After the Midterm War...

After the Midterm War…
20 October 2010
By Charles A. Hall

On October 13th, President B. Hussein Obama stated to a magazine article that the Republicans will have to get along with the President (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/10/13/obama-republicans-learn/).  I can’t believe the arrogance of this individual.  Yes, the Democrats took control of Congress in 2006.  Yes, the Democrats took control of the White House in 2008.  Now, two years after the Presidential Election the Democrats are going to lose the House of Representatives and even possibility a majority in the Senate.  This is a repeat of the 1994 Mid-terms, right after President Bill Clinton was elected into office.  When will the Democrats learn?

From Fox News: “President Obama reveals in a magazine article that he is weighing what to do if Republicans win the House majority next month, and has come up with a novel approach: Make the GOP work with him.”  Now wait a second, wait a second?  Shouldn’t the President be working with the GOP?  Doesn’t he need the GOP and not the other way around?  I believe that the President needs to get off his high horse and come back down to realty that his party has messed up, big time.  The majority of Americans were and still are against cap-and-trade and ObamaCare.  They are mad about Congress spending and spending and spending.

“But Charles, why are you mad about spending now when President George W. Bush spent a ton?!”

At the website http://www.TreasuryDirect.gov/ you can see the Debt Held by the Public (a.k.a. the Federal Deficit) down to the penny.  When President Bush was sworn in on January 20th, 2001 the debt was at about $5.72 Trillion.  When he left office eight years later on January 20th, 2009 the debt was at about $10.62 Trillion.  Over eight years the debt raised about $4.9 Trillion.  That is a lot, but remember we were, and still are, fighting two wars and had some ups and down.

Now from January 20th, 2009 to present:  When President Obama took office the debt was at about $10.62 Trillion.  Today (20 October 2010) the debt is about $13.66 Trillion (latest numbers available was 16 October).  So less than two years later since President Obama was sworn in the debt has raised $3.04 Trillion!  That is around 62% of the total debt President Bush has to claim, but over an eight year period!  Now, who is really spending more: Bush or Obama?

I thought I would just address that because many would probably bring it up.  Please feel free to challenge me, but remember this: present me with evidence, facts, etc.  And be civil.

Back to the subject at hand: after the war…  President Obama is going to have to learn to get along with the GOP because without them he will not be able to move any of his agenda through.  No more back dealing (yes, there was plenty during ObamaCare), communication with the GOP, etc.  But a lot of responsibility will rest on the GOP.

The GOP is going to have to have a set agenda with solutions on many issues: the economy, jobs, healthcare, immigration, border security, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.  The GOP needs solutions to these problems.  They are riding the Anti-Washington wave right now and that is fine, but after November 2nd they need a plan.  Without a plan to solve many problems the GOP just might not hold the House of Representatives, and maybe even the Senate, come 2012 without this.

I don’t know what the GOP might do but they need to be open and clear on what they intend to do after November 2nd.

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ROTTEN Hall Children - TAKE II!

Back in November 2009 I wrote the note "ROTTEN Hall Children". Well, this is TAKE II of that note after now being a father.

Rachael joined our family on 6 April 2010 (five years, by the way, from when her daddy entered the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah). And this morning (9 May - Mother's Day) my wife has me watching "Say Yes To The Dress" on TLC. I looked at my little girl and said, "You have a limit of $5,000 for your wedding dress." My wife laughed at me. I went back just now and read the "ROTTEN Hall Children" and just laughed. This is what I put down for a Hall Daughter:

A SINGLE HALL GIRL
First Car - $2,000
Mission - $15,000 (If she decides to go on one : two years + dresses + passports + etc.)
College - $50,000 ($12,500/year for four years)
Wedding - $5,000 (Anything more she is paying!)

Total - $72,000

I just couldn't help but laughed because I just told my daughter, who won't remember anything that I say at all, she could spend $5,000 on a dress and it was the price I said would be her whole wedding! HAHA! I guess things do change once you actually have a child.

So, make to the budget board for the kids!

The Battle of Immigration Reform: A Citizen's Take

The Battle of Immigration Reform: A Citizen’s Take
By Charles A. Hall

If you are staying in touch with any of the major news networks or even your local newspaper or local news website you will find story upon story, article upon article about the recently passed and signed into law immigration reform in the State of Arizona. Now before I proceed I’ll say that I haven’t read the entire law, just the cliff notes version, what I’ve watched and read in the news.

Arizona Senate Bill 1070 is a huge step in the direction of a growing issue: illegal immigration. Let me repeat that: ILLEGAL immigration! Those that enter into the United States of America outside of legal means are illegal, meaning against the law. Am I against immigration into the United States? No, I am not, I am a supporter of immigration because America was built upon immigration from the pilgrims to present day.

This bill has addressed many pressing concerns that have threatened the sovereignty and security of the State of Arizona. When an illegal immigrate enters the borders of the United States whether it be from Canada, Mexico, Cuba, or any other country these illegal immigrates are also entering our states, counties, and cities. The State of Arizona, and any other state in the Union, have the right to protect their borders, their citizens, their homes, their schools, their children, everything inside their borders they have the right to protect.

The United States of America is a country made up of States to form a Union. The Federal Government only gets its power from The People and the States. Without either the Federal Government has no power. Each state has the right to protect themselves.

I believe that too many people look at illegal immigration is just people coming into the country and there is nothing we can do about it until the Federal Government does something about the issue. This is not true. States have the complete right to protect themselves and 1070 has done this for the State of Arizona.

Racial profiling has come into the picture, that law enforcement officials will be going after everyone and everyone that are Latino, Cuban, African, etc. No, I don’t think so. I believe law enforcement officials have better common sense than we give them. Law enforcement officials must have “reasonable suspicion” to search an individual for weapons, drugs, etc. This is one step down from “probable cause.” You need probable cause usually to enter a home or the nature. Law enforcement officials only need reasonable suspicion to pull over a vehicle that they believe maybe a drunk driver on the road. I do not believe that 1070 will create a whole new level of racial profiling.

When I was a private investigator I would sit in my vehicle for hours on end and I had several law enforcement officials come to my vehicle and speak to me. “What are you doing here,” they would ask. I would identify myself and they would ask for my license. Now, do they have reasonable suspicion that I could be up to no good or lying? Yes, they do! I’m a twenty-four year old individual just sitting in a vehicle for the last eight hours outside of someone’s house! Do I believe they are profiling me because I’m twenty-four and sitting in a vehicle? NO! I believe they are doing their job. I would give them my license, they would run a quick check, find out I’m okay, and they would be on their way.

This scenario I have just presented is no different then what 1070 has done for the State of Arizona. This isn’t a new level of racial profiling, this is protecting the sovereign State of Arizona. Arizona has the right to protect themselves if the Federal Government doesn’t. Let us look at another scenario:

The defense of the United States lays with the Federal Government, correct? There is also laws that allows the states to form their own militia and to protect their sovereign borders. The National Guard is technically run by state governments as each state government is the state’s national guard commander-and-chief. So, if a state government calls up their state guard and their militia to protect their borders which border another country are they taking away from the Federal Government? I would say… NO! Why, because they have the right to protect their sovereign state and their citizens.
I praise the State of Arizona for taking an important step in state sovereignty and state rights. I am very pleased that the state is taking a more pro-active role in protecting their citizens. I fully agree with 1070 and hope other states will follow Arizona’s example, including Washington (my home state) and Utah (my current state of residence).

My Answers to the DNC...

In response to this article:
http://politics.foxnews.mobi/quickPage.html?page=21254&content=31993588&pageNum=-1

1. Do you believe that Barack Obama is a U.S. citizen?
No comment.

2. Do you think the 10th Amendment bars Congress from issuing regulations like minimum health care coverage standards?
YES!

3. Do you think programs like Social Security and Medicare represent socialism and should never have been created in the first place?
YES!

4. Do you think President Obama is a socialist?
His policies are!

5. Do you think America should return to a gold standard?
YES!

Disappointment in Congressman Chaffetz (R-UT)

Disappointment in Congressman Chaffetz (R-UT)
By Charles A. Hall

22 October 2009

This is going to be a short little note but I want to just take a moment in expressing my disappointment in Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R) who represents Utah's Third Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Why am I disappointed? Well, maybe it is too much to ask but I've never heard a single word back from Congressman Chaffetz since he won the Republican Nomination back in 2008 and has been in office since January 2009. Not one word!

Every issue (about five over the last nine months) I have written Senators Bob Benneth (R-UT) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) on I have received a response from (e-mail or letter). Is it a standard letter? I don't know, I hope not, but I don't know. Nothing I've ever written Congressman Chaffetz on has every been returned with his stance and promise to do this or that.

I wrote former Congressman Chris Cannon on one issue and that was about an individual (I forget who it was and all I can remember is this person was a Republican) in the House wanting to reinstate the "Assault Weapons Ban Act of 1994." I wrote him expressing my disappoint in this Congressman and told him not to support it. I received a response back less than three weeks later. Again, I have never received anything back from Congressman Chaffetz and I'm very disappointed in him because of it.

Heck, I've even received things back from the White House and I don't even like the President! This was clearly a form letter, but it was something!

"I am here to serve the residents of the 3rdCongressional District, and so is my staff."

"If you’d like to contact me about a legislative issue, please e-mail me; or phone me at (202) 225-7751; or send me a letter by mail."
(http://chaffetz.house.gov/contact/index.shtml)

Yes, I've tried to contact you but you haven't returned my time as my elected representative.

Why am I bringing this up now to the general public and especially to those in Utah Congressional District 3? Because just yesterday ads started popping up here on Facebook about donations to Chaffetz Re-election Campaign for 2010. This has me thinking, "I want an open government, I want to be able to hear from representatives and know exactly what they are doing. Do I want to re-elect someone that isn't open to me?" Am I being unreasonable? It is unreasonable to want to get a response from my representatives? They aren't my leaders, they are my representatives. In the words of Ross Geller (played by David Schwimmer) in Friends, "IS IT?!" Or do I want to support another candidate that holds the same values and views that I do but who will be open to the people he/she serves?

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