Immigrant or Citizen

Mitt Romney continues to say his father was an immigrant.

Yes George W. Romney Mitt’s father was born in Mexico in 1907 but George was born to American citizens. George’s parents Gaskell Romney and Anna Amelia Pratt were from Utah but they lived in a Mormon colony in Mexico. Actually you could say Mitt’s grandparents were immigrants to Mexico.

George age 5 and his parents had to flee Mexico due to the Mexican Revolution and they left everything behind and came back to America in 1912 with very little, but they were American citizens.

So in my opinion Mitt’s father George came to America not as an immigrant but as a citizen.

In 1968 George Romney ran for President if George was a true immigrant he wouldn't be allowed to run for President.

So maybe Mitt is stretching it a bit?

UR

Master Debaters

So another GOP primary debate is done or what I call Republican Playoffs.

I must say not thrilled with anyone except maybe Newt Gingrich. It’s funny that at the end of most of the debates commentator will say that Gingrich is the smartest one in the room but then go on and talk about whether Perry or Romney and now Cain and which one won or lost the debate. But if Newt is the smartest in the room shouldn’t that mean he won?

Then again during these debates isn’t really about the best debater but about putting on a show and have everyone go after the front runner it almost like a watching TV wrestling Battle Royal match. These debates should be called Debate Entertainment.

During these debates the moderators tend to focus on the front runners and basically leave the other contenders out. Instead of asking one question and allow everyone equal time to give their answers, they end up going off track because someone answers critiques one of the others then they give the person time to respond then the back and forth between goes on and the moderator ends up changing topics and the other people on stage doesn’t get a chance to answer the original question. Here is an idea let everyone answer the question then go back and people a chance to respond.

All I know is Newt seems to be the only adult at these debates and is considered the smartest one in the room.

So as you can tell I lean towards Newt but can Newt win the Republican nomination? Well that’s a tough one due to some of his baggage and the far right being based on idealism and not realism when it comes to their purity standards. But regardless of who is nominated the real question is who can win the Presidency?

No one can win with their base only. Yes each candidate need their base to stay loyal but to win you need to keep party moderates with you and you need as many Independence to come to your side. So as for electoral votes you need swing states and swing states aka purple states tend to have a majority of moderates or near equal Repubs and Dems and Indies. Which tends to mean though aren’t far right or far left when it comes to policies.

I’m sorry I don’t believe a far right can win against President Obama. President Obama make no mistake is a far left politician who tries to pretend to a center left politician. President Obama will have his far right support but if a Republican that is center right on social policies and a fiscal conservative with plans to change this country’s economic and job crisis around and can keep the base and the party moderates together plus get the majority of Independents to come over to the Republican side and if a Republican candidate even get a portion of moderate Dems like the Blue Dog Dems there would be no way for President Obama to win.

So wouldn’t one think that the smartest person in the room be the one to run against President Obama? Even though Newt probably won’t be the Republican nominee I just can help but think about how great it would be to see Newt debating President Obama.

UR

Winds of Change?

Well things change. In New York the seat that was once held by Democrat and former Rep. Anthony Weiner, who resigned his seat do to an embarrassing sexting scandal, is now been won by a Republican. The NY district the Weiner once held is a very strong Democrat area but yet instead of voting for the Democratic State Assemblyman running for the seat they ended up voting for a 70year old Republican who is a political newcomer. With unofficial result at 80% of the votes in 54% of the vote when to the Republican and 46% to the Democrat.

Strange thing is the former Representative Weiner was a very liberal and out spoken an liberal causes and seem well liked by his district yet his district went for a Republican who vowed to push back on the Obama policies.

So is this a sign that Democrat Party is out of touch with their own members?

UR

Really Mr. President?

July 08, 2011 Remarks by the President on the Monthly Jobs Report

President Obama said,

“I believe that we can make things better. How we respond is up to us. There are a few things that we can and should do, right now, to redouble our efforts on behalf of the American people."

“Let me give you some examples. Right now, there are over a million construction workers out of work after the housing boom went bust, just as a lot of America needs rebuilding. We connect the two by investing in rebuilding our roads and our bridges and our railways and our infrastructure. And we could put back to work right now some of those construction workers that lost their jobs when the housing market went bust.”

Really Mr. President?

The President apparently thinks all construction is the same and all construction workers are the same. Well that’s not true, the men and women in the housing construction not the same as those in commercial construction or infrastructure construction. So how would a guy who installs floor or bath tile be needed on a road, bridge or railway? If you’re going to tile a bridge, well that’s going to be one expensive bridge. Maybe on road jobs we can have carpet installers put down carpets on the roads? Wouldn’t that be special?

Maybe if I put it in a way the President might understand. Take lawyers, you have Criminal Trial Lawyers, Divorce Lawyers, Contract Lawyers, Environmental Lawyers, Corporate Lawyers, Constitutions Lawyers, Bankruptcy Lawyers, and so on. If you are being tried for murder would you want a Criminal Trail Lawyer such as a Criminal Defense Attorney or a Contract Lawyer whose job is to write or read contracts and only court experience is in cases regarding a contract dispute?

So Mr. President we construction workers are not all the same. I'm a little supprised that the President Obama of all people would stereotype.

UR

Realism of “Taxation without representation” and Voting

So I saw a report about how some areas throughout America are trying to pass laws giving non-citizens of the US voting rights (I believe they are talking about legal non-citizens). Those trying to do this are justifying it on the bases that these non-citizens who are here and trying to obtain citizenship, are working and paying taxes and since they are paying taxes and yet can’t vote then their rights of “No taxation without representation” are being violated. Actually we have some cities and municipalities who have extended the privilege to vote to non-citizen in local election but not in State or Presidential elections.

Well first there is no such right in the US Constitution. “No taxation without representation” was an American political slogan that when back prior to the American Revolution. Even after the American Revolution the idea of “No taxation without representation” remained just an idea not an actual right.

Fact is many American citizens pay taxes without representation. We can only vote regarding to the district in which we live. Many people may live in one place but work in another. Such as someone who may live in a suburbs and works in a city. A city may collect a wage tax from those who work in the city but yet those who live out side the city cannot vote in city election, which could determine an increase in the city wage tax. This is also applies to those who may live in one State and work in a neighboring State. Those who live in another state cannot vote in the state they work in but yet they will have to pay taxes to that state. Unless something changed recently, I believe the residents of Washington D.C. (citizens) have no voting representation in congress but they can vote in Presidential election which only has been enacted since 1961.

Truth is the US Constitution doesn’t even declare voting as a right. It basically outlines the qualification for one to be a voter. Unlike free speech, religion or press and etc, the fact is voting is more of a privilege much like a drivers license. So if you meet the qualification to be a voter then you have the right to have the privilege to vote.

Look when I hear someone has achieved US citizenship and is going to vote I am thrilled to hear it. I don’t even care who they are going to vote for, I am just happy that they as a new American citizen what’s to be part of the process.

So to those who want to use “No taxation without representation” or voting as a right as a justification to give non-citizens the privilege to vote, you’ll have to come up with something better.


UR

So What Now?

Well the Health Care Plan/Reform has passed and was properly voted on. So now I’m trying to figure out what the hell it is and what it will do, good and bad. Unfortunately none of the talking heads or our politicians is of any help. Because it seems that everyone has a horse in the race, ideology wise.

This basically means we Americans will have to learn it the hard way. If this is the beginning of Socialized Medicine maybe I should move to a country with Socialized Medicine. At least they have it pretty well figure out even if it may not considered the best. I would at least know what I’ll get and how to get it and what will be coming out of my pocket. Besides I always hear that countries in Europe and Canada have more of a mellow lifestyle than we have in America which if true has to help ones quality of life.

Now the bulk of this does not take effect until 2014. In the mean time our government will begin collecting money from people. Sure it will start with the wealthy and business owners. But it will flow down to the middle class and even lower middle class. I have never known a U.S. Government budget has ever ended up under or even at budget. Typically it ends up way more than the original budget.

Now I listen to Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s speech on the floor talking how this is equivalent to the passing of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Really Nancy? How are those programs doing? Not good from what I hear.

Well one thing I do know is apparently America finally has a Queen. She doesn't have to worry about being voted out of Congress and until Republicans regain the House of Representatives no Democrat will stand up to her.

So here's to Her Royal Majesty Queen Nancy I. Just keep spending our money on yourself. No its OK, we really don't mind. We're just serfs working for you. Right?

UR

Health Care Bill? What Is It?

I can’t believe what is happening in Washington.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi said about the Health Care bill, “But we have to pass the health care bill so that you can find out what is in it,”

What?! Oh come on Nancy! That’s the best you can do. You really don’t know what’s in it, do you? If you don’t know what’s in it then who the hell does. Apparently no one does.

Even if anyone knows what’s in it they can’t explain it. I have not heard about one expert who worked on this thing, just politicians and not politicians who are doctors or economist but plain career politicians and just one party politician, Democrat. So have I read the bill? No, I haven’t. Have you ever tried to read a piece of legislation written by Congress much less a 2000 plus page bill? If you’re not bleeding from the eyes and are in need of shock therapy halfway through it, well you a better person than I. But I did watch the Senate debates on the bill and apparently not many of the Senators did.

Now what is sad is that Taiwan when putting together their government run Health Care system put together a blue ribbon panel of economist and heath care experts. They researched other countries Health Care systems and came up with the best plan possible. Taiwan a country that is smaller than the US in population, spent more time on research with experts than one of the largest world leader countries. I mean come on this means Taiwan is smarter than us.

Then look at Switzerland. A country that didn’t allow women to vote until 1971 actually put together a plan and had a national referendum and let the people vote on whether they want Health Care or not. The people voted for it. Then here in America the cheerleader of Democracy around the world won’t even give its people an initial vote on whether we want it or not. A European country that only gave the woman the right to vote 39 years ago is more democratic than us. Is it no wonder why no one takes us serious.

Look I believe our Health Care system needs to be fixed and is becoming too expensive for people. I’m not even closed minded to a Universal Health Care but I just want it done right and thought out. If we’re going to fix it lets fix it together. If we’re going to create Universal Health Care then let work together to create the best plan ever and not some half and half bastardization of a system.

So Nancy, stop spending our tax money on yourself. You are a U.S. Representative not a bloody Queen. If you know what’s in the bill then explain it in detail. If you don’t then it would be irresponsible for you to vote on it.

Oh yea Sen. Reid, I saw the Senate debates on Heath Care. Why were you on the floor so little? Why were other Democrat Senators on the floor had to explain your bill? If you wrote the 2000 plus page bill then why were you not the one on the floor explaining it? Did you write it? Do you even know what’s in it?

President Obama said enough talk, he said it deserves an up or down vote. Yes a vote not a trick to slide it threw without a vote. If it isn’t voted on, it will make our system of government hypocritical.

Oh well a quote come to mind. As the story goes, at the end Constitutional Convention in 1787, a person outside asked Benjamin Franklin as he left, "Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?" Franklin without hesitation said, "A republic, if you can keep it."

UR