captainseapig's Blog

When you vote is it an automatic decision. Do you fill in the circle or pull the lever of the candidate you have voted for before. The incumbent. I want to address State Politics in this blog. Not national. Our state is dominated by one party. Think about it. No new ideas or policy shifts. No looking at things in a different light. No change no progression no REAL debate. Favors always going to the same people, nepotism and corruption are unbridled. 

I want to encourage and plead with people to vote for someone other than the incumbent. Vote for someone different from another party an independent a libertarian a republican. It is essential that we have more diversity at the State House. Look at it this way, picture yourself in a school, lets make it a Catholic School the nuns are in charge and they have been there for 50 years. Polices are the same teaching style is the same. The precepts they teach are the same although the world around you and them has changed dramatically. Wouldn't it be interesting, stimulating and ultimately good for all if new teachers were recruited. Lets say a  jewish history teacher  and a gym teacher from the inner city, a math teacher who has a Ph.D. in string theory, a male music teacher like Mr. Holland. You get the picture. Lets mix it up at the state house it can not get any worse. Vote for someone other than an incumbent or run yourself for office. A Governor can not make all the improvements, there must be debate and close votes in the house opposing opinions, challenging stagnant, punishing and unfruitful policies.

This morning on the TV news show, Good Morning America. I saw Quomo interviewing Jimmy Carter at the DNC. The camera switched to a close-up and boom, I was blown away. Jimmy Carters left eye ball

looked like something from the movie 'Alien'. It scared me. I think his blood pressure was so high that it broke every vessel and capitulary in his eye. It looked reptilian in nature. Whats going on with Carter did Billy open another beer company? Did he have surgery or is politics finally getting to him.

Nowhere in the country is there a state like Massachusetts. So monopolized by a one sided senate for so many years. Here in Massachusetts one party rules. Who thinks this is a good idea? I would like to hear your comments. As a metaphor ,what If this situation were a marriage and one person ran everything overpowering their spouse and children at every turn. How would that marriage work. Would common goals and happiness be achieved? Would there be positive change and progress? You tell me.I have lived here most of my life except for the time I was away getting my education. Certain other states are much more productive and have balance in the government with opposing views and compromise. I fear Massachusetts because of voter apathy, ignorance, elitism and misplaced intellectualism has become mired in stagnation and an inability to change for the better. Each organization thats wants to thrive puts in fresh blood every once in a while. Old folks retire and younger folks add vigor and enthusiasm. This is what needs to happen here in Mass. New people! More Republicans and Libertarians and Independents. My suggestion is vote every incumbent out. Simple. Any new people simply can not do  worse than who we have now. A basic step in the right direction is to vote for the non lawyer, we have to many of them in office as it is. When I go in the voting booth this November I will not vote for an incumbent.

With gas prices soaring and food costs climbing. Riots in the streets of other countries over rice and wheat supplies. Rationing at BJ's on rice just 50 pounds per customer. Economic turmoil. I look at Mr. Romney and his fiscal management skills his hard core polices that make things happen. A anti waste attitude and strong organizational skills and wish he were still in the race. He has an understanding of international business Obama and Clinton do not possess. He has a even temperament that McCain doesn't possess. He looks better all the time. I'm sorry he's out of the race.

Two of the lamest arguments that keep popping up against MItt. The first is his being absent from the state. He delegated authority to his Lt. Governor which is perfectly legal. She was competent and fully capable of carrying out his agenda. There is technology, cell phones, blue tooth's, blueberries, communication devises galore. Plus jet aircraft to zoom him home if the situation was urgent. Executives everywhere use these tools when away from the office and their companies are just fine. Now there is some hypocrisy with this argument in that John Kerry I seem to remember was absent frequently from important votes that effected Massachusetts. Often he wouldn't be in his Massachusetts offices but on the beach with Teddy somewhere in Florida:)
The second argument is his flip flopping. People change, I think he is sincere when he has changed his position to a more pro life stance. I am proud of him for not apologizing for that. This is a change for the better. It's like criticizing a thief who decides not to steal anymore. I challenge people who are not voting for Mitt because of these two reasons to look at all the other good things he has accomplished. His Character, his service, his helping the Olympics succeed at a critical time in our country just after 9-11. His sterling business reputation his ability to negotiate, his eloquence in speech and quick mind. His global understanding of business. His family man values. this example alone our country desperately needs. His unflinching support of the Constitution and what it stands for. I look at his overall quilifications/resume and see someone I want to hire for President. I'm not going to be swayed by polls or celebrity endorsements or flashy ads. I've done my homework and have not let the media or anonymous others decide for me. I hope you do the same. Use more brain and a little less feelings although feelings are important we are to control our passions with wisdom. Lets use lots of wisdom.

What are the processes that help you to make up your mind or make a decision? Do you use your intellect or your heart? Are you moved by heart felt declarations or solemn fact filed lectures? Or both? When you chose your spouse was it all intellectually based or were your feelings involved? Lets not leave out passion, to much passion not enough common sense? Do your decisions always turn out to be the wrong ones and always turn into a disaster? What is the correct way to make a decision? Are you one who follows your friends? Remember your mom chastising you, "If all your friends jumped off a bridge would you go too?"!! Do you involve God? Do you depend on your own wisdom or do you involve a mentor or older person with experience? Do you think older folks are stupid and out of touch with todays problems and complex issues therefore making their advice in your process invalid? Are you afraid to ask questions to help your mind understand and therefore feel your decision would be invalid anyway (self esteem, my decision wouldn't matter anyway)? Are you a decision bully and cause all your friends to decide the way you do through emotional abuse or intellectual intimidation? Remember we have a heart and feelings for a reason.

I watched Mitt on Meet the Press with Tim Russert this morning and watched him answer questions in an attempt to reason with Tim. The Problem with Mitt is that he appeals to 'Thinking Americans' he is not a 'sound bite' answer guy. He approaches a problem or question with reason and decorum. He's thoughtful and procedural in the way he answers. It takes some getting used to. I am afraid most americans are 'TV Thinkers' were their attention span is so short that anyone who takes to much time in answering a question is mentally tuned out. Mitt is methodical in his answering of questions. Russert continually tried to trap Mitt with questions based on 'half of the story'. I liked the forum and found it interesting. Mitt is not for the superficial thinker or the citizen who likes quick answers to complex problems. Mitt is for the citizen who ponders and thinks about the issues, who aren't impressed by celebrity endorsements or media flattery. You can be assured that Mitts problem solving capabilities and the methods he uses are based on sound judgement and reason without pandering to any particular interest group. He will surround himself with the best this country offers. His cabinet will be made up of men and women of high degree and impeccable standards the best in their field. I doubt there will be political appointments I think they will be made on merit and capability, intelligence and patriotism.

Mormons account for 1.6% of the American population but more than 5% of elected representatives in Congress. Are you freaking out yet? You shouldn't. Lets name some. Jeff Flake (AZ) John Dolittle (CA) Wally Herger (CA) Howard McKeon (CA) Ernest Istook (OK) Mike Simpson (ID) Thomas Udall (NM) Rob Bishop (UT) Chris Canon (UT) Lets not forget Harry Reid Democratic Majority Whip. Oh yes, remember Orrin Hatch (UT). He's tight with Ted Kennedy.
Shall I name some Mormon Governors we all know Mitt, then there is former Gov. Mike Beck, democrat, he was just confirmed Secretary of the EPA. Lets not forget Stephen R Covey author of 7 Habits of Highly effective People. On the best seller list forever. Then the Mormons church accounts for 15% of all Boy Scout Troops in America. We're takin over! Run for the hills! When I look at these statistics I see a very patriotic people as patriotic as any in America today. My advice, relax, take a deep breath and look at your Mormon neighbors with a clearer understanding know that they have traditional values were God, family and country are paramount in their lives. Mitts speech is old news to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

25 years ago while I was driving into Massachusetts on the turnpike with my new bride. The Berkshires were covered in beautiful fall colors. The leaves were brilliant the sun was out casting heavy shadows and making all the color vibrant and almost electric. Dramamama said, "how beautiful' it looks like cotton candy". Having lived on the west coast she never had seen a New England fall. It was just then that we got our first flat tire on our 2,300 mile trip from Los Angeles. While I pulled over and began to fix the problem, I could see Dramamama was looking a little anxious. I pretended to read her mind and said things like. I can't believe I left my family in California to be with this guy on the east coast, what was I thinking? Or, Is this an omen of things to come the second we get into Massachusetts things start falling apart? i was having some fun at her expense. The trouble is when I got in the car after the repair she said, "you were reading my mind". Wait till you experience politics here, I said, people here are bi polar politically. In a landslide they elect Reagan and at the same time on the same ballot elect Ted Kennedy. I explained to her that if the colonial fathers were alive today they would cause another revolution and tar and feather 95 % of Beacon Hill. 25 years later here we are steeped in liberalism. Ironic considering our roots are in Puritanism and religious freedom with conservative yankee values. Oh ,how far we have strayed from good yankee common sense. I'm tired of politics right now and wish that the election process was short. 6 months is plenty of time for people to decide. Elections should be held in early July when the weather is good and everyone is out of school and not as busy. We would have a better turn out.

Dramamama sent me a link to a CNN article on Hillary Clintons campaign today. Apparently a college student was approached by a member of her staff. This female student was asked if she would like to ask the senator a question on the energy situation in the country. The student thought for awhile and said she would be glad to.Perhaps she said, " i could ask her the difference between her policies and those of her opponents". The staffer suggested that it was to tough a question for the senator to answer since she didn't know all the facts. He opened a binder and on it were categorized questions to be asked the senator. The staffer scrolled his finger to the, "college student question" and asked her to approach the senator with this exact question in the book. To make a long story short the student declined then told her story to her school newspaper. She was being recruited as a plant. Several plants were recruited that day. She was wise enough to see how unethical it was and how insincere and duplicitous desperate politicians can be.

Joke of the year, Mitt's sons don't serve in the military sounds like he's raising chickens. I was surprised to find that I couldn't respond or comment directly to Neaco's blog entry.
My brother is a Vietnam Combat veteran and also a mormon, what does this have to do with Neaco's comments? Let me explain, most young men in the Mormon church when they turn 19 years of age are strongly encouraged to serve as missionaries full time for two years, about 50% do. Right now there are about 60,000 young men serving throughout the world, quite an army. When my brother came home from Vietnam he volunteered to go on a mission for the church. He went to Germany. when he wrote home he said in his letters that a church mission is more difficult than serving in Vietnam in most instances. What! more difficult? He had to learn the language of the country, he became fluent in 6 months, he went door to door continually 12 hours a day for 2 years getting doors slammed in his face. Big deal right, nothing like a bullets screaming by your head. Well Paul had both experiences. The emotional and physical challenges of serving the frustration of not being able to communicate the discipline of getting up voluntarily and not being compelled, no dating no partying complete dedication to the Lord for two years at 21 years of age, easy?
All of Mitt's sons have served honorable missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. they volunteered to do so. All missionaries are unpaid and on top of it, their families pay for it or the missionaries themselves. They learned foreign languages, withstood mocking and persecution in some instances. Taught many the gospel of peace. Doing good in the world at young age. The same age as our soldiers liberating other countries. They liberated peoples spirits to new light and understanding and the purpose of life. Does a coward do this?
Let me finish by telling you a story about a young man from Hopkinton who went on a mission to Russia for the Mormon church. While tracting in an apartment complex. A man stepped into the hallway pointed a 9mm at him and fired, the bullet grazed his shoulder tearing through his over coat. The gun then jammed and he and his companion ran by the shooter since there was no other way out of the building, pushing him down. They safely left the area. Did he go home the next day, no, I saw the bullet hole in his coat when he came home after finishing his two year mission.
Mitt raising "chickens" I don't think so. More like raising, faith filled,unselfish, responsible Eagles. If you read your Mormon history in early America, the pioneers etc. You'll learn that Mormons are a pretty tough focused and determined people.

Political correctness binds the conscience of thinking men and woman and is a security blanket for the ignorant and is adopted by cowards. It is a philosophy of conformity destroying individualism and free thought and intellectual discourse. It is dangerous and should always be challenged. It puts a smoke screen over the truth and causes the masses to be anethnasized. Numbed accepting the lesser definition of the truth. Who are the most susceptible I think it's college students and people who are moved and motivated by popular culture. What are your ideas?

What makes a country great? Is it it's military strength? Caesar would have thought so. Is it it's technology or it's ability to produce artists. What has lasting value, do all the 15th century accountants ledgers draw crowds to see them, or is it the sculpture the paintings or architecture that has classic appeal and lasting greatness that reflect a societies stature. Is it industrialists like Ford and Benz or Carnegie and Rockerfeller who shape our futures and and sculpt our national character. Is it the politicians like Lincoln, Washington, Reagan or Kennedy that imbue our nation with moral character and strength? We would have no great artists or industrialists, military giants or politicians if it were not for their mothers and fathers and the good things they learned at home. Families are what make countries great. Their potential influence on the boys and girls reared in them in immeasurable. Greatness comes from traits and habits formed and nurtured in the home. Who plays the greatest role, mothers. It was probably Abes mom who made him read by the fire each night. The genesis of greatness come from within the home.

Here in Massachusetts especially, I think people have substituted religion for politics. Having been so disappointed in religion they turn to politics for their salvation instead. When in reality they are two very different things and produce two very different results. Is politics a counterfeit religion here in Massachusetts?