End of U.S. Lead Manufacturing Hurts More Than Bullet Production

Dear Readers,

This is one of those unbelievable stories about what's taking place in America today.

It is about lead. Yes, lead,

Lead has been mined for more than 6,000 years, and the metal and its compounds have been used throughout history.

Besides all over Europe and Asia, small lead nuggets have been found in pre-Columbian Peru, Yucatan, and Guatemala.

The Greeks mined lead on a large scale from 650 B.C. onwards and not only knew how to obtain the metal but how to covert this to white lead.

Because of its superb covering power, this was the basis of paints for more than 2000 years, until the middle of the last century.

The Romans used lead on a large scale, mining it mainly in Spain and Britain, and using it also for water pipes, coffins, pewter tableware, and to debase their silver coinage. Because of it softness, this easily-worked metal has been used for pipes, pewter, paints, glazes, and pottery since Roman times. 

While its mining declined in the Dark Ages it reappeared in Medieval times and found new uses, such as pottery glazes, printing type, and yes bullets.

During most of the 20th century, it has been used as a fuel additive to raise the octane levels of gasoline.

Lead is an element familiar to humans for many centuries reflected in the use of an early alchemical symbol and carved Roman characters used for the image.

Many of these uses have now either been banned, replaced or discouraged as lead is known to be detrimental to health, particularly that of children.

Daily intake of lead from all sources is about a tenth of a milligramme, and the average human body stores about 120 milligrammes in the bones.

While some worry about the mere existence of lead, lead is still widely used for cable sheathing, car batteries, lead crystal glass, radiation protection and in some solders.

The reason for its use is that lead is very resistant to corrosion - lead pipes from Roman times are still in use today - and it is often used to store corrosive liquids.

Great quantities of lead, both as the metal and the dioxide, are used in batteries. As stated before, lead is also used in cable covering, plumbing and ammunition.

Tetraethyl lead is used as an anti-knock agent in gasoline, and as an additive in paints.

The use of lead in plumbing, gasoline and paints has been reduced in the past few years because of environmental concern, as lead is a cumulative poison and is thought to affect brain development and function, especially in young children.

While lead is dangerous if digested, lead is an effective shield around X-ray equipment and nuclear reactors. Lead oxide is used in the production of fine crystal glass.

So now, a story in the news in the past week said, "End of the line for the lead bullet? Regulations, bans force switch to 'green' ammo"

The story went on to talk about how the U.S. Army's new round replaces the current M855 5.56mm cartridge that has been used by U.S. troops since the early 1980s.

The Army claims the M855A1 is more dependable, a more consistent performer, improves accuracy, moves faster. 

When the last bullet-producing lead smelter closes its doors on Dec. 31, it will mark a major victory for those who say lead-based ammunition pollutes the environment, but others warn 'green' bullets will cost more, drive up copper prices and do little to help conservation.

The bid to ban lead bullets, seen by some as harmful to the environment, started slowly more than a decade ago.

But with two dozen states, including California, banning bullets made of the soft, heavy metal, the lead bullet's epitaph was already being written when the federal government finished it off.

While the military announced plans to phase out lead bullets by 2018, the NRA (National Rifle Association said, "Whatever the EPA's motivation when creating the new lead air quality standard, increasingly restrictive regulation of lead is likely to affect the production and cost of traditional ammunition."

Then the Federal Government's EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), citing "emissions," ordered the shutdown of the Doe Run company's lead smelter in Herculaneum, Mo., by year's end.

Whether by state or federal regulation, or by market forces, lead bullets will be all but phased out within a few years in favor of so-called green bullets, experts say.

Of course, switching to copper-based bullets will cost hunters and sportsmen more and have little effect on the environment.

"Whatever the EPA's motivation when creating the new lead air quality standard, increasingly restrictive regulation of lead is likely to affect the production and cost of traditional ammunition," the National Rifle Association said in a statement

Critics of lead bullets say that in addition to lead finding its way into the water supply and food chain. They also say that people who handle ammunition have been found to have elevated levels of lead in their blood.

For me, I don't believe the Environmental Extremist who have been found to use inflated or faked data to push their agenda.

And yes, I really think the Army researching a more environment-friendly bullet at the Picatinny Arsenal, in New Jersey, since 2010, is nothing but more Defense Department Waste.

No, I'm not impressed with a lead-free version of the 7.62-mm rounds fired from M-14 rifles which will be issued to troops in 2014.

I'm not impressed that that will follow a prior switch to a greener 5.56 mm "Enhanced Performance Round (EPR)" the Army switched to in 2010..

I honestly think our Military is becoming too Politically Correct, and I really don't care if the Army says, "The EPR replaces the lead slug with a copper slug. This makes the projectile environmentally friendly, while still giving soldiers the performance capabilities they need on the battlefield."

While the Army has projected that use of green bullets for small-round ammunition could eliminate the purchase of nearly 4,000 metric tons of lead between now and 2018, Jim Yardley who is a retired financial controller and blogger for americanthinker.com, estimated it would cost $18,431,000 to replace the lead with copper.

“Nearly $20 million, not to improve the effectiveness of the ammunition used by our troops, but to protect the environment,” Yardley wrote.

Yes, in a time when we are cutting the services for our disabled veterans, Liberals Environmentalist are closing a plant which will cost the Taxpayer nearly 20 MILLION Dollars just to satisfy the other Liberal Extremists.
Besides, everyone should know that this has nothing to do with lead manufacturing, but instead is simply more Backdoor Gun Control.

In fact, in the big picture, bullets are way down the list of what lead is used for in manufacturing processes.
In 2010, Doe Run settled with the EPA and state regulators for $65 million and a pledge to close the 120-year-old smelter by year's end.

Doe Run General Manager Gary Hughes said the company tried to bring its smelter into compliance so it could continue to produce lead products, but abandoned plans in 2012 due to federal regulations.

"We hoped to be building another such plant by now; however, constructing a full-scale plant, given other regulatory compliance spending requirements, puts our company at financial risk," he said.

It is unclear if another company will open a new lead smelter in the U.S. that can meet the more stringent air quality standards.

Sure, ammunition will cost more, but where's the surprise there.

With the biggest buyer of ammo, the U.S. Army, switching to copper-core, "green" bullets, and the number of state bans on lead bullets growing, ammunition makers are adapting.

One such company is Florida-based Liberty Ammunition, which has ramped up production of green bullets by adding a second production shift.

“Copper is not cheap,” said Matthew Phillips, Liberty's vice president of sales and marketing. “Luckily, we’ve managed to find a way to keep the cost down.”

Copper bullets have a similar price point to high-end lead bullets, but can be as much as twice the cost of lower-end lead bullets, say experts.

And yes, diverting copper for bullet manufacturing could have other unintended economic consequences, critics warn.

“This will inevitably increase the cost of electronic devices that use copper," wrote Yardley."It will add to the cost of a wiring a new home, having an adverse impact on the housing industry.”

“The Treasury Department already wants to discontinue the penny due to the cost of producing it. A rising cost of copper will only add impetus to that, and might encourage them to repeat the response to a copper shortage during WWII, and produce pennies from steel.”

But with all of this information, the bigger question remains. One that no one in the EPA wants to address, "Where are American manufacturers going to get lead from or all of the other uses of lead besides bullets?"

Contrary to popular belief, bullet making is way down the list to other manufacturing processes using lead.

Fact is the single most important commercial use of lead is in the manufacture of lead-acid storage batteries. Yes, car and truck batteries, billions of car and truck batteries.

While it is also used in alloys such as fusible metals, anti-friction metals, solder, and type metal, and is used for covering cables and as a lining for laboratory sinks, tanks, and the "chambers" in the lead-chamber process for the manufacture of sulfuric acid - its primary use in the United States is in producing automobile batteries.
Simple minded Liberals think lead is only bullets and condors, but it is more than that. Just as a half a barrel of oil goes to making over 6,000 petroleum based products that we take for granted on a daily basis - lead has more important uses than just bullets.

We know about it being used extensively in plumbing, but do most folks know that lead is an excellent vibration-dampening characteristics to such an extent that lead is often used to support heavy machinery - and was even used in the foundations of the Pan Am Building built over Grand Central Station in New York City.

So now, since America is not going to produce lead - something we as a nation needs in our manufacturing processes - where do we get the lead we must have to make certain products?

Well, the Obama Administration's EPA says they don't care as long as its not in the United States.

Yes, lead is just one more thing that we will now have to buy from overseas.

Friends, if the world ever decides to start an embargo of goods and materials coming into America - all goods and materials that we are no longer producing here because of our self-righteous laws?

Well, we'd be screwed to such an extent that just our EPA laws alone would turn us into a Third World nation unable to produce a thing for ourselves.


Story by Tom Correa

The Morals Test - Be honest with yourself!

Dear Readers,

As most of you already know, I have a different sense of humor sometimes. And yes, it has gotten me in trouble now and again in all sorts of different ways.

But sometimes, it's just not my fault because I do have friends who get a chuckle out of the same things as I do. 

Take for example this Morals Test that I got from an old friend. Take a look for yourself, and see if you don't get a laugh.

If you do?  Well, we might have more in common than you think.

The Morals Test - Remember To Be Honest With Yourself

This test only has one question, but it's a very important one. By giving an honest answer, you will discover where you stand morally.

The test features an unlikely, completely fictional situation in which you will have to make a decision. Only you will know the results, so remember that your answer needs to be honest, yet spontaneous.

THE SITUATION:

You are in Florida , Miami to be specific. There is chaos all around you caused by a hurricane with severe flooding. This is a flood of biblical proportions.

You are a photo-journalist working for a major newspaper, and you're caught in the middle of this epic disaster.

The situation is nearly hopeless. You're trying to shoot career-making photos. There are houses and people swirling around you, some disappearing under the water. Nature is unleashing all of its destructive fury.

THE TEST:

Suddenly you see a man in the water. He is fighting for his life, trying not to be taken down with the debris. You move closer. Somehow the man looks familiar. You suddenly realize who it is.

It's Barrack Obama !

At the same time you notice that the raging waters are about to take him under forever.

YOU ONLY HAVE TWO OPTIONS:

One: You can save the life of Barrack Obama,  or

Two: You can shoot a dramatic Pulitzer Prize winning photo, documenting the death of one of the world's most powerful Socialist Muslim men Hell bent on the destruction of America .

NOW HERE IS THE QUESTION:

Here's the question, and please give an honest answer.

Would you select high contrast color film, or would you go with the classic simplicity of black and white?

Yes, I like Black & White as well!

Woman "Accidentally" Shot In Head by Ross County Sheriff's Department

Dear Readers,

There are all sorts of sad tales of things that could have be averted if only ...

This is one of those stories that I fought with myself about writing. The reasons are many, but it boils down to the fact that I truly believe that the vast majority of law enforcement officers in America are good people doing a very tough job.

And that in itself, the idea that it is a tough job, is a part of the reason that I'm writing about this.
In Chillicothe, Ohio, a woman was shot to death. How it happened is a strange and sad tale indeed.

At about 10:30 p.m., on December 11th, a drug task force with the Ross County Sheriff’s Department calling themselves the U.S. 23 Task Force swarmed a residence and prepared to break in and "serve a warrant" to make arrest for possessing drugs.

One of the officers, Sgt. Brett McKnight, an 11-year-veteran of the Ross County Sheriff’s Office, negligently handled his weapon and fired a round through the exterior wall of the mobile home.


467 U.S. 23 South

The bullet traveled through the exterior wall and into the residence. It struck Krystal Marie Barrows in the head. She was sitting on a couch.

Krystal Marie Barrows, 35, of Chillicothe, was “in critical condition” and flown by helicopter to Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center, where she died the following day.

Krystal Marie Barrows 

The Ross County Sheriff's Department is now saying the shot that killed an unarmed Ohio woman during a botched drug raid was purely "accidental" – and supposedly the veteran officer who fired the shot is "surprised" and "didn’t even know" that his gun had gone off.

Imagine that while you read on.

One report said that the Ross County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant by tossing in a flash grenade into the trailer which they had expected to find a large cache of weapons and drugs.

Yes, that seems to be the new way to serve a warrant - toss a flash grenade.

After detonating the flash grenade and entering the trailer, they found a 35-year-old woman, Krystal Barrows, dying of a gunshot wound to the head.

She was taken from the scene by a medical helicopter.

After the raid and the senseless killing, it seems as though Damage Control started with Ross County Prosecutor Matt Schmidt pointing out that the round was not intentionally fired, and it’s unclear whether the gunfire was the result of a weapon malfunction or user error.

Schmidt stressed that he was not at the scene and is not a spokesman for the Ross County Sheriff’s Office, but he does serve as its legal counsel.

Schmidt said it didn’t appear any shots were fired at law enforcement officers from inside the home.

Lt. Mike Preston of the Ross County Sheriff's Department, after describing the arrests and seizure of drugs found, declined comment on the killing of Ms Barrows beyond what was mentioned in the news release.

The release said the raid was the culmination of a “lengthy and ongoing investigation by the sheriff’s office and the task force.”

To me, that all becomes Blah Blah Blah!

You see, lately, like many of you who write me asking me about it, I too see a lot of use of weapons by police departments in a time when crime is actually down - that is if we believe the FBI Crime Statistics.

To me, the end doesn't justify the means in many of the cases that I've seen. I'm sorry, but I don't care if U.S. 23 Task Force found weapons and drugs of different sorts - or whether six suspects were arrested.

Those jerkweed druggies will most likely be out on bail in no time, and the picture of the guns that were seized at the scene does not exactly look like the assault weapons that people may think those idiots had in their possession.

The problem, as I see it, has to do with law enforcement who do wrong, or with any agency of government that has a situation go bad. It appeared that these agencies immediately try to minimize the real tragedy of the situation, in this case the needless death of an innocent woman, by pointing at the arrests or the seizure as being a positive of some sort or what have you.

In the case of ObamaCare, the media and the Obama administration want us to focus on the problems with the ObamaCare website and how it is being fixed - instead of focusing on the real tragedy of MILLIONS of Americans losing their Medical Coverage as a result of the requirements and regulations set fourth in the ObamaCare law.

As plausible as one can try to make it, the raid went bad and the death of this woman should not have happened.

How big was this raid? Looking at the weapons seized, not very big at all.

Take a look for yourself. And yes, ask yourself if the woman's life was worth getting this ragged excuse of weapons off the mean streets of Ross County?



Look at this assortment of hunting rifles, single shot and pump shotguns, two semi-auto SKS type weapons, and four pistols. This so-called big haul cost a woman her life.

Notice something else, unless they are stolen, they all appear to be legal firearms.

Pursuant to policy, Ross County Sheriff George Lavender called the Ohio State Bureau of Criminal Investigation to investigate the raid and what prompted the gunfire, Schmidt said.

"We’re relying heavily on BCI," Schmidt said.

Then he went on to say something that I find real interesting, according to reports Schmidt said, "Multiple task force members were armed at the time of the raid, and all of their weapons have been seized so they can be analyzed to help determine who fired the shot".

December 14th, 2013,  Sgt. Brett McKnight, an 11-year-veteran with the sheriff’s office who was recently promoted, has been placed on leave while the Bureau of Criminal Investigation continues its investigation, Sheriff George Lavender told media Friday.

Sheriff Lavender also has asked the Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association to do an internal investigation, specifically to take a look at training and policies and procedures.

Lavender referred to Sgt. McKnight as a “highly respected officer” and good employee who is “very straight-forward in what his beliefs are, his appearance, the way he conducts himself, the job he does.”

At first, they thought the flash bang might have caused pieces of a kerosene heater to strike Barrows, but then found a shell casing outside.

Once that was determined not to be the case, Lavender said, that the guns used by the officers in the service of the warrant were secured and BCI officials were contacted.

Sgt. Brett McKnight



A police investigation determined that the fatal shot had come from the weapon of Sgt. Brett McKnight. 



According to a police press release, the news came as "a surprise" to McKnight, who was allegedly unaware that he had even fired.

Supposedly, the department suspects that McKnight fired his weapon by "accident," at the exact moment that the flash grenade was detonated.

Flash grenades are used to create confusion for suspects as police initiate a raid, although in this case, the police were just as confused as the inhabitants of the trailer.

Remember, after the shooting, after a spent cartridge was found outside the home, since all of the task force members were armed at the time of the raid, all of their weapons had been seized so they can be analyzed to help determine who fired the shot.

This is one of the things that puzzle me about this story, Sheriff Lavender reported that Sgt. McKnight has had additional training, like other members of the special response team.

That includes tactical training with the North American Tactical Association Training, firearms simulator training with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, and extra hours at the firing range each month.

During the BCI investigation, Lavender said, it was discovered a bullet had accidentally been discharged from outside the door of the trailer, struck the door frame and went through the house toward the couch.

So with all of this training, why didn't McKnight know his weapon fired? Or did he and simply hoped no one would question it?

Lavender, who was at the scene, said he never heard an independent gunshot and believes McKnight’s gun fired as a second flash bang detonated just inside the front door.

“I absolutely believe this was an accidental shot. I really believe that the deputy that accidentally discharged his weapon was not aware of it at the time. You know, these are very emotional, high-stress situations. They’re going into a situation where they feel they could be shot and adrenaline is very high, emotions are very high,” Sheriff Lavender said.

Sheriff Lavender said, "Anytime someone is possibly loaded inside waiting for officers, it’s just like the military. Those people in the military fear for their lives, I’m sure my people do, too. I’ve been on the front line. It is dangerous, and you do have a sense of you have to protect yourself, but you’ve got to do what’s right.”

While I agree to a certain extent with Sheriff Lavender, because I've been there I have to say that if an officer is in fear of his life to such an extent that he might get someone killed with him being there - then he shouldn't have been there!

And while I have to admit that the unexpected happens in a stressful situation, this doesn't answer why a veteran deputy did not know his pistol just went off in his own hand - and had to turn it in to find out that it did?

While Sheriff Lavender first tried to explain that it had something to do with the stress of the situation, he then said that it was caused as flash bangs detonate, a strong reverberation is felt, and he thinks McKnight did not realize his weapon discharged.

But frankly, that is really hard to believe. These officers do not carry small caliber weapons.

They do carry weapons that are sure to let the shooter know that he just squeezed the trigger, and squeezed off a round. Accidental Discharge (AD) or not, you know darn well when it goes off in your hand.

The discharge of any weapon that a sheriff's department uses would certainly be powerful enough to let the shooter know that the weapon had been fired.

For me, to say that he "didn't even know" it went off just seems like a lame excuse for what took place.

And frankly, it is unthinkable that any police department would come up with the lame excuse that an officer of theirs "didn’t even know that his gun had gone off."

Friends, with the power to take lives comes great responsibility.

It also requires skill, proficiency, control, and safe handling of the weapons you're using. Yes, this is the difference between amatures and professionals.

It sounds like Sgt McKnight may have had a boat load of training, but little to no real skill and proficiency with firearms.

His neglect to notify his superiors that it was his weapon that was the one that discharged "accidentally" or not is suspicious.

This is why I'm writing this, I'd like to know why he didn't come forward? Why didn't he? Why didn't he simply say it was an AD, an accidental discharge?

Regrettably, it happens in that line of work to the best officers - especially in an intense situation.  

As for him not knowing, I simply cannot believe that someone cannot feel the discharge of your weapon even in a tense moment.

That, and his negligently handling of his weapon which fired a round that killed an innocent woman demonstrates his lack of ability to do his job in a safe manner.

And with all of his training, it doesn't look like more training will fix his problems.  

During the news conference, while with one hand Sheriff Lavender expressed condolences to Ms Barrows’ family - he noted she is one of the many drug-related deaths seen daily.

“I can’t begin to think of how they are saddened, and we are saddened, too, because we did something and that has happened,” he said.

“But," he said, "we also have people dying of drug overdose every day, and if we fail to continue to do the enforcement effort, I think we’re failing this community in what we’re supposed to be doing.”

Why he said this is beyond me. I hope I'm wrong, but it almost sounds like he was trying to justify her death because she was associated with people involved with drugs.

We must keep in mind that Miss Barrows is the victim here. She had no criminal record, except a misdemeanor conviction for a non-violent offense.

She leaves behind three children, ages 9, 14 and 19, according to local news reports. It was also reported that her Facebook page has her listing four children – three sons and a daughter.

Sgt McKnight has been placed on paid leave for the time being.

It would be interesting to see if the Ross County Sheriff's Department learns from this and make some serious changes.

If the department does see the killing and subsequently the life of a person associated with people who do drugs as a big deal - than maybe they should think about this, McKnight's unsafe handling of his weapon could have got a fellow officer killed.

That would also be a tragedy!

Editor's Note:

My first real training in the proper use and safe handling of multiple weapons started when I was in the Marine Corps over 40 years ago.

The training I received had everything to do with War Fighting and the "use of deadly force" in situations involving security of different sorts.


As an 0311, a Marine Rifleman, War Fighting and the use of weapons and Rifle Platoon Tactics were parts of my primary occupation.

Along with that intensive training, a great deal of my training had to do with Corrections and prisoner escort, security of special weapons and sensitive material, ship's security, facility security, security of individuals, and so on.

Later as an Instructor, I related to others one of the most important things that I was taught, "with the power to take lives comes great responsibilities."

One great responsibility is the safe handling of our weapons.

Thank you.
Tom

Military Familes Need Our Help NOW!

Dear Readers,

Anywhere between 700 and 800 of you visit my blog on a daily basis. I have not asked a whole lot while trying to furnish folks with News, Commentary, and Information on everything under the sun from Horse Care to the threat of Big Brother in Washington DC.

But now, well today we need to act.

If small blogs like mine can get the word out that Military Families are about to be screwed over by the Democrats who have absolute control of the United States Senate - then maybe we can stop it from happening.

We talk about hard times and budget cuts to the military, but the fact is they waste Billions of Dollars more than they need. It's a fact that has been documented over and over again.

It's waste on a lot of truly bullshit items that should never be part of the military's budget, but it takes place every year costing us Billions upon Billions of Taxpayer Dollars!

Yes, I support the Troops and their families - not spending Billions on bullshit! And yes, there is a lot of it.

So now, as usual, when it comes time for the rubber to meet the road and they are forced to make cuts - they shoot for the easy targets by attacking the pay and benefits of our troops.

And yes, they are subsequently attacking our Military Families who scrape by at best.

WE CANNOT ALLOW THIS TO TAKE PLACE AGAIN!

We need to stop this this time!

The Budget that was passed by the House is a crime about to be committed on our troops and their families.

We don't need to have our troops on FOOD STAMPS or other assistance programs.

We don't need to close Base Commissaries which enable the families of our troops to get their groceries and such at a lower cost. These commissaries were designed to help offset their small salaries.

Friends, the monthly salary of a Soldier, Sailor, Airman, and Marine when first entering our military is $1,050 - that's a month's wages. Yes, one thousand and fifty dollars for a new enlistee just going in the service!

If he or she is married, then they may get a few more dollars for having a wife or husband or a child, but trust me when I say that that is taken up with one fillup at any gas station these days.

We should be rewarding them for their sacrifices, not making matters worse!

It is simply wrong to promise things and not fulfill our end of the contract. It is a contract which we made with our troops and their families.

What was it that we agreed on?

The unsaid agreement between the military and the civilian population that it protects is this:

We ask our troops to fight for us, to wage war in our name; to protect us from evil and keep us safe so that we can live comfortable lives; to preserve our way of life at all costs;  to do all of this including at the cost of their own life - if that ultimate sacrifice has to be made.

And to do this, we as a society have promised: To pay them a small inept anemic wage and living allowance so that their families can scrape by; We give them 50% to 75% of that miserable wage after they give us 20 to 30 years of their lives in our service under conditions that most citizens would not live and work in; We also promise to provide them medical care to treat their injuries and wounds and ailments for the rest of the lives.

We do this because within any society, we need Guardians, Protectors, War Fighters. We need men and women who will do for us things which most in society would rather not do.  And yes, there are those who would rather shirk the responsibility to fight altogether yet enjoy the freedoms that others die for.

We do this because we need them to do things in war that will surely scar them, disable them, and in some cases completely ruin them.

And yes, they served willingly. We need them to do all of this willingly.

We ask of them to do what no one wants to do, because we know full well that someone has to. We know that some has to how, and that someone does it for us.

We ask a great deal for what we have promised to give in return. Let's keep our promises.

Our so-called "leaders" in Washington DC want to renege on the deal and cut the pay and benefits of those who fight for us.

This cannot take place and I'm begging you to please make the call or send the email or tweet or facebook. Do whatever it takes to stop this now and forever. We must live up to our part of the agreement with our military.

The sign of every great nation's demise is that it neglects and grows its disdain for those who fight for it - and as in our case, keep us protected and free.

Please let's not allow this to happen, there really are Billions of Dollars in cuts in other places.

Let's make the call!





It's not hard, we can all do it!

Step 1: Tell Congress to #KeepYourPromises

Get the word out: Search and share messages with this hashtag on Social Media

Step 2: Join us on Monday Dec 16th at 9pm EST

Share your thoughts. Join this Twitter Town Hall to discuss military pensions by searching #KeepYourPromise

Step 3: Click to send a message to auto-generate a letter to your Senator and the President.

Step 4: If you use Facebook or Twitter, click to find your state Senator’s Twitter handle and/or Facebook page and send a personal message.

Step 5: Call the number below and use the message to let your leaders know that this is not okay.

Finally, click on the following links to discover the letters that the Military Coalition sent regarding the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 sent as well as a letter that three Senators sent so regarding why they couldn’t vote for the bill.

Please, help us get the word out and take these simple steps to help protect military pay.

Dear Colleague Letter Budget Act 2013 from Republican Senators Kally Ayotte, Lindsey Graham, and Roger Wicker

http://usmclife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Dear-Colleague-Letter-Budget-Act-2013.pdf

Much thanks,
Tom

Our Government Is Screwing Our Troops

Dear Readers,

This is a very long article, a very long post. I can understand if you skip it because it is long.

But, after hearing about the new cuts that our troops and their families will be going through - I think you're really going to want to read this.

If anything, it will give you ammo when you email or write your Congressman or Senator, or Newspapers.

I list the cuts that the White House, the Pentagon, and the politicians want to make all for reasons of "curbing out of control spending" - then I list the real waste and fraud and excesses that need to be addressed.

So yes, maybe you might want to grab a cup of coffee and we take an honest look at where to cut and where not to cut.

It is no secret that Democrats hate America's troops.

Ever since Democrat President Jimmy Carter was in office, every Democrat president has also wanted to cut the pay and benefits of our troops.

Obama is no different. His administration has been looking at any and all excuses to cut our military ever since taking office.

February, 2012, the Department of Defense announced cuts to medical benefits for retirees and veterans. But what's worse, they had the cojones to say they were going to cut medical benefits of Active Duty personnel.

Imagine that for a moment. A Soldier or Marine, or Airman or Sailor is wounded or just gets hurt and needs medical attention - under the Obama Administration and the fools who kiss his behind - that individual on Active Duty, who already gets paid pennies compared to his civilian counterparts, now may have his or her medical care reduced.

And today, today it was announced that The House has a lot of fools who are Republicans as well.

Fearing another so-called "Fiscal Cliff" The House overwhelmingly approved what is being called a comprehensive Defense Policy Bill which is designed to scuttle our military by attacking the benefits that our troops receive.

Supposedly it aims to stem the so-called epidemic of Sexual Assaults in the military, which has steadily climbed in number since Gays and Women have been admitted to units where they are only a distraction and a hindrance to the mission.

Oh, I'm sorry, it's another failed Socio-Political Experiment being played out at the expense of the military.

Of course Liberals and other anti-Military politicians never apologize for saddling our military with such experiments. They want it to happen so bad that they are too damn proud to admit that it is just a bad idea with horrible ramifications.

And yes, unlike most of the politicians in Washington DC, I still remember the mid-1970s when politicians want the military to put women in combat. Yes, this is not the first time that Liberals have wanted this.

It failed back then for all the same reasons that it will fail today. Young men and women with hormones in the peak of when their hormones are raging.

And yes, I understand how Liberals think they can Regulate everything - but nature is something that cannot be made to obey - young people will do what they will do.

Did I say Liberals, yes, but that doesn't mean that we Conservatives don't have Liberals who are Republicans in name only - RINO.

In support of the cuts and the needed funds being taken from things like needed Commissaries and more pay for our troops, we Republicans have LIBERALS like Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon from good old California.

He's chairman of the House Armed Services panel, who said the measure provides "badly needed reforms to help alleviate the crisis of sexual assault in the military."

That is the perfect example of a Liberal attitude, throw money at anything they want to fix and expect that to fix the problem. Yes, stupid is what stupid does!

In the National Defense Authorization Act which to many is a chicken-shit way of Republicans avoiding a fight over budget cuts come January, there is also money to pay for the destruction of chemical weapons in Syria.

Why is that part of the Defense Bill? Why don't we take the money from ObamaCare, after all it is costing us TRILLIONS of dollars to support only a handful of Americans?

Yes, Our Government Is Screwing Our Troops!

This month, December 2013, it was reported that the U.S. military spent nearly a 500 MILLION dollars on providing refurbished aircraft to the Afghan Air Force.

But than, to add insult to injury, that investment of Half-BILLION Taxpayer Dollars was abandoned and the contract was left - yes, all those planes - were left collecting dust on airfields in Kabul and Germany.

Now, even though the planes are heading for the trash heap of the Afghanistan war, the Pentagon's top brass want to cut the military's budget by cutting the pay and benefits for housing, education and health care for our troops on Active Duty.

Yes, as asinine as that sounds, the prized features of military life that for years have been spared from cuts are now being looked at.

It is a plan to make cuts on everything that keeps our troops in our military, and attracts more people. They come for the "benefits"?

For some completely asinine reason, the Chiefs in the Pentagon are focusing their attention on making the troops suffer to save MILLIONS - instead of cutting the horseshit programs and waste which cost Americans BILLIONS upon BILLIONS of Taxpayer Dollars.

Is this history repeating itself? I think so.

When Ronald Reagan ran for president against Jimmy Carter in 1980, one of his issues was the poor pay and benefits given to our troops.

Many don't remember those days. It was a time when senior personnel left all of the branches of our military because they could not sustain themselves or families and stay in.

The Carter administration was a time when we even had U.S. Army soldiers stationed in Germany and other posts on Food Stamps. Yes, we had troops on Food Stamps because the pay and benefits were that bad.

During those years, the draft had ended and the military became all volunteer. Jimmy Carter's anti-military policies were directly responsible for a drop in Americans joining our military.

In contrast, during the Reagan years, besides returning pride in America, Reagan build up our military pay and benefits to attract people to enlist and make our military a career.

Now we have Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, our nation's top representative of the troops of all of the services, recently say "without such changes, the cost of military personnel would soon rise to 60% from about half of the defense budget."

"What we have asked these young men and women to do over the last 10 years, we can't pay them enough," Gen. Dempsey said during a conference at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. "Having said that, we also have an institution to manage."

In other words, if you are in the military right now - they are cutting your benefits!

This Is How America Thanks Its War Fighters! This Is How The United States Treats Its Troops!

The Politicians and the Pentagon Chiefs Cut Their Pay, Housing, and Medical Care.

For the anti-Military Liberal Left in this country, the RINOs and the Pentagon Chiefs are a Dream Come True!

Military officials haven't revealed details of the plan, which still must be approved by the Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and President Barack Obama before it is sent to Congress for approval.

Gen. Dempsey said the chiefs would unveil the changes when the proposed military budget is released in February.

Over the past nine months, the Joint Chiefs of Staff have been analyzing military compensation - from pay and health benefits to housing allowances to the discounted prices at base commissaries.

Previous efforts to curb benefits have met stiff opposition from veterans groups and lawmakers.

Gen. Dempsey said the military's previous efforts to change compensation were flawed because they were one-year fixes. The new approach would offer a multiyear plan to slow the growth of military compensation.

The Pentagon believes that it will make a "persuasive" argument to lawmakers that the changes are needed to balance the budget.

Lawmakers are far from certain about the plan.

"Last year Congress established a compensation review commission to look at this issue, and we have not yet received their feedback," said Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon (R., Calif.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.

"I would like to see how much we can get out of institutional reform before we look at cutting benefits for the troops."

Gen. Dempsey said, "Without curbs on compensation-spending growth, there will be too little money for building new weapons systems or training forces in 10 years."

Off the table for now are changes in the retirement system. Because the military hopes to allow current service members to keep their existing retirement plans, it will be two decades until any savings from changes in military retirement are realized, making shifts in the program less urgent.

Let's Blame Cuts! How About Not!

"You can't expect this country to maintain a strong military if we aren't maintaining some kind of common-sense budgeting," Democrat Leon Panetta, the former Defense secretary, said. "We are sending a message that the United States is going to be weak and that is the wrong message to send."

If Congress doesn't agree to lift the sequester, the Pentagon faces $52 billion in cuts in January. About $41 billion was cut this year from military spending.

Mr. Panetta's successor, Mr. Hagel, said in a speech that the military's ability to respond to crises was impaired by budget cuts.

"Inevitably, we are shrinking the size of the force that is ready and available to meet new contingencies or respond to crises across the globe," Mr. Hagel said.

Gen. Dempsey said that "if the sequester stayed in place, a large number of military units wouldn't be ready for war or other duties. Under the sequester, the military in five years will be without the necessary depth to tap in the event of unforeseen crises."

"You have just what you need," Gen. Dempsey said. "But my view of the future is, just what you need is not enough."

So let's save Billions of Defense Dollars by Closing US Commissaries?

The Pentagon is planing to close all U.S.-based Commissaries in 2015 as part of a massive cost-saving effort.

Post and Base Commissaries are grocery stores that offer food and other necessities at a discount to members of the military, their families and veterans.

But as Congress tightens the purse strings, the Pentagon brass see the stores as a way to cut the budget.

If right now you are saying, "well Tom, they have to cut somewhere?" - just read on and I'll show you where they can cut BILLIONS that make cutting the Commissaries look stupid!

Budget cutters say they don't yet know how much money the plan would save, but there are 178 commissaries in the United States - and 70 overseas - which receive a total of $1.4 Billion in government funds.

The Defense Commissary Agency, responsible for administering all commissaries worldwide, says military families and retirees save an average of more than 30 percent on their grocery bills compared with those who shop at regular retail stores.

The agency says those savings amount to thousands of dollars annually per family.

But families, who in fact make up over 40% of the folks working at Commissaries, could also lose jobs if the stores close. That means a military family gets a double hit!

So tell me, why stay in?

Forty percent of the employees at the commissaries are military spouses. The director of the Defense Commissary Agency says that they have already cut their budget by $700 million since 1993.

Other military services - including the Pentagon Channel and Stars and Stripes newspaper - may also face cuts, along with Armed Forces Radio and Television, which broadcasts football games and news for service members overseas. Stars and Stripes, an independently edited military newspaper, has been around since the Civil War and has over 200,000 daily readers.

It collects just $7.8 million a year in government subsidies. To put this number in perspective, the U.S. spent $135 million in fuel for the Afghan military this year - part of the $4 billion the nation budgeted to support the entire Afghan military this year.

Defense officials say none of these cuts have been made yet and no final decision has been reached. But, according to Pentagon Spokesman Col. Steve Warren, "everything has to be on the table."

Still, Warren said: "No commissaries have closed. No commissaries are about to close. As with every other program that's out there, we're taking a look at how we can save money. We're just taking a look. No one's decided to do anything."

Any cuts to military benefits would ultimately have to be approved and passed by Congress.

"I definitely think it's a bad thing to take away the commissaries, because that's a benefit that a lot of soldiers and family members utilize." said Sgt Major Steven Scott.

OK, so now that the Pentagon Brass are gutless in that they refuse to face real facts and places to cut - let's help them!

While the Pentagon Brass are talking about slashing MILLIONS by closing commissaries and cutting troop benefits, back in 2011 there was an Inspector Generals Report that found $60 BILLION in waste and fraud.

Friends, this has to stop! Americans are tired of the waste!
Earlier this year, 2013, I researched waste in the Department of Defense (DOD) and came up with this:

The DOD has a monstrous $629 Billion annual budget and a huge chunk of that goes to dubious projects that no one can justify as being defense expenses - or even defense related.

In 2012, Republican Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma released a report detailing where the Department of Defense could save $67.9 Billion over ten years in "non defense" spending.

He called out the Department of Defense on wasteful spending. Those cuts went into effect on March 1st 2013.

They were supposed to immediately slash $85 BILLION from the federal rolls split between the Department of Defense and other national programs grouped together.

This would have been an effort to trim the national debt.

Senator Coburn’s probe revealed that the Pentagon funded $6 BILLION in studies that have little or nothing to do with national defense or medical needs related to military service.

So how did that take place? Well, during his investigation regarding Department of Defense waste, he and his staff uncovered a great deal by asking three simple questions:

• Does the mission of this program or agency directly relate to the mission of the Department of Defense?

• Does another federal agency or government or private entity already provide the services provided by this program or agency?

• Could these resources be better targeted towards higher priority defense needs, such as taking care of troops on the front lines or reducing our $16 trillion national debt?

What he and his staff found was merely a smattering, a skimming, a “starting point for reviewing Pentagon spending that is unnecessary, wasteful or simply not related to defense.”

Here is some of what the Coburn's investigation uncovered:

$6 BILLION on the Department of Defense (DOD) funded research, and you won't believe the types of research!

This is not made up! The DOD funded research examining what the behavior of fish can teach us about democracy.

The Department of Defense funded development of a smart phone app to alert users when to take a coffee break.

The Department of Defense funded research examining how to make silk production from wild cocoons in Africa and South America.

The Department of Defense Funded a study that concluded people in New York use different jargon on Twitter than those living in California.

The DOD has eight full time DOD employees who serve on Board of Geographic Names.

What do they do? They are in charge of naming streams, mountains, hills, and plains across the United States. Imagine that!

The Department of Defense funded reality cooking show called Grill it Safe featuring two “Grill Sergeants,” who performed a 46-minute cooking video.

The Department of Defense funded beef jerky development. Specifically, the project aimed at making "thin, rolled up" beef jerky from a company in France.

The Department of Defense funded research examining the social interaction between robots and babies.

The Department of Defense has spent over $1,000,000 on workshops studying interstellar space travel.

And believe it or not, those workshops asked such important National Security questions, as: "What will interstellar explorers wear?” And, are you ready for this one, “Did Jesus die for Klingons too?”

And yes, the Department of Defense funded a study that determined "a man holding a gun appears more masculine than he would otherwise."

Of course let's not forget the Department of Defense funded research to conclude that Petri most likely had feathers.

What is Petri you ask? Well, it was a dinosaur that flew.

Archaeopteryx, which existed 150 million years ago and long considered to be the first bird, probably had black feathers which may have helped it fly, according to research funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR).

How about cutting some of the $15.2 BILLION the DOD spends annually on Education.

What sorts of education you ask? Well, how about programs to educate children of military families in the US, as well as programs that duplicate the work of the Department of Education and local school districts.

It also includes college funding for military members on active duty and duplicates the work of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

And yes, the Department of Defense also spends $10.7 BILLION of its annual budget on education programs that duplicate the work of the Department of Education and local school districts.

And believe it or not, the DOD operates special schools. The Coburn report shows how one such military school in Dahlgren, Virginia, is less than one mile away from a public school.

Those special schools operated at a cost of over $50,000 per student.

Imagine that for a moment, $50,000 per student.

That is in contrast to the Department of Education has found the average annual cost per student in America is $11,000 per student.

Like ObamaCare, the Department of Defense is ripe with corruption, graft, bribes, lobbying, and Government Career Administrators that are so inept they would be fired from most civilian jobs because of their incompetence!

Why does it take $37 BILLION to operate The Pentagon just as overhead? What is the excuse for spending $37 BILLION on “Overhead, Support and Supply Service” on Operational Costs "unrelated" to the DOD’s primary purpose?

Someone is getting rich and I want them put in PRISON!

This includes more than 300,000 members of the military service performing civilian-type jobs. Why are do we need members of our services doing civilian-type jobs?

More incredible is the fact that the Pentagon's "overhead, or desk job budget," is more than the entire GDP of the nation of Israel.

• Then there's the $6 BILLION spent annually on non-military research and development.

These are research projects that have little or nothing to do with national defense, according to the report.

• The DOD spends $700 million spent on developing “alternative energy.”

But so what if this includes duplicative and unnecessary alternative energy research being done by the Department of Energy, right?

Before touching troop pay or benefits, and closing commissaries for military families, why not make real cuts that don't affect the Military's effectiveness.

Here where they should be cutting:

Get rid of the 8 full time employees who serve on the Board of Geographic Names, which names streams, mountains, hills, and plains across the United States. No exactly what you think of when you think of a Defense job.

Get rid of the DOD production company that is producing those 46-minute video productions called Grill It Safe featuring “grill sergeants” showing off their own recipes

Save $1 MILLION by stopping the workshops studying interstellar space travel. We don't need to spend money one what people will wear on a space ship to another solar system

Get rid of the program that spends $1.5 MILLION to procure beef jerky advancements from France.
Do as the British military did in 2012, stop redundancy.
We can save BILLION of DOLLARS on questionable, duplicative and unnecessary research, including the $5.2 MILLION the DOD spent to determine what lessons about democracy and social decision-making could be learned from fish.

We should fire whoever came up with the idea of finding out what lessons about democracy and social decision-making could be learned from fish. He or she should be fired.

Why fire him, or her? Simple, we don't need people in the federal government who have no care or concern as to how much money they are spending our money on bullshit like that jackass project of trying to study "democracy and social decision-making" of fish.

The Department of Defense invested part of its budget in more than 100 renewable energy-related projects in 2010, even more than the Department of Energy itself, and with similar results:

“Many of these DOD renewable energy projects were so poorly planned, they failed to be cost effective or even produce [any] power, wasting millions of national security dollars.”

Among other agencies which the DOD duplicated work, it duplicated work done by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by doing research “into the very same diseases already being studied by the other agencies.”

The DOD also duplicated work done by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). From the report:

The Navy funded research examining what the behavior of fish can teach us about democracy while also developing an app to alert iPhone users when the best time is to take a coffee break. No kidding, this is for real!

And as insane as it sounds, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research funded a study in 2011 examining how to make it easier to produce silk from wild [silkmoth] cocoons in Africa and South America.

And yes, believe it or not, both the Navy and the Air Force funded studies that concluded that people in New York use different jargon on Twitter than those living in California.

What does that have to do with our security or our military effectiveness? Nothing!

And yes, the federal government is ripe with scammers and con artists who see those in the Department of Defense as being dumb enough to spend taxpayer dollars on anything and everything - including crap that has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the defense of our nation.

Someone should take a hard look at what Senator Tom Corburn's investigation uncovered and make cuts there first before touching the pay and benefits of our troops.

Someone should be asking why?

Why is the Department of Defense spending our tax dollars on things that have nothing to do with defense of our nation?

And more over, now someone should be asking Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the rest of the Pentagon brass, the simple question:

How can he or anyone else in the Pentagon even think of cutting pay and benefits, as well as closing commissaries for families, yet still spend money on an annual basis on the waste that Senator Coburn uncovered?

While I'm certain that the Pentagon Chiefs have to play up to the Obama Administration with cuts that Democrats would love to see, such as to pay and benefits of the troops, the Joint Chiefs should stop kowtowing to Obama and cut where cuts need to be cut.

They should focus on the revolving door of Officers going to work for Defense Contractors who steal, waste, American Taxpayer Dollars!

They should look at the waste and the asinine programs which we pay for.

We in turn should be charging brass in the Pentagon with Treason if in fact we find out that they cut any of the services given to our troops and yet waste BILLIONS upon BILLIONS in pet projects, silly programs, and redundant waste.

My message to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is the same one that I give to Conservatives in Congress:

Be brave and earn the rank, office, position and responsibility that you have. Show real leadership and make cuts to the waste before touching troop benefits. Quit being gutless wonders who can't stand up to anti-Military politicians in the Obama White House and Liberal politicians of either party. And please, start doing what we all should be doing -

Support The Troops Above All Else!

That's how I see it!

Tom Correa

Colorado Democrats - They Are A Conniving Bunch!

Dear Readers,

A few of you have written to ask me why I perceive Democrat as devious cowards always conniving behind our backs?

Well, yes, I do see them as a conniving bunch!

Yes, I said conniving.  Why? Well, because whether its to others or society as a whole, they are "given to or involved in conspiring to do something immoral, illegal, or harmful."

That's what Democrats do! And yes, Colorado is great example of this.

As soon as Democratic Colorado state senator resigned on November 27th to avoid a recall election over a her voting for an over-reaching gun control law that led to the ouster of two of her colleagues earlier this year, the Democrats out in Colorado were at it again!

Sen. Evie Hudak, who has represented a district that includes Denver’s western suburbs since 2008, announced her resignation less than a week before opponents planned to submit petitions to recall her.

Hudak said she decided to resign to protect the new gun control legislation and to ensure her constituents would not have to pay for a special election.

“Though it is difficult to step aside, I have faith that my colleagues will honor the legacy my constituents and I have built,” she said in her resignation letter to the Colorado Senate.

"Legacy"? What "legacy"?

Let's face facts here, she was going to be run out of town on a rail so she quit first.

The recall efforts came after Colorado's Democratic Legislature and governor last year approved a slate of gun-control measures including ammunition magazine limits and expanded background checks.

The limits were the first to be adopted as a knee jerk reaction outside the East Coast after the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

Because they went against the wishes of their constituents, in September, Democrat state senators John Morse and Angela Giron were recalled in favor of Republican replacements over their support of the legislation.

So how does any of this make this situation another example of conniving Democrats trying to do an end run around the wishes of their constituents?

Well friends, KDVR reported that by resigning, Ms Evie Hudak ensures that a Democrat will be appointed in her seat and the party will retain its one-seat majority in the Senate.

If she didn't resign, the Democrats would have lost that one seat majority if Hudak was successfully recalled.

What does Democrat Evie Hudak get out of it?

How about her showing her communist brethren that she has so much loyalty y to the party that she is willing to step aside and allow anothe Democrat to fill that spot?

Let's be honest here, that sort of loyalty among such people is worth a lot - especially is she wants to be appointed to a political position or go higher in the Democrat Party.

Communist love other communist who will work for the collective, even if it means screwing the very people they are supposedly representing.   

The resignation of Democratic Sen. Evie Hudak, who left her seat last week in an effort to stave off a special recall election, has left a committee of Jefferson County party activists to appoint her successor.

A vacancy committee made up of about 70 Democrat precinct leaders and district officers will meet to choose between former Rep. Sara Gagliardi and Arvada City Coucilwoman Rachel Zenzinger.

Gagliardi is no stranger to the state Capitol, having been elected to the House in 2006. But in 2010, Gagliardi was unseated by a Republican.

By contrast, Zenzinger brings to the race a record on the Arvada City Council that dates back to 2009.

Both say their political leanings are left of center, and both support the gun restrictions that were passed. Both apparently supports limits to ammunition magazines and background checks.

The candidate to emerge successfully from the vacancy committee must run for re-election in 2014 in a district that is easily among the most competitive seats in the state.

Hudak won the seat in 2012 by less than 600 votes with a third-party candidate on the ballot.

Gagliardi said, "I have more experience than my opponent. I've passed bills, and I know what it takes to get things done."
Zenzinger said "It's about meeting the needs of the constituents, no matter what party you represent."

Yes, like with most politicians, their rhetoric all sounds great. But too bad it only lasts until they are sworn in. After that, it's a matter of showing the other Demorats that they are team players and are willing to screw the citizens if asked by their party to do so.

Am I saying that Republicans don't act the same way? Well, yes and no.

Anyone who watches the news and politics will have to admit that Republicans are 100% more scrutinized than Democrats are in all sorts of ways.

Sure, there are those fools that try, but on the overall Republicans are crucified if they try the things that most Democrats get away with on a routine basis.

Most Republicans know this is true. And yes, most know that even if they wanted to try to work the system to their own advantage - they'd be tried and convicted by the mainstream liberal media before they knew what had hit them.

On the other hand, like spoiled children who know they can get away with almost anything because they are so loved and cuddled by the liberal media, Democrats are willing to give anything a try - even if it means it being illegal and they'd be screwing their own constituents.

Don't think so? Think about the example of Obama screwing over his own supporters who he openly lied to just to get what he wanted with the passage of ObamaCare.

If Obama were a Republican, friends, there would be riots in the streets with people calling for the repeal of the ObamaCare law and his Impeachment.

But since he is a Democrat, the liberal media is still on his side and doesn't care if more than 7 Million Americans - many his loyal supporters -have had their Health Care Coverage cancelled because of Obama's lies.

How can you tell they are still on his side? Well, the liberal news media is working to get the American people to focus all of their attention on the problems with the ObamaCare website.

They are doing this even though they know that the website is of small insignificance when compared to the cataclysmic problem of Millions of Americans losing their Medical Coverage because of the bad law known as ObamaCare - which should be repealed.

By focusing our attention on the problems with the website, the liberal media helps the Democrats with getting the focus off of the real problem of Obama screwing the entire nation as a whole.

The Democrats in Colorado are no different than those in Washington DC, California, New York, or Chicago. They work the system and use people to their own advantage

In Colorado, the Democrat candidate that receives the majority of the votes from the Senate District 19 committee - a committee run by Democrats - wins the seat.

All committee members must live in the Senate district, which spans Arvada and Westminster.

Under Colorado law, legislative vacancy committees are used when lawmakers leave office before elections — often this occurs through a resignation.

Colorado House Speaker Mark Ferrandino, another Democrat, had also assumed his office through a vacancy committee.

In fact, besides Ferrandino, it seems that several other current Colorado state lawmakers were first elected to office through vacancy committees.

"This is not an ideal circumstance to have a vacancy committee appointment meeting," said Democrat Kathryn Wallace, the committee's chairwoman, "But it is a great process that allows us to democratically choose our next state senator."

No its not! She is dead wrong!

Fact is, it is just plain and simple that Hudak's resignation opened the way to keep a Democrat in her seat. It was a devious way of depriving the citizens in Hudak's district of democratically choosing their next state senator through a special election.

An election, which pols show they would lose overwhelmingly.

No matter how the Democrats want to paint it, it is an end run by a bunch of conniving Democrats to work the system to their own advantage while cheating the citizens of Colorado out of their right to vote. That's all it is!


Story by Tom Correa
 

Nelson Mandela - Why Was He So Famous?

Dear Readers,

The picture above is of Nelson Mandela and Fidel Castro, a man who is said to have been Mandela's "hero". A man who Mandela admired for decades.

In fact, Mandela had very close friendships with both dictators Fidel Castro and Muammar Gaddafi.

A few days ago, President Barack Obama eulogized Nelson Mandela as “a man who took history in his hands and bent the arc of the moral universe toward justice.”

Obama, speaking shortly after South African President Jacob Zuma announced Mandela’s death, called Mandela “one of the most influential, courageous and profoundly good human beings that any of us will share time with on this earth.”

He went on to say, “We will not likely see the likes of Nelson Mandela again — so it falls to us as best we can to forward the example that he set: to make decisions guided not by hate, but by love, to never discount the difference that one person can make, to strive for a future that is worthy of his sacrifice.”

While no representative from the United States was sent to the funeral of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Obama himself will drop everything here and go to South Africa for Mandela's state funeral on Tuesday.

Obama so loved Nelson Mandela that he has ordered American flags lowered to half staff through Monday in recognition that “the United States has lost a close friend, South Africa has lost an incomparable liberator, and the world has lost an inspiration for freedom, justice, and human dignity.”

Wow, imagine that! Of course, he did not bother even noting former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's close friendship to the United States - but than again, she was not liked by Democrats and the Liberal Left.

Prime Minister Thatcher did so much for America. What did Mandela do for us? Nothing!

Talking about himself, there's no surprise, Obama said, "I am one of the countless millions who drew inspirations from Nelson Mandela’s life. I cannot fully imagine my own life without the example that Nelson Mandela set. So long as I live, I will do what I can to learn from him."

So yes, I want to know exactly what Mandela do to become so famous? Why is he famous? Why is he getting so much praise?

After looking into Mandela's life, I don't see what made him so special that Obama would think we will never see another Mandela type of person again?

Could this be just another Obama hype of someone that he and the Liberal Left, yes the Democrats, admire? A Communist.

How about we look at the truth about Nelson Mandela, the man, the myth, and South Africa as it is.

First let's talk about why he was in prison?

Under the terms of South Africa’s Suppression of Communism Act, and as a result of the conviction at the Rivonia Trial, Nelson Mandela was found guilty of sabotage, and the ANC (African National Congress) was branded a terrorist organization.

Here are the charges Nelson Mandela faced:

One count under the South African Suppression of Communism Act No. 44 (1950), charging that the accused committed acts calculated to further the achievement of the objective of Communism;

One count of contravening the South African Criminal Law Act (1953), which prohibits any person from soliciting or receiving any money or articles for the purpose of achieving organized defiance of laws and country; and

Two counts of sabotage, committing or aiding or procuring the commission of the following acts:

1. The further recruitment of persons for instruction and training, both within and outside the Republic of South Africa, in the preparation, manufacture and use of explosives - for the purpose of committing acts of violence and destruction in the aforesaid Republic, (the preparation and manufacture of explosives, according to evidence submitted, included 210,000 hand grenades, 48,000 anti-personnel mines, 1,500 time devices, 144 tons of ammonium nitrate, 21.6 tons of aluminum powder and a ton of black powder); and the art of warfare, including guerrilla warfare, and military training generally for the purpose in the aforesaid Republic;

2. Further acts of violence and destruction (these include 193 counts of terrorism committed between 1961 and 1963);

3. Acts of guerrilla warfare in the aforesaid Republic;

4. Acts of assistance to military units of foreign countries when involving the aforesaid Republic;

5. Acts of participation in a violent revolution in the aforesaid Republic, whereby the accused, injured, damaged, destroyed, rendered useless or unserviceable, put out of action, obstructed with or endangered: the health or safety of the public; the maintenance of law and order; the supply and distribution of light, power or fuel; postal, telephone or telegraph installations; the free movement of traffic on land; and the property, movable or immovable, of other persons or of the state.

So no, unlike what the Liberal Left wants us to believe, Mandela was no Gandhi! 

In fact, even up to the point when Nelson Mandela was President of South Africa, his name remained on the US terrorism list for years. In fact, it was only eighteen years after his release from prison, on July 1st, 2008, that NBC reported:

"This morning, President Bush signed into law a bill granting Secretary Rice the authority to waive travel restrictions on President Mandela and other members of the African National Congress (ANC). The bill was sponsored by Democratic Sens. John Kerry and Sheldon Whitehouse, along with Republican Sen. Bob Corker.

The senators say Mandela and ANC members remained on the list 'for activities they conducted against South Africa’s apartheid regime decades ago.' They also said in their written statement that the removal 'end[s] an embarrassing impediment to improving US–South Africa relations."

As for Mandela being elected President?

The world is full of examples of despots like Castro, who started out as some sort of revolutionary fighting against oppressors - but in fact became oppressors themselves.

While Obama wants to heap Sainthood on Nelson Mandela now that Mandela is dead, he should be honest with himself as to what Mandela actually do.

While Mandela was president of South Africa, with a population of 40 million, around 23 million lacked electricity or adequate sanitation, 12 million lacked clean water supplies, with 2 million children not in school and a third of the population illiterate.

There was 33% unemployment, and just under half of the population lived below the poverty line.

Being a Communist, Mandela sought to nationalize industry, but the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) was scaled back with none of the proposed nationalisation or supposed job creation taking place all because of lack of funds to make the take over take place.

Instead, the government adopted liberal economic policies designed to promote foreign investment. With that, under Mandela's presidency, welfare spending increased while he was president.

As for further domestic problems under President Mandela?

Well, Mandela's government was accused of doing little to stem the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the country; by 1999, 10% of South Africa's population were HIV positive.

Mandela later admitted that he had "personally neglected" the issue. But besides neglecting the AIDS pandemic in Africa, Mandela failed to combat crime - subsequently South Africa had one of the world's highest crime rates.

This more than any other reason is said to be the key reason cited by the 750,000 whites who emigrated in the late 1990s.

Of course, their is the other problem of Mandela's administration being mired in corruption scandals with Mandela being perceived as "soft" on corruption and greed.

All in all, as president, Nelson Mandela was more concerned about Foreign Affairs than he was with things going on in South Africa. He himself said he left the business of his nation to others.

Fact is, Mandela is celebrated for what he has done for South Africa yet when he was president of that nation, during the same time he also served as President of the African National Congress (ANC) from 1991 to 1997, and on an Internationally level Mandela was Secretary General of the Non-Aligned Movement from 1998 to 1999.

So yes, I can see why his critics say he was not an effective leader when he was president. It seems that like Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela seemed to care only for his own legacy.

So why the praise from the Liberal Left?

Other than being a Leftist Communist revolutionary who once tried buying arms from Communist China, being convicted of terrorist acts including the death of the innocent during his acts of sabotage, being in prison, and then getting out and resuming his political ambitions which resulted in him becoming South Africa's first black president, what is Nelson Mandela famous for?

If that's it, than why are the folks on the Liberal Left so enamoured by him?

Being honest, that doesn't seem like much considering its Africa and they have had many revolutionaries who have also been terrorist, have tried buying arms from other Communist countries, have been in prison and have risen to power after being set free. In fact, some Marxist Communist dictators like Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe are still in power. 

Was he in power as South Africa's President for very long? Not really, only from 1994 to 1999.

Granted, that once in power, unlike other Leftist Communists around the world, he didn’t keep a secret police watching his political enemies, and didn’t stop political dissidents from leaving the country.

Heck, even President Barack Obama has admitted to having an "Enemies List" containing his political foes on the Conservative Right.

Mandela did in fact, unlike Communist leaders such as Castro and Stalin and Mao, hold free elections with multiple parties. And yes, it is also true that he did not have the wives of jailed prisoners beaten or threatened.

In fact, even Obama has used the power of the government such as the NSA, the EPA, and the IRS to keep track of and threaten his political opponents. Yes, Obama has authorized the persecution of some.

Obama has used the New Black Panther Party to intimidate white voters back East as they arrived at their polling places.

The Liberal Left always seems to excuse those sort of action from those they side with. Whether it's murderous Communist tyrants and dictators, or the Democrat Party, but why won't they at least acknowledge that Mandela himself didn’t need to do such criminal acts?

Unlike Barack Obama, Mandela never used government agencies and the tax system against his political enemies, he never summarily suspended laws whenever he felt like it, and surprisingly Mandela didn’t use the government to suppress his political enemies like Obama has.

And yes, I do find it strange that Nelson Mandela’s South Africa required Voter IDs, and no it was not called "racist."

In South Africa, Mandela made it so that a citizen voted using their South African, green, bar-coded ID or a valid Temporary Identity Certificate (TIC). 

All you had to do was apply for a green, bar-coded ID or a valid TIC from the Department of Home Affairs to vote. Anything remotely similar is fought against with both tooth and nail by Liberal Leftists here.

Was that for all South African residents? Yes, everyone. Under Mandela, it was such that only South African citizens with a green, bar-coded ID book can vote in elections.

So what is Nelson Mandela famous for?

Well, he won the Nobel Prize and the Order of Lenin awarded by the former Communist run Soviet Union.

He was an admitted Communist, and his allies were peoples and nations unfriendly to the United States and our allies.  

To write this piece, I researched "what is Nelson Mandela famous for?"

And no, I could not find one thing that he ever did in a positive way for the world or for his nation of South Africa that would be considered great. It seems all the work was done by other and he simply reaped the rewards of their work.

What am I talking about? The myth!

The Myth - It's all just a lie!
The myth behind Nelson Mandela is that he is responsible for ending South Africa's apartheid system of government.

According to the left Mandela is "the father of modern South Africa," but that simply is not true.

The man who should have that honor bestowed upon him is former South Africa president F.W. de Klerk who really was the man who ended apartheid.

Obama addressed part of his remarks to the people of South Africa, praising them for being an example to the world of “renewal and reconciliation and resilience.”

This is a great rewrite of history. But friends, that is not true.

Apartheid was being dismantled long before Nelson Mandela ever got out of prison. That's just a fact. He was still Prisoner 46664 when apartheid was all but completely dismantled.

Early in 1989, South Africa President Botha suffered a stroke and was succeeded as president soon after by F.W. de Klerk.

Despite de Klerk's initial reputation as a hardliner, he was just the opposite.

He recognized the International pressure, including the economic problems which there was all associated with keeping apartheid - subsequently it was de Klerk, yes he was the man, who moved decisively towards negotiations to end the system of apartheid in that country.

In de Klerk's opening address to the South Africa parliament on February 2nd, 1990, de Klerk announced that he would repeal discriminatory laws and lift the 30-year ban on leading anti-apartheid groups such as the African National Congress, the Pan Africanist Congress, the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the United Democratic Front.

De Klerk brought The Land Act to an end. He also made his first public commitment to release political prisoners, to return to press freedom, and to suspend the death penalty.

Under de Klerk, media restrictions were also lifted and political prisoners not guilty of common-law crimes were released.

Later on February 11th, 1990, de Klerk had Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners released from Victor Verster Prison.

As for Mandela, it was de Klerk who ended his more than 27 years of confinement.
So in reality, de Klerk ended apartheid before he released Mandela from prison.
So why is Nelson Mandela famous? Why the praise from the Liberal Left?

It seems to me that there was nothing really special about Nelson Mandela, except for one thing:

When he became President of South Africa, though he was an avowed Communist, he didn't follow the same abusive policies as other Communist leaders such as Castro who controlled his people with an iron fist.

In fact, Nelson Mandela is the only Communist leader that I've ever heard of who really wasn't a human rights violator to the extent that other Communist leaders had been while they were in power.

But honestly, I really don't think that that's why the Liberal Left thinks he's so great.  After all, the Left likes their Communist leaders more like Obama and Castro and Mao - tyrannical and iron fisted!


Story by Tom Correa