Commonsense

The Seperation of Church and State

2012-02-01T11:10:00Z

Sometimes I have a difficult time comprehending peoples rationale. This was never much of an issue to me until shortly after moving to Florida and the beginning of our current century. Not sure if that had anything to do with it, but judging by how much things have changed since then, it may have.

The first situation I had a hard time comprehending was the fact that “I hate George Bush” bumper stickers began to appear the day after the 2000 election, the man hadn’t even been declared the winner yet and already people were hating him. I had never seen that before, not that soon after an election. I’ve known for a long time that politicians aren’t very civil, but some had just reached a new low, and as I was beginning to realize, we hadn't seen anything yet.

We had just moved to Sarasota Florida and as a result were looking for a social life as well as various other activities to participate in. Having an interest in politics I became interested in attending a local meeting for the separation of church and state. It seemed like a fairly neutral topic, one that would attract people from both sides of the political spectrum. I could see nothing liberal or conservative about it.

To me, the separation of church and state simply means the state cannot force us to practice a certain religion. It means we keep the state out of religion, but we don’t keep God out of government. Our country was founded on Judeo-Christian values and most, if not all of the founding fathers professed a belief in God or a Supreme Being.

In fact the Declaration of Independence clearly states that “We are endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights”, how plain does it have to be? I was soon to learn that not everyone thinks like I do.

The meeting began peaceful enough, the moderator even made reference that there may be some conservatives in the crowd and an effort should be made to be courteous to their opinions. What? You can’t be a conservative and believe in the separation of church and state? I thought the issue in itself was a pretty conservative idea.

The meeting went down hill soon after that and basically turned into a hate George Bush rally.I was informed that I couldn’t possibly believe in the separation of church and state and be a conservative. Whatever happened to the so-called open minded liberals? I soon discovered they are only open minded if you agree with them.

I had never observed so much hatred to anyone or a philosophy as I did at that meeting, I even tried to reason with people individually after the meeting adjourned, when they found out I was a conservative , they would have nothing to do with me. After that, the term “open minded liberal” took on an entirely different meaning.

If anything this meeting reinforced my conservative beliefs and I began to realize there was a huge political divide in this country and it was only getting larger, this new found liberalism was going to have a profound effect on our country and it wasn’t going to be good.

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Live in the present

2012-01-25T11:12:00Z

Human nature dictates that we continually want what we don't have. No sooner do we achieve our goals and attain that which we sought than we start a new quest for a new challenge.

This is perfectly normal and as a result of this , humankind has achieved much. In spite of this, one needs to keep it all in perspective.We must remember that happiness cannot be found by only yearning for new desires.

If this is true, then how do we maintain a balance between wanting something new in our life and being content with what we have? Luckily there is a way to maintain a balance. It involves changing our focus from thinking continiously about what we want and don't have to what we already have and being thankful for our blessings.

Think of others constantly and count your blessing everyday, if not every moment. Take a deep breath and remember what is important in life. One needs to remember, you are experiencing what you are in this life for a reason, although it may not be obvious and you don't have a clue as to why you are enduring whatever challenge is coming your way, it all is for the betterment of your soul. Sooner or later the answer will come and the issue will be absolved.

By maintaining a positive attitude and traveling constantly in the direction you would like your life to progress, sooner or later the challenge will subside and you will begin to experience more of your life's desires.

By keeping one foot in the reality of life, living in the present, and remembering what you are thankful for, and appreciate what you have, you will be able to still satisfy your need for change and improvement in your life, not only in the material but spiritual elements as well.

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George Washington, Obama and Divine Intervention

2012-01-18T11:00:00Z

Over the course of my life I have come to understand more and more how much George Washington, the principle force behind the founding of the United States of America believed in divine intervention. I have heard and read about the instances where he was shot at point blank range and remained unharmed. In one particular battle, during the French and Indian War, he sustained three bullet holes in his jacket and one in his hat and suffered no wounds.

His explanation could only be there was an intervention of a higher power that saved him from harm,thus enabling him to continue to press on for freedom and our way of life.Most if not all of our founding fathers professed a belief in a Divine Source or God. The Declaration of Independence and our constitution also point to a belief in God, a believe our laws come from God, not government. This was a new thought at the time and a thought that many today still have a hard time comprehending.

Too many people today are still looking for a savior, or someone to do everything for them, thus relieving them of any responsibility for their lives. It would be nice if it worked this way, but it doesn’t. Because of the advances in our society over the last several years, and the “free stuff” provided to us by either our employment or government, many people have developed an entitlement mentality. They believe they are entitled to everything and it is free.

Nothing could be further from the truth, nothing is free, someone has to pay for whatever it is we have, either we or someone else has paid for it, there are no free lunches. In today’s world , politicians get elected based on how much free stuff they can give their constituents, while soaking the taxpayer for the costs.

People only look at what they are getting, never realizing how much it costs, or how much they themselves are paying for “pork” in another area of the country , which they receive no benefit whatsoever. No time in history has this been more obvious than in the 2008 election, class warfare became the battle cry, a Robin Hood mentality arose with many thinking the rich would and could pay for everything.

Nothing could be further from the truth, in most cases, the wealthy have worked hard and sacrificed much to obtain what they have, why should they be taxed to death to give to someone who is unwilling to work and sacrifice like they have? Would you want to do that?

The original idea of an income tax was sold through the concept that only the rich would pay, how did that work out? We all pay, regardless of how it is presented to us. Hopefully the election of 2008 has shown the American people how bad things can get when everyone only votes for the candidate that promises to give the most free stuff. 2008 isn’t the only example of how the entitlement programs don’t work, but I believe it is the most blatant example of how things can run amok.

Many tried to warn us of what was happening ,but few listened.People were so enamored with electing a minority and his promise of equality, that his many questionable policies and personal relationships were grossly overlooked. No one asked about his past associations for fear of reprisal or being called a racist.

Hopefully enough people have learned a lesson, leaders should be elected on their ability to lead, and not based on , race, religion, creed, or national origin, they must and need to be natural born citizens, and a requirement should also be that they grew up in the United States, so they know what America is all about.

Both political parties are guilty, one more so than the other , but we need to clean both houses to form a more perfect union. It almost seemed like divine intervention the way the election process turned out.

. Perhaps there was a little divine intervention, so that we may learn from our actions of the last 50 years. Sometimes things have to get really bad before they can get better. Hopefully we have reached a low point, and citizens will start paying attention and electing leaders who have some values and have the countries best interest at heart, not their own personal agenda.

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Take Back Your Power, Take Charge of Your Thoughts

2012-01-11T11:03:00Z

People have different views concerning the concept of heaven and hell , depending on their religious concepts. Many think of them as a physical reality where we travel after passing from this life. Thus , they believe how they live this live has a bearing on which existence they enter upon death.

Some believe there are different levels of the post existence and subsequent to their behavior they enter a various kingdom depending on the quality of their life on earth, while some never give it much thought at all.

Choices

After living several years on earth during this lifetime, I have come to the conclusion each and everyone one of us experiences heaven or hell on this very plane of existence. I don't really believe in a physical heaven or hell, they are only what we create in our own mind.

Life can be a gift or a nightmare, depending on where you choose to operate from consciously. I believe that a previous existence can and does play a role in how our life plays out in the present. We carry many memories with us as we enter a new phase of enlightenment. As we evolve many times, many issues need to be resolved for us to enjoy a more prosperous and happy lifetime.

One cannot go through life without creating events that could stand in the way of our advancement towards that which we desire. These so called negative events should be looked upon as an opportunity to provide a positive outcome to what could be an unpleasant experience.

There are no good or bad experiences in life, it is only in how we perceive them that is negative or positive. It is up to the individual soul to make lemonade from lemons. No one can do it for us.

The opportunity always presents itself and if we don't respond in a positive way, guess what? We get to do it all over again until we finally get it right and the karma is resolved. There are many ways one can find his or her way through this maze and safely reach the other side.

Regardless of your method and approach , maintaining a positive attitude and a feeling of gratitude for what blessings you have is of the utmost importance. Without this, nothing else will work. Concentrate on anything positive in your life, no matter how small. As time goes by this ability to focus on the positive, will manifest and soon you will see much more to be thankful for.

By all means don't even think about the negative, by doing so only magnifies what you don't want, we always create in our life what we focus on. When you find yourself thinking about what you don't want, stop immediately and change your thoughts to something that you do want.

View every experience, no matter how trying or difficult it may be as a chance to learn and grow, it is a gift. Sooner or later , when you look back on your life you will begin to realize the difficult times were when you were taught the most valuable lessons in your life. The people who gave you the most difficult times were the ones you learned the most from. They were your teachers and sometimes the people who give us the hardest lessons are the ones who care the most for us.

Don't be too quick to judge, let the scenario play itself out before passing final judgement as to if it was a negative or positive experience. Everything happens for a reason and something good comes from each life experience , we were presented with the event for a reason.

In time, forgive yourself and others. This doesn't mean you should condone bad behavior, the souls you are interacting with are also on a path with valuable lessons to learn . By condoning bad behavior, you are giving them a pass and thus they miss an opportunity to learn a much needed lesson. I think the key is to forgive, but not forget. If someone wrongs you, the first time it is their fault, if it happens again, it is your fault.

Be aware of your thoughts and feelings and be ready to intercept your thoughts if they suddenly turn on you. By meditating and/ or praying regularly one stays in tune with the source and you will be guided to perform the proper actions and thoughts, thus enabling you to improve your lot in life.

Evolving and improving your life can be a long process, in fact, that is what life is all about, and thus the learning never ends. Life is all about taking back our power and using it in a way that will be of most benefit to not only ourselves, but humanity as well.

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A New Way of Looking at Money

2012-01-04T11:02:00Z

A New Way Of Looking At Money

It is often said that money is the root of all evil. How can that be. Money is an inert object, it doesn't do anything, it has no consciousness or mind. Money by itself can do nothing or influence anyone, especially in these days when often times money is only an image on a computer screen.

It is only a person's perception of money that can be called the root of all evil. If you are one who believes that money is the root of all evil, maybe you need to change your perception of it. Money is a result of spent energy, in order for money to be earned, some one has to do something to earn it, either by work or using one's mind to create energy which is then transferred into money, thus enabling us to buy services and products we want and need. Money can either be a positive or negative force in our life, depending on our attitude towards it.

How do you feel about money, does it create a positive or negative feeling in your life? Does it fill you with feelings of need, want, fear,guilt or insecurity? Or does the thought or money fill you with gratitude , happiness and delight?

Your perception of money can and will determine your financial state of affairs in life. If you continuously have feelings of want and need in your life, then that is what you will create. If you have positive thoughts of plenty and surplus, then that is what the universe will give you.

Money is nothing but energy, since the universe has an unlimited supply of energy, there is an unlimited supply of money, it is only your feelings of lack that creates need. The secret of having more prosperity in one's life begins in the mind. Most people have been taught from early in life there is something wrong with being wealthy. Many have guilt feelings about being wealthy when there are so many poor people around them. Your being rich or poor has nothing to do with how much money anyone else has.

If you are extremely wealthy and give all your money away, the poor will still be poor. If you become wealthy, the poor will still be poor, give all your money to the poor,and in a few days of weeks , they will be poor again.

This is because they believe in scarcity. They believe if one person has more money there is less for them. This could not be farther from the truth. Money is energy and the universe has an infinite supply of energy. Therefore there is an infinite supply of money and everyone in the entire world could be a billionaire many times over.

To have more money and prosperity in your life, many times old beliefs and feelings must be dealt with. You can have all the wealth in the world and if you harbor feelings of guilt and lack, the money will soon disappear. Spend your money wisely but willingly, let if flow from you in a positive and giving manner. When you feel good about letting go of your money , it will return many times over.

When you release money in a positive manner it creates a vacuum which must be filled, the laws of the universe demand that this vacuum be filled and more will come than you released. This is the reasoning behind tithing. When money is given freely and gratefully to a church or God, it is returned in abundance.

Release it with a sense of gratitude. Take care of your needs and wants (yes be good to yourself) knowing there will always be more than enough. Also, give! Share your money with others. Help them with their wants and needs. Let go of your money with gratitude in your heart and you will be amazed at how fast it comes back.

You need to have money, it is how we buy the products and service we want and need, we no longer carry a bushel of corn around like the indians did. The world needs you to have money, money is what makes the world go around. Without money you cannot help yourself or others, and the more you have, the more you can help. When was the last time a poor person gave anyone a job.

Money in the right hands can perform miracles and save lives. Money enriches peoples lives and raises them up out of poverty and despair.Remove those feelings of guilt and unworthiness, you deserve to have wealth in your life as much as anyone else. Work on developing a positive attitude, not only about money, but about all aspects of your life and you will achieve a life beyond your wildest dreams.

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Happy New Year.

2012-01-01T14:17:10Z

The conventional Happy New Year approach is to think of the New Year as something that happens outside ourselves. It is a good luck wish that the New Year, in some magical way, will bring us our heart's desire. We look to the New Year to make us happy.

When we expect happiness to come to us from the outside we are usually disappointed. Happiness is not guaranteed by sunny weather, a raise in pay, a new car, a beautiful home or anything else of a material nature. External things are often possessed by very unhappy people.

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Happiness does not come out of a New Year; it comes out of men and women. Life does not change when we hang a new calendar on the wall or when the clock strikes midnight and a New Year begins. The only way life will change for us is when we change ourselves.

The source of happiness is not in events happening outside of us; the source of happiness is within us. We cannot control the outside world but we can control our own thoughts and emotions. All true happiness is an inner experience.

There is a new phrase to speak to each other as we face the adventure of a New Year. . . "Happy New You!"

The way to make the New Year the best year of your life is to look to yourself, not to the year, for your happiness. . . .

To realize that happiness does not depend on the birth of a New Year, but on the birth of a New You.

To know that the months, weeks, days, hours and minutes of the New Year are empty until you fill them with happiness.

To face the fact that time is dead until you give it life, and that your happiness depends on the quality of life you give it.

Happy New You!

By Wilferd Peterson.

Gunfight at the OK Corral

2011-12-14T11:07:00Z

How many of us have watched an old western movie only to see the typical scene where a bar room fight starts , either over a poker game or a woman and someone immediately runs to get the Marshall?

As a consequence, chairs would be flying through the room, glasses were breaking against the mirror behind the bar and many whiskey bottles would be broken over the bad guys heads. Meanwhile, In comes the sheriff to save the day.

A fist fight ensues and eventually the mayhem spills out into the street , with horses and buggies full of women and children scurrying to flee the flying bullets. Soon the Marshall and the outlaw face off , standing not 20 feet from one another, each daring the other to draw first.

Because the sheriff is always noble and just , the bad guy draws first, but to his dismay and early demise, the sheriff

House of Ill Repute Jerome wins, his aim is accurate and true. The outlaw slowly

collapses in front of the towns people , the sheriff becomes a local legend and everyone retreats back to the Long Branch for another drink and to reminisce about the evening’s entertainment.

Why did the good guy always win? Surely the sheriff wasn’t always the fastest gun or the most accurate, there had to be a reason for this. What could it be? We have all watched these movies and no one has ever questioned it before. We were all to happy to see the sheriff as our hero ,so he had to be the fastest and most accurate, besides that, he wore a white hat.

The way I see it, there is some truth in all of this, but the real reason is simple. You see, the outlaw had spent the entire evening in the saloon, he was drunk. He couldn't hit the broad side of a red barn. He was seeing at least two people, so he never knew which person to aim at. Further more, by being inebriated his reactions were slower than Gomer Pyle walking through molasses in January, by the time he found his gun and tried to draw, the sheriff had fired off several rounds, and chances are at least one of them found it’s mark..

The moral of the story is : if you are going to be in a gunfight, don’t drink. Even in the fantasy land of television, there are lessons to be learned.

“Accuracy is more important than speed.” Wyatt Earp.

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Life's Journey

2011-12-07T11:06:00Z

To me, water can be an excellent example of how we should live our lives.From the time the raindrops first land on the earth, they begin their journey to their final destination, the sea.Water follows the path of least resistance.

It has become the most powerful force on earth by following that simple precept. In most cases, water doesn’t force it’s way into any environment. It just goes with the flow , silently seeking it’s path by meandering and winding down life’s path ,thus seeking it’s destination by following the path of least resistance.

Keeping this thought in mind, it has occurred to me that maybe when the planet experiences a major flood, tsunami or other disaster it is nature’s way of telling us we need to lighten up and follow the path of least resistance. We , as humans have a natural tendency to make life more complicated than it needs to be . We are always trying to go against the grain and instead of allowing nature to take it’s course, we try to alter events to our own liking, forgetting that if we ask the universe for what we want and move confidentially in that direction, our wants will be taken care of.

All we need to do is step out of the way and just “be”. It is in these times of trying to force our will upon the universe that the universe fights back and gently explains to us that God is in charge and we should let him find the solutions. When we step back and let God do it , the outcome is always better than when we pre-plan the outcome.

This doesn’t mean we should do nothing, quite the contrary, we need to remain active in the process. What we don’t want to do is to have a predetermined idea in mind about how it is all going to turn out.

True we need to set a goal and not settle for less, but sometimes what we ask for isn’t in our best interest. Many times the universe has a much better future in mind than we could ever imagine for ourselves. There is a lot of truth in the country song, “Thank God for unanswered prayers.” Many times the best way God answers our prayers is to remain quiet.

Always pray for what you want , or something better, for the highest good of all concerned. Be just like that small stream of water, go with the flow, change directions if needed and you will reach the sea of contentment all in due time.

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You Control Your Destiny

2011-11-29T11:07:00Z

In these changing times, people need to realize each one of us is in control of our individual life. Over the past several decades many have turned control of their destiny over to either the government, big business or a union.

Many times this has seemed to make good economic sense, much has been provided to us by working for a large company or the government and having all our economic needs satisfied with little conscious thought on our part.

The downside is this has created a sense of entitlement where people begin to think they deserve everything in life just because they exist. People believe that work isn’t necessary and effort doesn’t need to be put forth to gain the fruits of our labor.

In most states it is illegal to feed wild animals because by doing so the animal becomes dependent on humans and they forget how to fend for themselves. When the human involvement ends, the animal thus can starve to death. Many Americans have become like those wild animals, they have become so dependent on others for their survival that when the gravy trains ends they no longer know how to make it on their own.

We now blame government for all our problems, and rightfully so, government has and always will fail us. We need to remember who voted for these people and who put them into office. We can only blame ourselves for the actions of congress and the president. Most often people are elected based on how much “free stuff” they are going to hand out once elected. The “stuff” isn’t free, someone is paying for it.

As a result of straying from our basic instincts,,we Americans have become victims of our own success. We as a people need to take back our power, we are the only ones who can successfully control our destiny and give us the life we want, no one can do it for us.

As one travels through life, you can’t but help to realize you have created your life by the decisions you have made. You are the author of you life. You are a magnet , you attract the things , people, ideas, and circumstances to you that resonate at the same vibrational rate as you do.

Having said that, one needs to realize , however hard it may be , you are responsible for everything you have experienced, either on a conscious or subconscious level. Once one comes to terms with that reality, it becomes apparent you have the ability to change your life.

Like attracts like, our “magnet” only attracts to us like thoughts and actions, as we think we become, change your thinking and your life will change. You don’t make this happen, you just let it happen.The magnet doesn’t do anything, it just is.

We live in the greatest country ever know to man,(at least in this millennium,) , we have all the tools necessary to create whatever life we desire , based upon our abilities and ambitions. The only ingredient missing is our realizing that each one is in control of their own life, we can shape it as we want, and it is up to no one but ourselves to decide how we want to live.

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The Need for the Second Amendment

2011-11-22T11:00:00Z

Since the beginning of our country, the second amendment has continuously been under fire. There are always going to be people who think the private citizen shouldn’t have guns and be allowed to defend themselves. As much as they are entitled to their own opinion, they are erroneous in their thinking.

They believe a well regulated militia is something akin to our National Guard, and this militia is the one chosen to protect us. Even though the National Guard’s objective is to protect the citizenry, in the days of our founding, every male citizen was a part of the militia and as a result it was the private citizen who had the right to bear arms. Any one thinks about it rationally realizes that living in a society where only government employees have guns would not be a good thing. This thinking displays no distrust of our military, but shows a knowledge of how thinking of this kind could lead to disaster.

Our right to bear arms is one of our basic rights, it insures our freedom, the first thing an oppressive government does is take away the arms of it’s people, thereby rendering them defenseless. The government can then do whatever it wants without fear of reprisal.

Even under the most ideal circumstances , we really can’t depend on the government for our personal protection. As well meaning and efficient as the local law enforcement authorities may be , they simply can’t be every place at the same time.

Suppose someone breaks into your house, in almost every case it is going to take the law enforcement officers at least ten minutes to arrive at your humble abode, what are you going to do in the mean time, sit down and have tea and crumpets with your intruder?

This is something most people never think about and rightfully so, it is something many people don’t like to face. No one wants to confront a criminal, it is much easier for some one else to do it for us. The problem is , in most cases, there is no one else. If we don’t do it, no one will, and people we know and love , including ourselves can wind up hurt or killed.

This doesn’t sound like a very good option to me. Ask the career criminal what they most fear, the number one fear is the homeowner having a firearm, the second fear is a dog, and the third fear is they may call the police. Calling the police is way down the list as the criminal knows that by the time the police arrive, the chances are pretty good , they will be long gone.

Many times the homeowner will have a small sign stating they have one of the major security systems installed when they really don’t , all they have is a sign. I think an even better sign would be stating ,”This property insured by Smith and Wesson.” This would deter even more crime. Most times the weapon never has to be used , most criminal are cowards, the threat is more than enough to drive them away.

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To Let Go is to Open a Door

2011-11-15T11:18:00Z

"To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom."

'People have a hard time letting go of their suffering.
Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.'' Thich Nhat Hanh.

Most of us are controlled by fear, in one form or another. As much as we try to deny it , fear has an effect on all of us. The fear is greater for some than others, while some may be afraid to come out of the house after dark , or be afraid to drive on the roads for fear of being killed in a so-called accident, for most it takes much more than this to arouse our deepest fears.

Many go to extremes to conquer fear, such as sky diving or traveling deep into the Amazon in search of native tribes and wildlife, confronting them to conquer whatever fear they may have. The list can go on and on , and in this sense we could never confront and conquer all our fears, as soon as we conquer one fear, another arises.

The only true way to truly conquer fear is to put our life in control of a higher power. This doesn't mean to give up control of our life, it just means to let go and go on. We still have control over our actions and our destiny.

When we let go, we still chart our course in life, however we leave the path and direction to a higher power. In this sense we are always given choices and the option to choose which path to take. We fear nothing because we believe no harm can come to us and every event in life leads to a higher learning.

We learn the soul is indestructable and we can't die, at least our soul doesn't. We quit looking backwards and having regrets of things left undone. We realize we made the best decision based on the information we had at the time. Everything happens for a reason , and sometimes it can take years for the final outcome based on a decision we made earlier in life.

The path to a better life.

When we overcome fear, we let go and let be, realizing there is a divine plan for us that we chose at the time of birth. We don't always see the big picture and need to leave it up to divine intelligence to know the final outcome and the direction to go, step by step.

As we conquer our fears, our wisdom increases because the channel is opened wider and wider for the connection of our soul to divine spirit.

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Bush and Obama: The Differences

2011-11-08T11:03:00Z

The differences between George W. Bush and our now President Obama never cease to amaze me. I certainly don’t think that everything Bush did was the correct path to take ,especially in issues of a financial and of an economic nature, but over all, his pluses far outweigh his negatives. and I feel he was the right guy at the right time.

I especially admire President Bush for his stand on national security, he went ahead in spite of opposition from the left and implemented policies and procedures that have kept us safe for over ten years. For that difficult task alone he should be praised.

Following the precedent set by George Washington and adhered to, by almost every president since, (except Carter and Clinton),he never once blamed a predecessor for any event during his watch. The practice is and should be followed by every leader, not only the President, but the leader of any organization as well. It is just common courtesy to not criticize someone excessively after their term of office is completed.

He has always accepted responsibility of not only his actions, but also the actions of those working under him as well. As Harry Truman once said,”The buck stops here.”

Bush accepted responsibility, Obama doesn’t, he still blames everything on Bush and everyone but himself. Obama has very thin skin and doesn’t handle criticism very well. Obama thinks he can shift the blame onto someone else and the public will buy it. This isn’t true any longer . It may have worked for a while, but most of the American people are finally waking up and realizing Obama’s true colors.

Like him or not Bush is a patriot and believes in America, he believes in America’s ability to right itself during any time of peril and sooner or later do the right thing and continue on in it’s path of individual freedom and free enterprise.

Obama doesn’t, he believes in the socialist view point that only government can solve our problems, he believes that government knows best how to fix the problems in our personal lives and the individual is clueless and needs to be lead around like sheep.

I for one don’t believe that. I know how much air to put in my tires, I know what kind of car I want to drive and whether or not I can afford to put gas in it. I know what kind of light bulb I want in my house and if I want a big Mac or a salad for lunch. I know the consequences of my actions and am willing to accept them.

Obama has never figured this out, he thinks he is smarter than the rest of us and needs to make those kind of decisions for us. I for one agree with George W. Bush.

Let’s return America back on the path it was intended, a path of individual liberty and responsibility, let’s leave the socialism to the European countries, if their way of life was so great, our ancestors would have never left.

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Life Purpose, Changing the World One Step at a Time

2011-11-04T11:00:00Z

Many think their life purpose has to be some noble cause where humanity is changed forever by their actions. This is not always the case, we can't all be famous statesmen and warriors.

If being a world leader is not in your future , it is not cause for concern You can still affect and change the world one step and one person at a time. By the way, this is still the best and most productive course of action.

Often times our ego gets in the way and we think noble and just causes have to always influence large numbers of people and we need to be some sort of charismatic public figure. Get rid of your ego and just follow your dreams. Allow yourself to just do what you can, completing each step before going on to the next project.

You have placed yourself exactly where you need to be, in most cases you don't have to change careers or lifestyle to begin you journey, at least not for now. If you do , it normally can be done gradually and all in due time.

Living your life purpose and your passion will effect many people over a life time and thus greatly influence those along the way. This in turn will influence others and in this way you can and will change the world.

When you live your passion, and it doesn't matter what it is , you are living life to the fullest. You are contributing to society and teaching others to do the same with your enthusiasm. This in turn illustrates to others to not sit around and wait for someone else to make them happy or prosperous.

People are happiest when they are contributing even in a small way. Many small actions make one big wave of human accomplishment. The small actions of many far out weigh the bold actions of a few. It works like multilevel marketing where you are taught to get three people and then they get three until you build a financial empire through the actions and work of many.

The concept is that you only recruit three people and let your downline build from that. In the same way your actions can multiply many times over by just working your circle on influence and as a result the people in your circle of influence will also affect the lives of those in their circle. Thus over time your small deeds have made their mark on the world.

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Interconnected Oneness

2011-11-01T10:58:00Z

I think we have all wrestled with this concept regardless of our religious and spiritual philosophies. The following article to me illustrates what is meant better than anything else I have read or seen.

"Imagine you are a drop of water in the ocean. As a drop, you have your own unique identity. Yet, you are made up of the same substance as all the rest of the ocean. There is no separation between you and the other drops. In your connection with other drops, you form the ocean. Although you are one with the ocean, you have the free will to do as you please,creating new experiences, changing form, moving in, and out of existences.

Sometimes you choose to dance in the vast oneness of the ocean. Sometimes you choose to change form, evaporating into the atmosphere,exploring the world of air and clouds. You may choose yet another experience, becoming a raindrop that falls to earth.

Maybe you explore the snow experience. Maybe you join with several trillion of your friends to stretch beyond the ocean experience to become a river for a while. Maybe you become drinking water and explore the experience of being inside a plant , animal, or human being.

You may experience yourself as a hydrating fluid, as blood, as sweat or urine. Maybe you join the liquids of the sewage system. And maybe you go back to the ocean. Whatever choices you make, whatever experiences you have, a few things remain constant.

You are never separate from the ocean, you may feel separate or disconnected, but you are still part of the ocean. Because you are part of the whole, what you do as an individual affects the experience of the entire ocean. If you evaporate, move or migrate the ocean is affected. No experience is good or bad, only different. Everything you and every other drop does affects each other and the ocean as a whole.

And so it is with life and your relationship with source. That drop of water is you and the ocean is All That Is. Your consciousness creates your reality and it influences the reality of the collective consciousness. This means you are powerful and no one can be a victim unless they choose to do so.

It also means when you pursue your dreams , not only will you be happier, but it will affect the consciousness of the whole and create an environment where everyone benefits. Once you begin to realize this, there can be no separation between you and the Source.

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The Absurdity of Raising Taxes

2011-10-28T11:02:00Z

It seems as though whenever the liberals get into power in government, they seem to think the solution to everything is to raise taxes. The first battle cry is that they are only going to raise the taxes of the evil rich, however anyone who has been around for a while soon realizes this just isn't true. A tax raise is a tax raise, it affects everyone and most often it affects the poor more than the wealthy.

Raising the taxes on the wealthy not only raises the cost of everything we purchase and use, but it also places less capital in the economy, resulting in less jobs being created and less capital for investment, thereby stifling our growth. I assume they didn’t take the same economics class I took as a freshman in high school.

Warren Buffet and others seem to think they don’t pay enough taxes, well, there is no law saying they can’t write a check to the IRS and rectify that problem and ease their conscience. In the mean time while Buffet is making those absurd statements, it has been discovered his companies have been shortchanging the IRS. Hypocrisy at it’s finest!

Many people have the misguided notion that by paying more taxes, they are actually helping poor people. I’m not sure where they got this convoluted idea. Most of the money our government supposedly gives to the poor, not only in this country but around the world as well, never reaches it’s intended destination. Most of it winds up in the hands of dishonest government bureaucrats .

At last count we still have two billion dollars earmarked for Haiti that no one can find. Private charities and individuals always do a better job of donating in times of need than the government, because there is less red tape and corruption.

Paying taxes has nothing to do with Charity. Charity comes from the heart, not a faceless government official. When one is forced to give something, it is not charity, it is just a tax that in reality means nothing to the giver or receiver. As a consequence the receiver is often bitter because it wasn’t more.

A personal contribution is just that, personal, it creates a bond between giver and receiver that most often creates an atmosphere of gratefulness in the receiver and a feeling in the contributors heart that he has done something truly worth while.

People need to learn to make their own way, asking for help only when needed, government welfare only creates an atmosphere of need on the part of the recipient, making them a slave to the government, an excellent way for the politicians to garner votes. We have as a nation contributed over a trillion dollars since the 60s to the poor , not only in this country, but around the world, and they are still poor.

There has to be a better way.

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Change the World

2011-10-25T11:42:00Z

We have made many advances in today’s world. We have come a long way from the days of horse and buggies thus we now live in one of the most advanced civilizations the world has ever known.
Today , we have higher buildings and wider roads, but shorter temperaments and narrower points of view. We spend more , but enjoy it less.

We have bigger houses, but smaller families, more free time, but we spend less of it with the people who are most valuable to us.

We reached the Moon and came back, but we find it troublesome to cross our own street and meet our neighbors. We have conquered the outer space, but not our inner space.

These are the times of finer houses, but broken homes. Even with all the advances mankind has made, we have forgotten what is important. In our rush to improve our standard of living , materially, we have forgotten the spiritual side of our lives.

We now are beginning to see some serious problems developing because we, as a society have forgotten what is important. The moral breakdowns that began in the 60s are now taking a tremendous toll on our way of life. It is way past time to get back to the basics of life and follow the age old concepts that enabled us to reach this high level of success.

In today’s world what is right is wrong, and what is wrong is right, many people have forgotten or never been taught the common sense values that continue to work for generation after generation.

Many people think that just because they believe something , or because some influential person in their life told them, something it is true. One might have been able to rely on the wisdom of others in the past, however today that simply isn’t true.

What was common sense and wisdom only a few short years ago, is now thought to be extremism by many in today’s society. Try to inform people of values that work and many times you will be ridiculed for being a nut job and half crazy.

The only way for us as a society to recover from this debacle is for the people who still remember what the time tested values were is to clings to our guns and bibles. We have been silent too long. We need to speak out, facing ridicule is a minor inconvenience compared to what we will face if society doesn’t get back doing the things that work, instead of following the latest trend out of Hollywood. Just seeing what kind of lives most of those people lead should be enough to convince us that the correct path in life is doing just the opposite of what they do.
Now is the time to stand firm in our beliefs, it is the only way out of this mess.

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Corporate Greed and Social Justice

2011-10-21T10:56:00Z

In today’s world , there seems to be a big call for social justice, and in some cases there is a huge separation between what the really well off people earn and what the lower income people earn. I believe every person deserves to earn as much as he can according to his abilities and desires, and spend it how and where he wants.

However having said that, the employees who earn the profits of large companies also deserve a piece of the pie. But that is an issue that needs to be solved between the employer and employee. The government has no place interfering in this dispute. Even in these supposedly hard times, it is still possible to better one self and seek employment in a more friendly environment.

I have had relatives lose jobs in the last few years and find new and good paying jobs in the process. It may not be what they want to do , but it is a job and an income to pay the bills. Sooner or later something more to their liking will come along and it will all turn out for the best. I really don’t know of anyone who has always had their dream job throughout their entire life.

I’m not sure why the boards of directors of some of these companies unjustly reward executives for making bad decisions and leading their company and way of life into economic hardship and ruin. It just doesn’t make good sense.

Many people see social justice as a way to create a level playing field. I have news for you, there is no level playing field. We are all created equal in the sense we should have equal opportunity, and in most case in the United States, we do have equal opportunity, according to our abilities and desires.

You can’t make the poor wealthy by giving them money from the rich. This theory has been tried time and time again throughout history and has always failed. All it does is make everyone poor and lazy. The only people who believe this will work are the ones who don’t have anything, including ambition or self confidence,and find it easier to take money from the people who have it than go out and earn it for themselves.

We aren’t doing anyone a favor by giving them a free ride, everyone, if they are capable physically and mentally deserve to find their own way and create a life where they can excel at what they do, with the least interference from government as possible.

Most of the participants of the Occupy movement have no idea what life is all about and even if some have a legitimate cause, many have lead lives of affluence and never had to work for anything and as a result they think they deserve all the luxuries of life to be given to them with little or no effort.
Nothing could be farther from the truth, as I said earlier, we are all created equal, but only in the sense we should have equal opportunity according to our abilities and desires. Not equal economic or social standing, we have to earn that.

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The Path of Least Resistance

2011-10-18T11:03:00Z

To me, water can be an excellent example of how we should live our lives.From the time the raindrops first land on the earth, they begin their journey to their final destination, the sea,water follows the path of least resistance.

It has become the most powerful force on earth by following that simple precept. In most cases, water doesn’t force it’s way into any environment. It just goes with the flow , silently seeking it’s path by meandering and winding down life’s path ,thus seeking it’s destination by following the path of least resistance.

Many find driving to be stressful, however during my life I have driven several million miles. In most cases I have found drivers also follow the path of least resistance. As they weave their way through traffic, drivers are continuously following the path by changing lanes and going where no other motorists are impeding their travel. Some become impatient and try to force the situation by aggressive behaviour, but for the most part, the motorists are just trying to reach their final destination by following the easiest and most efficient path. They have become like the water, meandering their way through life, following a plan, but altering it to compensate for changing conditions.

I have found most successful people also follow the same theory, they all sooner or later learn to go with the flow and let the universe or God lead them. They don’t abandon their life dreams or give up when to going gets tough, many times none of the paths are easy, but they continue on by facing their challenges head on , and sooner or later they will arrive at the summit of their life dreams.

The most important part of the journey is the path we take, where we learn how to face roadblocks and obstructions to our destination, by them we learn many lessons that are beneficial to our well being and evolution as a human being. It has been often said the journey is more important than the destination, I feel this is true. The destination is our reward for not succumbing to all the trials and hardships we encountered along the way.

Just as water continues on it’s journey to the sea, and motorists reach their desired domicile so can we reach our ultimate destination , by having a plan, sticking to it, but altering it to reflect current and changing situations and following our instincts in finding the best, quickest and most beneficial roadway to our fulfillment.

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Life's Journey and Inner Guidance

2011-10-14T11:05:00Z

It is often said that to arrive at your proper destination , you have to know where you are going. While this may be true in many cases, in the journey of life, it isn’t always true.

While one does need a basic plan for your life, most life is made up as we go. I had my whole life planned out when I was 21, I am now approaching the late 60s and I still haven't done most of what I had planned or assumed my life would be like. As I look back, I assumed life would be like everyone else I knew, fairly normal and mundane. It didn’t turn out that way and quite frankly, I would have been pretty bored if it had.
Inspiration
Although I envy those who have a so called normal life, I realize they have never had the opportunity to experience half of what I have. Boredom has never been an issue. Having said that, I whole heartily believe that when it comes to life, you need to plan as you go.

Often times when making life changing decisions we need to rely on inner guidance, that little voice we all need to listen to more often. It has a habit of laying out our best course of action a little bit at a time, not one big lump sum at the tender age of 21 when we think we know everything, when in actuality , we know very little.

The Australian Aborigines believe they “dream” something up, before it actually happens, therefore , when the event comes to pass, they already know the correct course to follow. They believe their dreams are a precursor to actual events, even if they don’t actually remember the particular dream , they believe it is in their subconscious and is there for remembering at the proper time.

I’m sure we can all remember thinking certain thoughts or even making certain statements in our mind, and then actually relaying this information to someone during our normal waking day. This in my opinion is what the aborigines are talking about. We are “dreaming” it up, storing it in our subconscious and then using it at the proper time.

As we travel down life’s journey, the are many paths to follow, some will only be for a short time, while many others could be for a lifetime. Just as we get in a car and travel to a distant city, we will drive on many different roads, so is the journey of life so traveled. We travel many paths and we may not know where we are going, but we will know when we have arrived.

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