Clarifying the Republican mindset...

I found this somewhere and I doubt it's a true account, but I think it's a great illustration...

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A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat, and among other liberal ideals, was very much in favor of higher taxes to support more government programs, in other words redistribution of wealth.

She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch Republican, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that she had participated in and the occasional chat with a professor,she felt that her father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his.

One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the need for more government programs. The self- professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her father.

He responded by asking how she was doing in school. Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go out and party like other people she knew. She didn't even have time for a boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends  because she spent all her time studying.

Her father listened and then asked, 'How is your friend Audrey doing?' She replied, 'Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus; college for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties and lots of times she doesn't even show up for classes because she's too hung over.'

Her wise father asked his daughter, 'Why don't you go to the Dean's office and ask him to deduct 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0? That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA.'

The daughter, visibly shocked by her father's suggestion, angrily fired back, 'That' s a crazy idea, how would that be fair! I've worked really hard for my grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!'

The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, 'Welcome to the Republican party.'

If you consider yourself a social conservative...

I encourage all who are social conservatives to vote on November 4th for John McCain. Please don't stay away from the polls because you feel it doesn't matter who wins. It does matter. This may be the most important election of this generation. Stand up for what you believe in and get out and vote. The far left is mobilized and the right is asleep. Don't let the rights you enjoy go silently into the night. Let's do what we can, while we can, to keep this the America of our youth. Traditional values have merit and have been at the heart of civilization for thousands of years. Let us not subvert those ideas and principals that have brought us so far. We have often failed, but do not throw the baby out with the bath water.

Also, I appreciate those who support independent and third party candidates, but THIS election is not the time to send a message. I realize you may feel you are voting for the lesser of two evils by voting for McCain, but less evil is still LESS.

Don't let your wallet speak to you more loudly than you heart. I would rather live in poverty than to see the United States become a pale shadow of itself. 

McCain - Palin : 2008

Spreading around the wealth...

Barrack Obama's recent comment on the campaign trail that he wants to "spread the wealth around" is socialism in it's most basic form. Apparently Obama feels it is somehow 'wrong' for the people who work and make the money in this country to actually keep that money. He thinks it should be 'shared' more 'evenly'. 

50% of the U.S. population only pay federal income tax at a rate of 3%. Many do not pay taxes at all and yet Obama would take my tax dollars (collected at a higher rate), which I am required to pay BY LAW, and give them to others that he feels are more deserving of that income than my own wife and children. 

Having something handed to you that you did not earn, that came from the pocket of someone who did not give it willingly is immoral from any point of view except perhaps that of the thief and the recipient of the stolen wealth.

Helping those less fortunate is a central teaching of many faiths and I feel it is a proper and godly thing to do, but sharing at the point of the gun is not charity, it is victimization. If I am compelled to help others against my will, that is not love. Love is a choice. What Obama proposes is 'change' not based on choice, but by the mandate of the state.

Aren't you glad someone has finally come along who can fix us all despite ourselves?

R.E. Howard's Horror Fiction

How could I help but to become a dabbler in the work of Robert E. Howard after reading so many 'Howard posts' by my friend Charles. I've read just a few Kane stories from a Wordsworth Edition I found at Half Price books and a few others from a collection titled "People of the Dark". As an aside, those of you who live in states without Half Price books are missing out.

Interestingly I'm finding I seem particularly fond of Howard's horror fiction. I picked up another Wordsworth Edition just published this year which contains 21 Howard stories, most of them suspense and horror related. I already have a few of these in another volume, but oh well, what can you do?

I got a dark chuckle the other night at the conclusion of "The Fearsome Touch of Death". It's the shortest of the stories and just perfect for reading right before bed. You'll either chuckle at the end and go to sleep with a smile on your lips as I did, or... you may have trouble dismissing the 'empty' darkness around you and finding your night's rest.

Sweet dreams...