Union Boss Mike Everett and Peoria Public School District # 150 Wants to Raise Taxes 2%

Everett wants a 1% sales tax increase that would create more jobs and "the big mismanaged" local public school wants 2% sales tax increase that would end up spent unwisely as they spend so unwisely now. Glad to see Petelle off the board and next should be John Crawford, a nice guy but ill-equipped to help manage a $160 million dollar budget. Maybe sweep out the "house' if you can find enough GOOD SMART people to run for an unpaid thankless job..

Would I build a new home in the City of Peoria?   No, and I wouldn't buy in E. Peoria either as they have their own set of financial problems. You might want to go back and read some of my older blogs on taxes. TAXES IN THE CITY-COUNTY-STATE-COUNTRY HAVE NO PLACE TO GO BUT UP AND THE INCREASE MAY NOT BE AS GRADUAL AS SOME MIGHT ASK YOU TO BELIEVE.

Most of you should have noticed even though my Property Tax bill was $100 lower this year, it is still WAY TO HIGH.

If tax increases get on the ballot, vote them down. ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE A KNACK OF SPENDING AS MUCH OF YOUR MONEY AS THEY CAN. Seldom do they think of trimming expenses. Or aren't enough of us paying attention?

Peoria Police Department Pension Fund Figures and Ardis and Urich's Figures

Their financial conclusions are only about $20 million different in favor of the union. So, who would the ordinary taxpayer believe, City Manager Patrick Urich and staff, skilled in numbers, or the union bosses, bent on inflating theirs and all union members pensions: pensions already ridiculously high?

Hint - if you are a strong union supporter, I suggest you hardly ever let the facts get in the way of your "get all you can" thinking..

Hmmmm.

Peoria City Council - Buy Water Company And Earn the City $40 million a Year???

So says Thomas D. Flege, a local insurance executive. Is this guy drinking the same Kool-Aid as the 2 Bradley professors who insisted that the new Peoria River Front Museum (PRM) would add $16 million dollars a year to the local economy? Mr. Flege wrote this exciting information in a recent letter to the editors of the Peoria Journal Star (JSEB).

Mr. Flege may be a nice guy but he doesn't understand revenues and expenses or profit or loss nor has he done much research. If should arrive at a City Council meeting with a White Board and markers to show us all how he arrived at $40 million net profit per year if only the Council was smart enough to buy the water company. I suggest he run for the council board or better yet, run for Mayor as I suspect Mayor Jim Ardis has had enough abuse from our local National Enquirer and the enemies you make by serving the public in a leadership role.

All I can say, is go for it Tom. But don't count om vote.. It's a BIG difference to convince people to buy (term life is the way to go) insurance than to run a government body. And I suggest you read my 15 or more researched blogs on the subject, most of them under the title of "Waterlogged) dated  from 2005- 2014..

Amnesty For Illegal Immigrants Who Enlist in U.S.A. Armed Services??

NO WAY. Many would take advantage of this Legislation in order to get trained for attacks some day on this country they resent. Yes, a many would become trustworthy citizens and some would die for this country. To fully understand the risks and cost involved, please dial up FAIR for a better understanding.  Merle

Legislation Legislative Updates Amnesty 2014 Upcoming Events Activist Toolkit Take Action Federal Issues Amnesty Facts Government Relations State & Local Issues State & Local Resources State Facts Find a Local Group Research & Reports Blog Legislation Home PAGE TOOLS Contact Us Print this Page ShareThis House Closes a Door to Military Amnesty, but Senate Remains Open... House Closes a Door to Military Amnesty, but Senate Remains Open... Thanks to the hard work of true immigration reformers, on Friday, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) announced that he would not allow Representative Jeff Denham's (R-CA) military amnesty proposal to either be attached as an amendment to the must-pass defense bill or be considered for a vote by itself. (Associated Press, May 16, 2014) Representative Jeff Denham (R-CA) has been trying to convince the House to pass his ENLIST Act (H.R. 2377), which would grant amnesty to illegal aliens who join the U.S. military. (See FAIR's H.R. 2377 Bill Summary) Denham lobbied to insert the ENLIST Act as an amendment to National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) when the House Armed Services Committee took it up earlier this month, but it was not added. (The Hill, May 8, 2014) Since then, Denham has been strategizing to get it passed another way, either as an amendment in the Rules Committee to the NDAA, as an amendment when the NDAA comes to the full House floor, or even as a stand-alone bill. (See Roll Call, May 15, 2014) However, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor dealt a critical blow to those efforts on Friday when Cantor's spokesman Doug Heye declared, "No proposed ENLIST amendments to NDAA will be made in order." (Associated Press, May 16, 2014) Heye also said that the Majority Leader would also not allow stand-alone votes on the ENLIST Act. (Id.) According to the Associated Press, the spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) said that the Speaker did not disagree with Majority Leader Cantor's decision. (Id.) Nevertheless, Senators could still push military amnesty into the defense bill. At the beginning of May, Senator Carl Levin (D-MI), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, stated that he was "all for" adding military amnesty to the NDAA. (Politico, May 2, 2014) Senator Levin even said the measure could potentially end up incorporated into his committee's underlying defense policy bill. "I'd like to see it happen," he said. (The Hill, May 13, 2014) Levin has the support of Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, who has been trying to sneak amnesty into the NDAA for several years. (See FAIR's Who DREAMed up Putting Amnesty in the Defense Bill?, Apr. 4, 2014) Today, Durbin, as chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, held a field hearing with illegal aliens enrolled in a junior military academy in order to generate support for military amnesty. (Senate Appropriations website, Defense Field Hearing: Immigrant Enlistment: A Force Multiplier for the U.S. Armed Forces) The Senate Armed Services Committee will consider the NDAA this week, and could still insert amnesty directly into the must-pass defense bill, making it harder to remove as the legislative process proceeds. (See Senate Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee Markups for Fiscal Year 2015 NDAA) Military amnesty must be opposed, particularly because of the national security challenges and other burdens it places on the military when its personnel is already being drastically reduced. (See FAIR's Top Ten Reasons to Oppose the ENLIST Act) HOT TOPIC FAIR press release Summary of HR 2377 Top 10 Reasons to Oppose the Enlist Act - HR 2377 Allowing Illegal Aliens to Enlist in the Military is Poor Public Policy Sign Up Email Address Submit PRESIDENT'S CORNER Who is FAIR? Dan Stein, President of FAIR, introduces the organization and speaks about its goals and objectives. Latest op-ed from Dan Stein: America seems to have a labor surplus

Conundrums in U.S.A. Political Unfairness and Stupidity

Forwrded to me by a frieend.  Merle

Worth thinking about... These three, short sentences tell you a lot about the direction of our current government and cultural environment: 1. We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works? and here's another one worth considering... 2. Seems we constantly hear about how Social Security is going to run out of money. How come we never hear about welfare or food stamps running out of money? What's interesting is the first group "worked for" their money, but the second didn't. Think about it..... and last but not least, 3. Why are we cutting benefits for our veterans, no pay raises for our military and cutting our army to a level lower than before WWII, but we are not stopping the payments or benefits to illegal aliens. Am I the only one missing something here ? Conundrums The definition of the word Conundrum is: -something that is puzzling or confusing (and each one is related to the prior one) Here are six Conundrums of socialism in the United States of America: 1. America is capitalist and greedy - yet half of the population is subsidized. 2. Half of the population is subsidized - yet they think they are victims. 3. They think they are victims - yet their representatives run the government. 4. Their representatives run the government - yet the poor keep getting poorer. 5. The poor keep getting poorer - yet they have things that people in other countries only dream about. 6. They have things that people in other countries only dream about - yet they want America to be more like those other countries. Think about it! And that, my friends, pretty much sums up the USA in the 21st Century. Makes you wonder who is doing the math? This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.

A Letter From A Mother About the Folly of Unionizing Home Care Providing

Dear merle, First things first -- thank you! Please allow me to tell you what your support of the National Right to Work Foundation has meant to me. My story begins with a knock on my door one beautiful Sunday morning. There on my porch stood two strangers who identified themselves as Service Employees International Union (SEIU) organizers. One was from California and the other from somewhere on the East Coast. But they were here in Illinois to tell me some "great news." They said Illinois Governor Pat Quinn had recently signed an Executive Order allowing me and other personal care providers to join a union. I was confused, because I wasn't an employee. I was a stay-at-home mom taking care of my disabled son. It turns out Governor Quinn's Executive Order reclassified personal care providers like me as state employees just so we could be subject to unionization. You see, I care for my adult son Josh who has Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, a rare genetic condition that requires 24/7 attention, and the state provides a monthly stipend to Josh so I can be his caregiver. I didn't understand why Governor Quinn would want me in a union. I'm just a mother caring for her son. Then I saw Governor Quinn on the local news standing at a podium with SEIU banners behind him and union officials in purple jackets flanked left and right. He was thanking them for their staunch support and get-out-the-vote efforts aiding his re-election. Then I understood. This was about politics, not helping me care for Josh. And I suddenly felt like David against Goliath. I have a hard enough time making ends meet. What would I do if the SEIU were allowed to take dues or fees out of the money Josh needs for his care? How could I, just one mom, stand against the Governor of my state and one of the most aggressive and powerful unions in the country? That night, after I put Josh to bed, I logged on to the internet to try to figure out exactly what was happening and what I could do about it. There online I found the National Right to Work Foundation. It was an answer to my prayers. I contacted the Foundation, and Bill Messenger, one of the Foundation's staff attorneys, patiently and clearly explained my rights, including my right to vote against unionization. This was the first time I was told that I had any other option than to join the union. And from talking with some other folks I knew who took care of disabled family members, I realized I wasn't alone. So after compiling all the information I could from the Foundation's website, I cobbled together a few spare dollars and printed my own two-sided flyers to inform other personal care providers of their right to vote against unionization. That night I stayed up into the wee hours with my daughter and my elderly father creating labels and adding stamps. It was hard work, but it was worth it. I didn't want union bosses getting in the way of my care for Josh. When the election occurred in October 2009, I knew that hard work had paid off. Personal care providers -- many of whom are taking care of their own family members -- overwhelmingly voted against unionization. Despite the resounding election results, Governor Quinn refused to rescind his Executive Order. In fact, unless his order is rescinded, SEIU organizers are actually authorized to keep coming back to my house and badgering me until I give in. And people like me, people who care for our sons and daughters with disabilities, are already carrying a heavy load. Around-the-clock care is rewarding, but exhausting. I didn't know if we could fight off aggressive, unrelenting unionization campaigns forever. I also knew that some others in a similar situation were already subject to having union dues stripped from them. In fact, another group of in-home care providers had been corralled into unionization by former Governor Rod Blagojevich. I talked to Susie Watts, one of those providers, and she explained that the SEIU siphons off $30 every two weeks from her daughter Libby's stipend. That's over $700 a year that's supposed to go to Libby's care. I was outraged by the injustice and wanted to know how to stave off the SEIU permanently -- and what we could do for homecare providers like Susie. So I again turned to the Right to Work Foundation attorneys, who filed a lawsuit for us. Four years later, on January 21, 2014, our case was heard at the United States Supreme Court. And I will always be grateful to the National Right to Work Foundation for taking us there. You see, when I was first doing research, I called 40 or 50 law firms to find someone to help me fight this injustice. No one would. No one else had the courage to stand up and help parents and their sons and daughters with significant disabilities. Not only did the National Right to Work Foundation provide us with free legal aid and take our fight to the highest court in the land, they helped guide us through the firestorm of media attention that someone like me just isn't used to. I know that the Foundation's legal aid program wouldn't be possible without the support of generous people like you. While the Supreme Court is weighing the arguments in our case, the Foundation continues to fight for other victims of forced unionism, like Josh and Libby, in over 200 active cases. And they take cases no one else will touch -- just like mine -- and win important legal precedents that protect every American from being forced to support a union they simply don't want. That's why I'm writing you today. First, to thank you for standing with me in my fight to care for my son. And second, to ask you to continue your support of the National Right to Work Foundation. Please consider making a generous tax-deductible contribution today of whatever you can afford to the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation to support the amazing and important work they do for people like me. I never thought I'd be writing a letter like this one. And I wish I could thank you in person for enabling me to carry on this fight for my son Josh, for Susie's daughter Libby and for thousands of affected families in Illinois and throughout the country. I'll be forever grateful. Sincerely, Pam Harris P.S. SEIU officials want to take a chunk of the money I use to care for my disabled son Josh. Your continued support enables the Right to Work Foundation to provide free legal aid to victims of compulsory unionism schemes. I hope you can help the Foundation by making your most generous tax-deductible contribution of $15, $10 or $5 today. I am grateful for your support of the Foundation. The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization providing free legal aid to employees whose human or civil rights have been violated by compulsory unionism abuses. The Foundation, which can be contacted toll-free at 1-800-336-3600, is assisting thousands of employees in nearly 200 cases nationwide. The Foundation's mailing address is 8001 Braddock Road, Springfield, Virginia 22160. Its web address is www.nrtw.org. To help the National Right to Work Foundation grow; please forward this to a friend. Click here to Reply, Reply to all, or Forward Lumosity.com - Challenge Your Brain Challenge your brain with Lumosity, the personal tr

The Woes of the Great State of Illinois

Dear Merle, This article is also available at IllinoisOpportunity.org. I love baseball. I have for as long as I can remember. I played for as long as my will and ability allowed. My 8-year-old son loves the game even more than I do. We spend hours playing and watching. I coach his team. Over the years it’s become more and more clear to me that the lessons I’ve learned from baseball are those I can apply to every aspect of my life. Especially the lessons of how to achieve and define success—and how to handle failure. After all, even a great hitter is only successful a third of the time. How a player responds during the other two thirds—in the field, in the dugout, when he practices—determines who he is and who he will be. For over a decade now, Illinois has been struggling economically. In 2011, Illinois Democrats passed what they promised was a temporary 67% income tax increase. At the time, that increase cost the average family about $1,300 a year. We were told it was necessary because the economy was weak and the state needed to pay down its bills. In 2011, Illinois had an $8.5 billion backlog of unpaid bills. At the end 2014, after receiving an extra $31 billion from taxpayers, the state is projected to have roughly $6 billion in unpaid bills and $127 billion in debt. Furthermore, Democrats told us that the tax increase would improve the economy. Today, Illinois has the highest unemployment rate in the Midwest. Democrats told us that it would improve our credit rating. Illinois has been downgraded 5 times since the tax increase, more than any other state in America. Additionally, Illinois has the worst credit rating of any state. The 2011 tax increase failed to do what was promised. Now, Democrats want to make it permanent. Hardworking taxpayers can’t afford another tax increase. And raising taxes does nothing to help the 550,000 unemployed Illinoisans find work. Hall of Famer Bob Feller—one of baseball’s all time greats—once stated, “Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.” We have the opportunity to begin a new game, so to speak. We must seize it. We have an opportunity to get people elected who understand the policies that will lead to economic expansion. Candidates who recognize the need to implement focused policy reform and leverage our state’s competitive advantages; as opposed to legislators who seek take your hard earned income with total disregard for the work you do and the life you are trying to build. While the 2011 tax increase was a failure, how we deal with that failure now is what matters. A lesson that a great American state must learn from a great American game. - Pat Hughes Follow the Illinois Opportunity Project on Twitter and Facebook. Donate here. Copyright © 2014 Illinois Opportunity Project, All rights reserved. You are on this list because you subscribed at our website, attended an event, or signed a petition. Our mailing address is: Illinois Opportunity Project 208 S. LaSalle St. Suite 1670 Chicago, IL 60604 Add us to your address book Email Marketing Powered by MailChimp unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences

Liberal News Media's Inside Connections to the Obama Administration

Sent to me by a friend. Merle Subject: The News Media is not addicted to Obama propaganda they are married to it. On Thursday, May 15, 2014 8:09 AM,: Hillary Clinton's Deputy Secretary Tom Nides is married to CNN President Virginia Moseley Obama's Deputy National Security Adviser, Ben Rhodes, is the brother of CBS President David Rhodes Obama's Special Advisor, Elizabeth Sherwood, is the sister of ABC President Ben Sherwood Obama's National Security Advisor, Susan Rice, is married to ABC News Executive Producer Ian Cameron Obama's Press Secretary, Jay Carney, is married to ABC News Correspondent Claire Shipman Obama's Deputy Press Secretary, Katie Hogan, is married to ABC News and Univision Reporter Matthew Jaffe

Rand Paul''s Vacation

Sent to me by a friend. Merle We've heard all about Obama's vacations and the gross excesses of Michelle and her entourage numbering in the hundreds - all of it at taxpayers' expense. . .but not much discussion or media attention about Kentucky Senator Rand Paul's summer break. Senator Paul is an Ophthalmologist as well as a U.S. Senator and he and a partner teamed up to do pro bono eye surgeries for the poor. People who came to the surgery center, legally blind or much worse, were all seeing before they left. Isn't it interesting what the media considers newsworthy? Do you ever wonder why the media isn't interested in this huge American patriot story? Guess it doesn't fit the image they try to create for conservatives. But we can spread the word. Will you help do it?

Benghazi - Hillary Clinton Says, "A Bump in the Road" and She Might Be Our Next President???

Forwarded to me by a friend. Merle "A bump in the road" ..... remember that calloused statement? I don’t know the author of this poem. Received it today. Very thought provoking and poignant. I do recall, however, the President referring to the Benghazi incident as "a bump in the road." Today I heard an ex-Navy Seal being interviewed on Fox News regarding a book he has written about how to handle crisis situations in our lives. At the end of the interview he asked if he could make a comment on Benghazi and of course the anchor said yes. He then thanked Fox News for keeping the Benghazi story in the news, since other news organizations are not. He said the Seals who died deserve the public knowing the truth about the whole affair. The poem was written by a MARINE CORPS Officer (unknown). THE BATTLING BOYS OF BENGHAZI We're the battling boys of Benghazi No fame, no glory, no paparazzi Just a fiery death in a blazing hell Defending our country we loved so well. It wasn't our job, but we answered the call, Fought to the Consulate and scaled the wall. We pulled twenty Countrymen from the jaws of fate Led them to safety, and stood at the gate. Just the two of us, and foes by the score, But we stood fast to bar the door. Three calls for reinforcement, but all were denied, So we fought, and we fought, and we fought 'til we died. We gave our all for our Uncle Sam, But Barack Obama didn't give a damn. Just two dead seals who carried the load No thanks to us.........we were just "Bumps In The Road". So will this reach every American with a computer? Or do we act like the press and give a pass to the incompetent people who literally sat there in the White House and watched the Seal's execution on live streaming video and did absolutely nothing? The Obama Administration obviously won't be held accountable because we apparently accept Hillary Clinton's statement, "What difference does it make?

Pere-Marriott-City Council-Matthews Most Likely Blunder

Credit goes to the Peoria Journal Star for repeatedly warning the Peoria City Council members and Mayor that the Pere-Marriott deal may leave $37 million or more on the taxpayers plate. Also, on November 1, 2011, I wrote an open letter to the City Council in which I wrote, "To vote 'yes' tomorrow night, will be a serious mistake maybe not noticeable for 4-6 years from today. And then forever". To find my letter, go to my blog site and enter "Peoria City Council - a message from an experienced businessman". Only Weaver and Akeson voted 'no' while Sandberg was absent. Akeson's 'no' vote was basically on asethetics while Weaver took a more business like stance stating that the project shouldn't be built with a strong possibility that the local taxpayers shouldn't be stuck with the possibility of paying off $37 million or more. The public has beeb a spectator to a series of misunderstandings and outright mistakes from day one. While the plastic duck is still afloat in choppy waters, it is most likely that this fragile and probale "boondoggle" while be sunk by a locd of expenses far outweighting bottom line profits. Plus Peoria and surrounding areas may have already over built in paid places to stay. As a public supported entity, it is obligated to post room occupancy compared to rooms empty. Look for the City and County most likely owning this project, the museum, the ball park and if the sports complex is built on the Northwest side to Peoria, add that in the mix with the outside possibility of the still not paid off loan that uilt the Peoria Park District RiverPlex. Since this is another Ardis supp[orted deal, I expect this newsortthy item will have "long legs" in the Peoria Journal Star. A lot longer than the musuem which the PJS strongly supported and now says little about the finances of this publickly funded project including whether alll the money was raised, since it hasn't been raised including a shabby and questionably unfunded Endowment. Intersting what the lack of strong businesspeople on local boards along with big egoes on the outside pulling the strings can do with hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars that do NOT benefit the majority. It is noticable that the PJS has not memtioned whether Matthews was billed and paid the $41 overrun for failing to meet schedules. Anyone care to answer with dates of payments?? Probaly not.

History ALWAYS Repeats

  

Oil, Obama and the Radical Environmentalists

Forwarded to me by a friend.  Merle

OIL - You better be sitting down when you read this!

As you may know, Cruz Construction started a division in North Dakota just 6 months ago.  They send every Kenworth (9 trucks) we had here in Alaska to North Dakota and several drivers.
They just bought two new Kenworth's to add to that fleet; one being a Tri Drive tractor and a new 65 ton lowboy to go with it.  They also bought two new cranes (one crawler & one rubber tired) for that division.

Cruz said they have moved more rigs in the last 6 months in ND than Cruz Construction moved in Alaska in the last 6 years.

Williston is like a gold rush town; they moved one of our 40 man camps down there since there are no rooms available.

Unemployment in ND is the lowest in the nation at 3.4 percent last I checked.

See anything in the national news about how the oil industry is fueling North Dakota 's economy?

Here's an astonishing read. Important and verifiable information:

About 6 months ago, the writer was watching a news program on oil and one of the Forbes Bros. was the guest.

The Bakken is the largest domestic oil discovery since Alaska 's Prudhoe Bay , and has the potential to eliminate all American dependence on foreign oil.  The Energy Information Administration sm(EIA) estimates it at 503 billion barrels.  Even if just 10% of the oil is recoverable( 5 billion barrels), at $107 a barrel, we're looking at a resource base worth more than $5.3 trillion.

"When I first briefed legislators on this, you could practically see their jaws hit the floor.

They had no idea.." says Terry Johnson, the Montana Legislature's financial analyst.

However, a recent technological breakthrough has opened up the Bakken's massive reserves, and we now have access of up to 500 billion barrels.  And because this is light, sweet oil, those billions of barrels will cost Americans just $16   PER BARREL !!!!!!

That's enough crude to fully fuel the American economy for 2041 years straight.

And if THAT didn't throw you on the floor, then this next one should - because it's from 2006 !!!!!!

U. S. Oil Discovery - Largest Reserve in the World.

Stansberry Report Online - 4/20/2006

Hidden 1,000 feet beneath the surface of the Rocky Mountains lies the largest untapped oil reserve in the world.

It is more than 2 TRILLION barrels.  On August 8, 2005 President Bush mandated its extraction.

In three and a half years of high oil prices none has been extracted.

With this motherload of oil why are we still fighting over off-shore drilling?

They reported this stunning news:  We have more oil inside our borders, than all the other proven reserves on earth.

Here are the official estimates:

8 times as much oil as Saudi Arabia; 18times as much oil as Iraq; 

21 times as much oil as Kuwait; 22 times as much oil as Iran;

500 times as much oil as Yemen and it's all right here in the Western United States !!!!!!

HOW can this BE?  HOW can we NOT BE extracting this?  Because the environmentalists and others have blocked all efforts to help America become independent of foreign oil! Again, we are letting a small group of people dictate our lives and our economy.  WHY?

James Bartis, lead researcher with the study says we've got more oil in this very compact area than the entire Middle East , more than 2 TRILLION barrels untapped.  That's more than all the proven oil reserves of crude oil in the world today , reports The Denver Post.

Don't think 'OPEC' will drop its price even with this find?  Think again! It's all about the competitive marketplace, it has to.

Think OPEC just might be funding the environmentalists?

Got your attention yet?  Now, while you're thinking about it, do this:

Pass this along.  If you don't take a little time to do this, then you should stifle yourself the next timeyou complain about gas prices, by doing NOTHING, you forfeit your right to complain.

Now I just wonder what would happen in this country if every one of you sent this to every one in your address book.

By the way, this can be verified.  Check it out at the link below !!!!!!
 
http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1911

   

Respect for Aged Veterans - Respect For All Honorable Veterans - Show Respect For ALL Aged People

Forwarded to me by a friend.  Merle

As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day, pushing my cart of groceries towards my car, I saw an old man with the hood of his car up and a lady sitting inside the car, with the door open. The old man was looking at the engine. I put my groceries away in my car, and continued to watch the old gentleman from about twenty five feet away. I saw a young man in his early twenties with a grocery bag in his arm walking towards the old man. The old gentleman saw him coming too, and took a few steps towards him. I saw the old gentleman point to his open hood and say something. The young man put his grocery bag into what looked like a brand new Cadillac Escalade. He then turned back to the old man. I heard him yell at the old gentleman saying: "You shouldn't even be allowed to drive a car at your age." And then with a wave of his hand, he got in his car and peeled rubber out of the parking lot. I saw the old gentleman pull out his handkerchief, and mop his brow as he went back to his car and again looked at the engine. He then went to his wife and spoke with her; he appeared to tell her it would be okay. I had seen enough, and I approached the old man. He saw me coming and stood straight, and as I got near him I said, 'Looks like you're having a problem.' He smiled sheepishly, and quietly nodded his head. I looked under the hood myself, and knew that whatever the problem was, it was beyond me. Looking around, I saw a gas station up the road, and I told the old man that I would be right back. I drove to the station and I went inside. I saw three attendants working on cars. I approached one of them, and related the problem the old man had with his car. I offered to pay them if they could follow me back down and help him. The old man had pushed the heavy car under the shade of a tree and appeared to be comforting his wife. When he saw us he straightened up and thanked me for my help. As the mechanics diagnosed the problem (overheated engine), I spoke with the old gentleman. When I shook hands with him earlier, he had noticed my Marine Corps ring and had commented about it, telling me that he had been a Marine too.  I nodded and asked the usual question, 'What outfit did you serve with?' He had mentioned that he served with the first Marine Division at Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal .... He had hit all the big ones and retired from the Corps after the war was over. As we talked we heard the car engine come on and saw the mechanics lower the hood. They came over to us as the old man reached for his wallet, but was stopped by me. I told him I would just put the bill on my AAA card. He still reached for the wallet and handed me a card that I assumed had his name and address on it and I stuck it in my pocket. We shook hands all around again, and I said my goodbye's to his wife. I then told the two mechanics that I would follow them back up to the station. Once at the station, I told them that they had interrupted their own jobs to come along with me and help the old man. I said I wanted to pay for the help, but they refused to charge me. One of them pulled out a card from his pocket, looking exactly like the card the old man had given to me. Both of the men told me then that they were Marine Corps Reserves. Once again we shook hands all around and as I was leaving, one of them told me I should look at the card the old man had given to me. I said I would and drove off. For some reason I had gone about two blocks, when I pulled over and took the card out of my pocket and looked at it for a long, long time. The name of the old gentleman was on the card in golden leaf and under his name was written:'Congressional Medal of Honor Society.' I sat there motionless, looking at the card and reading it over and over. I looked up from the card and smiled to no one but myself and marveled that on this day, four Marines had all come together because one of us needed help. He was an old man all right, but it felt good to have stood next to greatness and courage, and an honor to have been in his presence. Remember, OLD men like him gave youFREEDOM for  America.  Thanks to those who served and still serve, and to all of those who supported them, and who continue to support them. America  is not at war.  The U.S.  Military is at war. America is at the Mall. If you don't stand behind our troops, PLEASE feel free to stand in front of them!  Remember, Freedom IS NOT free.  Thousands have paid the price, so you can enjoy what you have today. LET'S DO THIS - JUST 19 WORDS: GOD OUR FATHER, WALK THROUGH MY HOUSE AND TAKE AWAY ALL MY WORRIES; AND PLEASE WATCH OVER AND HEAL MY FAMILY; AND PLEASE PROTECT OUR FREEDOMS, AND WATCH OVER OUR TROOPS, WHO ARE DEFENDING THOSE FREEDOMS.  AMEN. This prayer is so powerful. Pass this prayer to 12 people, including me.

Sotomayor - Leading Socialist on the Supreme Court & the Affirmative Action Supreme Court Decision.

Sotomayor, abetted by Socialist Columnist Gene Robinson; Robinson, a Peoria Journal Star favorite, raves and rants about the recent Supreme Court ruling  that as columnist Charless Krauthammer, a true American citizen, so succinctly phrased it "let the people decide on affirmative action. Not the courts or our business. We will not ban affirmative action but we will not impose it  as Sotomayar (and her ilk, my comment) would do The Constitution foresees the ballot box, not the courts,as the normal instrument for resolving differences and debate about the merits of this type of program".

The vote was 6-2 with Robinson quickly blaming Chief Justice John Robert for the decision. It was liberal Justice Stephen Breyer who made the statement after the vote to "let the people decide what the Constitution already has made clear".

Sotomayor is relatively young. The damage she will do in her lifetime on decisions adversely affecting this country is not difficult to image. She further continues with her half-truths or far worse, "Race matters to a young mans view of society when he spends his teenage years watching other "tense" up as he passes by, no matter the neighborhood in which he grew up. Race matters to a young woman when she states her hometown, and then is pressed , "No where are you really from"?... Race matters because of the slights, the snickers, the silent judgments that reinforce the most crippling of thoughts: "I do not belong here."

There will always be bigots. Period. These few look down on all people who they think they are better than regardless of race. My own experience is that young black gang member, when passing a white, grab their crotches and avoid eye contact. All visitors to the the warm states ask the emigrants the question of these ex-snowbirds, "Where are you really from"? A slight? Bullshit!!

Tense up? Yes, I sometimes "tense" up when I come in contact with certain  low-life's white or black or whatever,

I don't agree with the Clippers basketball team owner and I'm glad to see him banished and forced to sell his team. Nor do I agree with the STATEMENTS rancher Bundy made to the public. Nor do I agree with what black tax-cheater Charles Rangel, Harry Reed, President Obama, the Jesse Jackson types, Nancy Peolsi, Ms.Waters a real Socialist from California, and a whole basket of truth-stretchers, outright liars, belligerent unions, and arrogant politicians of any race.

And I seldom agree with Peoria Journal Star regulars like Socialists, Robinson and  other black Socialistic writers.

More blacks are feeling they are real people like me every day. As long as we have leadership from our public schools and liberal colleges teaching the supposed unfairness of life to blacks, we will always have ethnic groups, the most vocal are black, shouting racism at every small slight.

I suggest of these pseudo-racist believers read the book, "The Price of Silence" . The Duke Lacrosse scandal, the power of the elite and the corruption of our great universities,  by William D. Cohan. About schools like Dartmouth, Yale, Harvard, Wesleyan University, Amherst, etc.and how many of our youths are encouraged to embrace socialism, taught to lie drink heavily, use drugs, where sex and gayness is rampant as is the promotion of forms of racism.

The key characters in this book are the rape accuser and  black murderer, Crystal Gail Magnum, white  Durham County District Attorney, Mike Nifong and or course, Duke University.