Weekend Roundup...
Ahhhh, where to begin...
SO much to ponder...so little time.
Time: that every-so-important commodity that keeps all the crap from happening AT ONCE...who would have thought?
And how much we've all come to DEPEND on it...
Let's take a slight breather this morning.
How's about we start with THIS and then proceed to fall farther down this week's RABBIT HOLE, shall we?
*** Could Puerto Rico become our 51ST STATE?
Sure looks like "some" people want to see it happen.
Now I remember a LONG time ago when we used to "joke" about making PR part of the UNITED STATES. I mean, we DID make ALASKA and HAWAII states, and they're not contiguous with the other 48 states , right?
I suppose GUAM will want a "piece of the action", soon as well.
Here's the story as it currently stands:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/04/29/house-approves-puerto-rico-statehood-measure/
Now, I have mixed feelings about this. It's nice to be "included" as part of the USA, but, on the other hand, the OTHER 50 states aren't fairing as well (financially) these days, and the immediate future isn't THAT bright, where I plan to invest in stock with RAY-BAN sunglasses or Coppertone.
I also can't see where ADDING another "state" will all of a sudden REVERSE our economic woes, erase our Federal deficit, and have our currency rebound with buying power. As it stands, we probably have MORE Puerto Ricans living HERE than IN Puerto Rico (legally, I might add).
To me, it's a real toss-up. Not to mention, I'd have to get a whole NEW bunch of FLAGS to display on certain days of the year.
And that makes me wonder HOW we plan to cram another STAR on that field of blue anyway?
*** Protests abound with Arizona's "new immigration law".
Like we just couldn't see THIS one coming, right?
First off, I'm ALL for immigration, PROVIDING it's done LEGALLY. Hell, that's how all of our ancestors GOT here in the first place, wasn't it?
Personally, I LIKE the AZ law...don't see a damn thing WRONG with it.
We charge every single one of our LEOs with the ability to ASK people for ID when performing their duties. And there are "checks and balances" to ASSURE that rights are NOT violated. That's called REASONABLE SUSPICION when stopping someone, either on foot, on bike, or in a vehicle.
Something as harmless as a traffic stop for a broken tail lamp COULD resort to an officer being shot, or it could lead to finding a carload of illegals...or drugs...or BOTH. And having SOME sort of ID makes good sense.
Like my Dad used to say: "If you've got NOTHING TO HIDE, you have NOTHING to worry about".
I call it the "nothing rule"...and it WORKS.
Hell, many traffic stops (and I use this as the most obvious example) here in these United States result in having the driver (and/or passengers) NOT having ANY ID on them whatsoever.
Now how damn stupid is THAT, hmm?
Why would you get behind the wheel of ANY vehicle and purposely NOT take ANY form of identification WITH you?
No one is THAT damn stupid (although some TRY to be). So it MUST be because they have "something to hide", or don't wish to be identified IF they get pulled over.
And given the levels of today's technology when it comes to playing "seek and find", the police will MOST LIKELY find out WHO the hell you really are, so why even bother to try and fool them.
This is NOT any goose-stepping, jack-booted, fascist police-state law...it's a common sense law meant to PROTECT the innocent, PUNISH the guilty, and make everyone safer in the process. I'm okay with that...
Still, a nice thick (high) WALL along the border, although it would be aesthetically unpleasing, would go a long way to dissuade those seeking illegal entry here.
Let me add, that although many pundits "claim" we have about TWENTY MILLION illegals here (currently), the number is MUCH higher. As far back as the early 1950s, we had about 300,000 illegals crossing our border PER YEAR, and that number has NEVER gone down, but rather UP. Do the math. IF the number remained at 300K per year, we would ONLY have around 17 million (now).
For a time, we were seeing up to a MILLION a year, but the numbers having levelled off to around 800,000 per year (around 2000), and has even DROPPED further to near 500,000 per year (2005 stats). Still, that's quite a few MORE than the "20 million" we're being told, with many having assimilated themselves into our society, and will never be found out.
We could very well DOUBLE that original number.
Out of that sum, close to 20% are criminals, or have criminal intent.
I say we need MORE states to follow AZ's lead.
*** Wall St. "Protests" continue...
Now I'm also for fairness to everyone, but I had to do a double-take when I saw these protesters busting on "big business".
They were all UNION workers, and we know who is pretty much pulling the UNION strings THESE days, right?
This isn't to say that big business "done us wrong"...they HAVE, but let's place the blame on ALL those involved, and not keep handing out bailout-entitlement packages that do nothing but reward BAD behavior (as this nation has done over the last few years), fair enough?
I've held both union and non-union jobs, and I never really did "like" the union. All the union reps (read bosses) all drove nice MERCEDES, while we, (those paying THEIR way) drove whatever we could afford, and hoped we could also afford the insurance and the fuel to get us to that nice "union" job. When initially conceived, unions MEANT something. They were there to PROTECT the worker from UNFAIR practices like sweatshops, unsafe conditions, and the like. But as unions grew in size (and power) they forgot about the "working man" (or woman), and instead became drunk WITH the wealth and power given to them. And they continue to abuse their power to gather MORE wealth. Sorry, but that's NOT capitalism, NOR the AMERICAN WAY. That's nothing short of monopolistic hedonism, laced with greed, plain and simple.
Maybe we can change that....someday soon.
*** The other day I mentioned our dear, sweet African't-American "neighbors" that had SEVEN FWPD cars to their house over the span of a few days...remember that? Well, the calls were for disturbances, and domestics. They just like to wail the snot out of one another for no particular reason. Makes a great case for being a GOOD citizen, and an example to one's race, doesn't it?
But, the tale continues.
Yesterday, we had (yet) ANOTHER call go out for a domestic...seems the 17 yr. old daughter was being smacked around by her 25 yr. old "boyfriend" (?), and TWO MORE FWPD cars were dispatched to the house. Two black males left the place soon afterward...AGAIN, with NO arrests (by now, they're on their 5th "second chance"). This makes me wonder why "mom" is protecting these bums? If MY daughter (who, at 17 yrs of age, SHOULD be in damn school, and NOT at home at 10:45 AM, because she's not sick) were being smacked by some young thug, his ass would be in a sling faster than you could blink. Oh, but wait...that's because I would be a parent that GIVES A DAMN...sorry, I forgot myself regarding the TYPE of people we're dealing with here...my bad.
Well, long story short - the two black males were BACK at the place later that afternoon...and I suppose we'll get another call on the radio for another DOMESTIC or DISTURBANCE. All is forgiven (for the 37th time) and it's back to "business as usual" in the ghettohood, right?
Talk about a Theater of the Absurd...(rolls eyes)...gimme a break.
America finds itself in a precarious position, both when it comes to internal problems and issues, as well as our current standing in the "global arena". And others are watching us...seeing what we will do about it. We need to stop changing things that simply do not NEED change.
We need to FIX the things that are broken.
We need to come up with better ideas to reclaim our nation, even if it means we have to go back to old ways that worked well for us.
We are also a resourceful people. We have proven time and again, that AMERICANS will stand together to fight common enemies, both here as well as abroad. We have the know-how, the technology, and some of the most brilliant minds on the planet.
And we have some of the most charitable people as well.
We might make our share of mistakes, but we vow to never make that same mistake again.
We need to remember that. America needs to rise again to the pinnacle of society across the globe.
All of us, together have to reach the same accord when it comes to America's future.
This is OUR America...and it's the ONLY one we shall ever have.
But if we're not careful, it could well slip out from under us.
That can not...nor shall not happen, if WE are vigilant and knowledgeable about the truth, and never back down from making the hard choices to keep this nation as our own.
Have yourselves a great weekend, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.