So well taken, Ron. The American empire is, by no means, like the once ubiquitous British Empire. Some individuals who visit foreign countries may have occasionally been obnoxious (Ugly Americans), but most of those visited have found our country to be helpful in times of trouble. I can't remember any or many other countries coming this way with help, can you?
Thanks!
Sam
----- Original Message -----
From: R A Sarbach
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: You could have heard a pin drop!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You could have heard a pin drop
When in England, at a fairly large
conference, Colin Powell was asked by
the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans
for Iraq were just an example
of 'empire building' by George Bush.
He answered by saying, 'Over the years, the
United States has sent many
of its fine young men and women into great
peril to fight for freedom beyond
our borders. The only amount of land we
have ever asked for in return
is enough to bury those that did not
return.'
You could have heard a pin drop.
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
There was a conference in France where a
number of international engineers
were taking part, including French and
American. During a break, one of the
French engineers came back into the room
saying 'Have you heard the latest
dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an
aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help
the tsunami victims. What does he intended
to do, bomb them?'
A Boeing engineer stood up and replied
quietly: 'Our carriers have three hospitals
on board that can treat several hundred
people; they are nuclear powered and
can supply emergency electrical power to
shore facilities; they have three cafeterias
with the capacity to feed 3,000 people
three meals a day, they can produce several
thousand gallons of fresh water from sea
water each day, and they carry half a
dozen helicopters for use in transporting
victims and injured to and from their flight
deck. We have eleven such ships; how many
does France have?'
You could have heard a pin drop.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval
conference that included Admirals
from the U.S., English, Canadian,
Australian and French Navies. At a cocktail
reception, he found himself standing with
a large group of Officers that included
personnel from most of those countries.
Everyone was chatting away in English
as they sipped their drinks but a French
admiral suddenly complained that,
whereas Europeans learn many languages,
Americans learn only English.' He then
asked, 'Why is it that we always have to
speak English in these conferences rather
than speaking French?' Without
hesitating, the American Admiral replied 'Maybe
it's because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies
and Americans arranged it so you
wouldn't have to speak German.'
You could have heard a pin drop.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
AND THIS STORY FITS RIGHT IN WITH THE
ABOVE...
Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83,
arrived in Paris by plane. At French
Customs, he took a few minutes to locate
his passport in his carry on. 'You have
been to France before, monsieur?' the
customs officer asked sarcastically.
Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to
France previously. Then you should
know enough to have your passport ready.'
The American said, ''The last time I was
here, I didn't have to show it. 'Impossible.
Americans always have to show your
passports on arrival in France!' The American
senior gave the Frenchman a long hard
look. Then he quietly explained, ''Well,
when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day
in 1944 to help liberate this country,
I couldn't find a single Frenchmen to show
a passport to.'
You could have heard a pin drop.
If you are proud, pass this on!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Old man with car trouble- Ramey Sonny Hoskins
Thanks Sonny! I put this under my Christians category. If they aren't they surely act like it! It is best for Christians to act like they are.
Sam
This is a great story.The Old Man: As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day, pushing my cart of groceries towards my car, I saw an old man with the hood of his car up and a lady sitting inside the car, with the door open.
The old man was looking at the engine. I put my groceries away in my car and continued to watch the old gentleman from about twenty five feet away.
I saw a young man in his early twenties with a grocery bag in his arm, walking towards the old man. The old gentleman saw him coming too and took a few steps towards him. I saw the old gentleman point to his open hood and say something. The young man put his grocery bag into what looked like a brand new Cadillac Escalade and then turn back to the old man and I heard him yell at the old gentleman saying, 'You shouldn't even be allowed to drive a car at your age.' And then with a wave of his hand, he got in his car and peeled rubber out of the parking lot.
I saw the old gentleman pull out his handkerchief and mop his brow as he went back to his car and again looked at the engine. He then went to his wife and spoke with her and appeared to tell her it would be okay. I had seen enough and I approached the old man. He saw me coming and stood straight and as I got near him I said, 'Looks like you're having a problem.'
He smiled sheepishly and quietly nodded his head. I looked under the hood myself and knew that whatever the problem was, it was beyond me. Looking around I saw a gas station up the road and told the old man that I would be right back. I drove to the station and went inside and saw three attendants working on cars. I approached one of them and related the problem the old man had with his car and offered to pay them if they could follow me back down and help him.
The old man had pushed the heavy car under the shade of a tree and appeared to be comforting his wife. When he saw us he straightened up and thanked me for my help. As the mechanics diagnosed the problem (overheated engine) I spoke with the old gentleman.
When I shook hands ! with him earlier he had noticed my Marine Corps ring and had commented about it, telling me that he had been a Marine too. I nodded and asked the usual question, 'What outfit did you serve with?'
He had mentioned that he served with the first Marine Division at Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal. He had hit all the big ones and retired from the Corps after the war was over. As we talked we heard the car engine come on and saw the mechanics lower the hood. They came over to us as the old man reached for his wallet, but was stopped by me and I told him I would just put the bill on my AAA card.
He still reached for the wallet and handed me a card that I assumed had his name and address on it and I stuck it in my pocket. We all shook hands all round again and I said my goodbye's to his wife.
I then told the two mechanics that I would follow them back up to the station. Once at the station I told them that they had interrupted their own jobs to come along with me and help the old man. I said I wanted to pay for the help, but they refused to charge me. One of them pulled out a card from his pocket looking exactly like the card the old man had given to me. Both of the men told me then, that they were Marine Corps! Reserve s. Once again we shook hands all around and as I was leaving, one of them told me I should look at the card the old man had given to me. I said I would and drove off.
For some reason I had gone about two blocks when I pulled over and took the card out of my pocket and looked at it for a long, long time. The name of the old gentleman was on the card in golden leaf and under his name........ 'Congressional Medal of Honor Society.'
I sat there motionless looking at the card and reading it over and over. I looked up from the card and smiled to no one but myself and marveled that on this day, four Marines had all come together, because one of us needed help. He was an old man all right, but it felt good to have stood next to greatness and courage and an honor to have been in his presence.
' Remember, old men like him gave you FREEDOM for America '
America is not at war.The U.S. Military is at war.America is at the Mall.
If you don't stand behind our troops,PLEASE feel free to stand in front of them! Vote smart or don't bother.If you're just watching the news to get your knowledge, you're not informed enough to vote.
This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm
Sam
This is a great story.The Old Man: As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day, pushing my cart of groceries towards my car, I saw an old man with the hood of his car up and a lady sitting inside the car, with the door open.
The old man was looking at the engine. I put my groceries away in my car and continued to watch the old gentleman from about twenty five feet away.
I saw a young man in his early twenties with a grocery bag in his arm, walking towards the old man. The old gentleman saw him coming too and took a few steps towards him. I saw the old gentleman point to his open hood and say something. The young man put his grocery bag into what looked like a brand new Cadillac Escalade and then turn back to the old man and I heard him yell at the old gentleman saying, 'You shouldn't even be allowed to drive a car at your age.' And then with a wave of his hand, he got in his car and peeled rubber out of the parking lot.
I saw the old gentleman pull out his handkerchief and mop his brow as he went back to his car and again looked at the engine. He then went to his wife and spoke with her and appeared to tell her it would be okay. I had seen enough and I approached the old man. He saw me coming and stood straight and as I got near him I said, 'Looks like you're having a problem.'
He smiled sheepishly and quietly nodded his head. I looked under the hood myself and knew that whatever the problem was, it was beyond me. Looking around I saw a gas station up the road and told the old man that I would be right back. I drove to the station and went inside and saw three attendants working on cars. I approached one of them and related the problem the old man had with his car and offered to pay them if they could follow me back down and help him.
The old man had pushed the heavy car under the shade of a tree and appeared to be comforting his wife. When he saw us he straightened up and thanked me for my help. As the mechanics diagnosed the problem (overheated engine) I spoke with the old gentleman.
When I shook hands ! with him earlier he had noticed my Marine Corps ring and had commented about it, telling me that he had been a Marine too. I nodded and asked the usual question, 'What outfit did you serve with?'
He had mentioned that he served with the first Marine Division at Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal. He had hit all the big ones and retired from the Corps after the war was over. As we talked we heard the car engine come on and saw the mechanics lower the hood. They came over to us as the old man reached for his wallet, but was stopped by me and I told him I would just put the bill on my AAA card.
He still reached for the wallet and handed me a card that I assumed had his name and address on it and I stuck it in my pocket. We all shook hands all round again and I said my goodbye's to his wife.
I then told the two mechanics that I would follow them back up to the station. Once at the station I told them that they had interrupted their own jobs to come along with me and help the old man. I said I wanted to pay for the help, but they refused to charge me. One of them pulled out a card from his pocket looking exactly like the card the old man had given to me. Both of the men told me then, that they were Marine Corps! Reserve s. Once again we shook hands all around and as I was leaving, one of them told me I should look at the card the old man had given to me. I said I would and drove off.
For some reason I had gone about two blocks when I pulled over and took the card out of my pocket and looked at it for a long, long time. The name of the old gentleman was on the card in golden leaf and under his name........ 'Congressional Medal of Honor Society.'
I sat there motionless looking at the card and reading it over and over. I looked up from the card and smiled to no one but myself and marveled that on this day, four Marines had all come together, because one of us needed help. He was an old man all right, but it felt good to have stood next to greatness and courage and an honor to have been in his presence.
' Remember, old men like him gave you FREEDOM for America '
America is not at war.The U.S. Military is at war.America is at the Mall.
If you don't stand behind our troops,PLEASE feel free to stand in front of them! Vote smart or don't bother.If you're just watching the news to get your knowledge, you're not informed enough to vote.
This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm
Mr. o- I didn't vote for you From Tom & Carolyn Lynch
Aren't the ordinary Americans quite extraordinary, Tom & Carolyn? Thanks! Now to post it into my blog.
Sam
----- Original Message -----
From: Tom and Carolyn Lynch
To: Bill Pressler ; Kegley ; Patty LAMBERT ; Rose Lynch ; tatru@roadrunner.com
Sent: 2008-10-28 23:55
Subject: FW: Read This ("I didn't Vote for Obama")
This was sent to us, some of you are not going to like it, so read it or delete it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: daisylace@msn.com
To: tolyn@live.com
Subject: FW: Read This ("I didn't Vote for Obama")
Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:14:41 +0000
Send this one to Sam. Judy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: forwarded message attached. "
--Forwarded Message Attachment--
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2008 14:15:51 -0700
From: bahnerdr@yahoo.com
Subject: Fw: Read This ("I didn't Vote for Obama")
To: robiandi@sbcglobal.net; adavis@zoomnet.net; billthacker@yahoo.com; bpfroggy9@msn.com; crabtreeangie@hotmail.com; halling@mchsi.com; dotdotdot1250@hotmail.com; doug@redladyrealty.com; garyeandrews@yahoo.com; jimkeg@yahoo.com; JUDY.NEWMAN@governor.ohio.gov; karen.kemp@sbcglobal.net; linda@travelersedge.org; Marjoriegbassett@aol.com; srhea5@yahoo.com
--- On Sat, 10/25/08, Kevin W.W. Johnson wrote:
From: Kevin W.W. Johnson
Subject: Read This ("I didn't Vote for Obama")
To: Undisclosed-Recipient@yahoo.com
Date: Saturday, October 25, 2008, 3:56 PM
I'm a middle-class white guy living in Jacksonville, Florida. I've
got a wife and two kids. Because the kids had no school today, I
took a vacation day from work, and took the kids downtown to vote
early. Fifty-nine minutes later, two smiling children and I
proudly sported "I Voted" stickers.
But I didn't vote for Obama.
kentuckyscott' s diary :: ::
I voted for my ancestors, who believed in the promise of this
country and came with with nothing as immigrants.
I voted for my parents, who taught in the public schools for
decades.
I voted for Steve, an acquaintance of mine from Kentucky. (Killed
by an IED two years ago in Iraq).
I voted for Shawn, another who's been to Iraq twice, and
Afghanistan once, and who'll be going back to Afghanistan again
soon -- and whose family earned eleven bucks a month too much to
qualify for food stamps when the war started.
I voted for April, the only African-American girl in my high school
-- it was years before it occurred to me how different her
experience of our school must have been.
I voted for my college friends who are Christian, Jewish, Mormon,
and yes -- Muslim.
I voted for my grandfathers, who worked hard in factories and died
too
young.
I voted for the plumber who worked on my house, because I want him
to get a REAL tax break.
I voted for four little angels from Birmingham.
I voted for a bunch of dead white men who, although personally
flawed, were willing to pledge their lives, fortunes, and sacred
honor, and used a time of great crisis to expand freedom rather
than suspend it.
I voted for all those people and more, and I voted for all of you,
too. But mostly, I voted selfishly. I vote for two little kids,
one who has ballet in an hour, and once who has baseball practice
at the same time. I voted for a world where they can be confident
that their government will represent the
best that is in this
country, and that will in turn demand the best of them. I voted
for a government that will be respected in the world. I voted for
an economy that will reward work above guile. I voted for
everything I believe in.
Sure, I filled in the circle next to the name Obama, but it wasn't
him I was voting for -- it was every single one of us, and those I
love most of all.
> "THE TIME IS ALWAYS RIGHT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT" - Dr. Martin L. King, Jr.
Sam
----- Original Message -----
From: Tom and Carolyn Lynch
To: Bill Pressler ; Kegley ; Patty LAMBERT ; Rose Lynch ; tatru@roadrunner.com
Sent: 2008-10-28 23:55
Subject: FW: Read This ("I didn't Vote for Obama")
This was sent to us, some of you are not going to like it, so read it or delete it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: daisylace@msn.com
To: tolyn@live.com
Subject: FW: Read This ("I didn't Vote for Obama")
Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:14:41 +0000
Send this one to Sam. Judy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: forwarded message attached. "
--Forwarded Message Attachment--
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2008 14:15:51 -0700
From: bahnerdr@yahoo.com
Subject: Fw: Read This ("I didn't Vote for Obama")
To: robiandi@sbcglobal.net; adavis@zoomnet.net; billthacker@yahoo.com; bpfroggy9@msn.com; crabtreeangie@hotmail.com; halling@mchsi.com; dotdotdot1250@hotmail.com; doug@redladyrealty.com; garyeandrews@yahoo.com; jimkeg@yahoo.com; JUDY.NEWMAN@governor.ohio.gov; karen.kemp@sbcglobal.net; linda@travelersedge.org; Marjoriegbassett@aol.com; srhea5@yahoo.com
--- On Sat, 10/25/08, Kevin W.W. Johnson
From: Kevin W.W. Johnson
Subject: Read This ("I didn't Vote for Obama")
To: Undisclosed-Recipient@yahoo.com
Date: Saturday, October 25, 2008, 3:56 PM
I'm a middle-class white guy living in Jacksonville, Florida. I've
got a wife and two kids. Because the kids had no school today, I
took a vacation day from work, and took the kids downtown to vote
early. Fifty-nine minutes later, two smiling children and I
proudly sported "I Voted" stickers.
But I didn't vote for Obama.
kentuckyscott' s diary :: ::
I voted for my ancestors, who believed in the promise of this
country and came with with nothing as immigrants.
I voted for my parents, who taught in the public schools for
decades.
I voted for Steve, an acquaintance of mine from Kentucky. (Killed
by an IED two years ago in Iraq).
I voted for Shawn, another who's been to Iraq twice, and
Afghanistan once, and who'll be going back to Afghanistan again
soon -- and whose family earned eleven bucks a month too much to
qualify for food stamps when the war started.
I voted for April, the only African-American girl in my high school
-- it was years before it occurred to me how different her
experience of our school must have been.
I voted for my college friends who are Christian, Jewish, Mormon,
and yes -- Muslim.
I voted for my grandfathers, who worked hard in factories and died
too
young.
I voted for the plumber who worked on my house, because I want him
to get a REAL tax break.
I voted for four little angels from Birmingham.
I voted for a bunch of dead white men who, although personally
flawed, were willing to pledge their lives, fortunes, and sacred
honor, and used a time of great crisis to expand freedom rather
than suspend it.
I voted for all those people and more, and I voted for all of you,
too. But mostly, I voted selfishly. I vote for two little kids,
one who has ballet in an hour, and once who has baseball practice
at the same time. I voted for a world where they can be confident
that their government will represent the
best that is in this
country, and that will in turn demand the best of them. I voted
for a government that will be respected in the world. I voted for
an economy that will reward work above guile. I voted for
everything I believe in.
Sure, I filled in the circle next to the name Obama, but it wasn't
him I was voting for -- it was every single one of us, and those I
love most of all.
> "THE TIME IS ALWAYS RIGHT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT" - Dr. Martin L. King, Jr.
Ltr to O- Cory the Well Driller from Sarah Rapp
Entrepreneurship at its very core. I doubt that O will read or understand. Thanks Sarah Rapp!
Sam
----- Original Message -----
From: Sarah Rapp
To: Sam Kegley ; b henry whitehouse ; ben binns ; frank holland ; Jack Hughes ; denny goddard ; jim cook
Sent: 2008-10-29 00:03
Subject: Fw: Letter to Obama by a well driller
----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Anne Dawson
To: Thelma Jenkins; Carol Robinson
Cc: Jim Dawson; Sarah Rapp ; Tom DuPuy ; Jackie Sommers
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 11:11:03 PM
Subject: Fw: Letter to Obama by a well driller
This is very long, but if you can even just scan over it you will see a heartfelt case made against socialism and Mr. Obama. M
This is the real reason why you don't want to vote for Obama. He just doesn't understand.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Given the furor about "Joe the plumber" I've written an open letter to Mr. Obama myself. I think it is worth the read. Maybe if Americans could take a closer look at what a small businessman is, they wouldn't want politicians penalizing their success. Feel free to forward it if you want to?¦ Cory
Mr. Obama, Given the uproar about the simple question asked you by Joe the plumber, and the persecution that has been heaped on him because he dared to question you, I find myself motivated to say a few things to you myself. While Joe aspires to start a business someday, I already have started not one, but 4 businesses. But first, let me introduce myself. You can call me "Cory the well driller". I am a 54 year old high school graduate. I didn't go to college like you, I was too ready to go "conquer the world" when I finished high school. 25 years ago at age 29, I started my own water well drilling business at a time when the economy here in East Texas was in a tailspin from the crash of the early 80's oil boom. I didn't get any help from the government, nor did I look for any. I borrowed what I could from my sister, my uncle, and even the pawn shop and managed to scrape together a homemade drill rig and a few tools to do my first job. My businesses did not start as a result of privilege. They are the result of my personal drive, personal ambition, self discipline, self reliance, and a determination to treat my customers fairly. From the very start my business provided one other (than myself) East Texan a full time job. I couldn't afford a backhoe the first few years (something every well drilling business had), so I and my helper had to dig the mud pits that are necessary for each and every job with hand shovels. I had to use my 10 year old, 1/2 ton pickup truck for my water tank truck (normally a job for at least a 2 ton truck). A year and a half after I started the business, I scraped together a
20% down payment to get a modest bank loan and bought a (28 year) old, worn out, slightly bigger drilling rig to allow me to drill the deeper water wells in my area. I spent the next few years drilling wells with the rig while simultaneously rebuilding it between jobs. Through these years I never knew from one month to the next if I would have any work or be able to pay the bills. I got behind on my income taxes one year, and spent the next two years paying that back (with penalty and interest) while keeping up with ongoing taxes. I got behind on my water well supply bill 2 different years (way behind the second time... $80,000.00), and spent over a year paying it back (each time) while continuing to pay for ongoing supplies C.O.D.. Of course, the personal stress endured through these experiences and years is hard to measure. I do have a stent in my heart now to memorialize it all. I spent the next 10 years developing the reputation for being the most competent and most honest water well driller in East Texas . 2 years along the way, I hired another full time employee for the drilling business so that we could provide full time water well pump service as well as the well drilling. Also, 3 years along the path, I bought a water well screen service machine from a friend, starting business # 2. 5 years later I made a business loan for $100,000.00 to build a new, higher production, computer controlled screen service machine. I had designed the machine myself, and it didn't work out for 3 years so I had to make the loan payments without the benefit of any added income from the new machine. No government program was there to help me with the payments, or to help me sleep at night as I lay awake wondering how I would solve my machine problems or pay my bills. Finally, after 3 years, I got the screen machine working properly, and that provided another full time job for an East Texan in the screen service business.
2 years after that, I made another business loan, this time for $250,000.00, to buy another used drilling rig and all the support equipment needed to run another, larger, drill rig. This provided another 2 full time jobs for East Texans. Again, I spent a couple of years not knowing if I had made a smart move, or a move that would bankrupt me. For the third time in 13 years, I had placed everything I owned on the line, risking everything, in order to build a business. A couple of years into this, I came up with a bright idea for a new kind of mud pump, a fundamentally necessary pump used on water well drill rigs. I spent my entire life savings to date (just $30,000.00), building a prototype of the pump and took it to the national water well convention to show it off. Customers immediately started coming out of the woodworks to buy the pumps, but there was a problem. I had depleted my assets making the prototype, and nobody would make me a business loan to start production of the new pumps. With several deposits for pump orders in hand, and nowhere to go, I finally started applying for as many credit card as I could find and took cash withdrawals on these cards to the tune of over $150,000.00 (including modest loans from my dear sister and brother), to get this 3rd business going. Yes, once again, I had everything hanging over the line in an effort to start another business. I had never manufactured anything, and I had to design and bring into production a complex hydraulic machine from an untested prototype to a reliable production model (in six months). How many nights I lay awake wondering if I had just made the paramount mistake of my life I cannot tell you, but there were plenty. I managed to get the pumps into production, which immediately created another 2 full time jobs in East Texas . Some of the models in the first year suffered from quality issues due to the poor workmanship of one of my key suppliers, so I and an employee (another East Texan employed) had to drive across the country to repair customers' pumps, practically from coast to coast. I stood behind the product, and made payments to all the credit cards that had financed me (and my brother and sister). I spent the next 5 years improving and refining the product, building a reputation for the pump and the company, working to get the pump into drill rig manufacturers' product lines, and paying back credit cards. During all this time I continued to manage a growing water well business that was now operating 3 drill rig crews, and 2 well service crews. Also, the screen service business continued to grow. No government programs were there to help me, Mr. Obama, but that's ok, I didn't expect any, nor did I want any. I was too busy fighting to make success happen to sit around waiting for the government to help me. Now, we have been manufacturing the mud pumps for 7 years, my combined businesses employ 32 full time employees, and distribute $5,000,000.00 annually through the local economy. Now, just 4 months ago I borrowed $1,254,000.00, purchasing computer controlled machining equipment to start my 4th business, a production machine shop. The machine shop will serve the mud pump company so that we can better manufacture our pumps that are being shipped worldwide. Of course, the machine shop will also do work for outside companies as well. This has already produced 2 more full time jobs, and 2 more should develop out of it in the next few months. This should work out, but if it doesn't it will be because you, and the other professional politicians like yourself, will have destroyed our countrys' (and the world) economy with your meddling with mortgage loan programs through your liberal manipulation and intimidation of loaning institutions to make sure that unqualified borrowers could get mortgages. You see, at the very time when I couldn't get a business loan to get my mud pumps into production, you were working with Acorn and the Community Reinvestment Act programs to make sure that unqualified borrowers could buy homes with no down payment, and even no credit or worse yet, bad credit. Even the infamous, liberal, Ninja loans (No Income, No Job or Assets). While these unqualified borrowers were enjoying unrealistically low interest rates, I was paying 22% to 24% interest on the credit cards that I had used to provide me the funds for the mud pump business that has created jobs for more East Texans. It's funny, because after 25 years of turning almost every dime of extra money back into my businesses to grow them, it has been only in the last two years that I have finally made enough money to be able to put a little away for retirement, and now the value of that has dropped
40% because of the policies you and your ilk have perpetrated on our country. You see, Mr. Obama, I'm the guy you intend to raise taxes on. I'm the guy who has spent 25 years toiling and sweating, fretting and fighting, stressing and risking, to build a business and get ahead. I'm the guy who has been on the very edge of bankruptcy more than a dozen times over the last 25 years, and all the while creating more and more jobs for East Texans who didn't want to take a risk, and would not demand from themselves what I have demanded from myself. I'm the guy you characterize as "the Americans who can afford it the most" that you believe should be taxed more to provide income redistribution "to spread the wealth" to those who have never toiled, sweated, fretted, fought, stressed, or risked anything. You want to characterize me as someone who has enjoyed a life of privilege and who needs to pay a higher percentage of my income than those who have bought into your entitlement culture. I resent you, Mr. Obama, as I resent all who want to use class warfare as a tool to advance their political career. What's worse, each year more Americans buy into your liberal entitlement culture, and turn to the government for their hope of a better life instead of themselves. Liberals are succeeding through more than 40 years of collaborative effort between the predominant liberal media, and liberal indoctrination programs in the public school systems across our land. What is so terribly sad about this is this. America was made great by people who embraced the one-time American culture of self reliance, self motivation, self determination, self discipline, personal betterment, hard work, risk taking. A culture built around the concept that success was in reach of every able bodied American who would strive for it. Each year that less Americans embrace that culture, we all descend together. We descend down the socialist path that has brought country after country ultimately to bitter and unremarkable states. If you and your liberal comrades in the media and school systems would spend half as much effort cultivating a culture of can-do across America as you do cultivating your entitlement culture, we could see Americans at large embracing the
conviction that they can elevate themselves through personal betterment, personal achievement, and self reliance. You see, when people embrace such ideals, they act on them. When people act on such ideals, they succeed. All of America could find herself elevating instead of deteriorating. But that would eliminate the need for liberal politicians, wouldn't it, Mr. Obama? The country would not need you if the country was convinced that problem solving was best left with individuals instead of the government. You and all your liberal comrades have got a vested interested in creating a dependent class in our country. It is the very business of liberals to create an ever expanding dependence on government. What's remarkable is that you, who have never produced a job in your life, are going to tax me to take more of my money and give it to people who wouldn't need my money if they would get off their entitlement mentality asses and apply themselves at work, demand more from themselves, and quit looking to liberal politicians to raise their station in life. You see, I know because I've had them work for me before. Hundreds of them over these 25 years. People who simply will not show up to work on time. People who just will not work 5 days in a week, much less, 6 days. People always looking for a way to put less effort out. People who actually tell me that they would do more if I just would first pay them more. People who take off work to sit in government offices to apply to get free government handouts (gee, I wonder how things would have turned out for them if they had spent that time earning money and pleasing their employer?). You see, all of this comes from your entitlement mentality culture. Oh, I know you will say I am uncompassionate. Sorry, Mr. Obama, wrong again. You see, I've seen what the average percentage of your income has been given to charities over the years of 2000 to 2004 (ignoring the years you started running for office - can you pronounce "politically motivated"), you averaged less than 1% annually. And your running mate, Joe Biden, averaged less than ¼% of his annual income in charitable contributions over the last 10 years. Like so many liberals, the two of you want to give to the needy, just as long as it is someone else's money you are giving to them. I won't say what I have given to charities over the last 25 years, but the percentage is several times more than you and Joe Biden combined (don't you just hate goggle?). Tell me again how you feel my pain. In short, Mr. Obama, your political philosophies represent everything that is wrong with our country. You represent the culture of government dependence instead of self reliance; Entitlement mentality instead of personal achievement; Penalization of the successful to reward the unmotivated; Political correctness instead of open mindedness and open debate. If you are successful, you may preside over the final transformation of America from being the greatest and most self-reliant culture on earth, to just another country of whiners and wimps, who sit around looking to the government to solve their problems. Like all of western Europe. All countries on the decline. All countries that, because of liberal socialistic mentalities, have a little less to offer mankind every year.
God help us...
Cory Miller
just a ordinary, extraordinary American, the way a lot of Americans used to be.
P.S. Yes, Mr. Obama, I am a real American... www.cmillerdrilling.com
Sam
----- Original Message -----
From: Sarah Rapp
To: Sam Kegley ; b henry whitehouse ; ben binns ; frank holland ; Jack Hughes ; denny goddard ; jim cook
Sent: 2008-10-29 00:03
Subject: Fw: Letter to Obama by a well driller
----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Anne Dawson
To: Thelma Jenkins
Cc: Jim Dawson
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2008 11:11:03 PM
Subject: Fw: Letter to Obama by a well driller
This is very long, but if you can even just scan over it you will see a heartfelt case made against socialism and Mr. Obama. M
This is the real reason why you don't want to vote for Obama. He just doesn't understand.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Given the furor about "Joe the plumber" I've written an open letter to Mr. Obama myself. I think it is worth the read. Maybe if Americans could take a closer look at what a small businessman is, they wouldn't want politicians penalizing their success. Feel free to forward it if you want to?¦ Cory
Mr. Obama, Given the uproar about the simple question asked you by Joe the plumber, and the persecution that has been heaped on him because he dared to question you, I find myself motivated to say a few things to you myself. While Joe aspires to start a business someday, I already have started not one, but 4 businesses. But first, let me introduce myself. You can call me "Cory the well driller". I am a 54 year old high school graduate. I didn't go to college like you, I was too ready to go "conquer the world" when I finished high school. 25 years ago at age 29, I started my own water well drilling business at a time when the economy here in East Texas was in a tailspin from the crash of the early 80's oil boom. I didn't get any help from the government, nor did I look for any. I borrowed what I could from my sister, my uncle, and even the pawn shop and managed to scrape together a homemade drill rig and a few tools to do my first job. My businesses did not start as a result of privilege. They are the result of my personal drive, personal ambition, self discipline, self reliance, and a determination to treat my customers fairly. From the very start my business provided one other (than myself) East Texan a full time job. I couldn't afford a backhoe the first few years (something every well drilling business had), so I and my helper had to dig the mud pits that are necessary for each and every job with hand shovels. I had to use my 10 year old, 1/2 ton pickup truck for my water tank truck (normally a job for at least a 2 ton truck). A year and a half after I started the business, I scraped together a
20% down payment to get a modest bank loan and bought a (28 year) old, worn out, slightly bigger drilling rig to allow me to drill the deeper water wells in my area. I spent the next few years drilling wells with the rig while simultaneously rebuilding it between jobs. Through these years I never knew from one month to the next if I would have any work or be able to pay the bills. I got behind on my income taxes one year, and spent the next two years paying that back (with penalty and interest) while keeping up with ongoing taxes. I got behind on my water well supply bill 2 different years (way behind the second time... $80,000.00), and spent over a year paying it back (each time) while continuing to pay for ongoing supplies C.O.D.. Of course, the personal stress endured through these experiences and years is hard to measure. I do have a stent in my heart now to memorialize it all. I spent the next 10 years developing the reputation for being the most competent and most honest water well driller in East Texas . 2 years along the way, I hired another full time employee for the drilling business so that we could provide full time water well pump service as well as the well drilling. Also, 3 years along the path, I bought a water well screen service machine from a friend, starting business # 2. 5 years later I made a business loan for $100,000.00 to build a new, higher production, computer controlled screen service machine. I had designed the machine myself, and it didn't work out for 3 years so I had to make the loan payments without the benefit of any added income from the new machine. No government program was there to help me with the payments, or to help me sleep at night as I lay awake wondering how I would solve my machine problems or pay my bills. Finally, after 3 years, I got the screen machine working properly, and that provided another full time job for an East Texan in the screen service business.
2 years after that, I made another business loan, this time for $250,000.00, to buy another used drilling rig and all the support equipment needed to run another, larger, drill rig. This provided another 2 full time jobs for East Texans. Again, I spent a couple of years not knowing if I had made a smart move, or a move that would bankrupt me. For the third time in 13 years, I had placed everything I owned on the line, risking everything, in order to build a business. A couple of years into this, I came up with a bright idea for a new kind of mud pump, a fundamentally necessary pump used on water well drill rigs. I spent my entire life savings to date (just $30,000.00), building a prototype of the pump and took it to the national water well convention to show it off. Customers immediately started coming out of the woodworks to buy the pumps, but there was a problem. I had depleted my assets making the prototype, and nobody would make me a business loan to start production of the new pumps. With several deposits for pump orders in hand, and nowhere to go, I finally started applying for as many credit card as I could find and took cash withdrawals on these cards to the tune of over $150,000.00 (including modest loans from my dear sister and brother), to get this 3rd business going. Yes, once again, I had everything hanging over the line in an effort to start another business. I had never manufactured anything, and I had to design and bring into production a complex hydraulic machine from an untested prototype to a reliable production model (in six months). How many nights I lay awake wondering if I had just made the paramount mistake of my life I cannot tell you, but there were plenty. I managed to get the pumps into production, which immediately created another 2 full time jobs in East Texas . Some of the models in the first year suffered from quality issues due to the poor workmanship of one of my key suppliers, so I and an employee (another East Texan employed) had to drive across the country to repair customers' pumps, practically from coast to coast. I stood behind the product, and made payments to all the credit cards that had financed me (and my brother and sister). I spent the next 5 years improving and refining the product, building a reputation for the pump and the company, working to get the pump into drill rig manufacturers' product lines, and paying back credit cards. During all this time I continued to manage a growing water well business that was now operating 3 drill rig crews, and 2 well service crews. Also, the screen service business continued to grow. No government programs were there to help me, Mr. Obama, but that's ok, I didn't expect any, nor did I want any. I was too busy fighting to make success happen to sit around waiting for the government to help me. Now, we have been manufacturing the mud pumps for 7 years, my combined businesses employ 32 full time employees, and distribute $5,000,000.00 annually through the local economy. Now, just 4 months ago I borrowed $1,254,000.00, purchasing computer controlled machining equipment to start my 4th business, a production machine shop. The machine shop will serve the mud pump company so that we can better manufacture our pumps that are being shipped worldwide. Of course, the machine shop will also do work for outside companies as well. This has already produced 2 more full time jobs, and 2 more should develop out of it in the next few months. This should work out, but if it doesn't it will be because you, and the other professional politicians like yourself, will have destroyed our countrys' (and the world) economy with your meddling with mortgage loan programs through your liberal manipulation and intimidation of loaning institutions to make sure that unqualified borrowers could get mortgages. You see, at the very time when I couldn't get a business loan to get my mud pumps into production, you were working with Acorn and the Community Reinvestment Act programs to make sure that unqualified borrowers could buy homes with no down payment, and even no credit or worse yet, bad credit. Even the infamous, liberal, Ninja loans (No Income, No Job or Assets). While these unqualified borrowers were enjoying unrealistically low interest rates, I was paying 22% to 24% interest on the credit cards that I had used to provide me the funds for the mud pump business that has created jobs for more East Texans. It's funny, because after 25 years of turning almost every dime of extra money back into my businesses to grow them, it has been only in the last two years that I have finally made enough money to be able to put a little away for retirement, and now the value of that has dropped
40% because of the policies you and your ilk have perpetrated on our country. You see, Mr. Obama, I'm the guy you intend to raise taxes on. I'm the guy who has spent 25 years toiling and sweating, fretting and fighting, stressing and risking, to build a business and get ahead. I'm the guy who has been on the very edge of bankruptcy more than a dozen times over the last 25 years, and all the while creating more and more jobs for East Texans who didn't want to take a risk, and would not demand from themselves what I have demanded from myself. I'm the guy you characterize as "the Americans who can afford it the most" that you believe should be taxed more to provide income redistribution "to spread the wealth" to those who have never toiled, sweated, fretted, fought, stressed, or risked anything. You want to characterize me as someone who has enjoyed a life of privilege and who needs to pay a higher percentage of my income than those who have bought into your entitlement culture. I resent you, Mr. Obama, as I resent all who want to use class warfare as a tool to advance their political career. What's worse, each year more Americans buy into your liberal entitlement culture, and turn to the government for their hope of a better life instead of themselves. Liberals are succeeding through more than 40 years of collaborative effort between the predominant liberal media, and liberal indoctrination programs in the public school systems across our land. What is so terribly sad about this is this. America was made great by people who embraced the one-time American culture of self reliance, self motivation, self determination, self discipline, personal betterment, hard work, risk taking. A culture built around the concept that success was in reach of every able bodied American who would strive for it. Each year that less Americans embrace that culture, we all descend together. We descend down the socialist path that has brought country after country ultimately to bitter and unremarkable states. If you and your liberal comrades in the media and school systems would spend half as much effort cultivating a culture of can-do across America as you do cultivating your entitlement culture, we could see Americans at large embracing the
conviction that they can elevate themselves through personal betterment, personal achievement, and self reliance. You see, when people embrace such ideals, they act on them. When people act on such ideals, they succeed. All of America could find herself elevating instead of deteriorating. But that would eliminate the need for liberal politicians, wouldn't it, Mr. Obama? The country would not need you if the country was convinced that problem solving was best left with individuals instead of the government. You and all your liberal comrades have got a vested interested in creating a dependent class in our country. It is the very business of liberals to create an ever expanding dependence on government. What's remarkable is that you, who have never produced a job in your life, are going to tax me to take more of my money and give it to people who wouldn't need my money if they would get off their entitlement mentality asses and apply themselves at work, demand more from themselves, and quit looking to liberal politicians to raise their station in life. You see, I know because I've had them work for me before. Hundreds of them over these 25 years. People who simply will not show up to work on time. People who just will not work 5 days in a week, much less, 6 days. People always looking for a way to put less effort out. People who actually tell me that they would do more if I just would first pay them more. People who take off work to sit in government offices to apply to get free government handouts (gee, I wonder how things would have turned out for them if they had spent that time earning money and pleasing their employer?). You see, all of this comes from your entitlement mentality culture. Oh, I know you will say I am uncompassionate. Sorry, Mr. Obama, wrong again. You see, I've seen what the average percentage of your income has been given to charities over the years of 2000 to 2004 (ignoring the years you started running for office - can you pronounce "politically motivated"), you averaged less than 1% annually. And your running mate, Joe Biden, averaged less than ¼% of his annual income in charitable contributions over the last 10 years. Like so many liberals, the two of you want to give to the needy, just as long as it is someone else's money you are giving to them. I won't say what I have given to charities over the last 25 years, but the percentage is several times more than you and Joe Biden combined (don't you just hate goggle?). Tell me again how you feel my pain. In short, Mr. Obama, your political philosophies represent everything that is wrong with our country. You represent the culture of government dependence instead of self reliance; Entitlement mentality instead of personal achievement; Penalization of the successful to reward the unmotivated; Political correctness instead of open mindedness and open debate. If you are successful, you may preside over the final transformation of America from being the greatest and most self-reliant culture on earth, to just another country of whiners and wimps, who sit around looking to the government to solve their problems. Like all of western Europe. All countries on the decline. All countries that, because of liberal socialistic mentalities, have a little less to offer mankind every year.
God help us...
Cory Miller
just a ordinary, extraordinary American, the way a lot of Americans used to be.
P.S. Yes, Mr. Obama, I am a real American... www.cmillerdrilling.com
Judi Cole sends- Logan the Sky Angel Cowboy
This is from our good Kentucky friend and fan, Judi Cole. I thought that I had received this message before, but watched it with great interest again. The message is fresh as ever from a young boy. Thanks Judi! **
A phone call from a 12-yr old boy to Houston radio station KSBJ FM 89.3.
So profound, the station has it posted on their website. It has been seen
by more than 13,000,000 people!
Click * below * to listen to it. This message, especially coming from such
a young boy, is incredible
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0r_FbARIn8&NR=1
I have yet to be successful in posting links on my blog. Please go to Google and put in Logan the Sky Angel Cowboy and click on one of the youtube links.
Sam
A phone call from a 12-yr old boy to Houston radio station KSBJ FM 89.3.
So profound, the station has it posted on their website. It has been seen
by more than 13,000,000 people!
Click * below * to listen to it. This message, especially coming from such
a young boy, is incredible
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0r_FbARIn8&NR=1
I have yet to be successful in posting links on my blog. Please go to Google and put in Logan the Sky Angel Cowboy and click on one of the youtube links.
Sam
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)