January 13, 2012

Clear the Square… NOW!!! ³

Civil War History, Congress, Leadership, White House • Tags: congress, Freedom, James Birdseye McPherson, Leadership, McPherson Square, Obama

I’m not sure if its vanity or just a curiosity, but I have always been interested in things named McPherson. My family name was actually spelled that way when they first emigrated to the US in 1845 at the beginning of the potato famine. The family came from northern Ireland on a ship called the Susan B. Howell with a lot of other bedraggled Scots Irish who found a need to seek a new life in America.

They landed in Philadelphia and moved from one immigrant neighborhood to another until they finally headed west to the hills of Allegheny county where they found work in the mills and mines. When the Civil War broke out, Great Grandfather was only 14 but he wanted to join so desperately, he developed a plan that would help him bypass his strict Scotch Irish prohibition on lying. He slipped a piece of paper in his shoe with the number “18” in it and when the recruiting officer asked him if he was over 18, he could honestly say yes.

Great Grandfather served in the Pennsylvania 5th Heavy Artillery and at the end of the war was a lifelong member of the GAR (Grand Army of the Republic). I never met him but I am told he was able to wear his uniform for all of the parades until he could no longer march. I have his Spencer Rolling Block Repeater and some pictures of him in that uniform but not much else.

Another McPherson who was a bit more well known was James Birdseye McPherson who was born in Clyde Ohio

James was a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy (class of 1853) where he graduated first in his class and had an adventurous career. Robert E. Lee was the Superintendent at the Academy and the Secretary of War Jefferson Davis was the commencement speaker at his graduation.

He was stationed in California at the beginning of the war and rightly believed he needed to be assigned to the east if he were to succeed in advancing his career. His rising star was meteoric and his skills as a General were key in the success of many battles including Sherman’s march through Georgia.

General Sherman once said of him, “if he lives, he’ll outdistance Grant and myself.” He was described as “handsome, warmhearted, intelligent.”

McPherson never married (his fiancée Emily mourned his loss deeply. During the Vicksburg Campaign, McPherson requested a leave of absence from his military post in order to marry his fiancée, Emily Hoffman. Sherman denied the request. Obviously, the Union Army felt McPherson was too valuable to lose, even for a short time.

http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/james-mcpherson.html

His final battle in Atlanta pitted him against his old classmate John Bell Hood and placed him in a fatal confrontation with a line of Reb skirmishers. He was killed at the age of 35 in 1864 in the Battle for Atlanta as he tried to escape. His death sent shock waves through the Union ranks and created a huge sense of loss throughout the leadership.

Major General Oliver Howard, wrote in his report, “We were all made sad yesterday by the death of General McPherson – so young, so noble, so promising, already commanding a department! His death occasioned a profound sense of loss, a feeling that his place can never be completely filled. How valuable, how precious the country to us all, who have paid for its preservation such a price.”

Sherman was quoted as saying he had lost his right arm. In fact, upon receiving the news, he wept openly until tears streamed through his beard. He forever felt guilty about denying James the chance to go home and marry his beloved Emily. In Sherman’s official war report he stated, “The country generally will realize that we have lost not only an able military leader, but a man who, had he survived, was qualified to heal the national strife which has been raised by designing and ambitious men.” In a letter to his wife, the bereaved Sherman wrote, “McPherson’s death was a great loss to me. I depended much on him.”

Grant and others were deeply saddened at the loss of this brilliant young General who many felt would be a candidate for President later in his life. He was the Senior most Ranking Officer on the union side killed during the entire war.

Wars end, but the memories that are born from them don’t among those that survive.

The men who served under him collected funds after the war and a park in Washington DC was designated in his memory. On the Square was located one of the many statues and monuments built in his memory. This particular statue was made from captured Confederate cannons that had been melted down for the purpose. Among his friends and influential people who made the park possible were Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield, William T. Sherman and Ulysses S. Grant, all of them Ohioans who became Union Generals. Three became president.

What was his legacy? He never had children but his name was remembered in many ways:

Legacy

Fort McPherson in the Atlanta, Georgia, area was named in Gen. McPherson’s honor on February 20, 1866.

McPherson Square in Washington, D.C., and its Metro rail station are named in the general’s honor. At the center of the square is Major General James B. McPherson, a statue of McPherson on horseback.

McPherson County, Kansas, and the town of McPherson, Kansas, are named in his honor. There is also an equestrian statue of him in the park across from the McPherson County Courthouse.

McPherson County, South Dakota, founded in 1873, and organized in 1885, was also named in his honor.

McPherson County, Nebraska, and Fort McPherson National Cemetery, located near Maxwell, Nebraska, were named in his honor, and the National Cemetery was established on March 3, 1873. This 20-acre (81,000 m2) cemetery is located two miles (3 km) south of Interstate 80, near Exit 190.

A monument marking the death of McPherson was established at the location of his death in East Atlanta, at the intersection of McPherson Avenue and Monument Avenue. McPherson Avenue in Atlanta was named for him. The spot is marked by a Union cannon once placed at Glenwood Road and Flat Shoals Road to protect the flank of the front line and return fire against the defensive positions built by Lemuel P. Grant.

When we lived in McPherson, Kansas, occasionally some rubes that share his last name would often come to town for a picture with the General’s statue. More times than the locals can probably remember, these posers would claim to be the long lost grandson or granddaughter of the General. It is quite the local joke since everybody in town knows that even if he had consummated his relationship with Emily, she never bore a child to him.

I guess as time passes, people forget even those who were an important part of our countries development

General McPherson probably falls into that category as much as anyone since he neither had offspring, nor did he finish his rise to what may have been an even bigger role in American history. Although his primary statue has been a stones throw from the White House for many years, apparently its existence now is a footnote to history or a trivia question on a Tourism Pamphlet.

But even with that, I find no excuse in the world to allow selfish usurpers foul the land set aside in his honor. Apparently the Mayor of DC is ready to agree with me. Sort of.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/dc/2012/01/gray-wants-occupy-out-mcpherson-square/2091241

After finally growing tired of the antics of the Occupy DC group, the Mayor is growing a set and asking the Feds to get rid of the health hazard known as Occupy. I find it sweetly ironic that their little occupation is finally being recognized as the rat infested place that it is.

I have to tell you it aggravated me to no end to have some highly placed officials in the United States Government actually encourage these modern-day class warfare mongers.

It was bad enough seeing and smelling them in Baltimore and in other places around the country, but McPherson Square should be sacred. (Note, I am not speaking of the pictures above…it is a well-known fact than none of the people pictured would actually tolerate smelly people and are known by their associates to be renowned for their personal grooming standards)

These offensive cretins and those who support them with their words, inaction and frankly financially should be gathered up and sent to the middle of the Mojave desert. The Mojave National Preserve is Federal Land, it’s apparently not being used that much anyway, and we could arrange for all of the Occupiers to go there in a heartbeat.

I will even volunteer to drive the bus (provided I can keep the drivers window open to avoid the smell.)

The second most ironic thing about the president supporting the desecration of the primary tribute to a true American hero is that his family and many of his closest friends are the recipients of the freedom ensured by the General’s sacrifice.

You might even say that if General McPherson had not been as successful as he was, we may not have the current leadership at all. I think that alone should be enough reason for the president to use all of this power he wants to accumulate to throw the bums out.

Mister Mac

(Absolutely not one of the General’s decedents)

January 12, 2012

The Submariner ⁶

Leadership, Motivation, Submarine, Teamwork, Uncategorized, US Navy • Tags: American, Leadership Submarine, Pearl Harbor, USS Swordfish, War Patrols, WW2

Looking back over the last forty years, my thoughts of what a good submariner looks like have become much clearer. I have not been on a boat for over twenty years but there are some things that still stand out even through the haze of the years. I should tell you that I greatly admire many people who have served in different services. For instance, I can barely even imagine jumping out of a plane with a hundred pounds of stuff tied to my legs. It might just be me, but it would seem that all that junk just might make a landing a bit more complicated.

A submariner has to have a series of personal traits that are absolutely essential. Some may be more important than others but the one that seems to be most important is “trustworthy”.

Don’t get me wrong, many bubbleheads I know are the best stretchers of the truth when it comes to women, past personal achievements and liberty ports. But when it comes to the operation and integrity of the boat, they all suddenly become a cross between George Washington and Abraham Lincoln in regards to truth. It is a sincere bond that is drilled into us from our earliest training. When I open the main vents fore and aft from the Ballast Control Panel, I have to be absolutely certain that all of the checks have been done and all of the repairs have been completed in accordance with the procedure.

The second trait that seems to have a lot of importance is assertiveness.

Every set of eyes and ears are important at all times on a submarine. Whether submerged or surfaced, the submarine is a million different opportunities for something to go wrong. You always have to remember that the builders had to come up with just the right design in order for the boat to succeed in its mission. We have had many different styles of boats built in the 112 year history of American submarines, hopefully with a succession of improvements during that time. New technologies have been developed and added but they have not always been successful. The ability for the average submariner to step out and let the bosses know is a hallmark tradition.

The third trait is that each submariner must be a problem solver.

When an alarm goes off, he must immediately make decisions on his next actions whether he was fast asleep or elbow deep in a pump repair in a remote part of the boat. You immediately have to think about where you are and where you are supposed to be. It may be dark or smoke engaged. How will you find the connection for the life sustaining EAB (emergency air breathing) that you only have seconds to put on. What equipment will you need? How big is the casualty? Is anyone injured? Every second counts. Whether it’s a drill on not, most of us treated the alarm as a real one. It was just the right thing to do. Its no wonder that years after they left the boat, many guys have dreams (or worse) that often wake them up.

The fourth trait that is important is that of patience.

Now don’t get me wrong. I am not talking about the patience that disappears in the chow line on holiday meals or steak night. Keeping calm as you transit into home port (or what substitutes for that) also does not fall into that kind of patience. Channel fever is one very real indicator of an extreme lack of this precious commodity.

No, the patience I am speaking of is a cultural patience that is needed when the mission is hot. Tracking a “bad guy” for multiple weeks requires absolute patience and absolute discipline. One wrong move, one unsteady hand, one unplanned activity could spell the difference between success and failure. I can imagine the same was true of my forefathers on the World War 2 patrols as they stalked an enemy. A submariner has to have it within him to be able to handle a living stress that few others can imagine.

There are many more traits that I am sure I will hear about

Winking smile

But the last one I want to talk about is

courage beyond measure.

The story of the USS Swordfish (SS-193) is an example of that type of courage. She was credited with the first wartime submarine kill not long after Pearl Harbor.

Her entire history is filled with incidences that would challenge the courage of any person alive. During her tenure, she conducted 13 war patrols resulting in eight battle stars. Her special missions took her into the heart of the Japanese empire and she participated in many of the major events of the Pacific war.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Swordfish_(SS-193)

Her last mission took her to Okinawa where she was supposed to conduct reconnaissance. It is presumed that action resulted in her loss on January 12th 1945. To her credit, she served during the most desperate days of the war and went to hell and back on each patrol. These men had to have known that every patrol was a risk to their safety and their lives. Yet they went. Along with all of their brothers. Their sacrifices freed millions of people from tyranny and oppression. We can never repay them enough.

The heart and soul of a submariner is their ability to suspend their disbelief for just the right amount of time to complete the mission. They absolutely have to believe that their boat was built well enough, the crew was trained to the right level, and the sea will not be powerful enough to overcome both. I guess in a way, it’s the ultimate form of faith that comes from those willing to give their all for an idea: Freedom. Eighty-nine men were lost with the veteran submarine.

Thanks to the men of the Swordfish for their sacrifices. Your legacy still lives.

USS Swordfish (SS –193) Still on eternal patrol.

Mister Mac

January 11, 2012

State of the Union ⁴

Congress, Leadership, White House • Tags: Churchill, congress, Constitution, January 24, laws, Obama, Stalin, State of the Union

The history of the State of the Union is a pretty interesting one for most people who study such things.

The requirement for the President to prepare and deliver his views of the country are contained in the Constitution,

“He shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.”

Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution

It is not required for the President to deliver the message in person. George Washington delivered his in a speech format but Thomas Jefferson was afraid that delivering the speech in this manner was too imperious and reminded him of a monarchial behavior. The following Presidents must have agreed since it was not until Woodrow Wilson that the practice of personally delivering it returned. Since that time, the SOTU has been used to not only report on the State but also of the proposed legislative agenda that each President wants to put forward.

While recent history has the speech delivered in the Congress by the President, there have been exceptions. The last time the message was delivered in writing was in 1981 when Jimmy Carter was the outgoing President. Nothing of significance was reported from that message since it was overshadowed by the Reagan Revolution which was already in its beginning stages.

An interesting side note about Jimmy’s rise to power:

The national news media discovered and promoted Carter, as Lawrence Shoup noted in his 1980 book The Carter Presidency and Beyond:

What Carter had that his opponents did not was the acceptance and support of elite sectors of the mass communications media. It was their favorable coverage of Carter and his campaign that gave him an edge, propelling him rocket-like to the top of the opinion polls. This helped Carter win key primary election victories, enabling him to rise from an obscure public figure to President-elect in the short space of 9 months.

(From Wikipedia)

One of the most fascinating State of the Union Speeches was delivered by Franklin Delano Roosevelt to the Congress on January 11 1944. The country was at war around the globe and FDR’s message was filled with so many indicators of things to come in the future. His progressivism was truly shining through as he talked about taxing unfair profits, our starry eyed relations with Russia and China, and a new bill of rights that he felt Congress should pass in some way or another.

You can read the entire speech here:

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=16518#axzz1j9ghZUKD

The parts that I thought were particularly interesting for this day include his views on his opponents and his post war vision for America. After he and Secretary Hull had attended the famous overseas conferences with the British, Chinese, Russian and other allies, some in the states suspected that Roosevelt was allowing for more liberal attitudes in regards to the USSR’s burning need for security.

I suppose we can give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he really did trust the Russians. Its just very interesting how his words actually ensured that the Russians would feel at ease in occupying so many countries at war’s end in the name of security.

The other part that was of particular interest was this request to Congress:

“Therefore, in order to concentrate all our energies and resources on winning the war, and to maintain a fair and stable economy at home, I recommend that the Congress adopt:

(1) A realistic tax law—which will tax all unreasonable profits, both individual and corporate, and reduce the ultimate cost of the war to our sons and daughters. The tax bill now under consideration by the Congress does not begin to meet this test.”

Presidential Power

Roosevelt, more than any previous President tried to expand the power of the legislative branch. Many of his early decisions were aimed at getting America out of the tail spin it was in during the great depression. One of the least popular measures taken was in regards to veterans.

“Roosevelt tried to keep his campaign promise by cutting the federal budget, including a reduction in military spending from $752 million in 1932 to $531 million in 1934 and a 40% cuts in spending on veterans’ benefits, removed 500,000 veterans and widows from the pension rolls and reduced benefits for the remainder, as well as cutting the salaries of federal employees and reduced spending on research and education. However, this was soon seen to be a mistake and most benefits were restored or increased by 1934. The benefit cuts also did not last. In June 1933 Roosevelt restored $50 million in pension payments, and Congress added another $46 million more.Veterans groups like the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars won their campaign to transform their benefits from payments due in 1945 to immediate cash when Congress overrode the President’s veto and passed the Bonus Act in January 1936.^”

^{from Wikipedia}

Interesting how history repeats itself. A Popular President sweeps into office during a crisis. His regime enacts many laws and rules limiting “Excessive profits”. His understanding of the enemy is littered with rose colored opinions that fall apart as fast as they are celebrated. Growth in foreign powers and threats are ignored in favor of continuing a social program at home.Last but not least, the Office of the President, unhappy with Congress and the Supreme Court overrides their rightful place in the process and dictates with Executive Fiats.

It couldn’t happen again could it?

“On the Dec. 11, 2011 edition of “60 Minutes,” Steve Kroft asked Obama, “What have you accomplished?”

Here’s what Obama took credit for accomplishing:

“Saving this country from a great depression.”
“Saving the auto industry.”
“Putting in place a system in which we’re gonna start lowering health care costs and you’re never gonna go bankrupt because you get sick or somebody in your family gets sick.”
“Making sure that we have reformed the financial system, so we never again have taxpayer-funded bailouts, and the system is more stable and secure.”
“Making sure that we’ve got millions of kids out here who are able to go to college because we’ve expanded student loans and made college more affordable.”
“Ending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
“Decimating al Qaeda, including Bin Laden being taken off the field.”
“Restoring America’s respect around the world.”

But, Obama didn’t stop there.

In light of these achievements, Obama went on to rate his presidency among the top four, with the possible exceptions of Johnson, FDR, and Lincoln:

“The issue here is not gonna be a list of accomplishments. As you said yourself, Steve, you know, I would put our legislative and foreign policy accomplishments in our first two years against any president — with the possible exceptions of Johnson, F.D.R., and Lincoln — just in terms of what we’ve gotten done in modern history. But, you know, but when it comes to the economy, we’ve got a lot more work to do. And we’re gonna keep on at it.””

18 trillion dollars in debt. More than the combined total of all previous administrations. Mr. Obama, please stop working so hard for us. We can’t afford it anymore.

Mister Mac

By the way, the 2012 State of the Union is set for January 24

Like many of you, I will be joining my family in front of the TV set so that we can be a part of the American Journey. A new twist was suggested though and perhaps you can find your own version to keep score during the always entertaining speech:

January 4, 2012

Earthgrazers ^Reply

Leadership, Uncategorized, White House • Tags: Earthgrazer, Iowa, Shooting Star

I learned a new term while researching today’s post.

Earthgrazer. You may have to add it to your computer’s onboard dictionary as I did in order to avoid the dreaded red line of spelling misfortune. It is another word for a Shooting Star. I was originally going to use the word Shooting Star in the title but with recent announcements about the power of the Executive Branch to detain me indefinitely for just about anything, I am trying to be a little more judicious in regards to my titles.

I don’t know how many of you stayed up last night to watch the Quadrantid meteors. Here on the east coast, they were mostly visible between 2:30 and 4:00 AM (that’s 0230 – 0400 for my Navy friends). The boss and I both woke up in time to go out but with the temperature being a moderate 24 degrees F I think we were both satisfied with a few brief dashes of light across the cloudless sky.

Of course as adults, we find out pretty quickly that the “star” that shoots is not actually a “star” but a meteorite that crosses through our upper atmosphere and burns up. This particular series of showers is very unique and has an interesting history. In an article from Joe Rao at Space.com:

“The Quadrantids (pronounced KWA-dran-tids) provides one of the most intense annualmeteor showers, with a brief, sharp maximum lasting but a few hours. Adolphe Quetelet of Brussels Observatory discovered the shower in the 1830s, and shortly afterward it was noted by several other astronomers in Europe and America.

The meteors are named after the obsolete constellation Quadrans Muralis the Mural or Wall Quadrant (an astronomical instrument), depicted in some 19th-century star atlases roughly midway between the end of the Handle of the Big Dipper and the quadrilateral of stars marking the head of the constellation Draco. The International Astronomical Union phased out Quadrans Muralis in 1922. “

“If your skies are very clear and dark, allowing you to see faint meteors, your rates could top 100 per hour. Observers located in the western portions of North American will have lower rates but will also have the opportunity to see Quadrantid ‘earthgrazers,’” Lunsford added. “Earthgrazers are meteors that skim the upper portion of the atmosphere therefore lasting much longer than normal and producing long trails in the sky. These meteors can only be seen when the radiant lies close to the horizon. As the radiant rises, the meteor paths will become shorter with shorter durations.”

http://www.space.com/14067-2012-quadrantid-meteor-shower-skywatching.html

There were a number of shooting stars in Iowa last night.

This batch took a little longer to show up (months and months) and apparently are made more visible by something called “debates”. These “debates” either helped to propel some of the “stars” but also were responsible for actually wiping some of them out as they hit the cold hard atmosphere. I could almost feel the excitement as many people watched each star in turn rise and fall in the crisp night air. At the end of the night only a few remained.

You don’t get to see much debris after the show. The shooting stars kind of go off into a hiding place for a while and the ones that remain seem to get brighter.

Shooting stars can be kind of deceptive though.

Sometimes you think the brightest ones will last forever but they never do. I can think of the brightest one in my lifetime that happened in November 2008. Against all odds, this star rose and rose and rose. I have since learned that it probably had some help from all the star gazers who really wanted it to succeed. This particular group wanted so hard to believe that they convinced themselves that this star was the brightest one ever to be seen. But like all meteoric rises, this “star” was doomed to fall. I just don’t think anyone realized that the fall would take so many with it.

The great thing about this country is that every four years, we get a do-over. The founders probably had a similar goal in mind when they created the election cycle. I am eternally grateful to them for that. We get a chance every four years to realize the magnitude of our success or failure at identifying which of our Earthgrazers we should keep or let burn up in the atmosphere. I will be quite content to see the current Earthgrazer and his Earthgrazing spouse head on back to the land of the big stars.

I feel its kind of poetic that the stars will have to take them back. Especially since so many of them helped to put them in play.

Tally Ho

Mister Mac

January 2, 2012

What will you tell your grandchildren? ³

Congress, Leadership, Uncategorized, White House • Tags: American, Greatest Generation, Leadership

All of us will leave a legacy when we pass to the next world. Some will be lengthy and some will be rather modest. I am at the age where I read the obituaries in the local paper. Its kind of ghoulish in a way since I am not from here and really don’t know any of the names or families. But I like to see the written stories of people who lived a full life as well as those who have been tragically taken before their time.

I especially like to read the stories with American Flags printed right above their names. For the last few years, there have been more and more and their stories could fill whole books. They served in the European Theater, the Pacific campaign, D-day, the Battle of the Bulge, the Philippines and on and on. They wore Army or Air Corps green, Navy or Coast Guard Blue, and Marine Cammies. The obituaries often have as little to say about their service as they themselves have shared since they came home. Most just quietly went back to work raising a family and helping to build the greatest nation on the face of the earth.

The Korean and Viet Nam age folks are starting to appear more and more. I assume that at some point in the not too distant future I will join the list. No complaints. I have had a really terrific life and will be glad for the next opportunity. The time is coming where even my generation will completely turn over the reins to the next group.

The question is, what will we tell our grandchildren?

The millions of men and women who went off to save the world for democracy left a significant mark. They temporarily stopped the march of aggression from one enemy only to see another rise in its place. But the people who kept the faith throughout the entire cold war were rewarded when the Soviet Union was finally laid bare and its lies and distortions came crumbling down around them.

We have made so many advances in America that we can rightly be proud. Equality has taken great strides forward. We no longer blindly accept prejudice against people as we once did and our ability to speak freely has increased a thousand fold even from our early beginnings where that right mainly resided on a piece of untested paper signed by the founders.

Many people took tremendous pride in the 2008 elections to see a man of color raised to the highest office in the land. He and his followers offered a new day, new hope, and proof that even a man with his humble backgrounds could become the leader of this nation.

Well, we have that out of our system now so lets consider what else we got for the bargain. We are more in debt now than at any point in our history. We spread money around like chicken feed and found out the chickens were actually vultures. We decided to break up the oil monopolies in the middle of the worst recession we have ever seen in order to force the country to adopt progressive green policies. Most of the companies we threw money at have either gone bankrupt or are being supported by further government money. The printing presses are spinning faster than a centrifuge and it is all being backed up by people who don’t like us.

Have you taken the time to explain to your grandchildren the cost of this noble experiment? I think the occupy movement may have just been the tip of the spear. Unless there is a change that returns us to what we were before this fundamental change, our grandchildren will inherit a slavery which may be impossible to overcome in their lifetimes.

Its not just our president either. Earmarks and pork are destroying our legacy. Our own greed and graft in what we expect from our congressmen and senators has added fuel to the fire. It is time to stop and take measure.

America has been great because of the freedom and undying spirit of being a part of this republic has always overcome obstacles in the past. We did the hard work because we pulled together and used our collective strength to beat back the things that would destroy us. That is not possible with the group that have been in Washington the past few years. Giving them another term in office will be worse that putting a collective gun to our heads.

You have two things you can tell your grandchildren. The first is “I am terribly sorry, but we have sold you and your future into slavery”. The second is that you were part of the next great generation that finally woke up to the dangers created by having neophytes and amateurs in charge of the people’s business. You fought every day for a future that would be safe, secure and provide a mechanism for individuals to become as successful as they want without worrying about someone coming along and taking most of their gains for redistribution.

The difference is clear. But you can’t wait until November to get engaged. You are already late.

Mister Mac

Oh, yeah… Happy New Year

December 26, 2011

What do you fear? ⁶

Leadership, Submarine • Tags: Fear, hope

This time of year is a time for reflection.

The old year is almost past and the new one is right around the corner. Most people probably face the future with one of two emotions. While those emotions can be a mixture, in most cases people have a feeling of hope or a feeling of fear. The chance that good or bad events will happen is unknown and we are often unsure how to plan for either.

To understand what you fear, its probably good to have a definition of what fear is.

I think it can be pretty complicated. Of course, the first kind of fear is the most personal of all. While that fear may be shared by many people simultaneously, it is first and foremost the feeling of dread you have for something that is about to happen. Being a submariner, one of my fears was drowning. I really hated being inside a tank of any kind with only one hole to crawl in and out of. Frankly, I wasn’t all that thrilled to be in the ballast tank (even in drydock). Maybe it was the closeness but maybe it was the fear of not being able to get out as quickly as I would need to (or at all).

This one is specifically for submariners but I also feared having to reset the relief valve on the 4500 PSI reducer. First of all, the darn thing was underneath a ladder so you had to get up close and personal with is. Second of all, it was so sensitive that a slight over twist of your wrench would allow the reducer to go off right in your face and next to your ears. Plus you knew it would scare the crap out of everybody in maneuvering.

The other kind of fear still comes back to being personal but it is a result of something that is about to happen to many people.

It can be situational or it can be generational. Situational could be an imminent invasion of an enemy army, the oncoming storm that has not given people enough time to prepare, or a disease which effects large masses of people with little hope of a large scale cure.

Generational comes from the realization that an event or series of events can change how the current generation perceives the future. Financial worries, morality issues, and loss of values in general can cause this fear to grow across a whole generation and sometimes even mutate and travel to ensuing generations.

In the end though, it all comes back to the individual. What do you fear?

As I look around the landscape, I have some fears. Some of the fears that I have would never have occurred to me before. I had a vision of America that was pretty solid and sure based on the rock solid principles I was raised with. Even growing up in the middle of the baby boom, I was blessed with parents and neighbors who spent the time needed to equip us for life. We were not perfect in any way and my mistakes could fill the torpedo room on a boomer. But we had a sense of where the lines should be and in the end, I have noticed how many of my old shipmates have also come to those realizations.

My fears are based on my perception of what could happen to America if there is not a course correction soon.

I fear that the United States Flag will be replaced by a blue flag.

There are many in this generation that have been wooed by the false voices of “equality” and “sameness” as a way to solve all of man’s problems. A single nation should not contain so much wealth… it just isn’t fair.

Why should other nations not just take an equal share of everything? This silly notion assumes that all nations are mature enough to deal with the consequences of unfettered wealth and resources. It assumes that there are no manipulative tyrants or parties within those countries that would brutalize their own people. One only needs to look at a map of the third world countries to see how “fair” they are to their own people.

I fear that enough people will want to live under that blue flag that my right to keep and bear arms will be denied.

The Supreme Court is so thinly divided that even a strong breeze can wipe out that right. Voices of “Reason” within the country have allowed themselves to be convinced that the founders did not intend for people to have access to firearms. It is barbaric to allow people to have weapons in an age where the police and Homeland Security have the capacity to control crime. Or do they? What happens to a country when its weapons are removed in a sense of higher moral dictate? I lived in Scotland and frankly, as much as I love my families homeland, crime can be just as vicious as any country with easy access to guns.

I fear a nation that no longer has “One Nation Under God” in the public domain.

The visible symbols of this nation’s early relationship with a deity are all around us. In every major document, there was strict acknowledgement to God’s role in the formation of this country. But it is being systematically scrubbed away by people who have no clear understanding of its purpose. Their selfish aims are just as pronounced as the selfish aims of the old Europeans to adhere to a single faith within a countries borders. We are free to worship, or not but the recognition of the historical basis of our countries founding must be maintained.

I fear a nation where my health choices will be controlled by a court.
I fear a nation where young people have no morals and direction because they will be easily swayed and have no rock upon which to maintain their own destiny.
I fear a nation where a government can be so callous as to not listen to the voice of its people.
I fear a nation where the easy death of an unborn child will lead to the easy death of old people who are no longer considered viable or redeemable merely because of their age or condition.

With all of these fears, it would be easy to lose hope

It would be easy if you didn’t have a historical footprint to follow. The generation of leaders who helped to form this country had a foundation as a bedrock the to overcome all of those same fears.

In times of crisis, they stood together and rose up against those who would keep freedom from failing. From a rough start on the nation’s rugged coasts, they built an empire across the face of this land. Just as there was fear in every person’s heart, that fear was overcome by every person as an individual and all of them as a group with a common basis.

Of all the fears I have for my country, one is greatest.

That fear is that not enough people will rise up once again when the time comes to throw off the yolk of slavery to ideas and institutions that would destroy the idea which is America. I am not a citizen of the world, I am an American. I was fortunate enough to be born that way and I will die that way. I have seen much of the rest of the world and there is no place that can even compare.

Make no mistake: just because we have always been willing to come to the aid of the oppressed does not mean we are willing to become more like them.

I do not believe America’s best days are behind us unless we allow that to happen. I will continue to hope that there are enough people like me to make a difference when the time comes

Mister Mac

1 John 4 Verse 18

¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

December 23, 2011

Angus and Rufus in 2012 ⁴

Change, Leadership, White House • Tags: Astonishing, Des Moines Register, Jimmy Carter, Joe Biden, Newt, Obama, Presidential Campaign, Rabbit

I was reading VP Biden’s guest column in the Des Moines Register this morning and of course having lots of fun with the liberals who were posting comments of support. The easy part is, all you have to do is cut and paste any of Obama’s own words from his wide array of speeches and you can pretty well trash any argument but one: It apparently is still George’s Fault.

Back on another thread, Governor Romney was quoted as saying he thought the VP’s comments were “astonishing”.

I looked that word up since I normally have a differing view of what it means. Webster and Merriam’s both use the same terms to describe the root word for astonishing: to strike with sudden and usually great wonder or surprise.

I guess I am kind of astonished that the presumed front runner in the primary (and his staff who actually read the article) could come up with such a wimpy word. It kind of reminds me of the hell I personally went through in the last Presidential campaign where it appeared that the first rule in McCain’s camp was to avoid anything that highlighted the gross distortions and outright lies that the opposition were spreading on a daily basis. It’s like déjà vu all over again here in the heartland.

One of the comments on my favorite web site was from a fellow conservative who was worried about the choices we have this time around. He bemoaned the fact that even Newt was a weak candidate. Well, what he actually said was that his dog could beat Newt. After encouraging him to get his dog out there as quickly as possible, it occurred to me that I actually have a better idea. The better idea is in the front room sitting on their favorite couch grabbing a noontime nap.

My solution is to get my dogs Angus and Rufus into the race.

We have to send Joe back to Delaware and Barry back to a place of his choice in November’s election. In eight days, we will be down to less than a year. This plan is almost foolproof and will reach across all of the current divides.

First, let me describe the boys. Angus is black which is still a little unusual for a Republican so he will draw in a segment we are weak in. He has a great temperament and is a real go getter. He rarely sits down preferring to manage everything in his domain. He has mastered the Sit-Paw-Smile maneuver so he will be great at campaign rally events. He is persistent in all of his activities and can uncover every treat hiding place. He learned at a very early age not to take treats from strangers so we won’t have to be overly worried about him being influenced by lobbyists.

Rufus is brown which gives us a strong Latino appeal at just the right moment. He is a lot more thoughtful than Angus and can be counted on to bring a solution to most common problems. Unlike Angus though, he can be very aggressive when someone needs that kind of response. He is a no nonsense kind of guy and will be a strong and powerful voice. (Neighbors four doors down from us can attest to that when a rabbit foolishly enters our yard; another real plus since he will not allow himself to have a Jimmy Carter moment at the wrong time).

The boys are American born and we just figured out that they are over forty (in dog years anyway). I checked the Constitutional requirements and the only fuzzy part may be the use of the term “No person shall” and so on. While in the past dogs are considered to be part of the canine breed, I could make a strong case that they have achieved “Person” status in this day and age. Why you ask? Well, simple. Look at the millions of people who dress their dogs in sweaters and funny clothes. How many people do you know that talk to their dogs and actually believe that they can understand? (Frankly it’s the same as talking with most politicians anyway… you say lower taxes, they hear raise them higher). Finally, how many of you have stockings for your dogs? Doesn’t that give further credibility since why would Santa bring treats to a mere dog???

The boys work well together most of the time. Once when they were very young they managed to empty an entire roll of toilet paper from our house into the backyard. This feat is even more amazing since they had to drag the paper around the corner, through the doggie door and down their ramp to the yard. They were both sitting in the yard with mouthfuls of TP when we discovered them. But talk about the problem solving and teamwork that had to have been applied.

I am not sure which will be which office at this point. On any given occasion, their roles as Alpha dog can switch but Rufus seems to be the one who has been getting the better of Angus more often now. Fortunately both boys were fixed a long time ago and we are almost positive we don’t have to worry about any surprises showing up on our doorstep. They can tell the difference between right and wrong and frankly would not be an embarrassment to our country around the world.

Loyal, dependable, fierce at the right times, regal in stature and an unblemished record (except for the toilet paper caper which happened in North Carolina which I am pretty sure has a law which protects that).

Just in case things go horribly wrong in the future after they are elected and China calls in its debts, we have one more card to play. Both boys are Chinese Shar Peis which will mean they are probably already acceptable to our new owners.

I invite you to join me in this new campaign. We do not need money, just your support.

If Ron Paul can do it, we can too!

Angus and Rufus 2012:

The Change you can finally believe in!

December 12, 2011

The Flowers of The Forest ^Reply

Holy Loch, Leadership, Submarine, US Navy • Tags: Cold War, Flowers of the Forest, Guam, holy loch, scotland, Soviet Union, submarine, Submarine Tender

In the misty legends of Scotland, there are many songs that are interwoven with the victories and defeats of her native sons in glorious conflicts. The great pipes blew violently across the field as part of the offensive tactics of the Chiefs.

You can almost feel them pierce the air of a cold Scottish morning while lines of kilted warriors come racing towards each other. The louder the noise, the more it covers the sound of axes crashing into metal and bone. The cries of the mortally wounded are covered with the bleating of the air rushing through the reeds until the last sword is swung and the battle is done.

In the end, it is the music alone that remains. Lives end. Legends are often the only survivors of a grand melee. Around the campfires at night, men tell tales of the way the fight travelled form one end of the field to another. Who won is often determined by who had the best version that would last through antiquity and be recorded by a poet or scribe. The main goal was to create a lasting enough memory to justify their brave sacrifices and try to calm a mother’s broken heart.

The Flowers of the Forest is a memorial song derived from one of the greatest and noblest defeats Scotland ever suffered, the Battle of Flodden Field. Some sources claim that over 10,000 Scottish souls were lost including many of the nobles of the auld Scotland.

The song has been used again and again over the years to honor and commemorate the lives of men fallen in battle from across the British Isles. Besides Amazing Grace, it will always be one of the most memorable of laments to those who have served under the Union Jack.

As a younger man, I was part of another great force that fought a different kind of war. Our greatest goal was to never use the weapons that we had at our disposal. More importantly, we wanted to make sure the other guy knew that he would pay an unimaginable price if he ever used his.

The Cold War

The longest and most expensive war in modern history was the shadow war that started in 1945 barely a few days after the end of World War 2. The Soviets had secretly integrated spies throughout the unsuspecting Western Countries and solidified their hold over the border countries. In a series of steps, each side ramped up their defensive and offensive postures and systems. The launch of Sputnik added a new dimension of threat and resulted in the birth of the strategic nuclear missile submarine programs for both sides.

The battles lasted until 1991

In December of that year, the Soviet Union gives up its last gasp of life and on Christmas Day 1991, the Hammer and Sickle was lowered over the Kremlin for the last time.

In the twenty years since that fateful day, many changes have occurred on both sides

A different kind of war has emerged for a new generation and the old generation has begun to quietly take their place in the Forest. There is no greater reminder to the men of that age than the rise of a new kind of “Flower” in the shape of monuments to glorious days of the past.

http://www.esryle.com/coblinks/links/MUSEUMS.html

While I still think I am young at heart, nothing ages you quicker than seeing the sail of a boat you served on placed on a hill side with markers and monuments all around it.

Nothing brings back the memories faster than seeing that cold metal symbol forever landlocked instead of plowing through the oceans protecting both her crew and the nation she served.

I am grateful for the chance to see her one more time and bring back the memories of red lights and flank speed runs and angles and dangles. I am filled with emotion for those who have slowly passed into the great beyond, some known and others only found in a surprise announcement from a friend on a submarine page or Facebook.

Thanks to all those who cared for and supported their brothers on Tenders, shore facilities and Dry docks in far away lands or here at home. Your service was a great contribution to the peace that was maintained.

Thanks to the men who defied logic and manned the boats that plied the ocean’s deep. Your sacrifice will never be fully recognized but we live in a better place because of it. If you do not belong to USSVI, I would encourage you to do so today. This great organization is keeping the memory of our brothers alive and helping to make a difference for the future.

It is a shame that there is no national recognition of those Flowers of the Forest who helped to win that war.

I want to personally thank all of the ones who remain and especially all of those who have passed.

Twenty years ago this month,

all of your efforts resulted in a great victory.

God Bless You.

Mister Mac

Note: Every war fought by the United States, was honored by a medal issued to those members authorized and who displayed honorable service. The Cold War has never been officially recognized for this type of honor. While some organizations have created a medal for the time period, it has never been officially recognized by the Federal Government.

December 8, 2011

How to fix everything ¹

Congress, Leadership, White House • Tags: Kansas, McPherson, McPherson Opera House, Paris, Refinery, Wheat State

Yesterday I saw an article about some staffers in Washington who thought that it was okay for them to start drinking at 9:00 AM and use Twitter to mock their boss and the American people who pay their salaries. Fortunately, they will be looking for a new job now since they got caught. But what about the ones who aren’t being caught? The article says that there is a culture in Washington that seems to allow for this kind of thing. From my point of view, it’s not just the culture of the staffers that is out of kilter, it is the entire kit and caboodle.

http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowldc/nw-pub-reports-larsen-aides-booze-it-up-at-work_b58351

Washington Culture? (is that some kind of oxymoron?)

How many people do you know who have limousines drive them to work only to not actually do anything? How many places do you know where the people who do so little have private gyms, private dining facilities, unlimited phone and mail privileges and on and on. Where else in America (besides the banks and investment firms that steal our daily bread) can you find cushier surroundings and more comfortable chairs? No wonder the politicians are willing to spend so much of their friends and contributor’s money to win a job that barely pays enough for the houses they live in and parties they participate in.

Now don’t get me wrong. It these guys and girls were going there and really fixing what’s wrong with the country, I might be willing to pay a bit more for them to be comfy. But from what I can see, they and their cronies have gotten us into a heck of a mess. I don’t even know what 14 trillion dollars looks like but from what I read, we collectively owe that. Plus, all these bailouts seem to help their friends keep their houses in Boca Raton and along the shore while the rest of us are just skimping by. In fact, it seems like their friends are barely suffering through any of this recession despite the fact that they probably caused it by their greed and allegiance to a bunch of lobbyists.

Frankly, I think the whole problem can be solved pretty reasonably. If the idea I have is implemented, it will fix everything. It has a lot to do with the oldest principles of the Republic: Location, location, location

When the 13 original states were young, the choice placing the capital in Washington DC made a lot of sense.

It was sort of a middle ground for all of them and frankly it was not a place where people wanted to spend a lot of time. The heat and humidity in the summer made staying there kind of hard and frankly, the mosquitos and other pests probably made wearing those hot woolen outfits kind of uncomfortable. There was an equal amount of sacrifice on the whole for people who would have to travel from their own states to do the countries work.

There wasn’t much to do there in the beginning so they would naturally head home for the summer and stay in close touch with their constituents. The advantage for the people they served was that the leadership could not hide from the people who were footing the bills and if some elected official showed up with a new horse and buggy, well everybody in town probably knew about it fairly quickly.

Compare that to now.

Washington has been the seat of power for so long, no one thinks twice about the enormous costs to live there. Air conditioning and many limos keep the average congress person from breaking a sweat most days and both houses can stay in session as long as they want (on a not to interfere basis with their junketing).

The best food, the best wine, more staff than ever before, lobbyists to secretly pay for the little extras and you have a nice little set up. No need to worry about those darn constituents seeing your personal wealth expanding since you can live there full time.

The only time they need to return home now is if they actually need to campaign.

In most cases, it doesn’t seem like that’s needed anymore since incumbency means spreading the bucks around. No one likes congress, but everybody likes their own congress critters. Despite all the bluster on both sides of the aisles, earmarks and traded votes for paybacks is the order of the day. Plus with omnibus spending bills, who can keep track of all those goodies like ice machines for homeland defense. I wonder what flavors they will offer when the next building gets rammed by a plane.

What is this perfect fix I keep tempting you with?

Location, location, location… smack dab in the middle of America

Washington has become too comfortable and no longer feels our pain.

The most obvious first step is to move the capital to McPherson Kansas (I’ll wait right here while you Google it). From their website:

“Imagine beautiful tree-lined streets, neighbors visiting on sidewalks, children playing in the park and the sounds of a busy waterpark. Imagine having an amazing range of recreational and cultural opportunities for all ages, along with unique shopping, diverse dining experiences and multiple community events. This is life in McPherson! “

McPherson was once named one of the 100 best small towns in America and has the advantage over Washington of actually being an epicenter to many of the lower 48 states. The town of almost 14,000 people is clean, has a good supply of natural resources, and a very low crime rate. The people are of good stock and very friendly as long as you don’t overstay your welcome. There are two colleges there and the McPherson Opera House has recently been restored and would be a good place for speeches (William Jennings Bryant once spoke from the stage so it’s a natural setting).

We will have to make a few adjustments.

First, there aren’t enough hotels there so the only time it would be reasonable for meetings is in the summer when the colleges are on break. I am sure arrangements could be made with the folks at both Mac and Central colleges for rooms and the cafeterias serve good honest American food with some slices of foreign food to break the monotony. The folks on Main Street can provide an adequate supply of sandwiches and non-alcoholic drinks during the day and evenings can be spent in the dorm rooms really focusing on how to fix what previous congresses have screwed up.

There will not be enough room for staffers of course. Besides saving everyone a lot of money, it would mean that the elected folks would actually have to read and draft the laws and rules changes they are proposing. In a lean world, staffers have been replaced by computers anyway and there is nothing that says down to earth like having to make and pour your own coffee.

Modern communications and facilities

Not to worry though, you can get on the internet right from your dorm room with your laptop and we will have a lot of printers handy for the actual workday. There is no Office Max or Staples there so they will have to bring their own paper. Maybe that might prevent them from printing reams and reams of paper that no one reads and never gets passed anyway.

The airport’s kind of small so everyone will have to fly into Wichita and take a bus up to town.

Although the airport did get a much needed upgrade back in 1995, Air Force One will still not make a decent landing. Sorry, with the influx of people, no limousines will be allowed within the city limits. Cell phones do work in town, but for the sake of expediency, all cell phones will be collected on day one of the WORKING SESSION. Since no one will have any staff, they needn’t worry about phone calls anyway. They can have the usual answering machines in their home offices and can check their messages using the pay phones at the college at night.

Most importantly, no lobbyists will be allowed with 50 miles of the city. In fact, in a perfect world, no lobbyists will be allowed in the state of Kansas. The legislatures would have to just judge laws on their merits.

So here it is in a nutshell:

No staffers, no lobbyists, no cell phones, meet only during the summer months, work until you fix things, then go home and be with your constituents. You will notice I didn’t say anything about cutting out the fact finding trips to Paris.

Frankly, I have been to Paris and there are not a lot of new facts to discover. Plus, being at home with your neighbors makes it a little less likely you can sneak off and fly in a big old Air Force plane on the taxpayers dime and see the world. If you want to see the world, join the Navy.

I also didn’t mention the President

To be fair, I think he shouldn’t have to stay in the College dorms. I would probably put him up at the Wheat State Motel on the edge of town. There should be enough room for the cabinet but they might have to double up. Security would be pretty easy because other than a Laundromat and a liquor store, there is not a lot of traffic out that way. Plus, you can see for miles and miles and miles.

The noise from the refinery can be a bit loud from time to time but that’s just an inspiration for all of them to get their business done and get back home.

Room service is a bit iffy, but you can head on over to the Chinese restaurant by the Wal-Mart and get an excellent meal. Plus, the Legion does a mean steak fry on Friday nights. You will love it.

Now the practical person would ask, but Mister Mac, what will we do with all those empty buildings back in DC?

Well, They can be made into full time museums dedicated to the most monstrous example of waste fraud and abuse this country has ever known. Maybe the Chinese will take them in trade to pay off the debt our illustrious leaders have racked up. It will be great for the tourist to finally be able to park in the capital they have already paid for many times over.

In my next “How to fix everything” article, I will cover pensions and perks. Since we will go back to having a part time legislature as once envisioned, I can see some real savings from those areas.

Can you spell retroactive?

See you in Kansas

Mister Mac

December 8, 2011

How’s that Reset Button working for ya? ¹

Leadership, Preparedness, Submarine, US Navy, White House • Tags: North Korea, Peace Through Strength, Putin, reset button, Ronald Reagan, Russian Federation, Soviet Union

“We are the largest nuclear power,” Putin said, addressing supporters during a televised meeting. “And our partners have certain concerns and shake us so that we don’t forget who is the master of this planet, so that we remain obedient and feel that they have leverage to influence us within our own country.”

http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/World/Story/A1Story20111208-315227.html

Its hard to believe that quote actually came from a speech made just yesterday in regards to alleged interference from the American State Department in the Russian elections. I would have thought it was ripped from the pages of the Cold War.

http://news.yahoo.com/putin-slams-clinton-encouraging-protesters-112554186.html

Don’t get me wrong. I think its been great that we have had about twenty years of seeing a diminished Soviet Union Russian Federation. Although it has given rise to an underground mafia like infrastructure, it still beats the heck out of chasing those guys all over the world’s oceans wondering if any of them might go rogue or suffer a disaster more serious than the K19 and others near our coasts.

But anyone who thinks Putin and the Clown Posse KGB are satisfied with the status quo are surely out to lunch. My personal belief is that the day the Soviet Union died, Putin started plotting how to get it back. All of those naked chest pictures and wrestling bears with his bare hands are there for a reason. I like GW but I think he needed to put his glasses on (or take the rose colored ones off) the day he looked into Putin’s eyes and saw a soul. I have never seen the man personally but I know evil when I see evil.

Why do you think they are so hesitant to have an anti-missile defense system so close to their home turf? Part of that reason will of course be the weakening of a Russian offensive threat. But part of the reason is that in the grand scheme of things, it would be one more entrenchment of a future adversary which might justify an aggressive response when the Russians decide the time for charades is over.

A regional war outside of Europe could trigger an unexpected response from the Giant Bear. Pakistan and India, Iran and Israel, the Koreas, and any of the other nightmare scenarios studied in war colleges around the world might leave the Russians feeling like it is a great opportunity to regroup its protective borders to prevent the slaughters of WW1 and WW2. Germany may react in a negative way to one of the oil shocks that will surely come and decide it needs to protect its national interests. The collapse of the Euro may send a weak shiver through all of the parties resulting in a closing of trade and borders for extended periods of time. Chinese aggression in the oil lanes surrounding their territory would be awfully hard to manage if all of these scenarios happened in the short space of time some predict.

In short, we are living in a very fragile time.

The United States rose to be a stabilizing force in the twentieth century. Distance kept us safe even when our military was grievously wounded at Pearl Harbor. The distance can no longer protect us. Space and weapons technology, electronic warfare on a national scale affect us all. Internal threats from not only “home grown” terrorists but from sleeper cells that are surely here will result in threats unlike any we have known.

Where are the internal threats? If I wanted to make a country weak, I would start with using their own honest intentions and the courts to soften them up. The more you can make authority weak and afraid of its own legal system, the quicker you can overturn them. The people who used to have respect for authority will openly flaunt it knowing they can pay a small fee and be right back on the streets. We see it almost every day with flash mobs and people attacking the police openly.

You weaken the country by encouraging people to breaking the laws in the name of fantasies like “Social Justice”. You create class warfare on a grand scale and pillory the extremely wealthy. Look how well that turned out for the French.

There is a glimmer of hope though. This country has withstood other crisis’s in the past and grown to be even more stable. The steadfast love for freedom and liberty will always rise up and trample the progressives who are blinded by a false utopia. A leader will rise up and bring a sense of strength back to the people. Businesses will no longer be afraid to hire people and invest in growth because socialists who want to take even more of their money will be made powerless. For every Carter, there will rise a Reagan.

The Soviet Union did not dissolve because they suddenly developed a sense of fair play and justice. The Soviet Union dissolved because when we needed to be strong, we were. We were unapologetic, un-bowing, and un-fazed by the threats they alluded to destroy us. We proved once and for all that you can have Peace Through Strength. It seems like the current regime is bound and determined to prove to us that their path will bring us exactly the opposite. I have five nephews on active duty in three different branches. I would hate to see them sacrificed on the alter of political correctness.

Another McPherson who was a bit more well known was James Birdseye McPherson who was born in Clyde Ohio

Wars end, but the memories that are born from them don’t among those that survive.

I guess as time passes, people forget even those who were an important part of our countries development

But even with that, I find no excuse in the world to allow selfish usurpers foul the land set aside in his honor. Apparently the Mayor of DC is ready to agree with me. Sort of.

I have to tell you it aggravated me to no end to have some highly placed officials in the United States Government actually encourage these modern-day class warfare mongers.

I will even volunteer to drive the bus (provided I can keep the drivers window open to avoid the smell.)

Mister Mac

(Absolutely not one of the General’s decedents)

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A submariner has to have a series of personal traits that are absolutely essential. Some may be more important than others but the one that seems to be most important is “trustworthy”.

The second trait that seems to have a lot of importance is assertiveness.

The third trait is that each submariner must be a problem solver.

The fourth trait that is important is that of patience.

There are many more traits that I am sure I will hear about

But the last one I want to talk about is

courage beyond measure.

Thanks to the men of the Swordfish for their sacrifices. Your legacy still lives.

USS Swordfish (SS –193) Still on eternal patrol.

Mister Mac

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The history of the State of the Union is a pretty interesting one for most people who study such things.

Presidential Power

It couldn’t happen again could it?

18 trillion dollars in debt. More than the combined total of all previous administrations. Mr. Obama, please stop working so hard for us. We can’t afford it anymore.

Mister Mac

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I learned a new term while researching today’s post.

There were a number of shooting stars in Iowa last night.

Shooting stars can be kind of deceptive though.

I feel its kind of poetic that the stars will have to take them back. Especially since so many of them helped to put them in play.

Tally Ho

Mister Mac

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This time of year is a time for reflection.

To understand what you fear, its probably good to have a definition of what fear is.

The other kind of fear still comes back to being personal but it is a result of something that is about to happen to many people.

In the end though, it all comes back to the individual. What do you fear?

My fears are based on my perception of what could happen to America if there is not a course correction soon.

With all of these fears, it would be easy to lose hope

Of all the fears I have for my country, one is greatest.

I do not believe America’s best days are behind us unless we allow that to happen. I will continue to hope that there are enough people like me to make a difference when the time comes

Mister Mac

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I invite you to join me in this new campaign. We do not need money, just your support.

If Ron Paul can do it, we can too!

Angus and Rufus 2012:

The Change you can finally believe in!

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The Cold War

The battles lasted until 1991

In the twenty years since that fateful day, many changes have occurred on both sides

It is a shame that there is no national recognition of those Flowers of the Forest who helped to win that war.

I want to personally thank all of the ones who remain and especially all of those who have passed.

Twenty years ago this month,

all of your efforts resulted in a great victory.

God Bless You.

Mister Mac

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Washington Culture? (is that some kind of oxymoron?)

When the 13 original states were young, the choice placing the capital in Washington DC made a lot of sense.

Compare that to now.

The only time they need to return home now is if they actually need to campaign.

What is this perfect fix I keep tempting you with?

Location, location, location… smack dab in the middle of America

We will have to make a few adjustments.

Modern communications and facilities

The airport’s kind of small so everyone will have to fly into Wichita and take a bus up to town.

So here it is in a nutshell:

I also didn’t mention the President

Now the practical person would ask, but Mister Mac, what will we do with all those empty buildings back in DC?

In my next “How to fix everything” article, I will cover pensions and perks. Since we will go back to having a part time legislature as once envisioned, I can see some real savings from those areas.