Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Carolina Day – A Day To Thank The Patriots You Drink Your Tea With Ice

Prefer your tea with ice? You’re Iced Tea with a twist of lemon or a sprig of mint instead of hot and with milk? Then today is the day you need to thank the brave Patriot’s that manned the half finished unnamed fort on Sullivan’s Island, SC over 200 years ago.

Today, we celebrate Carolina Day.

On June 28, 1776, the Patriot forces defeated the British at a half completed fort built out of palmetto trees and sand on a barrier island, giving this newborn country a badly needed boost with one of the first major victories in the American Revolution. Six days later, on July 4, 1776, the First Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence.

It is said that the victory at Fort Moultrie, named for Col. William Moultrie, commander that faithful day, is what pushed the Congress to act. Today at 7:30pm, we honor this man and all the solders that day with the unveiling of an iron fence around Gen. Moultrie’s grave on Fort Moultrie.

In honor of all of the brave men who gave their life for our freedom, stop for a moment and think about the incredible gift they gave you. Stop and think about the freedom that you have, the freedom to have life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Stop and think about all that they sacrificed to give this to you. Stop and think about the Declaration of Independence that was signed, that our country fought for. Stop and say a prayer for their souls, that they are sitting with the Lord.

Now stop and think about what you have, about the freedom that you have. Who gave you that freedom? Yes, The Declaration of Independence gives you that – but who paid the price? Who is paying the price at this moment? Then stop and think about the men and women who fight for you 24/7/365 so that you keep that freedom all day, every day, right now. If you value your freedom, say a prayer for them now or, if you don’t pray, then just keep them in your heart.

God Bless Our Men & Women, Past, Present and Future.

*Gen Moultrie was promoted after the war to Major General and later served 2 terms as the Governor of SC.

**Sullivan’s Island is a barrier island located just off of Charleston, SC.

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Lindsey Found Time To Address My Concerns!

NOTE: My comments are italized. Senator Grahams quotes are in bold.

Actually, he found the time to send me a 4 page letter explaining his stance on immigration AFTER I e-mailed him and told him that as far as I was concerned, voting for amnesty had cost him my vote. (Along with my husbands vote too.) I'll give him this much, he did not ignore my e-mail and/or just eighty-six it. He took the time to answer, though I am sure it is a form letter. Now we just need to get rid of the RINO on his back.

The letter starts out very polite and thanks me for expressing my concern and agrees that the current immigration laws are not working. (hello? They might if they were enforced.)He then goes into a brief rundown of my views on immigration reform and how the Senate began to address these issues.

Border Security

The first issue to address in immigration reform must be border security. (Ya think?) Among the major provisions, it authorizes the hiring of an additional 14,000 Border Patrol agents over the next five years. It also calls for the construction of at least 370 miles of triple-layer fencing and 500 miles of vehicle barriers to be placed in high-traffic border crossing areas where people can literally walk into the United States. He then goes on to state that 'virtual fences' would be used in remote locations and that the 'Catch and Release' program would end. because the Senate bill authorizes the construction of 20 new detention facilities capable of housing 20,000 detainees, we will be able to detain, house, and eventually deport them back to their home country when they are apprehended. (Ok, bucko, I told you in the e-mail, we need a triple layer border ALL THE WAY ACROSS with a couple of gates for people who can cross LEGALLY. And, oh great, lets spend even more of my hard earned money on detention centers. Use that money to build a wall.)

Employee Verification and Employer Enforcement

We have been too lax in enforcement of our well-intentioned but inadequate and confusing employment laws. (Again, Ya Think? Gee, maybe if we fine a company $50,000 per illegal alien per day found to be working at a company, I'll bet this problem would slow down a lot!) We must provide the tools they (employers) need too not only comply with the law, but also to stay in business. Creating a workable employee verification system will also free up the enforcement officers to go after the unscrupulous businesses who knowingly violate our employment laws. (Alright, I actually agree with this section. We do need a database of some sort to keep up with legal status of immigrants.)

Undocumented Workers

(Here we go, they are ILLEGAL ALIENS! What part of this do you not understand Lindsey?)Like President Bush, I don't think we are capable of, nor have the national will to, deport 11 million people. Further, an immediate roundup and deportation of this workforce would have negative consequences for our economy, potentially sending it into a tailspin. (My butt! Yes, we can deport them. They broke the law when they came here illegally. Any about all those jobs - why can't able-bodied people between the ages of 18 and 60 that receive welfare take those jobs. Anyone on welfare that is able to work gets a job and/or training and is weaned off of welfare.) Graham then goes into how illegal aliens are brought out of the shadows and must pay fines, attend classes, blah, blah, blah. He also says the program is not amnesty. Amnesty is what President Carter gave to Vietnam draft dodgers who fled to Canada. (There are so many ways I can go here, I need a road map to pick which way!)

Lindsey then concludes with a summary of the above and thanks me for taking time to contact him. I am going to spend the next few nights drafting a reply that is not quite so snarky. :)

Let me know your opinion and/or thoughts as to what I should say in my reply.

A Fast Way To NOT Get My Vote!

Today is the Republican Primary Runoff in South Carolina. One race in particular is of importance to me – SC House Seat 119 – my district. The two candidates, Greg Hart and Susan Piper. Both are very straight talking conservatives. The choice was going to be pretty tough – I liked them both.

TILL LAST NIGHT.

I retrieved my mail and started sorting thru it. A bill (yuk), a sale paper (good bathroom reading) , a post card from Greg Hart asking me go out and vote Tuesday, and a rolled up piece of paper secured so tightly around the middle with a rubber band that I had to cut it off. This piece of garbage in my mailbox was from Susan Piper telling me that everything Greg Hart has said is a lie. Does this mean that everything she has said is a lie? I mean, they have been saying the same things for weeks now. And why is she putting balled up pieces of paper in my mailbox?

Anyhow, Mr. Hart received my vote, my husbands and the votes of 4 of my neighbors. Never underestimate the power of a junky mailbox!

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Burning For Eternity!

Our troups have done a wonderful job! I believe I'll raise my glass in their honor this evening. Fine Job!