What Do We Want? $15!

When do we want it? …….Now!

Photo 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

GOP Convention

Despite last night’s highlights for me, Mia Love and the wonderful Ann Romney, I was a little irritated with the coverage on FOX News. I think they covered more of the convention than other cable news channels, but too many times they would tune in to a speech, only to cut away 5 minutes later for interviews or a panel discussion. As funny as it was to see Juan Williams make his ‘Ann Romney is a corporate wife’ comment and then see him missing from the panel a few minutes later, I would like to hear speeches in there entirety.

So tonight I’m parking it on C-Span, except maybe for the musical acts. I may turn it back to FOX but as soon as some one hits the podium I’m going back to C-Span.

The theme last night- We Built It. I love it. It’s genius! That simple phrase illustrates the difference in our values and those of President Obama. And now democrats are whining “That’s not what he meant” like a bunch of babies. No wonder what context you take that phrase “You didn’t build that” in, it still means the same. Maybe even worse on closer inspection. You are what you are because of government, not your ideas, labor, or sacrifice.

Despite Obama having a large section of the media in his pocket, occasionally something comes along so clear and concise that people just get it and pop culture runs with it.

And I think my favorite line so far tonight would have to be from Tim Pawlenty,  “Barach Obama has failed us. But look, it’s understandable. A lot of people fail at their first job”.

-Lynnae

Little Conservatives

This is me on my 9th Birthday. The bicentennial was a big year for us patriots! Grandma made my birthday cake, and this dress was my first sewing project with my mom teaching me to sew. I got to choose the fabric myself!

I guess going to Independence day celebrations did make me into a little conservative! ----Or could it be that I was raised by those who appreciate our country and the sacrifices made for it? People who believe it is special, and are trying to keep it that way?

Look at this awesome poster Hobby Lobby posted on Facebook:

I thought it was fabulous and left a comment to say so, and you would not believe the whiners and complainers that are criticizing that post! You know what? If you don’t like it and say you won’t give Hobby Lobby your business then I’m sure they will do just fine without you. They know who their base of customers are. (Could be why we don’t have a store in western Washington yet…) People love that store and a lot of crafters are patriotic people. I read a lot of craft and decorating blogs and around this time you really see people’s patriotism shine. Why should we have to hide that?

Let me go down through my blog roll and see a sprinkling of what’s being posted by people who love America:

Besottment Paper Relics

Where Women Create

Brunch at Saks

Creative Itch

 

As for me, the rain has stopped and I’m going to decorate my porch for our big party.

Happy Independence Day everyone!

-Lynnae

2011- Constitution Fetish-HOT, Pelosi-NOT

Adios Nancy Pelosi.

Image from FreedomWorks

A lot of buzz today because MSNBC legal correspondent Dahlia Lithwick described Republicans as worshipping the Constitution and having a ‘Constitution fetish’. It was only a few days ago when MSNBC contributor Ezra Klein said no one could understand the Constitution because it was “over 100 years old”.

What is the matter with these people? Are they idiots? I know they’ve hated the constitution for a long time, but what has emboldened them to be so forthcoming about it?

The constitution is the law of our land. Do you think this country is great because we are a bunch of cool people who are nice and have good ideas?

There are plenty of good, hardworking people in other struggling countries too. They just have not been BLESSED to live in a country with a legal structure that supports them in their efforts to live a good life. Without a legal system that enforces contracts you have no economy and no prosperity, but simply are left to drift at the whim of a king or dictator or what have you.

Your efforts would be futile unless you personally had the power to enforce your own security.

But in the United States this is not the case. And all this is made possible by this incredible document and those who defend it.

And to say that the existence of amendments show the weakness of the constitution is just ridiculous, since the very system for ratifying amendments is part of the constitution.

I thank God for our constitution!

-Lynnae

Historic Win for GOP

Yesterday was a historic win in the House of Representatives for Republicans and conservatives.

This morning I hear the Democrats say “now is the time for us to work together and compromise”.

Firstly, why do the LOSERS get to define what we do now?

My second issue of the day is the constant whine I’ve heard from some sore loser Democrats, that goes something like this:

“All Republicans can do is complain about Obama’s Health Care and stimulus. They have presented no plan of their own. (Waaaah!) All they can do is tear down but where’s their plan to help the economy? Where’s their plan?”

I don’t know if said Democrats really are thinking this or is they are just trying to feed a talking point to young, whiny, first-vote-ever 18 year old girls who don’t know Boehner and Reid from Edward and Jacob.

But the best plan to put the economy back on track is for the government to GET OUT OF THE WAY!

The government is putting a stranglehold on the neck of productive workers and businesses. Adjusting the grip of the stranglehold slightly will not help. Let go! Let Americans do the work they want to do. Let businesses plan and risk and build with an assurance that the ground will have some stability, instead of the ever shifting quagmire of regulations, laws and taxes that Obama is threatening them with.

By what right does Obama say that $250,000.00 a year is a magic cutoff? By what right does he protect someone making $240,000.00 and PUNISH someone making $260,000.000?

And I know health care seems compassionate, but in the end we will all be worse off. Socialized medicine is an assault on democracy, and an assault on the freedom of the American people.

-Lynnae

‘Creepy’ Secretariat Review

If you believe the review by Andrew O’Hehir in Salon Magazine, the movie Secratariat is the latest Halloween thriller.

The reviewer obviously has a huge chip on his shoulder about something…….The Tea Parties, ladies doing laundry, or the fact that there was a lot less multiculturalism in 1970 than there is now. All of this fueled his bizarre review of a movie that just happened to be innocently playing at theaters across the country.

This guy is psycho. OK, I’m not medically qualified to say that, but his review definitely is a little off.

He seems genuinely upset that a show  taking place in 1969-1970 could not address the Vietnam war or racial tensions. My note to Mr. O’Hehir would be…… Every show can’t be about everything.

Not only would it be confusing, but historically inaccurate. Believe it or not, not everyone was caught up in the news events of the day like a nicely wrapped up after-school special. Many people raised their families and went to work and conducted their lives without paying much notice to the news from the nation’s hot spots. It didn’t mean they were racist or evil. That’s just how it is. I was a baby then, and my own parents can tell me little about the era we hear so much about on the news and movies. Other than whistling an occasional ditty by Joan Baez, it affected our house very little.

It’s not an evil whitewashing lie to tell that story. That’s how it was for some. And if you want a gritty, hard hitting expose, maybe you shouldn’t look to a Disney family show about a horse to meet your needs.

Here are some of the words Mr. O’Hehir uses to describe the movie.

Creepy (twice)

Christian friendly

crazy

Burning a cross

master race propaganda

scary

xenophobia

evil

Tea Party and Glenn Beck like, in that  they portray a black man who ‘loves Jesus’.

One quote I found really strange was that it  “seems to reference enduring American virtues -- self-reliance, stick-to-it-iveness, etc. -- without encouraging you to think too much about their meaning or context.”

What is the disturbing context of ‘self reliance’ to which he is referring? Is there something wrong with ‘stick-to-it-iveness’ that I don’t know about? Whatever can he mean?

Here is the pouty faced, bratty ending to the whole review…..

“Big Red himself is a big, handsome MacGuffin, symbolic window dressing for a quasi-inspirational fantasia of American whiteness and power. Horses don't go to the movies, and this movie is about human beings, and our nonsensical but inescapable yearning to find the keys to the future in stupid ideas about a past that never existed”.

So There! Times Infinity!!!!

(OK, I added the last four words).

The venom really comes out when Hollywood strays from the course of their usual stream of filth. All I can say is…

I’m off to the movies!

-Lynnae

Update!!!!!!

Having seen the movie all I can say is that Mr. O’Hehir’s vitriol was akin to heckling a procession of Jerry’s kids.

There was a subplot about the daughters anti-war activism, and he’s wrong to say the show didn’t mention Watergate. I could tell that big red horse was thinking about Nixon the entire time.

-Lynnae

Vlademir Lenin and I

When a little girl plays house it’s all fun. You get to clink your tea set and lay your dolly in the cradle, yet you can drop it all and run out to play whenever you want.

You can do this because there is a mommy around to put the toys away and dredge up the gooey cracker crumbs from dolly’s mouth.  Someone makes it all possible and someone cleans up the mess.

This musing comes as a result of visiting a famous statue of Vlademir Lenin on a street corner in Freemont in Seattle, Washington.

The statue was originally erected in Czeckoslovakia, in collaboration with the Russians, but was quietly taken down after the revolution. An English teacher from Issaquah, Washington, found it is a refuse pile (dustheap of history???) and purchased it to bring to the states. More of the story can be read here.

Now the perpetual children in Freemont can hang out in groovy coffee shops paying extra for their organic brew, professing the sensitivity and good intentions of socialism, and even communism, and turn a blind eye to the atrocious results of those systems, because they were lucky enough to be born in a land of freedom and entrepreneurs, a justice structure and a Bill of Rights.

I have heard people spit out the word ‘Capitalism’ as if it were a slur, while they enjoy the rewards of it every day.

Capitalists don’t get rich on their own. Yes, they dream big and they take risks, but in order to expand their dreams and be productive they need people. They train workers, they purchase land, they build. They scoop up in their wake others who need a steady income, who try to be dependable though they might not have the genius, strength, or desire to start a company of their own.

Redistribution of wealth does not create wealth. It never has and never will.

Not that wealth is the most important thing. It is merely a side effect of FREEDOM.

Mmmmm Mmmm Mmmmm. George W. Bush!

By now you’ve probably seen the Creepshow indoctrination video of schoolchildren chanting praises to Obama. If you haven’t, here’s a You Tube link.

This is my question. How likely is it that the following adaptation of that song would ever be uttered in a public school?

My version:

Mm, mmm, mm!
George W. Bush.
He made a stand to pave the way
Take pride, and fight for USA

He honored all the troops who died
So Evil could not run or hide
Mmm, mmm, mm!
George W. Bush.

Mmm, mmm, mm!
George W. Bush.
Said terrorists we’d never trust,
If you’re not with us, your against us.
Mmm, mmm, mm!
George W. Bush.

Yes!
Mmm, mmm, mm
George W. Bush.

Song 2:
Hello, Mr. President we honor you today!
For all your great accomplishments, we all doth say "hooray!"
Hooray, Mr. President! You're number one!
The second American President who was a President’s son!
Hooray, Mr. President we honor your great plans
To make this country's strength number one again!
Hooray Mr. President, we're really proud of you!
And we stand for all Americans under the great Red, White, and Blue!
So continue ---- Mr. President we know you'll do the trick
So here's a hearty hip-hooray ----
Hip, hip hooray!

-Lynnae   ….Oh wait- I almost published this post without a fawning picture of the president to go with the song. I think I have one around here somewhere………..

Viola!

If you want the real words the school children chant and sing, here they are:

Barach Hussein Obama

Mm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama
He said that all must lend a hand
To make this country strong again
Mmm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama
He said we must be fair today
Equal work means equal pay
Mmm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama
He said that we must take a stand
To make sure everyone gets a chance
Mmm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama
He said red, yellow, black or white
All are equal in his sight
Mmm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama
Yes!
Mmm, mmm, mm
Barack Hussein Obama
Song 2:
Hello, Mr. President we honor you today!
For all your great accomplishments, we all doth say "hooray!"
Hooray, Mr. President! You're number one!
The first black American to lead this great nation!
Hooray, Mr. President we honor your great plans
To make this country's economy number one again!
Hooray Mr. President, we're really proud of you!
And we stand for all Americans under the great Red, White, and Blue!
So continue ---- Mr. President we know you'll do the trick
So here's a hearty hip-hooray ----
Hip, hip hooray!

This is What Democracy Looks Like

….in my neighborhood at least.

You know how my van has been painted for the August recess. If you don’t, read this post.

Well after two months of driving this around, today my liberal across the street neighbors stuck this in their lawn facing my driveway.

(I cannot tell whether the signpost was made from their hammer or sickle).

My daughter was so caught up in the moment that she immediately grabbed her craft paint, and while neighbors were out admiring their handiwork, cheerfully painted this on her car window.

Now we have some democracy going on!

Independence Day Eve

Howdy howdy!
I've been sick but I'm feeling a lot better, so with no further delay, here's an awesome quote for you. I dedicate this to our favorite little 'Community Organizer', President Obama.

"The socialists believe in two things which are absolutely different,
and perhaps even contradictory:
freedom and organization."

-Elie Halevy

Secondly, out here in Washington State I hear Congressman Reichart has had his in-box full, and he deserves it for being one of the notorious Cap-and-Trade eight. I am done with re-electing back stabbing RINOs. I swore I'd never vote for McCain, and I did, though it was only because of Palin. I've had it.
Anyway, if you want to read my hubby's post containing his letter to Reichart, click here. And if you need a little non political fun, read the post previous to that as well.

Thirdly, Kudos to our local little Movie Theater for this festive and patriotic display. I LOVE it!

We are getting ready for a big Independence Day gathering, with relatives coming from as far as California, Portland, and Utah. In addition to attending an early morning flag raising, we have had a firework party at least seven of the ten years we've lived here. The 'Brother-in-Law's' and other guy friends will run down to the Indian reservation, pool there money, and get all kinds of firework goodies for young and old alike. We cover the front lawn with blankets and lawn chairs, eat tons of food, and celebrate living in the Best Nation on Earth!!!

A couple years ago one of our liberal neighbors came over and complained to my husband that she was worried about our fireworks hurting someone or causing damage. This bugged my husband enough to take some of the fun out of our festivities. This is the same neighbor who's 'outdoor cats' routinely defecate in my flowerbed. In true life-imitates-politics style, she acquired her two grey little minion, and promptly shut them out of her house, and now expects society (our block) to carry the consequences.

And to put this in perspective, almost every street in our neighborhood has a big party and launches fireworks. Including another street actually closer to her house. We never go past midnight, and we get out brooms and leaf blowers to clean the street before everyone goes home that night.

We are expecting two couples and four teens, in addition to our family, to be staying at our house this weekend. For our party another fifteen teens and adults, along with a bevy of little kids will be here. Pictures to follow!

Happy Fourth of July!