2008 Presidential Voter Guide

No matter who you support, or think you support, it is important to be informed and not vote under false impressions or beliefs. I know some people shy away from being informed or investigating platforms of the candidates because it's usually too cumbersome or boring. I thought I would give an add service and summarize each candidates platform:

John McCain


Party: Republican
Age: 71
website: www.johnmccain.com

Bioethics/Stem Cells and Embryos
Supports Adult stem cell research
Supports Research using left over embryos from IVF
Supports Embryo destructive research
Supports Umbilical cord blood banks
Supports federal law prohibiting reproductive cloning and cloning for research


Judicial Issues
Would appoint judges who interpret a law in accordance of how it was written and not on personal beliefs

Woman's Health
Opposes Medicaid-funded abortions
Supports laws requiring abortion clinic to show all women an ultrasound image of their unborn baby.
Supports a federal parental notification law

Promoting Stronger Marriages
Opposes a constitutional amendment to define and protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman

Religious Liberty
Supports the continuation of the Faith Based Initiative (federal level) to guarantee the right of religious social service providers to access federal programs on an equal basis.

Homosexuality and Special Rights
Would veto any bill to provide federal civil rights protection on the basis of sexual orientation.

Would veto an federal "hate crimes" law, and leave prosecution of such crimes to state and local authorities

Would veto any bill to overturn the statutory ban on homosexuals serving in the military

General Issues
Supports limiting the ability of government to take private land for private development purposes

Supports repeal of the federal estate (death) tax

Opposes legislative initiatives that emphasize border security over all forms of immigration reform

Supports President Bush's decision not to renew the federal ban on assault weapons

Supports removing the federal ban on drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf

Supports an immigration system that allows undocumented immigrants, who qualify by not having a decided criminal record, to learn English and become eligible for US citizenship

Has a schedule for reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions


Barack Obama


Party: Democratic
Age: 46
website: www.barackobama.com

Bioethics/Stem Cells and Embryos
Supports Therapeutic Cloning
Supports Research of leftover embryos from IVF
Supports Research on Embryo Destructive Research
Supports Umbilical Cord Blood Banks

Judicial Issues
Would appoint judges who interpret a law in accordance of personal beliefs

Woman's Health
Supports Medicaid-funded abortions
Undecided on laws requiring abortion clinic to show all women an ultrasound image of their unborn baby.
Opposes a federal parental notification law

Promoting Stronger Marriages
Opposes a constitutional amendment to define and protect marriage as the union of one man and one woman

Religious Liberty
Opposes the continuation of the Faith Based Initiative (federal level) to guarantee the right of religious social service providers to access federal programs on an equal basis.

Homosexuality and Special Rights
Would sign a bill to give civil rights protection based on sexual orientation and gender identity

Would sign a federal "hate crimes" law that included protections based on sexual orientation and "gender identity"

Would sign a bill to overturn the statutory ban on homosexuals serving in the military

General Issues
Undecided on limiting the ability of government to take private land for private development purposes

Opposes repeal of the federal estate (death) tax

Opposes legislative initiatives that emphasize border security over all forms of immigration reform

Opposes President Bush's decision not to renew the federal ban on assault weapons

Opposes removing the federal ban on drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf

Supports an immigration system that allows undocumented immigrants, who qualify by not having a decided criminal record, to learn English and become eligible for US citizenship

Has a schedule for reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Chicken Little Headed for the Fryer

Many people are uptight and worried about the economy. As we sit in a state of worry about our 401Ks,IRAs, the credit crisis, and the job market, etc. Let me just say we live in the greatest country in the world. We live in a cyclical economy. We have a financial market that is more skittish than a herd of deer. I think people need to take a deep breath and relax. Now, once you've relaxed it's time for each of you to take action. People who moan and groan about why didn't someone do something really have no merit if they themselves didn't take action. We have a government that was established by the people, for the people. Well people, it's time for you to ask for accountability. Stop believing tainted, one-sided, media sources. If you haven't realized or want to deny it our media is biased and are not giving you full stories and truths.

If you are voting for Obama then make sure your beliefs line up with his. If what he proposes and supports is what you want for you and your family then I say vote for him. If you believe in the following:

a) Universal Health Care System. If you wish for the government to tell you what doctor you can see, what surgery you can have, and when you can have it then Obama is your man. If you think this is a great plan then talk to a Canadian.

b) If you want entitlement programs like free cell phones for welfare recipients, increase benefits for increased number of dependants, social security payments to illegal aliens, etc. then vote for Obama.

c) If you believe that Business owners should be taxed more and tax cuts should be given to lower income people then Obama is your guy. You are Ok with taxing the businesses who provide incomes to the majority of citizens. By locking up profits in taxes, resources are reduced, less people are hired, new technology is decreased, and moving business/production to foreign countries become more attractive then vote Obama.

d) If you are Ok with Obamas association with domestic terrorists, his passive and sympathetic stance to a foreign leader who openly expresses his desire to destroy, as he refers to them as Zionist Pigs, Israel. One of our Allies. Then Vote Obama.

No matter who is voted into office neither is going to solve the current problems overnight. We can only move forward and work towards a plan to fix the problems plaguing our nation and economy. Somehow people have this mentality that the Republican party is for the Rich, Democratic party is for the poor. That is far from the truth. Yes, I align myself more with the Republican party for these few reasons. They support less government involvement in the lives of Americans, they support a Free Market Place which promotes better technology, everyone has the opportunity to prosper, and growth of our economy. If you don't think that is true. Take any 10 year period of the market and show me one that hasn't grown. Stop looking at hiccups and short term analysis. Long Term our economy and financial markets grow. Just look at countries that are socialistic and communistic. Their economies are sluggish, their people are in poverty, and they are not growing.

Now, what has me mad is both Democrats and Republicans are not representing the people. We the people who have elected them. Moving forward, no matter who ends up in the oval office there needs to be accountability. Accountability to put pressure on Congress to get the hands of Wall Street, Lobby Groups, etc. out of their pockets, stricter oversight of financial institutions, harsher penalties for those who put the nations economy in risk, stricter guidelines for mortgages, and most importantly working towards a balanced budget. If any business or individual ran their business or home like our government they'd be bankrupt. The same needs to apply to our government. We need to get healthy again!

Now, Here is a plan my old buddy Dave Ramsey came up with and I totally agree with:
Dave Ramsey Website
Here is Dave's Plan;

1) Pray for your leaders:
Pray for them to resist a spirit of FEAR and to embrace WISDOM. Even if you don't like them or agree with them, pray for them and tell them you are praying for them. There is a spirit over this problem that must be broken. Also, most of the media personalities are afraid as well and that is affecting their reporting. Pray for fear to be removed from them; they are making this worse.


2. Send the Common Sense Fix to your State Representatives
Send The Common Sense Fix to your Representatives and Senators and tell them how you expect them to vote, and that if they put this nation in $700 billion of debt, that you will vote them out. It's their job to listen to us! (Whichever presidential candidate or political party that champions this plan from their leadership down will likely become the next president. That is because this plan fixes the crisis while going along with the wishes of the vast majority of Americans.)



3. Send the Link to Everyone You Know
Send a link to this page to everyone in your address book and tell them to urgently follow these 3 steps TODAY. The more people we have supporting this and contacting their elected leaders, the more likely we can turn our economy around!

Now, we all know the plan was passed. However, It's still not too late to express your disapproval for the plan. It needs to be revised.

It will get better. The way it gets better is start voicing your opinion to your local and state reps. If our Congressmen/ladies think they can operate according to their views, personal benefit, and gain they will do so. We must keep everyone in check. Don't just do this in the bad times. Always check up on what your Senators, House Reps are up to in Congress. You might say this is boring, not my thing, or it doesn't affect me then think again. Get involved, take action, but most importantly get informed. We risk each day that we will move closer to a socialist society. Historically, countries that have fallen to fascism, communism, and socialism never happened overnight. It came about out of systematic, slow, propaganda of evil dictators. Don't think the US media doesn't have the capability to influence you to believe lies and cover up truth. Stand up for your beliefs and support those who line up with them.

Come November it's up to you. Go Vote!

BOOOYAH! AWARD DAY!

I Love getting awards and my good friend Dawn has given me one. I am honored and thrilled.



This award comes with a few questions, so here we go:

1. Do you have the same friends since childhood? Not really, most of my childhood friends don't live in St. Louis anymore and after I moved to Texas and Louisiana I lost touch. My best childhood friend, Pat, who we hooked up with again when I moved back to St. Louis and he from Germany (He was in the Marines) have lost touch again because he moved to Phoenix.

2. What do you value most about your friends? Honesty.

3. Are your friends your sounding boards? Yes, I have limited friends but good ones!

4. What is your favorite activity to share with your friends? Dinner.

Since this award has already been handed out to my blogging friends I'm going to have to keep this and save it for new friends. Thanks again Dawn.

Lipstick Pitbull-My Girl for the White House

Well, let me just say last night was phenomenal. Just being in an arena, anticipating the debate, feeling the buzz, was nothing short of amazing. It was nice for once to see Palin speak without the filter of the liberal media. She has assured me that she has the fight, the drive, and what Washington needs God forbid she was ever called to serve as President prematurely.

She is educated, she is definitely grassroots, and a quick study. This woman will step right into one of the most important positions in this country.

John McCain and Sarah Palin have my vote!

See you all at the Poles!

EXCITED METER OFF THE CHART!

Well, it took some action on my part to change a "I should, I wish I , I'll look into that" into I'm going to do it. Early on when it was announced that the Vice President debate between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden was being held here in St. Louis I did inquire about getting tickets to the debate. Unfortunately, the majority of the tickets were in a lottery for the Wash U students. Very few were available to outsiders. Well, I heard some rumblings and rumors that there was going to be a Palin Debate Watch Party at a arena at St. Louis University. When I heard about it I figured it was going to be tough to get tickets to that event. In typical fashion I waited to the last minute to find out if tickets were available. It wasn't an easy task to find out about tickets. I started to think my suspicions were true in that it was closed off only to a select few. But, anyone who knows me and when I'm determined to find out about something I don't rest. I spent some time searching and I finally found it. Well, I found information on where you can get tickets. Luck would have it there was a McCain/Palin Campaign office two miles from my work. So, at lunch I drove over there to see about getting tickets. Well, I walk in the door and it's jammed. Two ladies in front of me were asking for tickets. I hear the guy say, well, I only have two tickets left. I was like,"DARN!". I actually thought worse but I'll keep it clean. Then my excitement level rose again when a lady walked in the door holding a ticket and wanting to return it because she can't attend the rally. Wooo hooo! I thought. Then the guy behind the counter goes, "Wow, you rank!" I'm clueless to what he means. He goes, "That's a VIP Ticket". Before I could respond a lady behind the counter goes, "OH, you can't have that one. That's a special ticket!". I was like OH! but before I could respond the guy goes, I do have another ticket. Here, you can have this one. So, I am going to the Republican Watch Party Tonight and I will report on it tomorrow! Sarah Palin is going to make an appereance at the rally after the debate. Wish me luck in maybe getting to meet her. I am very excited.

Warning: Potential Vomit Ahead

Karen and I were talking last week and I asked her about last Monday's Oprah show. I had remembered that she was talking a lot about this upcoming show and she had not mentioned it. She confessed that she didn't bring it up because the show was far more disturbing than she thought and to talk about it again was too tough. You see, Oprah's show was on the topic of child pornography, child abuse, and child predators. After Karen started to tell me about some of the details I was blown away. If you go to Oprah's website you can see a visual representation of how fast child pornography can spread across this country in a 24hr period. It's listed under "Most Populars". The part that made Karen physically ill and stunned was the fact that it's graduated from sending pictures to live streaming video of people abusing children and babies. Oprah reported that 70% of these cases are people abusing their own children.

Oprah did a follow-up comment last week on her show that said after this show aired she started getting emails and letters from pedophiles angry with her and defending their actions. They claim what they are doing is natural and shame on her for making it sound like a bad thing. One letter was signed, 9 angry penises.

I can not even express the anger, fear, and disgust I have over this information. Whatever you think of Oprah I commend her for bringing this to light. Law Enforcement officials do not have the man power or the resources to effectively combat what I call an epidemic and moral breakdown. It takes action. We need to fight and let our US senators know that this is something that takes precedence over other issues. You can either go to your state government website and find links to your state Senators or you can find a link Here for Oprah's Senator List where she gives you the link and a letter you can send to your Senators.

Now, I personally feel building more prisons and incarcerating offenders is not the ultimate solution. We need to petition our state representatives to approve programs to fix the problem and not isolate the problem. Most sex offenders abuse based upon compulsion. No Sex Offender Registry or time in prison is going to stop them. I agree Internet porn fuels the minds of offenders and law enforcement needs to go after them and porn websites with a vengeance. However, there needs to be more. Most offenders are victims of child abuse themselves. Most of the time by a family member. There needs to be government programs to repair these people emotionally and mentally. The cycle needs to be broken. It takes brave people like yourselves to stand up, make a voice, get in deep prayer about this, and say that is not acceptable.

I beg each of you to take a few moments and do this. It must be stopped and it's only going to get worse unless we take ACTION NOW!

Neighbors.....

Since it's Fantastic Friday I thought I would share who my Blogspot neighbor is. You ask, how do you know who your blogspot neighbor is? It's simple. It's sort of a fun way to see what other blogs are out there in Blogland. In fact, your blog neighbor changes by the minute. All you have to do is go to the top of your blog and hit, "next blog" and Waaaaa La! there's your blog neighbor. Now, sometimes you'll encounter blogs from other countries in languages you don't understand. Actually, lately that's happened a lot. Then you encounter blogs that are really suprising and interesting. The featured Neighbor Blog today is, Man Made Marvels . A blog on Made Made Marvels. The great thing is? If this blog didn't interest me I could click next and venture into another blog.

Some might say, Joe you have too much time on your hands, I say, True, but won't you be my neighbor?