21 days or 504 hours

Ash Wednesday is here again. The day that starts one of my most favorite times of year, it begins the season of Lent. A time to reflect not only on the events leading up to Good Friday and then Easter but a time to reflect on what the Cross actually means to you. Even though I'm not a Catholic, over the years I have observed the sacrificial side of the Lenten season. My reasons are based more on my own desire to acknowledge Jesus's 40 days in the wilderness than an observance of some religoe us dogma.
Over the years I have given up many things. One year it was caffiene, another year it was all cheese products and even last year I gave up facebook. Giving up something every year not only acknowledges the wilderness, but it's something that helps me personally. Giving up items that hurt, reinsures me that no one thing can control my life. That the things I eat, drink, activities I do are my choice and not something I feel controls my life.
This year I've decided to give up all meat except for fish and chicken. But, to kick start lent I have also decided to join several friends and partake in the Daniel Fast over the first 21 days. The Daniel Fast is based on the 1st chapter of the book of Daniel. It basically is a diet of vegetables, fruits, nuts and whole grains. No processed foods, no dairy products, no caffiene, water and some fruit juices.
I'm not doing this as some health kick quick weight loss plan. It's simply something I want to see if I can do. When the 21 days are over I will be

Bob Doyle and the 4 hour Election

Time to call the Doctor. You know the commercials. If something lasts up to 4 hours you should see a Doctor. Bob Doyle made the original commercials famous. This after he lost to Bill Clinton in the 1996 election. I remember meeting Bob and Elizabeth at a greet and meet at Liberty Life and coming away thinking she should be the one running for President. Don't get me wrong, I respect Bob Doyle greatly especially for his service and injuries in the war and for his many years in the Senate.
But as the republican party normally does, they chose their candidate by whose turn it was, instead of who's views came closest to the parties. My parents were what you would call Goldwater/Eisenhower republicans. They believed in small government, fiscally conservative and don't fight wars unless attacked. Now days Eisenhower would probably be a libertarian. Once again the republican party is annointing Mitt Romney because it is his turn. He lost to John McCain in 2008 so it's his turn at bat. This line of thinking is what drove me to campaign and vote for our current president. When does it end.
I looked at the entire crop before making my decision. My view of each one: Perry-I spoke with a family member in Dallas who owns his own business and the stories he told of Perry makes me think he is very reckless. Santorum- wolf in sheeps clothing. He is not a fiscal conservative and he voted against Right to Work legislature. Newt-I gained a whole new respect for Newt watching the 1 on 1 debate he had with Governor Huntsman. But, too many questions concerning his relationships with Fanny & Freddie, and his endorsement of the Medicare Drug Plan takes him out of the picture. Uncle Ron Paul- I actually like alot of his views, my friends Hammer and Red know exactly what I mean, but I said I like a small government not none at all. and Finally Romney- You may think he is the most electable, but think again. This Bain Capital crap, (which I have no problem with, it's called Capitalism)is making waves now, wait until Axlerod gets his teeth into it. Trust me I know how they work.
Governor Huntsman is really our only choice. How is the president going to debate him? Compare his record in Utah with Mass. or the last 4 years. A man who chose to serve his country instead of serving the Republican party and earning his way to the front of the line. Lets not make this a 4 state election.

I'm back and in the Hunt

I sometimes wonder what makes people do the things they do. Is it from habbit, how they were raised or simply what they see on television? Through Facebook we are able to catch a brief glimpse into other peoples lives. This new obsession has grasped our nation and you would think that somehow or somewhere we have all become "Friends". It gives the seven degrees of seperation a whole new meaning. I mean are we all really that friendly? You know I have 383 friends on Facebook, but I'm really hoping that I can find 6 buddies to carry my casket when the good lord calls me home.
Watching episodes 17 & 18 of the new series "The Republican Debates" I started wondering how many people are "Friends" to the candidates. I'm sure by now Newt has de-friended Mitt, Rick S and Rick P. He may still be friends with Jon H. but was never a friend of Ron P. As for Ron Paul, his list of political friends is limited to his son and possibly Jim Demint on occasion. I was also very impressed with Governor Huntsman's performance in this week-ends debates.
As many of you know, I supported President Obama in the 2008 election. He was the first and only Democrat I had ever supported. Iraq was the main reason and I saw the 2008 version of John McCain as "W" 2.0. Knowing what I know now, would I have voted differently? Probably not. If McCain had won there probably would not have been a TeaParty or Occupiers. Status Quo would have been rule.
In Governor Huntsman I actually see someone who gets it. Who understands our problems are not who can and cannot get married. It's allowing banks to become too big to fail. It's making the tax plan simplier and easier to understand by lower taxes and removing loop holes. Our problems don't reside in Afghanistan but knowing they lie in Pakistan and having someone who knows the way to handle it is through a strong fiscal policy and not threats of war. Someone who knows that the only way to get out of the Middle East is to stop importing their oil, thus funding the terrorist we spend Trillions to fight.
I know I'm probably not going to persuade anyone to vote for Governor Huntsman. I only ask that you do your homework and at least give him a shot here in SC. He is not perfect, but who is? There has only been one who can make that claim.

"When you come to the fork in the road, take it". Yogi Berra.

Ash Wednesday and the start to Lent

Some of you may or may not know but I gave up Facebook for Lent this year. Over the years I have given up such things as cheese, beer, caffiene, salt and even one year listening to sports talk radio.
Sometimes we don't notice how certain things we do have gained power over us and dictate our actions. In Lent fasts, we discover these things and give them up so that God can be in charge. Franciscans use the term 'detachment': the less that 'stuff' preoccupies your life, the more room there is for God, as well as for yourself and for other people.
When I consider the sacrifices that have been made in the past from not only the first believers but the ultimate sacrifice at Calvary, it makes the few hours I am giving up seem small. I plan to read more, write more and pray more.

Syd

Oh by the way.....

Throughout the last couple of weeks of campaigning did anyone notice one thing missing in all of their speeches and commercials? I heard plenty of talk of overturning "Obama Care", lowering taxes, "taking back our country", but I heard nothing of ending wars. Even yesterday as victory speeches were made and political analyst tried to tell us what happened nothing was mentioned. Have we been fighting so long now that we have forgotten about our soldiers? Not once did John Boehner mention what the new congress was going to do about Iraq or Afganistan. Also something else that I'm curious about, how do we pay for 2 wars when we are cutting taxes or cutting our revenue?
Least we forget, while the people were speaking and the tea party was taking back the country, on Tuesday Spc Jonathan Curtis(24)of Belmont, Mass and Pfc Andrew Meari(21) of Plainfield, Ill lost their lives in Afganistan. Please, their families and the families we know and love deserve to know what your plans are for these 2 wars. By the way Mr. Speaker I have a question.....

Syd

1 Never Works

It's election day and unfortunately, I'm afraid the straight party people are going to win out again. These are the people who automatically hit the Big R or Big D button each and every time. In this state it usually means the Big R. I'm not sure if it's because they don't want to take the time to examine each candidate or they don't know how to examine each candidate, or they are simply doing what they were told to do by Fox News. Funny how things have changed. I remember growing up in Oconee County and my family being the only Republicans there. 36 years ago today my dad had me out holding up signs for James Edwards, to help elect the 1st republican governor since reconstruction. Imagine that, South Carolina a democratic stronghold.
Several years ago I was having a conversation with State Senator Fletcher Smith and we were discussing the change. I told him 40 years ago you could walk into any church in SC with a handful of rocks and not hit 5 republicans, now you can walk into any church in SC and not hit 5 democrats. When they find out what went wrong they may make inroads back into this state. But the sad part is that most people now will not give any other candidate a chance unless they have the R beside their name.
If we have learned anything in the last 10 years is that when 1 party is in charge the system goes to hell. During Reagan we had a republican president and a democratic congress that started the end of the cold war and economic growth. Likewise with Clinton. Democratic President and a Republican Congress gave us a Balanced Budget, Welfare Reform and a surplus. Under Bush (Republican President and Republican Congress) we had record deficit, 2 wars, wall street meltdown. Once again with a Democratic President and Democratic House we are seeing things once more going to hell.
I for one am happy to see the changing of the guard in the house. I hope history repeats itself and the prosperity of split leadership returns.

Happy Voting

Syd

Same trail different hiker

Nikki Haley has been called Mark Sanford in a skirt. For all of his good intentions the bottom line was Mark Sanford never got anything accomplished because of his refusal to work with the General Assembly. A general assembly made up of his party. With Nikki Haley I am afraid the same thing is going to happen.

She's been in the South Carolina General Assembly for six years, and hers is the party that's been in power the entire time. A woman with ideas about what needs to be done in our state, one who works hard and knows how to get things done... she's had ample time to accomplish things.

And yet she hasn't. I'm not badmouthing the woman. I'm talking about facts. She was the primary sponsor of five bills in the last two years. None of them passed.

In six years in the legislature, she's been the primary sponsor of exactly one bill that's passed. Just one. It allows people to wash hair in hair salons without having a cosmetology license.

Being governor is not like being a king in olden days. She doesn't get to do whatever she wants. She has to get laws passed by the legislature to do anything. Otherwise, nothing happens (ala Sanford and his inability to work with his own party).

She was at the Citadel this weekend talking to cadets and told them she would be giving out report cards to legislators who weren't working with her to pass legislation or weren't keeping their promises to voters.

I don't think that's going to make any lawmakers eager to work with her -- having her give them failing grades. They don't work for the governor. They work with the governor, if all parties are willing. She's already set the wrong tone.

Don't take my word for this. Look up information for yourself. Ask her. Ask her campaign. What has she accomplished in the legislature? She hasn't shown the initiative to come up with legislative proposals herself, get them through the House and Senate and signed into law. Simply has not done it. Not in 6 years.

She's campaigning on roll-call votes in the legislature, so we can hold lawmakers more accountable for their actions. Roll-call votes are part of the permanent record, so we can look back and see who voted yes and who voted no on particular issues, as opposed to passing legislation by lawmakers simply saying yeah or nay as a group.

I think that's a great idea. I support her completely on that.

But she couldn't get it passed, not with a Republican majority in the House and Senate.

Why couldn't she do this? Why couldn't she rally her party to pass something important? To pass anything?

What is she going to do differently as governor? I think a person's past actions are the best indicator of what they will do in the future. Nikki Haley simply hasn't gotten anything done.