Ramblings for a Friday Morning

Yesterday afternoon I posted this piece from the Communities section of The Washington Times concerning former Presidents and their public opinions on the facebook page. Those in my inner circle know that I really like George W, and I love that he hasn't said a peep publicly about the current hot topics with regards to this administration. For me, his and his father's staying mum on these topics shows a level of class. Yes, they've been there and done that and they understand what this administration and future administrations have to deal with. I'm sure that they talk about it amongst those in their inner circles but the fact that they don't come out publicly with an opinion says a lot. Bill Clinton though has made his opinions clear, whether through himself or the actions of his wife (like he dare cross Hillary, c'mon now) and is still in the political spotlight. I know that Carter pops up every now and again, he has after all met with Assad before all of this really blew up. I just wrestle with the idea of former presidents being in the spotlight long after their terms have ended. If the administration contacts them privately, whatever, but do these former leaders really need to go and espouse their opinions in a public forum? If they disagree, doesn't that undermine the current administration? Especially with a rather popular president such as Clinton, from the beginning he was for action in Syria despite the fact that Obama had set a red line and waited over a year to reset the red line, deny he set the red line, and waffle around on the golf course debating if he was going to take military action. Maybe it's because I'm a fan of George W and the approaches he took when it came to going to war after 9/11 and the fact that he has always seemed like an approachable guy that has my judgment clouded. I'm absolutely willing to admit to that, not a whole lot of people would. I just think that the overall way that George W handled his whole presidency was with a lot more humanity and humility than what we've seen in this current administration. There weren't many flashy vacations at the expense of the taxpayers, there wasn't a whole lot of anger towards him from the military community (ok, I'm sure there was but having been in DC and heard about his visits to Walter Reed to visit the wounded warriors multiple times, his going on bike rides with rehabbing wounded warriors, and inviting the military to events not for show but just because he cared about them and their families and didn't turn it into a photo op... Just saying, the man would go into the war zone to help serve the troops turkey dinner).

The fact is, at the end of the day, this is Obama's war, not some past President's trying to relive his glory days or whatever. I have already decided my opinion when my kids, or their kids, ask me about the Great and Powerful Obama, and it won't be a pretty one. Maybe things will turn around in the next three years but I'm not hopefully as he's done nothing but make citizens more dependent upon the government, he's put the blame on everyone but himself, he still is trying to force Obamacare upon the masses while exempting himself, Congress, the Supreme Court, federal judges, unions, and everyone but the middle class. He wants illegals to jump the line and gain citizenship before those who come into this country legally, wade through the red tape and do it all right. And well we all know how I feel when it comes to him in the military. Maybe he should be powwowing with former Presidents, in private, to figure out how to not doom our country.

**Note: I edited for clarity on 9/7/2013

Rockstar of the Day

Did you catch the exchange between Rep Jeff Duncan (R-SC) and Secretary of State John Kerry? It was awesome. Seriously, he makes such valid points and I am loving it. I love that he brought up Benghazi and asked how we are supposed to send troops in to Syria but we can't even swoop in to save, let alone give honest answers to the families of the four Americans killed in Benghazi. Oh and John... John... John... You went to war, and came back and protested it vehemently in my opinion. While I thank you for your military service, I don't thank you for your political service. Perhaps it's just me, but I think you had your own little "What difference does it make?" meltdown in front of Rep Duncan yesterday. Good for you though for still trying to say that Benghazi is a phony scandal. And yes, it is about getting involved in Syria's civil war John. You said that the president has no intention of boots on the ground but the resolution passed gave way for it if need be, you even said that you're not discounting the notion of boots on the ground. As an army wife, I'm already anticipating another long drawn out war with boots on the ground and a lot more American casualties unless the Rules of Engagement are amended to shoot without discrimination because we don't know who exactly our enemy is over there. There's too many offshoot al-Qaeda groups, there's reports that both the government and these rebel groups have used gas on innocent citizens, so really let's just let them kill each other. John, tell your boss that he needs to learn how to take personal responsibility for his words and not act like he never set a red line, then try to push it off on everyone else (thanks though John for clarifying that he did indeed say that there was a red line). Tell him that he has no international allies on this so he needs to stand down. Tell him to worry about the crumbling of his own country before he goes and interferes in another nation's civil war. As for you Rep Duncan, keep on being awesome. Please don't sell out and become a RINO, America needs more lawmakers like you.

Coddling Is Always The Answer

Dang, I feel old. Seriously, I'm not quite yet 30 but already I feel like I'm super old and I just want to kick people and say suck it up buttercup! I was always under the impression until we moved here that the order of school start times always went, high school, middle/junior high school, elementary. Since when does elementary start before high school? Apparently this is a national trend, and Education Secretary Arne Duncan is proposing that schools start later. The first bell of my high school was 717am (a decade after graduating and I still remember that), yes it's early and wasn't always fun, but for the most part we all made it through (and if I can survive first period physics or first period AP biology then really??). Some families need high schoolers to start early, and before the younger grades, because of after school childcare for the younger kids. As a former teen babysitter, that was my gas money and going out on the weekend money for a long time (and in case my former families are reading this, thank you so much for trusting me with your kids and always treating me like another family member rather than hired help, two in particular and you know who you are!). I played lacrosse for a year and know that had school started later in the day, there wouldn't have been time for sports or work after school in addition to keeping up with the demands of studying and homework. I know myself well enough that I have always liked to sleep until the last possible second in the morning, so an attempt for last ditch studying or paper writing would be out the window the morning before school. I know that in college you can take classes starting at 10 and go just three days a week (or unless you stack your Tuesdays and Thursdays, that might have been the best semester ever) but not everyone goes to college and will have to work. How many of those kids will balk at the thought of getting up at 5am to get to a job that starts at 7? It's quite a possibility in this economy with more and more people only able to get part time work. Yes, getting up at 4am to help open Starbucks at 5am wasn't fun, but I did it for a time because it was the job I had, it made me money and helped me grow up a bit. And for those kids who graduate high school and go into the military, you'll learn up early, down late, sleep when you can. So should we keep coddling these kids as they get ready to embark on adulthood? Or will we just say, it's ok because as long as you can explain how you got the wrong answer you'll still survive the real world? Personal responsibility, apparently it's for the weak minded.

Afternoon Giggles...

Ahhhh I just can't help myself! I can't! Obama didn't set that red line last year, oh no... The world set the red line is what he told reporters today during a press conference. Um. No Sir, you don't set the red line for the world, just for this country. You know your country with your military, the one that you didn't keep shielded from sequestration but still expect your military to fight a bogus war for you so you don't seem like an idiot. Mmmmhhhmmm, yeah that one. (Crap, is BlogSpot going to deny my posts now because I called him an idiot? I mean, hubby and I already said that we'd probably be audited by the IRS (yeah because we're stashing cash being a junior enlisted, single income family...offshore accounts, baby!) but yeah...) So yeah, once again the red line has been moved, the blame been shifted. All Hail Commander-in-Chief of the World! Whatever. He started the red line rhetoric, now surprise, surprise he's denying it -- and once again threatening the credibility of Congress if they don't vote to strike (don't worry when it comes to head I will go through and highlight every member of Congress who voted for this ridiculous action). But it got better, did you see this? Mr Kerry cannot provide a list of those 34 nations willing to step up and aid and form a coalition with the US when it comes to Syria. I mean, I'm sure that it's all kinds of classified, but the next Manning or Snowden or whomever will leak it tomorrow. Then again, what difference does it make? I mean people are totally willing to support us, just not the British.

I've Been Doing Some Eyerolling...

So when I'm not getting irritated with the situation in Syria (hey did you hear that Kerry said that they're not keeping boots on the ground as a non-option now? Yeah, that was the sound of a bunch of pissed off Army & Marine wives right there... And no I don't care that John McCain was playing poker on his iPhone, hopefully Arizonians wise up and vote him out of office), I'm reading what I called "stupid militant liberal agenda pushing." So here we go with a run down, ready?

Todd Starnes has been keeping tabs on a bakery in Oregon, Sweet Cakes by Melissa, that has now unfortunately decided to shutter their store and become an at home bakery. From previous articles it was apparent that Sweet Cakes was a rather popular bakery for wedding and specialty cakes in the area and had contracts with other wedding vendors in the area. One day, a lesbian couple came into Sweet Cakes and wanted to order a cake for their wedding (please see my Equality... Or Something post for my opinions on this whole topic if you missed it) but the owners of Sweet Cakes, Aaron and Melissa Klein, refused because it goes against their religious beliefs. Now because some people are all about their freedoms and rights, you'd think that the Kleins would be protected under the first amendment. Silly me, I forgot, rights and freedoms are only reserved for liberals who wish to abort babies and stuff. Instead of being adults about it, leaving and consulting another bakery, the couple and their cohorts blasted the Kleins for being bigoted, discriminatory, homophobic. The Kleins have even said that they have no problem with gay people, they just feel that they believe that marriage is between one man and one woman. That's all. Nothing crazy given that's been the status quo up until the last decade. The best eye roll came when the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries said: "  Everybody is entitled to their own beliefs, but that doesn’t mean that folks have the right to discriminate...The goal is to rehabilitate. For those who do violate the law, we want them to learn from that experience and have a good, successful business in Oregon." First off, again, unless the Kleins are the only bakery within a fifty mile (I think that's a reasonable distance) radius that provides wedding cakes, then yes I could see it as being discriminatory. But I'm pretty certain they're not. In fact, I just googled it and guess what? Gresham where the Kleins did business has several bakeries and is within a 30 minute drive from Portland, which I'm sure has plenty of specialty bakeries. Second, I don't think that it's the Kleins and other Christian businesses that need to be rehabilitated, but the people who shut down these businesses. Grow. Up. This isn't second grade recess people. You're supposed to be adults but yet you wish death upon children (ha shocker, I know) over a flipping wedding cake. For a group that wants to state that they're bullied and stuff, they sure seem to be the perpetrators of such attacks on people just trying to make an honest, decent living. I'm over it.

Next eye roll please.... Given the fact that Paula Deen (love me some Miss Paula recipes!) just was battled over this, my first reaction was "Are you serious?" when I read this piece this morning. Hubby gave it a solid eye roll too. I've always given frivolous lawsuits a good eye roll because they're all too common in this country and most are over the top stupid (caution hot contents on a cup of hot coffee, main contain nuts on a jar of peanuts, I tripped over my neighbor's kid's skateboard leaving their house because I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking, etc). But with the Paula Deen case just closed and dismissed, we now have this. Granted it's slightly different as it's a black person saying it to another black person, and I commend that it shows there's usually a double standard when dropping the n-word. But $280,000 worth of commendation? I just don't know, I just needed to vent about this because it's a lot of money and now I'm wondering how many copycat lawsuits will come out of it? We've already seen that if you're white and sue your white employer for creating a hostile work place by repeatedly using the n-word it just gets dismissed (well settled, but at the end of the day, the case didn't go to trial). Will more black people use this to pressure rappers like Jay-Z and Kanye to stop using the n-word in their "art" and begin to teach younger generations that using the n-word isn't cool, that it has negative connotations and they were wrong to popularize its usage? I doubt it, but I can always hope, can't I?

Finally, the last eye roll comes from my facebook. If you follow The Young Cons, you may have seen that the admins were banned from facebook because they dared to call a liberal troll an idiot. I know, hardcore stuff there right? Well, apparently the guy that got them banned repeated referred to conservatives as "teabaggers" which is actually a name for people who perform a not so pleasant sexual act (my opinion, if you're into it go for it, but it's just not for me) but whatever. It's funny how conservative related pages on facebook get shut down at a faster rate than most others (maybe not OSMW because you know, a bunch of butthurt wives often complain about OSMW, and yes sometimes even I feel it crosses the line but eh whatever). It all comes back to, if you have a difference of opinion, that's fine but be an adult about it. I know the big thing now is all feeling and self esteem and stuff (hello Common Core!) but at the end of the day, if you can have a difference of opinion with someone and still manage to respect that person and get along with them, isn't that all that matters? Awww look at me getting all touchy-feely blah blah blah. Ok, time to finish coffee and make sure the kiddo hasn't peed all over the couch -- potty training sucks.

Just An Afternoon Snack

Hey all! Well, I can easily say that you will not be getting your snark Tuesday mornings but Tuesday afternoons. Sorry, I know but there's nothing like a little pick me up afternoon iced latte to say, "Yay, it's not Monday!" right? So this will be short and sweet.

Our economy sucks. We've sequestered spending for our military, and many a plane and a tank stays put without money to fuel it or maintain it -- including proper personnel trainings. How does one expect us to go to war and be successful when we cannot even afford to properly train on and maintain and fuel the necessary equipment? Maybe shifting that $1.5 billion in aid to Egypt will help, but is it enough? Moreover, how do you expect the people whom you put last, don't fight for when it comes to sparing them in budgets but yet you expect to be your first line of defense, how do you expect these people to support you? The photos of supposed service members covering their faces with signs saying that our military has no business going into Syria speak volumes. People want to ask how is this different from invading Iraq and Afghanistan. Really? With those, we knew who our enemy was, we knew our purpose (whether it be retaliation for 9/11 or WMD or to overthrow a dictator and install a democracy). In Syria, we have no clear target, no clear objective. Yes it is horrible that hundreds of thousands of people, including women, children, and the elderly, have perished at the hands of their own. But alas, whether or not Congress approves it, I have a feeling we'll be in Syria. I also think it's safe to say that if we do end up in Syria, any lawmaker who supported that action -- whether they have an R or a D behind their name -- should fear for their job when it comes time to elections, at least from the military community. Because in this case, we're the one percent that matter the most when it comes to war.

Bombs Away!

Every day I grow increasingly more frustrated with this administration. The American people should not have to deal with a waffle on the issues, soft on foreigners and foreign policy president. If you set a red line, you stick to it. You don't waffle and say that "Oh, we don't have conclusive evidence to attack so we're going to move the red line again, but we're watching you" and get back to your golf games, fancy dinners and ridiculous vacations. Then, when there's evidence that your supposed red line has been actually violated, you don't say that you're going to strike and then in the 11th hour back out and punt the ball to Congress, did it interfere with your tee time?

There's a thing called the Executive War Powers in which the President can send troops to war but within a certain time period, Congress must approve continuing action by declaring war or troops must be pulled from that zone. If the President had planned on let's say, a three day air strike, he could have fully authorized that without Congressional approval. Especially with Congress not currently in session, and the fact that this President has used more Executive Orders that bypass Congress than other Presidents makes me wonder. Actually, it doesn't because while discussing this with a friend over the weekend the fact is, he punted to Congress because of fear his approval rating would plummet even further. If Congress decides not to act, then he can say "Oh my hands are tied because Congress said no." Once again, we're back to the let someone else shoulder the blame so I still look good game. I hate this game, this game has been going on far too long, without the American public becoming outraged -- which is a pity in my opinion. It's ok, keep drinking the Kool-Aid.

I have stated before that I am very much against sending any military to Syria -- especially boots on the ground (which was said wouldn't happen but if we attack Syria it is only a matter of time before boots on the ground will be requested). However, by not sticking to his guns, the President has made a mockery of this country when it comes to foreign policy. Put all the conspiracies aside as to why he backed down, the fact is you cannot go into a situation about to pull the trigger and then back down. It shows weakness, it shows fear, it shows vulnerability which are the last things we need to be identified with. The President has basically invited our enemies (let me remind you that al-Qaeda is not on the run like some people have boldly declared) to come and attack us because we'll wait to respond to an attack. I know that the American people are sick of being at war in Afghanistan, that it has taken a hard toll on our people and economy over time (ask any Army or Marine family that has been through multiple deployments), and attacking a nation where you're not sure who your enemy is and then you might end up aiding your sworn enemy is definitely not a good scenario. However, because that red line was set a year ago, the President set up our nation to go to war. Now though, he's waffling to save any credibility he might have left with the American people. It would be nice if he had stuck to his red line, stuck to his threat, and actually followed through.

Unfortunately, we don't have a president willing to do that; how much longer must we suffer in limbo? How much longer until we are attacked on US soil again? Mr President, the move is yours and not that of Congress, please come off the golf course and do some good because it's your job and not because a camera and reporter are around and you're trying to get some good PR.