How much is enough? It all depends on perspective. The definition of a living wage is different if you are paying it or receiving it. It explains why taxes are so high. For example, medical care: the doctors, nurses, technicians all are well educated and their jobs involve the life, health and welfare of the patients. Who can argue with that?

Educators have an important place in our society and nobody disputes that premise. They are well educated and have the critical assignment of preparing our young people to make a living in this society. They, like parents are supposed to do, mould and shape the potential of the students to make them able to make a living and be successful as citizens in the country.

Police and firefighters have a dangerous job and are trained to do tasks that most of the members of our society are unable or unwilling to do. It is difficult to dispute that they are entitled to have an adequate income for their services.

There’s an old saying that a person who believes he is getting paid what he is worth probably isn’t worth what he is getting paid. That is a good example of the power of perception. When an employer hands out the paycheck to the employee, does he always feel he is getting his money’s worth? Does the employee feel that he should have a raise? Which one is right?

The payday when this columnist was in the army was referred to as “our monthly insult.” That was before the army was all volunteer, and most of the soldiers were there because it was their duty to serve — whether they wanted to or not. Fortunately, the pay scales were greatly improved for those in the military, but most would agree that they are working for sub-standard wages for the hazards they face from bullets and bombs on a daily basis.

Then, we consider the other government employees. Some are underpaid, some are paid fairly and others are underpaid for the jobs they do. If you ask the heads of the unions they are all underpaid. If you are a taxpayer, the chances are great that the response is that most are overpaid. The answer most likely is somewhere in the middle.

We once compared the politicians to garbage men and got some flack from the politicians. We said if the garbage men and politicians went on strike and refused to do their jobs, which group would the taxpayer want to settle with first? This is not a good subject to bring up with politicians.

One of the other financial premises is that nothing is worth more than the payer is willing to pay or can afford. This is pretty accurate for everything other than taxes and true necessities. Athletes and those in the entertainment field can command high wages because people are willing to pay to see them. If the public stayed away from the stadiums and theaters, the price would be reduced to the point that would lure people back.

With taxes it is different. People have to pay the price charged or pay a severe penalty. If they don’t “volunteer” to pay their income taxes, they can lose their property and be incarcerated. If they don’t pay property tax, they find out they no longer are a homeowner because the government took it away from them — legally.

We can’t have a society without government and it needs money to survive. We have to pay for our infrastructure and services, but the Conservative philosophy is that government should provide only the services the people CANNOT provide for themselves. Conservatives want to provide a safety net for those who can’t provide for themselves like children, elderly and disabled. Conservatives have little sympathy for those who are too lazy to provide for themselves.

Future columns will address the issues of reducing spending and determining what is fair compensation by the value of the job compared to the ability of taxpayers to pay the bills.

One week later and there is no BO-Care “bounce” in the polls! The Wash Post has an interesting analysis: Washington Post poll finds split on health-care law remains deep. Why haven’t the numbers changed?

It’s “spending money that we don’t have” and a process that made sausage making look attractive in contrast. Prof Samuelson has more on the budget outlook:

Should the United States someday suffer a budget crisis, it will be hard not to conclude that Obama and his allies sowed the seeds, because they ignored conspicuous warnings.

A further irony will not escape historians.

For two years, Obama and members of Congress have angrily blamed the shortsightedness and selfishness of bankers and rating agencies for causing the recent financial crisis.

The president and his supporters, historians will note, were equally shortsighted and self-centered — though their quest was for political glory, not financial gain.

Fred Hiatt writes this:

According to a Congressional Budget Office analysis published last week, Obama’s budget plan has the government spending one-quarter of the national economy (25.2 percent of gross domestic product) 10 years from now, while collecting revenue that’s less than one-fifth (19.6 percent). Such a gap isn’t sustainable for any country.

The United States would have to borrow so much money that in interest alone the government would be spending 4.1 percent of GDP — compared with 1.4 percent this year.

That’s it! Most of us are concerned about spending money like this. You can’t spend money that you don’t have, no matter how noble the objective may be!

The second reason is the “process”, a corrupt performance that has left a bad taste in people’s mouths. How can anyone support the way that votes were bought and deals were made?

And last but not least! What exactly is in this bill? Does the language of the bill match the political promises? For example, there appears to be a contradiction on pre-existing conditions:

William G. Schiffbauer, a lawyer whose clients include employers and insurance companies, said:

“The fine print differs from the larger political message. If a company sells insurance, it will have to cover pre-existing conditions for children covered by the policy. But it does not have to sell to somebody with a pre-existing condition. And the insurer could increase premiums to cover the additional cost.”

Is it any wonder why Americans are joining the Tea Party rallies and getting angry over what is happening with government? How can any person with an IQ higher than two digits accept what is happening in the state and federal capitols?

Government is being run by corruption, chicanery, bribery, sweetheart deals, secrecy, lies and ineptness. Those in government who are sincere and have moral fiber are smothered by those whose biggest special interest is self-interest. The “what’s in it for me?” syndrome is the prime motivator for their actions.

It is like the federal “leadership” ramming a bill that the majority of Americans don’t want down the people’s throats. Legislators are becoming the lap dogs of the leadership who listen to “Be good Fido, and Poppa (or Momma) will give you a doggie treat.”

It may come as the promise of campaign contributions, improved positions, favors for relatives, or just a plain ego boost. Of course, there is always the threat of punishment to motivate the reluctant. Eric Massa claims he was set up. That may or may not be true, but destroying a person’s reputation has always been a way to defuse opposition.

The scandals that are emerging daily are a good indication of how the powerful get rid of those who “get in the way.” Exposing scandals is easy considering the fertile fields that exist in politics. A highly placed politician once said that power is the greatest aphrodisiac. Obviously, he was absolutely correct as noted with the recent scandals exposing adultery.

It is also funny to note that in New York and probably most states, adultery is a crime. At least a misdemeanor, yet we have politicians who have publicly confessed to the crime, and yet do not get arrested. Smoke a joint and you get busted, run a red light and you go to court, but cheating on a spouse isn’t serious enough to merit enforcing an age old law. No wonder the politicians don’t want the Ten Commandments posted in public places. It cramps their style.

One of the biggest historical events of how lies are used to gain the power politicians crave is the Income Tax. There are historians who claim that this Constitutional Amendment wasn’t properly ratified, but it is now the law of the land. Not surprisingly, that was the amendment that allowed the powerful to increase their power and to allow the runaway spending that is the earmark of most legislation.

The Income tax, when proposed, was to be a two percent tax on incomes over $100,000 and a guarantee that it would never exceed ten percent. Look how well that turned out. In 1914, $100,000 a year was an unheard of amount of money for a working person to earn. Soaking the rich was as popular a slogan then as it is now.

The biggest problem we face now is the runaway expansion of the national debt. Instead of figuring ways to reduce the expenses, the politicians (with the direction of the leadership) find ways to go still deeper into the hole. It would appear that bankrupting America is their goal. Some politicians are adverse to the socialization of America and they should be retained. The others should be voted out of office this November.

“We get the government we deserve,” has been our slogan. It is up to the people to determine what we deserve. We can get good government only by getting rid of the politicians who place their party and themselves above the well-being of the taxpayers.

To the politicians, a voter is just a means to an end — their end. We have long said that politics has little to do with good government. It is ALL about power and money. The recent events in the state and federal governments give credence to the truthfulness of that statement.

Americans deserve better than what the politicians have been forcing on us. We can, and should, change that. November is our big chance. We hope the American public will do that. Let’s create good change while we have the chance.

“Because I love Zion, because my heart yearns for Jerusalem, I cannot remain silent. I will not stop praying for her until her righteousness shines like the dawn and her salvation blazes like a burning torch.” – Isaiah 62:1

The remaining eleven verses in this chapter of Isaiah are as portentous of hope and promise as this first one. Verse 8 is especially direct, as it prophesies that God will never again hand Jerusalem over to its enemies.

In fact, there are many more verses in the Bible that assure us that God will bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse His land. Most of our U.S. Presidents have been aware of the need for friendship with this special nation. Richard Nixon, for all his other faults, including being notably anti-Semitic, was nevertheless directly responsible for giving much-needed aid during the Yom Kippur war of 1973. His Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, had refused Prime Minister Golda Meir’s desperate request, saying dismissively “Let the Jews bleed a little.” But when Meir phoned Nixon direct in the wee hours of the morning, he responded with immediate orders to send arms and ammunition. Hundreds of sorties delivered much-needed weaponry that ultimately shifted the victory to Israel.

The current occupant of the White House, who scarcely merits being referred to as “President,” has thumbed his nose at Israel for more than a year, while at the same time flying around to one Arab nation after another, bowing to Arab kings and dictators, praying with them in their mosques, and even casting a tolerant wink at the nefarious and hate-filled Ahmadinejad, Iran’s jihad-driven, election-rigging, Holocaust-denying prime minister.

Now that Israel has announced plans to build some residences in east Jerusalem, our own President, Vice President, and Secretary of State have accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately side-tracking efforts for peace. Oh, that half this much wrath had been shown toward the tyrants in Iran who shot down ordinary citizens protesting the fraudulent election! It took Obama a full week to come up with a few mealy-mouthed platitudes, gently chiding the mullahs who orchestrated this slaughter of innocent people.

Since the rebirth of Israel in 1948 that country has been our most reliable ally in the Middle East. Their claim on Jerusalem is indisputable, and they have the right to build whatever they want to anywhere in the city.

Anyone who doubts that God is still protecting and blessing His people should watch the DVD, “Against All Odds – Israel Survives,” a compelling documentary by Michael Greenspan. The 13 segments record miracle after miracle associated with Israel’s overcoming its enemies in various battles — miracles that can only be attributed to supernatural intervention.

Last summer I had the pleasure of attending a rally in support of Israel, sponsored by Christians United for Israel (CUFI). The speaker was retired Marine Colonel John T. Somerville, who gave an outstanding summary of why it is incumbent upon Christians to support Israel. One of the scriptures Colonel Somerville quoted was from the prophetic book of Joel in the Old Testament:

“I will gather the armies of the world into the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will judge them for harming my people, for scattering my inheritance among the nations, and for dividing up my land.” (Joel 3:2)

It is difficult to find anything with more clarity about God’s intentions to punish those who fail to support Israel and their claim on the land than the covenant He gave them when Joshua led them into the promised land.

Over and over God has demonstrated His blessings on a land that once had scarcely a tree in the entire country, and now abounds with crops of almost innumerable variety.

One of the most informative e-mails that I receive is a daily “End of Day Report” from Gary Bauer, who worked for former President Ronald Reagan. A staunch supporter of Israel, Bauer has written a letter to the American President urging him to stop treating Israel as if it were the enemy. He has posted the letter at his web site, and I have joined thousands in signing it to indicate our support of Israel. I urge you to do the same. Go here.

The biggest question in Albany seems to be “how are we going to balance the budget?” The tough answer is how will that get done without cutting spending or raising taxes? Politicians love to please the voters and also cater to the special interests. This is a tough task. Cutting spending means less money for the special interests that are very generous with campaign contributions at election time. There is also good evidence that some politicians get “special consideration” in other ways.

Raising taxes can affect the voter and can have negative results for the politician when he or she is running for election, so what’s a poor politician to do? The Tea Parties have driven a sense of fear into those whose voting records show a penchant for more spending and higher taxes. They have reason to be afraid. People may, at last, vote with consideration for their pockets rather than party loyalty. Even in gerrymandered districts, the politicians are nervous.

It looks like November will be show time. The curtain will rise, and it may fall suddenly on those who have believed that politics is their career path. Many experts believe that incumbency may be a disadvantage, not only in New York, but in the nation.

When New York had a Democratic Assembly and Republican Senate, each house had the comfort of being able to blame the other party when things went wrong. When the Democrats took over both houses, the power was not balanced. The old saying “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” proved to be true.

There have always been scandals in the Capitol, but they were kind of minor and many could be swept under the big rug. Now, with Democrats controlling everything and things going terribly wrong, there is only one party to take the blame. That is how the Democrats took over Congress in 2008. Now, it looks like the Republicans have the opportunity to get the pendulum to swing back sooner than the normal cycle usually does.

The years of tax and spend, then borrow and spend, have come to an abrupt halt. The recession has shown what Conservatives have been saying for years. This columnist cannot remember when the budget was presented without spending exceeding (sometimes greatly) the cost of living percentage.

For years, if the state had a budget surplus at the end of the year, the politicians would initiate new or more expensive programs. Common sense would have them pay down the debt. This was never done, because the special interests wanted the greater spending and the voters were too dumb to throw out the spendthrifts they put into office.

It seems now, the chickens have come home to roost, but instead of chickens, the birds look like vultures who have found only skinny carcasses upon which to feed. The taxpayers, who are the voters, have finally come to the conclusion that there have to be spending cuts. The politicians will have to find ways to do that and not offend the special interests that have the money.

It will be interesting to see how they do it. People vote. Corporations have the money, but when it comes to buying votes, this year it might be a real challenge to get the voters to sell out.

The unions, regardless if they represent government employees, teachers, police, firemen, or whoever gets their paycheck from taxes, want raises. As Samuel Gompers once said when asked during negotiations what he wanted, Mr. Gompers curtly said: “More!”

This is the year when they might have to realize that nothing is worth more than people are able or willing to pay. The Tea Parties have the right idea. They are arousing the public to change the saying “Silence is golden,” to “Silence is expensive.”

Mayor Bloomberg paid $108 per vote to stay in office. How many state or federal politicians can afford that much? We will know in about eight months whether or not previously dumb voters smarten up. We get the government we deserve.

We are at a critical time in American history. Never before has there been such an overt concerted effort on the part of socialists/Marxists to impose their form of social and economic system on America. Those who have been born into, been nurtured, supported and advanced courtesy of the “government” believe that it is the normal way things are. They grew up in a compartmentalized universe supported by taxpayers and since that is all they know, they believe that is the way it is and should be for everyone. Such Americans and illegal immigrants don’t have a clue as to who their benefactors really are; please allow an introduction: TAXPAYERS!

The Federal Government has enacted a number of social programs over the years that benefit those, who apart from a particular socio-economic program would be forced to rely on their own efforts and resourcefulness. That fact has unfortunate consequences. Government screws things up because in each instance where an economic program favors one over another, the opposite “number” is deprived. Establishing quotas is evil if not unconstitutional, so in politically correct talk, quotas are called “goals.” Despite the trillions of dollars spent on such programs with quotas, progress has been pathetically slow and painfully ineffective.

Since Obama became President, despite all the whining about the “hand he was dealt,” he has spent or planned to spend more money than all other administrations in history combined. As much as one may disdain GW Bush’s freewheeling spending, the canard that “it’s Bush’s fault’ doesn’t fly. Obama should grow up and wise up.

Now he and many Democrats in Congress are working to impose a health care system on Americans that will increase spending that would extend indefinitely into the future and apart from reducing every American to slavery to foot the bill, they have only vague ideas and a lot of “snake oil sales pitches” as to where the money would come from. Most Americans support health care reform, but without destroying the best medical care system and economy in the world. Yes. It can be done but not with the present proposal.

Democrats need to give it a break, start over; and next time make it a bi-partisan effort, not the political freeze-out of the past twelve months. Next time do it in an open, honest, and transparent bi-partisan debate as to how to proceed; pound out a proposal that would be fair and balanced.

It’s an idea whose time has come! Washington! Do it!

Semper Fidelis

How many solicitations from charities do you receive each week? If you are like me, your mail box is bombarded with letters from almost every conceivable kind of charity –- disease research organizations, various veterans’ groups, and of course the many that respond to disaster relief efforts. All are vying for the opportunity to stake a claim to my generosity.

Now don’t misunderstand me. I believe in supporting worthwhile charities, and have done so for many years. But I cannot possibly give to each one that asks, and it can become quite a dilemma, trying to decide on the ones I feel I can afford.

To start with, I won’t even talk to anyone who calls me on the phone for a contribution. I don’t trust anything strangers tell me on the telephone.

Next, I rule out those that send me gifts. A penny or a nickel that is visible through the address window on the envelope is a signal to me to open it up, take the money (if I can get it unglued), and throw the letter, unread, into the wastebasket. Anybody who can afford to send me money doesn’t need mine.

Greeting cards, address labels, coffee mugs, T-shirts, calculators, and other “gifts” in anticipation of my donation are sure indicators that this charity will not receive my support. When I contribute, I expect my donation to be used for the stated program cause, not for tacky “gifts” that I don’t need, don’t want, and will not use.

At Christmas time, calendars seem to be the main gift sent to potential donors. One year I received enough free calendars to hang one in every room of the house, including the garage.

I worked hard for my retirement income, and it really rankles me that there are people in organizations that try hard to take advantage of me and others who are by nature compassionate and generous. Therefore I have learned to temper my generosity and compassion with a bit of old-fashioned caution and perhaps a touch of skepticism.

I simply don’t give to an organization any more without checking them out first. My main tool for doing so is Charity Navigator, located on the internet here. The site is user-friendly, and while it doesn’t have every charity that exists, it contains more than 5000, assigning them a rating from one to four stars for efficiency of funds utilization. I usually won’t give to one with less than three stars, and really prefer that they have four. A chart shows how they spend donations, broken down by program expenses, administration, and fundraising.

The site also offers several helpful lists, such as “10 Charities Overpaying For-Profit Fundraisers,” “10 Highly Paid CEOs at Low-rated Charities,” and “10 Charities in Deep Financial Trouble.” The “highly paid CEOs” is, in fact, one of my main discriminators. If a CEO is paid more than about $300,000 in annual compensation, that is simply too much. Those heading smaller charities should earn proportionately less, in my opinion. I realize it takes highly talented, creative, and energetic managers to effectively run charities, but in my opinion, anyone willing to take the job should lead by example, not try to get rich from $10 and $20 contributions from pensioners.

I must admit, though, that Charity Navigator sometimes doesn’t offer timely information. For example, I saw in today’s news that the CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of America, with headquarters here in my own state of Georgia, paid its CEO almost $1 million dollars during 2008 in salary and benefits. They spent another $6 million plus on travel, conferences, meetings, and lobbying efforts. Checking this with the Charity Navigator web site, I noted that their latest information on this charity is from 2007, and only lists base salary for the CEO, not other compensation such as bonuses and retirement plan contributions. Even so, the organization received only a rather anemic two-star rating overall. Based at least partially on misuse of funds, Boys and Girls Clubs of America has announced that it may have to fold, unless it receives a requested federal Government bail-out.

I was also shocked a couple of years ago to learn that some of the veterans’ organizations I had been contributing to for years, had very low efficiency ratings. I immediately terminated my support, and wrote to tell them why.

Donating to charitable organizations is a wonderful thing, whether your money goes to help other humans or to benefit animals, and I don’t discourage anyone from contributing to them. I just urge you to be cautious and check an organization out before you write that check.

Projections about the mid-term elections are rife with doom and gloom about Democrats’ chances in the 2010 elections; and we work and hope for that. And, whereas that may well be the case it is a long way before that fateful date in November. Warning shots fired across Obama’s bow have had little effect on the ideologically driven occupant of the White House while excuses for his failures abound. What is clear, is that the media and many bloggers are focused on his so called “failures” rather than the more obvious fact of what Obama has been totally open about, “we will totally change America,” “we will totally change the economic system,” “we will change the world,” “we are the ones we’ve been waiting for,” “I just want to spread the wealth around,” “the time for discussion is over,” and etc.

There are those who like to advance the notion that Obama is attempting to impose a European style of socialism but few have taken the time to read his books wherein without using the word he or his ghost writer eloquently spells out his socialist/Marxist philosophy in the most unobtrusive terms and reveals his disdain for free market capitalism. On this last he openly attacks big business while advancing big unions, calls for tight regulation of the financial industry while effectively defending the designers and operators of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac collapse. Obama’s teleprompter proclaims that the recession is over while additional thousands lose their jobs. He prints money with abandon, further devaluing the dollar and in the process prompting calls from diverse sources for a new currency basis of international exchange. Gold speculators have gone wild with the precious metal bringing all-time high prices which are projected to double in the foreseeable future. Alas, I forgot, all this was “GW” Bush’s fault. Sure; and the cow jumped over the moon.

Obama’s election reflected a mood manufactured by the propaganda arm of the Democrat Party, i.e. ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN, with incessant talk-down of the economy and War on Terror. Their efforts, funded by Soros, and enabled by Barney Frank, Chris Dodd and speculators both large and small in the stock and commodities markets, and housing industries, were successful in bringing about market collapse and created the present economic environment. Republicans also bear a significant part of the responsibility given their efforts to out-democrat the Democrats.

Obama and his ideologically driven administration are working to destroy the foundation of hope, freedom and free market capitalism upon which the U.S. became the world’s pre-eminent nation in virtually every facet of life. Fortunately, Americans are awakening in increasing numbers to the fact that Obama’s is not failure because he knows precisely what he is doing and is acting on it with vigor.

It would be true that if Obama’s intention is to revitalize the American economy he has failed. But, if his purpose was to “totally change the economy,” “totally change America,” devalue the dollar and so increase the debt load that the present and future generations are reduced to becoming virtual slaves of the government through onerous taxes or other means, then government whose job would be to “spread the wealth around” and to expand its role, then he is succeeding. Some call excessive spending “generational theft,” I call it “totally changing the economy” from free market capitalism to socialism. In doing so, he would succeed in totally changing America from an open free society to a police state that could well be totalitarian.

Passage of the present version of health care legislation would move that objective forward. And, that “forward,” dear reader, is the reason that they call themselves “progressives.”

Semper Fidelis

The state is deep in debt and is close (maybe over) to $9 billion. The Assembly and Senate, as well as the Governor, are in a state of dysfunction. Actually, that seems to be the normal state in Albany and nobody seems to have an answer. In fact, not too many good ideas have surfaced so far.

Granted, this columnist is not a professional politician, and obviously not as smart as those who make a living in the political world, but humbly, I would like to offer a couple (or a few) suggestions to help bridge the gap.

Two of the biggest expenditures in the budget are Medicaid and aid to education. Both are correctable with a little political courage to stand up to the special interests and to trust the public to remember this on Election Day. Then again, past hand outs to the politicians by the special interests may be the insurmountable motivating force.

For those who might be willing to trust the voters, we offer a couple of ideas to close the budget without raising taxes or creatively generating new fees. Here are the thoughts.

New York Medicaid is a really extensive and expensive program. When the government originated it, they had a base plan, but offered “enhancements” that the states could add to the benefits. Naturally, the liberals in New York added everything that they could and didn’t worry about the costs. After all, this is the state with a heart and compassion for the downtrodden and the poor. Now, the taxpayers could be described with the same terms.

The NY Medicaid offers better benefits than most of the insurance policies people pay for do. A notable exception is the plan given to the legislators and many government employees. Of course, the politicians don’t worry about the cost because they don’t have to spend a dime to get it. The taxpayers pay for their insurance as well as paying for Medicaid benefits. Maybe that has something to do with it.

The big difference is that those on the government payroll could well afford to at least contribute to the plan, but then again, what’s the use of being in a position of power if you can’t abuse it?

So, here’s the plan. Strip down the “extra benefits” to something more basic and much more affordable. Experts have determined that doing that would, by itself, close the budget gap. Remember, New York spends more on Medicaid than the combined total of California and Texas. We don’t hear anything about how deprived the poor are in those two states. For a taxpayer who pays for his own insurance, or at least contributes to the payment, that should make some sense.

The second problem is with the school systems. They are exceedingly expensive, not only with state aid, but a huge drain on property taxes. A Long Island legislator claims that if the teachers gave up the step raises this year, it would close the educational budget gap. That’s just on Long Island. Statewide, it would be higher. While people are losing their jobs, or their businesses, it would seem like giving up the step would not be a great sacrifice for those with a really steady, well paying job.

Oops! Yes. We forgot that if there is a shortage of funds in a school district, the first thing the Superintendent does if figure out a way to cut programs or lay off some teachers. This is OK with the unions, because the heads of the unions don’t get affected and those who are left on the payroll will vote to keep them in power. After all, it affects only the kids.

Another way to reduce overall costs is to consolidate schools. We have suggested that no school district should have fewer than 10,000 students, so mergers should be relatively easy. There is a big problem with turf. Nobody wants to give up their fiefdom or “identity.” Usually, those are the people who have a financial interest in the status quo.

There are few problems that can’t be solved. It is up to the people who are smart enough to vote to call their legislators and insist that the budget be cut, the deficit closed and taxes lowered, not raised. The question is whether the taxpayers are smart enough or angry enough to do it.

People voted again in Iraq. I like this report:

What was striking, the Western official said, was how the bombings seemed to have spurred voters to go to the polls. “The bombings, it seems, provoked the people to vote,” the official said.

I loved this one:

Despite a spasm of violence early Sunday, Iraqis flocked to polling stations in what appeared to be large numbers, marking the country’s first parliamentary polls since 2005.

Overall, it was a good day for Iraq. We understand that Iraq will take time but the trend is good. In other words, people are voting and the terrorists can’t stop them!

Congratulations to the people of Iraq.

We also recall the brave US soldiers, and the many Iraqis too, who made this day possible.

What should we do next? Pres BO should make it clear that the US will support the Iraqi government.