Election Day 2012

I may wind up doing several posts today, depending on how things progress, or I may wind up just editing this one.

I have lived in my house since 1995, and have voted in the same precinct since then; in presidential years since 1996. I showed up there this morning at 6:03, trying to beat the crowds.

I was too late. 1996 was busy, but not like today. 2000 wasn't too bad. 2004 was similar. 2008 was a walk-in.

6:03 AM this morning I waited in line for 20 minutes to vote. Based on the number and variety of yard signs I have seen locally, I am pretty sure I know who they were there to vote against.

The map above shows the current electoral map, based on the latest polls. Currently its 201 Obama, 191 Romney. But there are problems with this map and the polls.

The map below is probably more accurate, based on some polls. I created this map, following what I think are more accurate polls.

This map shows Obama 201, Romney 280, 10 more Electoral votes than Romney needs to win. It also doesn't include Iowa or Wisconsin, which are rumored to be leaning Romney as well.

Today is the only poll that counts, and the only one in which YOU select to participate or not. 11 hours from now we'll find out whether I'm right or not.

UPDATE: Its 6:45, and the polls have closed in Kentucky and Ohio. Ohio matters, because our news stations come out of Ohio. In a few minutes I will be comfortably ensconced in my recliner, ready to view a few hours of election returns and sip a little bourbon.

I happened to pass by my polling place twice today; each time the lot was full. I expect they had a busy day. When I was there this morning I made some comment on how busy they seemed to be. One of the poll workers said it wasn't too bad; they had 700 ballots. After that they were locking the doors. I'll bet today they used all 700 ballots.

8:00 is returns time. I have a big, dark Churchill in my humidor that I am itching to light up, but it's too damn cold to sit outside.And I will not light up in the house; its too dangerous. My recliner does not back up to a wall, and I don't want to get hit over the head with something.

As you can tell, I am preparing for a celebration. I am also praying. Not for Romney to win, but for God to smite down the fraudsters. Romney can win on his own, but only God can smite the fraudsters.

I saw a Facebook post a few days ago from a liberal friend, one I expect has unfriended me, since I posted my Monday blog post to my Facebook page as well, which asked "Why Conservatives think they know who side God is on?" My unposted answer was "maybe because we talk to him?"

It is either going to be a short night or a long one. Either way, I hope I have enough bourbon. Another update in a couple of hours.

UPDATE 2:

Gee; I hope this ratio holds.

Or this ratio:

Are You Voting Tommorow?

Friends, tomorrow is important.

Although there are several Presidential Candidates on the ballot, only two really matter; Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. If you have read my blog you know how I feel about each of them. You also know how I feel about this country, and the personal liberty the Constitution provides us.

If you are a supporter of Obama, you probably have very good reasons. I hope those reasons have been arrived at by a careful review of the facts, a consultation with your conscience and some thought on where your choice will lead us in the next four years.

In Obama's case, you have the last four years as a guide. For Romney, all we have is his word. He does have a record as Governor of Massachusetts, and as a leader of the Olympics and at Bain Capital. Are those jobs any indication of his ability to lead this country?

Who knows? We'll have to elect him to find out.

But we know how Obama has lead this country; deeper into debt. And save your breath on Bush and his 'off the books wars'; at lest he was ABLE TO PASS A BUDGET. Something Obama has not done, although it is Constitutionally required, for 3 and a half years.

We know how Obama has lead this nation in Foreign Policy; Egypt, once our second strongest ally in the Middle East and the only predominately Moslem nation to have a treaty with Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East, is now, for all practical purposes, in the hands of Al-Qaeda. The hard won peace in Iraq is disintegrating, because Obama failed to negotiate a Status of Forces Agreement with the country of Iraq and our stabilizing forces are being forces out, again by an arm of Al-Qaeda.

And Libya. Where Obama fought an undeclared war for a year to "LIBERATE" the country, and turn it into another Al-Qaeda partner. Where a faction of Al-Qaeda stormed an American Consulate and killed 4 Americans, including our Libyan Ambassador.

If that isn't bad enough, for two weeks every member of the Obama administration to address the attack blamed it on a 'spontaneous demonstration' because of a YouTube video critical of Mohammed. Really? and this 'spontaneous demonstration' just happened to occur on September 11th? Ah; but Obama had wiggle room. He happened to mention the word terrorism in his speech on September 12th.

But it couldn't have been Al-Qaeda; they disappeared when Osama Bin-Laden was killed, right?

It was only after the pressure from the New Media became overwhelming that their story was corrected, and it was acknowledged that the demonstration was actually a terrorist attack.

Then of course there was the comment Obama made to the Russians that he would have "More freedom after the election". What was that supposed to mean?

Do I even need to mention the list of long time allies, like England and Israel, that Obama has treated poorly? Queen Elizabeth has worked with every US President since Truman. Obama gave her an iPod. Or the disrespectful way Obama treated the Prime Minister of Israel?

Obama also has not treated the military well. His statement that we need fewer bayonets at the last debate displays his ignorance of the military and its weaponry. Each Marine is still issued a bayonet. But I guess someone who fails to recognize the pronunciation of the word corpsman when it appears on his teleprompter can't be bother to understand how the men under his command are armed.

Our power and influence has been diminished in every corner of the globe.

And then we have Gay Rights, Abortion and Illegal Immigration. Obama manages to fall on the wrong side of each of these issues. This election though I am considering these issues minor. Yes, it is good news that Romney has a (currently) pro-life stance, but right now it is our budget that is most important.

We need to get our spending under control. Yes, it means cutting Welfare, Medicaid and Food Stamps. Yes it means changes to FUTURE beneficiaries of Social Security and Medicare. Yes it means cuts to military spending. And it may mean tax increases.

But I doubt it. Once we get at least some of the 47% who are not producers back into producing and paying taxes we should have an increase in revenue that will offset the need for an increase in the rates.

Or we can once again lease timber, oil and gas and mining rights on Federal land. The income from these sources will also help offset both the debt and the deficit.

And easing EPA requires on coal will lead to cheaper energy, again boosting the economy and manufacturing, creating jobs and taxpayers, not tax burdens.

You will note I haven't linked to any articles, blog posts or reports to back up any of my assertions. I did that on purpose. If you are concerned about any of these topics then you have done the research yourself; hopefully with more than a quick search of MSNBC or CNN (because 'Faux News' lies so much). If you aren't interested, then you wouldn't follow the links anyway, and adding them would be a waste of my time. Or you already know the facts as I have presented them, and the links would be superfluous.

Tomorrow we have a clear choice. We can continue down the road we are on (as one quick wit said: Re-electing Obama is like backing up the Titanic to hit the iceberg a second time), knowing how Obama leads and where he is leading us, or we can (hopefully) change direction by electing Romney.

I can't guarantee where Romney will lead us. We may be running him out of office faster that we ran Obama. But I do know he offers a chance at a change, and that is a chance I am willing to take.

The Obama supporters in the crowd may not still be reading, but if you are, thanks for taking the time to consider a position other than your own. Please consider your choice for President carefully. I don't say lightly that the future of the country is at stake in this election. If, after very careful consideration, you are still voting Democrat, then by all means do us all a favor and sleep through tomorrow. Yes; I'm kidding. But only vote once.

Yes, I'm kidding again.

Romney supporters: VOTE!!!!!!!

A Road Trip Into The Past

James Lileks was discussing this movie short the other day on his blog, The Bleat, and one of the commentators had a link to the original film.

Interesting little blurb. I love the 1930's vision of the future.

This short is from 1937; 75 years ago. The depths of the Great Depression. And yet; there was still a vision of the future that included progress.

Something we sometimes lack today.

I loved the old shots of laying concrete roads. Things have changed a little in the last few years. But they still use the angled iron forms, and the equipment still rides on the forms. How much things change, and how much they remain the same.

The part where they talk about the bridges in New York City is especially humorous, given the situation up there today, with the flooded subway tunnels and the jammed traffic. But then, years in the future to them was 35 years down the road- 1972.

40 years ago for us.

This being a Chevrolet production, they of course talk about how much safer the cars are 'today', back when hydraulic brakes were on 50% of the cars made, the automatic transmission was two years in the future and seat belts were still only in race cars. Average top speed in 1937? About 60, if you could find a road to press a car hard on. There were cars that would go faster, but they were the super cars; Cadillac, Packard, Duesenberg.

Most folks plodded along at 35 MPH, and dreamed of 55.

And  newfangled super-highway.

Last Man Standing

Last night I watched two new shows I have been looking forward too for a month or so; Last Man Standing and Malibu Country.

Malibu Country was okay, and I hope for better shows in the future, but Last Man Standing was an absolute hoot, especially the last weekend before the election. It was pretty much an Obama slam down, but the Romney opponents will get a few chuckles too.

This is the second season for Tim Allen's show. I liked it last year, and last nights episode had me laughing so much I hardly had time to drink a beer. Basically, Mike Baxter (Tim Allen) is the marketing director at a sporting goods store. He lives with his wife, three daughters and his grandson, his eldest daughter's child. Last season the 'baby daddy' was nowhere to be found, but this season he has reappeared.

Mike gets into some pretty funny rants, but last night a quarter of the show seemed to be a fairly funny rant about Obama, broken up by some jokes about fantasy football leagues. At one point Mike is talking to a break room full on employees at the store, all of whom are on laptops, doing their fantasy football teams, and Mike tells them to get back to work. "I have a Fantasy Team of Employees; none of you guys are on it" he says.

Mike is unhappy with the way his grandson is being raised, and last night at the end of the show he asks Boyd, the grandson, "Hey; wanna go out in the backyard and blow something up?"

My kinda Grandpa.

I also think we are seeing the beginning of a shift to more conservative characters on TV who not there just to be a butt of a joke. More and more Hollywood types are coming out of the Conservative closet. That says to me that there are now enough of them that their political persuasion is no longer a career ender, as it was a few years ago.

As with all things we'll have to see where it leads, but so far its a trend I like.

And you gotta see this review of  both shows, but only for the YouTube clip of Archie bunker talking about the Democrats in 1978.

Pretty applicable to Democrats in 2012 if you ask me. How much has changed, and how little has.

65 Years Ago Today

Howard Hughes flew The Spruce Goose, as my Bing homepage reminds me.

And then paid to keep it flight ready for the 30 years, even though it never again left the hanger. The longest trip it ever took was when it was moved to Oregon when Disney bought its hanger and sent the non-profit that owns it an eviction notice.

And yet, it is probably one of the most famous planes from the post war period. People who couldn't name another aircraft since the Wright Brothers know of the Spruce Goose. Well, that's to be expected; there is a lot of plane to capture the imagination.

When the average plane held 2 dozen the Goose was designed to haul 750. It was designed to capture the imagination; and it did. It still holds records for tallest, longest wingspan and only misses being longest by a few feet.

That's probably why it still draws attention, even in the age planes that size being common the Goose is one of the largest planes in the world. And it is built out of plywood.

Plywood was an unusual material for an aircraft even at the time. But the government wanted to save the aluminum for fighters and bombers; so plywood was used.

There has been argument since the beginning about the viability of the design, a design Hughes backed fully. Which is why it had to make that one flight; just to prove Hughes right.

New Jobs Report

The jobs report is out, and it kinda looks like good news for Obama.

Except....

Here is the thing; people are hiring, finally, not because of Obama and his policies, but becasue employers are becoming more confident that Romney will win next Tuesday.

If he doesn't; so what? Dump them new employees. All they have invested is a couple of weeks pay.

If Romney wins, then are a couple of weeks ahead of the curve.

Or the numbers have been manipulated.

Take you pick.

The CMA Awards

Last night the Country Music Association gacve out their yearly awards. I didn't watch the show, but I did pull up a list of winners (scroll to the bottom) this morning.

And my first thought was:

Who in Hell are these PEOPLE?!?!?!

Toby Keith I like, and I have heard of Blake Shelton. And Willie Nelson of course.

And Believe it or not, Mac McAnally, mostly because of his work with Jimmy Buffet.

Where are Brad Paisley and Alan Jackson? George Strait? Reba McIntire?

Now I know why I don't listen to Country Radio anymore.

Post Halloween Sugar Crash Blues

There are really only two days a year when it is permissible to over-indulge in sweet treats: Halloween and Easter. Easter has the added benefit of being the one day of the year when you have tacit permission to eat chocolate for breakfast.

But like any high, an inevitable crash follows. That was today. Unless you are still able to over-indulge in candy. Then the crash is tomorrow. But there will be a crash.

Kind of like November 7th. This election cycle has been a massive high in some respects. No matter which side you are on you have been riding a HOPE high; either a hope for four more years, or hope for no more years for the incumbent. Either way, we a have invested a lot of emotional energy into next Tuesday's outcome. And Wednesday's crash will be difficult, win or lose.

The losers will have obvious reasons for the blues: How will they survive the trip down the wrong road the country has decided to take?

The winners will have another few days of being 'UP'; but then reality sets in. Then comes 4 years of being required to govern, and not just carp from the sidelines.

Unless your a Democrat; then you just spend the next four years padding the pockets of every special interest group you have ever been associated with, instead of governing. Or developing a budget. Or leading.

Unless its from behind.

Sorry; How could a simple post about Halloween candy suddenly take a turn like that?

Well, that's what the crash does to you. Makes you mean. Unsettles your disposition. Makes you unwilling to listen to reason.

Like Obama for the last four years. He came down from his high and realized the job of President is hard work. So he left somebody else in charge and grabbed a basketball. Or some golf clubs. Or he went off on another campaign trip.

Sorry; its that dang sugar crash again.

But I'm looking forward to November 7th; I'll be high as a kite. Either Romney wins, and Obama goes home to Kenya (sorry; I just had to include a birther joke. I ran out of Milky Ways about an hour ago. Bite size my ass; I need 3 or 4 of 'em to make a bite), and I am looking forward to the next 4 years, or Obama wins, and I quit my job and let the rest of you working stiffs pay my bills. And I'll run down to Kroger's and get me a 'boma phone.

Win-Win either way.

YAHOO! Its Over; Romney Wins!

How do I know?

Oh; just a wild guess.

But a rather informed one.

Like my post the other day discussed, The election will most likely boil down to Ohio, and Ohio will boil down to Hamilton County.

And less than a week from Election Day Obama cancels a rally in Hamilton County.

The published polls are showing a Romney surge, and like we discussed the other day as well, what are the internal polls showing?

I think this cancellation shows what the internals are showing.

Obama's decision to stay in Washington to "deal with Hurricane Sandy" is, in my opinion, a euphemism for the euphemism of 'wanting to spend more time with his family'.

I ain't pouring the bourbon yet, but I am pulling a dusty old bottle down off the shelf and polishing up a bourbon glass.

Earners Versus Takers

As you may know I have 5 sons, 4 of whom are eligible to vote in this election. I'm not concerned about which way they will be voting; all five of my sons have sent me anti-Obama items. They are all registered to vote and are ready to send Obama back to Chicago.


The question is why? Why are these members of their generation so against government giveaways?

Maybe it’s because they all have jobs and all pay taxes. Maybe it’s because none of them have been contaminated by college. Maybe it's because they have worked for everything they have, and see how much more they could have, if they were allowed to keep more of what they earned. Nobody ever gave them anything; they don't have the receiver mindset.

That's the way they were raised; you want something, then you earn it. From a candy bar when they were 5 to fancy sneakers when they were 17. I kept them fed, clothed and housed. Santa made his periodic visits and birthdays were honored, but $20 shoes were the budget. You want Air Jordans? Then you earn and spend the other $80. I don't think any of my boys spent that $80 the second time. The amount of effort that went into earning that money was not worth the value of the shoe.

Oscar Wilde once said that "A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing." I would argue that a liberal is the same; they know the value of nothing, because everything has been handed to them.

Look at our current President; what has he ever earned? Certainly not his college positions, up to and including Harvard Law review. Certainly not any of his elected offices, most of which he got by eliminating the opposition prior to reaching the voting booth. The Presidency? Remember; he ran against John McCain, probably the weakest Republican candidate since Taft in 1916.

How many democrats are that way? Were handed everything they ever had, from their first car to their college education, to their first job? Maybe that’s why democrats/liberals/progressives seem to think everybody is entitled to everything- they didn’t earn anything, so it’s unfair to make somebody else earn something?

I could be way off base. But I do wonder; has anybody done a poll showing how many folks with student loan debt are voting for Obama, as opposed to those with student loan debt and a job?

Benghazi Update

Everyday more and more troubling information comes out about the attack in Benghazi on September 11th of this year.

At first it seemed like just a typical Obama Administration bungle and press compliant coverup. But everyday the news gets worse and worse for Obama and his minions.

Initially it was a demonstration gone bad; a story they stuck with for two weeks. When enough information leaked out to prove that narrative false, even to their own press corps, they changed stories, without a hint of embarrassment or explanation.

We knew from the beginning about the 4 dead Americans, including our ambassador to Libya. But everyday brings new details about how they died, why they died, and how Obama left them to die.

I'm not going to link to anything; if your are interested you will know the links already. If you're not, then you wouldn't follow the links anyway. But if this is the first you have heard some of these facts, don't take my word for it; a simple internet search will bring you more than enough information.

Just don't expect any of it to be on CNN, MSNBC or any of the Lame Stream Media sites. They still believe Obama called this an Act of Terrorism in a speech on September 12th, because he happened to say the word TERRORISM at some point in the speech.

You know 4 Americans died. Did you know the US Ambassador was killed not instantly, but slowly and deliberately? And that his body was dragged through the streets of Benghazi for hours?

The two former SEALS that died; did you know they disobeyed direct orders from the US State Department not to get involved?

Did you know their actions saved the innocent lives of 20 embassy staffers, while killing 60 of the attackers?

Contrary to their story of Lack of Information, Obama and his State Department and his Defense Department heads were able to watch the entire attack unfold in real time from cameras in the compound and the camera in a Predator drone that was circling overhead?

Did you know that this attack, that lasted 7 hours, could have been stopped by a rapid response team, specifically created to address these types of emergencies?

Did you know that team was less than an hour away by aircraft, and were specifically told not to become involved?

Did you know that in the days since this attack Obama has relieved of command and replaced both a Army General and a Navy Admiral, both of whom were in the chain of command of the response force?

We have 9 days left before we can count the votes; 9 days in which the wheels will come off of this entire fiasco.

Do you see now why every time you open a free app on your cell phone you have an Obama ad begging you to vote early?

So he can have you of record before all of this mess can be laid exactly where it belongs?

Right at his arrogant feet.

Friday Night at the Movies X

For some reason yesterday I was in the mood for a James Bond movie. I wanted Thunderball, but Netflix didn't have it. So we watched The Man With The Golden Gun. You know one Bond movie is pretty much like any other. Good-lookin' half dressed women, car chases and stunts, and a super villain Bond needs to kill to make the world safe for humanity or democracy or some other noble goal.

 It is a good Friday Night Movie. It does do a little preaching about running out of oil, but it was filmed and released in 1974, right at the height of the OPEC oil embargo caused energy crisis, so I guess a little preaching isn't to bad, especially since the premise of the movie is for Bond to retrieve a stolen device that would allow the efficient harvesting of solar energy.

The car chase is great, including the scene where Bond flips a car 360 degrees laterally while jumping a river to get at the bad guy. The funny part was the Bad Guy was driving a 1974 AMC Matador, while Bond was driving an AMC Hornet, and the cops were driving AMC Sedans.

In Hong Kong no less. I never realized AMC was such a popular brand in the Far East.

And of course at some point Bond has to get captured by the evil doers, who, instead of a quick bullet to the head and dump the body in the ocean process, decide to have a school of martial artists kill Bond. I guess it was graduation test maybe? Anyway, as usual, Bond takes a few knocks and then manages to escape the evil clutches, it this case with the help of a couple of teenage martial artists, who just happen to be girls, who manage to defeat 30 or so members of the dojo. The evil doers apparently are having trouble finding good help.

The final showdown is not as thrilling as some, but still fun to watch as the bad guy gets his. and then of course Bond rescues the device and the girl and escapes on a just happens to be handy Chinese Junk.

Its not the best of the Bond films- in fact most reviews call it the worst of the series because of the comedy that had been inserted- but hey, a bad Bond film is till better than 90% of the other junk out there.

And I liked the comedy aspect. I've said many times I watch movies to be entertained, and The Man With The Golden Gun does just that. Fast paced, it never drags, and jumps from one piece of excitement to another without time to fetch a beer.

I also found a couple of other Bond films on Netflix, so I may have a few more James Bond nights at the movies. But I doubt I'll write reviews, unless I see one that lacks good-lookin' half dressed women, car chases and stunts, and a super villain Bond needs to kill to make the world safe for humanity or democracy or some other noble goal.