Twas the 36 Days Before Christmas

Do you remember the 2000 election? Those 36 crazy days of counting and analyzing punch-card ballots, "hanging and pregnant chads", vote-a-matic machines selected by Democrats (but confusing to Florida democrat voters), legal challenges, and mass confusion over what was one of the most dramatic political dramas of our time.

The Bush/Gore election was one for the books and had the nation on the edge of our seats until the Supreme Court stepped in and stopped the madness. People will argue forever whether Bush or Gore won the election, but looking back neither turned out to be a very good choice. Bush was a disappointment, but at least he was honest and tried to do his best. But can you imagine Al (global warming) Gore as President and John (the adulterer) Edwards as Vice-President. Those two are classic examples of why many Americans have such a negative image of politicians.

But this blog is not about politicians it's about that crazy election. I heard recently that Hollywood is even making a movie about it. So as we approach Christmas I though it might be fun to revisit a version of the famous Christmas poem that I wrote after that '2000' election was over:

December 2000

'Twas the Night Before Christmas II
By Charles L. Strickland

‘Twas the night before Christmas at the White House this year,
the Demos had gathered to all shed a tear;
Carville, Jesse, and Al Sharpton were there,
hanging their heads by the chimney with care.

Bill Clinton was nestled all snug in his bed,
While visions of Monica danced in his head;
And Hillary in her kerchief, and Chelsea her cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
They rose from their beds to see what was the matter.
When what to their wondering eyes should be seen,
But Tipper and Al Gore with a Vote-a-matic machine.

"We flew in from Palm Beach, and guess what folks?
I think we have found some more votes!
Look at these ballots with hanging chads pushed through,
and I even have dimpled and pregnant ones too!"

"Oh please Bill, can we count them once more,
you promised the next President would be named Al Gore"
Bill settled him down and said, "Do I need to repeat?,
The Supremes have spoken, and you are dead meat!"

So they all went inside and gathered around,
to see if George W. Bush’s FBI file could be found.
And as Christmas drew near, you could hear them all sigh,
"Merry Christmas to Al, and to Al a good-bye!"

Hands off my Estate

The debate on the "estate tax" is raging in Congress right now because at the end of this year it could change dramatically. The Bush tax cuts on estate tax have been progressively more lenient and this year there is 'zero' estate tax. But unless something changes, on January 1st the tax reverts to the previous level of a tax of 55% on all assets over $1 million. This may seem fair to some people, but if you own a small business, a family farm (or ranch) your heirs could have to sell the business or property just to pay these ridiculous estate taxes.

During an interview with Democratic Congressman Anthony Wiener today he was asked; "If a person works all their life to earn assets and pays taxes on those assets (like a business or farm), why should he pay taxes again after he dies?" The arrogant Congressman responded "He doesn't pay taxes, he is dead, and his heirs pay the taxes because this is "income" to them.

This one question to a committed liberal clearly illustrates their philosophical belief in "income redistribution". Liberals (progressives) believe that when someone with assets dies, a (major) portion of their assets should be distributed to the people in the country who are "not as fortunate". And of course liberals believe the government should be the ones to redistribute those assets.

It will be interesting to see what the politicians negotiate during the next few weeks, but there is no way the successful investor, or businessman, or farmer is going to tolerate 55% of their estate going to the government instead of their family. What I have earned in my lifetime (and paid taxes along the way) belongs to my family. If the government does pass this ridiculous tax we will figure out how to keep from paying it.

Old-time comedian Jack Benny who loved his money once said "If I can't take it with me, I'm not going to go". I say; "If the government tries to take 55% of it, we will give it away before we go".

Dancing with the "Stars"

This cleverly photo-shopped picture has been traveling the internet as a parody of the TV show and as a parody of our politics.

It seems like the only people you hear about in the news these days are Barack Obama and Sarah Palin. Now it's understandable that the (mainly) liberal media in this country would spend their time concentrating on Obama's activities - but why are they also so obsessed with Sarah Palin?

I'll tell you why - FEAR. I am not a Sarah Palin fan, especially as a presidential candidate, but if you look at the polls Palin's ratings are almost the same as Obama's - both positive and negative. Whether you like her or not, a lot of the "folks" do. I have a son who cannot stand Sarah Palin and shutters at the thought of her ever being president. So of course as a good father I forward every Palin article I can find to him (he is working on a "Palin" filter to stop my emails). He is also a Libertarian and cannot stand Barack Obama and would vote him out of office in a minute.

But what if his only choice is Palin or Obama in the next election? His response would be; "Then I won't vote". But not voting means the Washington "elites" that want to run this country win.

Palin is not an articulate speaker; she has little international experience, but has managed a city as a mayor and a state as a governor. Obama is an articulate speaker (as long as a teleprompter tells him what to say), and he had some international experience when he became president, but he had no management experience whatsoever and after two years his incompetence as a manager has risen to the surface and put this country in huge peril. Do any of the readers of this blog believe Sarah Palin or any other conservative could have done a worse job?

Palin in a recent interview was asked by Barbara Walters if she thought she could beat Obama in an election; she said "yes". You have to give her an "A" for self confidence. I don't think she will be the republican nominee in 2012 but if she decides to run it will be interesting to see if the "folks" can push her over the top. If they do, I believe one of my sons will start making plans to leave the country...but as Ronald Reagan once said; "If we ever lose our freedoms here there will be no other place to go".

As for Obama, to paraphrase one of my favorite commentators; "The Obama presidency will eventually be nothing more than graffiti on the wall of American history".