My Encounter With A Liberal: Part 2.5

My Fellow Americans,

Our liberal, Jeannie, struck again today.  Not to worry, though, The Refounding Father is on the case.

Herrrrrre's Jeannie:

TRF-

Too bad your not brave or genuine enough to publish your real name...sooo TRF will have to do. I had two great fathers in my lifetime and they are the only ones deserving of that address from me.

#1 Why are you addressing President Obama as messiah? I detect racism here...spit it out man, you are still freaked that the 'good ole white boy' didn't win...and

where is this famous tea bagging patriotism? does it only exist if you win?

I wasn't really asking for your money yesterday T, I just wanted to point to the glaring fact that when the individual needs help in this society it's called a hand out and they are somehow morally defunct! Yet when Wall Street or big business needs help, that's called a bail-out a loan, or something absolutely necessary. Not what it truly is CORPORATE WELFARE!

Why don't they lower their bottom line or bring back a fraction of that sheltered money from the Caymans if they are so moral?

your third point can be answered by one word..lobbyists! but we will win my fellow pixel:)

The Obama Administration is a long time coming for this world and I for one will give them all the praise and encouragement needed...the economy is recovering.

The greatest thing about green jobs is that they can't be shipped over-seas...oh no! No more slave wages and huge profits for the faceless shareholders....

I LOLRONF at the use of the word socialism...yes T just like Canada...

I like French-Roast coffee myself.

-END TRANSCRIPT-

I actually agreed with some of her points this time around.  However, she still seems pretty misguided.  Take a look.

The Refounding Father's Response:

Jeannie,

My name is Taylor Brown. Nice to meet you. I go by The Refounding Father because it's the title of my blog. I invite you to come by.

1. How is calling Obama the "Messiah" racist? There we go again with the racism claim. I didn't give him that nickname.

2. As I said before, I'm not a Republican. I believe they are just as guilty for the mess we are in as the Dems. Am I freaked out that a black man is the President of the United States? No. It's just I think people who voted for him are beginning to realize he isn't what they thought they were getting.

3. Honestly, I would've preferred Ron Paul over John McCain. McCain and Obama were very similar on many fronts. Health care and the economy to name two subjects, if I recall correctly. I liked Paul, although I knew he wouldn't get enough votes, because of his fiscal conservatism. (The Fed does need an audit done on it. In light of their role in this financial crisis, wouldn't you agree?)

4. I don't know why you think I'm against you here, but I'm not. If corporations are getting bailed out, I agree that taxpayers should too. However, I'm not a fan of bailouts at any level. People need to be allowed to fail. That's the only way you can achieve true success. It's about eliminating dependency and picking yourself up off the ground despite unfortunate circumstances. It's the true American way.

5. What about lobbyists? I'm not a big fan of them either.

6. Green jobs are a myth. You want companies to stop shipping jobs overseas? LOWER TAXES! DE-REGULATE!

7. You're correct, not all companies are moral. There is a lot of greed out there. A lot of it is on Wall Street. But, it's also the government's fault. Who do you think forced banks to give out loans to people who couldn't pay? When you package up a bunch of bad mortgages and sell them as bonds...that's not a good idea. While greed is a flaw within capitalism, is it not in socialism and communism? In that case only the government gets to be greedy, but it's still there. Don't throw capitalism under the bus...throw the people that caused it there. You need to remember to distinguish between the greedy who use capitalism and the fundamentals of capitalism. They are mutually exclusive. Not everybody is greedy.

It's very simple, Jeannie. I don't care how long it takes to help you understand this. I will help you see where I'm coming from.

- The Refounding Father (a.k.a. Taylor B.)

-END TRANSCRIPT-

We shall see if she comes back with more.  I will keep you posted.

Robert Kiyosaki's 'An Unfair Advantage'

My Fellow Americans,

A reader brought something to my attention this week (thanks again!).  It's a documentary from Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad.  In the film titled "An Unfair Advantage", due out later this year, Kiyosaki and his team explain what you need to do to be financially free in today's economic climate.  The website has a 6-minute introductory clip.  It's a great way to get acclimated with Kiyosaki's work if have not already done so.

I will keep a link for the site in the "Small Business & Entrepreneurship Center" on the right side bar.

Here's to your financial freedom,

The Refounding Father

My Encounter With A Liberal: Part II

My Fellow Americans,

Like a fly in your ear, liberals just won't go away.  Well, it's time for part II of my encounter with our liberal friend, "Jeannie Danna."  Today, she had her liberal pal, "roger nowosielski" join the conversation.

Jeannie's up first:

#7 TRF,

I said I don't want the country you, rush and all the other tea drinkers want....

point #3 If we did not have a strong American Labor Movement, Rush would not have a mic in front of him he would have a serving tray!

Do you want the middle class to just shrivel up and go away?

You have really reminded me of 43 and how he chirped one day.."Just become an entrepreneur!" In fact TRF, why don't you lend my husband and I enough money to become one of those entrepreneurs since the banks that had their hands out for corporate welfare sure won't!

Why did the economy almost completely collapse before The Obama Administration took over and headed us back in the right direction? Green jobs, jobs, jobs! I See clean wind farms, solar power and the resurrection of the EVONE in Americas future.

The question is why can't you?

The decimation of the Sherman anti-trust laws has aloud capitalism to become this over grown greedy monster that sees nothing but Wall Street and the bottom line...

If American capitalism is so great then why have most of our jobs been shipped to China and I'm hearing now Africa?

I am going to go drink a cup of nice hot coffee right now TRF. sorry, but I will not address you as Father.:)

-END TRANSCRIPT-

Well, this just set off Jeannie's liberal buddy.  Here is "roger's" response:

Hi, Jeannie,

Don't let some of these people get you down. They'll never change. That's why I really wish for hard times, much harder than we've experienced thus far, to make them sonsofbitches wake up. Nothing else will make 'em realize that America's "ideals" was a mirage. (I don't want to wait until they all die out like the last remnant.)

Only then can we hope for a brighter tomorrow for all humans, not just the privileged Anglo-Saxon race.

-END TRANSCRIPT-

Honestly, why is everything about race with liberals?  Oh yeah, it's because they don't like the truth and have no facts to back up their arguments.  Now, I remember.

The Refounding Father's Response:

Jeannie & Roger,

I'll address you both.

1. Jeannie, I should ask you the same question for the middle class. The "Messiah's" health care plan that is being worked out in the Congress and Senate will severely cripple the middle class through a drastic increase in taxes. I'm a member of the middle class, why would I want them to go away?

2. If had the money to lend you and your husband...believe me I would. I believe in entrepreneurship. Those are the people that will save the country.

3. I'm glad you brought up that green jobs are saving the economy. But, tell me, where are they? Great you see a few solar panels and wind farms...fantastic. But, where are the jobs? The truth is they haven't created any and they haven't "saved" any. Economists don't even have a statistic called "saved jobs." It's made up.

4. How can you say the Obama admin. did anything to "save" the economy? With what? Cash for clunkers? Come on. You're better than that.

5. American capitalism is great. Why can't you see that? What is your alternative that is so much better? Socialism...where people are all handed everything? Then, nobody buys anything because people don't want what the government is producing. That's insane...not to mention it's never worked in the history of the world. And it should not be tried here in the U.S.

6. Go drink your coffee. Don't call me "Father." That's fine. It's just...tea is so much better...don't you think?

7. Roger, wake up my friend. These are hard times. And they'll only get worse if those in power remain there. We need them to wake up too. We need real "change" and not the B.S. promised to people so Obama could win an election.

8. What's with the whole "privileged Anglo-Saxon race" comment? Why does everything have to be about race? There are plenty of people who are not "Anglo-Saxon" who are wealthy and well-off. Chances are, too, that many of them are that way because of their entrepreneurial drive. The same drive and determination that helped grow this country when immigrants came here. The same drive and determination...that will help avoid another Great Depression.

What I find most discouraging in these conversations is that so many people take what made this country great...and spin it. People looking for a better life...an alternative to socialism and communism...came here to be free. They came here to have the freedom to become anything. No, not everybody has an equal shake. But, they all have the chance to pursue what they desire.

Does communism offer that? Does socialism..facism..do they offer that? The answer is no. And until you construct an economic..political..financial..whatever [you want] to call it..until you construct an alternate system that is better than capitalism...the fact remains that capitalism is the only way to go. It's not perfect. But, it got us this far. And, like it or not, liberals and Dems must admit...we've done pretty darn well.

- The Refounding Father

PS: See, Jeannie, I told you I don't need you to call me "Father." I'll just call myself it. No problem. :)

-END TRANSCRIPT-

It's always fun to argue with idiots.  (Thanks, Glenn!)

My Encounter With A Liberal

My Fellow Americans,

Today, I bring you my encounter with the opposition.  I have said before I enjoy learning how they think.  The exchange took place on Blogcritics.org, one of the sites on which I upload my posts.  It worked out well, since I was looking for something to write about for today.  Our liberal, who goes by Jeannie Danna on the site, was responding to my article about John Wanamaker.

This is what she had to say:

TRF,

I recently wrote that unchecked capitalism has produced a nation of liars.

This article proves that statement.

The fact the Mr. Wanamaker was a Republican shows just how far you people have wandered from the core principals of this country.

The social programs implemented by our government is what built this country and the middle class to begin with.

The labor unions also strengthened the American home so that workers could earn a living wage. Of course, if your rich you don't worry about trivial concerns like food, shelter, clothing, education and opportunities for your children to improve and enrich their lives.

So you say "Let us keep our money! Don't TAX US! just the little guy "

While you, the owner class, pay little to nothing in taxes, the American worker is taxed dry before even cashing that paycheck.

While you, the owner class, have cadillac insurance plans for your HC, the American worker goes bankrupt after any major medical need for them or theirs!

While you, the owner class, live rich secure and affluent lives, the American workers must hold their hands out to you for CHARITY

Again, you make our rights your burden...

I hope I never live in the country you are claiming to re-found.

PS My father joined the Conservation Core in order to survive. What's the hardest decision you have ever made to live?

Incidentally, the Conservation core built all those Ski lift runs you enjoy. A good by-product for the effort wouldn't you agree?

-END TRANSCRIPT-

Now, I always love a good debate.  So, I didn't hesitate in bringing my A-game.

The Refounding Father's Response:

Jeannie,

Let's take this point by point.

1. I'd love to read your article that says capitalism has produced a nation of liars. I disagree, but would enjoy the read.

2. Us people? Jeannie, the whole country has wandered away from our core principles. That's why the Tea Party movement is so strong.

3. Social programs have not built our country. That is entirely false. Social programs have destroyed this country -- especially welfare.

Don’t you understand that most of those who count on welfare are handicapped by the system? It’s not that these people are poor or can’t find jobs, it’s that the system has allowed them to be weak. It has crippled them. It has left them with an inability to control their own lives. They are completely dependent on others.

What you fail to realize is that this is by design. The Democrats (and some Republicans) need the poor to rely on them. That way, they can make them empty promises they have no intention of fulfilling -- just to get re-elected.

4. You mean labor unions like SEIU, AFL-CIO, or the ACLU? The SEIU is tied with ACORN -- the organization that wanted to help bring illegal young girls here for prostitution. The SEIU boasts about how many undocumented workers they have in their ranks. Those workers take jobs from unemployed Americans. Shall I go any further? Not all unions are bad, but many are. So, you're wrong there as well.

5. Let's get something straight -- I am not rich. I am not part of your "owner class." I agree that the American worker is taxed to death. But, it isn't the employer's fault -- they give them a job. Blame the government for taxing you to death and using the money to support meaningless programs -- or corrupt labor unions -- or undocumented illegal workers.

Besides, lower taxes would allow companies to offer goods and services at lower prices. Lower taxes would let companies create more jobs. Lower taxes would spark innovation.

Less government intervention would allow the entrepreneurial spirit to thrive in America once again.

Does health care need improvements? Sure. But, don't blame the employer. And don't expect the government to take care of it -- you know the same entity that monitors Social Security, Medicare, the Post Office, Amtrak, etc. Is that what you want? More incompetence?

You mention the cadillac health care plans -- shouldn't you put Senators and Congressmen in there too?

You make the American worker sound pathetic. They are not pathetic. We need less government and more American ingenuity.

You want to talk about rights? Let me remind you what the current health care plan on the table will do to those rights if passed.

Finally, I’m sorry you don’t want to live in the America our founding fathers intended. That’s very sad to me. What’s also sad is how you completely dismiss capitalism -- the reason we are the greatest nation on earth. While, yes, capitalism has its flaws -- no other system has worked. Not socialism. Not communism. Not fascism. Argue all you want -- but it’s the truth.

Read your history -- real history. Not the B.S. they spew in school textbooks. Read the 5,000 Year Leap. Read The Lexus and the Olive Tree. You will understand then where I’m coming from and why your explanations are dead wrong -- and scary.

Make no mistake about it -- I am NOT a Republican. I am a Constitutional Conservative. The GOP has really lost it’s way. Until they come back to their core conservative principles, I will continue to vote for those that hold similar values to me.

You don't want to live in my America? That's fine. But, I'm sick and tired of living in yours. Been there. Done that.

The Refounding of America continues.

- The Refounding Father

PS: Let me say that I'm sorry your father had to live through that. But, FDR's New Deal only prolonged the heartache for Americans during the Great Depression.

If we are not careful, the government could prolong this recession as well. And it could be worse than what your father went through.

-END TRANSCRIPT-

I would love to hear your comments about the exchange.  Check back here for updates.  This is always something I enjoy. 

God Bless...

Kiyosaki: Will 2010 Be the Best of Times or the Worst of Times?

My Fellow Americans,

I came across this article today from Robert Kiyosaki (photo: Yahoo!) on Yahoo! Finance.  It's a great read. 

Kiyosaki gives his predictions of what could face our nation next in this, as he calls it, "New Depression."  I suggest you take a look through it and make it part of your 'Required Reading.'  I think you will be glad you did.

Stay vigilant and keep learning,

The Refounding Father

The Terrorists Are Winning As Obama Plays "Blame Game"

My Fellow Americans,

The terrorists are winning.  Even though the foiled Christmas Day attack didn't kill a single American, they are still winning.  They are winning because they have, once again, instilled fear among the American people. 

They have forced our security measures to be revamped.  They have laughed at us while airport security officials in Newark find no trace of a guy who bypassed a security checkpoint on Jan. 3 (blame the faulty cameras).  And don't think it wasn't hilarious to them to hear that airport security officials at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport and an airport in Bakersfield, CA were scrambling around only to find that the "suspicious packages" which caused shut downs were actually an airline's marker bag and a bag that contained bottled honey, respectively.

It all comes back to the question of safety I raised on Dec. 29.  President Obama (photo: AP) doesn't appear interested in the safety of this country (read more here).  To me, it seems like he's annoyed with the whole thing.  He only cares about "fundamentally transforming the United States of America."  This terror stuff gets in the way of that -- and health care.

Let's think about this for a second.  It will be one year ago on Jan. 20 that Obama took office.  Almost as soon as he finished his speech, he decided to issue an Executive Order to close Guantánamo by Jan. 22 of this year.  Looks to me like that's going to be another campaign promise he can't meet.

But, it's even more than that.  Obama loves to play the blame game.  He is always blaming the Bush administration for the economy or for the treatment of terrorists.  Never once does he act like a true President and stop campaigning.  It's always, "Well, the folks before I came into office left me with this mess to clean up."

It's September 11, 2001.  The nation has just been hit with the worst terrorist attack on American soil.  Three thousand Americans are dead.  Does President George W. Bush blame former President Bill Clinton for not pursuing Osama bin Laden after the 1993 attacks on the World Trade Center?  The answer is no (and even if he did at all, it certainly isn't to the extent Obama goes with Bush).

Sure, President Bush wasn't perfect.  He had his faults.  But, as I said last week -- he kept us safe.

Obama needs to stop playing games -- especially the blame game.  He needs to take responsibility for this.  Whether he wants to call it like it is or not -- this is a "War on Terror."  He promised to take action on the safety of this nation yesterday.  It would be nice if he delivered.

Obama has been President for almost a year now.  Like it or not, this is his economy, his war -- his Presidency.  Nobody else is responsible -- but HIM.

It's up to him now if, in the next 3 years, he wants to continue to make poor decisions for America.

Required Reading: What the Dems Know That We Don't -- Universal Voter Registration

My Fellow Americans,

This article is a must read -- What the Dems know that we don't: Universal Voter Registration

It's only getting worse, America.

- The Refounding Father

Is American Ingenuity Dying?

My Fellow Americans,

I want to talk to you today about the ingenuity and innovation in this country. I can't help but feel that we are distancing ourselves further and further from what made this country great.  We have lost focus on the fundamental truths upon which this country was founded.

Do you understand what I'm talking about? Are we being more independent and self sufficient or are we a nation of "needy" people? I fear we have become the latter -- and it's getting worse.

We expect everything to be done for us. We expect the government to take care of our health care, our finances, our schooling, our safety, and our families. When did all of that stop being the responsibility of the individual?

The founding fathers would roll over in their graves if they saw Americans today. We expect our government and other countries to provide for us -- the greatest nation on earth -- EVER.

What does that say about who we are and where we are going?

On Jan. 5, Glenn Beck had Trevor Milton (photo: PRWeb.com) as a guest on his radio program. Milton, 27, is the founder of UPillar.com, which is, as Beck put it, "the best of E-bay and the best of Craig's List."

Per the company's website, UPillar.com is "the easiest, most effective, and most cost-effective place to buy and sell items online."  Their mission is to "[eliminate] the aggravation, time and expense our users have experienced on other established auction and electronic-classified sites."

What makes Milton a true American isn't the fact that he started a company (or a few companies -- he actually is dubbed a "serial entrepreneur" on UPillar's website).  What makes him a true American is WHY he started companies.

He explained on Beck's show that his mother died of cancer.  His family was in dire straights.  They moved in with other family members as his father had only $300 in his savings account.

He started these companies to save his family and provide for them and himself.  He didn't have any other opportunity before him.

Trevor Milton is a true American.  He is an example of what we all should strive to be: self-sufficient and creative in the wake of a great disaster.

Milton stood up.  Milton took action.  Today, he's a success because of that fact.  We need more people like him to do the same.

To paraphrase something Milton said, we need to encourage people not discourage them.  We need to encourage other people to be innovative -- to find solutions to our most fundamental human problems.

More government is not the answer.  More good old American spirit and drive will get it done.

UPDATE: No Security Threat at Minneapolis St. Paul Airport Official Says

From FOXNews.com:

Officials determined there was no threat after a security breach was reported at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport when a bomb-sniffing dog reacted to possible explosive material on a piece of checked luggage from an inbound flight.

Parts of the airport were shut down for about an hour after the police bomb squad was called to the scene.

Planes were not grounded and the airport is still open.

-- EARLIER INFORMATION ON THIS STORY --

From FOX21Online.com (story by Associated Press):

Part of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is shut down after a police dog detected what could be explosive material in luggage.

The Star Tribune reports that parts of the baggage claim and ticketing areas are closed, along with a portion of the roadway closest to those areas. The newspaper cited Emberly Hermann, an airport spokeswoman.

Calls by The Associated Press to the commission that runs the airport were not immediately returned. Airport police referred calls to airport

Hermann told the Star Tribune that flights were still operating but there would be delays and cancellations.

The dog detected the material at about 2 p.m. Tuesday, the Star Tribune reported.

-- OTHER INFORMATION --

This all comes on a day when Obama was supposed to address the nation regarding our safety from terror attacks.  The speech was delayed as Obama is meeting with his security advisors.  Check out FoxNews.com for more information.

Per Neil Cavuto on the Fox News Channel, an airport in Bakersfield, CA was shut down on Jan. 5 too amid another scare.  It turned out to be bottles of honey.

Bradford, PA: A Dichotomy of Human Existence

My Fellow Americans,

Happy New Year!  I hope you had a wonderful holiday.  I know I did.  Today, I would like to talk to you about my experiences and travels as 2009 became 2010 -- and another decade seemed, once again, to virtually pass us by.  But, that's a story for another day.

I visited Bradford, PA over my New Year's break.  It's a place I probably never would have even known about had it not been for my friend and her parents.  You see, my friend's parents grew up in Bradford, a town of roughly 9,000 residents on the border of Pennsylvania and New York State, south of Buffalo (source: Wikipedia).

Background
Bradford emerged as a wild oil boomtown in the Pennsylvanian oil rush in the late 1800s.  Today, Bradford is well known as the home of Zippo, a manufacturer of collectible pocket lighters, and Case, which is owned by Zippo and makes collectible knives. As of February 2009, the two companies employed 1,117 people. But significant layoffs have taken place since then (source: Wikipedia).

The Dichotomy
During my brief time in Bradford, I saw things I don't think you would normally see in just any town in the United States.  I witnessed what I called "the dichotomy of human existence."  The rich and poor literally lived side by side.  On one parcel of land would be a house worn down with the passage of time.  On the very next parcel would be a beautifully restored mansion unlike any you have ever seen. 

It truly was a great contrast.

The Option House & Sam

We spent our first night in Bradford having dinner at The Option House (photo on right).  On their website, they have a motto saying: "Restoring the Old Tradition."  This could not be more true.  I felt like I was stepping back in time to the 1930's when we went there.

Bradford native Sam Sylvester wanted to give back to his community.  So, he decided to take up the task of restoring the old Option House.  He told us he only used workers from a 40-mile radius to help put this together.  He even enlisted the help of a town electrician and his son. 

"You see that young man there," he said, as he proudly spoke of his establishment, "he did the electric for all the lights in this room."

"So, I take it he drinks for free," I responded.

"You bet," Sam said.

Glen Dorn
The reason for our entire trip, though, was to go to Glen Dorn (photo below).  Situated on a 1,280-acre estate, Glen Dorn offers remarkable accommodations -- from fine gourmet food to various complimentary activities.  Presidents have stayed there.  Movie stars have stayed there -- including Denzel Washington, who spent time there as he filmed the movie "Unstoppable" (due out later this year).  (Washington, the cast, and the film crew frequented the Option House as well).

We stayed in a fabulous 4-bedroom log cabin that was approximately 2,000 square feet.  It's beautiful, rustic paneling was carefully crafted to give you that outdoor, yet refined, look and feel.

Snow fell daily and found its way onto every pine tree branch.  It truly was a winter wonderland.

The greatly-anticipated New Year's Eve night did not disappoint.  A 5-course gourmet meal.  Excellent service.  A pianist and a clarinetist.  Fireworks.  Champagne.  And a beautiful winter backdrop.  It was perfect.

So, What's My Point?
I tell you all of this for a reason (and no, it's not to brag about how my New Year's was better than yours).  It's to explain to you this dichotomy I noticed. 

First up, you have Bradford, PA.  While a nice town with an old-time feel, many people who came to Glen Dorn for the holiday bashed it (unjustly, I believe).  Overall, it's simply your typical small town where the main industry has been gone for decades (in this case oil).

Then, you have Glen Dorn.  A beautiful destination resort with all the pleasantries that come with being rich and successful (which I definitely am not).

Finally, you have the homes in Bradford.  Rich, poor, rich, poor...and so on -- all throughout the town. 

When it came down to it, I came to the conclusion that Bradford was a great place that really did not get the recognition it deserved.  It truly is a beautiful place if you stop and take a look around. 

You have the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford there -- giving numerous opportunities to young men and women. 

You have old mansions that, if restored, could be gorgeous once again.

There is no reason why Bradford cannot do away with this dichotomy one day.  There is no reason why it cannot look more like Glen Dorn.  It has the bones for it. 

All it takes sometimes is a guy like Sam Sylvester.  All it takes is someone with a capitalistic mindset who wants to give back.  In his own way, Sam took something bleak and unpromising (like Bradford looks to many people) and turned it into the brand new verison of the Option House (his Glen Dorn). 

We need more Sam Sylvesters to go after their Option House dreams.  There are many places that just need a revival.  Sometimes you need to go back to your roots -- back in time.  Places like Bradford need to hold onto their history and capitalize on its importance and beauty today.

Maybe it's time for America, as a whole, to do the same.

(Picture Source: Google)