Home of Today's Common Sense

 Published Brownsville Herald  Jan 4, 2010

My inspiration, Thomas Paine, once said of government in his book Common Sense “We furnish the means by which we suffer”.
The vote and acceptance of the “party line” are where we furnish that means. In looking back at 200 plus years of bureaucracy; what our public leaders have told us, and the observation that what they told us and have done, are frequently in the best interest of the politician rather than the folks.
Now we have a crisis where the fine machinations of government control of banking and social engineering of housing and production have gone haywire. The response has been to identify a few crooks and keep them in the media to divert interest in the governmental screw-up. Then they borrow astronomical sums to spend and socially engineer even more. Then the rulars promise to raise taxes ever higher to confiscate even more from the folks that would provide the jobs that we need. Their majisties then seize control of banks and the means of production (cars) with the stimulus program. Worse yet China and the UN accuse our government of being a deadbeat.
After witnessing the disgusting political machinations of the past year, I am in real fear that our Nation of optimism and opportunity are nearly lost.
On Christmas Eve morning, the Senate held its vote for final passage of H.R. 3590, the $2.5 trillion government takeover of the health care industry.  Democrats passed the bill on a 60 vote straight party-line vote that many believe, that the Constitution did not give Congress the authority to establish. Perhaps we should consider the future Amendment 28,  that is rapidly becoming a battle cry;
 ”Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United
 States that does not apply equally to the Senators or Representatives,
 and Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators or
 Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the
 United States.”
More »

 Published  Brownsbille Herald  December 21 ,2009

The Holiday Season is on us now the turkey is a warm feeling in the tummy and strains of Christmas music are just arriving. That warmth and optimism that only this season can engender seems to be slow to arrive. The realities of the New Year portending little improvement for the unemployed, the economy or the daily grind, are becoming stronger. Still to come is the New Year’s celebration and the look back at what has gone into the past and the resolutions to improve ourselves for 2010.
The War in Iraq seems to be slowing but the War in Afghanistan is becoming more tentative and touchy. The pressures in the area are creating stability problems in Pakistan which has overflowed into India. The fact that both countries have nuclear weapons, and also have social and religious passions that make the concept of mutual destruction an effective deterrent, much less valid. The likelihood that Iran may also join the nuclear club as well makes “the end of days” even more possible.
Closer to our daily lives the loss of the optimism and confidence we normally have in the future, has led to a weakening of the economy of the world. This was seen first in the lack of confidence the banks have in future business which has shown itself in the retreating from extending credit. The result has been that business that depends on credit such as larger valued transactions like houses, cars and appliances have declined. More »

Published Brownsville Herald 12/6/2009

In the last several months there has been a growing interest in a political choice with goals other than expanding the power of the government. The “Tea Party” and “9-12” meetings have stirred new life in small government, responsible spending and an economy based on free trade and enterprise.
In the spate of new discussion the Libertarian Party has been discussed at length and frequently with many inaccuracies.
Most frequently, Libertarians are identified with Republicans by the Democrats and Republicans identify them as liberal because of our goals of more freedoms of choice that should be in the hands of “We the people”.
I want to point out that I am an avid Libertarian and Chairman of the local County Party. I am also very practical, not necessarily conservative as some of my colleagues suggest, in my approach to the different policies. More »