Thanks For The Small Stuff

  This is the week, the one week out of the year, that Americans take a day out of their completely impossible lives, to give thanks for their blessings. Most of us are thankful for a lot of the same things, our families, friends, still having a job, if we in fact, still do have a job. We are thankful for our health, and the health of our loved ones. We should absolutely be grateful for those things. But this year, I decided to go a different way. For those of you who know me, I know this is shocking. This year, I thought I would be thankful not just for the big things, but for some little things too. You know, those small little creature comforts that keep us off the ledge after a day that could not suck more.
  I don't watch nearly as often as I would like, but I am thankful for hockey. I have said many times that if I played, I am pretty sure that I would be an enforcer. I would not possess a tooth in my head, but I would be damn good at it. I am thankful for all of the great music on my iPod. Sometimes, I just gotta hear Ted Nugent, the "Peanuts" theme, and "Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" exactly in that sequence. I am thankful for warm summer days, when my car, a 2005 black Chevy Cavalier, is freshly washed and waxed. Having grown up with a dad who was a serious car guy, I see sheer beauty in shiny steel, just begging me to hop in and break a few speed limits.
  Since we are talking about Thanksgiving, we must of course talk about food. They don't call it comfort food for nothing. But not just the standard turkey and dressing. I think it is perfectly O.K. to give thanks for the perfection of an ice cold beer at a baseball game. Be thankful for your favorite cake on your birthday, or that one meal, whether it was something your Mom made you as a kid, something of your own invention, or a fast food favorite that you simply must indulge in every now and then. By all means, giving thanks for Jack in the Box tacos is acceptable.
  Thanksgiving means giving thanks for all of those completely stupid things our friends, family, and co-workers say and do to make us laugh uncontrollably. The best part being when someone else walks in, and there is just no way to explain what is so funny. I can think of a few, and you know who you are. A nickname of "Beckers", "what in the blue hell....?!", and "licking the taco", immediately come to mind. I wish I could explain, but I am laughing way too hard, and it would take way too long.
  Then there are those even smaller things. Your comfy clothes after a long day. A wagging tail attached to your dog who is always unconditionally glad to see you. O.K. Maybe there is just one condition, and it involves food, but it is a nice thought to entertain. Turning on the TV, and finding your favorite movie. Sure you have seen it 237 times, will 238 cause a break out of world peace? Probably not, so who is it hurting right?
  We are all thankful for the most important things and people in our lives. Being thankful for the small stuff does not make you selfish. It makes you human.
  Happy Thanksgiving from The Conservative Cauldron!  
 

A Moment In Time

  This week, America will mark the 50th anniversary of one of the darkest days in our history. Fifty years ago, to the day, John F. Kennedy, thirty fifth President of the United States, was assassinated. That Friday started out dark and rainy, but by late morning, the clouds had given way to a sunny fall day in Dallas. Kennedy was in Texas to bring together two factions of the Democratic Party. Liberal and Conservative Democrats alike had to at least give the impression of unity in order to snag the large number of electoral votes that Texas had to offer in 1964's presidential election.
  The whole world it seemed, had fallen in love with America's first couple. Jack Kennedy was young, good looking and, despite many who thought him too inexperienced, exuded the capability needed to lead one of the world's superpowers. Jackie Kennedy was one of the most glamorous first ladies the nation had seen in quite a while. She was beautiful, spoke several languages, and was always the height of fashion. As soon as Jackie was wearing it, every woman in America was wearing it.
  Those who were there on that awful day, know exactly where they were, and what they were doing. It would be another year and three months before this Blogger would make her debut, but from my husband, then a second grader who remembered the announcement coming over the public address system at his elementary school in the small town of Warrenton Missouri, to my mother, a young wife, who was busy with housework when CBS News, and a visibly shaken Walter Cronkite, broke into daytime programming with the first terrible sketchy reports.
  So many things began that day with the end of John Kennedy's life, and the end of "Camelot". The murder of a sitting President should have been a case with no mistakes, no stone left unturned, nothing left to chance. But in the fifty years since, it has become one of the most talked about murders, and possible conspiracy theories in American history. The Warren Commission, now looked at as just another government farce, wanted the public to believe that a drifter named Lee Harvey Oswald, a guy who had serious Marxist tendencies, had lived in the Soviet Union, brought home a Russian wife, and had a hard time keeping a job, had single handedly pulled off the crime of the century. Had he acted alone? Was  it the Russians? The Cubans? The Mob?
  But the events of that day go so much deeper. For many Americans, they can almost divide American history into pre-Kennedy and post-Kennedy eras. That day ushered in a new mentality, and it wounded the American psyche in ways that have never been able to be repaired. After Kennedy's death, the war in Vietnam escalated, and it brought out an ugliness in people. People who were quick to blame America, and looked to exaggerate each and every one of her flaws. The divide between Left and Right became wider, and the point at which words and actions crossed the line not only were pushed to the limits, but often became just plain unacceptable.
  What would John Kennedy think of the America that was born after his death? Many Conservatives  claim that Kennedy would be one of them today, citing his stance on tax cuts and the no nonsense way he dealt with the Soviet Union and Nikita Kruschev. But what would he think of the faction of Americans that are so quick to "blame America first"? The crowd who thinks that "fundamental transformation" is the best possible solution for a nation so unfair to 99% of its citizens? Would he scold them? Cheer them on? Or wonder what in God's name had become of a country he so obviously loved and gave his life for?
  John Kennedy, a man born of privilege, who could

 take advantage of everything America had to offer to a man of wealth and means, would most likely have this to say to the "blame America first" gang. Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.         

T.E.A = K.K.K.??

  It is always fairly easy to figure out when the Left is out of arguments. The race card is whipped out of any given Liberal's pocket as quick as the knife thrower at the circus. It is the last resort, to go to, old faithful.
  Most Conservatives, be they individuals or groups, have had the race card flung at them. It is almost a badge of honor. But perhaps no group of people has been branded with this accusation more than the Tea Party. Since its inception in 2009 immediately following the election of Barack Obama, Liberals have made it their mission to paint this group of ordinary American citizens as crazed gun toting, bible thumping, right wing extremists, who also harbored tremendous hatred for the nation's first black President, and in general, just anyone who did not look like them. You know, white people.
  But Liberal Democrats expend almost as much energy covering up their own shady racial past as they do trying to convince everyone that all Tea Party supporters have sheets hanging in their closets. Should we take a look at some of those less than harmonious episodes in the life of the Democratic Party?
  Well, for starters, the Ku Klux Klan was founded by Democrats. Nathan Bedford Forrest, and five other disgruntled Confederate veterans, thought it a much better idea to terrorize, lynch, and generally make life in the South a dangerous proposition for newly freed slaves, who just wanted to live their lives, and enjoy the freedom that for so long was denied them.
  But African Americans are not the only ones to enjoy the Democratic Party's steadfast tolerance of, well, anyone who just doesn't look like them. Almost immediately following the attack on Pearl Harbor which drew America into World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, issued an executive order, commanding more than 100,000 Japanese Americans to report to internment camps. People who had done nothing more than be of Japanese ancestry. People who were hard working, law abiding citizens. And what did they get for their trouble? Being herded like cattle into "bleak, remote camps surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards". In short, humiliation.
  And in the most recent past, after a debate, candidate, now Lt. Governor-Elect, Democrat Ralph Northam refused to shake the hand of his opponent, E.W. Jackson, a Republican, and oh, by the way, African American. But perhaps the icing on the cake, who can forget, in their zeal to help the Democratic Party, the usual suspects at MSNBC, editing video tape of a Tea Party rally in 2010. The tape shows a man standing in the crowd at the rally, a rifle resting on his shoulder. They were so careful to edit out the crazy right winger's hands and face. Had their editing job been the least bit sloppy, the world would have seen that the entire picture was of a black man at the Tea Party event. Just another face in the crowd. But a face that Democrats could not afford to let

 be seen. It would mess up the whole narrative.
  More and more minority Conservatives are coming forth and making their voices heard, in the Tea Party and elsewhere. Maybe unfortunately for Liberal Democrats, they are students of history.       

The Season of Ghosts, Goblins...and Witches!

  Well, it is that time of year again. There is a chill in the air, the leaves begin to fall, and it starts to get dark early. It is hard to put a finger on, but there is a certain something in the air. For a Witch like me, it is truly a magickal time of year, Halloween is here!
  For Wiccans and Pagans, Halloween is Christmas. Our highest of holy days, or Sabbats. Halloween is an ancient Celtic holiday called Samhain (pronounced sow-en). In addition to being the Pagan New Year, it is the third of three harvest festivals on the Pagan calendar. I could go on with a lot of history here, but that is not why we are here. I realize that I am up against about three hundred years of bad publicity, but part of what I try to do here at The Conservative Cauldron is not only to educate, but also to share my holidays. Why they are important to me, and how I can help people relate to them.
  Besides being a harvest festival, it is also a day in which we remember and honor our ancestors, our loved ones who have gone on to the other world. It is a day that we believe that the veil between this world and the other world is the thinnest. Halloween is a day that we might traditionally engage in some form of divination. Maybe some Tarot cards, runes, or perhaps and old fashioned form of apple divination.
  Unfortunately, it is also usually this time of year when the freaks come out, and not just at night. The mainstream media, always on the lookout for stereotypes which they deem "offensive", wastes no time in trotting out the resident Witch, more than likely, directly from "Witch Central", a.k.a., Salem Massachusetts, wearing the regulation flowing black robes, and way too much eyeliner. And let's not forget the over-the-top fundamentalist Christian Pastor, who is convinced that Halloween is nothing more than an evil Pagan celebration, it's only purpose, to corrupt and persuade good Christians over to the "dark side".
  What I would want everyone to know is this. There is no hidden agenda behind Samhain, or Halloween. I hope I have shown here that Wiccans come from every walk of life. We just want to practice our religion like everyone else. And just like Christians who like to decorate trees and bake cookies at Christmas time, we love the fun part of our holiday too.
  So when my Samhain ritual is finished, I will be on the lookout for fun size Three Musketeers bars, and maybe a few black and orange M&M's. And what card-carrying Witch's Halloween would be complete without watching a perfectly fun Witchy movie like "Bell, Book, and Candle", or my personal favorite, "Practical Magic".
  From The Conservative Cauldron, have a happy, fun, and safe Halloween!      

Growing Pains

  There is an old saying, that the only constant is change. Most things, be they animal, vegetable, or mineral, or even politicians, must change in order to grow and remain viable and successful. Change is not always pretty. In fact, in most cases, it is down right messy.
  Perhaps nothing on Earth illustrates that more than the current state of the Republican Party. In light of last week's latest cave-in to Democrats during the government shutdown debacle, it has become clear that some serious "growing" needs to happen.
  We have seen it happen before. After the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, Democrats were suddenly flapping in the breeze. A young, good looking, vibrant, dynamic President was cut down in his prime. As the sixties wore on, the Democratic Party seemed to come perilously close to splitting in two. On one side were the Kennedy loyalists. Democrats who, by today's standards were quite Conservative. Many of them were staunch Union members, but strong on defense, and strong on lower taxes. On the other, the emerging counter-culture. Hippies who believed in things like, "make love not war", and were so virulently anti-war, they spit on American soldiers coming home from Vietnam. The culmination of this perfect storm being the riot at the 1968 Democratic Convention. It pitted the anti-war Eugene McCarthy-ites vs. the establishment Hubert Humphrey wing.
  Fast forward to today's Republican Party. With the Tea Party sweep in 2010, many of the old guard, the "establishment" Republicans were voted out of office. A new wave of new blood rode into town. Guys like Rand Paul, Mike Lee, and Ted Cruz. These were guys who were sent to Washington by ordinary Americans, tired of the go along to get along back slapping of the establishment. It's guys like Ted Cruz who are not afraid to rock the boat, and name names. And it's got the John McCains, the Lindsey Grahams, and the Karl Roves scared out of their minds. For the first time in a long time, possibly since Ronald Reagan, the status quo is being seriously challenged.
 

This means that the 2014 mid-term elections will truly be a defining moment for Republicans. There is a choice to be made. If rank and file Republicans choose to back the establishment, and believe them when they say things like the Tea Party is dangerous, they will not win another election for a long time. True Conservatives will not tolerate the same old tactics, and it will be time for principled Conservative candidates who will not back down from what they believe, who will not be threatened by Party bosses, and will stand up for their constituents, and Constitutional principles.
  True, the government shutdown would have been bad for Republicans had election day been in the midst of it. But by this time next year, Americans will be deep in the those of Obama care. The Democrats will own it, and election day 2014 could be bright and sunny, not just for Republicans, but Conservatives as well. For it is becoming more apparent, they are not necessarily one and the same.
  There is a song from those turbulent times in the sixties that says,"the times they are a changin". It could be change that Republicans can't afford to ignore.              

What's In A Name

  One of the things that the Left is good at, is distracting from the real problem with a series of small inconsequential ones. The "war on women" being a textbook example.
  Over this past weekend, NBC Sportscaster Bob Costas was at it again. Poor Bob, he just can't seem to grasp the fact that his job is to report what is going down on the playing field. But since he is an employee of NBC, a.k.a., propaganda wing for the Democratic Party, he gets free reign to comment on what ever flies into his head. Bob decided that his opinion was badly needed regarding the ongoing Washington Redskins name controversy. Bob lectured everyone who really just wanted to watch football, on how racist we all are for letting this team name exist for as long as it has. Eighty one years to be exact.
  While Bob and his fellow New York Liberal buddies are busy being appalled by the name "Redskins", let's take a brief look at life for some real life "Redskins", oops, excuse me, that Bob usually just flies over on his way to this game or that game.
  The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is located in three counties in South Dakota. Established in 1889, it is the eighth largest reservation in the United States. It is also the poorest. With approximately 29,000 residents, the size of a small American town, the per capita income is roughly $6200 dollars a year. As of 2011, the latest figures available, unemployment on Pine Ridge is a staggering 80%. Many people have no electricity, running water, telephone, or sewer systems, and must heat their homes with wood burning stoves. Alcoholism, which many Native Americans seem almost genetically prone to, is around 80%. The rate of heart disease, twice the national average. Rate of suicide, twice the national average. The infant mortality rate, 5 times the national average. Life expectancy for the people of Pine Ridge, 48 for men, 52 for women. It is second lowest, only to Haiti in the Western Hemisphere. Offensive enough yet for ya' Bob?

  The list of grim statistics for these proud people goes morbidly on. But perhaps the most grim fact of all is that, for 124 years, the federal government has supported and overseen every aspect of the lives of Pine Ridge residents, and millions more just like them across the nation. And just how has that worked for them? Crushing poverty, disease, and practically no way off the Reservation, and the government dole to escape it.
  Despite all of the bad news however, there is some good news to report from Pine Ridge. There is a new 60 bed nursing home facility that will provide jobs, and a new Justice Center in the works, also a job creator. The recent construction of a WalMart in nearby Chadron Nebraska was built with the Native American clientele of Pine Ridge in mind.
  So Bob, having heard all of that, are your big boy pants still in a wad over the name "Redskins"? If so, two things. Maybe you should be asking what can be done to help the people of Pine Ridge recover from their "help" from the federal government. Or maybe, you should just stick to touchdowns, balls and strikes.

If you would like to know more about Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, and how you might help, go to  http://friendsofpineridgereservation.org/         

Little Girl Lost?

Sometimes, in the course of everyday life, you see something that you have seen many times before, but every so often, there is a twist on it that makes you stop and think.
  One evening last week, I was on my way home. I stopped at a light at a busy intersection. On the opposite corner, on one of those concrete islands that separate lanes, was a woman. She was standing on the island with a sign. As she was not facing me, I assumed that it was some sort of "homeless need help" sign. I have seen it before. Unfortunately, many people work that intersection. But this was different. Standing next to her, was a little girl. She was maybe 3 or 4 years old, kind of jumping around, playing with something in a bag next to her.
  As I watched her, trying to keep busy, my first thought was disbelief. How is this woman panhandling on a corner with a child?! The light turned green, and I went on my way. But I could not get that sight out of my mind. On a very practical level, I found it sad, that in one of the richest nations in the world, people feel such desperation that they see no other way out than to stand on a corner with a sign. But what about that little girl? As she stood on that corner with her mother, she was being taught an ominous life lesson. She was being taught that it was OK. It's OK to stand on a street corner and beg. It's OK to assume that other people will take pity on you and throw you their pocket change. It's OK to expect total strangers to bail you out. Even worse, what if this woman brought her child to this corner with her to gain more sympathy, thus make more money? I didn't want to go there.
  I keep thinking about that child, and others like her. In our entitlement society, will there be anyone in her life to correct this lesson? Will anyone tell her that education is the one true way off of that corner for her? Will anyone tell it to her straight, that in America, if you are willing to work hard, you can be anything you want to be? Will anyone teach her that she does not have to rely on the government, or others feeling sorry for her? That she can rely on herself?
  Fast forward twenty years. Is that little girl now a junior or senior in college, working on her degree, eager to graduate, and go out into the world and try her hand at her chosen profession? Does she possess that "look out world here I come" swagger that getting ready to dive into your dream job can give you? Or has the cycle continued? Is she a mother herself, with jobless, hopeless men who fathered her children meandering in and out of her and her children's lives? Has someone told her that the more children she has, the more money she can get from the government? Has she learned how to "work the system"?
   I guess I hope for two things. I hope that her Mom can get through this

temporary rough patch in her life. But maybe even more than that, I hope that it is not too late for this little girl. I hope this street corner education, is a lesson that she will soon forget.