Dear Family, Friends, Well Wishers and Those Who Enjoy Hearing About Other People's Operations

If I have been out of touch for a while now it is because my wonderful wife and warden Pattie has not let me near a computer.  What started out as a fairly simple procedure to place a stint in a heart valve ended up as a trip to the operating room loaded with people and all the required bells and whistles to take me through the process of having a triple bypass.  Since many of my friends are a bit older than dirt, I quickly learned that the commonality of the operation ranges somewhere between getting a splinter removed from your toe and a botox injection.  The surgeon flying this link of my medical journey is a fellow by the name of Ruben Flores.  He told me not to worry because he had done hundreds of these bypass operations on people.  (Though I didn’t know it at the time, the guy who operated on Rep John Murtha used the same line on him) Anyway, to make a short story longer I slept and the medical gang cut me more times than Bennie Hana chops up steak.

I came back to reality in the ICU, where a wonderful nurse by the name of Lois spent the next 14 hours tending to all my cries for help, whiny comments, moans of pain,and demands to see my attorney.  She had hoped to get rid of me at the end of her 12 hour shift, but I guess the relief nurse got wind of the crazy old guy in ICU and ducked out on her duty by calling in sick.  At the 14 hour mark the charge nurse called Elisabeth took over for Lois and sent her home.  I didn’t mess with Elisabeth.  She was a big gal who carried around sharp instruments and immediately too control of the situation by yanking about a dozen tubes, lines, and taped up places where a guy should be allowed some small grain of modesty.  She was my shepherd for the next four hours.  By that time she was sick enough of hearing all my whimpering to get rid of me.  She found me the nosiest room in the hospital next to a mail shoot, a vacuum tube delivery system and the ice machine.  She also made sure that the guy who drives this zambeeny-like buffing machine spend a lot of time shining a spot right in front of my door.  Now the nurses on th cardiac care unit are not as kind and loving as those in ICU.  These guys and gals have the system down to a science.  As the huge clock on your wall makes sure you know the exact second in they march every 15 minutes of the day and night.  There are probes, meters, needle, sticking things, pills, charts, IV bags and I think that once I even saw someone’s sack lunch swinging from a long pole by th bed.  With every IV, with every blood check, with every probe, they say “See that wasn’t so bad, was it?  Now get some rest.  I have yet to figure out how anyone “gets rest” when they are stabbed with something sharp every 15 minutes 24/7.

The operation took place on Wednesday. By Sunday I had made myself into such an obnoxious old coot that I received the fastest cardiac hospital discharge in history and was sent home.  There Pattie,( my warden) and sister Darlene starring in the role of Nurse Cratchet have been on me like hawks 24 hours a day.  I have now been locked up like this for three days. ( That is 634 days in hospital time.) I am allowed to walk twenty or thirty steps and hour, take pills, and sleep (that is a joke) in my recliner.  I also found out through astute detective work at one of the pills the hospital send home gives a person extreme constipation and denies them any change to slumber. Since Pattie and Darlene work in shifts, this morning there was finally a gap in their defenses.  Both were asleep at that same time.  I was able to sneak into the computer room and softly type out this cry for help.

Still, on a serious note, and with hopes of avoiding litigation by Harlingen Medical Center due to my hospital related commentary, I had a grand surgeon, wonderful nurses and care givers, good food, the prayers and well wishes of soooo many people and the dearest thing of all....the care, concern and attention of a loving wife, a devoted son, a gentle daughter-in-law (another of those Nurse Cratchet people) and a family that shows its love openly.  I am feeling well and have found my computer hiding in a back room.

The Military Community Says, "Stop Spending!"

Harlingen, Texas, February 1, 2010:  This week the Obama Administration submitted a $3.8 Trillion budget to Congress, which forecasts a $1.6 Trillion budget deficit for the coming year.  While this was taking place Americans across the country were calling out their concerns about the economy, excessive spending and loss of American jobs.  Loudly voicing such concerns, many members of the 29 million military veterans and retirees were among those speaking out.

Veterans and military retirees always find a sinking economy more than just news headlines.  Large numbers of them live on very limited or fixed incomes.  Among those who are still part of the labor force there is even greater concern.  While the national unemployment rate hovers at around 10%, our American veterans are among the most seriously impacted people in the labor force.  Unemployment for veterans stands at a national high of 11.2%.

Grant Beck is a retired Marine Corps Sergeant Major who lives in Jacksonville, NC.  He believes we should completely stop pork barrel spending and earmarks attached to every bill that ends up on the White House desk.  “I’m willing to bet that alone would go a long way toward getting this obscene debt down significantly.” He continues saying, “Simplify the tax code and cut taxes, especially corporate taxes that are now causing jobs to go off-shore because that is the only way they can make a profit.  With lower taxes the companies would hire more American workers…and then generate more taxes and revenue for the government.”

Writing from the Philippines is retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Paul Kelly.  He starts off saying he was a registered Democrat in Massachusetts and adds, “We need to face the financial problems of the country with control, as you need it in your personal life.  We need to spend wisely and control borrowing.  The idea of taking from one to give to another just because the other exists is not reasonable.  Redistribution of wealth is a failed theory of socialism and has no place in a democracy.  We need an economy where a person can earn his own way and where those physically or mentally unable to care for themselves are taken care of in a reasonable, humane way.”

Another veteran, Pete Church of Plano, TX says, “Whether it is a new or old idea, cut taxes - as this is always the way to stimulate the economy.  Cut government spending.  Create a balanced budget amendment with no exceptions.  You should only spend what you have in income.  There is nothing genius here, just common sense.”

Wayne C. Bucklaew, a retired Navy Chief from Natalie, VA believes the Democratic House and Senate are doing everything possible to deny promised retirement benefits.  He also thinks, “We should get the government out of Wall Street, the banks and the auto industry.  This is not a socialist country; it is a private enterprise country and should remain so in all respects.  The Bush tax cuts should be made permanent and the death tax abolished completely.  A person works his entire life to leave a nest egg to his children than has the government take 50% of it for him succeeding in life.  There should be no such tax on anybody, anywhere, under any circumstances.”

Another Navy Chief who retired after 20 years of service is John Billings of Templeton, MA.  He too is concerned about the economy.  “To make it better means tax cuts,” he says. “We need tax cuts to stimulate the economy, no making more government funded jobs including socialized health care or phony cap and trade legislation. I am against affirmative action and the government telling banks who they have to lend money too.”

A retired Marine Colonel, Jim Bathurst tells us about his neighbor who just retired as a union carpenter.  “He got a letter” say, Bathurst, “telling him he will have to expect a drastic cut in his pension in coming months since there are not enough workers paying into the union pension fund to maintain the payments for those retired.” He writes this to point out that not only is the national debt a major concern, but also since everything flows ‘downhill’ public and private debtors is impacted.  As an economist he also sees more trouble on the horizon.  “Our debt is encumbered by many other factors that no one has even considered.  For example, a second wave of mortgage defaults is just around the corner and it is larger than the first.  The FHA is raising down payment requirements, which will qualify fewer homebuyers.  Home prices will decline again.”

Army veteran Eric Muth says, “We need a new stimulus package that encourages the manufacture of products by Americans and at the same time tightens trade restrictions geared at a balance of trade requiring our trading partners to import from us as much as they export to us.”

Retired Marine Gunnery Sergeant Jaime C. Aguilar-Allen wants to see this country “Lower taxes, which will encourage business to restore its outsourced labor.  Lower taxes will encourage American manufacturers to build American and buy American.  An American built item with American labor may cost more than a Chinese made part, but by the offset of a lower tax base that cost of American products should remain relatively stable.”

Another retired Marine Colonel, Jim Carothers of Slidell, LA strongly believes we need job creation through a tax system reform and free market incentives.  “We need business and investment tax breaks”.  He claims this will unshackle American business.  He would also like to see us, “Change the current income tax structure to a flat tax system where everybody pays.  If you can’t pay your taxes, you are not building America, you are just ‘Overhead’, not value added.”

Carothers would eliminate death taxes, eliminate capitol gains taxes and have no more sin tax increases.  He also believes Congress is ‘squandering’ our tax dollars because we allow them to do it.  He feels we should demand that such practices stop.

Rita Singer or DuBois, PA wants Congress to start showing some ‘Financial Responsibility!’ “This means stop deficit spending.  If you don’t have the cash in hand, you can’t spend it.  You can’t afford everything.”

And finally, Art Cohan, a retired Master Gunnery Sergeant from Harlingen, TX writes, “It seems to me the crux of the problem in that city (Washington) is the career politicians with their uncontrolled wasteful spending, mostly aimed at gaining votes to perpetuate their careers.  The first step should be term limits aimed at returning our elected officials to the ‘citizen politicians’ serving a brief period, rather than a career.  They would be less prone to cater to party and administration and more inclined to answer to the constituents.  We also need a ‘Required Reduction’ in the budget, not just a balanced budget.  This should be maintained until the real deficit is zero!  The third step should be total transparency, so that most shenanigans, pork deals, etc. are exposed as they happen.”

A Message From The Band of Brothers

Harlingen, Texas, January 27, 2010:  There are an estimated 27 million men and close to two million women who are veterans or serving on active duty in the armed forces of the United States.  They rank among the most patriotic of our citizens, are predominantly conservative in their political ideas and in recent years tend to be moving away from membership in either the Democrat or Republican Party.  We sent a call out to those veterans who were now among the ranks of independent voters and asked them to tell us their concerns as we entered another national election year.  They were asked to list and rank their top political issues. Though only the top three concerns were requested, most lists ran far longer.

This collective group of individuals named national security as their primary worry.  Though it was followed by a variety of concerns about healthcare, excessive spending, the economy, high taxes and immigration there was no topic that garnered more dialog than the veterans’ observations that our entire national security effort is totally inadequate. It is not surprising that national security concerns were at the top of any veteran’s list.  What was interesting, however, is that topic was the lead concern by three out of five respondents and appeared on seven out of ten lists.

Ranking their concerns in order of group importance, the veterans listed: 1.National Security
2.High Taxes
3.Healthcare
4.Economy
5. Excessive spending
6. Immigration
7. Lack of honesty, honor and fiscal responsibility by Congress
8. Ear Marks
9. Term Limits
10.Energy independence

Charles Northington of Plano, TX is a veteran of the Army Air Corps and a retired Captain of the United States Public Health Service. He spoke of national security saying, “America and the world cannot allow Radical Islam to establish a caliphate or any other union of the Muslim nations.  Such a union would guarantee another round of religious crusades in the near future.  Also, we cannot allow international criminals such as the mafia or the drug lords in Mexico, South America, Afghanistan, Iraq and the Middle East to literally take control of nations.

“America must develop means of stopping other nations and groups from supporting the Radical Islamist terrorist and the international criminals.  Such programs must give some concern to relationships with non-radical Muslim groups or governments.”

Robert Pullease served as a Marine Staff Sergeant in Vietnam.  He feels political correctness is eating away at our national security.  “When you bend the rules to keep from hurting someone’s feelings you end up endangering and infringing on the rights of everyone.  These are not disadvantaged people.  They are law breakers.”

A twenty-year Navy veteran, John Billings says the main threat to our country is inattention to national security.  “We need full time security”, he says, “This means NOT giving constitutional rights to terrorists and not having rules of engagement placed on our troops.”

John Clayton, a retired Air Force Master Sergeant says, “National Security should be the priority always.  I believe in a strong defense and to hell with the appeasement factor.” He would assure this needed attention to defense by electing only individuals of proven integrity and honesty “ instead of those in bed with the political correct crowd.”

A business development manager and a former Marine Captain, Dick Brammer says he wants to see, “A forceful anti-terror campaign, including keeping Gitmo open and no civilian trials for terrorists.”

Many of the veterans called for governmental action against CAIR (Council of American Islamic Relations) calling it a known terrorist sympathizer.  They also want the government at all levels to admit we are at war with Islamic terrorists and end the political correctness that surrounds all actions related to these people who are engaged in an act of war against our country.

Grant Beck is a retired Marine Sergeant Major from Jacksonville, NC.  He wants us to get someone with a backbone to run for office.  He wants to see his leaders to “Tighten up all borders and get the immigration situation under control.” He also wants our leadership “Standing up straight and with a steady gaze, willing to spread the word around the world that this is the greatest nation on earth.”

Gale Gabriel is an Air Force veteran and independent voter.  “What do I want?  Total crackdown on any terrorist activity is necessary.  If water boarding is considered torture, so be it.  American lives are far more valuable.  We are not the aggressor.  Send them to Gitmo for a quick military trial, or how about paying Mexico to imprison them for life.  It would be cheaper than keeping them in our prisons.  Harsh??? Damn right!  Keep this country strong.”

Bill Murphy of Alvin, TX says, “Three top things, toughness on terrorists, strong support for Israel and fight for the unborn!” Another Texan, John Borley says, “Stop Mirandizing and coddling terrorists through our U.S. Court system.  Use a tribunal and get intelligence information from terrorists that can save American lives in the future.”

Veteran Jim Adams now retired from the FBI writes, “Terrorism – we have got to do a better job of handling it. This includes more than Afghanistan.  The entire Middle East has large populations that would love to see us disappear.  We cannot change ideals, so we need to find a better way to deal with it.”

Retired Colonel James Carothers of Slidell, LA had extensive comments on national security.  He believes we should have a global theme…”Build America – Defend America” and strongly points out, “If you are not contributing to at least one of the above, you are just ‘overhead’.” He believes political party affiliation is irrelevant to this theme.

Carothers explains himself in this way, “We are in a long war.  We don’t have a choice in this matter; the elements of conflict are fixed and will not change.  Give them the ‘pointed end’ of our superior technology. Stop allowing and enabling Muslim Extremists to conduct combat operations in Minneapolis, New York, Washington, Pennsylvania or any sovereign American territory.”

He concludes saying, “Interdict 5th Column Muslim infrastructure (domestic) within America.  Stop prison recruitment effort.  Stop the flow of dollars from domestic charities to Muslim Extremists. Defend the homeland aggressively.  Protect American citizens from the Muslim Extremist threat and fight on their turf…not ours!”

There were many strong words written in the messages from these people.  The words are all from individuals who have given our nation substantial years of their lives.  They have defended the Constitution and because of them and millions of their brothers-in-arms we still enjoy freedom.  If elected officials should listen to anyone, it should not be the backroom dealmakers, but those among our citizens who stood tall when their country called. If the politicos can’t do that one simple thing, they should…

Remember Massachusetts!

Independents Rising - But We Still Have A Predatory Congress

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Harlingen, Texas, January 18, 2010: Scott Brown has come to Washington and is being wooed by Republicans and Democrats alike.  That his election was a historic moment is not in question.  That he is potentially a political game changer is a surety.  But, those of us who cast ballots to place our elected representatives in the seats of power must not forget we still have the same political elites in power who were there before the first vote was cast on that fateful Tuesday morning in Massachusetts.

Is there anyone in America who still giving Congress the benefit of the doubt?  Is anyone still of the mind that these are kindly, benevolent, dictators who are looking out for you and me?  If such a person or group exists their common sense is surely in question.  At this hour we find ourselves at the mercy of the most predatory Congress in the history of this country.  The huge election in Massachusetts may change the tone, as they all scramble to find the best face to put in front of the public, but it does not change the villains who reside behind those Capitol Hill doors.

For those you, who think the Brown election trumpets in a new era of Republican rule, be reminded that the same GOP officials who squandered their majority through waste, neglect, arrogance and mismanagement are still in office, even if their numbers have diminished.

It was not Republicans who elected Scott Brown.  It was not Democrats who have given him a chance at national office.  It was an overwhelming number of Independent voters who have finally said ‘enough ‘ to the Washington fat cats.  When Brown said in debate that the office he was seeking was ‘the people’s seat’ he spoke a hard truth.  Across the country, people have become disillusioned with political parties.  From the Tea Party Movement to local political forums the American people are demanding a return to constitutional governance.

This is nothing new for Americans.  The Father of our Country was the first who voiced distain for political parties.  When George Washington took his oath of office, there was no such thing as a political party in this new United States of America.  By the time he left public life, he was warning his countrymen about the dangers that could arise from the forming of any political organization.

In his farewell address Washington said, “All obstructions to the execution of the Laws, all combinations and associations, under whatever plausible character, with real design to direct, control, counteract, or awe the regular deliberation and action of constituted authorities, are destructive of this fundamental principle, and a fatal tendency.  They (political parties) serve to organize faction, to give it an artificial and extraordinary force; to put, in the place of the delegated will of the nation, the will of the party, often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community; and according to the alternate triumphs of different parties, to make the public administration the mirror of the ill-concerted and incongruous projects of faction, rather than the organ of consistent and wholesome plans digested by common counsels, and modified by mutual interests.” Washington’s words went unheeded and by the time our second president had completed his term of office, political parties had become a reality.

If anything meaningful can be learned from the Massachusetts election, it should be that the Independent voter is far more important than any political faction.  Those voters in the Bay State saw very clearly that we have a predatory Congress in power that has completely ignored and has shown total distain for the will of the people.  Those same voters took action to correct that serious flaw in our current congressional makeup.

As we move though the months marching toward November, all Democrats should worry about their future electability.  At the same time there should be no glee in the ranks of the GOP.  They too, have been part of the problem, not part of the solution.  They too are at risk of ending their political careers.  Those office seekers who can embrace the Constitution and common sense will prevail and the predators will find a scant menu to satisfy their hunger for power as ‘The People’ start filling the seats of power.