected return. Some do not want to accept government assistance.”
The USDA also claims increasing food stamp participation is an economic stimulus.
“Outreach and education are powerful tools in overcoming barriers to SNAP participation. Even a small increase in SNAP participation can have a substantial impact,” USDA continues. “If the national participation rate rose 5 percentage points, 1.9 million more low-income people would have an additional $1.3 billion in benefits per year to use to purchase healthy food and $2.5 billion total in new economic activity would be generated nationwide.”
Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions, the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, described USDA’s assertion that food stamps are beneficial to the economy as “ludicrous.”
Sessions, who has had his eye on food stamp reform for years, added that USDA’s focus on reducing cultural impediments to food stamp participation is particularly concerning.
“I think it’s a deep problem when SNAP officials think it is their duty to overcome ‘mountain pride’ or overcome the American sense of independence and individual responsibility,” Sessions told The Daily Caller in an interview. “They seem to think that is an anachronism and that modern Americans shouldn’t have pride and independence. I think it is highly troubling actually.” (SEE ALSO: USDA suggests food stamp parties, games to increase participation)
The Alabama senator’s most recent attempts at SNAP reform, in the 2012 farm bill — 80 percent of which was food stamp spending — were voted down by the Democratic majority in the Senate.
SNAP spending has doubled since 2008 and quadrupled since 2001. Participation has increased from 1-in-50 on food stamps in the 1970s to 1-in-7 today.
In a statement to The Daily Caller, USDA spokesman Alyn G. Kiel explained the agency’s SNAP outreach effort as an information distribution partnership with state and local agencies, advocates, employers, community and faith-based organizations, and others to help eligible people decide if they want to participate in SNAP.
“Congress allocates funds to USDA with the mandate to conduct public education about the benefits of SNAP and how to apply to help reduce hunger in America,” she explained in an email. “The agency began airing radio ads in 2004 and more recently developed a Community Toolkit to help organizations engage with elderly people who may be eligible but are not participating in SNAP. Public education is targeted to eligible individuals in the populations and geographic areas with the most need including the elderly and working poor.”
While Sessions does not begrudge food for those truly in need, he argues that the goal should be giving Americans the tools they need to get off food stamps, not adopting strategies to get more people on them. (FLASHBACK: Lottery winner using food stamps: ‘I thought maybe it was okay because I’m not working’)
To be sure, USDA claims that 50 percent of new participants leave the program within 9 months of enrolling — a statistic derived from a 1998 study — and that the assistance can help keep recipients healthy for work.
“Employees whose nutrition needs are met at home may be healthier and thus may take fewer sick days for themselves or their children. Employees may stay longer with companies that care about them by sharing information about SNAP benefits and its importance as a work support,” USDA explains. “SNAP helps families become financially stable and make the transition to self-sufficiency, getting them through the tough times.”
USDA contends that SNAP even offers incentives to get back to work, as SNAP benefits only decrease by 24 to 36 cents for every additional dollar a SNAP participant earns.
In the interim, however, USDA wants as many people as it can muster to join the program.
The Daily Caller reported last week that the USDA has been encouraging local SNAP offices to recruit with SNAP parties and games. CNN Money further reported that for the last four months the agency was running paid radio ads — costing taxpayers between $2.5 million to $3 million — in California, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and the New York City metro area.
According to Sessions, there needs to be top-down reform of the program, commencing with actually categorizing SNAP as a welfare program.
“It should be coordinated with all the other welfare programs in an effort to move people from help to work, to help people move from temporary assistance to work and gainful employment,” Sessions said. “This is what the 1996 welfare reform focused on and it was very successful, but it does appear that we have slid back from that. The whole country needs to once again go through these programs and make them as beneficial to the recipients as possible.”
Read the original article here at The Daily Caller.
~~~~~
Now they're taking your dignity. And telling you that it's for your own good. They are telling you that your dependence on the Fed is a good thing. How fucked up is that?
Stay safe.
02 July 2012
Anderson Cooper comes out...
Rant on.
It's all over the news. Anderson Cooper is a homosexual.
Seriously, who cares?
Why do homosexuals continually feel compelled to announce their sexual preference to the world? Why does anyone think that the world wants to know that you're a homosexual? Why do you crave the attention that declaring your homosexuality gets you? "Hey! Look at me! I'm a homosexual!" It's like some big secret that can't be kept. Let's have a parade! Or a month of recognition. Ordered by the President.
Is it some sort of badge of honor to "come out" and tell the world that you're a homosexual? To draw attention to oneself and one's sexual lifestyle? To publicly identify as a homosexual? Something that should be personal and private?
Seriously?
I understand the possibility of wanting to publicly celebrate or announce your accomplishments, but your sexuality? Why?
As long as we're talking about individual sexuality, how 'bout we have "Unfaithful Husband Month" and "Unfaithful Wife Month"? It would be more PC than "Cheating Husband Month" or "Cheating Wife Month". Perhaps just "Unfaithful Spouse Month"? That wouldn't be as lucrative for the greeting card companies, though, to have just one month of celebration... Perhaps "Masters and Slaves Month"? OOPS! That could be misconstrued as being something other than what it was intended to be. Not PC. Insensitive. Better change that to "Masochists and Sadists Pride Month".
The vast majority don't care about your sexuality until you attempt to use that sexuality to obtain special status or special treatment. It's when you start making demands that people start to notice you. It's all about your presentation...
Those who self-identify as homosexual make up 2.5% of the population. Homosexuals lack the numbers to make legitimate demands and they lack the numbers to be taken seriously. Yet they do make demands. They are taken seriously, mostly by each other, and a few who have been taught that "tolerance" is more important than substance. Homosexuals are used by politicians to garner votes and by entertainers to get their money.
The vast majority couldn't care less if you're a homosexual. That isn't going to change.
Why can't people identify themselves as simply "human" and leave it at that? Male or female. Keep it simple. And accurate. Keep your bedroom preferences to yourself. I don't care what you do in the bedroom, just keep it there.
Two guys swapping spit out in public? I find that quite disgusting. Why do I find it disgusting? Because I'm intolerant or unenlightened? Because I'm not progressive enough? Because I'm a bigot? LOL. I don't think so. Some things are just better left unseen and unimagined. :)
You can be as homosexual as you want to be. I don't care. Don't make it the topic of every discussion. We'll get along just fine. Your homosexuality won't change my opinion of you, nor will it ruin our friendship or prevent a friendship, until you feel the need to broadcast it to the world. Until you try to force the rest of society to accept your homosexuality as something special, deserving of special treatment. Until you try to gain any sort of advantage due simply to the fact that you're homosexual. Until you try to teach my grandchildren that homosexuality is "normal". That's gonna cause a problem.
It isn't normal. No matter how many times you say that it's normal, no matter how much you want it to be normal, it isn't. Wishful thinking won't make it so. Homosexuality is an aberration. It isn't "normal". I realize that homosexuality is real. It happens. That doesn't make it normal.
Do I hate someone because he or she is a homosexual? No. Not even close. Some of my closest friends areblack homosexuals. :)
God gave man a penis and woman a vagina for a reason. To procreate. To perpetuate the species.
For the modern progressives who deny the existence of God I will rephrase that statement and say that Nature gave man a penis and woman a vagina for a reason. To procreate. To perpetuate the species. It is the natural order of things.
I will also say to those modern progressives that it's my opinion that your disdain of God is due to your selfish desire to do whatever you want, whenever you want, with whomever you want, without repercussions or restrictions, moral or otherwise. Science doesn't really answer your questions, does it?
What was the catchphrase of the late 60's and early 70's? "If it feels good, do it"? I think it finally caught on.
Homosexuals can't tolerate being simply Joe Smith or Mary Jones. They have to be identified as Joe Smith, Homosexual or Mary Jones, Homosexual. It's what all the "cool" kids do. Put on your rainbow tee shirts and have a demonstration. Demand your rights. Not your rights as a human being, rather your rights as a "special class". Your "rights" as a homosexual.
I suspect that in reality most homosexuals just want to live life quietly and peacefully without rocking the boat. No different than anyone else. It's like anything else. It takes only a few behaving badly to bring scorn upon the many.
If you're a man and you want to smoke a pole or venture down the old Hershey Highway, have at it. Same goes if you are a female and want to do whatever it is that you want to do as a homosexual. I don't care. If it makes you happy, by all means, do it. Just keep it to yourself. Don't tell me that I have to be tolerant of it. Don't tell my grandchildren that it's normal.
If I am tolerant it will be because I choose to be, not because you demand that I be.
If you are a homosexual and you go about your business without feeling the need to broadcast it to the whole world, without expecting special consideration because of it, good for you. May you enjoy a long and happy life.
If you are a homosexual and you go through life expecting special consideration because of your homosexuality, I have no tolerance for you. You haven't proven that homosexuality is normal, only that you crave attention and desire special treatment.
Personally, I think a lot of what passes as homosexuality today is nothing more than a fad. It's what all the cool kids are doing.
It's your life. Live it. Deal with the consequences of your choices. Don't tell me that I have to accept it as "normal". I will accept it or reject it as I see fit. Don't tell me that you deserve special consideration because of your lifestyle choices. Don't tell me that I have to pay for it. Get over yourself.
I think that the rise to power in Egypt of the Muslim Brotherhood, the slaughter in Syria, and the slaughter of white South Africans at the hands of their black countrymen are much more deserving of media attention and our concern than Anderson Cooper's homosexuality. There are many issues in this country that are much more deserving of our attention than this diversion.
Tell me, when is heterosexual pride month?
Rant off.
Stay safe.
It's all over the news. Anderson Cooper is a homosexual.
Seriously, who cares?
Why do homosexuals continually feel compelled to announce their sexual preference to the world? Why does anyone think that the world wants to know that you're a homosexual? Why do you crave the attention that declaring your homosexuality gets you? "Hey! Look at me! I'm a homosexual!" It's like some big secret that can't be kept. Let's have a parade! Or a month of recognition. Ordered by the President.
Is it some sort of badge of honor to "come out" and tell the world that you're a homosexual? To draw attention to oneself and one's sexual lifestyle? To publicly identify as a homosexual? Something that should be personal and private?
Seriously?
I understand the possibility of wanting to publicly celebrate or announce your accomplishments, but your sexuality? Why?
As long as we're talking about individual sexuality, how 'bout we have "Unfaithful Husband Month" and "Unfaithful Wife Month"? It would be more PC than "Cheating Husband Month" or "Cheating Wife Month". Perhaps just "Unfaithful Spouse Month"? That wouldn't be as lucrative for the greeting card companies, though, to have just one month of celebration... Perhaps "Masters and Slaves Month"? OOPS! That could be misconstrued as being something other than what it was intended to be. Not PC. Insensitive. Better change that to "Masochists and Sadists Pride Month".
The vast majority don't care about your sexuality until you attempt to use that sexuality to obtain special status or special treatment. It's when you start making demands that people start to notice you. It's all about your presentation...
Those who self-identify as homosexual make up 2.5% of the population. Homosexuals lack the numbers to make legitimate demands and they lack the numbers to be taken seriously. Yet they do make demands. They are taken seriously, mostly by each other, and a few who have been taught that "tolerance" is more important than substance. Homosexuals are used by politicians to garner votes and by entertainers to get their money.
The vast majority couldn't care less if you're a homosexual. That isn't going to change.
Why can't people identify themselves as simply "human" and leave it at that? Male or female. Keep it simple. And accurate. Keep your bedroom preferences to yourself. I don't care what you do in the bedroom, just keep it there.
Two guys swapping spit out in public? I find that quite disgusting. Why do I find it disgusting? Because I'm intolerant or unenlightened? Because I'm not progressive enough? Because I'm a bigot? LOL. I don't think so. Some things are just better left unseen and unimagined. :)
You can be as homosexual as you want to be. I don't care. Don't make it the topic of every discussion. We'll get along just fine. Your homosexuality won't change my opinion of you, nor will it ruin our friendship or prevent a friendship, until you feel the need to broadcast it to the world. Until you try to force the rest of society to accept your homosexuality as something special, deserving of special treatment. Until you try to gain any sort of advantage due simply to the fact that you're homosexual. Until you try to teach my grandchildren that homosexuality is "normal". That's gonna cause a problem.
It isn't normal. No matter how many times you say that it's normal, no matter how much you want it to be normal, it isn't. Wishful thinking won't make it so. Homosexuality is an aberration. It isn't "normal". I realize that homosexuality is real. It happens. That doesn't make it normal.
Do I hate someone because he or she is a homosexual? No. Not even close. Some of my closest friends are
God gave man a penis and woman a vagina for a reason. To procreate. To perpetuate the species.
For the modern progressives who deny the existence of God I will rephrase that statement and say that Nature gave man a penis and woman a vagina for a reason. To procreate. To perpetuate the species. It is the natural order of things.
I will also say to those modern progressives that it's my opinion that your disdain of God is due to your selfish desire to do whatever you want, whenever you want, with whomever you want, without repercussions or restrictions, moral or otherwise. Science doesn't really answer your questions, does it?
What was the catchphrase of the late 60's and early 70's? "If it feels good, do it"? I think it finally caught on.
Homosexuals can't tolerate being simply Joe Smith or Mary Jones. They have to be identified as Joe Smith, Homosexual or Mary Jones, Homosexual. It's what all the "cool" kids do. Put on your rainbow tee shirts and have a demonstration. Demand your rights. Not your rights as a human being, rather your rights as a "special class". Your "rights" as a homosexual.
I suspect that in reality most homosexuals just want to live life quietly and peacefully without rocking the boat. No different than anyone else. It's like anything else. It takes only a few behaving badly to bring scorn upon the many.
If you're a man and you want to smoke a pole or venture down the old Hershey Highway, have at it. Same goes if you are a female and want to do whatever it is that you want to do as a homosexual. I don't care. If it makes you happy, by all means, do it. Just keep it to yourself. Don't tell me that I have to be tolerant of it. Don't tell my grandchildren that it's normal.
If I am tolerant it will be because I choose to be, not because you demand that I be.
If you are a homosexual and you go about your business without feeling the need to broadcast it to the whole world, without expecting special consideration because of it, good for you. May you enjoy a long and happy life.
If you are a homosexual and you go through life expecting special consideration because of your homosexuality, I have no tolerance for you. You haven't proven that homosexuality is normal, only that you crave attention and desire special treatment.
Personally, I think a lot of what passes as homosexuality today is nothing more than a fad. It's what all the cool kids are doing.
It's your life. Live it. Deal with the consequences of your choices. Don't tell me that I have to accept it as "normal". I will accept it or reject it as I see fit. Don't tell me that you deserve special consideration because of your lifestyle choices. Don't tell me that I have to pay for it. Get over yourself.
I think that the rise to power in Egypt of the Muslim Brotherhood, the slaughter in Syria, and the slaughter of white South Africans at the hands of their black countrymen are much more deserving of media attention and our concern than Anderson Cooper's homosexuality. There are many issues in this country that are much more deserving of our attention than this diversion.
Tell me, when is heterosexual pride month?
Rant off.
Stay safe.
01 July 2012
Adaptation of Gibbon quote...
“In the end, more than freedom, they wanted security. They wanted a
comfortable life, and they lost it all – security, comfort, and freedom.
When the Americans finally wanted not to give to society but for
society to give to them, when the freedom they wished for most was
freedom from responsibility, then America ceased to be free and was never
free again.”
~~ Edward Gibbon (adapted)
Stay safe.
~~ Edward Gibbon (adapted)
Stay safe.
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