NO BACKBONE!

By you know by now Iran has captured one of our secret drones. Obama asked them “pretty please” to give it back. They are now taking this aircraft apart to find out our technology. They will surely pass this information on to China. Once the plane was lost we should have sent in a few of our planes to destroy it before they could dismantle it and learn from it. Again we are at the mercy of a timid leader, Obama.

Iran is trying to block the Straights of Hormuz. Obama has warned them not to block this passage. A great deal of our oil supply must move through the straights. Obama “huffs and puffs” with threats. Iran knows he is a weak, indecisive leader and I fear they will call his bluff.

It is time we find a leader with some backbone!

Stan Elrod

Charlotte, NC

TIME IS RUNNING OUT!

America, as we know it, is facing a mortal threat. The left has expanded their threat through union leaders, trial lawyers, the news media, and the court system. It seems the secular socialist run the political machine so they can remain in power. Before long, if we continue down this road, government will dominate the people instead of representing them.

We stand at a cross road because we will either save our country or loose it. Secular-socialist’s rewards its members and punishes overachievers. It kills jobs by over taxing small business. America was built on the belief that “we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights.” The socialist are so opposed to God that they can not tolerate prayer in school.

The Socialist believe the answer to problems is higher taxes, more spending, and more bureaucracies. They don’t believe that Americans can be trusted to make the “right decisions”.

For the left to stay in power they must transform America. It will be a nation dominated by unions and bureaucrats. They will make us into a high-tax, low-growth country. There will be no place for God in this transformed society. Columnist Jackie Cushman has written, “we were told to vote for change we could believe in and found we had elected people who want to change what we believe”.

Obama promised the most open and transparent administration in history. We now know we do not get the truth from Obama. During the voting on the health care reform bill Obama, Pelosi and Harry Reid circumvented the normal process of committee hearings and worked out the bill behind closed doors. They struck a deal with their corrupt union bosses that would exempt union members from paying taxes while non-union Americans would still get taxed. This is a flagrant mocking of equal protection under the law.

Obama had promised that all bills would be given 24 hours for the public to react to them and that the negotiations would be on C_SPAN so the people could see what the choices were. He pledged this eight times in his run for the Presidency. “He went so far as to say “One of my jobs as President will be to guide this process”.

This is a President who does not keep his word. In fact he has lied to us, the American People. Please keep all this in mind when you go to vote next year.

Time is running out for our nation.

Stan Elrod

Charlotte, NC

BOEHNER SHOULD GO!

Is it time to replace House Speaker John Boehner? Let’s look at the recent temporary payroll tax holiday extension. Boehner let the Democrats and Obama play him into their trap. The Senate passed the extension for two months. This in itself is a poor piece of legislation, it makes no sense. This extension will leave many business unable to reprogram their payrolls. What businesses operates two months at a time?

It is said that Congress will reconvene after their vacation and pass a full year extension. This extension will come out of the Social Security Tax. The idea of a Trust Fund for Social Security is a joke, since Johnson started taking money from the Social Security Trust Fund and replacing it with IOU’s from the Federal Government. This was his way of paying for “the Great Society”. For all practicable purposes the Trust Fund is non-existence.

Boehner let the Democrats back him into a corner and make a fool of him. The Senate passed the extension by an overwhelming majority for two months, just so they could go on vacation. Boehner took a stand that was not a smart move. In politics you need to choose your battles. He could have gone along with the Senate bill and then take the high road to proclaim just how foolish a two month extension is.

The White House will make a big issue out of this because as they say, it will halt “the suffering of 160 million Americans”. Boehner was out maneuvered by the Democrats. I think it is time to replace him as Speaker. If he remains, I fear he will cave it again on other issues.

Stan Elrod

Charlotte, NC

Obama & the Keystone Pipeline

OBAMA AND THE KEYSTONE PIPELINE

Yesterday the Republicans put forth a bill to extend the Social Security tax cut to reduce unemployment. This bill includes language to start construction on the Keystone Pipeline, from Canada to the gulf coast. Obama has said that if the construction of the pipeline is included in the bill he will veto it.

There are several facts about the pipeline that we should be aware of. There is concern about routing the line over an aquifer. The bill now includes a provision to reroute the line away from the aquifer. We should also take into account that there are multiple pipe lines crossing the United States. To date none of these has had a spill that contaminated our drinking water.

Second, this is truly a “shovel ready” project that can start now. Obama keeps talking about creating jobs, but his actions to block the pipe line make us recognize that he is catering to the enviromenlist in his party. He does not want to upset them as he counts on them to vote for him. It does show that he is playing politics by not pushing this project.

We should realize that Canada has the Oil and Natural Gas that we need. If this line is blocked, they will simply build the line across their land and sell the oil and gas to China. This will not help to make us energy independent as Obama insist.

The GOP language in the bill would give the Obama administration two months to issue a permit for construction. This would produce much needed jobs for Americans.

Obama says he is not opposed to the pipe line, but wants to postpone it until after the 2012 elections. I, for one, do not trust him to approve it then. We need to start this project NOW and put people to work.

Stan Elrod

Charlotte, NC

ISRAEL and OBAMA

At a fund raiser in New York last week, Obama made the statement that his administration “has done more in terms of the security of the state of Israel than any previous administration”

Let’s take a look at some of what he has done for Israel. His administration has supported forces that oppose Israel’s very existence and his officials publically opposes Israel on the diplomatic front. Hostility towards Israel has become common place with members of the Obama administration His ambassador to Belgium stated in a speech last week that the anti-Semitism among Muslims was Israel’s fault.

Last week Secretary of Defense Leon Paneta declared that Israel needed to “just get to the damn table” with the Palestinians. This implies that Israel is the primary obstacle to Middle East peace. Just who should Israel “get to the damn table” with? Should they meet with members of Abbas’s government? These are the ones in Abbas’s Fatah party who have said “They will never recognize Israel and will never do so”. These are the one’s who say Israel does not have the right to exist. These are the people who Secretary Panetta says Israel must “get to the damn table with”.

In one week Obama’s ambassadors said Israel was to blame for anti-Semitism, His Secretary of Defense said “just get to the damn table”, and his Secretary of State has criticized Israeli treatment of women as occasionally “unfair”. At the same time she has welcomed a Washington organization which promotes censorship of speech about Islamism.

All of the above makes me wonder just who Obama is trying to fool. He, and his administration, have not stood by Israel. Israel in our ally and we need to support them. They are a bastion of freedom in the Mid-East.

Stan Elrod

Charlotte, NC

LEADING FROM BEHIND

Obama is on his way to collecting millions of dollars for his reelection campaign. We should look at his achievements in his first term.

He talked NATO into attaching Libya without getting the US involved. Good move except it looks like the Muslim Brotherhood is going to take over. The same for Egypt. This will come back to haunt us before it is all over.

He has stopped most of the drilling for oil in the gulf. He has stopped work on the pipe line from Canada to the gulf coast. Both of these actions will make us more dependent on foreign oil. Both actions will not produce jobs as he has promised.

He has stayed on the side lines of the debate about the debt ceiling in August. Now he complains about it. A real leader would have been involved and brought the parties together. As it is we now have a failure of the “Super Committee”.

He pushed and signed Obama Care to take over 1/6 of the U.S. economy. We can only hope that the Supreme Court will strike down this law and it’s mandates.

He has made a complete waste of taxpayer dollars with the Solyndra debacle. He was influential in the approval process for this loan and the tax payers are on the hook

He has proposed a new “Jobs Bill” that will not produce jobs of any consequence. This is only another waste of taxpayer dollars.

He has resisted any attempt to reduce the size federal government . He resist any attempt to reduce government spending.

We need to seek a person to replace Obama. A person who will take control of needless spending. One who will strengthen our military. Wasteful spending should be reduced in the military also.

We need a person who will lead this nation back to Greatness. Someone who will cut needless spending. Someone who will have constructive ideas to return us to being the greatest nation in the world again. Obama seems to be determined to make us a second rate society. We have never needed a change in leadership as much as we do now. I fear that this nation can not recover from another four years of this administration.

Never before have we needed a leader who will lead this nation. Someone who will take the bold steps to restore our nation. Someone who will lead, not someone who is leading from behind. Let’s face it, Obama is not a leader.

Not all is doom & gloom. We need to take a close look at our nation. We are still the greatest nation in the world. We are the ones that come to the aid of other nations when they have a calamity. We are the ones that move to defend other nations when others attack them. We are the “City on a Hill” that lights the path for others to follow. We can be great again if we have the will to do so. I fear that we can not follow that dream with Obama in control! You must vote next November. I urge you to consider the actions and policies of the present administration before you cast your vote.

Stan Elrod

Charlotte, NC

ISRAEL

Thoughts on Israel

One of my greatest fears concerns Israel. It is no secrete that Iran is close to producing an atomic weapon. If they succeed I am concerned that they will use it against Israel.

My fear is two fold. This could start a full scale war in the middle east. I am also fearful that if Iran were to launch an attack against Israel that the United States will not stand with Israel. The present administration has shown that they will not stand with Israel by their actions.

Israel is our friend and to turn our back on them will be to our detriment. The rest of the world will see that we do not come to the aid of our friends. The ramifications of this will weaken us in the future. No one will believe that we can be counted on as a friend.

We need to support Israel and we have the strength to do so. It will take a real show of power to show that we will act when our friends are attacked.

Stan Elrod

Charlotte, NC

BICKERING

BICKERING

With the most recent debate concluded it is clear the front runner is Obama. The bickering and petty insults are playing right into his hands. The in-fighting must stop if we are to unseat Obama. The left wing media will push Obama at every turn. It loves the bickering.

Apparently the insults from all of the Republican Candidates are a boon to Obama. The fighting, both on and off the debate stage, must stop. It seems that the Republican Candidates have not received the “Tea Party” message. That message is to have a new breed of candidate. The Tea Party stuck to their message and did not shoot each other down. The current self-destructive course will only give the election to Obama.

Ronald Reagan adopted the “Eleventh Commandment”. “Thou shall not speak ill of a fellow Republican”. Barry Goldwater lost the election when Nelson Rockfellow, a fellow Republican, labeled him as an extremist and unfit for the presidency.

Had Goldwater won the election the American political landscape would be much different. There would not have been any Johnson’s “Great Society”, government programs which were the model for Obama’s breed of Democratic Socialist.

The candidates should stop attacking each other and start talking about what they will do as president. Talk about restoring constitutional integrity, free enterprise, national defense, and family values. They should remember Reagan’s “11th Commandment” and focus on their own plan and what they will do as leaders.

Americans want to learn about the candidates not how to attack the opponents. The media is loving the in-fighting and will try to stir up more of it.

Don’t believe that any of the candidates are blameless. There is not an “ideal candidate” who has yet to emerge. Even Reagan had his faults, and admitted them. Delivering the United States from collective economic, social, and foreign policies are what is needed to bring the country back to greatness.

The statesmen in the group of candidates should repudiate the effort of the news media to stir up in-fighting. Keep in mind that Republicans are united, whoever the nominee is, to defeat Obama. The moderator of the last debate did a good job of maximizing the bickering. This is not the road to the White House.

There is a growing legion of conservatives in this country. The people will support a candidate with a sound plan to restore the nation.

American’s self-identify as “conservative” rather than “liberal”. It is time for the candidates to wake up and capitalize on this. Bickering and in-fighting is not the way to go.

Stan Elrod,

Charlotte, NC

The Constitution

Take a second look at the Constitution of the United States. It is a wonderful document and has stood the test of time. However, it has come under attack recently. It is the foundation of our Republic and one of the main features is that it does delegate authority. It also limits authority.

Local government was one of the main parts of the plan. The States and local government were to make most of the laws and regulations. We have stood by and let the Federal Government take control that was never given to them in the Constitution.

The Constitution is to be the supreme law of the land. In the debate before Federalist Papers, item 49, Jefferson and Madison were having a discussion. Jefferson wanted the people to be able to decide issues and make changes to the Constitution. Madison did not agree. He said that if the people could easily make changes to the Constitution that they will come to not respect the document. After discussion, Jefferson did agree with Madison. The Constitution has survived for over 200 years. It is time that we get back to the basics of this document.

Today we see that our government is out of control. The administration has members of various departments making rules. Many of these rules are made by bureaucrats who do not take into consideration the ramifications of what they are demanding. It is time to put a stop to the unelected bureaucrats.

We have the ability to become energy independent, but the rule makers have stopped oil, gas, and coal production. Granted some of these products do cause air pollution, but I believe that the technology available in this country can solve these objections.

The leadership of our country, both Republican and Democrat, have caused us to not be competitive in the world market place. It seems that Washington has lost sight of how to stimulate this economy. We need Citizenship Contribution. Think back on What John Kennedy said in his inaugural address. He said “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

We need a leader who will set achievable goals, not put in rules for us to follow. I believe that we have to consider each and every person running for office this year and make an informed and intelligent vote on election day.

It is time for us to reign in the people in Washington. The government has taken many small steps to control our economy and us. Each of these steps have seemed to not matter, but they do. It is time to draw the line and tell Washington, no more! We do not need a new revolution, but we do need to put a stop to the destruction of our consitution. A ballot box revolution is the way to proceed.

Stan Elrod

Charlotte, NC

The Next Election

When the framers of The Constitution gathered to write The Constitution of the United States it was a group of men never before, or since, that wrote such a document.

They outlined the way our country should operate. They choose to have a representative form of government. The people were to elect citizens to serve the people. They outlined the separation of powers. No one branch was to outweigh another. They laid out rules of limited government. Government was to abide by those limits.

The framers of the Constitution signed it. It was an act of Treason! They intended to end the rule by the British and the King. They pledged to each other their lives and fortunes. In short, they put their lives in jeopardy.

We need a new reverence for this document as it is being trampled under foot. Those who disregard these founding principals, I believe are doing so because they think it is right. I could not disagree with them more. There are those in congress who call this a “living document” to be changed to meet today’s problems. Obama seems to want to lead us toward a European form of socialism and some in congress agree with him.

I would point out that this has not worked in Europe and it will not work here. Look at France as an example. They are on their 5^th. Republic. We are on our First.

Obama, and every member of congress has sworn to up hold the Constitution. This was the Oath that they took, yet many seem to ignore the oath. The present debate is about the over reach of government. Look at what Congress has forced upon us. Obama Care, the stimulus, financial regulation, and energy controls. No where in the Constitution do they have the right to do any of this.

Our form of government is constrained by the Constitution and government has ignored it. Obama Care is at the heart of Constitutional illegitimacy. It forces all people to be covered by insurance. This is wrong! No where in the Constitution does the government have the right to require the purchase of any product, insurance included.

There are only two ways to get rid of this terrible piece of legislation. It can be rebuked by the courts. Progress is being made in this direction. The other way is for it to be rebuked at the polls.

Obama is going to force socialized medicine on us if we don’t take action. He is out to change America.

It seems that there is a good possibility that men, and women, of reason can win the Senate at the next election. The odds are in favor of the Republicans. There are 23 Democratic seats up for election and 10 Republican seats. Do I encourage you to vote only for Republicans? No! We need people on both sides of Congress who will read and study the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. We need people who will take those documents to heart and use them as their basis of each and every vote that comes up.

This election in 2012 is vital. That has been said at almost every election, but it has never been as true as this time. We must put people in office who will follow the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. We need people who will stand up for this country. The “American Experiment” must not falter. We need to take a hard look at every candidate and pick the one that can best serve out country.

Stan Elrod

Charlotte, NC

Advice for Republicans

There does not seem to be a front runner for the Republican nomination at this point. I would advise them to consider this:

When a clear winner seems to be emergining, take some positive steps to unite the ticket. This most likely can not happen until after the early primaries. When a clear leader emerges, that person should reach out to the other candidates. He, or she, should talk to the others in the race and ask them to be a part of their administration.

If Herman Cain is not the front runner, he should be asked to run as Vice President. This would defuse the race issue. I hate to admit it, but I believe a large number of African Americans will vote for Obama because of his race. With Cain on the ballot they may be comfortable voting for the Republican Ticket.

Others in the race are intelligent people. I believe that Michele Backmann and Ron Paul should be part of the administration. If the leader were to recruit some of these people, and announce that they have agreed to be part of a New Administration I think they will win.

With these divergent ideas about government cabinet meetings might bring forth divergent views. This is good! I don’t think a good leader wants people who are “yes men” as his advisors.

Of course none of this can happen yet, but I believe this would be a very smart move. It could unite the Nation to get behind a winning ticket.

Stan Elrod

Charlotte, NC

Why Has Obama been unsuccessful?

The answer is simple. The problem is the fault of the Republicans, Big Oil, The Wealthy and their corporate jets, and let’s not forget George Bush.

Why has he insisted on passing, and signing The Affordable Care Act, and then give over 1,400 waivers to the bill. No one can make a case that this bill will reduce health care cost. It only adds more people, at government expense, and adds 16,000 IRS agents to enforce it. When Thomas Edison repeatly came up short in his quest to create a working light bulb, he contended that he had not failed, but rather found 10,000 ways that did not work. In his quest to fix the economy, Obama has found one way that does not work and seems to be determined to try it 10,000 times.

It will be interesting to see Obama’s plan that he will outline on Thursday night. I do not hold out much hope that he will make any changes that will correct our problems.

I would suggest that he propose some of these to solve the problem:

Get off the back of “Big Oil” and encourage drilling here at home to solve our energy needs, and create jobs.

Take a firm stand with China. Make them stop manipulating their currency to give them an unfair edge in global trade, and create jobs.

Stop most of the Foreign Aid. As an example, we are building schools in Afghanistan and they blow them up as soon as they are built. We can not get schools built here at home! Build at home and create jobs.

Stop illegal immigration. Obama seems determined to give those here illegally the right to stay here and vote. Can anyone fail to see this is a ploy to gain votes for his reelection. He has opposed the Arizona law to deport illegal’s.

He is opposed to the Boeing Plant in Charleston to appease his Union Supporters. He seems to be more interested in Organized Labor than jobs. If he is successful in this endeavor, I would not blame Boeing for moving the operation overseas. Of course that would only decrease our economy and jobs.

Can Obama not see that almost everything he has tried since he took office has failed. Unemployment is at 9.1% and that is only the tip of the iceberg. This does not include those working part time because they cannot get full time employment. I hope he will have some fresh ideas for his address to Congress on Thursday. If he does not, we may be set for a double dip recession.

Stan Elrod,

Charlotte, NC

THERE IS NO AUGUST 2 DEADLINE!

There is no August 2 deadline for economic disaster if the debt ceiling is not raised by that date. That date was taken out of thin air by Treasury Secretary Tim Geitner. There is no accounting data that anyone can point to support his claim.

Obama threatens to not pay the military and senior citizens. This is all a threat and not true. The government still has income. Have you paid your taxes this year? Of course you have and who collects that tax? The federal government. They are only trying to frighten us to go along with them to spend more money. The latest income numbers estimate that the government expects to take in about $173 Billion in August. The interest on the debt is about $29 Billion. We can pay our bills! It is just that the Democrats, and Congress, will not be able to spend everything they want. What does every household in the country do when the money runs out? Cut spending.

‘It is the Republicans fault and we should blame George Bush.’ The truth is that it has been Obama that has forced the government to borrow more money in the past two years than any other president did in the prior eight years.

It is the responsibility of the President to present a budget every year. He has not been able to pass a budget in over a year. There is a law, Section 7 of public law 95-435, that states “Beginning with fiscal year 1981, the total budget outlays of the Federal Government shall not exceed it’s receipts.” It has been the law of the land and has not been repealed. Of course it has not been obeyed either.

Obama keeps harping on needing to tax the rich. He insist that “Congress has run up the credit card”. It is Obama that has insisted on all this spending. The government bean counters say that if the debt ceiling is not raised, we will not be able to pay 44% of our bills next month. That would be great! We would have to cut spending because they do not have the funds. Look at all the expenses of the government and cut a great deal of them. What would happen if we cut the Energy Department, Commerce Department, Interior Department, and others? I would think that we would soon realize that we can get along without them. Get out of the way and let the American people do what they do best, out produce the rest of the world.

If the bloated bureaucracy were to shut down, what would happen? Ask some of our “old-timers” what happened after World War II. We had millions of soldiers returning home. We had been making supplies for the war and we had to change. These people turned their attention to making consumer goods and the nation was prosperous for decades. The same would happen today if the bureaucracy was drastically reduced.

All that Obama, and most of the Democrats, are interested in is to kick this spending issue down the road until after the elections. This is pure politics and not for the good of the country. Next they resist a solution to postpone the decision until December with the argument that it will spoil Christmas.

Obama is not a leader! We need to work to replace him next November. We can not afford to have him in control for another four years. Without the pressure of reelection, he will take this nation down the road to destruction. We should let our leaders know that they need to draw the line on spending. Stand up for what is best for the country and stop the spending binge.

PRAY FOR AMERICA!

OBAMA BLAMES EVERYONE

Obama made the following statement today after meeting with leaders in congress. The White House said, "Congress should refrain from playing reckless political games with our economy. Instead, it should be responsible and do its job, avoiding default and cutting the deficit." The statement renewed Obama's insistence that any agreement should tide the government over until after the 2012 elections, to avoid a rerun of the debt dispute in the heat of the campaign.

He wants to postpone any solution until after the election so that he will not have to answer to the American people. He is still playing political games and blaming everyone but himself. If he is serious about cutting spending, he can cooperate with the congressional leaders. The problem is that he is not serious. He is only looking for the political advantage.

It is absurd to think that the government can not work within a budget with less spending. In Obama’s time in office he has run up our debt more than any previous administration. No one in Congress seems to have the guts to tell the American people that we must cut some programs in order to correct the reckless spending binge we have had with Obama.

I hope that the members of congress will not fall for his threats of no pay for the Military or Social Security payments. Here again is a list of possible cuts that can be made:

· Eliminate the Department of Energy.

· Eliminate the Department of Education. (This should be done at the State Level.)

· Cut Government employees back to a 4 day work week with commensurate cuts in pay until we are over this crisis.

· Bring most of our troops home. We do not, and should not, be the world ‘s policemen.

· Cut foreign aid to most countries.

These are but a few. Our message to Congress should be “Work it Out”.

We should get our house in order or our nation will not survive. It is time to get serious. Time to call Obama’s Bluff.

Stan Elrod

Charlotte, NC

HOW DARE THE REBUBLICIANS DO THIS!

How can Republicans not agree to break their campaign promises and raise taxes when the jobless rate is 9.2% and Obama’s economic plan is in jeopardy? Obama is saying that he will reform the tax code if he gets a $1 Trillion tax increase. If the Republicans fall for this they should all be voted out of office.

Obama is asking for the right to raise the debt ceiling on his own. This is a total disaster in the making. If the Congress gives him the right to do this, they will have given up their control over all spending. Obama can not be trusted to keep his word and if the Republicans fall for this they should all go.

Keep in mind that Obama has signed into law large Tax Increases. The Bush tax cuts will expire in 2012. His Affordable Care Act, Obama care, will slow the economy and raise unemployment. In 2013 Medicare Tax will increase an additional 0.9%. The new Health Care Law will in include a 2.9% tax on investment income including dividends, interest income, and capital gains.

Obama has singled out “Fat Cats” corporate aircraft. He does not consider that most private aircraft are flown into smaller airports without commercial service. Remember several years ago when an extra tax was put on Boats and Yacht’s? Very little revenue came from that, but the Boat industry all but left the United States to build abroad. This only drove the industry to other countries. A similar attack on Corporate Aircraft will only cause the aircraft manufacturers’ to move elsewhere. We manufacture more private aircraft here in the United States than anywhere else. To attack them is a good way to loose this manufacturing to other countries. Again the short slightness of Obama.

Remember how the Alternative Minimum Tax was to apply only to a handful of millionaires? This has cost American taxpayers almost $210 Billion. Another Tax increase was raising the allowable medical deduction floor from 7.5% to 10%.

Remember that in 2014 a new annual fee on Health Insurance Providers will increase about $60 Billion. This will only be passed along to customers as higher health care cost.

I think it is time to stop Obama. Call His Bluff! The threat not to pay social security and the military is simply a scare tactic. I only can hope the Republicans, and a few sensible Democrats, see his lack of planning will only make our problems worse.

The actions of the people in Congress recently makes a good case for Term Limits!

Stan Elrod

Charlotte, NC

He is at it again!

Obama walked out of the debt limit talks yesterday with no agreement. He pushed his chair back and walked out of the room. He seems to believe that he can do anything with this country that he wants.

He is saying that Social Security checks will not be sent if he does not get his tax increases. He also says that the military will not receive pay checks. This is all a bluff! The government still has revenue coming in that will more than cover these items. The government collects about $200 Billion per month in taxes and other revenue. It borrows another $130 Billion each month, money it will have to live without. The interest on the debt is about $2.5 Billion per month.

It seems that those in Washington do not want, or will not, cut spending in order to avoid raising the debt limit. It would be a simple matter to cut some expenses in order to pay Social Security and the military. I can think of a few: Cut government back to a 4 day work week with cuts in their pay. They are working for us, not us for them! Stop paying foreign aid for a time. Close some military bases overseas and bring the troops home. Shut down the Energy Department. It was started to decrease our dependence on foreign oil and since it was started we have increased our foreign oil imports. Bring every spending item in the present budget back for review. There are Billions that can be saved.

I am beginning to loose faith in our elected officials. Why they let Obama bully them into going against what most Americans want is something that I do not understand. It is time to draw a line in the sand and stand up to this bully!

There are ways to solve the debt problem without raising the debt ceiling. To do that will only make the problem worse. We are in this mess because our elected officials have spent more than we take in. I can’t make that work at my house, Can you?

Stan Elrod

Charlotte, NC

THE NEW HAMPSHIRE DEBATE

The New Hampshire debate is over. It was less of a debate and more of a “powder puff” throwing contest. Romney was eager to make a good first impression. None of the others dwelt on his Massachusetts health care that was the blueprint for Obama Care. Romney, as well as the others, spent time pointing out the short comings of Obama.

Tim Pawlenty did not press the issue of Obama Care. He is the one who coined the term “Obamneycare. “ He missed his chance to make the point that he could present a better alternative.

Michele Bachman announced that she had filed official paper work to get in the race. She did make the statement, “I will not rest until I repeal Obama Care.”

Herman Cain was the clear winner in the South Carolina Debate, but only held his own last night. I expected more from him.

Rick Santorum has critized his rivals in the past, but last night chose to “toot his own horn”, instead of going on the attack.

Newt Gingrich did little to redeem himself. Maybe it is time for him to pull out of the race. He could play a critical part as part of a Republican administration, but I don’t think he could win against Obama. He missed his chance to come across as a fresh candidate with new ideas.

Howard Cain proclaimed that “I am not a politician”. He lacks a voting record that others can pick apart. This may be good for him.

Ron Paul, the congressman from Texas came across as a fringe candidate.

All in all it was interesting, but there seemed to be no clear winner. We will wait and see.

Stan Elrod