Thanks Chuck - You Summarize My Positon Better Than I Can

Chuck Howell and I were managers with the Tennessee Valley Authority in the 1980s. TVA is an outdated, outmoded and grossly mis-managed public utility that President Ronald Reagan would have been wise to have "sunset" during his tenure (my editorial comment). What follows is his take on the Presidential election. Please enjoy while I go and "clean my guns and cling to my religion".

From Chuck Howell:

As to the race for the presidency, I am disappointed in both candidates. The most recent debate was, in my view, a boring embarrassing spectacle. Here were two career politicians jabbering away, endlessly repeating their talking points, never giving a direct answer, never providing any clear and precise definition as to how their "programs" would work to benefit the American people without further spending us into bankruptcy.

Some of the pundits said that McCain's only hope to turn the tide of public opinion was to attack Obama. He didn't, of course, for U.S. senators do not do such things! These fellows are expected to always respect the decorum of the Senate, to promote a collegial atmosphere while debating "extremely important national policy" in a courteous and respectful manner. A prerequisite seems to be that members must be able to speak for at least forty-five minutes without saying anything of substance--both of these gentlemen surely demonstrated these attributes to the extreme. Senator Biden is tops in this category.

Thank goodness that the debate committee chose that old Liberal, Tom Brokaw, to serve as moderator. Tom seem more concerned about time-management than the debate itself--notice how he adroitly selected twenty questions from among Nashville's Corp of Undecided and the Internet, while narrowly avoiding the really important issues facing America today. For instance, where were the questions on the War on Terror (after all it IS only the survival of the Western Culture we are talking about when it comes to the agenda of the Radical Islamists)? How about illegal immigration (what DO we do about the twenty million illegals who are bankrupting our local health care facilities, local schools and other taxpayer-funded social services)? What about the failure of the president and U.S. congress to properly oversee our nation's financial system and markets?

I also wonder why the people chosen to ask questions seem only marginally articulate. Was there some strong weed dispensed at Belmont that evening? I'm sorry. That was crude and uncalled for. And to think that they were once a strong Southern Baptist school.

In my view of things, Senator McCain looked totally un-presidential. In fact, he looked tired and incapable of a good knock-down, drag-out political fight. Bill Clinton would have destroyed him. In the same format, Ronald Reagan would have verbally denuded Obama in about five minutes and showed him to be the novice that he is. Would someone please tell me what this guy has accomplished? Oh, I know how he (as he said on TV last week) "took advantage of the opportunities of this great nation" to get a world-class education. He does indeed appear to have applied himself and I do not question that he is a smart politician. However, what were his accomplishments as an Illinois state senator? Even his spoke people can't or won't answer this question. He has apparently been a non-entity in the U.S. Senate. He has championed no major bills nor has he headed any subcommittees within his purview. the Right Wing pundits all say that he has devoted his time since joining the Senate to running for president. I have found nothing to refute this statement.

The fact that he beat out Alan Keys, a second-rate, inexperienced Black conservative talk show host for the U.S. Senate isn't very impressive. With the political and financial clout of the Mayor Richard Daley's Chicago political machine behind him, Jeffrey Dahmer could have taken that seat.

Then there's his tenure as a Chicago community organizer. If my information is correct, his main objective was to help the under-served minority community to register to vote and get home mortgages which they couldn't afford to pay. Would someone please tell me how this shallow resume qualifies this dude to serve as the president of the United States?

Finally, I don't know about you but I'm more than a little concerned about the associations and political output of both McCain and Obama. While we know that McCain escaped the legal fallout from the Keating Five mess (the Dems own lawyer vindicated him), his votes on illegal immigration and campaign finance reform shows that he is not really attuned to the priorities of the American majority in the first case, and deserves criticism for stomping on the First Amendment in the latter.

Bipartisanship and cooperation is okay when it is in the best interests of the citizenry, however I would like to see a little more spunk from a person trying to win my vote. Frankly, I'm not enamored with McCain "The Maverick." We have a two-party system and when you get too far from the center of your party, you become marginalized and ineffective--I think this definition fits McCain to a Tee. If I hear him brag about "reaching across the aisle" one more time, I think I'll puke. I favor Sarah Palin's take on things....speak direct and with strength. Shoot the damn moose if you need meat in the freezer!

Then there's the extremely important issue of Barack's association with Bill Ayres, Reverend Wright, et al. There is a saying going around the Internet, "What does Obama and Osama have in common? Answer: They both have friends that bombed the Pentagon." How can we trust a person who knowingly associates with an unrepentant terrorist? Troubling.

And, some of you know, my dad was a Baptist preacher.....I sat under his preaching for over twenty-five years, and you can rest assured that what he had to say made a deep impression on me. Now, am I supposed to believe that Barack and Michelle attended Reverend Wright's church for twenty years, heard his virulent Anti-American and racist sermons and weren't effected? Ah, come on! Down home they would say "that dog won't hunt!"

I also find Obama not to be trustworthy. Like the career politician that he is, he parses his words when trying to explain where he stands on important issues. He was recently asked to give his position on the Fifth Amendment. He stated that he "supported the Fifth Amendment," but refused to explain whether or not he believed that the amendment's "right to bear arms" was an individual right or only a right pertaining to "state militias." Of course, Obama is a product of the Chicago political machine and has always voted against gun ownership--he scores a definite "F"by the folks at the NRA. I have no doubt that if given the opportunity, he would appoint supreme court judges who would act to overturn the recent Washington D.C. case where the court found that the rights under this amendment was an individual one, and D.C.s strict ban on handgun ownership was unconstitutional. Okay, if I needed a single issue to determine my vote, this would be it.

I'm one of the Great Unwashed who in times of trouble regularly "falls back on my religion and guns." Today I cleaned several of my guns. With the collapse of the banking system and the meltdown of the stock market, guns and cartridges may be valuable barter items in the coming months. Going dove huntin' on Saturday morning. Barring illness or other calamity, I'll be in church on Sunday. I will continue to pray for our nation and its leaders whoever they are.

Please forgive this wordy epistle. What say you?

God bless America.

Chuck Howell

"Blessed are the cracked for they let in the light"