Responsibility

Howdy neighbor.  You know, I been ‘round the barn a few times in this here life and I seen a bunch of stuff.  Like back in the day when steam locomotives was hauling darn near everything all over the country.  Maybe you didn’t see ‘em every time, but you’d know that whistle from way off.  And you might even see some black smoke belchin’ yonder.  They sure was noisy and smoky, but they was faster than oxen and hauled a bunch more to boot.  We can thank a fella name of James Watt for them that.  He’s the one that put some wheels under a steam power plant and created a transportation revolution.  Now I ain’t old ‘nough to have met Jim personal, but my hat’s off to him.  He was somebody that saw a problem and a better way and took responsibility hisself to get ‘er done. 

That was a long while back and a long ways from the TV and computers and stuff we got now.  Time keeps a movin’ and things change.  But then a fella once told me, “The only consistent thing in life is change.”  Well sir, he was right… mostly. 

One thing that ain’t changed after near 4 years though.  We still got this President that can’t seem to take responsibility for nothin’, except for killin’ Bin Ladan.  It’s true, he was the boss when it got done.  But you reckon he really had a choice there?  And even that was done for him by them Seals.  Right proud of them boys.  Besides, we had the hounds on Osama’s tail since Clinton was President.  ‘Bout time we caught up with him.

The President been campaignin’ to keep his job for months now.  Seems like he spends more time campaignin’ than takin’ care of business.  Heck, he’s been doin’ that for most of 4 years.  Anyway, seems like he just keeps on blamin’.  It ain’t his fault, he “inherited” all them problems. Says we’re doin’ fine.  Says he’s on the right track to fix things.  He just needs more time.  He says it’s the Republicans and them rich folks thats been slowing down the economy and his “change.”  That’s why he couldn’t keep all them promises he made. 

Don’t reckon ObamaCare got nothin’ to do with it.  It ain’t running up medical costs.  That bailout spending on Solyndra and the like ain’t got nothing to do with it.  Spending so much that the national debt’s gone up way more than 50% just since he took over.  That ain’t got nothing to do with it.  No sir, ain’t his responsibility.

You know, I remember folks hanging a moniker on President Reagan.  They called him “The Great Communicator.”  That’s cause he was right good at talkin’.  But he also took responsibility for getting’ things done even when some weren’t to his liking.  One thing I don’t never remember was Reagan blaming other folks.  Can’t recall even once.  Can’t recall NO President blaming others like this one does.  

Maybe it’s time to hang one of them monikers on President Obama.  One I been thinking on is “The Great Finger Pointer.”  Like the younguns’ say, “Just saying.”  Gotta go do chores.  I still am…

Justan O. Geezer

Of Sheep, Shepherds & Dogs

Lately I been thinkin’ about that Bible story of the Good Shepherd. It’s one of them parables.  In case you don’t know, that’s where the Good Lord tells a story in terms the folks around Him can understand.  Anyway, this one’s about how a shepherd tends his sheep real good and how they follow where he leads.   Now you know it ain’t really about sheep at all.  It’s about Him leading folks to heaven.

Now if you think for a minute about them sheep, they got it right good, ya know?  They got nothing to do but wander around and they get lead to where they can eat all they want.  They get everything they need.  Yessir, shepherds treat their herds real good.  ‘Course the shepherd’s the only one that knows where the sheep are heading.  Them sheep don’t know they’re gonna end up on somebody’s table.

The shepherd knows what he’s doin’ but he can’t do ‘er all by hisself.  So, he trains some dogs to help keep all them sheep in line and together.  Sure ‘nough makes his job a bunch easier.  Matter of fact, them dogs do most the work for him.  All he’s gotta do is haul them sheep to market.

Maybe it’s just me, neighbor, but I see more than a slight parallel to what’s goin’ on in election politics now a days.  Kind of a modern day parable, ain’t it?  Reckon I just don’t follow that herd.

Justan O. Geezer

Much Is Expected

The other day, President Obama done somethin’ I ain’t heard before.  He quoted the Good Book.  He didn’t get exactly right, but it was Luke 12:48.  “When someone has been given much, much will be required in return.”  Good words, neighbor.  And true today as they was 2000 years ago.

We know the President dusted off the Bible ‘cause he got blasted by Rick Santorum for his claimin’ to be a Christian, but not doin’ much of anything to show it.  Now I ain’t gonna go commentin’ about that.  I been thinkin’ a might different.

What I been thinkin’ is that over the years, lots of folks have quoted the Bible.  Most the time I seen it, them folks was usin’ them quotes to backup something they said or done.  They was trying to show the Good Lord was on their side.  And over there in the Middle East, bunches of them extremists been quoted their Quran to try and justify what they been doin’.  Ever’body is claimin’ God’s on their side.

But if you ponder that Obama quoted, you’re gonna see he was really takin’ another stab at rich folks.  He’s still pushin’ that socialist thing about taxin’ the rich.  Reckon he don’t think it applies to him though.  Most folks would think he’s been given much more than they got.  And most my neighbors consider  the President to be one of the rich ones hisself.  Besides that, he’s been given a education most folks can’t get.  (And we still don’t know how he done that.)  Us folks can’t hardly get loans, but he’s been given a bunch of money. (And we don’t know where it all come from.)  How many other folks, black or white or green, been given as much as he’s got?

To my thinkin’, folks that go quotin’ the Bible oughta look in a mirror ‘fore they open their mouths.  But what do I know, I am…

Justan O. Geezer

Late Night Politics

Howdy neighbor.  Y’all watch any of them late night comedians?  You know, the ones that come on after the late news?  The ones where the only reason the “guests” show up is to push their latest movie or book.  Or, if the guest ain’t doin’ that, they’re drinkin’ buddies or political kissin’ cousins of the host. 

Well, if you do watch ‘em, just skip on down to the next paragraph whilst I explain it to the folks that don’t stay up late ‘cause they gotta get up early for work.  Well sir, first off, a bunch of musicians play this really loud,  really bad noise (they call it music) while some announcer that don't show his face tells you who’s gonna be the "guests" on the show.  Then the comedian comes out on stage while the audience hoops and hollers, just like they been told to by flashin’ red signs.  After the comedian/host gets his ego built up enough, he starts into a “monologue.”   It’s kinda like a stand-up comedy routine, but it ain’t.  That’s ‘cause the guy is reading the jokes off “cue cards” instead of rememberin’ them like normal comedians do. 

Used to was, back in the day, the monologue made fun of some current events or things that was happenin’ around the world.  And sometimes they’d even have jokes about  politics.  Now I’m talkin’ about back in the days of Steve Allen and Johnny Carson and the like.  Them guys was funny and they done it without makin’ fun of folks.  They woulda never thought about attacking folks on a personal level.  We still got some great comedians like that, but they ain’t hostin’ no late night TV. 

Seems like nowadays, all these guys can do is insult folks, ‘specially politicians – mostly cause they ain’t as far left as the comedians themselves.  Basically, these guys just do some variation of the same old  joke every night.  Down right borin’, if you ask me.  Reckon I can’t figure why good folks stay up late for this stuff.  ‘Course, maybe them comedians are just preachin’ to the choir.

Whoa!  Gotta go, neighbor.  Past my bedtime.

Justan O. Geezer

The Racist President

Politicians are always out there tryin’ to get everybody to vote for them.  Sometimes, they’d put out ads that was meant for certain folks more than others.  But they was always shootin’ for every vote.  Looks like them days are over.  You ain’t never gonna  hear about this change on the evening news either.  Not even on Fox or CNN.  That’s ‘cause it’s happened on the internet.  This President only wants certain folks to vote for him.  President Obama’s re-election website is neatly carved up to divide and conquer.  Don’t take my word for it, Clyde.  Look it up yourself.  Just type this on your computer: http://www.barackobama.com  Then look under Groups.

He’s got a section for “young activists” who are supposed to form up campus rallies.  Kinda sounds like the socialist rallies of the 60s to me.  And he tells ‘em how he wants to spend billions on education and increase student aid and he wants to give it to them direct.  Gee, free money for the young’uns. 

He’s got a section just for Latinos.  Says he wants to “reform” immigration.  He thinks we should let the illegals stay for free medical care, free education… and their vote.  Says he wants more Pell Grants so them illegals can get that free education.  Gee free money.

He’s got a section for LGBT Americans.  That would be lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender, Clyde.  ‘Course sometimes they call it GLBT.  Depends on which one’s in charge I guess. 

He’s even got a section for “people of faith.”  Now that’s down right funny, ain’t it.  This here’s the President that only goes to church when he’s campaigning.  And the same one that just got done attacking the religious beliefs of some folks.  You reckon folks will take this section serious?

And at the top on his list is the biggest group of hyphenated Americans, African Americans.  Now everybody knows Obama got to be President mostly ‘cause he got way over 90% of the black vote.  That ain’t racist, neighbor.  It’s just a fact.  Yep, he’s got this section to urge all black folks to “check out new ways you can take ownership of this (his) campaign.”   Reckon he’s right cocky now that his biggest threat is gone.  That would of been Herman, of course.  Too bad politics is the dirtiest business on Earth.

But did you notice anything missing there?  I’ll help ya, neighbor.  He ain’t got no white folks section.  Oh, he’ll talk to ever’body in a crowd, but it’s plain as the horns on a bull, he’s not only wagin’ class warfare with a strategy of divide and conquer, but he’s racist too. 

You know, back some years, Osama Bin Laden said he was gonna work to bring down our country from within.  Anybody remember that?  I think it’s time to wake up neighbor, ‘fore our country is gone.

Justan O. Geezer

Sucking Up To Heroes

Well neighbor, I just got jabbed in another nerve. Ya, I know, nothing new. Lately I been reading a bunch about a certain President(and his wife) and how they’ve been sucking up to every one of our military heroes they can find. He’s been out there claimin’ how he brought the troops home and she’s been claimin’ how great he is for doin’ it. But you know, ‘tween the 2 of ‘em they got zero experience with the military. You gotta serve or be close family to somebody that served to do that. Shakin’ the hand of a hero don’t make you one.

Now I know, the President gets to take the credit (or the blame if he ain’t a liberal) for what happens on his watch. Don’t matter none that the last President actually made the commitment on when to bring the troops home. (And he was criticized for it to boot.) Don’t matter that it was the last President that set everything up so’s our Seal Team could arraign for Osama to meet Allah. And you know that while President Obama was sucking up to the troops, he didn’t say nothin’ about the millions of folks that ain’t got jobs or how folks are still loosin’ their homes. Meanwhile, them media folks was too busy watchin’ for them Republican candidates to make a slip of the tongue.

Back in the day, folks (including the President) had to earn their accolades. (Betcha didn’t know
I knew that word, did you?) ‘Course that was also in the day when the President answered direct to us and Congress, not his buddies. And back then, Congress watched him like a hawk instead of just worrying ‘bout how to keep their fancy jobs with all them perks.

Me and a bunch of my veteran buddies are just hopin’ and prayin’ folks now days are smart enough to see through all that bullshit that’s slung from Washington. Reckon we’re hopin’ for some real change. You know, an America of (all) the people, by (all) the people and FOR (all) the people. It can’t come too soon. This here country can’t last the way it’s been goin’. Well, that’s what I think.
Justan O. Geezer

A Lesson from Burma

Did ya ever hear of the Burma Road or “flying the Hump”?  Well there ain’t too many of us left to remember it.  I know, I can hear the younguns sayin’, “What’s a Burma?” And “Where’s the camels?”  And even some of my neighbors want to know if I’m talkin’ shaving cream.  I even heard one fella say, “Hump what?”  Well it ain’t got nothing to do with none of that.  Reckon I’ll have to give a history lesson.

Back in WWII, the Chinese was our allies.  That was before them Communists took over and ran the real Chinese out to the island of Formosa.  Well anyway, we was supplying our Chinese friends from India using the Burma Road to get supplies over the Himalaya Mountains.  That was till the Japs took over most of Burma and cut off the road.  It weren’t much of a fight.  The Burmese was easy.  A gun always wins against a pitch-fork.  So then the only way in to China was to fly them supplies from India up and over the mountains.  That’s what got nicknamed “The Hump.” 

Well, that’s a fact, but it ain’t the lesson I was talkin’ about.  Besides, the lesson ain’t for you anyway.  It’s for them politicians in Washington. 

It seems they was startin’ to build this huge power dam in Burma. Of course it’s the Chinese that wants the power from that dam.  And they done a bunch of prodding and give stacks of money to help it along,  The Chinese need more electricity, but they didn’t want the thing in their back yard.  So, they conned Burma into burying whole towns and thousands of acres of good bottomland.  Lots of folks in Burma was against the whole thing.  And rightly so.  They give their government a ear-full.

Now here’s the lesson friend:  The President of Burma just announced that they’re gonna stop building that dam.  Why?  Because, "We have to respect the will of the people as our government is elected by the people. We have a responsibility to solve the worries of the people".  Yessir!  That’s what President Thein Sein said.  He listened to the people of Burma.

You think them politicians in Washington got a clue of what this lesson is all about?  Didn’t think so.  Reckon them folks in Burma got this democracy thing figured out better than us. That's what I think, but I am still…

Justan O. Geezer