Okay look, I would rather be writing stupid stories about some dumb thing our kids did or something funny I’ve noticed, or our cows and horses, but I can’t. The future of our country is just too important right now. I can’t bring myself to go back to my usual style of writing . . . Not until we all WAKE UP! We can turn this around, but as individuals we MUST force our voices to be heard! That means sit down at your computer or pick up a pen and paper, or even pick up the phone for crying out loud! But do something to get in touch with every government official you can and tell them how you FEEL! Don’t let the tail wag the dog~~come on WAKE UP!!! What is happening is wrong & you know it! SAY something! 

Here it is again:

Your_elected_officials_contact_starting_place

PLEASE, JUST DO IT.

Amidst all this chaos . . . God loves me . . .

My Grandmother used that expression to describe/explain someone who was mentally deficient or troubled to the point of insanity. She had a wonderful way of calling things exactly as they were with very few words. If she were alive today, her solid common sense would force her to use that very same phrase to describe the President of the United States. I have just enough of ‘her’ blood boiling through my veins to take it a step beyond . . . Oh, he’s smart all right, I cannot deny. But I’m past the point of thinking he’s got our good in mind, and ‘that he’s just a representative from the opposite party, he’s still my American President and I support him because I’m a good American’. . . I am now convinced he has sinister, deadly intentions. And if you think otherwise then either you were dumb enough to vote for him, or you know something I don’t know. Enlighten me, please.

Our government has now decided WHO should run a private company and WHO shouldn’t. The American Auto Industry has it’s collective private parts department firmly in the white knuckled grasp of Barack Obama. How long before he will be twisting the acorns of our Private Health Care System, the Drug Manufacturers, and on and on? Let’s say your Mother has breast cancer a few years from now, and the very treatment that can save her life is deemed too expensive or she too old and treatment is denied? Or what if  your son, LIKE MINE, needs medical machinery to run overnight as he sleeps, but the government says it uses too much electrical power and says NO or slaps a high fine on my bill? Let’s imagine something as simple as sharing the Gospel with a waitress in a coffee shop is determined by the government to be HATE speech. . . Folks, these examples are NOT as far fetched as they were even six months ago. WHEN IS THIS COUNTRY GOING TO STOP ROLLING OVER???

I am mad as Hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore. I refuse to say I will support a liar and a thief JUST because he occupies the office of the President. I want him to fail all right, so miserably that he quits before his first term is even up. He’s a thug. 

If you’re even close to as mad as we are, don’t just say it! Do something about it! Contact every government official you can, and tell them what you think, while you’re still the boss. If you wait much longer, he’ll have YOUR private parts department in his grip, and decide that you are NOT the boss anymore. Here’s the site to find out who and how:

Your_elected_officials_contact_starting_place

Amidst all this chaos . . . God loves me . . .

You can now listen to Just Talking It Up 29 in the player on the left sidebar of the blog, or on iTunes!

In these perilous economic times, it’s hard to know where/how to spend AND where/how to save. ‘Crash’ gives some specifics on how much emergency cash your mattress should have stuffed away! . . . Do you think Tim Geithner needs more power than he’s already got? And, what about gold? Who knew that it’s against the law to privately own a gold brick? Janet certainly didn’t. . .good thing she’s got ‘Crash’ around to keep her informed! Let him inform you too-listen as these two take a real look at what’s happening in our world today, and send your feedback to feedback@justalkingitup.com!

Maybe he’s at a Botox party or something. It just dawned on us as while watching the Presidents unveiling of the old, OOPS sorry, NEW Afghanistan operations plan. For once he got something sort of right . . . good for him. It’s about time. As we were watching, something seemed missing . . . where’s Joe Biden? Has the Administration kept him muzzled on purpose?  We could USE a little comic relief . . . Where are ya’s, Joe???

Amidst all this chaos . . . God loves me . . .

Finally, a President who genuinely  cares about our feelings, as well as the whole worlds feelings! It’s as if our beloved leader is channeling Mr. Rogers himself! Why let those nasty old terms like ‘Global War On Terror’ make us feel like bullies! It’s about time we tried the Zen style of leadership . . .after all China owns us anyway, why not be known as the worlds newest Buddists?  With Emperor Obama at the helm, we can hope to be known as the ‘softer, more flexible’ world friend. Bloodthirsty radicals have feelings too. . .maybe our new Obama-Speak language will calm their nerves.

“Overseas Contingency Operation” doesn’t conjur up those bad aura images the old fashioned GWOT did. It doesn’t really say much specific at all~~~in fact it could be used to describe a lottery in France when you think about it. I must also say to King Barack’s ‘credit’ (pun intended), that replacing the phrase ‘spend like there’s no tomorrow’ with the word “invest” is brilliant! I wish I’d thought of that! It’s soooo much easier to think of “investing” in my grandchildren rather than robbing them! He’s just so darn smart. And by the way, don’t you just LOVE it that he gave all those high school newspapers a chance last night? Allowing them to ask such pointed probing questions after last night’s performance was so generous it makes ME want to be a journalist! After all, why should the “Wall Street Journal”, “USA Today” and “New York Times” always get to ask the financial questions, hmm?

Of course it’s just a rumor right now, but ideas are flying left and right (mostly left) about changing “Border Security” to the much more inviting and palatable, ‘Frontier Dream Understanding’. I feel so good about myself I can hardly speak:) . . . 

Amidst all this chaos . . . God loves me . . .

What? . . . What are we missing? Does President Obama really think we are SO STUPID that he must re-explain over, and over, and OVER?? Or is he compelled to turn the spotlight on himself  because he can? . . .Why is he doing yet another version of this ridiculous barnyard ‘strut’? I guess the ratings on Leno weren’t what  he had hoped and so now, ONCE again he’ll use the “American Idol” guaranteed audience time slot to persuade  the ‘special ed’ American people that he’s the only one that knows what is good for us. What a prince.

I guess since Letterman and Barbara Walters didn’t bite, he’ll have to do a show by himself again . . .We’ve already heard about Helicopter One, Tennis Court One and Bowling Alley One. Amidst all the termoil this country is in we EVEN know his ‘Final Four One’. What else can he possibly  grandstand about now? My guess is he’ll propose that Monopoly Money will now become legal tender. That way 75% of America will feel the economic influx immediately. PROVIDED they still have that Milton Bradley game in a closet somewhere. Wow. . .isn’t he just the BEST??? 

I DIDN’T vote for him, and you can thank ME later. . .

Amidst all this chaos . . . God loves me . . .

Having spent a week with the fam at good old American (misnomer) “Disney World”, we reluctantly came back down to earth in ‘Obama World’. Not long after unpacking, we tuned in to the press for the latest misadventures of President Obama and his merry men. Back when running his campaign on the word “Change”, I knew he wasn’t clear about what that really meant. However, at the time I was believing in the ‘simple’ nature of it’s definition, like changing socks or hairstyles, he would alter policies. Apparently, Obama said it with a different intent, like death is indeed a “change” from life . . .It seems that this society is screaming through “change” like a bat outta hell the first 100 days. Do you remember any presidency bringing this much foundational chaos this quickly? If you do, we’d like to hear about it from your perspective. The only one I can think of is when President Kennedy was assassinated, though that ‘societal change’ had nothing to do with policies. Barely potty trained at the time, I still remember the overwhelming sadness gripping our country, and I grew to understand that the event of his murder brought a barbaric end to our collective innocence. Definitely a defining moment in our character. The changes we are experiencing today are so rapid fire it’s hard to focus on just one, but on many levels we are becoming like a giant theme park, only this mascot is not a friendly mouse. This mascot is a rabid warthog. It’s devouring anything in it’s way, at any cost, and is completely self serving. The more it eats, the hungrier it gets.

If you’ve never been to a Disney park, it’s hard to imagine just how controlled the environment is from top to bottom. Disney definitely does it right when it comes to customer service. It’s run by stepford-like  people with incessant smiles & cheerful attitudes. We met one lady who has swept the same sidewalks there for 17 years. She was still “thrilled” with her job. I would be too~the ‘Mouse’ handles EVERYTHING for her. Not because she’s too stupid to handle things herself, but because Disney has his grubby little paw in every aspect of life AND death. While it’s merely semantics, no one is ever even pronounced dead at a Disney Resort, regardless of the circumstances. No wonder it’s the happiest place on earth. But listen, that’s OK. . .this is after all America. . . if you’re a smart rodent, and work your proverbial tail off, you’ve earned the right to charge a hundred bucks a day to let people wander happily around your house.

Disney is a beautiful picture of what President Obama wants you to believe his world can be like. Folks, our President does not have that “Disney magic”, and no matter what he does, Barney Frank cannot duplicate Tink’s fairy dust. . .

Obama World, like “Disney World” wants to handle everything for you, the problem is the difference in character, dignity & motive. Disney is self-serving, for sure. They make a lot of profit by taking your dollars out of your pocket, all the while making you giggle like they did you a favor.  In the case of Obama World, they’re taking our money all right, but we’re not giggling. They are. The other day I saw a bumper sticker that read “I voted for Obama. You can thank me later.”  When are those guys gonna wake up? I guess those are the poor saps that really believe that Obama has that Disney magic, and he’s been on the “Tonight Show” to prove it! . . . The leader of the (used-to-be) free world on the “Tonight Show”!!! . . . I don’t get it. Why can’t he just go and BE the President?

My husband wanted to ‘thank the guy’ with that bumper sticker now, but couldn’t get him to pull over. The boys stereo was blasting “It’s A Small World” too loud to get his attention. Plus, the guys driver side window was covered with masking tape and a garbage bag  . . . & his breaks didn’t work . . . and the tail lights were missing . . .

Amidst all this chaos . . . God loves me . . .

Friday, March 20, 2009
Dear Mr. President
Dear President Obama,

I couldn’t stay awake last night to watch your TV appearance on Leno, even though I wanted to. I am exhausted to the point of illness for the following reasons:

~ I have spent 38 hours this week showing houses in an economy where I am fully aware that my efforts may never turn into a paycheck.
~ I spent 8 days before that learning to appreciate my country more while I was serving in a 3rd world country to help build a concrete block church so that Haitian refugees can worship God, and playing with kids who do not have toys.
~ I am 11 days from taking my own 2-year-old son with Down syndrome to a hospital to have open-heart surgery to repair a defect that is common among children born with Ds. This surgical repair will make it possible for Shawn not only to live, but to be competitive and active without overworking his heart and becoming easily fatigued.

Mr. President, it is sad that you likened your bowling game to something beneath yourself, such as a “less-than-perfect” individual with physical and/or mental needs trying to be competitive in a sport. The saddest part is that you and others who make such minimalizing comments against some of our world’s most incredible and precious people, influences others to think they can do the same, and that it is without pain to the people who are affected. The person with physical and/or mental challenges competing in the S.O. has such drive, determination, hope, joy, spirit, respect, courage, and love. The man with Down syndrome who bowls 3 perfect games in a row, has overcome far more to perfect that ability than any pro competitor earning a gross salary. The Special Olympics track competitor who comes in last has more respect and grace toward his/her winning competitor than anyone competing in the super-human games. The young people training and competing in the Special Olympics are not secretly enhancing their performance by using steriods to cross the finish line, or celebrating with marajuana after signing millions of dollars of endorcement deals. And finally….they don’t care. They just want to belong. They want to have fun. They want to be loved, praised, accepted, celebrated, honored, and respected. You know what Barack, their goals are no different than yours, but their hearts are in the right place….even if a surgical repair is required to keep it beating.

Mr. President, my son did not hear what you said. He is 2 years old and he was asleep. But I heard what you said. I watched it back today online. I know you didn’t mean to stick your foot in your mouth and you didn’t mean to criticize an entire sect of our population. I know that you didn’t mean to knock your popularity ratings down a notch and that you didn’t desire to offend a single person. I know that you didn’t use the word “retarded” and I know that all you really meant to do was to be humble about the fact that your bowling game has room for improvement. Your intention was to show humility and maybe even bring a light-heartedness to your message where the challenges you face as President, and the challenges we are facing today as over-spent, over-extended Americans, could use a little light-heartedness. But you should have known better than to ever make light of a person with special needs. You offended every mother, father, brother, sister, special education teacher, cousin, neighbor, friend, church member, and every other advocate for people with special needs.

I am a mother of 3 incredible boys. But my youngest son with Down syndrome, Shawn…HE will need me FOREVER and I cannot guarantee that I will be here as long as he is here. He may never have the opportunity to earn a living with a respectable salary. He will never be Michael Phelps or Carl Lewis or President of the United States. He may never be televised and celebrated. But his leaking heart is FULL of love and acceptance. His eyes see no discrepancies in a single other human being on this planet. His lips will speak simple and tender truth, because he may never have the capacity to manipulate or lie. His little legs will run the race that is set out for him, even though you might always be able to run faster. And as his mommy, I will run beside him, or behind him, or I will even carry him across the finish line because his joy and the joy of my other children, is my number one priority for their lives, along with teaching them to absolutely love the God that created them, in His perfect image.

You have already apologized. But you did more than offend. You have shown me that you may not be as sensitive as I thought you were. You may be not as intelligent as I thought you were. And you may not be as trustworthy as I thought you were. You didn’t just make a regretable remark, you revealed something about your true character. Good luck with that in 2012.

Sincerely,

Melissa Irwin
Mother of Future Special Olympic Competitor
Nashville, TN

Well the rat race is on, Vaudeville is back in town, the Three Stooges are in charge and The Keystone Cops have been called in to restore order.

The Old Soft Shoe of Vaudeville times is the dance of the day.  Geithner says he didn’t know about the bonuses at AIG until a few days ago.  Chris Dodd said he didn’t have anything to do with a provision allowing the bonuses and Obama said that none in his Administration wrote any of the bill.  He did it.  No he did it.  I didn’t do it he must have done it. Now they are diving for the bench and ducking for cover as they chase each other and their own tails.  What a fiasco.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Curley, Moe and Larry (aka Barney Frank, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi…..with apologies to the original Three Stooges) are huffing and puffing, trying to bluff their way through this snare they have caused and now find themselves caught in.  They are trying to divert attention from the almost $800 billion stimulus package by focusing on $160 million in bonuses paid to AIG.  On one hand they say they didn’t know about the bonus provision, then they knew but someone changed the wording.  The truth is, no one probably read what they voted for.  Taxing the bonuses 100% is not the answer, neither is breaking a contract.  Contract law is the basis of our democratic system and an anchor for the Republic.  In the House Financial Services Committee hearing yesterday, Dr. Tom Price (R-GA) was right on point in his comments regarding law and taxation.  What the Congress is talking about doing is unconstitutional…and stupid.  It is all in an attempt to cover over their stupidty.

A good friend and astute financial professional reminded me today that Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae paid enormous bonuses to Franklin Raines and well as others, including a “good friend” of Barney Frank, when they were driving both companies into bankruptcy.  Where is the outrage over those bonuses?

The  “chattering class” Schumer spoke of does seem to care, his sniveling assertions to the contrary.  He said that we didn’t care about a measly $3 billion in “porky projects” but there is outrage over $160 million now…..about one twentieth of the $3 billion we “don’t care about”.  The out rage, however, is over the wrong thing.  Don’t get me wrong the bonuses should have been taken into consideration when cutting a deal with AIG…..bad business by the government…WITH OUR MONEY!  However, the outrage ought to be on the lack of business accumen and attention to detail by our protectors not AIG.  The bonuses when compared to the Stimulus Bill are like $1 compared to $5000.

Now to the Keystone Cops.  Except for a few thinking and courageous House Members the Hearing participants looked foolish trying to skewer Ed Liddy, the CEO of AIG, in place a matter of months at a whopping annual salary of $1.  Liddy conducted himself as a gentleman even when the attack dogs came out.  It reminded me of Jose Canseco in front of the House committee meetings months ago to defend his statements and position on steroid use in baseball.  He was laughed at and derided as an unintelligent liar.  At the end of the day Palmerio, Clemens and McGwire were shown to be the liars with questionable intelligence and Canseco emerged in a white hat, albeit tarnished for his own drug use.  A-roid Rodrieguz later admitted to drug use, as Canseco had asserted in sworn testimony.  The Keystone Cop Representatives got their day in the sun, but Liddy is the one who shone brightly.

We, our children and those generations that follow are getting “hosed”.  Either those doing the hosing are: ignorant and don’t know what they are doing, afraid of going against the Obamachine, or dead set on taking us to socialism.  I bet it’s a little of all three.  As a “hosee” I have to get back to work.

The taxation drum roll in Washington and across the nation is building to a crescendo. It looks like some form of tax retribution for AIG’s passing out millions in bonuses from the TARP money they got to keep them afloat is in the offing.  Their felonious involvement in the CDS (Credit Default Swap) market is the principal reason the one time darling of the financial world found themselves with a tin cup, red tipped cane and trained dog in tow begging for dough from the Feds.  The question should really be, who is the blind man in this deal.  The sanctimony of Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, Nancy “Plastic Smile” Pelosi and Las Vegas Harry Reid, et-al, make me wretch.  Of all people in this equation, they are equally as guilty as any corporate executive.  While purveyors of  CDS  had the pedal to the metal,  Barney, Maxine Waters and Chuck Schumer were singing the praises of Franklin Raines, the incompetent head of Freddie Mac, and the dynamic duo of FNMA and FNMC.  Why aren’t they under indictment,  for stupidity at least.

By the way, Credit Default Swaps were the true smoke and mirrors of the insurance game.  I contend they should be called “FIBs”…Faux Insurance Books.   Their creators were the poster children for those telling the ultimate insurance lies.

Now back to the AIG debacle.  As egregious as the bonuses paid by Merrill Lynch,  AIG, et-al are, I believe the greater fraud is being perpetrated by the Fed and the Congress in imposing retroactive laws to “fix” their own stupidity.  Chris Dodd dropped a change into the deal with AIG protecting them against the very issue that he is railing on now.  How disingenuous!  The bigger and more pervasive problem is, I believe, the precedent that is being set allowing the government to come at will after the income and assets of anyone at any time for any reason under the guise of protecting the populus.  Where was the protection Geithner and his crowd should have been providing when they gave the money to AIG with unfettered control.  Rest assured, this government has its sites set on more than the millions in AIG bonuses.  Taxation and the breaking of contracts is no way to solve the problem, salve their conscience  and protect their already rusting reputations.  Appeal to their sense of justice….just as we try to do when we elect public servants.  That doesn’t seem to work either, does it.

Many who said nothing in WWII when those around them were being severly mistreated found themselves with no protectors when they became the target of those doing the mistreating.  We better consider the unintended consequences before signing on in support of  a runaway government.