America...The Republicans are telling us 2 + 2 = 5...Are you going to listen?

Do yourselves a favor and go to this website:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Eighty-Four  The following are some of the terms from this nightmarish fictional world.  See if you can't relate them to what is going on in America...

Newspeak is a fictional language in George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four... it refers to the deliberately impoverished language promoted by the state...greatly reduced and simplified vocabulary and grammar...whose aim is to make any alternative thinking—"thoughtcrime", or "crimethink" —impossible by removing any words or possible constructs which describe the ideas of freedom, rebellion and so on. 

(Newspeak: Miniplenty) - The Ministry of Plenty rations and controls food, goods, and domestic production; every fiscal quarter, the Miniplenty publishes false claims of having raised the standard of living, when it has, in fact, reduced rations, availability, and production. The Minitrue substantiates the Miniplenty claims by revising historical records to report numbers supporting the current, "increased rations".

 (Newspeak: Minitrue) - The Ministry of Truth controls information: news, entertainment, education, and the arts... "rectifying" historical records to concord with Big Brother's current pronouncements, thus everything the Party says is true.

 

(Newspeak: Miniluv) - The Ministry of Love identifies, monitors, arrests, and converts real and imagined dissidents...the dissident is beaten and tortured, then, when near-broken, is sent to Room 101 to face "the worst thing in the world"—until love for Big Brother and the Party replaces dissension.

(Newsspeak: Doublethink) - ...the ability to believe that black is white, and more, to know that black is white, and to forget that one has ever believed the contrary...basically the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.

Are we going to allow ourselves to be manipulated by the Republican dominated media?  Are the people in this country completely naive?  Have we forgotten how to think and route out the truth in situations?  OMG!  Open you brains, America!  Have you forgotten so soon how Bush brought this great country to its knees financially, socially and in context of our freedoms?  Bush's total disregard and pludering our Constitution?  (http://articles.sfgate.com/2009-01-18/opinion/17197865_1_bush-presidency-bush-administration-military-tribunals)  The devastation President Obama was handed on his first day in office?   Can't you remember how the Republicans cost this country its top credit rating by caring more for their politics than stepping up and working with the Democrats on the budget? 

And now!  They are flooding every media outlet they have with their lies, half-truths and scare tactics to debunk the current Democratic President and his administration.  Just turn on any news station and listen. 
You know, in the book, 1984, the government kept telling its victim 2 + 2  = 5,  Eventually, after constant mind games and negative reinforcement, he succombed to their lies.  2 + 2 in his mind was 5.

The Republicans are telling the American people 2 + 2 = 5 as we speak.  They are back on their soap box of giving everything to Corporate America...That's the only way to save us!!!!!  Bush did it for eight years!  Do you feel saved?   All Corporate America did during Bush's eight years was get richer, screw the American public and run off with trillions of dollars to line their personal pockets.  Let's not forget Wall Street, the Banks' bailouts, the mortgage fiasco.  Now the keepers of the wealthy are singing the same songs of pending doom if any programs President Obama has on the table are implemented.  Who knows if they will work!  Their direction surely doesn't!  God...are we dumb...

Truly,  the only way to make a difference in this country is to force the Washington elite to FIRST CUT THEIR CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET, THEIR SALARIES AND BENEFITS IN HALF, CLEAN UP ALL THE LOOPHOLES THEY HAVE CREATED FOR THEIR BUDS IN THE TAX SYSTEM and SLICE YEARS OF CRONY RELATED PORK OUT OF THE BUDGET.  If Congress will do that, then this country might begin to take them seriously...

Whatever you do, make up your own mind and don't listen to the constant birage of BS spewing out of Republican television, newspapers, radio stations, TV media and more...Remember 2 + 2 = 4...

Elected Officials Have Failed Us AGAIN...

For info on your Congressmen: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/newsroom/how-to-contact-congress-.html

 

A Word to Congress…Listen To What America Wants and Pass It On…

The entire deficit could be reduced substantially or completely eliminated if Congress would simply take care of business and stop their boring political rhetoric.  BUT, A ‘Super’ Committee?  Where in our Constitution does it say twelve (12) individuals get to determine the future of this government?  You cannot change rules as you go…

Quite frankly, the Citizens of this country have watched for years while our Congress and its predecessors have abused the powers of their offices to personally profit from inflated salaries, benefits, undeserved raises and an obscene system of perks and redundant compensation rules.  In addition, the Washington ‘Elite’ have financed partisan programs for avaricious benefactors and passed biased legislation favoring lobbyists, their bosses, and the wealthy, siphoning trillions of taxpayer dollars away from Americans.

When tax dollars and trust funds were not enough to cover this Congressional ‘cartel’s’ need for more, current members and their archetypes shamelessly borrowed funds to cover shortages in our Federal budget, gradually thrusting the US deeper and deeper into debt.  Legitimate legislation, burdened down with Earmarks and non-related attachments grew exponentially until they became the norm instead of the exception on every bill.

Entangling this financial nightmare even more, programs have been established that fall outside Congressional powers that were never challenged by Judicial…some creating an underbelly of poor in this nation slaved to the government, others annually hemorrhaging billions of taxpayer dollars, many unconstitutional.  Still, we trusted the ‘next’ representatives we sent to Congress on our behalf would make things right…that has never happened.

Fast forward to August 2011.  The newest crop of men and women reigning in Congress has continued that legacy of mismanagement of US affairs.  After years of gutting America, they have left our government dysfunctional and bankrupt.  The latest budget compromise is yet another in a long line of bait and switch tactics Congress has pulled on middle class and poorer Americans to keep the money floodgates open.  We say, “Enough is enough…”

The Constitution did not structure the Federal Government to micro-manage this country.  There is a tremendous need for our system to undergo major restructuring to remove Congress’s chokehold on America.  The plan detailed below is a step in that direction.  The “First Step” needs no explanation..

The tax liabilities and Congressional changes under 'The Second Step' could be passed quickly through both houses and reduce the federal budget immediately.  BUT...our elected officials must get on board!

Finally, the budget items listed under 'The Third Step' deal with Departments in the US government. Some bordered on unconstitutional when established, others have little regulation, poor record keeping while many overlap other existing programs within the government. Whatever the issues, they all funnel dollars away from legitimate budget items and add tremendously to the deficit.

The entire package, if done properly, could reduce or even eliminate the ENTIRE DEFICIT over the next 10 years without touching Medicare and Social Security.

FIRST STEP…STOP THE FOLLOWING:

a.       Congressional focus on partisan issues

b.      Shortsighted Thinking (The ‘Super’ Committee)

c.       Any Balanced Budget Amendment

d.      Cuts to Medicare, Social Security and our Armed Forces Salaries and Benefits

e.       TAX CUTS for businesses UNLESS they can prove they have significantly added to the workforce using a % formula for gross profits versus total new employee salaries paid during a fiscal year.  This way, larger, more profitable companies would be forced to hire more new employees than smaller ones before claiming the exemption.  Companies who didn’t bother hiring people would not qualify for it.

SECOND STEP…ENACT THE FOLLOWING IMMEDIATELY:

1. TAX SALARIES IN EXCESS OF $150,000 at a higher rate.
2. Tax Corporate Bonuses paid in excess of $100,000 a year to individual employees at a higher percentage than regular gross salaries.
3. Make MAJOR Congressional Budget Cuts:
1. Cut Congressional Salaries in Half
2. Reduce Staff Requirement by half
3. Cut miscellaneous spending in half
4. Stop Carrying Over Monies from prior budgets
5. Eliminate All

q       Representational Allowances

q       Redundant Compensation Rules associated with various titles, chairs and positions (One elected official, one salary, one office, one office expense and one expense account)

q       Car Allowances

q       Office Expenses for a Congressman who is no longer holding office

q       Payments to Widows and Heirs of Congressmen

d.      Pass a Constitutional Amendment providing for the Removal of Federally Elected Officials From Office by National Referendum or Recall for violation of their Congressional Oath of Office

e.       Take Congressional Salaries out of Mandatory Budget Items and require any Changes to Congressional compensations be approved by the People on a detailed proposition item every four (4) years on the Presidential Ballot

f.        Tie Cost of Living raises for Federal Employees to the ones in the Social Security guidelines

g.       Require the Judicial Department to confirm all new legislation is Constitutional BEFORE Congress can vote on it.

h.       Publish the details of all pending and newly passed Congressional legislation in a freely accessible, dedicated government web site

THIRD STEP…CUT OR DRASTICALLY REDUCE AND DOWNSIZE THE FOLLOWING:

1. Dept of Health and Human Services:

1.      Medicaid

2.      Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

3.      Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

4.      Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

5.      Food and Drug Administration

6.      Health Resources and Services Administration

7.      National Institutes of Health

2. Dept of Agriculture
3. Dept of Commerce
4. Dept of Education
5. Dept of Transportation
6. EPA
7. HUD
8. Small Business Administration
9. Department of Homeland Security

Regulations to oversee a major government reconstruction are very important.  We need the ability to identify unscrupulous individuals attempting to profit disproportionately.  Penalties for violating guidelines should be in place before starting.  They should be severe and enacted quickly once the guilty are identified.

Of course, many people could be negatively affected if these changes are made irresponsibly.  WE MUST attempt to absorb the surplus employees in other areas and make unemployment compensation accessible during transitional periods for those temporarily displaced. 

An undertaking of this magnitude will require dedicated elected officials intent on the well being of the United States of America who can act decisively and not cater to partisan demands or profiteering.  Most of our currently sitting Congress have demonstrated they are not up to a challenge...

Let us whisper in your ears AND don’t ignore us…

As elected officials, the people in this country rely on you to take care of government affairs, to make sure the framework and guarantees set up by our Constitution are strictly adhered to.  Make no mistake, over 300 million people have entrusted you with this honor because our personal lives are complicated, our problems many and we cannot micromanage something on this scale.  Our votes placed you in the unique position to make this country healthy by your honesty and hard work or destroy it by your incompetence and/or greed. 

Shamefully, for over 200 years, the majority of you and your predecessors have chosen the latter.  Passing rules for what is legal and what is not, Congress has created an oligopolistic system to skim billions of taxpayer dollars under the guise of salaries, office expenses, staff requirements, etc., etc., etc.  Your greedy, backdoor, legislative conniveries are unconscionable and continue to funnel rivers of money into your expanding coffers, the pockets of your benefactors and lobbyists willing to pay the price to buy your vote…

What you call necessary, legislative, line item, budgetary expenses, we call theft on a grand scale perpetrated by a good-ole-boy system that severely punishes newcomers who don’t play according to the rules.  When voters demand accountability, you simply ignore us…now, your years of business as usual has brought America to the brink of disaster. 

Thomas Jefferson left us with a little advice.  He said, “If once the people become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions.”  After 200+ years, we have trusted too greatly. 

He further said, “Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms (of government) those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.”  Look where we are today.  History has repeated itself many, many times and is doing so again. 

His solution… “The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive.”  “Every generation needs a new revolution.”

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Congress…Our elected representatives…

1.  You need to get off your self-serving backsides and remember who put you there and why.  WORK TOGETHER!!!! 

2.  Make sure EVERYONE IS TAXED EQUALLY!!!!

3.  Start by cleaning your own house before insisting on slicing chunks away from the people in this country who are struggling to make ends meet! Adhere to the Constitution and its law.  

4.  And finally… Don’t think the sleeping beast cannot be prodded out of its slumber.  That rumbling you hear is growing exponentially… We are not of one color, one faith, one gender or one political persuasion. Our tenets are as different as the part of the country we live in.   We are patriotic Americans, who, if awakened, will serve you up as our first meals, replacing you with others willing to honor our Constitution.  How we choose to do that is up to you…

A Solution to Last...

One of my dear friends and I are always having discussions about religion, politics, families and life.  Because of our opposite views when it comes to political parties, she has always joked that her vote cancels mine out in every election.  That statement is pretty much a fact, but at least we vote and care enough to serve our nation through our democratic process.

In the past year or so, although our political views still have a wide gap between them, the opinions we maintain of our elected representatives are pretty much the same...the majority of them are more interested in the benefits of the position than they are the responsibilities of serving this country.  America is bleeding out and it's business as usual in Washington because they are insulated from the realities of life for most of us.

The people have made it clear we need EVERYONE in our government to work together to come up with a viable plan to pull our nation out of its economic spiral into the financial maelstrom we have sailed into.  That means looking at the facts and stopping all the rhetoric.  (a) (b) (c) (d)

WE CANNOT BALANCE THE BUDGET!  STOP TRYING TO MAKE POLITICAL KUDOS WITH BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENTS THAT LITERALLY WATER DOWN THE STRENGTH OF OUR CONSTITUTION!   An excerpt from this July 6, 2011 article from the American Thinker (e) agrees with this line of thinking:

"Currently, Washington Republicans are mulling over two versions of a Balanced Budget Amendment.  One, sponsored by Sens. Orrin Hatch and John Cornyn..." and another by "...Sen. Mike Lee would be similar...

"Both versions, however, are fundamentally flawed and therefore utterly unacceptable...

"Firstly, and most worryingly, both proposed amendments would effectively undo all the limitations on the federal government currently listed in the Constitution...the principle of enumerated prerogatives, the nondelegation doctrine, and the 9^th and 10^th Amendments.  Both versions would effectively mean that the federal government will be allowed to meddle with, legislate on, and spend money on anything, as long as its total annual spending doesn't exceed 18% or 20% of GDP (whose estimates it could falsify to justify higher spending)."

Getting America back on track will require a multi-faceted approach.  There are many thoughts in the wind, but a plan must be adopted and put into play.  For instance:
1.  Yearly audits conducted by non-government firms could identify unnecessary line items to be illiminated, hidden earmarks, waste in the government's operations and duplicated efforts between departments. 
2.  Madatory eliminations and reductions in Congressional staff, salaries and benefits could be implemented and the 'retired' staffing guidelines illiminated completely.
3.  Capping Congressional salaries to be equal or less than the average annual teacher's income in the U.S. would assure elected representatives are not overcompensated and forced to live within as strict budget.
4.  Anyone wishing to lobby the U.S. Congress could be required to pay a Lobbyist Membership into the federal coffer and be limited to specific locations and times to conduct business.

These corrections and more are 'short term' fixes but could reduce the budget by billions of dollars yearly. 

The 'biggies', medicare, medicaid, social security and defense, will require MAJOR COOPERATION between everyone in Washington to construct a LONG TERM plan to repair them.  A first step could be considering the argument of unconstitutional departments in our federal government.  If these were reviewed, could they be closed down? 

      "The Departments of Education, Agriculture, HUD, Transportation, and Commerce are patently unconstitutional, as is the EPA, the SBA, the DHHS, all three big entitlement programs, subsidies for anything (including agriculture), the Davis-Bacon Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the  War on Drugs, the cap-and-tax scheme, CAFE standards, renewable energy standards, ethanol production obligations, executive regulations of the economy, and all congressional and presidential drilling bans and drilling moratoriums.  The Constitution does not authorize any of these things; all of the issues they pertain to are reserved by the 10^th Amendment to the states and the people." (e)

Whatever the politicians do, needs to happen quickly and with the Constitution and the whole country in mind.  Partisan politics has no place in this process.  A plan needs to be longterm with failsafes to prevent future meltdowns like we have experienced over the last 75 years.

Do we have the people in D.C. to accomplish this?  I fear the worse but hope for the opposite.  So far all my efforts to contact them and urge them to make positive changes have fallen on deaf ears, i.e., my blog.

a:  http://money.cnn.com/2010/01/04/news/economy/reducing_debt/

b:  http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/04/where_the_budget_deficit_actua_1.html
c:  http://www.federalbudget.com/taxnews.html
d:  http://www.federalbudget.com/
e:  http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/05/why_the_balanced_budget_amendm.html

A Challenge to the American Public...Look For the Truth in the Political World

Today, I sent the following letter to President Obama*.  I feel he is basicly a good person thrown into the catastrophic rubble left over from the eight year nightmare created by the radical politics from the Bush years (a) in office.  ("Of 415 historians who expressed a view of President Bush’s administration to this point as a success or failure, 338 classified it as a failure..." ) (b) Now, the Republicans and Tea Party groups, in their attempts to regain the White House, are starting to lie, twist facts, lay the blame for our morbid state of affairs on the current administration plus convince voters we are suffering from a break down in our moral fiber. 

Who are they kidding?  They are fear mongers!  We live in a diverse country and are, for the most part, basicly good people with a myriad of different tenets struggling to raise our families the best we can whether that family has a mother and a father, a single parent, foster parent, grand parent, aunt, uncle, brother, sister or parents of the same gender.  However, Republicans and Tea Party press releases want voters to think without their Political parties moral fixes steeped in Christian morality, America is doomed.   

Sadly, a lot of people are stupid or naive enough to be taken in by these tools of the twisted political system.  Until we get off our duffs and realize these are just ploys of self-centered individuals determined to snag the lucrative jobs held by elected officials, nothing will change significantly for the better.  Voters have to start sending people to Congress who will put the good of our whole country in front of special interests.  I believe President Obama is a step in the right direction therefore, I faxed him this letter:

"To My Honorable President:

Some of my earliest memories are standing in front of an old black and white TV each night as it went off the air. My Dad’s eyes would fill with tears as our family stood there saluting our flag and singing the National Anthem together. His stories of being an orderly on the U.S.A.H.S. Marigold, the hospital ship that sailed into Tokyo Bay long before the fleet arrived to accept Japan’s formal surrender, still are vivid in my mind. Because his job was caring for the physically maimed and psychological casualties of World War II, he made sure we knew the price our freedoms cost and instilled his unshakeable patriotism forever into our being.

I am compelled to send you this letter because of those values and, also, as a plea to honor the sacrifices made by so many throughout our great history to preserve our Constitutional guarantees. The movie, ’Dave’, keeps flashing through my mind. An everyday man cast unwittingly into the role of President and thrown into the devious world of cutthroat politics in Washington is able to slightly open the door to positive change in his short time there. A fairy tale...true, but one based on hope.

I believe you could be our ‘Dave’ and start turning things around where the wealthy have become our rulers and most elected officials cater to their benefactors and special interests. Although, in no way are you an everyday man, your meager beginnings exposed you to many of the obstacles we are facing in our current, hard knocks world, a debacle where the dog-eat-dog political climate is having devastating effects on the middle class and poorer Americans.

My husband and I accept our responsibility to make our own way, but see millionaires, billionaires and hugely profitable companies, some who should have been prosecuted, fined and jailed, manipulating the system to receive mammoth amounts of assistance from our government. How can we condone these actions when we couldn’t even qualify for the Making Homes Affordable program even though our next disability check doesn’t arrive till July 27th and we only have $130 to our name? Something is definitely wrong.

We need our elected officials to work together, cut out the excesses and quit squabbling over social agendas that should be left in the churches. The waste in the Congressional Budget alone is criminal! Please...don’t let Washington politics destroy what we, the people, are so willing to die for. Use your influence and help us, please..."
a:  http://articles.cnn.com/2009-01-18/politics/poll.bush.presidency_1_approval-rating-poll-greatest-presidents?_s=PM:POLITICS
b:  http://www.hnn.us/articles/5019.html


     
*During the past few months, I have been attempting to get my elected officials to do something about the 'Making Homes Affordable' program guidelines.  Although Congressional hearings determined very little of the money made available to persons in need of this assistance were given out through this initiative, neither Congressman Kenny Marchant, Senator John Cornyn or Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison did anything to correct the problems or even bothered calling me back personally.  Hutchison's office didn't even bother responding at all.  They are all part of a system that insulates themselves from their voters except in election years.  We have to make changes and rebuild the Washington establishment where it serves the Constitution and not special interests.   

Know the Truth About Your Country This Fourth of July

The Fourth of July is coming up.  I challenge everyone to research the truth behind our Constitution (d), our pledge (a), the 9th Amendment (b) and the importance of the separation of church and state (c).  We are a diverse country and keeping EVERYONE's rights in mind is the only way we will stay that way.  Rivers of blood has been shed throughout our history to insure that each person can freely worship the way they want and still fight side by side like brothers.  Let's celebrate that fact this holiday...

a:  http://www.oldtimeislands.org/pledge/pledge.htm
b:  http://www.revolutionary-war-and-beyond.com/9th-amendment.html
c:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_church_and_state_in_the_United_States
d:  http://www.usconstitution.net/constnot.html

Republican and Tea Party Candidates Sharpen Their Teeth

Republicans and Tea Party leaders are clammering for positions to win their partys' nominations for the 2012 Presidential election.  As usual, real issues are taking a back seat to social agendas.

In Tony Perkins article, Who social conservatives want for 2012 (a), he writes, "Big government is what happens when family life fractures, when mothers avoid marriage, and fathers flee responsibility. The right candidate will understand that when the family decreases, government increases. Simply put, this candidate will recognize the fact that when the natural family is looked down upon -- we will be forced to look up to big government."

Sad...Sad...Sad...Social Conservatives, mainly Republicans and Tea Party candidates, really want us to believe it's because of family issues?!!!!  Boy!  This statement reeks pure scare tactics, publicly admits what these people think about women's rights and prove they have no clue how to fix this REAL problems facing our nation!  OMG!  GAG! 

Here's the truth:  Government is BIG because the overwhelming majority of voters sit back on their apathetic, non-voting duffs and let KOOKS get into office and almost NEVER hold our elected representatives responsible for making laws in favor of their BUDS!  We ALLOW them to place the needs of this country last!  

Somewhere in our 200+ year history, the wealthy majority has manuevered our system into an almost feudal state where the only people able to run for office are the rich.  The importance of the Constitution and EVERYONE's rights are non-issues.  Compromising for the good of the whole has given way to buttering your benefactor's bread and smut throwing has been honed to an artform.

As America slowly sinks into the same pitfalls of other great nations throughout history, are we going to sit back on our apathetic laurels and allow the stupidity and greed of these wealthy money grubbers to continue driving our great nation into the ground?  I hope not.

Be heard!  Let Washington gurus know we want the basics attended to...Education, Poverty, Jobs, and Healthcare.  Visit your representatives personally, through email, letters, by phone.  Make them earn the ridiculous salaries and benefits WE PAY THEM.  Let them know you are tired of the lopsided system of government we have and their tenacity to pass laws about their personal belief system in a country where everyone is guaranteed the freedom to believe in whatever they choose.  Do it daily.  Be persistent.  The alternative is unacceptable and will lead to the eventual downfall of America... 

a:  http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/06/11/perkins.social.conservatives/  

Memorial Day...Let's Remember

To all (a) who have come before and to all who are serving now...My family honors you, your dedication, your sacrifice, your patriotism.  Thank you. 

A note to those who serve this country in an elected office...Remember why you are there, the Constitution you are pledged to uphold and the men and women who we are honoring this holiday.  This is America.  Don't cheapen their sacrifices or spit on the ideals they have fought so hard to maintain by continuing to serve the self-interests of a few...



a:  http://www.usmemorialday.org/

On a Trip...

Sorry I haven't been keeping up my normal charge to get Congress to do what Congress should be doing...running our government to benefit EVERYONE in this country, not just the wealthy.

We are having to deplete what little money is left in our savings to travel 1300 miles (one way) to our daughter who has fallen ill.  That means the few months we had left to make up the shortfall in our upside down monthly finances is coming to a slamming halt.  BUT, getting to her and helping her out is a priority.  We can always find somewhere to live.

Maybe the Congressmen and Congresswomen will read this and feel REALLY BAD the next time they waste our money on unnecessary expenses, things they could afford to pay out of their own salary and not have it provided to them by the people of this country.  Everyone else is responsible for what we need and what we can afford.  They should be as well.

I'll post more when we get home which may be several weeks.  Keep up the fight

Republicans Stoop to New LOWS...

The Republicans have had to dig REALLY deep to spin public opinion away from President Obama's gutsy orders to take out bin Laden.  BUT...never underestimate the depths some people will go to achieve their political goals!  Here they come in full force, nit-picking anything they can.

We all cheered when the President announced two teams of Navy Seals, under executive orders, had covertly entered Pakistan, without that country's knowledge or assistance, and succeeded in taking out the mass murderer.  As the story unfolded, the details of his burial at sea were released.  Done with respect for his Muslim beliefs, bin Laden's final resting place was chosen so his militant followers could not make pilgrimages to his grave and use it for their propaganda.  In Christi Choi's article in Time NewsFeed (a) she states, "According to Vanderbilt professor and Islam expert, Leor Halevi, the rituals for those who died in battle...are different; they don't require the person be buried in a shroud or someone to say a prayer...the U.S. did not try to humiliate bin Laden in death."  This whole operation was well thought out and done with attention to every detail to avoid negative repercussions. 

Now...bounce to today.  After hours of weighing the pros and cons, the President opted to not release the gruesome death photos citing their graphic nature and the fact they could incite violence and create a national security risk. (b)   Good decision, Mr. President!  BUT...The media is having a feeding frenzy over the President's decision to not publish them.  Forget, the fact he and our military just pulled off an awesome, patriotic act of heroism.  The Republicans and their pocketed media have started their smear campaign!  BAD!  BAD!  BAD!!!

Simply stated, if the pictures were released, two sides would emerge:
     Number 1:  Those who think they are gross but actual pictures of the dead murderer
     Number 2:  Those who think bin Laden is still alive and this is some Photoshop (c) hoax. 

SOOOOOOO...Why don't the Republicans just keep their trouble-stirring, publicity mongering out of this situation.  Let's take a positive moment in our country's history and not smut it up with politics.  I'm sure the President is capable and more than willing to address any questions America might have about his decision.  That list includes the relatives of 9/11 victims, our military families who have lost loved ones in the wars surrounding that day plus countless others whose lives have been negatively effected by the senseless slaughter this animal reigned throughout the world.

Shame...Shame...Shame on anyone who trys to twist Sunday's actions into anything but justified and long awaited...

a:  http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/05/05/did-bin-ladens-burial-at-sea-follow-muslim-law/
b:  http://www.todayonline.com/World/EDC110506-0000037/US-no-to-Osama-pictures
c:  © 2011 Adobe Systems Incorporated and its licensors. All rights reserved.
     http://help.adobe.com/en_US/photoshop/cs/legalnotices/index.html

The Myths About the Fed and Banking - Truth or Not

There's a little Mom and Pop restaurant in our town.  My grandchildren love it!  They dash to their favorite red vinyl booth decked out on one side with barrel chairs that must be from the 50's.  The owners always come over and chat and the waitresses know what the kids are going to order before they look at the menu.  And the menu!  You name it...It's there!  Good, homemade fare at a resonable price.

Another characteristic unique in hometown American cafes is the chatter among the patrons.  Someone always strikes up a conversation with you.  Your fellow diner might turn to you and comment on a news story airing on the old TV mounted at ceiling height in one corner.  Other times everyone might start chattering about the local football teams or hometown politics.   But, the last time we were there, an old codger sitting by himself on the other side of the see-through shelving dividing the center booths just blurted out something about seeing President Obama's birth certificate.  Giggles erupted from around the room.  Evidently, the concensus was, "Do they (the Republicans) think we're stupid, and, "How dare they waste so much valuable time debating insignificant crap when we (America) has real problems?"  The old codger nodded his head in agreement, then added, "Yeah...Like the Fed.  Now that'll scare the hell out a yah...Why don't them boys in Washington do somethin' about them folks?"

Evidently, the Federal Reserve Bank basically orchestrates everything that goes on in this country from wars, the Depression, our Presidents, fiscal policy, the mortgage meltdown, Wall Street and 9/11...Well, the list went on and on.  The room listened in awed silence as this non-descript, tussle-haired old man casually related fact, after fact about the Fed between sips of his coffee.  Occassionally, someone asked a question, but the silence was amazing.  He obviously had everyone's attention.  Personally, I was enthralled as his story unfolded and a little disturbed by what he was saying.  If his demeanor had been different, conspiracy nut would have come to mind.  But, he could have cared less what anyone thought.  He reminded me of some of my college professors citing mundane facts coming up on an exam. It was as though, we were all privy to his innermost thoughts.  I decided to do some research after going home and the scarey facts I discovered raised  goosebumps on every inch of my body...

FACT:  During Woodrow Wilson's term in office, the Congress passed the Federal Reserve Act in 1913 which outsourced the control of our monetary system to a privately owned bank called the Federal Reserve.  This central bank is broken down into twelve (12) regions across the United States. They are named after the city where they are located:  Boston | New York | Philadelphia | Cleveland | Richmond | Atlanta | Chicago | St. Louis | Minneapolis | Kansas City | Dallas | San Francisco (a)

Because I am not an expert in money matters, I decided to let some very knowledgeable individuals present my case starting with Thomas Jefferson who fought against the evils of a central bank even then.  Please listen to their warnings...

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.  Already they have raised up a monied aristocracy that has set the government at defiance. The issuing power (of money) should be taken away from the banks and restored to the people to whom it properly belongs." — Thomas Jefferson, U.S. President. (b) 

"Most Americans have no real understanding of the operation of the international money lenders. The accounts of the Federal Reserve System have never been audited. It operates outside the control of Congress and manipulates the credit of the United States" — Sen. Barry Goldwater (Rep. AR) (b) 

"The financial system has been turned over to the Federal Reserve Board. That Board as ministers the finance system by authority of  a purely profiteering group. The system is Private, conducted for the sole purpose of obtaining the greatest possible profits from the use of other people's money...This [Federal Reserve Act] establishes the most gigantic trust on earth. When the President [Wilson} signs this bill, the invisible government of the monetary power will be legalized....the worst legislative crime of the ages is perpetrated by this banking and currency bill...From now on, depressions will be scientifically created..." — Charles A. Lindbergh, Sr. (b) 

"Whoever controls the volume of money in any country is absolute master of all industry and commerce." - President James A. Garfield (1831-1881)  (h)

"Banking was conceived in iniquity and was born in sin. The Bankers own the earth. Take it away from them, but leave them the power to create deposits, and with the flick of the pen they will create enough deposits to buy it back again. However, take it away from them, and all the great fortunes like mine will disappear and they ought to disappear, for this would be a happier and better world to live in. But, if you wish to remain the slaves of Bankers and pay the cost of your own slavery, let them continue to create deposits." — SIR JOSIAH STAMP, (President of the Bank of England in the 1920's, the second richest man in Britain) (b)

"The U.S. government does not issue U.S. currency - the Federal Reserve does. The Federal Reserve is a private bank owned and operated for profit by a very powerful group of elite international bankers.  If you will pull a dollar bill out and take a look at it, you will notice that it says "Federal Reserve Note" at the top.  It belongs to the Federal Reserve.  The U.S. government cannot simply go out and create new money whenever it wants under our current system.  Instead, it must get it from the Federal Reserve.  So, when the U.S. government needs to borrow more money (which happens a lot these days) it goes over to the Federal Reserve and asks them for some more green pieces of paper called Federal Reserve Notes.  The Federal Reserve swaps these green pieces of paper for pink pieces of paper called U.S. Treasury bonds. The Federal Reserve either sells these U.S. Treasury bonds or they keep the bonds for themselves (which happens a lot these days).  So that is how the U.S. government gets more green pieces of paper called "U.S. dollars" to put into circulation. But by doing so, they get themselves into even more debt which they will owe even more interest on.   So every time the U.S. government does this, the national debt gets even bigger and the interest on that debt gets even bigger." (c)

"The study of money, above all other fields in economics, is one in which complexity is used to disguise truth or to evade truth, not to reveal it (p15). The process by which banks create money is so simple that the mind is repelled." - John Kenneth Galbraith, Money: Whence it came, where it went - 1975, p29.  (h)

 "On June 4, 1963, a...Presidential decree, <executiveorder11110.htm>Executive Order 11110, was signed with the authority to basically strip the Federal Reserve Bank of its power to loan money to the United States Federal Government at interest. With the stroke of a pen, President Kennedy declared that the privately owned Federal Reserve Bank would soon be out of business...this Executive Order has never been repealed, amended, or superceded by any subsequent Executive Order...it returned to the federal government, specifically the Treasury Department, the Constitutional power to create and issue currency - money - without going through the privately owned Federal Reserve Bank... "United States Notes" were issued as an interest-free and debt-free currency backed by silver reserves..."  However, "...just five months after Kennedy was assassinated, no more of the Series 1958 "Silver Certificates" were issued...and they were subsequently removed from circulation...Executive Order 11110 should have prevented the national debt from reaching its current level (virtually all of the nearly $9 trillion in federal debt has been created since 1963) if LBJ or any subsequent President were to enforce it.  Perhaps the assassination of JFK was a warning to all future presidents not to interfere with the private Federal Reserve's control over the creation of money." (d)

"In the U.S. economy, roughly 220 million market transactions are made without cash daily, with a total dollar value of $1.6 trillion.2 " (e) 

"Neither paper currency nor deposits have value as commodities, intrinsically, a 'dollar' bill is just a piece of paper. Deposits are merely book entries." — Modern Money Mechanics Workbook, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, 1975  (b)

"The Central Banks (which charge interest to governments for the money they produce from out of nothing, with no labour or wealth involved) have secured these loans against your future taxes. Without even asking you, a substantial part of your future worth has been put up as collateral. What Central Banks do in a big way with countries, your local bank will replicate on organisations and individuals, using the same slight of hand to produce the funds they lend out of thin air." - Alternative Trading Network article  (f)

"The modern banking system manufactures money out of nothing. The process is, perhaps, the most, astounding piece of sleight of hand that was ever invented. Banks can in fact inflate, mint, and un-mint the modern ledger-entry currency". Major L. L. B. Angus  (h)

"In the present, privately created bank credit is legally convertible to government issued “fiat” currency, the dollars, loonies and pounds we habitually think of as money. Fiat currency is money created by government fiat, or decree, and legal tender laws declare that citizens must accept this fiat money as payment for debt or else the courts will not enforce the obligation." (g)

"The American economy has been sucked dry by the Federal Reserve System. Americans think they own property but the truth is the entire United States has been mortgaged to the bankers. The Rothschilds and Rockefellers become richer while the peoples of the world become poorer. The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are also designed to loan money to developing nations with the understanding that they will never be able to repay so with every loan made to a country, it becomes their death knell. The entire world has been plunged into a debt economy which means 6 billion people are in debt to about 250 men."  Dr. Ken Matto, Former Congressional Candidate, 6th District N.J.  (g)

In Dr. Matto's article, The Federal Reserve: History of Lies, Thievery, and Deceit, he presents a history of very rich men contriving to increase their riches and power by gaining control of the monetary systems dating back as far as 625 B.C.  Since the 1700's, they seized control of a country or world's banking systems.  One name has been prominent when economies succumbed to these cartels...The Rothschilds.  Even today, according to this article, ten banks owned by this family are members of the Federal Reserve.  The family is secretive and their total wealth is virtually unknown.  If you doubt their true intents, listen to what some of them have had to say throughout history:

"I care not what puppet is placed upon the throne of England to rule the Empire on which the sun never sets. The man that controls Britain's money supply controls the British Empire, and I control the British money supply."   Baron Nathan Mayer Rothschild  (g)

"Those few who can understand the system (check book money and credit) will either be so interested in its profits, or so dependent on it favors, that there will be little opposition from that class, while on the other hand, the great body of people mentally incapable of comprehending the tremendous advantage that capital derives from the system, will bear it burdens without complaint, and perhaps without even suspecting that the system is inimical to their interests." - The Rothschild Brothers of London  (h)

"Give me control of a nation's money and I care not who makes it's laws" — Mayer Amschel Bauer Rothschild (b)

Anytime the United States Government wants money FOR ANYTHING, we have to go to the Federal Reserve and BORROW IT.  The Treasury Bonds the Fed takes in exchange for this money are either sold or held as collateral by the bank, increasing our deficit.  They determine interest rates, limit the amount of money in circulation creating cycles of inflation and despair, and do all this with no audits.  The FED controls EVERY MONETARY POLICY IN THIS COUNTRY.  Although there are those who shout the naysayers criticizing our Central Bank are all conspiracy nuts (j), the value of the dollar has declined, our debt to the FED has risen and the owners of this conglomeration of banks have steadily gotten richer.  See the chart (k) at the beginning of this article.

Many men throughout our country's history have fought to keep a Central Bank out of the United States, but the rich coalitions never gave up their attempts until the Federal Reserve Act was passed by 3 Senators prior to leaving for the holidays in 1913.  Evidence weighs heavily against the Fed's involvement with other world banks causing the Depression, wars, skirmishes, government overthrows and any number of nasty situations where the men behind the banks saw opportunities to make wind-fall profits.  And the last point I would like to make is the overwhelming truth about the ever-widening gap between the ultra-wealthy and the poor.  The story of the Fed fits the profile in this travesty to a "T"...  

a:  http://www.federalreserve.gov/kids/#regional
b:  http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Evils%20in%20Government/Federal%20Reserve%20Scam/quotes_on_the_federal_reserve.htm
c:  http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/it-is-now-mathematically-impossible-to-pay-off-the-u-s-national-debt
d:  http://www.rense.com/general76/jfkvs.htm
e:  http://www.richmondfed.org/publications/research/economic_quarterly/1998/spring/pdf/lacker.pdf
f:  http://www.seek2know.net/money.html
g:  http://webskeptic.wikidot.com/money-as-debt
h:  http://www.seek2know.net/money.html
i:  http://www.scionofzion.com/federalreserve.htm
j:  http://www.usagold.com/federalreserve.html
k:  http://hubpages.com/hub/US-Dollar-Purchasing-Power


   

Congress's Love Affair with Oil and Gas Money...

In August of '08, Lindsay Rinack Mayer, the money-in-politics reporter for the Center for Responsive Politics, stated in an article, "During his first month in office, President George W. Bush appointed Vice President Dick Cheney to head a task force charged with developing the country's energy policy. The group, which conducted its meetings in secret, relied on the recommendations of Big Oil behemoths Exxon Mobil, Conoco, Shell Oil, BP America and Chevron. It would be the first of many moves to come during the Bush administration that would position oil and gas companies well ahead of other energy interests with billions of dollars in subsidies and tax cuts—payback for an industry with strong ties to the administration and plenty of money to contribute to congressional and presidential campaigns..." (a)  Evidently, the X-President, blatantly pandered to his buddies and he isn't alone.  Let's look at some facts about the 2010 election where the Republicans routed the House of Representatives.

The following chart reflects where the big oil and gas money went during the 2010 elections: (b)
  
Rnk   Organization                     Amount      Dems   Repubs   Lobby $'s

1	Koch Industries	$1,928,262	6%	94%	$  8,070,000
2	Exxon Mobil	$1,408,162	12%	86%	$12,450,000
3	Chief Oil & Gas	$1,192,361	0%	16%
4	Chevron Corp	$941,464	17%	82%	$12,890,000
5	Marathon Oil	$680,640	18%	80%
6	Valero Energy	$636,500	15%	83%
7	Occidental Petroleum	$577,100	21%	77%
8	Devon Energy	$508,000	6%	92%
9	Williams Companies	$491,685	27%	72%
10	Chesapeake Energy	$477,056	38%	60%
11	ConocoPhillips	$475,504	28%	68%
12	Independent Petroleum Assn of America	$459,500	10%	88%
13	Anadarko Petroleum	$456,460	11%	85%
14	American Gas Assn	$386,400	43%	55%
15	Pilot Corp	$345,867	3%	96%
16	Halliburton Co	$314,280	9%	89%
17	Society of Indep Gasoline Marketers	$281,500	60%	40%
18	Tesoro Petroleum	$277,883	38%	60%
19	Clean Energy Fuels Corp	$249,150	15%	6%
20	Bass Brothers Enterprises	$247,465	26%	74%

This chart only reflects regulated contributions.  Personal contributions were much, much more in many instances.  Except in the three notated above, lobby money is not shown and 'soft money' contributions can only be guess-timated because of its virtually unregulated status.  Nonetheless, it increases the campaign funds by millions of dollars.

In 1979, Congress passed an amendment to the stiff laws governing campaign contributions, a 'loophole', allowing "...political parties to spend as much as they want as long as the money goes to "party building activities," such as "get-out-the-vote" efforts and generic advertising, such as "issue" ads.  Essentially, soft money blew a hole through the reforms of the 1970s." (c) The Supreme Court further opened Pandora's Box in 2010 when they diluted the regulations even more in this area. (d)

Remember all those REALLY ugly ads we had to endure during the last Congressional elections?  The ones packed with half truths and vicious lies?  Soft-money paid for most of them.  They reeked a devastating blow to Democratic incumbents!  The Republicans, through deceit and fraudulent ads, took the House back after they had raped America for eight years during Bush's administration! Boy! We have short memories! 

But big money political backers and players depend on voter gullibility.  They reach out to our emotions and gamble the majority of those watching their orchestrated dog and pony shows won't dig for the truth...and they are usually correct.

Politics is an ugly game that the wealthy are honing down to a fine art form.  Their money flow depends on keeping elected officials in place who will continue funneling them the money they do not deserve.  We will remain puppets on their golden strings until we decide to cut our tethers, challenge their lies and break the cycle of taking from the poor and giving to the rich.  Our choice...But I am digressing.  Let's get back to the Oil and Gas industry.

We gave them $41 BILLION in subsidies last year! (j) In 2009, Exxon made $19 billion in profits yet received a $156 million tax refund from the United States! (k) ZOWIE!  My husband and I made a little over $32K and had to pay in excess of $700 in taxes.  This year, Exxon's net income increased 69% in the first quarter, 49% of that is pure profit! (i)

Nothing short of doubletalk and subterfuge could sell subsidizing these massive money giants!  Nonetheless, that is exactly what the Republicans are attempting when they ask lower and middle Americans to tighten our belts instead of canceling billions in subsidies and tax breaks to their wealthy benefactors.  Nothing is fair about this system.  Call your reps and tell them enough's enough!

President Obama has already sent a letter to the House saying just that.  Even so, nothing has been done.  I hate to keep beating the same drum...BUT, if we as citizens in this country don't take a stand and force Congress to listen to and enforce our collective opinions, the plight of middle and poor Americans will continue to decline. 

Get on the phone today!  Call your representatives in the House and Senate. Go to the following webb site for information about who they are if you do not know:  http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml  Tell them what you think about the issues strangling our society.  Then...follow up with letters, emails and faxes.  If we keep flooding their offices with our demands, they will have to listen or not be re-elected.

Have a good day!  I'll continue my tirade tomorrow.  REMEMBER!  CONTACT THEM!

a:  http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/347/oil-politics.html
b:  http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/contrib.php?cycle=2010&ind=E01
c:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/campfin/intro4.htm
d:  http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122805666
e:  http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_local_namesblog/2011/04/trying-to-crack-down-on-unions-well-some-unions-anyway.html
f:   http://blog.pfaw.org/content/ohio-governor-signs-union-busting-bill-the-fight-isnt-over
g:  http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/03/10/divisive-wisconsin-union-busting-bill-set-to-pass/
h:  http://www.fox41.com/story/14071132/right-to-work-passes-indiana-house-committee
i:   http://dailycaller.com/2011/04/28/exxon-posts-record-profits-in-midst-of-turmoil-over-gas-prices/
j:  http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2011/0309/Budget-hawks-Does-US-need-to-give-gas-and-oil-companies-41-billion-a-year
k:  http://sanders.senate.gov/graphics/exxon-sec.doc

Upcoming...Crooks, the Fed and Congressional Responsibility

Today has been a little trying.  My son-in-law was 2 1/2 hours into a fourteen hour trip when his 1990 something car broke down...again...in the middle of booney-land.  My daughter had to drop everything, get their pets watched over, rearrange commitments she had in the community and dash off to pick up her husband.  Tomorrow, she should be able to get him to his destination and then make the long trip back, by herself, on Friday.  (Luckily, a good friend offered to make the five plus hour trip and tow my children's tattered vehicle home for them.)

In order for me to make a point, you have had to suffer through this sad, but very common tale of life in non-wealthy American class.  My children, like so many families today, are barely making a living.  Affording a new car, boarding their pets or towing and repairing their old broken down wreck are out of the question.  They have a circle of friends who all help each other out because there is no money in anyone's coffer.  Point?  We cannot afford to continue programs benefiting the rich when we are scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Now to the nitty-gritty.  Over the past few blogs, I have attacked excesses in the Legislative Budget and petitioned everyone in the USA to start calling, writing, emailing and faxing these parasites demanding they make massive salary cuts, staff reductions and expenses across the board in their budget BEFORE they ever cut programs for the middle and poorer folks in this country.  But now, I want to dig deeper into earmarks, soft-earmarks, money and gifts received from lobbyists and other benefactors and times Congress ignores really BAAAAADDDDDD things.

Starting tomorrow, I'll explore why the criminals involved in the sub prime mortgage fiasco were never prosecuted, whom they are, who let them walk, and the billions they could have paid back to the American taxpayers.

The Federal Reserve will share the spotlight.  What is it?  Who runs it and owns it?   What is its relationship with our ever-growing divide between the rich and poor?  How is it intertwined with the budget and the economy?

Finally, the full extent of our financial nightmare, all its blame and who's responsibility it is to fix this mess is going to land smack-dab in the laps of the only people in this country who can make things right...our Congressional representatives.

See you tomorrow...Have a good sleep!     

   

Taking Responsibility...

Hopefully, everyone had a lovely weekend.  The weather has been a little stormy around these parts, but very conducive to reading.

Like most Americans, my expertise is not in political science, economics or world finance, nor have my inclinations ever steered me in those directions.  Making a living and dealing with the problems of raising a family in an ever more complicated world has taken priority.  I can only hypothesize from my personal research, but this scenario appears to hold true for most citizens in the USA.

The majority of the voting population has become laxed in their democratic responsibilities and allowed 'others' to choose who makes decisions for them in Washington.   Because of this laziness, Congress has developed a habit of pleasing the ones putting them in office and passing partisan legislation littered with foolish earmarks on their behalf.  We have allowed representatives to ignore our complaints and either lie or side step the truth when we demand explanations.  AND...These situations are OUR FAULT for not holding them responsible!

As a result, good old boy politics have gradually weakened the foundations of America.  Under the precept of 'the greater good', they have disregarded the welfare of the entire country in favor of their OWN priorities, made unprecedented intrusions into our personal lives, trespassed on our Constitutional rights, involved our nation in several politically motivated wars and brought us to the brink of bankruptcy.  The wealthy have gotten wealthier and the rest of us have gone the other direction. Yet we continue to huddle in our declining complacency. 

Now, the USA is suffering from extreme, financial, morbid obesity, but Congress refuses to breach party lines to effect positive changes.  Washington's bulimic cycle of minimal restraint, massive overindulgence and financial binging is perpetuating catastrophic problems across the board.  The nation's blood pressure is rising and we are hovering on the brink of a stroke.

It is time the citizens of this country band together.  With few exceptions, we have allowed Washington to do as they please for so many decades, breaking their cycle seems an undaunting task.  But it must be undertaken!  Elected officials are sucking the life blood out of America while we sit silently grumbling behind closed doors. WE MUST ACT NOW!

Don't wait till the elections!  Washington doesn't want to deal with us on an hour to hour basis.  Write letters, make calls, send emails and faxes.  If you have trouble expressing your feelings, find an article or someone else's words that you agree with, copy it and forward it with a note saying this is EXACTLY THE WAY I FEEL!  Tell your elected officials to start working together.  Demand answers. 

When you get a generic email or form letter, get on the phone, fire off more letters, faxes and emails!  Don't let these people off the hook or turn a deaf ear.  Let them know you will not stop until changes for the better are in place.  Most important to the whole process is getting all your friends and family to do the same thing.  EVERYONE must be relentless and in the battle for the long haul...

If we can force Congress to focus on the real issues facing this country...health, education, the wars, the plight of the poor and excesses in the system...huge strides will be made to balance the budget and get our bottom line healthy again. HOWEVER, if we allow them to distract us with emotionally charged social agendas, the real problems facing America will never find resolution.  Congress will continue business as usual and MAKE MATTERS WORSE.

Think about it.  We, the people, are the only ones that can force Washington to adhere to their oathes of office and the job they were elected to do...UPHOLD THE TENETS OF THE CONSTITUTION.  The alternative is unexceptable...

What if?

What if President George W. Bush met Thomas Jefferson.  Watch this!  It's quite comical!
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/11858755

Have a nice Easter Weekend!

Whether you celebrate this weekend in church or chasing the elusive Easter Bunny and locating his eggs!  Please...have a nice one!