Humpday Happenings...
Now THIS is the kind of "humpday" worth talking about, at least politically-speaking.
The GOP has taken back the House of Representatives, and made up some ground in the Senate (sounds like a review of a recent battlefield conflict).
Now, while I have to admit that this WAS a battlefield of sorts (primarily the Battlefield of Ideas), the war has yet to be won.
But the American people are in a much better TACTICAL position than we have been, and for all the right strategic reasons.
And if we learn any lesson from other conflicts such as...VIETNAM, we SHOULD be "in it to win it", just like we did in WW2.
The GOP stands for Grand Old Party, as has been a nickname of the REPUBLICAN party for quite some time.
But, let's bring a NEW nickname into the 21st century for the Republicans, shall we?
Let's call the GOP:
Guys/Gals
On
Probation
I think the American people have spoken...and LOUDLY, too.
They (we) are willing to allow those within the Republican party ONE chance to get this crap RIGHT, and straighten out the mess that's been left strewn about over the last 2 years.
That's ONE CHANCE...no "do-overs", people.
Sink of swim...
SUCCEED...or FAIL.
SH*T...or get off the damn POT.
The choice is up to those America has voted into office.
They NOW work...for US.
They represent...US.
And it's with that mindset we allow these people the opportunity to restore this nation, instead of destroy it.
Many decisions might not be popular, and some might be difficult.
But how many times did your Mom spoon some needed medicine into you as a child...and it tasted HORRIBLE, but she always added that:
"IT TAKES BITTER TO DRIVE BITTER"
Mom knew HER stuff, as did the Doc that prescribed that nasty crap, because you're all here, right?
So, it should be simple to figure out what NEEDS to be done to reverse this progressive agenda.
The best news is that the "Triumvirate" of Obama, Pelosi and Reid has been broken. The worst news is that REID won his election (WTF are the people in Nevada SMOKING, anyway?), but John Boehner (R-OH) will be the NEW Speaker of the House (thank you, Jesus!) and majority leader.
And very soon, we'll all see how well the "rubber meets the road" in the Republican party.
Let's hope they have been taking notes over the last 24 months, and are aware that WE are watching THEM...holding THEM accountable.
*** Locally (in Fort Wayne), Judge Ken Scheibenberger will NOT be returning to the bench. He was defeated by Wendy Davis for the position.
Now, I've always referred to the judge as "Turn 'em loose Kenny", because I've noticed too many times that he gave away too much probation time that allowed many thugs to get back into their particular "swing of things", vis-a-vis RE-OFFEND.
Of course, he did have the re-entry court thing going, and in my humble opinion, it's a toss-up.
Some people (especially in my part of town) simply cannot BE rehabilitated, or will play the system, saying the right things, and doing what's expected of them UNTIL they finish whatever course the court system tossed at them, ONLY to take up business as usual on our streets again.
*** Our prosecutor (Karen Richards) ran unopposed...as usual.
Would be nice to see someone defeat her, if only because a FRESH infusion of "law and order" is required.
When ANY prosecutor (or D.A.) will ONLY go after cases that are "nothing but net", and yet gloss over cases that COULD be prosecuted, but are not, that says (to me) that you're giving the BAD GUYS a lot more power than they should be enjoying...and you're taking the easy way out.
*** Allen County Sheriff Ken Fries was voted back in (thank God), and the only opponent was David Roach (perennial candidate for any office, and with no law-enforcement experience, at least not on the RIGHT side of the shield, if you get my drift).
What amazed me, was that Roach got over 20K votes...!
(ahem)
WTF were all these people THINKING???
Betcha if Dave Roach moved to San Francisco, and ran for office he WOULD win hands down, if you know what I mean.
*** We've three new faces on the FWCS board, the most notable being Jordan Lebamoff, who defeated Kevin Brown. Now Kevin COULD have possibly won...IF ONLY that DUI he was cited for had been the ONLY offense in his past. Sadly, it was not. He had a small history with another DUI, and that alone will be enough to sway voters with half a brain.
*** One thing that got me scratching my head, was the EACS (East Allen County Schools) referendum on a tax levy to fund schools was VOTED DOWN.
Uh...I guess the people don't care about the schools?
I mean, there IS such a thing as a SCHOOL TAX, or at least a portion OF your tax money DOES go to the school system.
This school system has ALREADY got 5 schools in it's sights to CLOSE, and that's before the $8.1 Mil they "thought" they might get to aid in the "redesign" of the system.
Gonna be some LONG nights in the "rethink" department there.
*** Indiana voters overwhelmingly voted FOR an amendment to the state constitution that would make the property tax "caps" permanent.
While this might look GOOD on the surface...you have to really think about it.
There is a BIGGER PICTURE that needs viewing.
City and State (and even private) entities that depended on property tax money to pay for the costs of projects will have to do without...or at least a helluva lot LESS. In some ways, that's a GOOD thing.
It gets rid of WANT TO projects and forces more NEED TO projects to the top of the list.
Personally, the way OUR property taxes have all but "bottomed-out" over the last few years, they could raise OUR taxes 100% and we wouldn't bat an eyelash...!
Our taxes dropped from about $700 a year to $89 a year.
First time in MY life I have ever seen this happen, even when my folks had THEIR house in Philly.
And we have to thank the city of fort Wayne for allowing OUR part of town to decline SO rapidly, as to SAVE us all that money (that they could have used).
It's a real ROFLMAO moment...every time the property taxes come due around our house.
Now, I'm sure a LOT of people in Fort Wayne would HATE to see their property taxes RISE (because they're already paying over a thousand bucks a year), but many of these folks brought it upon themselves, by moving to all those nice, new developments with over-priced housing and lower crime.
All that was needed was to keep what you HAD, and force whatever crime that wanted to come into the area the hell out on a damn rail...period.
Then, we'd have a lot more people paying a lot more FAIR SHARE of the property taxes all over the city, INSTEAD of other areas paying MOST ALL of the freight. THAT would have been a lot better, don'cha think?
And this is not exclusive TO Fort Wayne...oh, no.
Yeah, it's another case of the more things change, the more they stay the same.
So...what will the future hold in store for the American people?
Well, I'd like to believe that we're NOT going to have rioting and fires like we've seen in Greece...or France.
But if anything is done to repeal a part of the welfare system or unemployment "bennies" (down from an insidious 99 WEEKS..what a slap in the face of working people everywhere), there will be violence from the unwashed masses, instigated by unions and minorities.
You can take THAT to the bank.
We can't pull a "cold-turkey" gig with ANY of these programs, unfortunately...
But we, as a nation CAN begin to wean people off of this generational cycle of over-dependency on a government that can't really PAY for all these programs in the first place, can we not?
You will read today where the USA is buying BACK it's liong-term securities...not a good thing.
Here's the link (and it affects EVERYONE, trust me on this):
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20101103/BIZ/311039985/1031/BIZ
I guess the FED will just print up some more "Monopoly money" to PAY for all this, which will lead to further devaluation of our dollar (and less buying power around the globe), and that wil lead to inflationary tactics, and get set to blow your breakfast, because this here Merry-Go-Round ain't stopping ANY time soon...
If anything, it's speeding the hell UP.
*** Lastly today, I want to leave you with some bumper stickers that will place a smile on your face, because Lord knows, we can use as many of them as we can possibly get.















There, now that wasn't too painful, was it?
I might even make this recurring feature of the blog...certain special "bumper-snicker" days.
Right up there with Tales From the SouthSide and Believe It Or Else.
I mean if we can't smile once in a while, even in the WORST of times, what is truly left in life, right?
By the way, we have only FIFTY TWO shopping days left until CHRISTMAS...in case anyone was keeping count.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.