The Star-Spangled Banner ...Last Verse!

I'll admit; I have a fantasy about singing the National Anthem at a major event.  It's not because I can actually sing - because I can't - but because I dream of stepping up to the microphone with confidence and pride and belting out...the final verse:

O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their lov'd homes and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

No one would be able to say or do anything about it until it was over.  I would give particular emphasis to the lines, "Praise the Pow'r that had made and preserv'd us a nation!" and "In God is our trust".  What a message and reminder it would send to the millions of people watching!

Alas, I cannot sing, so I have to rely on the dream that maybe someone with actual talent will someday be so bold.  Kelly Clarkson this Sunday at the Super Bowl?  I won't hold my breath.

Liberal In Nature: Book Synopsis

When Democrats suffer a crushing political defeat, Andrew, a self-proclaimed liberal, flees society to live in the wilderness and soon discovers that his liberal ideology is perfectly suited to fixing the inequalities and injustices he perceives in nature.  He settles in a beautiful, isolated valley that is rich with mountains, streams, animals and lush vegetation.

After several months of observing the patterns and cycles of the valley, Andrew notices that nature is not as perfect as he originally thought.  He sees squirrels that gather more nuts than others, a bear who dominates and bullies the other animals, a misunderstood wolf who is the victim of prejudice, trees that don’t get as much sunlight as others, salmon who can’t spawn because of oppressive waterfalls, deer who have to work too hard for their food and much more.

Andrew takes it upon himself to bring fairness and equality to nature.  Applying his liberal ideology, he intercedes on behalf of oppressed and underprivileged organisms as he tries to fundamentally transform the valley.  He sees himself as a savior to the valley and he tries to earn the animals’ trust by easing their burdens.  His meddling, however, disrupts the balance of nature eventually producing unexpected and undesirable consequences.

Liberal In Nature addresses – directly or indirectly - important social and political issues such as: abortion, affirmative action, the death penalty, the economy, education, energy, global warming, gun control, health care, homeland security, immigration, private property, the relationship between religion and government, social security, taxes, the Tea Party, terrorism, and welfare.

Liberal In Nature is a witty, satirical political novel aimed at anyone who has an interest in politics, but it most often resonates with a more conservative audience.  It is layered with parables, metaphors, irony and humor.  Some readers enjoy it for its simplicity while others enjoy it for its depth of thought and research.  Buy a copy of Liberal In Nature !

5 Favorite Lines from the State of the Union 2012

#5 "I will not back down from protecting our kids from mercury poisoning..."

What an obstructionist!  He talks about bipartisanship all the time, but then he says things like this.  You know, Mr. Obama, if you would back down just a little bit on poisoning our kids with mercury, Washington D.C. would be a lot more efficient.  Okay, if you're not willing to compromise on this issue, how about helping Republicans achieve their goals of dirty water and unhealthy food?  Any wiggle room here?  Your refusal to compromise on matters where  legitimate arguments exist on both sides is a sign of your rigid ideology.  You should go back and read your inauguration speech. 

#4 "We also know that when students don’t walk away from their education, more of them walk the stage to get their diploma. When students are not allowed to drop out, they do better."

I'd like to see some hard numbers on this.  Can we get a fact-checker on this right away?  Is it possible to walk away from one's education and still walk the stage to get a diploma?  You might suggest that a GED is an option, but they actually just send those in the mail...you don't get to walk the stage.  I happen to know that from experience.  That's right...I am Garrett Hall, J.D., B.A., GED.

#3 "It’s time to apply the same rules from top to bottom. No bailouts, no handouts, and no copouts"

You heard him, right?  From top to bottom.  No handouts!  President Obama is in favor of entitlement reform!  It's about time, because we cannot keep up with this entitlement society.  And no copouts?  I'm sure he is including himself in this.  No more blaming Bush, ATMs, Republicans, earthquakes, bloggers, etc.  And since we are including you in this picture, I certainly hope the American people don't bail you out this November!

#2 "We got rid of one rule from 40 years ago that could have forced some dairy farmers to spend $10,000 a year proving that they could contain a spill — because milk was somehow classified as an oil. With a rule like that, I guess it was worth crying over spilled milk. (Laughter and applause.)"

My main issue here is the "Laughter and applause" caption.  I didn't hear laughter or applause.  I heard some uncomfortable moaning, restless stirring and uneasy laughter by the President.  "Laughter and applause" is incredibly generous and just downright untrue.  The President should stick with Nancy Reagan and Special Olympics jokes...he pulls them off much better.

#1 "When Americans talk about folks like me paying my fair share of taxes, it’s not because they envy the rich. It’s because they understand that when I get a tax break I don’t need and the country can’t afford, it either adds to the deficit, or somebody else has to make up the difference — like a senior on a fixed income, or a student trying to get through school, or a family trying to make ends meet."

A tax break the country can't afford?  Is the Country writing checks for tax breaks?  I wasn't aware that all income went through the US Gov't and then they graciously gave us our percentage back.  I didn't know it was their property that they are kindly gifting to us.

This is an example of the backward way Obama and his minions think about income.  They think they are entitled to it and it belongs to them.  They also think they should decide how the majority of it is used.  Besides, students trying to get through school or families trying to make ends meet don't lose anything when someone gets a tax break.  That money never belonged to them and the Gov't never saw it.  Now, overspending and waste in the Gov't may burden Americans, because the Gov't isn't really producing.  It doesn't retain capital to invest...it simply spends it on something else.  So, let's view untaxed income for what it is...personal property.

So, yeah, great speech.  I like what you've done with it...it was much better the third time.

Blog Revival!

It's been two years since I posted on this blog. What is it that induced me to revive it?  Politics...more specifically, the illogical politics of our day.  There are so many good arguments to be made for candidates on both sides of the aisle.  There are legitimate differences that could create great intellectual debates.  But, instead we have to witness illogical and dishonest attacks on candidates and specific groups of people, comments taken out of context, illogical conclusions, false contrapositives, etc.

I guess that's just how it is.  But, as long as it is that way, I will do what I can to expose it.  I hope you enjoy the posts.  Here we go!

(By the way, I wrote a book during my blog absence...you can learn about it here: Liberal In Nature