COMPLACENT FREEDOM

I heard a commentator the other day say that American's have become spoiled enjoying 200 years of freedom. He continued to say that we've grown complacent and even lazy when it came to understanding how truly blessed we are here. I had to think about that for nearly 5 seconds before I agreed with him. We do take our freedom for granted. Watching lately what is happening around the globe with self serving dictators, maniacal regimes, public protests, and oppressive governments, it's a wonder that we've made it 200 years. It hasn't been easy by no means, and quite frankly it's getting more difficult. There are those who would like to murder all of us and watch our country fall to the dust and it's all too real.

The commentator was right, we have come a long way culturally from the Americans of the great depression era. Those folks knew what it was like to go without. Think of the luxury you use everyday that you now consider a necessity, cell phone, TV, Computer, I pods, air-conditioning... when you think about it, we have become spoiled and if we're not careful someone will come along while we're complacently talking on our cell phones and knock us off our high horse - does 9/11 ring a bell and that was small considering what they want to do to us.

I liked the sound of the slogan "Hope and Change" but if it's not backed up with any substance, it's just a slogan, we need real leaders in Washington that want to make us great again, not the same as everyone else. We are watching the world change before our eyes, Egypt, Venezuela, China, Jordan, Turkey, Iran... Our freedom is what makes us different, makes America sacred, American exceptional ism - but it is not indestructible and it will come down if we don't do something about it now.

There are days I feel sad that my Grandchildren may not know what Real America was like and that inspires me to stand up and be counted! Don't you think it's time?

-Nick

UGLY AMERICANS!

Sometimes the political rhetoric can get out of hand. In the wake of the Tuscon Arizona shootings we all witnessed a very ugly display of what I call 'American Ugly'. For some reason or another, some chose to use this terrible event as a chance for political gain. It seems 'blame' needed to placed somewhere even before the facts were out. As we all watched the events unfold, we found out that the deed was done by a mentally ill man without affiliation to anyone, but damage outside of Tuscon Arizona had already been done.

The toxic levels of the vile insinuations reached an all time high. Sarah Palin took the brunt of most. People making accusations that a political graphic from her old website that depicted "cross-hairs" on congressional districts caused the mad man to go on his shooting rampage, therefore making it Sarah Palin's fault, how absurd!!! I'm not sure where it started but the mainstream media grabbed on this anti-Palin rhetoric and ran with it. Respected journalists!? I was appalled to say the least. On Twitter there were 1000's of disgusting Tweets wishing harm and even death on Sarah Palin and her family, it was quite unbelievable. If we weren't sure before, this was proof to me that we live in very troubled times.

At Point on Point Radio, my co-host Lauren Veach and I actually did a show on the aftermath of this event, but chose not to air it. Our reason was not to perpetuate this sad chapter any further. Our thoughts and prayers continue to those who are recovering from injuries and to the Friends and families of the victims of this horrible event.

When they held the memorial services in Tuscon, again I sat stunned watching what looked more like a political rally rather than a memorial service. I thought President Obama's speech was appropriate. I wasn't sure why the President didn't stop the crowd from all the holloring and cheering by just saying something like "though we appreciate your enthusiasm, this is a memorial service and not the time or place for that kind behavior", but he didn't.

I guess when it's all said and done, the division of our country moved a few inches further apart. I think people need to back off a bit, if this could happen to Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh, what makes anyone think they could feel safe in our country when it appears some of our own neighbors would wish us harm because of a political opinion, something is so wrong when we can't debate civilly.

From the other side of the world, we looked like a third world uncivilized nation full of division and hate coming apart at the seams. Congratulations to those who perpetuated the vileness for you have once again successfully stereotyped our nation as "Ugly Americans"!

-Nick

WISHING FOR A RESET BUTTON

Don't you wish we had a reset button? We made it to 2011, no small feat when you consider the obstacles our country has had to endure; Collapsed real estate markets, bailouts, cities and towns on the verge of bankruptcy, the plunging dollar, the rising cost of food, oil and basic needs, it's really quite amazing. Our republic has been challenge from the inside in a way that it makes it hard to defend ourselves. I'm not saying Republicans or Democrats are enemies, but the socialist attitudes that at times resemble Marxism and Communism are prevalent in our government. The progressive movement has been building almost as dramatically as the Tea Party movement. The progressive agenda is a bit more covert, they prefer a quiet backdoor approach.

President Obama still lives in a whirlwind of conspiracy, a presidency that started out as a fairytale for some and a nightmare for others. The one question we as a country have to ask ourselves is; Are we better off now than when Obama took the Presidency? Yes, he did inherit some of the problems, but every president has, and going on to 3 years I think that excuse has been worn out, these are his problems now.


2 years ago Fox News commentator Glenn Beck said that "you will not recognize your own country in 2 years", and quite frankly, he was right. I can't help but wonder what our country will look like this time next year. Or an even darker though, will we have merged into the "global" Community and economically be on the same level as some 3rd world countries. This socialist agenda being forced upon an entrepreneurial society will only result in uprising.


Can our republic withstand the destruction of it's foundation from the inside? We have to dig deep and recognize that sometimes wrong is wrong and we have to stand up against it, the Tea Party has. In essence those of us that want to protect our way of life are the Tea Party.


I remember someone saying to me when the McCain/Obama 08 campaigns were at full swing, they said "McCain represents the old way, we need a fresh new way, we need Obama, we need real change" and my response was 'Change for the sake of change isn't always a good thing".


One thing for sure, we got change, now most of us are hoping and praying for a change back.

Don't you wish we had a reset button...


-Nick

STOP EARMARKS: SAVE AMERICA

This Blog-Point will be to the point. As I was researching for Pojnt On Point Radio Show "Did You Know?"-Government Waste" I found myself seething at times as I read about the ridiculous amounts of money that are literally thrown away on stupid projects. Now before I get yelled at, I know there are good earmarks and bad ones, unfortunately the bad ones far out-number the good.


As I meandered through all these billions of tax-payer dollars, I'm reminded by the news broadcast behind me that we are in dire-straits economically as a country. The Senate and the House have been fighting over passing a tax extension that would be like putting a stick of Gum on the Hoover Dam. Now I'm not a genius, nor have I ever been compared to the great minds of our world, but when I started adding up the Earmarks, it became obvious that this is a BIG PROBLEM. Financial corruption in our government is rampant. If we cut all the Earmarks for just a little while, we might be able to see above this hole we've dug ourselves into. It's common sense. To me cutting out Earmarks for a while, would be like someone not going to the movies or turning the heater down to 65, or not eating out, it's called budgeting. How come these elected official lose the capacity of common sense? When they pass into Washington DC is there a beam or something that zaps them? I just don't get it. If we did a way with Earmarks, we could bring our debt down to an almost manageable level.


We all have been touched in the bank account by Earmarks. Obama said he would cut them back, Republicans said they would do away with them, but alas, they're still there. If the Tea Party really wanted to shake things up again, then here is a new slogan for you;

"EARMARKS GONE, OR YOU!"

I think that's a pretty straightforward common sense, don't you?


Just food for thought,

-Nick

FOREIGN AID - FOR AMERICA

I remember back in the late 80's the State of South Carolina had a mock vote in their State Senate to succeed from the Union. Their reason being that they would receive more money from the Federal Government as a Foreign nation than they do as a State. The reality in this is quite sobering. We send billions of dollars out of the country every year to help and invest in other countries, but seem to make our own States beg for even the smallest amounts from our own Government. New Orleans, 5 years after Katrina, there are areas still sitting abandon and in shambles, why? the government has not provided the funds to rebuild it. This is disgusting, a major American city left to beg for private donations and grants, it's totally uncalled for. The United States sends billions to country's that hate us, yet we still send it. How about the BP Gulf Oil Spill, Louisiana was literally left to the mercy of BP Oil, Governor Bobby Jindall has had his work cut out for him, the long term effects are still not known, but the coastal economy has been devastated.

With the Dollar nose diving, the real estate market in distress and dying, food prices soaring, it seems to me that our government should be sending the money in, not out. New Orleans, Detroit, and many other cities are already broke, broken or beyond and we still send the money overseas. Our infrastructure is crumbling, our republic is in danger of collapse, yet we invest billions in Brazil, doesn't make sense.

America needs to worry about Americans for a change, once we are strong again, we can worry about the "Global" community. Let's face it, we're no good to anyone else if we cannot even help ourselves.

-Nick-

REFORM OR REVOLUTION

I am not an extremist, nor am I a warmonger. I am not a survivalist nor am I an antagonist. I am an American. I'm going to keep this quite simple and short. With the coming elections and all the the biting of nails and political hazing, reality is that if the U.S. Government doesn't reform we are in big trouble. All the talk of how much Obama has expanded the deficit and how much George W. did on his watch. The whining of wars and stock market instability, the dollar plummeting and the gnashing of teeth, it all boils down to corruption.

This has to be the most corrupt administration in the White House in generations, even Nixon wasn't this bad. What we have is a gifted BS artist as president, most agree he needs to go, a definite one term. The real future of our republic lies in the hands of the new elected congress. If they can't turn this mess around I'm afraid we will be looking at what is happening in France and Greece here in the United States. When will this population learn that we cannot survive as a nation on government handouts, Socialism just doesn't work. And unless you want to be governed by the United Nations, this is what is going to happen if we do not attend to this problem.

Term Limits could be a great way to correct corruption. We all know it will always be there at some level, power corrupts. But if we nip it within a politicians first term then it's over. I am afraid of where our country is heading. I fear for any leader who fights for the good of the people. When we are considered radicals because we want to recite the pledge of allegiance, something is really wrong.

So I leave it up to you, Reform or Revolution, I'm not calling for it, I'm just stating where it is leading... think about it.

-Nick

POLITICAL EXHAUSTION

I'm tired. I mean I'm really tired of all these politics. I remember a time when mid-term elections were just not that important. We could usually trust that whoever got in would do a somewhat fair job, but not anymore. There are so many hidden agendas. It seems the standard parties have splintered off into... well... other parties... Progressives, Liberals, Conservatives, Communists, Socialists.... It's all very confusing, almost like religion. No offense to the Baptist Denominations, but I remember being an executive in the Gospel music industry and there must have been 20 or more different banners under just the “Baptists”. I found it humoring that each believed something just a little different form the other., same has happened in our politics.

What happened to the idea that our leaders act in our best interest, not theirs? What happened to the basic moral concept that when a member of Congress or the White House is caught doing something wrong they should be investigated and expelled if proven guilty, not to mention go to jail. How does Charlie Rangel do it? Do they really have that much power and influence, if so, then the system is obviously out of control. How did the New Black Panthers get away with obvious voter intimidation? How does Barrack Obama get away with bypassing congress with all these Czars? What about all those Czars – this is not Moscow, at least not the last time I checked. And would someone please tell me the logic in Nancy Pelosi saying we have to pass a bill in order to know what’s in it? Why have we come to this point? Between the Tea Parties and the Unions, and all this infighting, I have reached a point of meltdown.

I am not rich, I am not poor, I am that middle class. The Bush Tax cuts will not help me extended or not, Obamacare will not help me, in fact it will probably cause more financial harm, more stimulus will not help me, for I will never see it. I’m watching my America drown in its own dream, I can’t save it, I can only try. If we become one mind as a nation we can save it, but splinters hurt, to many “I”’s and not enough “we” s, we need to change that starting with I.

I’m tired of the politics, but not too tired to at least try to save my America.

-Nick