One Bob's Opinion

Father's Day

2010-06-20T12:50:00.000-04:00

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, especially to mine. I may be nearing 40, but I still need his influence as a major role model and his wise counsel in my life.

Thank you, Dad!

You Want Real Hope and Change?

2010-05-29T09:47:00.002-04:00

May 4, 1974: Tornado-Ravaged Town

This is an example of outstanding television journalism, which seems to be in short supply anymore. This is a 12-minute documentary piece reported by the late Harry Reasoner. It looks at the amazing spirit of recovery, one month after the devastating tornado of April 3, 1974 in Xenia, Ohio.

Though I did not live there then, I can attest to the fact that same spirit came back in 2000, when another twister caused heavy damage in town. People picked themselves up, dusted themselves off, went on, and rebuilt.

The old bumper sticker slogan is still relevant. XENIA LIVES!

The Raw Dangers of Too Much Debt

2010-05-09T08:59:00.002-04:00

U.S. Debt Shock May Hit In 2018, Maybe As Soon As 2013: Moody's - IBD - Investors.com

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Obama Pays Oil Slick Lip Service; He's Interested in His Agenda, Not His Job

2010-05-02T08:37:00.000-04:00

Read more from Rush Limbaugh. Once again, he hits the nail on the head.

This Isn't About Hate

2010-05-02T08:20:00.004-04:00

Once again, the Dayton Daily News does a fine job of missing the point of a story.

Why Is There So Much Hate for Runaway Mom?

I have criticized Tiffany Tehan, but I don't hate her in any way. It is her actions with which I have a problem. She abandoned her husband and baby to run off to Florida with some guy. She abandoned her responsibilities, and the lame excuses she's offered just don't cut it. There is no excuse for what she did.

Hate is getting to be an overused word. Some people throw it around just as they would the race card: recklessly, irresponsibly, and without merit. One would hope the writers at the Dayton Daily News would be more careful with their choice of words. Then again, I may be asking too much.

GM Repaid? Really?

2010-04-25T12:38:00.003-04:00

One friend of mine said it well after hearing this story. "My BS detector went off."

CNSNews.com - GM Repaid TARP Loans With TARP Money, Republican Senator Says

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Another Ugly Turn in an Ugly Story

2010-04-25T12:27:00.002-04:00

This is probably a "duh" moment. Folks I know online have been speculating about it for some time. The following is from the Dayton Daily News:

Hutcherson In Talks to Sell Story of Disappearance with Xenia Mom

Create pain in the lives of others and make a buck off it. Gotta love it.

Missing Xenia Woman Found

2010-04-22T09:39:00.003-04:00

Now, we may get some answers....

Tiffany Tehan, Tre Hutcherson Found In Florida - News Story - WHIO Dayton

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Your Help Needed

2010-04-20T14:25:00.003-04:00

People in the Greater Dayton area are paying a growing level of attention to this story.

Tiffany Tehan of Xenia went missing after visiting an area shopping complex. Search and, of course, prayer efforts continue on her behalf.

Here is a link to a site with more details. Please spread the word.

Help Find Tiffany

Here is a link to a story from The Springfield News-Sun, indicating newer details about a person of interest in the case.

More Troubling Worries for Ohio

2010-04-18T09:53:00.003-04:00

This is from fellow blogger Maggie Thurber over at "Thurber's Thoughts."

Bankrupt Unemployment Fund Means Serious Trouble for Ohio

To add to this, while there is some necessary hand-wringing over this present crisis, there's something I really don't see in state government.

I don't see any serious efforts at cutting taxes and creating a more favorable environment for job growth. Stimulus money is no answer. At best, it creates temporary jobs which have no long-term effect. This is a lesson which has been demonstrated repeatedly and effectively, and the present bunch in Columbus and Washington just don't get it.

A Sad Commentary

2010-04-11T11:10:00.002-04:00

Half of America 'Effectively on Welfare' (OneNewsNow.com)

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He Knows The Voters Will Force Him Out

2010-04-11T11:09:00.002-04:00

Stupak Won't Seek Re-election (OneNewsNow.com)

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Another Example Where "Hopey Changey" = FAIL

2010-04-11T09:17:00.003-04:00

According to Wes Pruden of the Washington Times, it's simply a denial of reality. I concur.

No Nukes Not Good News - Washington Times

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If It's Another Activist Judge, a Battle There Should Be!

2010-04-10T08:31:00.003-04:00

Summer Battle Ahead for Justice Stevens' Replacement - Washington Times

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If This Is True, It's Shameful

2010-04-10T08:29:00.003-04:00

AP: Future Pope Stalled Pedophile Case - Washington Times

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He Is Not The One Who is Troublesome

2010-04-04T19:55:00.003-04:00

The "Troublesome" El Rushbo Responds to President Obama

Another Potentially Insidious Aspect of Obamacare

2010-04-04T09:20:00.001-04:00

EDITORIAL: Obamacare's Secret Surveillance - Washington Times

There Goes The Court

2010-04-04T08:42:00.001-04:00

Justice Stevens Mulling Retirement - NYPOST.com

He Is a Talent, But There's One Lesson He Doesn't Learn

2010-04-04T08:39:00.002-04:00

Springsteen Stole Heart of a Jersey Housewife, say Court Papers - NYPOST.com

One Could Argue They Know Better

2010-04-03T20:51:00.002-04:00

Former El Al Security Chief Knocks New US Airport Screening Policy - NYPOST.com

Easter 2010

2010-04-03T19:56:00.003-04:00

One of the many symbols of Easter, the Paschal Candle.

It reminds us of Christ our Light....the Alpha and the Omega, and his victory over sin and death.

Used most during the Easter season, it is also lit during Baptisms and the Mass of Christian Burial.

Just before my uncle's Funeral Mass last fall, I paused to reflect on the tremendous symbolism in this decorative candle, representing the marks of the faith. On a sad day such as that, there is comfort in the light and what Christ did and does for us.

It's something to remember year 'round.

A Faulty Comparison

2010-03-30T17:59:00.004-04:00

Juan Williams: 'Don't Tread on Me' Flags are 'Timothy McVeigh' Imagery | NewsBusters.org

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Read It and Watch This Guy Miss the Point - Big Time

2010-03-28T23:52:00.002-04:00

Frank Rich just doesn't get it.

This is not about race. It is about the failed policies of the past and a government that will ram them down our throats, the will of the people be damned.

Faith Despite an Incredible Tragedy

2010-03-28T19:44:00.001-04:00

Mennonites Rely On Faith to Get Them Through Tragic Crash (OneNewsNow.com)

Missing the Point?

2010-03-25T10:57:00.001-04:00

From BizzyBlog's Tom Blumer:

As ACORN Agrees to Leave Ohio, AP Writer Despicably Plays the Race Card | NewsBusters.org

Ten Years On, But the Memories Remain...

2010-03-25T10:41:00.003-04:00

I am pausing today to remember my father-in-law. He passed into eternal life ten years ago this day.

A decade may have passed, but I miss him just as much if not more.

In the six years I knew him, he had a major impact on my life, and I know he impacted the lives of countless others in his 55 years on this earth.

Part of the reason I do the work I now do is due to his guidance and reassuring influence.

I had the honor of eulogizing him at his Mass of Christian Burial on March 29, 2000. In it, I paraphrased a line from a poem I had heard on the radio not long before. Essentially: for memories are the thing that even death cannot take away.

How true that is.

Sometimes, It's Worth Repeating

2010-02-09T09:49:00.001-05:00

"After all...computers crash, people die, and relationships fall apart. All you can do is breathe and reboot."

--Carrie Bradshaw, "Sex and The City"

The Problems of Not Staying True to Principle

2010-01-31T10:41:00.000-05:00

This is from our friend Tom Blumer over at BizzyBlog:

RINOs, RINOs Everywhere

Is It Really Necessary?

2010-01-28T18:15:00.003-05:00

Today's announcement that Ohio is in line to receive $400 million for a high speed passenger rail system left me with a lot of questions.

Is it really necessary? Do people really want this? Or is it simply another bloated, government, make work project?

Is this kind of spending what the federal government needs, at a time when deficits and debts are wildly out of control?

Will we really see all the job creation that is being promised, beyond the temporary construction jobs needed at the outset?

If private enterprise were to be driving this, that would be one thing. However, I just don't sense the public demand for this.

I myself am pretty happy with my car and my ability to get to Toledo, Columbus, Cincinnati, or wherever else it is in this state that I want to go, when I want to go. Why would I ride a train, only to have to rent a car or depend on someone else for a ride away from the train station? Seems to be more of an inconvenience than anything else. And it's one for which I, as a taxpayer, am NOT willing to foot the bill. I suspect others feel the same way.

This is yet another in a series of lessons which will invariably prove that we cannot rely on the government to bail us out of an economic crisis. Less government, lower taxes, and more self-reliance are the ways to go. It's been proven time and again.

More Proof Dayton Doesn't Get It

2010-01-24T09:27:00.002-05:00

From the Dayton Daily News:

4 Dayton City Commissioners Taking on Kasich

It's really a simple point and it has been proven time and time again. If you cut taxes, you encourage economic growth and development. It's no wonder the economic development train has left the Gem City behind.

Good Advice to the GOP

2010-01-23T16:23:00.003-05:00

Michelle Malkin » Conservatives: Beware of McCain Regression Syndrome

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In the Marketplace of Ideas, This Didn't Fly

2010-01-23T16:21:00.002-05:00

The Boring Made Dull: Why Air America Failed

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Time for The Tonight Show to End?

2010-01-23T16:13:00.003-05:00

It occurs to me NBC's "Tonight Show" may now be such a damaged entity that it's time for the 55-year old broadcast to end.

The latest mess with Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien (neither of whom are funny in my opinion) left the show significantly devalued.

As with "Saturday Night Live," it occurs to me the NBC late night franchise has run out of the talent needed to sustain it. The Peacock might do well to return those hours to local stations, who might sell them more profitably with locally produced or syndicated shows.

From wherever he resides in his immortal reward, one wonders what Johnny Carson must think.

A Horrific Disaster, and This Is What The Media Focuses On...

2010-01-19T11:01:00.000-05:00

From Rush Limbaugh's site...

MSNBC Reporter Complains About the Media Accommodations in Haiti

Blanket Blame: It Doesn't Always Work

2010-01-19T09:52:00.000-05:00

Feds Find Little Fraud at Big Wall Street Firms - Washington Times

A Really Cheap Shot

2010-01-18T16:22:00.000-05:00

New White House site slams Bush - Andy Barr - POLITICO.com

The Key Point in Massachusetts

2010-01-18T13:55:00.001-05:00

From our friend Tom Blumer over at BizzyBlog:

Brown vs. Coakley = Liberty vs. Tyranny

The Reverse of Free Market Capitalism

2010-01-17T11:54:00.002-05:00

Obama Rewards Losers, Punishes Winners by Larry Kudlow on National Review Online

The Hypocrisy of "Do As I Say, Not As I Do"

2009-08-09T09:17:00.002-04:00

Today's Washington Times has an excellent piece from historian Victor Davis Hanson:

Angry Rich Liberals

The last line of the article is the best and most incisive:

"Here's a little advice for all of America's wealthy critics: a little less hypocrisy, a little more appreciation of your good lives -- and then maybe the rest of us will listen to you a little more."

More Proof Their Brand of "Change" is a Joke

2009-08-02T12:30:00.005-04:00

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner went on ABC's Sunday morning talk show and basically admitted tax hikes were coming for the middle class. He didn't flat out say it is a certainty, but I think you can bet on it:

Geithner Won’t Rule Out New Taxes for Middle Class - George's Bottom Line

These shenanigans cost George H.W. Bush his re-election. Barack Obama should suffer a similar defeat. He pledged repeatedly in his campaign that 95% of Americans would not see tax hikes. His actions and those of his administration (with health care, the environment, and generally out-of control spending) will show just the opposite will be true.

It's more clear than ever this administration hasn't a clue as to what it should do in a faltering economy. Business and individuals are cutting back and you want to tax them more?

The answers are there. The answers are time-tested, effective solutions. Cut taxes, reduce the size of government, and let the free market work for the benefit of all. The nanny state has repeatedly failed throughout history. Look at LBJ's Great Society, allegedly designed to wipe out poverty. 40+ years and trillions of dollars later, what have we to show for it?

Our friend Tom Blumer over at BizzyBlog.com offered proof that, had Obama gone for tax cuts at the outset, the effect would have been almost immediate:

- In the third quarter of 2003, economic growth was at an annualized rate of 6.9%. That is the first full quarter after President George W. Bush's investment-related tax cuts were approved.

- There was consistent quarterly economic growth in 1983, after the 1982 Reagan tax cuts.

The truth is out there. What will we as a nation do about it?

A Considerable Understatement

2009-08-01T09:56:00.003-04:00

Inside this article from New York's WCBS-TV, a car salesman nails it.

"If they can't administer a program like this, I'd be a little concerned about my health insurance."

Government Suspends Popular 'Clunkers' Program

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Punching Holes in Global Warming Hysteria

2009-07-05T09:26:00.001-04:00

5 Climate Studies That Don't Live Up to Their Hype

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I Once Worked in the Factory; Thus, I Know What Goes Into the Sausage

2009-06-09T06:47:00.003-04:00

I am a former television news producer, and though it's been 10 years since I last worked in the broadcast news business, I have to ask the following:

What in the world about a routine summer thunderstorm makes it so compelling that local television stations have to lead with it and make it into a "sky is falling" event? Such was the case on at least one station this morning in the Dayton, Ohio market.

I am not the first to ask this, nor am I the first to be annoyed by such foolishness.

Listen up, broadcasters, and remember the lesson of the boy who cried wolf one too many times. Keep it up and no one will listen anymore.

Memorial Day Weekend 2009

2009-05-24T11:37:00.001-04:00

While I have looked forward to the three-day weekend, I do want to pause and remember all of those who have given their lives in the service of this nation.

The opportunities we have would not be possible without their supreme sacrifice.

Other Reasons Why "Government Motors" Won't Work

2009-05-19T06:28:00.001-04:00

A fellow Ohio blogger offers up more proof as to why the "Government Motors" concept won't make it here.

Bailoutistan: No Way Out

The nagging question in my mind, over and over these days is this: what will we as a nation do to stop this insane drive toward socialism? Deep down, I cannot believe the American people, as a whole, really want all this to occur. It isn't change (a word I've grown to detest in the past year). It's a reversal toward more of the policies we know have failed in the past.

To paraphrase Earl Pitts, "Wake Up, America!!"

Next in the Plan to Trash the U.S. Economy...

2009-05-18T22:41:00.002-04:00

Am I reading this wrong? Or is the Obama Administration looking to crush the auto industry it is now bailing out?

Read more from Fox News.

This is the kind of stuff the free market needs to decide. If I want to drive an SUV, I damn well want the right to choose that. If you want to drive a Prius, so be it. But don't ram it down my throat.

And You Want the Government to Run Health Care?

2009-05-17T09:21:00.002-04:00

They can't get Social Security right. The agency mailed thousands of checks to dead people!

Here's more from the Fox affiliate in New York City.

Disgrace at Notre Dame

2009-05-17T09:04:00.002-04:00

I cannot believe a Catholic institution is going ahead and allowing a pro-abortion president to speak at commencement.

Read more from the Washington Times...

This is an era of disgrace for a once fine institution. I've lost respect for Notre Dame. They've apparently decided to abandon Catholic principle, that is, embracing the culture of life, in favor of the same, disgusting, gooey-eyed approval of one of the more dangerous men to ever hold the nation's highest office.

Moreover, in a commencement address earlier this week, Obama basically trashed the traditions of hard work, self-reliance, and achievement that built this country. (The Washington Times article references this.)

Rush Limbaugh said last week if he had put a child through one of these schools which hosted Obama at commencement, he'd want his money back.

I could not agree more.

More Proof the GOP Has Lost Its Way

2009-05-03T09:35:00.003-04:00

Another reason why I identify myself as conservative or libertarian, versus "Republican."

Jeb Bush, GOP: Time to leave Reagan behind - Washington Times

Reagan ideology is what worked for the GOP and now they want to leave that behind?

Playing Politics With National Security

2009-04-26T11:37:00.003-04:00

CNSNews.com - Democrats Supported CIA's 'Enhanced Interrogation' Techniques, Says House GOP Leader

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I Am Not Confident They'll Solve This

2009-04-26T11:33:00.004-04:00

Pakistani Taliban Confound Obama, Clinton - UPI.com

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The Clinton-Bush-Obama Sellout

2009-04-26T11:18:00.003-04:00

Read more from Michael Savage. He may not be far off the mark.

The Steady Descent Into The Third World

2009-04-26T11:17:00.003-04:00

Washington Times Columnist Wesley Pruden has some interesting thoughts.

This piece further illustrates the folly of President Obama's destruction of the War on Terror.

A New Low for the Obama Administration

2009-04-18T09:26:00.003-04:00

The Wall Street Journal nails it with this opinion piece:

The President Ties His Own Hands on Terror - WSJ.com

This is more of President Obama's attempt to apologize for the US, as he did on his last tour of Europe. He wants to look like he's playing nice.

And yet, this is sheer folly.

Mr. Obama is clearly putting politics over national security. Sean Hannity pointed out on his radio show Friday that it was former CIA Director George Tenet, a Clinton appointee no less, who said the banned interrogation tactics had definitely saved lives and prevented new terrorist attacks. The President is failing to consider this. What's more the interrogation tactics are nothing compared to what terrorists did to this country on 9/11. The Left and perhaps others have forgotten.

If Obama were a true leader, he would stop putting his finger in the air to see which way the worldwide political winds are blowing. Instead, he would stand up for what is right for this country, as he pledged he would do on January 20th.

Preserving, protecting, and defending don't seem to be concepts he understands.

Irreconcilable and Inexcusable Politicking

2009-04-07T23:03:00.005-04:00

Some good reading, from the blog "Pro Ecclesia * Pro Familia * Pro Civitate":

Congressman Chris Smith: Mrs. Clinton, Choose Either Our Lady of Guadalupe or Margaret Sanger

Mrs. Clinton cannot have it both ways, nor should any politician. You are either pro-life or you aren't. It's pathetic to pat one constituency on the back with one gesture and then turn around and slap it in the face with another.

This nation needs to demand better of its leadership.

I Guess The President Wants to Kill Charitable Giving

2009-04-02T19:09:00.003-04:00

Obama's War Against Churches and Charities (OneNewsNow.com)

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Beating Back Obamanomics

2009-03-28T07:49:00.005-04:00

This is a great article. A co-worker used to send me this guy's columns fairly regularly, and I've rediscovered him. The piece speaks volumes with brilliant clarity.

Read on and learn...

Beating Back Obamanomics by Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.

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I Don't Think New Laws Are The Answer Here

2009-03-22T19:38:00.004-04:00

Family Wants Tougher Laws | Cincinnati Enquirer

While this family suffered a terrible loss, and I cannot claim to understand their pain, a new law is not the answer. Personal responsibility is.

But I Thought Everyone Was Supposed To Like Us By Now...

2009-03-22T19:23:00.003-04:00

News Item: Chavez Calls Obama Ignorant

One would have believed the election of "The Messiah" meant that all the world would put aside their distaste for the US. Not so.

A Good Old-Fashioned Tea Party - Right On!

2009-03-01T08:20:00.002-05:00

St. Louis Riverfront Draws Rally Against Obama Stimulus Plan

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A Radio Legend is Silenced

2009-02-28T21:14:00.002-05:00

FOXNews.com - Paul Harvey, Radio Legend, Dies at 90 - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News

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He was one of the best, and we'll not see the likes of him again.

So long, Paul.

What Bipartisan Spirit?

2009-01-25T09:19:00.003-05:00

For years, I've scoffed at Democrats' claims of bipartisanship in Washington. To that crowd, being bipartisan is agreeing with them lock, stock, and barrel.

According to the London Sunday Telegraph, whatever bipartisan spirit existed is quickly evaporating. Of all people, Mr. Obama has decided to pick a fight with Rush Limbaugh.

Obama has been telling GOP lawmakers that they can't listen to Limbaugh and expect to get things done.

Fact is, Mr. President, if the GOP has been listening to Limbaugh, they have not listened enough or very well. If you truly listen to that show and understand it, you would get that.

Doesn't the President, who has claimed for months about what a horrific crisis this country is facing, have bigger things to worry about than an entertaining radio talk show host?

There is no bipartisan spirit in Washington. This crowd is already acting with hints of fascism. I am hoping the people who voted on that side of the aisle will soon come to see what a bunch of empty suits these people are, and come to regret it.

The Unemployment Fund is Broke?

2009-01-10T09:13:00.002-05:00

Darryl Parks was talking about this one this morning on WLW Radio in Cincinnati. The Ohio unemployment benefits fund is just about broke.

This Columbus Dispatch article has some details.

I realize claims are up, but one wonders how this situation could happen. Are there questions that need to be asked about how the fund is managed, in good times as well as bad? What happened to all the tax dollars paid into the fund by Ohio's employers?

More importantly, will the lawmakers in the state have the guts to demand a full review and accounting?

A Telling Article on the Violence in Cincinnati

2009-01-04T09:31:00.002-05:00

This piece is in the Cincinnati Enquirer today:

Killings Rip Apart City's Fabric

Of particular note is the last paragraph:

The violence is so traumatic that University Hospital, the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and the U.S. Air Force train emergency medical teams in how to evacuate wounded personnel from combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan by treating the city's gunshot victims.

A New Year's Resolution for the Global Warming Crowd

2009-01-01T11:05:00.003-05:00

There's more and more evidence the global warming alarmists are full of it.

700 WLW host Mike McConnell recently spoke to one analyst, and he gave some interesting views as to why. It boils down to:

1. Follow the money.
2. Mold scientific data to conveniently fit your own viewpoints.

Here's the podcast containing McConnell's interview. You'll find it about halfway through the hour.

To be clear, I am in favor of being a good steward of the environment. There's no question there. But to expend untold sums of money and our time and energy on alarmism based on junk science will not do anyone any good. Meterologists can't reliably predict the weather a few days out, much less figure out what's going to happen years from now.

The alarmist crowd ought to resolve to dial it down and calmly review all of the data before whining for expensive programs that will ruin the economy and people's lives.

Hypocrisy on the Hill

2008-12-20T08:19:00.002-05:00

It's shameful and unconscionable.

The current Congress, one of the worst in recent memory, has voted itself a pay raise.

Read more from The Hill.

This Congress has single digit public approval ratings. They have bitched and moaned about how awful the economy is, how ridiculous executive pay is, and yet, they do this.

They have accomplished nothing in the past two years beyond a minimum wage increase and demonstrating their incompetence at managing the tax dollar.

I don't know if this is the kind of thing President Bush can veto. But if it were, sadly, he has not had the political will and fiscal conscience to use that power.

He Hasn't Done Anything, and Yet.....

2008-12-11T06:46:00.003-05:00

A new NBC/Wall Street Journal Poll says those questioned overwhelmingly approve Barack Obama, post-election.

What the hell is this? The man hasn't done anything yet. He hasn't set foot in office yet. What was the point of this insipid poll?

Peeling the onion, we already know NBC is in the tank for Obama. Just watch NBC News or MSNBC sometime. You'll get the idea. Plus, it's been proven these polls are wildly skewed toward Democrats, as if to get the result the networks want. (Harry Truman, I believe, once said the only poll that matters is on Election Day. Damned right.)

Second, CNBC's Washington correspondent John Harwood said on "Squawk Box" this morning and said if there really is all this hope in Obama, that is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the man will have political capital and good will to work with. On the other hand, expectations that are too high invariably lead to disappointment. (Of the NBC networks, you can actually get a pretty straight view on CNBC.)

Harwood said people in the poll think things are so bad and want George W. Bush out of office as soon as possible, as a result.

That's all well and good, but to this observer, Obama was swept into office as an empty suit. There was this gooey-eyed, gushy cry of "change, change, change," But change to what? Granted, it's becoming clearer as we moved toward January 20th that we're headed deeper into socialism. If that's what you want, fine, but it's failed before and it will fail again. Reduced government and tax burdens have been proven time and again as better solutions.

In the Dilbert cartoon strip, Dilbert's smarmy dog Dogbert once said it best. If I have it right, he said "Happiness is low expectations and your own bag of chips."

With that in mind, people need to dial it down a notch. Wait and see what Mr. Obama will do once he actually takes office. Then form your opinions and make your decisions.

Another Reason I Don't Like the Fed Bailout of the Big Three

2008-12-08T22:00:00.002-05:00

Check out this piece from the Wall Street Journal.

Mouthy lawmakers are pushing to make management changes at General Motors, and perhaps other automakers.

Let's be clear, folks. Government is already part of the Big Three's problem. Does anyone seriously believe a government-run auto maker can be any better?

I am starting to think bankruptcy may be a better option. Let GM and Ford restructure and come up with a better plan for the future. Were I in charge, I'd find a way to oust the union, bring in Six Sigma quality initiatives, and run it lean and mean. Too bad Jack Welch probably isn't looking for a job at this stage of the game.

Look at Kia, for example. They're building a new plant in Georgia with non-union jobs that pay $17.00 per hour. That's not bad money. Moreover, Honda broke ground recently for a new plant in Indiana. And even though sales for them have slowed, Honda said they wouldn't reduce employment at their Ohio plants.

It's not all bad out there, and there's proof some automakers know how to get the job done. Sadly, I don't think Detroit gets it...yet.

Think about it.

Another Bullseye Bumper Sticker

2008-12-03T20:24:00.002-05:00

A GOPUSA e-mail I received tonight featured this one:

I love it.

Solid Security Move or Threat to Civil Liberty?

2008-12-01T21:33:00.002-05:00

From The Washington Post:

A Pentagon plan would dedicate 20,000 troops to security duty inside the U.S. by 2011.

Reading more about this, I don't think it's an immediate red flag for civil liberties, especially if this is truly about national security (a #1 issue for this citizen). Still, it does raise some interesting questions.

A Father's Pride

2008-11-29T14:04:00.002-05:00

It's not been the best of Thanksgivings for us. My wife and I got hit hard with a stomach bug. She got sick early Wednesday morning and I got hit with it early Thursday.

So there was no Thanksgiving travel for us, and not a lot of rest either, since our two-year old would not nap on Thursday. So we took turns with him in shifts.

But alas, in an effort to keep him occupied, I put on my DVD of "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving." And David loved it! He giggled at the part where Snoopy is trying to fix a meal and tossing out food and plates as if they were decks of cards.

The Charles Schulz holiday specials, including "A Charlie Brown Christmas," are classics. They are filled with humor but also with religion, morality, and history. (Interestingly, CBS was worried about airing the Christmas special, when it was created in 1965. They were concerned about audiences sitting through a recitation of the birth of Christ from the Bible. Schulz, it is said, put his foot down and said the special couldn't air without it. No one should have worried. The special has been a critical and commercial success ever since.)

I am so proud to share these shows with my son. They make me happy to this day, and I hope he'll treasure them, too.

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T00:00:00.002-05:00

Here are some thoughts from a great mind, that of Newt Gingrich, on "What Every Child Should Know About Thanksgiving."

To all of you - a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Pretty Serious Questions

2008-11-25T20:28:00.003-05:00

Experts quoted in a WorldNetDaily article think there needs to be solid proof of Barack Obama's US citizenship before he can legitimately be named President by the Electoral College.

This pundit could not agree more.

You Think The Federal Debt is Bad Now? You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet!

2008-11-25T07:03:00.003-05:00

Is anyone else bothered by this?

Trillions in new spending are being proposed by the federal government. President-Elect Obama is demanding the passage of major, expensive stimulus packages before he takes office, without really saying specifically what he'll do once he's in office.

I've been a critic of the overspending in the George W. Bush administration. The expansion of government he has overseen is ridiculous. (The bureaucracy of "No Child Left Behind," the questionable $700 billion bank bailout, and the amounts of money spent on post-Katrina aid to New Orleans are just three cases in point.) Only once can I recall did the man have the fortitude to whip out his veto stamp and shoot down what was fiscally unacceptable.

But as I say in the headline, folks, you've not seen anything yet.

Radio talker Glenn Beck has some thoughts on the more than $7 TRILLION the feds are now prepared to spend on bailouts, economic stimulus packages, and so on.

Where is this money coming from? How will we pay for this massive new expansion in government, this New Deal Part II?

What's wrong with cutting taxes and reducing the size of government? Does anyone still believe in that?

And while we're at it, I have serious issues with the headline of a recent AP article: "Obama Intensifies Focus With Economy in Free Fall." The economy is NOT in free fall. The problems he is inheriting, I would argue, are less severe than what Ronald Reagan inherited in 1980. Honda, for example, just broke ground on a new plant in Indiana. I see new business construction in my own county. Would people be doing that if the economy were truly in free fall?

Perspective, people!

Just Say No to the Fairness Doctrine

2008-11-23T00:28:00.004-05:00

Dems are making a lot of noise about wanting to revive the Fairness Doctrine.

Let's peel the onion and look at what this issue really is. It's an effort to silence conservative talk radio. It is censorship, plain and simple.

Liberals are angry that they have not been able to succeed in this arena. Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and others are huge money makers for their syndicators and their affiliated stations. The liberal-oriented Air America was in financial hot water not long after it started. Stations, time and again, have tried liberal talk formats, and they fail quickly. Two stations here in Ohio, WYTS-AM in Columbus and WCKY-AM in Cincinnati are two cases in point. After several months of horrific ratings, their owners decided they had to change course. (WYTS put conservative talkers on, and WCKY reverted to a fairly successful sports talk format.)

What's more, if you want liberal talk, what about government-supported NPR? Is anyone crying out for fairness there? If anything, I've argued that the government should pull the plug on its financing of NPR and PBS. There is no constitutional mandate for them, and if they can't make it on their own in the marketplace, why should they exist? Moreover, as Hannity has argued, where are the Fairness Doctrine cries for CBS, NBC, and ABC? NBC has had some very blatant bias in its coverage of late. But I suspect they'll all be pretty immune.

Democrats supporting the Fairness Doctrine revival know they can't succeed in the marketplace, so they are going to a classic from their playbook: legislate or litigate what they want, over the will of the people. If you don't believe me, look at California's Proposition 8 as a case in point. A clear majority of people in that state spoke out and said it was the right thing to do. Then what? The losers are suing and taking the issue to court. Let me be fair about it: if there is a legitimate constitution problem with Prop 8, that is one thing. But I am not sure there is. The pattern has been that liberals, some anyway, seem to litigate when they can't get what they want in the marketplace.

Moreover, the so-called Fairness Doctrine will crush the radio industry, which has found monetary success and a viable business in conservative talk.

Bottom line: the Fairness Doctrine is unnecessary. There are more choices than ever for listening, with the advent of satellite radio and online stations. You can hear what you want virtually when you want it. If you don't like what you are hearing, flip the radio dial. Find something you like. It's out there if you look for it.

A New Low for MSNBC

2008-11-13T12:52:00.001-05:00

MSNBC gets duped by a fake blogger in an effort to tear down Sarah Palin.

Read on: http://www.700wlw.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=104668&article=4579006

Sounds to me like NBC News President Steve Capus needs to strap on a spine and demand some journalistic integrity from his people.

Another Sign Socialism is On the Way

2008-11-13T11:00:00.001-05:00

Aide: Obama Weighing Idea of Auto Czar

Here's the story from Reuters.

Frightening.

The Hypocrisy of Al Franken

2008-11-13T06:53:00.002-05:00

Radio talker Glenn Beck has some thoughts on the still unfinished Senate race in Minnesota, between Republican incumbent Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken.

Beck says Franken, who has spent years moaning about how George W. Bush stole the 2000 election, now appears to be trying to steal a Senate seat for himself.

Here's Glenn's chat with his producer about it.

Coleman needs to fight this thing hard, and hopefully he can get law enforcement and elections regulators onto his side, to ensure the legality and propriety of this election.

Coleman is one of our last hopes for stopping an incredibly dangerous 60-seat Democrat majority in the Senate.

A Detroit Bailout? Is That Really Wise?

2008-11-12T00:00:00.001-05:00

The Wall Street Journal has a great piece debating the merits of a Washington bailout of the auto industry.

I still have serious doubts about the financial system bailout which was approved this fall, especially when one of the roots of the problem was government-based bullying of banks to make loans to people who had no business with them.

Similarly, a Washington bailout of GM begs a lot of questons. The Journal article accurately states the GM situation is of its own making. Detroit has cow-towed to the unions for way too long, and they haven't faced a number of competitive realities which have been setting in since the 1970s.

If there is to be a bailout, the Journal writer suggests strong conditions. That's wise in itself. But then again, as with so much else Washington is into these days (and that's about to get worse by all appearances), where in the Constitution is a mandate for being a financial savior?

Here are some other thoughts from a fellow blogger at Boring Made Dull.

Veteran's Day

2008-11-11T09:00:00.003-05:00

It's the understatement of the year: Thank you to all the veterans, those who are still with us and those who have gone from us. Thank you to all who have played a part in the defense of this great nation.

If you see a veteran or a current member of the military, today or anytime, stop and thank them for their service!

Voters Distrust "Diluted" GOP

2008-11-10T15:36:00.001-05:00

You think?!

Here's the story from OneNewsNow.com: http://www.onenewsnow.com/Election2008/Default.aspx?id=315160

Amen, brother.

Great Bumper Sticker

2008-11-09T09:08:00.002-05:00

Got an email from Townhall.com about this one. I love it!

More Corruption in Columbus

2008-11-08T09:17:00.002-05:00

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland sure has some winners in his administration.

First, the Attorney General is forced to resign for wrongdoing. Next, his Secretary of State effectively sides with corruption in the elections process.

Now, Strickland places on leave the Director of the state's Department of Family Services. Helen Jones-Kelley, according to this Ohio AP story, has acknowledged her agency allowed record checks to be done on Joe the Plumber. (You will recall Joe the Plumber dared to question Obama about his intended tax policies toward small businesses, raising the ire and Nixonian-style smear tactics among some Democrats.)

Strickland would be up for re-election in 2010. Ohio voters better think seriously about this guy and his administration. Admittedly, the Taft administration had its share of problems (runaway spending, their own corrupt people). Still, we need people with far higher ethical standards leading the state.

It's Time for NBC to Fire Chris Matthews

2008-11-07T22:28:00.001-05:00

Chris Matthews, the NBC / MSNBC commentator who made no secret of his feelings for Barack Obama, should be fired, immediately.

Matthews was on MSNBC today telling "Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough it is his (Matthews') job to see Obama succeed.

If Matthews wants a job, he can go get hired by the White House.

However, NBC should show some backbone and cut this guy loose. Anyone who claims to be a journalist has no business taking sides.

Cowardly Character Assassination

2008-11-07T12:23:00.001-05:00

Michelle Malkin has a great piece today on "The Cowardly Character Assassination of Sarah Palin."

Check it out.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, sports fans. Palin was and is NOT the problem.

Lesson From Ancient Rome

2008-11-05T19:27:00.003-05:00

My uncle sent this to me a while back. It is relevant:

The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt.

People must again learn to work,
instead of living on public assistance. -

Cicero , 55 BC

Letter to the Next President

2008-11-05T06:24:00.002-05:00

Former UN Ambassador John Bolton has some great ideas for the next President of the United States.

His "Letter to the Next President" was published by the Telegraph in London.

The Left and their syncophants in the media crapped all over this guy. (Pardon my expression.) But he gets it about the world scene and the US role in it, without a doubt.

Relevant Quote

2008-11-05T06:13:00.002-05:00

"America's New Catchphrase: 'I am not responsible'."

--Rich Walberg, 700 WLW

All May Not Be Lost

2008-11-04T23:36:00.002-05:00

I go to bed tonight, at the very least, a discontented conservative. A majority of voters in America, it would appear, has chosen style over substance. The 44th President lacks solid core beliefs, has (at the least) very questionable associations, and appears poised to collude with liberals on Capitol Hill on a very dangerous agenda.

That said, our friends at RedState.com point out that all may not be lost.

Sean Hannity said it well on his radio talk show today. Conservatism will go into exile for a while. But the fight for conservative principles must go on in the marketplace of ideas.

My own prediction is that this will be a redux of the Jimmy Carter presidency. Obama will have four years to screw everything up royally, and the GOP gets to come back on a white horse and save the country, that is, if they can get their act together.

I am still looking for the second coming of Reagan.

The Mandate Without The Vote

2008-11-04T22:38:00.003-05:00

RedState.com has a pretty appalling story.

But the writer ends it on the right note: this does give the GOP an opportunity, in exile though they may soon be.

Palin Cleared, But Will the "Drive-Bys" Care?

2008-11-04T20:17:00.001-05:00

An investigation has cleared Sarah Palin in the scandal known as "Troopergate." But my question is, will the "drive-by media" take notice?

Here's the story: http://www.onenewsnow.com/Election2008/Default.aspx?id=309780

I did see the story in today's Dayton Daily News, but it was buried as a small item in the middle of the newspaper.

Pennsylvania = Hard to Figure

2008-11-04T20:13:00.002-05:00

Just heard a radio report that Pennsylvania is going for Obama. Hard to figure that one out, especially when a prominent Democratic member of Congress called the western half of the state "racist," while the Presidential nominee referred to people there as bitter, clinging to their religion and guns.

Election Day News Item: Intimidation in Philadelphia

2008-11-04T13:56:00.002-05:00

Here are some details from Newsbusters.

Not exactly a surprise.

You Want Reasons to Vote Against Obama? Here Are a Bunch!

2008-11-03T14:47:00.001-05:00

(Special thanks to my friends in the State of Ohio Blog Alliance, who helped provide the background material for this article. Read their work. They are good people.)

I don't claim any power to persuade anyone as to how they should vote. There will be a new President elected tomorrow (in all likelihood), and people are going to vote how they're going to vote.

While I am not wildly supportive of John McCain, he is a far better choice than Barack Obama. The latter is nothing more than a socialist, and what's worst, his campaign has exhibited signs of Nixonian or even fascist behavior. That should frighten any voter.

Here are some of the many reasons why Barack Obama is a bad choice for this country, and that is a considerable understatement.

- Obama has told the coal industry he'll bankrupt them. If you don't believe me, listen here, thanks to Newsbusters. Think about this. Coal is a tremendously valuable asset, and some look to it as a way away from dependence on foreign oil. So we're going to elect someone who wants to bankrupt the industry? I wonder what the good people of Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, and other coal producing areas have to say about that.

- Other reports about Obama's socialist intentions are all over the internet. Read them. If you value your hard-earned money, be afraid.

- Obama and his running mate want you to share your wealth, never mind that they don't personally practice what they preach.

- Joe the Plumber gets attacked and has had his personal history examined, all because he dared to question Obama about his intentions. Fascism, anyone?

- Further to the fascist theme, the Obama campaign booted journalists from its plane, journalists whose newspapers had endorsed McCain.

- Allegations of voter fraud are all over the State of Ohio. I questioned this early voting thing from the get-go. It's been clear the Democratic Secretary of State in Ohio has been deranged by years and years of Democratic election losses, and she may well think the only way to win is to cheat. Sadly, the U.S. Supreme Court (led by liberal Justice John Paul Stevens) backed her. WEWS-TV in Cleveland is reporting 13,000 dead voters have been registered in Cuyahoga County alone.

As I say, I am not a big McCain fan. But when you go vote, if you haven't already, think about this: are these the kinds of people you want in charge of the country? For me, the answer is, no way, no how, not ever!

Shocking Socialist Views

2008-10-28T06:03:00.003-04:00

This topic is big on talk radio and bigger in the blogosphere right now. A YouTube post contains audio from a 2001 interview with Barack Obama, then a state senator in Illinois.

The YouTube post has received more than 1,700,000 page hits, as of this morning.

It's shocking, disturbing, and offensive. Obama apparently calls for using the court system to push his view that wealth needs to be redistributed.

Here is a transcript, courtesy of fellow blogger Brian at Bearing Drift Ohio:

"You know if you look at the victories and the failures of the Civil Rights movement and its litigation strategy in the Court, I think where it succeeded was to invest formal rights in previously dispossessed peoples so that I would now have the right to vote, I would now be able to sit at the lunch counter and order as long as I could pay for it I would be okay. But the Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth and sort of more basic issues of political and economic justice in this society. And to that extent as radical as I think people try to characterize the Warren Court, it wasn't that radical, it didn't break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution, at least as its been interpreted and the Warren Court interpreted it in the same way that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties says what the states can't do to you, says what the federal government can't do to you, but it doesn't say what the federal government or the state government must do on your behalf and that hasn't shifted. And one of the I think the tragedies of the Civil Rights movement was because the Civil Rights movement became so court focused I think that there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalitions of power through which you bring about redistributive change and in some ways we still suffer from that."

Rush Limbaugh, on his show Monday, asked a great question. With views like these, how could Obama seriously take an oath to "preserve, protect, and defend" the Constitution of the United States?

Palin: Obama Would Create a Nanny State

2008-10-26T10:23:00.003-04:00

I largely agree with what Sarah Palin says in this article from CNN.

One slight clarification I would make, however:

For some, the nanny state already exists, and they love milking the government. Obama would just expand it (and make it worse for all). The irony is, he'll end up hurting, long term, the very people he claims he wants to help.

Palin is NOT the Problem

2008-10-24T13:40:00.003-04:00

The Wall Street Journal has a great opinion piece on why cheap shots are being lobbed at Sarah Palin, and it's unjustified.

For my money, I wish the ticket were reversed. I'd vote Sarah Palin for President over Barack Obama any day. She has executive experience, and she isn't afraid to speak her mind about her principles.

The media is consumed with "Palin Derangement Syndrome," as I've heard it called. It's unnecessary.

The Dems Must Want to Crush the Economy Even Further

2008-10-23T20:59:00.002-04:00

I can't believe I read this headline from OneNewsNow.com, but there it is:

House Dems Want to Abolish 401K Tax Breaks

This is one of the more insane things I've heard out of Washington, but it is not surprising. The Democratic leadership of the Congress is far-Left Wing group who are about as close to socialists as you can get.

401K plans, treated wisely, are a very sensible investment vehicle. And the benefits are already taxed, once you begin to withdraw them after age 59 1/2. Clearly, that's not enough for the Socialists in Washington. They want as much money as they can get their greedy paws on, and then some.

I plan to contact my lawmakers about this, and I hope such a plan never comes to fruition. The tax system already punishes success enough. Do we need to punish people more?

You Obama supporters...I don't think you get it. The very people this guy claims he wants to help will be hurt. As one e-mail I received put it, McCain will have trickle-down economics. Obama will have "trickle up poverty." Believe it.

It Was Two Years Ago Today

2008-10-20T12:29:00.002-04:00

Two years ago today, it was the most monumental day in our lives. My son, David, was born.

It's hard to believe that much time has passed. But it's fun to watch him grow into a walking and talking machine with lots of personality.

I will never forget the pride in my father's voice when I called to tell him the news. He said, excitedly, "Bubba is here?!" (Bubba or Bubby is our nickname for David. It was my nickname when I was a little one, too.) That call was icing on the cake. He's a proud granddad..."Papa" as the grandchildren call him.

There's some celebrating to do, for sure!

The UAW Is Worried? They Should Be.

2008-10-19T09:47:00.002-04:00

WJR Radio in Detroit reported last week that the President of the United Auto Workers is worried about job losses if a possible merger between GM and Chrysler takes place.

I hope he's not just waking up to this possibility, though it seems to be the UAW has been out of touch with the plight of GM for years.

Don't get me wrong. GM has its fair share of blame in this, as it apparently cow-towed to extravagant union demands, long after it should have.

GM makes some fine cars and trucks. I drive a GMC and love it. The vehicles I drive at work are GM-made. I plan to purchase another GM vehicle someday. I want to see them turn that ship around.

If a merger with Chrysler makes business sense, so be it. The world we live in demands a competitive, lean automaker. The UAW needs to wake up to that fact. This isn't the 1950s. If GM is to survive, it will have to run lean and put attractive, competitively-priced products on the market. If it doesn't, then there won't be any GM jobs for the union to worry about.