California...Do You Need a Change?

     California, land of the gold rush of 1848-1855, home to Hollywood and its' tremendous stars, and some of the most progressive, free thinkers in the world.  The state in which sets precedent, as opposed to following others.  Your motto of 'Eureka!', meaning "I have found it" is exactly what your settlers had done in the late 1800's.  You found the land that would become the entertainment capital of the world and give birth to many precocious and trend-setting laws that would not only shock the nation(eg. legalizing marijuana), but allow other states to follow.
     For all of the state of California's assets, it is truly amazing to try and understand  the political life of your representatives and senators.  In this election year 2012, ask yourself as a voter if your elected officials have truly voted on your behalf and have your best interests at heart.  As a prominently Democratic state with your liberal laws, it is astounding to see the life expectancy of a representative in your state is at least 16 years.  The state of California has 53 districts, of which 38 of those districts have representatives that have served you for 10 years or more.
     20 of your representatives have been serving your districts for more than 20 year, while six of them have been in the same seat for more than 30 years.  Is it time for a change, California?  Do you realize that in a state that has laid claim to Darrell Issa and his Fast and the Furious fiasco which may never end, http://www.newsday.com/opinion/oped/sanchez-issa-s-fast-and-furious-inquiry-1.3814287, and Nancy Pelosi and her possible profit on visa stocks http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2011/1115/Did-Nancy-Pelosi-profit-from-Visa-stock-purchases, you, the voters keep electing the same officials every two or six years?  Do you know that your Senators Boxer and Feinstein have been in the same seat since 1993?  That means they have served for nearly twenty years under three administrations.

     Whether or not it is Obama in office or Romney, a POTUS needs help from those that are supposed to be working for his administration.  Are you positive that all of these long time electives have been serving their president and their constituents in a way that is productive for the nation?  Do you know the person you are voting for, or do you go to the polls and place your ballot on name recognition alone?  It may very well be time, as the ACA(Obamacare) is being criticized and mocked for being a Democratic tool, although it was a Republican brainchild, to research your representatives and find out just what kind of elected official they are and how they vote for you. Go to http://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/CA and do the right thing for yourself, your neighbor, and your country.  Do not vote blindly, for it is within this blind voting that our nation will not recover.  For years we, as a nation, have put too much trust in those that are elected to represent us and that has led to nothing but a deficit over $16Trillion, unemployment at an all-time high, real estate markets that have not resurged, and a broken hope for our children as this country moves forward.
     Do not let this become just another #saddayforusa2012 as the election looms and uncertainty is the only thing that remains certain.  Our politicians on all levels must be held accountable to stop the infighting amongst them and to start working together.  Put limits on the terms for each member elected, such as other states have done and if your politicians do not work for you, then get them out and let the next one have his/her chance.  The state of California has become stagnant with the same names and faces for too many years and now is the time to make a difference for this election and those that your children will be a part of in generations to come. Go to http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-in-california/ to register to vote and make a change. Become part of the solution for this country, instead of part of the problem.

Above The Law--Hold NJ Troopers Accountable!!

     NJ State Troopers are not having a very good year so far in 2012.  It is absolutely outrageous, as a citizen of this state, that the code of Duty, Honor, Fidelity of our supposed heroes is laid waste by the many unlawful acts that they have been committing.  Now I am sure there are many trustworthy, hardworking and honest officers that are serving the law, but it is disgraceful that the bad officers are allowed to get away without more than a slap on the wrist.  Riddled by the catastrophe that was deemed "Death Race 2012" earlier this year when officers were escorting a caravan of cars in a high speed race down the Garden State Parkway, which involved then running back of the NY Giants, Brandon Jacobs, now another officer has admitted to stealing over $7000 worth of gas.
     This is your taxes at work New Jersey!!  Staff Sgt. Steven M. Jones, 25 years on the trooper force, not only stole the gas that OUR taxes pay for, but was given a plea agreement from Internal Affairs to retire with 50% of his pay instead of 65% and all he lost was his medical benefits.  Unfortunately for most in this state, that theft would have translated into at least four years in prison, a felony on their record and no pension.  It is appalling that this is allowed to happen.  Police officers are in place to uphold the law, not circumvent it for their own gain and the gain of their families, then walk away with a smile on their face.
     Jones claimed in his hearing that he abused alcohol and did not always follow his treatment program and had incurred a lot of debt which ultimately led to his theft.  I do believe that seems to be the same excuse that many criminals use in their defense and it is usually left to a judge to determine a penalty for breaking the law, not a retirement board.  Jones should have been charged and left to face the system like all others that he has had to arrest for 25 years.  What gives him the right to be above the law?  The unlawful practice of those that should be upholding the laws in this state are beyond reprehensible and they are not being held accountable.
     You can go to http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/06/state_trooper_pumped_7k_of_gas.html to see the full story and let Governor Christie know that the taxpayers want to hold these individuals to higher standards.  As you drive around, there are numerous officers that are talking on their phones and typing on their computers while swerving in and out of traffic, and many others that are doing the same things as the "criminals" on the streets, yet only receive a transfer or a forced retirement.  Good thing for the new ACA, now Jones will be able to afford quality healthcare at a good price while making $50,000 a year in retirement instead of $1.35 a day in one of the states fine correctional facilities.
     Theft is theft, no matter who you may be in life.  Many people have legitimate addiction disorders and could have been given the benefit of the doubt instead of rotting away in a penitentiary.  But, I guess when you have the law on your side, then you are not labeled a criminal, but just a poor decision-maker.  Chris Christie has to investigate further and let his Troopers understand that this will not be tolerated.  The only way to do this is treating them as citizens, not as someone who is Above The Law!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Wx-XTDuZ2Hs&vq=medium#t=40

Absolutely RA-DICKULOUS!!!

     This is the last image an opposing batter sees before flailing and fluttering at one of the most wickedly ridiculous pitches major league baseball has ever seen.  Conventional knucklers like Niekro, Hough, Wakefield and the lot had great movement on a hard to hit pitch that came in at 60 to 70 miles per hour.  After a couple of innings it was possible to "catch up" to those knuckleballs, draw some walks, and get a few runs on the board.  There is nothing conventional, though, about this knuckleball pitcher that commands the mound for the New York Metropolitans.  This knuckleball pitcher, the one who wears #43, is the only pitcher who has ever been able to control the knuckleball.  Not only control it, but throw it harder and more consistent in the strike zone at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour.
     This knuckleballer is none other than R.A. Dickey.  The man who nearly drowned swimming across the Mississippi river.  The man who climbed Kilamanjaro.  The man who has found inner peace in the most unpeaceful pitch known to baseball.  R.A. has become one with the knuckler and there does not seem to be any way to stop him, let alone get consistent hits off of him.  R.A. sits amongst the best that are in the game today with a 12-1 record, 2.15 ERA, 116 strikeouts and a microscopic WHIP of 0.88.  What do these numbers mean?  That R.A. will most likely be starting the All-Star game for the NL and he is on a roll to possibly win 26 games this year.  Add this tremendous pitching and the fact that the Mets scrappy players are scoring runs for him and you have an almost impossible hill to climb for an opposing team not named the Yankees.

     R.A. has 2 one-hitters already this year, one of which should have been a no-no, with 2 complete games and a strikeout to walk ratio that is incredible at 116-25.  I've seen Wakefield and other knucklers over the years and never has one been so dominant over a 16 game stretch that Dickey is on.    Is it impossible to dream for a Mets fan that this may be the year that we have been waiting for since 2000?  Johann Santana has already given us the first no-no in the teams history and now Dickey seems as if this is the reincarnation of Seaver.  For a man with such a troubled past as Dickey has, he has seemingly come to grips with an area of his life that most will never figure out for themselves.  He has clearly taken his turmoil and found what will work for him and translated that into his professional career as a pitcher.
     Now Mets fans can only watch and wonder in amazement as hitters look absolutely dumbfounded and shake their head in amazement as they walk back to the dugout.  They are now victims to a pitch that is incredibly RA-DICKULOUS to hit and even harder to understand.  The Mets fans are enjoying this ride into the All-Star break relishing the fact that Dickey is one of their own and not the opponent.  Believe!! Mets fans.  This is going to be an Amazin' year as we watch this determined group of ballplayers led by the most dominant of knucklers the sport has ever seen.  

Arkansas...Do You Need a Change?

     The 2012 elections are coming up quick and all states have some serious soul searching to do due to the current situation in our political landscape.  While GOP and Democrats alike are arguing over the ACA(Obamacare), who is at fault over The Fast and the Furious fiasco, unemployment, and of course the usual, taxes, what are you doing Arkansas? Have you taken the time and actually read the law http://www.healthcare.gov/law/full/  that will shape the nations healthcare for generations to come?  Do you realize that although this law may not be perfect as a whole that it may be possible to put the right politicians in place that can mold this law into the great bill that it can be?  Have you finally had enough of the way republicans and democrats are becoming one and the same with every passing year?
     Do you, Arkansas, grasp the fact that the American people need to take back our country, but have been going about it in the wrong fashion?  For decades we have elected a POTUS based on the platform he has provided and promises he has not kept.  Well now is the time to change that path of destruction that has led to this sad predicament we reside in as citizens of what is supposed to be the greatest country in the world.  If you do not approve of the way that government is run, then educate yourself on the way your representatives are voting on your behalf.  if they are not voting in your best interest, then you need to eliminate the incumbents that are ignoring your wishes.
     All 435 seats in the US House of Representatives are up for re-election this November.  If you do not approve of how Congress has performed then as educated voters, we can make a difference.

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?
Response	Gallup News Service (November 3-6, 2011)	Gallup News Service (December 15-18, 2011)	Gallup News Service (January 5-8, 2012)	Gallup News Service (February 2-5, 2012)	Average
Approve	13%	11%	13%	10%	11.75%
Disapprove	82%	86%	81%	86%	83.75%
No opinion	5%	3%	6%	4%	4.5%
Number polled	1,012	1,019	1,011	1,029	1,017.75
Margin of error	+/-4	+/-4%	+/-4%	+/-4%	4%

As you can see by the above Gallup poll, numbers for both republicans and democrats are in the tank.  The only way to change the direction of our government is to start voting from bottom to top.  The POTUS, being Obama, or possibly Romney, need the backing of the House and Senate in order to carry out their promises and be the leader they have set out to be.  No POTUS can survive as a lame duck and that is exactly what Obama has become. He has been fought tooth and nail and bashed on so many issues that there is no possibility of change.  Do yourself and the nation a favor and actually go to http://www.arkansashouse.org/members and research the representatives in your district that you live and make sure they are working FOR you, not for peronal gain.  Understand that by voting in your local, state and federal elections that change will eventually happen.
     Your state motto being Regnat Populus, The People Rule, is a very meaningful phrase to live up to.  Do you follow that motto?  Or do you blindly elect your leaders based on name recognition or simply party affiliation?  Maybe it is time to take back your government and let the fools who we have elected in the past know that we will not tolerate this pathetic display of infighting.  Register to vote at http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/elections/Pages/voterRegistration.aspx and let the people rule once again and do not let it be a #saddayforusa2012.  By educating yourself to the truth instead of what the politicians want you to believe as truth, you will give yourself, your neighbor, and your country the opportunity for true peace and prosperity.
http://portal.arkansas.gov/residents/Pages/residentsResources.aspx

Arizona 2012...Do You Need a Change?

   
     The House of Representatives elections for your great state of Arizona  is coming upon you very quickly.  This is the time of year that with the primaries coming up on August 28th and the elections close behind, many decisions must be made.  I applaud your voters for having a relatively new House of Representatives compared to the first two states I've researched.  No representative has been in office for more than seven years, and that is just a handful.  Most have only served one term and now is the time to look back at their voting past and decide if they have been doing the right thing by you, the constituents.
     You, as voters, decided to vote Republican across the board in the 2008 election in hopes of gaining an advantage to help your hopeful presidential candidate, John McCain.  Now another decision lies ahead.  Do you stay on your path of strictly republican voting and most likely lose with a candidate like Romney, or do you change your direction and put those in your House that will back the incumbent, Barack Obama.  Just know that no matter who is the POTUS, they need the support of the House and Senate in order to succeed.  Ditat Deus

Party		As of June 2012
	Democratic Party	19
	Republican Party	40
	Independent	1
Total		60

is your state motto, meaning "God Enriches."  Take a good look at both the democratic and republican parties and you might just see that neither will succeed the way the citizens of this nation need them to in this time of recession, high unemployment rates and gluttonous deficit.  God at this time needs to enrich yourselves, the citizens of the great state of Arizona, as well as all citizens of this country with wisdom and faith that the right people will one day come along to right the wrongs of our past.

   Right now, all we can do is hope and pray that all politicians will one day work together and eliminate party stipulations that hinder our growth and progress.  You, as citizens can go to http://www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster.asp?Body=H&SortBy=1 in order to view your representatives, their email addresses and other contact information and learn all that you can before casting your next vote.  Change is indeed needed in this country and only us, as voters can force that change.  Do not settle for the flawed promises of politicians and their political angles.  Hold your representatives accountable for your welfare and commit to replacing them if they are not up to your standards as individuals, lawmakers and leaders of your state and country.  Going to http://az.gov/government_votingelect.html you can register to vote, and find out all there is to know about the upcoming primaries, elections and individuals involved.
  Please Arizona, register to vote, then take your vote seriously.  If this country keeps voting in the wrong individuals, then no POTUS, GOP or Democrat, will have a chance to put his platform into action and make a viable change for our sake.  Do not allow this to be a #saddayforusa2012.  Use the resources provided and research the ones that truly run the government, while the POTUS gets all the credit or blame. If as citizens, we vote from bottom to top, and get each state in better shape and fiscally responsible, then the top, the federal government will eventually fall in line.  It is no longer viable to only be concerned with the POTUS.  For so long, we have been a people that have voted from top to bottom and look at the mess we have created.  The time for change is now and we must start with ourselves and within our state in order to achieve a more fluent federal government that holds to its promise of for the people, by the people.

Alabama 2012...Do You Need a Change?

     After researching and looking at the numbers, I must say that even as a state as set in their ways as Alabama is, I was astounded by the results.  As we head into this election of 2012, we, as citizens, must realize that change will never come from the politicians themselves, but from the power of the people.  Our votes do have an impact on the direction of this country, contrary to popular belief.  By electing the same individuals, or different individuals with the same morals and principles as the last, we are merely repeating the definition of insanity.  We, as the people whom our politicians are supposed to  represent, need to take control back and let our elected officials be held accountable.

      Alabama is one of the good ole' boys of the south that takes great pride in who they are as a people.  The motto of your state says all that anyone needs to know about the state you call home.  Audemus jura nostra defendre clearly notes that "We Dare Defend Our Rights."  You live by this motto and forever will defend all that you hold dear.  Yet, for all that is within your borders, you remain a piece of the great American puzzle that needs your assistance.  The other residents of this amazing country need you to focus on this and all future elections for not only yourselves, but your neighbors and your countrymen.

     Do the great citizens of Alabama understand that this country as a whole needs change?  Do the great citizens of this state realize that it may not be left to the doings of the current POTUS, or the next, to shape and mold our country into the nation that we need to be?  Have you noticed that currently there are 49 out of your 105 representatives that have resided within your House for a decade or more?  20 of those House representatives have been in office for over two decades, while 10 of them have been voting on your behalf for more than 3 decades.  In order to change this nation and offer a chance to our next POTUS, being Obama or Romney, don't you think that the lawmakers and representatives that supposedly work for you are doing their job.  The Alabama state House of Representatives needs to be looked at by you, the people and questions need to be asked.

     Do your elected officials actually vote in your district the way that you, the citizen want them to vote?  Do these elected officials share the same moral and ethical values that you teach in your own home.  Are the incumbents in office running unopposed for various reasons(I will leave those reasons to your own devices)?  Have you, as voters, taken the time to research the representatives that are on the ballot, or are you voting on  name recognition alone?  Please Alabama, for your sake and the country as a whole, take the time to go to http://www.alabama.gov/portal/index.jsp and just take a few minutes to research your representatives.

    Through this site you can find out all information needed about your government, the upcoming elections, and your representatives in each district.  To register to vote you can just click this link http://www.alabama.gov/portal/secondary.jsp?id=votingElections and choose the register to vote option.  Remember, your vote does count and by allowing the same individuals to keep their seat in your house, you are not giving the POTUS the help needed to run this country effectively.  Help by voting out the incumbents that have been a burden on our society and allow the ones that are "in touch" with the people have an opportunity to work for you.  It may take an election or two, but by holding your lawmakers and representatives responsible, our government in not only our states will become more effective, but in the country as a whole.  Give our fine nation a chance to breathe again and do not let this just be another #saddayforusa2012.

Party		As of June 2012
	Democratic Party	40
	Republican Party	65
Total		105

     A full list of all representatives, their district, and even a phone number to reach them is shown here: http://www.alabama.gov/sliverheader/Welcome.do?url=http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/house.html

Alaska, 2012...Do You Need a Change?

      As promised in my last blog, I am on a mission to educate voters as to the need for change in this country.  Everyone seems, as always, to be caught up on only the election of the next POTUS, without giving that POTUS the necessary aid he may need to help this country prosper.  It lies within the lawmakers and representatives that stand behind or against the principles, values and direction of the POTUS that will lead this country for the next four years.  Do not be mistaken, it is not the POTUS that is in control of our government and our future in this great country.  It is not the POTUS that can lead us out of, or deeper into, this recession.  That discretion lies within the representatives and lawmakers that oversee our districts and vote, supposedly how we want them to vote, and give or reject the leadership of the next POTUS.  Do you want a change?  Then you must educate yourself and make your vote count.
     In Alaska, there are forty districts comprising at this point of about one hundred individuals that will be heading into the August 28th primaries to determine the candidates for the republican and democratic parties.  Alaska, since 1996 has seen the republican party as the majority within their House of Representatives.  There are questions that an individual must answer for themselves before going to the polls and counting their vote.  Does the representative that I will be voting for share my core beliefs and values?  Have I taken the time to research the candidates that are running for my district and understand how they will vote in my favor?  Has the incumbent in my district voted the way that serves my best interest as a citizen?  These are just a few questions that are imperative to answer before you cast your ballot in your August primary and in the November election.
     Did you know that Republican Don Young is running in 2012 for his twenty-first two year term as the sole representative in the U.S. House of Representatives for your great state of Alaska? Have you taken the time to research and find out just how he is representing your state for the past forty years?  It is incredible to think that the people of the state of Alaska have just been electing an individual based on a name alone.  You, as citizens can go to http://donyoung.house.gov/VoteRecord/ to find out just how your state representative is voting on your behalf in regards to matters all across the U.S.  It is not so much as to see a name that is recognizable on the ballot, but to never investigate how their vote will affect you is deplorable.  You, as a citizen, can go to http://house.legis.state.ak.us/ to view every representative currently in legislature and get a bio of their history.  Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click several different links that will show you recent bills, how they were voted on by your representatives and any other information you may want to find out.

     Alaska's state motto is North to the Future and represents your beautiful state as a land of promise. Take a good hard look at your representatives this year and determine how they can best serve yourself as well as your POTUS.  Will they afford Obama or Romney the respect that they deserve as POTUS. Will they help instead of hinder the direction our great leader wants to advance our country?  And most of all, will they represent you and your needs when it matters most, in this most dire of times for Americans as we stare at a bloated deficit, record high unemployment rates, a questionable at best health care system, and of course, the forever rising taxes.  Do not let this just be another #saddayforusa2012.  Take your stand and vote out all out of touch incumbents and let the newcomers understand that their complacency will not be tolerated.  Register to vote at http://www.elections.alaska.gov/vi_vr_how.php  Alaska, and live up to your motto of a land of promise. Click on a name below to find the link for your districts representatives:

The following candidates won election on November 2, 2010:

1. Alan Austerman
2. Alan S. Dick
3. Anna Fairclough
4. Berta Gardner
5. Beth Kerttula
6. Bill Stoltze
7. Bill Thomas (Alaska)
8. Bob Herron
9. Bob Lynn
10. Bob Miller
11. Bryce Edgmon
12. Carl Gatto
13. Cathy Munoz
14. Charisse Millett
15. Chris Tuck
16. Craig Johnson, Alaska Representative
17. Dan Saddler
18. David Guttenberg
19. Eric A. Feige
20. Kurt Olson
21. Kyle Johansen
22. Lance Pruitt
23. Les Gara
24. Lindsey Holmes
25. Mark Neuman
26. Max Gruenberg
27. Mia Costello
28. Mike Chenault
29. Mike Doogan
30. Mike Hawker
31. Neal Foster
32. Paul Seaton
33. Peggy Wilson
34. Pete Petersen
35. Reggie Joule
36. Scott Kawasaki
37. Sharon Cissna
38. Steve M. Thompson
39. Tammie Wilson
40. Wes Keller