Obama event in Greensburg

I went to listen to Obama yesterday. He bothers me a bit on taxes. He wants to raise the FICA base which hits both individuals and businesses. As for the Bush tax cuts, if you remember when W ran in 2000, the reason for the tax cuts was the surplus. Remember the line, it's the people's money. Well, we have a deficit and a war now. I suppose I can live with the a small roll back of those cuts. As for the payroll taxes, I would need to see how this really saves social security and what effect it will have on employers. I'd rather go on a Disney cruise than pay higher taxes.

I am for any health care plan the spreads the risk as long as the US Government does not require "wealthy" (what is that) individuals to pay higher premiums.

For the 100th time, Obama is a Christian.

If I were president, I would have dialogue with our enemies too.

I am not sure if he is JFK or RFK, but I can tell that he is no Jimmy Carter.

Rhonda and Natalie at the Obama Town Hall Meeting

My view from the cheap seats.

Bono is still the coolest person on earth

Natalie and I went to see U23D. It was awesome!!!!! Bono wore a headband like below and spoke about religions common ground. It was quite interesting.



Here is another blog with a take on it.

At one point, maybe it’s the highest peak of the show, maybe it’s the lowest … Bono blinds himself with a headband that spells COEXIST using the symbols of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. He sings “Father Abraham speak to your sons, tell them NO MORE! MO MORE! MO MORE!” He gets the massive audience chanting with him, then they sing “Sunday, Bloody Sunday,” a song about the religious wars of Ireland.

I hear what he is saying. God gave Abraham a promise that his children would be numbered as the stars in the sky and the sand on the beach. The Jews, the Muslims, and the Christians are all the descendants of Abraham. Bono is saying that we should stop fighting, that we are brothers.

These days European Christians tend to underline different parts of their Bibles than we do. Now, I can be just as creeped out by the neo-commie, blindly Utopian, naively pacifist agenda of the Coexist organization as anyone, but I was encouraged by Bono’s message. I don’t believe that wars will end between the sons of Abraham until Jesus puts an end to them, but it is telling that a Christian is the one calling for peace. It is telling that the biggest pop Christian in the world (50 foot tall by my estimation) is the one calling for peace between the sons of Abraham. The Christians are to be the peacemakers. AMEN LINK

"Fawning" over Mike Reese?

From Sunday's whisper column in the Tribune-Review:

Today, county political players are reportedly fawning over Reese, 29, in his bid to succeed outgoing state Rep. Jess Stairs, a Republican from Acme, who is retiring this year.

Maybe I am not a "county political player", but in all honesty I had two candidates that I thought would have been incredible candidates, but the timing just wasn't right. They were elected officials in Hempfield and Unity Townships. I also wanted to give a special shout out to Jess Stairs for his selfishness in not telling anyone that he was not running again. Had I known a year ago about this, I had another incredible candidate for the seat. Jess Stairs did not leave a positive legacy as a state represenative so why should it come as no surprise that his "surprise" retirement made it difficult to field candidates.

Check into how much money is drained from your school district because of the ridiculous cyber school funding debacle that Jess Stairs left us. What a disaster! Hopefully, it will be fixed.

I have to come clean on one thing. When I fervently supported Jess Stairs two years ago, I had no idea how much money he accepted from the Pennsylvania State Education Association. My bad. I looked foolish over that one. Actually, I looked like a political hack on that one. I apologize to all.

Saw the Go Gos last night at the Palace Theater

Belinda Carlisle and my wife both looked spectacular dressed in black. My wife turned 41 today and she looks incredible. Elizabeth enjoyed the show, but Natalie found the experience miserable.

Fellow republican committeeman Chuck Konkus was also at the show. From my vantage point, I could not see if he was dancing.

HD 59: The Jess Stairs seat

Jess has decided not to run. I plan on no endorsement convention for this position. I reserve the right to personally support a candidate. I am looking for someone who will:

1. Shake things up in Harrisburg
2. Work to make it easier to grow buisness in Pennsylvania
3. Make it easier for families to afford college education in Pennsylvania
4. Work with Mike Turzai to forward the conservative cause in the House
5. Fix the cyber school funding mess that Jess left the school districts.
6. Understand the mess that health insurance is.