RedBear is my motorcycle bear, who rides to adventure in the physical world. RedBear is also me, who rides on thoughts about motorcycling, sport shooting, sailing, and politics.
I suggest you Google "Milton Friedman" and then just start
watching as many of the short videos you find. There are many topics, all still relevant today.
Best Quote:“What do
you mean Give Back?” when talking about reducing taxes.
Too bad Milton misses it on the prediction for government size in 2009.
Also four days ago, CNN's Chuck Todd asked Senator Ben Sasse, "What is
Conservatism?" Sasse responded what a forceful defense of our
Constitutional Republic, the American People, our economic system and
personal responsibility.
Best of all, he mentioned
Rotary Clubs. "What makes America great is Rotary Clubs, it's small
business, it's churches, it's schools, it's fire departments, it's
little leagues..."
Sasse: "We need Washington to faithfully execute the laws."
Four days ago, CNN polled Bernie Sanders' supporters in Iowa. They asked people to define Socialism. They had no real clue. Frankly, the responses are downright scary.
See the next post for Senator Ben Sasse's definition of "What is Conservatism?"
To be fair, here is an explanation of American democratic socialism from Peter Dreier, a professor of Politics at Occidental College. See: dreier-democratic-socialism/
To me, socialism is simply the step between heavily regulated capitalism (like we have now) and communism.
If you read between the lines in Dreier's description, you can see the the democracy part of his socialism is antithetical to our Constitutional Republic and its Constitution. The United Sates was founded on the principles of individual freedom and responsibility, strong property rights and that the person knows best how to run their own lives.
Unfortunately, many democracies eventually end as some sort of a tyrannical state, because even with the best of intentions, democracies give their power to bureaucracies that begin to function for their own well-being, not that of the people. That is happening currently in the US.
Further reading between the lines, one can see that the appeal of socialism is based on envy and greed. The futile quest for equality and equity is instigated by envy of the smarter, the better off, the harder worker. That leads to re-distributionist laws that destroy the freedom concept of the Founders. That is a key point for Bernie Sanders...for 40 years he has had the same speech, that the rich are the problem and he wants their stuff. Unfortunately, this road also leads to him wanting your stuff, via huge taxes, big government, and over-regulation.
Oh yeah, one last point: The Tax Foundation last week published their evaluation of Sanders' tax proposals, applied to the next ten years. It results in about 9.5% reduction in GDP and 6 million fewer FTE jobs. His tax increases would be 13.5%, but only produce 9.8% after considering the reduction in GDP. There would be a 10.5+% reduction in income for bottom 99% of earners, which turns into 12.8% after considering the reduction in GDP.
Andy Johnson is a small farmer/rancher who works as a welder to raise his family of six. He built a stock pond a few years ago, after obtainingall needed local and state permits. These permits were signed off by the correct agencies when the pond was completed.
Two years later EPA charged him with an illegal construction in a wetland. They have been fining him at least $37,500 per day ever since. The total is now over $16 million.
Watch this video to see the injustice and to see the beautiful little pond that has enhanced the local environment on Andy's property and neighborhood.
Thankfully, Pacific Legal Foundation and many legislators have come to Andy's assistance. However, EPA still maintains that Andy has violated teh Clean Water Act, especially now that they have declared jurisdiction of all of the "Waters of the U.S."
The scary part is that if the EPA prevails on its "Waters of the U.S." declaration, they will have destroyed private property rights for all Americans who have any type of water on their property. Significantly, the White House supports and encourages this bureaucratic tyranny.
RedBear encourages donations to PLF for the good work they do for freedom.
Similar story: Mike and Chantall Sackett fought the EPA and after about 6 years finally won in the Supreme Court. The court said things like "egregious overreach" about the EPA. The decision was 9-0. See here: Sackett Case against EPA
And too many of them have armed agents: http://www.theblaze.com/contributions/bite-the-bullet-weve-got-too-many-agencies-with-armed-agents/ "There are now 73 federal agencies that have armed officers, often called
“special agents.” And all of these agencies now cordon off and enforce a
federal fiefdom of the more than 4,500 criminal laws at the federal
level and thousands of additional regulations that have sprung up in
recent decades." At least 25,000 officers.
And too many employees? http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2466363/posts
For 2008: "Number of Full-Time Federal Employees - 2,518,101 Part-Time - 250,785
Full-Time State - 3,818,577 Part-Time - 1,451,002 Full-Time Local -
11,039,250 Part-Time - 3,383,976
TOTAL - 22,461,69"
Disparate impact is a dismal theory of political racial policy used by the Obama Administration to accomplish political ends and punish businesses.
It makes the bad assumption that statistics can explain the results of, principally, lending practices and housing and business practices "without showing evidence of actual discriminatory intent."
This is like being declared guilty before being proven innocent, the opposite of the foundational American legal principle of innocence until proven guilty.
Judicial Watch last week finally received the thousands of document they have been fighting for in Court for two years.
Oops, sorry, not the documents themselves! But they have received the Vaughn Index. This is the index of all the documents that the Government did not release because President Obama claimed Executive Privilege.
From this index it is obvious that many of the documents and emails are actually not covered by executive privilege. Such as, emails between Eric Holder and his wife where they discuss how they are working on keeping the documents from becoming public.
This process began when Eric Holder was about to be held in Contempt of Congress and Obama declared executive privilege in an attempt to protect the Attorney General for stonewalling Congress. Holder resigned in August, two days after a judge agreed that the Vaughn Index (1307 pages) and the documents (15662) must be released.
Listen to the interviews with Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch on the NRA News Cam & Company on October 24. Also listen to the Cam & Company interview with John Hinderaker on Oct 27. See www.nranews.com
"Based on a preliminary review of the massive document, Judicial Watch can disclose that the Vaughn index reveals:
Numerous emails that detail Attorney General Holder’s direct
involvement in crafting talking points, the timing of public
disclosures, and handling Congressional inquiries in the Fast and
Furious matter.
President Obama has asserted executive privilege over nearly 20
email communications between Holder and his spouse Sharon Malone. The
administration also claims that the records are also subject to
withholding under the “deliberative process” exemption. This exemption
ordinarily exempts from public disclosure records that could chill
internal government deliberations.
Numerous entries detail DOJ’s communications (including those of Eric Holder) concerning the White House about Fast and Furious.
The scandal required the attention of virtually every top official
of the DOJ and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).
Communications to and from the United States Ambassador to Mexico about
the Fast and Furious matter are also described.
Many of the records are already publicly available such as letters
from Congress, press clips, and typical agency communications.
Ordinarily, these records would, in whole or part, be subject to
disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. Few of the records
seem to even implicate presidential decision-making and advice that
might be subject to President Obama’s broad and unprecedented executive
privilege claim.
UPDATE Nov 5: On this day after the mid-term elections, where the referendum on President Obama's policies disclosed the depth of America's dislike for them, we learn of a Fast & Furious document dump on the eve of the election.
Yes, AG Eric Holder has finally released 64,280 pages of documents to the House Oversight Committee. These are the ones mentioned in the Vaughn Index above. Now we will really learn the truth of Holder's malfeasance, of DOJ's obstructionism, and of the White House's part in this scandal.
I've had dealings with California CARB about registration of foriegn vehicles. I got it resolved and the people I dealt with were simple bureaucratics doing their jobs. But that was 20 years ago.
It seems things are changing. These folks had their Land Rover Defender seized because of a VIN number mix-up. Maybe they got swindled by the previous owner, maybe it was never correct, maybe parts got replaced at some point.
For this huge crime, six vehicles and many agents swooped down on their property and grabbed the car. They were from Homeland Security. Now the folks can't find out where the car is located, or even get people to talk to them. It looks like summary justify the bureaucratic way is about to happen.
This is plain stupid. You don't need gun-toting federal law-enforcement agents to execute a car seizure. This another case of the EPA and it sub-agencies turning into tyrannical law-unto-themselves.
The American People are being disrespected and mistreated too often these days.
Unions have been used to having their own way for a long time. Finally, in cases across teh country, some balance is being re-instated. In Wisconsin, the right of speech once again trumps the desire of unions to force members to support their political campaigns by providing union dues.
Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin had quite a good day on July 31
when the state supreme court upheld not only Wisconsin’s voter ID law,
but also the 2011 budget legislation that severely curtailed the power
of public unions to control the lives and salaries of state and
municipal government employees.
In Madison Teachers, Inc. v. Walker,
a majority of the court overturned a lower court decision that had
enjoined various parts of the law and upheld it in its entirety. The
2011 law (Act 10)
prohibited public unions from bargaining on issues other than base
wages; prohibited municipalities from deducting union dues from the
paychecks of public employees; imposed annual recertification
requirements for unions; and prohibited any union agreement that would
require employees who are not members of a union from having to pay
union dues.
Various unions, including the AFL-CIO, challenged these provisions,
claiming they violated their associational rights under the First
Amendment and their equal protection rights under the 14th Amendment.
This ruling represents a huge victory for both Wisconsin taxpayers and the recipients of government services.
In tossing out these claims, the Wisconsin Supreme Court pointed out
that, as the U.S. Supreme Court itself has said, public employees have
no “constitutional right to negotiate with their municipal employer on
the lone issue of base wages, let alone on any other subject.”
Collective bargaining is “a creation of legislative grace and not
constitutional obligation.” According to the court, “the plaintiffs’
associational rights are in no way implicated” by the law’s change to the state’s collective bargaining framework.
Union member are not restricted in any way from exercising their
First Amendment right to associate together: they “remain free to
advance any position, on any topic, either
individually or in concert, through any channels that are open to the
public.” But the union has no constitutional right to force the
government to listen to what it has to say – or to require the
government to negotiate only with the union.
Furthermore, unions can’t force the government to subsidize them
through paycheck deductions for union dues from public employees who are
members of the union – “no constitutional right exists for the
deduction of dues from a paycheck to support membership in a voluntary
organization.”
Unions also have no constitutional right to force employees who do
not want to be members of a union to pay union dues. Because none of the
challenged provisions involves constitutional rights and public
employees are not a protected class, the unions’ equal protection
challenge also failed under the court’s rational basis review.
The court also threw out an additional challenge to another Wisconsin
law that prohibited the City of Milwaukee from paying the employee
share of contributions to the city’s retirement plan.
This ruling, which removes the last legal challenge to Act 10,
represents a huge victory for both Wisconsin taxpayers and the
recipients of government services. Before Act 10, the Wisconsin state
and local governments could not manage their workforces without union
consent. Collective bargaining meant government unions had to agree with
any changes to how the government operates. Government unions often use
this power to hijack the government and make it serve their interests
ahead of the public good.
Unions in the private sector cannot ask for too much without their
companies prohibitively raising prices and losing customers to competing
firms. But the government has no competition—it has a monopoly.
Government unions do not have to worry
about holding costs down or operating efficiently because the public
has nowhere else to go. Without Act 10, Walker would have to either
raise taxes or cut programs to balance Wisconsin’s budget.
Unions
can’t force the government to subsidize them through paycheck
deductions for union dues from public employees who are members of the
union.
Government unions could live with either option, of course. What they
did not want was what actually happened – eliminating the deficit by
trimming their members’ benefits. Wisconsin government employees must
now contribute toward their pension benefits and pay a larger portion of
their healthcare premiums. They still make more than
comparable private sector workers, but that gap has narrowed. These
reforms allowed Walker to close a $3.6 billion budget hole and cut taxes by $2 billion.
Eliminating collective bargaining also allows governments to operate more efficiently. Local school districts saved tens of millions
of dollars by shopping for more competitive health plans. The Wisconsin
Education Association used to force districts to buy health benefits
from WEA Trust. This plan charged inflated premiums. School districts
can now spend those savings to better educate children.
Similarly union seniority systems meant Wisconsin schools had to lay
off the newest teachers first—no matter how well they taught. In 2010
Megan Sampson won statewide recognition for excellence as a first-year
English teacher. A week later Milwaukee Public Schools laid her off
because the union contract required her to be let go first. That system
benefited senior union members at the expense of new hires and children
who need the best education possible. Act 10 eliminated this
restriction. Wisconsin school districts can now hire and fire on the
basis of what works best for the children, not the union members. Act 10
means the government can serve the public instead of unions.
I think these videos tell the sad story for themselves. The Forest Service, BLM and Parks are all trying to shut down the People's lands all over the country.
This is the second best explanation I have ever heard for why marriage is between one man and one woman. I can no longer find the first, unfortunately, although the arguments are similar.
See Ryan T. Anderson speaking at Standford University: What is Marriage?
On Wednesday, Barack Obama used his powerful pen to effectively
ban AK-47s, and other Kalashnikov Russian-made imports,
indefinitely. This will include the import of parts and accessories so
it affects current owners as well as those looking to make a new
purchase. If you like your gun, you can keep it. Just don't expect to be getting parts for it without paying a small fortune.
The Executive Order was issued under the guise of punishing Russia with more sanctions. Considering AK-47s are one of the weapons that this administration, and certain members of congress, have been looking to ban, that excuse doesn't seem to hold much credibility. As John Galt said, "The good news is Obama has not banned Vodka imports from Russia yet, probably because he is the biggest homolush in Amerika."
Don't be fooled. There is always an agenda.
The ban is effectively against all AK-line Kalashnikov imports, which obviously covers much more than just AK-47s.
Kurt Nimmo reports:
Obama exploited the conflict in Ukraine to
target the importation of the popular AK line of firearms manufactured
by Kalashnikov Concern in Izhmash, Russia. The unconstitutional ban
includes the Saiga line of rifles and shotguns.
The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)
attempted to soften the blow by stating the executive order does not
outlaw Kalashnikov firearms legally purchased in the United States prior
to the ban.
The OFAC, according to its website,
"administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions based on US
foreign policy and national security goals against targeted foreign
countries and regimes, terrorists, international narcotics traffickers,
those engaged in activities related to the proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction, and other threats to the national security, foreign
policy or economy of the United States."
The criminalization of an entire line of foreign manufactured firearms is possible under "national emergency powers" and there is no appeal process.
Soon, from the coast of Syria to western Chinese border will be a caliphate of Muslim extremists from ISIS, ISIL, Al Qaeda, Taliban, and other groups with three goals:
- to drive that whole region back to the 15th Century
- to act as a breeding ground for worldwide religious jihad against Western ways
- to kill as many infidels as possible
Some one has to stand up and say enough is enough. Can you say Crusades?
I can't see it being Obama. He is on vacation again in Rancho Mirage. I don't think he knows a whit of what he is doing. He certainly cannot decide to do things in a hurry...he needs to consider indeterminately, hoping that the problems will just go away.
When 1700 Iraqi policemen got executed in mass graves yesterday, doesn't he get the message? He and Prime Minister Maliki created this disaster in 2011 when they announced "victory" and began the pullout of US troops.
Lately Harry Reid has been vilifying The Koch Brothers for simply being successful. And for speaking about their beliefs and backing that speech with support for political groups. Harry Reid has been using the Alinski principles to make the Koch into the "great satans." As usual Harry is wrong.
The opinion piece below brings some balance and truth to the war.
This article was published in the Wall Street Journal on 2 April 2014.
I’m Fighting to Restore a Free Society by Charles G. Koch I
have devoted most of my life to understanding the principles that
enable people to improve their lives. It is those principles—the
principles of a free society—that have shaped my life, my family, our
company and America itself. Unfortunately,
the fundamental concepts of dignity, respect, equality before the law
and personal freedom are under attack by the nation’s own government.
That’s why, if we want to restore a free society and create greater
well-being and opportunity for all Americans, we have no choice but to
fight for those principles. I have been doing so for more than 50 years,
primarily through educational efforts. It was only in the past decade
that I realized the need to also engage in the political process. A
truly free society is based on a vision of respect for people and what
they value. In a truly free society, any business that disrespects its
customers will fail, and deserves to do so. The same should be true of
any government that disrespects its citizens. The central belief and
fatal conceit of the current administration is that you are incapable of
running your own life, but those in power are capable of running it for
you. This is the essence of big government and collectivism.
More
than 200 years ago, Thomas Jefferson warned that this could happen.
“The natural progress of things,” Jefferson wrote, “is for liberty to
yield and government to gain ground.” He knew that no government could
possibly run citizens’ lives for the better. The more government tries
to control, the greater the disaster, as shown by the current
health-care debacle. Collectivists (those who stand for government
control of the means of production and how people live their lives)
promise heaven but deliver hell. For them, the promised end justifies
the means. Instead
of encouraging free and open debate, collectivists strive to discredit
and intimidate opponents. They engage in character assassination. (I
should know, as the almost daily target of their attacks.) This is the
approach that Arthur Schopenhauer described in the 19th century, that Saul Alinsky
famously advocated in the 20th, and that so many despots have
infamously practiced. Such tactics are the antithesis of what is
required for a free society—and a telltale sign that the collectivists
do not have good answers.
Rather
than try to understand my vision for a free society or accurately
report the facts about Koch Industries, our critics would have you
believe we’re “un-American” and trying to “rig the system,” that we’re
against “environmental protection” or eager to “end workplace safety
standards.” These falsehoods remind me of the late Sen. Daniel Patrick
Moynihan’s observation, “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but
not to his own facts.” Here are some facts about my philosophy and our
company:Koch
companies employ 60,000 Americans, who make many thousands of products
that Americans want and need. According to government figures, our
employees and the 143,000 additional American jobs they support generate
nearly $11.7 billion in compensation and benefits. About one-third of
our U.S.-based employees are union members. Koch
employees have earned well over 700 awards for environmental, health
and safety excellence since 2009, many of them from the Environmental
Protection Agency and Occupational Safety and Health Administration. EPA
officials have commended us for our “commitment to a cleaner
environment” and called us “a model for other companies.” Our
refineries have consistently ranked among the best in the nation for
low per-barrel emissions. In 2012, our Total Case Incident Rate (an
important safety measure) was 67% better than a Bureau of Labor
Statistics average for peer industries. Even so, we have never rested on
our laurels. We believe there is always room for innovation and
improvement. Far
from trying to rig the system, I have spent decades opposing cronyism
and all political favors, including mandates, subsidies and protective
tariffs—even when we benefit from them. I believe that cronyism is
nothing more than welfare for the rich and powerful, and should be
abolished. Koch
Industries was the only major producer in the ethanol industry to argue
for the demise of the ethanol tax credit in 2011. That government
handout (which cost taxpayers billions) needlessly drove up food and
fuel prices as well as other costs for consumers—many of whom were poor
or otherwise disadvantaged. Now the mandate needs to go, so that
consumers and the marketplace are the ones who decide the future of
ethanol. Instead
of fostering a system that enables people to help themselves, America
is now saddled with a system that destroys value, raises costs, hinders
innovation and relegates millions of citizens to a life of poverty,
dependency and hopelessness. This is what happens when elected officials
believe that people’s lives are better run by politicians and
regulators than by the people themselves. Those in power fail to see
that more government means less liberty, and liberty is the essence of
what it means to be American. Love of liberty is the American ideal. If
more businesses (and elected officials) were to embrace a vision of
creating real value for people in a principled way, our nation would be
far better off—not just today, but for generations to come. I’m
dedicated to fighting for that vision. I’m convinced most Americans
believe it’s worth fighting for, too. [Mr. Koch is chairman and CEO of Koch Industries.]
VDH is a college professor of History and a political commentator. Victor Davis Hanson is the Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow at
the Hoover Institution at Stanford University; his focus is classics and military history. He has had a long career in education. He speaks and writes about history and current affairs, mostly from a principled conservative viewpoint that emphasizes that strong history of California and America in depending on freedom and market systems. He lives in Selma near Fresno and farms the family farm.
Today Jim Franklin on his KMJ Fresno radio show replayed a speech by VDH given at the Sunbird Conservative Conference on April 14, 2014 in Fresno. VDH talks about American exceptional-ism and the ways the liberal "collective" is destroying the American work ethic and conventional political structures. Link to come:
Because that speech is not yet available, here is a very similar speech that VDH gave at the Conservative Forum, Feb 5, 2014: VDH at Conservative Forum
I admire VDH a lot becasue he can express in simple terms many of the basic current problems facing the country and the conservative movement. In addition, VDH is uniquely relevant to the California Central Valley population because he grew up, lives and works here.
My name is Brian Kolfage, I’m a triple amputee and retired Air Force
veteran who was severely wounded on September 11, 2004 in Iraq.
I nearly died in a war that most of your colleagues supported
overwhelmingly, including the two presidents who came before you. Many
citizens may not agree with waging war in Iraq to free the oppressed
Iraqi citizens, but it’s something that warriors like myself have no
control over. I joined to serve my country and to better my life. I’ve
seen things that you could never imagine, and they have made me the
person I am today.
Mr. Obama, even though we have extreme opposite views, we have one
thing in common, we both attended school in Hawaii. However, that’s
where the similarities end. You see, as you attended your exclusive,
private school, I would ride my bike to Kaimuki High School in one of
the roughest areas in Hawaii. Every morning I would ride past Punahou,
the exclusive private school you attended and I would notice all of the
Bentleys, Maseratis, and fancy foreign cars that all the kids were
dropped off in; wow it must have been extremely rough in Hawaii living
that life, right? I could only imagine what it was like to have that
kind of money. Fortunately for you, not many people are aware of the
school that you and the upper class citizens of Hawaii attended. The
tuition to attend your exclusive, private school was more than it cost
me to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of
Arizona. You talk a big game when it comes to financial inequality, yet
I’m quite sure you have no idea what it’s truly like to have to
sacrifice. You were one of the elitist children in Hawaii.
After High School, we each chose very different paths. You were able
to attend America’s finest Ivy League schools, while I pursued a career
in the military, in hopes of earning a degree. What we have in life as
children usually helps to set the tone for how we achieve success later
in life. I worked to get where I am today, while it was HANDED TO
YOU...Mr. Inequality.
I volunteered to go to Iraq on both of my deployments, and the
second time I begged to go even after I wasn’t selected. During that
second deployment, I was ultimately placed on the team where I would
lose both legs and my dominant arm. Even though many Americans were
against the war in Iraq, I’ve never asked myself if it was worth it
after losing 3 of my limbs.
I am frequently reminded of the many young Iraqi children who would
beg me for water, food, and toys while I was stationed in Iraq.
Children, who in all aspects made the poorest of poor American children
look rich. You have no idea what it really means to be poor. It’s
laughable that you, who would have no idea what it means to be poor
would so frequently play the inequality card.
While I was in Iraq, our mission was to liberate the Iraqi citizens
from a tyrant and that’s what we did. Never forget, it was your people
who sent us there, like the Clintons, John Kerry, Nancy Pelosi &
Carl Levin. However, since the day you busted onto the scene you’ve
been talking about ending the war and pulling the troops out, not
understanding the blood sweat and tears that so many Americans and
Iraqi’s invested. And with complete disregard for every life
sacrificed, every limb lost, and every broken family, you bailed on our
mission to pursue an agenda that was completely centered on your
re-election in 2012. If you didn’t bail on Iraq you were worried that
you may not get re-elected and that’s a fact. Just before elections on
Oct 11, 2012 you said “Al Qaeda is on the run and Osama bin Laden is
dead.” Look at Iraq now, they are in shambles and the Al Qaeda flag is
flying freely. Clearly, you’re unfit for duty as a Commander in Chief.
You put your own agenda ahead of America’s agenda, and now you have
single handedly ruined and destroyed nearly everything we gained in
Iraq. It clearly means nothing to you, because the only thing that
you’ve personally invested in that country was a promise to bail on
them. However, people like me gave limbs, friends have died, and we’ve
watched families destroyed by war’s aftermath.
I’m not placing blame on you for the war, I’m placing blame on you
for destroying what we’ve worked so hard to build. You’re not a leader,
you’re a community organizer. A leader would have stood up regardless of
the situation and put America’s agenda first and that is ensuring a
secure Iraq even after 10 years of war. But, you placed Barack first,
just as Robert Gates confirmed in his new book. I can’t help but think
of those poor kids who I gave water and toys to 11 years ago. They’re
probably 15 or 16 years old now, and I can only imagine what it’s like
for them to have their nation being torn apart yet again; all because of
your poor leadership qualities. Regardless of why we went to Iraq, its
water under the bridge. We went there, we waged war, and we not only
owed it to our KIA’s but we owed it to the citizens of Iraq. We invaded
their country and turned it upside down, and you bailed on them. You
bailed on our soldiers and you’ve wasted every death and every limb,
it’s all for nothing. And to make matters worse you blame others for
your failures
You’re just another elitist rich thug who’s pretended to live the
rough life growing up in the inner-city. You’re only worried about your
own agenda and furthering your party instead of taking care of
Americans. Your inability to be a leader at some of the most critical
points has caused both of our wars to fail. You’ve been a joke to most
of our veteran community and we have no faith in your ability to lead.
Senior Airman Ret Brian Kolfage USAF
“The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely to be the one who dropped it.” — Lou Holtz
I
volunteered to go to Iraq on both of my deployments, and the second
time I begged to go even after I wasn’t selected. During that second
deployment, I was ultimately placed on the team where I would lose both
legs and my dominant arm. Even though many Americans were against the
war in Iraq, I’ve never asked myself if it was worth it after losing 3
of my limbs.
I am frequently reminded of the many young
Iraqi children who would beg me for water, food, and toys while I was
stationed in Iraq. Children, who in all aspects made the poorest of
poor American children look rich. You have no idea what it really means
to be poor. It’s laughable that you, who would have no idea what it
means to be poor would so frequently play the inequality card.
While I was in Iraq, our mission was to
liberate the Iraqi citizens from a tyrant and that’s what we did. Never
forget, it was your people who sent us there, like the Clintons, John
Kerry, Nancy Pelosi & Carl Levin. However, since the day you busted
onto the scene you’ve been talking about ending the war and pulling the
troops out, not understanding the blood sweat and tears that so many
Americans and Iraqi’s invested. And with complete disregard for every
life sacrificed, every limb lost, and every broken family, you bailed on
our mission to pursue an agenda that was completely centered on your
re-election in 2012. If you didn’t bail on Iraq you were worried that
you may not get re-elected and that’s a fact. Just before elections on
Oct 11, 2012 you said “Al Qaeda is on the run and Osama bin Laden is
dead.” Look at Iraq now, they are in shambles and the Al Qaeda flag is
flying freely. Clearly, you’re unfit for duty as a Commander in Chief.
You put your own agenda ahead of America’s agenda, and now you have
single handedly ruined and destroyed nearly everything we gained in
Iraq. It clearly means nothing to you, because the only thing that
you’ve personally invested in that country was a promise to bail on
them. However, people like me gave limbs, friends have died, and we’ve
watched families destroyed by war’s aftermath.
I’m not placing blame on you for the war, I’m
placing blame on you for destroying what we’ve worked so hard to build.
You’re not a leader, you’re a community organizer. A leader would have
stood up regardless of the situation and put America’s agenda first and
that is ensuring a secure Iraq even after 10 years of war. But, you
placed Barack first, just as Robert Gates confirmed in his new book. I
can’t help but think of those poor kids who I gave water and toys to 11
years ago. They’re probably 15 or 16 years old now, and I can only
imagine what it’s like for them to have their nation being torn apart
yet again; all because of your poor leadership qualities. Regardless of
why we went to Iraq, its water under the bridge. We went there, we waged
war, and we not only owed it to our KIA’s but we owed it to the
citizens of Iraq. We invaded their country and turned it upside down,
and you bailed on them. You bailed on our soldiers and you’ve wasted
every death and every limb, it’s all for nothing. And to make matters
worse you blame others for your failures
You’re just another elitist rich thug who’s
pretended to live the rough life growing up in the inner-city. You’re
only worried about your own agenda and furthering your party instead of
taking care of Americans. Your inability to be a leader at some of the
most critical points has caused both of our wars to fail. You’ve been a
joke to most of our veteran community and we have no faith in your
ability to lead.
Senior Airman Ret Brian Kolfage USAF
“The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely to be the one who dropped it."
Senior
Airman Ret. Brian Kolfage is a real American hero. He has earned the
right to speak out against the incompetence of the Obama
administration... and so he does. Please take the time to read his open letter to President Obama which he released through 100 percent fed up.
Dear President Obama,
My name is Brian Kolfage, I’m a triple
amputee and retired Air Force veteran who was severely wounded on
September 11, 2004 in Iraq.
I nearly died in a war that most of your
colleagues supported overwhelmingly, including the two presidents who
came before you. Many citizens may not agree with waging war in Iraq to
free the oppressed Iraqi citizens, but it’s something that warriors like
myself have no control over. I joined to serve my country and to better
my life. I’ve seen things that you could never imagine, and they have
made me the person I am today.
Mr. Obama, even though we have extreme
opposite views, we have one thing in common, we both attended school in
Hawaii. However, that’s where the similarities end. You see, as you
attended your exclusive, private school, I would ride my bike to Kaimuki
High School in one of the roughest areas in Hawaii. Every morning I
would ride past Punahou, the exclusive private school you attended and I
would notice all of the Bentleys, Maseratis, and fancy foreign cars
that all the kids were dropped off in; wow it must have been extremely
rough in Hawaii living that life, right? I could only imagine what it
was like to have that kind of money. Fortunately for you, not many
people are aware of the school that you and the upper class citizens of
Hawaii attended. The tuition to attend your exclusive, private school
was more than it cost me to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture
from the University of Arizona. You talk a big game when it comes to
financial inequality, yet I’m quite sure you have no idea what it’s
truly like to have to sacrifice. You were one of the elitist children in
Hawaii.
After
High School, we each chose very different paths. You were able to
attend America's finest Ivy League schools, while I pursued a career in
the military, in hopes of earning a degree. What we have in life as
children usually helps to set the tone for how we acheive success later
in life. I worked to get where I am today, while it was HANDED TO
YOU….Mr. Inequality.
I volunteered to go to Iraq on both of my
deployments, and the second time I begged to go even after I wasn’t
selected. During that second deployment, I was ultimately placed on the
team where I would lose both legs and my dominant arm. Even though
many Americans were against the war in Iraq, I’ve never asked myself if
it was worth it after losing 3 of my limbs.
I am frequently reminded of the many young
Iraqi children who would beg me for water, food, and toys while I was
stationed in Iraq. Children, who in all aspects made the poorest of
poor American children look rich. You have no idea what it really means
to be poor. It’s laughable that you, who would have no idea what it
means to be poor would so frequently play the inequality card.
While I was in Iraq, our mission was to
liberate the Iraqi citizens from a tyrant and that’s what we did. Never
forget, it was your people who sent us there, like the Clintons, John
Kerry, Nancy Pelosi & Carl Levin. However, since the day you busted
onto the scene you’ve been talking about ending the war and pulling the
troops out, not understanding the blood sweat and tears that so many
Americans and Iraqi’s invested. And with complete disregard for every
life sacrificed, every limb lost, and every broken family, you bailed on
our mission to pursue an agenda that was completely centered on your
re-election in 2012. If you didn’t bail on Iraq you were worried that
you may not get re-elected and that’s a fact. Just before elections on
Oct 11, 2012 you said “Al Qaeda is on the run and Osama bin Laden is
dead.” Look at Iraq now, they are in shambles and the Al Qaeda flag is
flying freely. Clearly, you’re unfit for duty as a Commander in Chief.
You put your own agenda ahead of America’s agenda, and now you have
single handedly ruined and destroyed nearly everything we gained in
Iraq. It clearly means nothing to you, because the only thing that
you’ve personally invested in that country was a promise to bail on
them. However, people like me gave limbs, friends have died, and we’ve
watched families destroyed by war’s aftermath.
I’m not placing blame on you for the war, I’m
placing blame on you for destroying what we’ve worked so hard to build.
You’re not a leader, you’re a community organizer. A leader would have
stood up regardless of the situation and put America’s agenda first and
that is ensuring a secure Iraq even after 10 years of war. But, you
placed Barack first, just as Robert Gates confirmed in his new book. I
can’t help but think of those poor kids who I gave water and toys to 11
years ago. They’re probably 15 or 16 years old now, and I can only
imagine what it’s like for them to have their nation being torn apart
yet again; all because of your poor leadership qualities. Regardless of
why we went to Iraq, its water under the bridge. We went there, we waged
war, and we not only owed it to our KIA’s but we owed it to the
citizens of Iraq. We invaded their country and turned it upside down,
and you bailed on them. You bailed on our soldiers and you’ve wasted
every death and every limb, it’s all for nothing. And to make matters
worse you blame others for your failures
You’re just another elitist rich thug who’s
pretended to live the rough life growing up in the inner-city. You’re
only worried about your own agenda and furthering your party instead of
taking care of Americans. Your inability to be a leader at some of the
most critical points has caused both of our wars to fail. You’ve been a
joke to most of our veteran community and we have no faith in your
ability to lead.
Senior Airman Ret Brian Kolfage USAF
“The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely to be the one who dropped it."
Senior Airman
Ret. Brian Kolfage is a real American hero. He has earned the right to
speak out against the incompetence of the Obama administration... and so
he does. Please take the time to read his open letter to President Obama which he released through 100 percent fed up.
Dear President Obama,
My name is Brian Kolfage, I’m a triple
amputee and retired Air Force veteran who was severely wounded on
September 11, 2004 in Iraq.
I nearly died in a war that most of your
colleagues supported overwhelmingly, including the two presidents who
came before you. Many citizens may not agree with waging war in Iraq to
free the oppressed Iraqi citizens, but it’s something that warriors like
myself have no control over. I joined to serve my country and to better
my life. I’ve seen things that you could never imagine, and they have
made me the person I am today.
Mr. Obama, even though we have extreme
opposite views, we have one thing in common, we both attended school in
Hawaii. However, that’s where the similarities end. You see, as you
attended your exclusive, private school, I would ride my bike to Kaimuki
High School in one of the roughest areas in Hawaii. Every morning I
would ride past Punahou, the exclusive private school you attended and I
would notice all of the Bentleys, Maseratis, and fancy foreign cars
that all the kids were dropped off in; wow it must have been extremely
rough in Hawaii living that life, right? I could only imagine what it
was like to have that kind of money. Fortunately for you, not many
people are aware of the school that you and the upper class citizens of
Hawaii attended. The tuition to attend your exclusive, private school
was more than it cost me to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture
from the University of Arizona. You talk a big game when it comes to
financial inequality, yet I’m quite sure you have no idea what it’s
truly like to have to sacrifice. You were one of the elitist children in
Hawaii.
After
High School, we each chose very different paths. You were able to
attend America's finest Ivy League schools, while I pursued a career in
the military, in hopes of earning a degree. What we have in life as
children usually helps to set the tone for how we acheive success later
in life. I worked to get where I am today, while it was HANDED TO
YOU….Mr. Inequality.
I volunteered to go to Iraq on both of my
deployments, and the second time I begged to go even after I wasn’t
selected. During that second deployment, I was ultimately placed on the
team where I would lose both legs and my dominant arm. Even though
many Americans were against the war in Iraq, I’ve never asked myself if
it was worth it after losing 3 of my limbs.
I am frequently reminded of the many young
Iraqi children who would beg me for water, food, and toys while I was
stationed in Iraq. Children, who in all aspects made the poorest of
poor American children look rich. You have no idea what it really means
to be poor. It’s laughable that you, who would have no idea what it
means to be poor would so frequently play the inequality card.
While I was in Iraq, our mission was to
liberate the Iraqi citizens from a tyrant and that’s what we did. Never
forget, it was your people who sent us there, like the Clintons, John
Kerry, Nancy Pelosi & Carl Levin. However, since the day you busted
onto the scene you’ve been talking about ending the war and pulling the
troops out, not understanding the blood sweat and tears that so many
Americans and Iraqi’s invested. And with complete disregard for every
life sacrificed, every limb lost, and every broken family, you bailed on
our mission to pursue an agenda that was completely centered on your
re-election in 2012. If you didn’t bail on Iraq you were worried that
you may not get re-elected and that’s a fact. Just before elections on
Oct 11, 2012 you said “Al Qaeda is on the run and Osama bin Laden is
dead.” Look at Iraq now, they are in shambles and the Al Qaeda flag is
flying freely. Clearly, you’re unfit for duty as a Commander in Chief.
You put your own agenda ahead of America’s agenda, and now you have
single handedly ruined and destroyed nearly everything we gained in
Iraq. It clearly means nothing to you, because the only thing that
you’ve personally invested in that country was a promise to bail on
them. However, people like me gave limbs, friends have died, and we’ve
watched families destroyed by war’s aftermath.
I’m not placing blame on you for the war, I’m
placing blame on you for destroying what we’ve worked so hard to build.
You’re not a leader, you’re a community organizer. A leader would have
stood up regardless of the situation and put America’s agenda first and
that is ensuring a secure Iraq even after 10 years of war. But, you
placed Barack first, just as Robert Gates confirmed in his new book. I
can’t help but think of those poor kids who I gave water and toys to 11
years ago. They’re probably 15 or 16 years old now, and I can only
imagine what it’s like for them to have their nation being torn apart
yet again; all because of your poor leadership qualities. Regardless of
why we went to Iraq, its water under the bridge. We went there, we waged
war, and we not only owed it to our KIA’s but we owed it to the
citizens of Iraq. We invaded their country and turned it upside down,
and you bailed on them. You bailed on our soldiers and you’ve wasted
every death and every limb, it’s all for nothing. And to make matters
worse you blame others for your failures
You’re just another elitist rich thug who’s
pretended to live the rough life growing up in the inner-city. You’re
only worried about your own agenda and furthering your party instead of
taking care of Americans. Your inability to be a leader at some of the
most critical points has caused both of our wars to fail. You’ve been a
joke to most of our veteran community and we have no faith in your
ability to lead.
Senior Airman Ret Brian Kolfage USAF
“The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely to be the one who dropped it."
Senior Airman
Ret. Brian Kolfage is a real American hero. He has earned the right to
speak out against the incompetence of the Obama administration... and so
he does. Please take the time to read his open letter to President Obama which he released through 100 percent fed up.
Dear President Obama,
My name is Brian Kolfage, I’m a triple
amputee and retired Air Force veteran who was severely wounded on
September 11, 2004 in Iraq.
I nearly died in a war that most of your
colleagues supported overwhelmingly, including the two presidents who
came before you. Many citizens may not agree with waging war in Iraq to
free the oppressed Iraqi citizens, but it’s something that warriors like
myself have no control over. I joined to serve my country and to better
my life. I’ve seen things that you could never imagine, and they have
made me the person I am today.
Mr. Obama, even though we have extreme
opposite views, we have one thing in common, we both attended school in
Hawaii. However, that’s where the similarities end. You see, as you
attended your exclusive, private school, I would ride my bike to Kaimuki
High School in one of the roughest areas in Hawaii. Every morning I
would ride past Punahou, the exclusive private school you attended and I
would notice all of the Bentleys, Maseratis, and fancy foreign cars
that all the kids were dropped off in; wow it must have been extremely
rough in Hawaii living that life, right? I could only imagine what it
was like to have that kind of money. Fortunately for you, not many
people are aware of the school that you and the upper class citizens of
Hawaii attended. The tuition to attend your exclusive, private school
was more than it cost me to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture
from the University of Arizona. You talk a big game when it comes to
financial inequality, yet I’m quite sure you have no idea what it’s
truly like to have to sacrifice. You were one of the elitist children in
Hawaii.
After
High School, we each chose very different paths. You were able to
attend America's finest Ivy League schools, while I pursued a career in
the military, in hopes of earning a degree. What we have in life as
children usually helps to set the tone for how we acheive success later
in life. I worked to get where I am today, while it was HANDED TO
YOU….Mr. Inequality.
I volunteered to go to Iraq on both of my
deployments, and the second time I begged to go even after I wasn’t
selected. During that second deployment, I was ultimately placed on the
team where I would lose both legs and my dominant arm. Even though
many Americans were against the war in Iraq, I’ve never asked myself if
it was worth it after losing 3 of my limbs.
I am frequently reminded of the many young
Iraqi children who would beg me for water, food, and toys while I was
stationed in Iraq. Children, who in all aspects made the poorest of
poor American children look rich. You have no idea what it really means
to be poor. It’s laughable that you, who would have no idea what it
means to be poor would so frequently play the inequality card.
While I was in Iraq, our mission was to
liberate the Iraqi citizens from a tyrant and that’s what we did. Never
forget, it was your people who sent us there, like the Clintons, John
Kerry, Nancy Pelosi & Carl Levin. However, since the day you busted
onto the scene you’ve been talking about ending the war and pulling the
troops out, not understanding the blood sweat and tears that so many
Americans and Iraqi’s invested. And with complete disregard for every
life sacrificed, every limb lost, and every broken family, you bailed on
our mission to pursue an agenda that was completely centered on your
re-election in 2012. If you didn’t bail on Iraq you were worried that
you may not get re-elected and that’s a fact. Just before elections on
Oct 11, 2012 you said “Al Qaeda is on the run and Osama bin Laden is
dead.” Look at Iraq now, they are in shambles and the Al Qaeda flag is
flying freely. Clearly, you’re unfit for duty as a Commander in Chief.
You put your own agenda ahead of America’s agenda, and now you have
single handedly ruined and destroyed nearly everything we gained in
Iraq. It clearly means nothing to you, because the only thing that
you’ve personally invested in that country was a promise to bail on
them. However, people like me gave limbs, friends have died, and we’ve
watched families destroyed by war’s aftermath.
I’m not placing blame on you for the war, I’m
placing blame on you for destroying what we’ve worked so hard to build.
You’re not a leader, you’re a community organizer. A leader would have
stood up regardless of the situation and put America’s agenda first and
that is ensuring a secure Iraq even after 10 years of war. But, you
placed Barack first, just as Robert Gates confirmed in his new book. I
can’t help but think of those poor kids who I gave water and toys to 11
years ago. They’re probably 15 or 16 years old now, and I can only
imagine what it’s like for them to have their nation being torn apart
yet again; all because of your poor leadership qualities. Regardless of
why we went to Iraq, its water under the bridge. We went there, we waged
war, and we not only owed it to our KIA’s but we owed it to the
citizens of Iraq. We invaded their country and turned it upside down,
and you bailed on them. You bailed on our soldiers and you’ve wasted
every death and every limb, it’s all for nothing. And to make matters
worse you blame others for your failures
You’re just another elitist rich thug who’s
pretended to live the rough life growing up in the inner-city. You’re
only worried about your own agenda and furthering your party instead of
taking care of Americans. Your inability to be a leader at some of the
most critical points has caused both of our wars to fail. You’ve been a
joke to most of our veteran community and we have no faith in your
ability to lead.
Senior Airman Ret Brian Kolfage USAF
“The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely to be the one who dropped it."
Senior Airman
Ret. Brian Kolfage is a real American hero. He has earned the right to
speak out against the incompetence of the Obama administration... and so
he does. Please take the time to read his open letter to President Obama which he released through 100 percent fed up.
Dear President Obama,
My name is Brian Kolfage, I’m a triple
amputee and retired Air Force veteran who was severely wounded on
September 11, 2004 in Iraq.
I nearly died in a war that most of your
colleagues supported overwhelmingly, including the two presidents who
came before you. Many citizens may not agree with waging war in Iraq to
free the oppressed Iraqi citizens, but it’s something that warriors like
myself have no control over. I joined to serve my country and to better
my life. I’ve seen things that you could never imagine, and they have
made me the person I am today.
Mr. Obama, even though we have extreme
opposite views, we have one thing in common, we both attended school in
Hawaii. However, that’s where the similarities end. You see, as you
attended your exclusive, private school, I would ride my bike to Kaimuki
High School in one of the roughest areas in Hawaii. Every morning I
would ride past Punahou, the exclusive private school you attended and I
would notice all of the Bentleys, Maseratis, and fancy foreign cars
that all the kids were dropped off in; wow it must have been extremely
rough in Hawaii living that life, right? I could only imagine what it
was like to have that kind of money. Fortunately for you, not many
people are aware of the school that you and the upper class citizens of
Hawaii attended. The tuition to attend your exclusive, private school
was more than it cost me to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture
from the University of Arizona. You talk a big game when it comes to
financial inequality, yet I’m quite sure you have no idea what it’s
truly like to have to sacrifice. You were one of the elitist children in
Hawaii.
After
High School, we each chose very different paths. You were able to
attend America's finest Ivy League schools, while I pursued a career in
the military, in hopes of earning a degree. What we have in life as
children usually helps to set the tone for how we acheive success later
in life. I worked to get where I am today, while it was HANDED TO
YOU….Mr. Inequality.
I volunteered to go to Iraq on both of my
deployments, and the second time I begged to go even after I wasn’t
selected. During that second deployment, I was ultimately placed on the
team where I would lose both legs and my dominant arm. Even though
many Americans were against the war in Iraq, I’ve never asked myself if
it was worth it after losing 3 of my limbs.
I am frequently reminded of the many young
Iraqi children who would beg me for water, food, and toys while I was
stationed in Iraq. Children, who in all aspects made the poorest of
poor American children look rich. You have no idea what it really means
to be poor. It’s laughable that you, who would have no idea what it
means to be poor would so frequently play the inequality card.
While I was in Iraq, our mission was to
liberate the Iraqi citizens from a tyrant and that’s what we did. Never
forget, it was your people who sent us there, like the Clintons, John
Kerry, Nancy Pelosi & Carl Levin. However, since the day you busted
onto the scene you’ve been talking about ending the war and pulling the
troops out, not understanding the blood sweat and tears that so many
Americans and Iraqi’s invested. And with complete disregard for every
life sacrificed, every limb lost, and every broken family, you bailed on
our mission to pursue an agenda that was completely centered on your
re-election in 2012. If you didn’t bail on Iraq you were worried that
you may not get re-elected and that’s a fact. Just before elections on
Oct 11, 2012 you said “Al Qaeda is on the run and Osama bin Laden is
dead.” Look at Iraq now, they are in shambles and the Al Qaeda flag is
flying freely. Clearly, you’re unfit for duty as a Commander in Chief.
You put your own agenda ahead of America’s agenda, and now you have
single handedly ruined and destroyed nearly everything we gained in
Iraq. It clearly means nothing to you, because the only thing that
you’ve personally invested in that country was a promise to bail on
them. However, people like me gave limbs, friends have died, and we’ve
watched families destroyed by war’s aftermath.
I’m not placing blame on you for the war, I’m
placing blame on you for destroying what we’ve worked so hard to build.
You’re not a leader, you’re a community organizer. A leader would have
stood up regardless of the situation and put America’s agenda first and
that is ensuring a secure Iraq even after 10 years of war. But, you
placed Barack first, just as Robert Gates confirmed in his new book. I
can’t help but think of those poor kids who I gave water and toys to 11
years ago. They’re probably 15 or 16 years old now, and I can only
imagine what it’s like for them to have their nation being torn apart
yet again; all because of your poor leadership qualities. Regardless of
why we went to Iraq, its water under the bridge. We went there, we waged
war, and we not only owed it to our KIA’s but we owed it to the
citizens of Iraq. We invaded their country and turned it upside down,
and you bailed on them. You bailed on our soldiers and you’ve wasted
every death and every limb, it’s all for nothing. And to make matters
worse you blame others for your failures
You’re just another elitist rich thug who’s
pretended to live the rough life growing up in the inner-city. You’re
only worried about your own agenda and furthering your party instead of
taking care of Americans. Your inability to be a leader at some of the
most critical points has caused both of our wars to fail. You’ve been a
joke to most of our veteran community and we have no faith in your
ability to lead.
Senior Airman Ret Brian Kolfage USAF
“The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely to be the one who dropped it."
