This WIR is a little short (or it was supposed to be), due to all the work we've been putting into pay for congress' spending. April 15th is just around the corner, and after the Treasury Secretary's problems, I hear TurboTax fixed all it's bugs - so I'll be paying more this year. Oh wait, I paid the right amount, even when I used the same software, and was employed the same way. Weird.

The New Math
One plus one equals two, and seven hundred billion (bailout) plus one trillion (stimulus) plus four hundred billion (spending bill) equals a couple hundred politicians just getting started. Or, if you really want to know, that's over two trillion.

Of course here's another little government trick - big numbers are hard to figure. How much is a 2 trillion dollars? If you were given a dollar every second you would have eighty six thousand dollars by the end of the day, and over a half million in a week. But it would take over sixty three thousand years to reach two trillion. That just shows how big these number are.

Does the government need that much? Can they manage that much? Is this reasonable? With a population of around three hundred million people (with five hundred million loosing their jobs), it's only sixty five hundred per head. But there's only about one hundred fifty million workers, making it thirteen thousand for every job holder.

Think of it as a fee to be part of the greatest 'club' around, where those that make more than you, pay part of your share - and you pay for those making less, claiming less, or just working less than you. Maybe that makes is sound better, but still, it seems like it's time to forget who the club president is, and get rid of the dead weight on the board of directors.

Omnibus Spending
That's right, in case you missed it those tricky politicians are at it again. This time their spending money and disguising it as some kind of unified public transportation. And it's back to those earmarks - remember when the stimulus bill didn't have a single one? John Kerry wants $22 million for the JFK library. Robert Byrd is looking for $2.6 million for wood education - we do need smarter trees. Someone somewhere wants $200,000 for tattoo removal.

Both parties have called for this to be vetoed - because, let's face it, they can't even control their colleagues. We've been promised a line by line inspection of spending, then told we need to tax the rich more and been encouraged to consider cutting back the military budget. Seems like that line by line thing could work well here.

The blame falls on both parties, but the responsibility falls to a single individual - the promises of hope, change, responsibility, openness and transparency are debts being called in, the question is if President Obama has the moral currency to pay up.

He Said, He Said
Believe it or not, the people at Caterpillar (the heavy machinery company, not the fuzzy little crawly thing) didn't support the stimulus bill. Last month, before the bill was passed, President Obama said:

Today, the chairman and CEO of Caterpillar said that if the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan passes, his company would be able to rehire some of those employees.

Well, kinda. Turns out he said there could be rehiring if a responsible stimulus bill was passed, and if it succeeded in restarting the economy. Sounds like 0 for 2 to me.

Babies R Us
Not satisfied with creating an octuplet pregnancy? Now you can have your child custom made. Dark eyes, light eyes? Brown or blond hair? It's up to you. The LA Fertility Institute expects the first custom baby next year. I'm not sure if this is the advancement of a woman's right to choose or just a new low for science. Either way, Hitler would be proud.

So, what's the return policy?

That's Debatable
Only a week into his new radio show, Fred Thompson's trophy wife takes on the Rush Controversy, the Fairness Doctrine, and Liberal Condescension all in one blog post.

But since democratic (as in the party, not the process) loudmouths everywhere are calling Rush the defacto leader of the Republican party - in an attempt to somehow scare Republicans away from supporting conservative philosophies by equating them with 'extremists' - a debate between the two leaders would be interesting. I'm sure ratings would agree.

And to every self-aggrandizing actor out there who simply gets paid to play dress-up and pretend, I got some news for you: every time you refer to Rush as simple, uneducated, stupid, drug addict, or whatever else you can come up with, realize that you're insulting every one of us who listens to and appreciates his views and his program. And there's a lot of us.

Read It And Weep
Maybe this is why the debate will never happen, I doubt you could fit a teleprompter in Rush's studio. Teleprompter good? Bad? Who cares as long as it's real. It is real, right? Because if it isn't, who exactly is writing this script?

The Founders of our Country
The founders of our country risked all that they had worked for to be free from tyranny and oppression without representation. The founders pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.  As they became revolutionaries, they in effect signed their own death warrants. Their end was sure if they were captured or the war lost. Historians will tell you that statistically, and strategically, the colonists should not have even come close to winning the Revolutionary War.  However, the colonists won the war despite all the challenges they faced.

Yet we seem to forget the price they paid, and the prize they sought, when they made their pledge.  Many of the founders did not survive the war due to sickness and captured, yet they risked everything that they had, not for their own benefit, but for the benefit of their children and posterity.  They sacrificed to better the future of their country, regardless of the cost to themselves. 

Are we sacrificing ourselves for the future of our country?  Or are we sacrificing the future of our country for ourselves?  Are the decisions we are making today in our government going to have a negative impact on our children's future?  Will our children pay for our mistakes?  Perhaps the decisions being made congress now should be considered in light of how they will effect our children instead of how they will 'help' our current problems or crisis.

The Civil War
Avoiding the issue that had divided the Continental Congress was the causes of the greatest conflict our country has ever known.  The Continental Congress could not come to an agreement on the proper way to deal with slavery and the trafficking of Africans.  They could not outlaw slavery and keep the southern states in the new union they were trying to form.  They decided to put the issue off, allowing their children to deal with the most explosive issue our country would ever face. 

While the founding fathers knew of the moral implications of slavery, they could not come to a decision that would settle the argument.  Eventually, this issue would become one of the major causes of the American Civil War, the cause of death for over 500,000 men and boys from different parts of the nation.  They chose sides according to what they thought was right, not because things were promised in exchange for their support.  Many men died for what they believed was right, even if their family did not believe the same way that they did. 

Because the founding father did not deal with the issue when they could have, their grandchildren had to fight to decide what should be done.  Are we putting off important decisions in our country that will cause future generations to die in deciding what we should have done?  That child who will be aborted by a doctor forced to perform the abortion, even though he his moral beliefs opposed it, could be your grandchild or great grandchild.  The death toll of abortions performed in our country from 2006-2007 was 1,206,200!

We remember the Civil War as the greatest cost of human life for a war fought inside the US, but the toll of abortions since Roe V. Wade is estimated at 49,551,703 .  You cannot tell me that the decisions we make do not effect our children.  It's time we stopped what has killed more than all of our wars combined.

I turned 21 a few months ago. I was one of those guys who really looked forward to this 'momentous' occasion. No, not for the ability to drink legally. Many of my generation aren't too excited about that anyway, it seems underage drinking is extremely prevalent. But that's another topic for another post.

I was looking forward to being able to legally purchase and carry a handgun. I'm one of those crazy people - I counted down the days for over 3 years. So obviously, the day I turned 21, I went to Cabalas to purchase my 'baby' - that's just for you Joe Biden.

The following day I had my new purchase in my vehicle with me. I did not have a permit to carry a concealed weapon, so the handgun was placed in its case, unloaded. My day ended watching the sunset in a parking lot. After said sun set, I left the parking lot, and drove to a gas station. I had one of those weird, surreal experiences where you think you're being followed by the guy behind you.

Turns out I was.

Apparently he called the police and reported suspicious activity. The local police in that part of town didn't have anything to do besides harass guys in trucks. Less than 200 feet after pulling out of the gas station, I was pulled over. Knowing I hadn't violated any traffic laws in that short period, I was relatively confused about the reason. Moments after pulling off the road (not enough time to run my plates) I had a police officer shining a light in my eyes. He asked me for my license and registration; I gave him my license but couldn't find the registration. He didn't care, and barely glanced at my license before handing it back.

Mixing his questions with insults, he took his time treating me with utmost disrespect. After a few minutes of being told I looked like a druggie and that I should stop lying to him about my pot addiction, backup arrived with another shiny flashlight. The backup took the other side of my vehicle, peering into the windows with rapt fascination. At this point the first officer told me to put my hands on my wheel. I did and he assured me that if I took my hands away he would kill me. I appreciated the warning - would have hated to find that one out the hard way.

After more threats and some signals to his partner on the other side of the vehicle, he put a hand on his gun and told me not to move. Then he told me to let his partner in my truck. And I was somehow supposed to do this without moving. We had communication problems.

These communication problems continued while they searched my truck, threatened to kill me, took my rightfully owned property out of my truck, threatened to shoot me, told me they were going to put me in jail for breaking laws, threatened to put a bullet through my head, and said how stupid I was. And those are the highlights.

I was unaware PA law only allows the carrying of a handgun to and from a shooting range if you do not have a concealed weapons permit. Even if it never leaves your vehicle.

Was I harassed? Yes. Was I being cooperative? Extremely. Did the people who swore to protect and serve me, treat me like someone who has no rights? Yes. Did they even have a good reason - let alone legal grounds - to stop and search my truck? Nope. But they had guns.

"What's your point Jesse? This is supposed to be about absolutes and opinions, and you're telling us stories about the police who called you a pot smoker and threatened to kill you."

Yeah, yeah. My point is this: in general, the idea of having a group of men and women, who protect and serve the people of this great land, is an excellent idea. Without it, we'd be in sorry shape. But the rub is in the individuals implementing this excellent idea. That's where it breaks down - we can have an excellent idea, but with terrible people enforcing it, the idea is worthless.

Corrupt police are one thing. We'd like to see as many as possible screened out before they get behind the badge, but that's not always possible. A bad person isn't going to become a good person when they have a set of good rules to follow. They will just be a bad person, badly following good rules.

Now what about corrupt politicians? We have absolutely no shortage of them. When corrupt people obtain positions of authority, the non-corrupt will be victimized. And as in any case, the more powerful the position, the more entrenched the corrupt become.

It's kinda scary when you hold the opinion I do, that the leader-in-chief is a corrupt man. Good Americans will be punished because of the ignorance of the masses. And it's not looking up anytime soon.

I echo Bobby's position. The answer to our problems is finding those non-corrupt people, and electing them, at all cost.

[AO Guest Writer, Pastor George Shafer]

If the transcript is correct, President Obama spoke just over 5,900 words in 280 or so sentences in his speech on Tuesday, February the 24th.  I'm interested in one word the President used quite a lot.  He used the word "we" about 125 times.  By the way, he mentioned "God" only in his last sentence.

"We" is a good word.  It is meant to be all inclusive.  But in the President's speech, is it?  I think there are some important people who are not included in that word, although the President surely would like for them to be.  The fact is, for the first time in a long time, geographically speaking, the majority of our country is disenfranchised.  In other words, when you look at the red/blue map, the red portion is quite a bit larger than the blue, and right now that red portion probably doesn't consider itself included in the "we."

"We" doesn't include the fiscally responsible Americans who don't want the government to borrow and spend over $9,000 per person to "weatherize low income homes", "provide high speed internet to rural and under-served areas", "build a rail line from California to Vegas", or "give grants to public schools" so they can teach evolution and secular humanism more effectively.  "We" doesn't include the investors in the stock market who have sent it to a twelve year low for fear of what the stimulus plan will and won't do to the economy.  "We" certainly doesn't include me, as the President stated in his opening statement.  He said he was speaking to the men and women who sent him there; that certainly leaves me out.

"We doesn't include the President himself.  I can assure you that his financial picture is not in jeopardy; his net worth is over $7 million.  His salary won't be capped by poor performance like that of some Wall Street executives (by the way, that is socialism embodied).  His travel isn't going to be affected by fuel prices and his house payment isn't going to be late (that is one thing that "we" pay).

Most disturbing of all, "we" doesn't include God.  God was not called upon; "we" think that "we" can save ourselves.  It's just as well.  I'm troubled to think of opening the gates to more abortions and homosexuality during the first week of the President's time in office then asking God to fix our economic problems in the fourth or fifth.

Now for a little attitude adjustment and I'm done. 

"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that WE may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." - II Tim 2:1-2

The Rest of The Story
Paul Harvey passed away Saturday, less than a year after the passing of his wife. His voice is a voice that will surely be missed - with the trade-mark pauses and explosive 'page 2'. I remember hearing his news updates at my grandparents while on vacation - his over 50 years of broadcasting spanned that many generations. He was 90 .

The No-Spin Off Zone
Bill O'Reilly says goodbye to radio - but you can't just leave dead air space. Contrary to what you may have heard, it won't be filled by AO - yes, surprising in light of our most recent (and second) podcast. Taking his spot will be Fred Thompson, with the aptly named 'Fred Thompson Show' airing in the same slot as the departing Radio Factor. That's 12 to 2 Eastern, competing with 2/3rds of Rush. Let's face it, half the brain behind the back or not, who wants to compete with all of Rush? Well, I guess someone does.

Hair Razing Tale
Sent to us from an AO reader, here's something we missed last week. Police officers found a bullet in Briana Bonds' hair weave after her former boyfriend fired a few shots at her. After a friend relayed the message that he 'still loved' her - Juan Kemp sent another message. This message left holes in her car, and a bullet in her hair. Her response?

"He fired four or five shots at me, you don't shoot at someone you say you love."

First Nomination
After a long list of bad nominations, President Obama finally has a nominee no one will find problems with - a Portuguese Water Dog. The new "first pup" will be arriving shortly after spring break. The reasons it took so long to locate the absolutely perfect first dog for the absolutely perfect first family was because of little Malia's allergies. And let me personally congratulate the President on proving the fact that "great minds think alike" even when it comes to selecting man's best friend - Teddy Kennedy's dogs, Sunny and Splash, are both Portuguese Water Dogs.

Double Crossed
Everyone knows helping old ladies cross the street is the sign of a saint. Well, except for the Colorado State police. A 58 year old bus driver was ticketed with Jaywalking after being hit by a truck while helping 2 old ladies cross a street.

It was in the middle of a snowstorm and the conscientious bus driver decided that two of his patrons needed help crossing the street to the housing development they lived in. So he parked his buss and helped them cross. An impatient pick-up truck driver sped around and would have hit the ladies if Jim Moffett didn't push them out of the way. The truck hit him. He sustained injuries and woke up in hospital. He also woke up with a ticket for jaywalking. Police say if he wasn't breaking the law, he wouldn't have gotten hit.

That's right folks, if ya see an old lady crossing the street, think twice about helping her. Or else.

The Incredible Journey
Remember that heart-wrenching film about the family pets that someone get lost a gazillion miles away from home? They have to fight mountain lions, eat things that only animals would eat, and battle porcupines. This is nothing like that. Well, maybe a little. A lost dog was reunited with his family after 9 years, and a move from Florida to Kentucky. No, it didn't take 9 years for Astro to follow the scent of his beloved family - it was 9 years later that police identified the stray dog, using a microchip the family had implanted. But still heart-warming - right?