Thursday, October 16, 2014

Obama vs. Ebola

Concerns over Ebola are rising after a second Dallas nurse contracted the virus and flew across the country on a commercial airline while ill.

President Obama is currently holding a news conference in the white house to declare his resolve in fighting the outbreak.

Here is my question for you:

If President Obama WANTED an outbreak in the United States, what would he do differently than he’s already doing?

I’m disgusted that no travel ban is in place from countries where the outbreak is growing. I’m also disgusted that he continues to increase the amount of military he is sending to the area. This is not their purpose and he risks bringing the disease home to the US in greater numbers.

Is this because most military families aren’t going to vote for him anyway?

Yesterday after he cancelled a fund raiser for a special meeting at the white house my theory was that he had quarantined himself. Today he still stays home. We’ll see!

-Lynnae

Monday, March 24, 2014

Listening to a Nazi Death Camp Liberator

Last night my husband and I had the chance to hear a man named Leo Hymas  speak about his World War II experiences. As a young soldier he was one if the first few to come across and liberate the Buchenwald concentration camp. 
His talk was moving. He also had a variety of memorabilia from his experiences in Europe and Japan during the war. At one point he unfurled a Nazi banner that he had pulled off of a building  after removing a portrait of Hitler " with his pistol". It was disturbing for me to even see the banner held up
In front of us, but so important to hear him talk about the evil that it represented. 
We will not have these WW II veterans with us for many more years. It is important to remember. 
Learn more about Leo Hymas at http://dvidshub.net/news/105371/former-soldier-liberator-buchenwald-death-camp-shares-story#.UydR6PldXAt 
-Lynnae

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

What Do We Want? $15!

When do we want it? …….Now!

sawant 2013banner_new3Photo via socialist alternative

Today listening to Dave Ramsey I made a note of a brilliant observation, which is, to paraphrase, that every person has an intrinsic, God given value as a human being. This should NOT be confused with their ECONOMIC value, which is the value of their work to an employer.

Over the past couple months our news here in the Seattle area has been replete with demonstrations, town halls, and picketing to have the minimum wage raised to $15 an hour in the City of Sea-Tac and the City of Seattle. The typical argument shows no concept of economics, and no concept of ‘starting wages’ for someone on their first job.

And now that the Seattle City Council has it’s first freely elected socialist council member they dialog has been elevated to an even higher level of B.S.

In Socialist Sawant’s words, It is “the nature of capitalism to crush small business . . . capitalism overwhelmingly sets up small business for failure,” (Seattle Times)

Neglecting of course that capitalism is what makes small business possible.

I am sickened to see the country’s shift. I don’t know if I am posting this message to whine, or vent, or just commiserate with others while we watch our freedom go down the tubes, but anyway, there it is.  I’m having one of those days where I feel pretty hopeless about our future. But let me add one thing.

Capitalism is a by-product of freedom. At it’s core it is human beings who have found a common value, in our case the dollar, with which to interact in trade with other human beings. The market gives consumers what they want and rewards producers who give consumers what they want. A business person cannot get rich without benefitting scores of people around him, from employees to car sales to gardeners and day care workers. That’s just how it is.

One more observation. My son-in-law was recently in an economics class at Washington State University. At the end of the semester the professor commented that the students this year were less prepared and had less of a grasp of economics that those of previous years.

My prediction is that he will see it get even worse. Socialist thinking is widespread, especially in Washington state, and has been conditioning youth to think counter to logic, and to believe rhetoric rather than take the time to observe what is real.

Meanwhile, the $15 per hour wage already approved in Sea-Tac might just be the tipping point for some businesses to either close, or rely more heavily on automation, but the chances are that the city of Seattle will rush into their own higher minimum wage before they can see the fruits of similar efforts in Sea-Tac.

You may be worth millions to dear old mom, but not to Ronald McDonald.

-Lynnae

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Update May 2013

I’m a little late….. My husband’s deployment ended in February. I know I’m very behind in blogging, but I am so thankful that he is home. Since he’s been home we’ve taken a romantic trip to Las Vegas, a spring break trip to Utah to visit our daughter and son-in-law, and our other college daughter has been here to visit us.

Vegas 1My husband also had two months of vacation- a month from the Army, and a month from his job here, before he had to go back to Microsoft. I loved spending so much time with him every day. We ran around town together, eating at restaurants that he had missed while he was away, we even joined a gym and started going together. I love my sweetie!

I have a list of ‘deployment thank-you’s"’ for all the help I received during the time he was gone.

I am very thankful to friends, to my family, daughters, and siblings and all the good times we had together, and for my youngest daughter who was a great companion every day, laughed at my silliness, and was perfectly willing to have a frozen burrito any night I didn’t feel like cooking.

Thanks to those who helped with yard work, visited my sick doggie at the kennel while I was out of town, brought me soup on a sad day, looked at broken cars, sent a cake through the mail, climbed a ladder, tried to help me break into my own house after locking myself out, took me to dinner, or movies, or just were there for me.

  Mostly to my Father in Heaven. For keeping us safe, for giving me strength, for protecting our home and protecting my husband. Knowing that the Lord was mindful of me and my needs is humbling and overpowering. Thank you is not enough.

-Lynnae

vegas 3

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Theology and Politics

Mormon theology to be precise. Or otherwise entitled “Why I am a Conservative”. I have explained this very thing to people before, on occasion, but I love the way Mike Jensen states it in his Canada Free Press article, Smart Mormons.

Being one myself, (a ‘Mormon’, or member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and I hope, smart) I agree with his analysis here completely. I do know Mormon’s who are liberal democrats, and just between you and me, I don’t get it. But they have their free agency to believe that way.

-Lynnae

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

The First Debate

I Had some friends over to watch the Debate. Romney did so well. Later out of curiosity I turned to CNN, and was surprised to see they watched the same debate I did!

IMG_2268

CNN Flash poll of likely voters believe Romney won the debate 67% to 25%.

-Lynnae

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Conservative Side of the Conversation

The conversation continues. My friend asked me to explain a little more about conservatism from my point of view. How do you think I did at answering her question?

“What are the guiding principles and applications conservatives use with regards to taxation, foreign policy, education, and representation at the Federal and State level? Please go beyond the typical phrases like "limited government." I get that sentiment...I'm interested in knowing what "limited" looks like to a Conservative, as an example. What do you support (compared to what you oppose)?”

To answer your earlier question- and keep in mind that conservative ideas vary from person to person just like liberal or progressives would, and many Republicans, especially old timer Washington types, are not conservative at all. I definitely refer to myself as a C and not an R, - but I will do my best.

Taxation-low taxes, fair taxes such as the flat tax are more desirable. A sales tax only would probably be the most fair of all but it would require such a high level of involvement and observation that most conservatives wouldn’t desire it. Personally I would like a flat tax with little or no gradations, just everyone paying the same percent, which is the fairest way to do it, even welfare recipients, because then they have skin in the game. We are nearing a point where only half of Americans pay taxes, and once we cross the line to more than half then they can vote for any increase they want and we become slaves. I do not know much about corporate tax, but I know that a flourishing economy helps towns and states, and I have observed in my lifetime how a state like California gets greedy and will overtax a business, which will drive the business away. States who understand this principle offer incentives to companies because they bring jobs, new homes, more goods and services and a thriving economy. I liken this to the story of the Goose that laid the Golden Egg. You can get a golden egg, in this case taxes and prosperity for your region, on a regular basis, or you can get greedy and cut it open to try and get more, and you will get nothing because the goose will die.

Foreign policy to most conservatives means peace through strength. We want to not start wars, but to defend ourselves and to deter war. In the global age we live in though, you can be threatened from the other side of the planet. Terrorist acts, which are acts of war, are taken against Americans wherever they may be, and we also have made a significant investment to protect our allies, and in some cases our national interest, the greatest being to protect fledgling democracies around the world. High on this list is Israel, a lone democracy and an ally (up until president Obama). The liberal tendency of appeasement to those who threaten us seems wishy-washy and naïve. It doesn’t work and only makes our enemies bolder.

Education-I think the teachers unions are the main cause of the poor quality of education. (and most conservatives are decidedly anti-union and pro merit). Good and outstanding teachers will not be afraid to stand on their own merit, but instead they are dragged down by the weight of bad teachers that can’t be fired. Also an exceptional 5th grade teacher, instead of being paid on his or her merit as a teacher, will have to move up to high school to get a significant raise, and maybe then on to the administrative side. Much of the technology in the school is wasted. A great teacher is worth all the ipads and smartboards in the state. Personally I think come raise time teachers should be stack ranked based on a combination of student scores, goals met, numbers of special needs students taught and feedback from the parents, The top ranking teachers getting the big bonus, and the bottom ones getting the boot. This may be extreme even for many conservatives. But the product would be a well educated student. And more new teachers coming into the workforce would get their chance. Oh, and I’d probably cut the dept. of Education altogether and put it at the state level.

I’m not entirely sure what you mean by ‘representation at the federal and state level’, other than that, in both cases I want a representative that will care more about the country at large than bringing home pork to their district.

I will add that conservatives favor close adherence to the Constitution and Bill of Rights and reject the liberal notion that it is a living document meant to be shaped to the needs of the times. It is a solid guide, inspired by God to provide a home of liberty where the gospel would be able to come forth.

Government is established to protect our rights, not to furnish us with our needs. That is each person’s job, in their own life and own family. Most conservatives would still agree that there should be some welfare system as a safety net. But government should not siphon funds from my family to pay for the livelihood of another family any more than someone should barge in my house at gunpoint and demand the contents of my wallet, or fridge, or medicine cabinet. They have no right and that power is not granted in the constitution. Conservatives do believe in giving to charity and according to surveys give a lot more to charity than liberal people. But they believe in doing it in private and not waiting for the camera crews and praise of the world. And to me it seems like liberals and progressives want to give freely to the poor- but not of their money but ours.

I suppose when it comes down to it the real question is power. Liberals want power over their fellow human beings to make them do what they want. Conservatives want to clear the way for people to live their own lives with as little hindrance from the government as possible.