Rick Santorum... The Last of the Conservatives

"I could wile away the hours
Conferrin' with the flowers
Consultin' with the rain
And my head I'd be scratchin'
While my thoughts were busy hatchin'
If I only had a brain"

It has been a while since I've written on the Republican party's primary and their latest flavor of the month.  It looks like Rick Santorum is the "preferred" conservative by default... all the others self destructed with revealed indiscretions, adultery,  scandals, and above all else;  abject stupidity.  I do have to make a brief comment on Ron Paul. Ron Paul  isn't out of it but of course you can't win a nomination with 10% of your party's approval.  That's too bad, because I actually like Ron Paul., but I do understand the reluctance of the right-wing Republicans what with him wanting peace and all.  Horrible !  Even more so,  he is intelligent  which doesn't seem to be a very high priority.

So, now we have Mitt Romney (whom I have already endorsed in this blog) and Rick Santorum, the last Conservative standing.  Every time I hear Rick Santorum talking I think he sounds like someone a talk show host pulled out of an audience... "hey, you there.... come up here and let's see what you'd do to move our country forward".  I mean, he's so awkward and clumsy with his speeches.  It's like he's not even really sure what he thinks.  Then when he's firm with an opinion, it's something silly like wanting to vomit over a speech Kennedy make back in 1962, OR some remark implying contraception is bad (he does have 7 children, afterall), OR that he thinks Puerto Ricans should learn English before they become a state.  And of course, to keep all the conservatives smiling "Global Warming is a hoax".

As usual, since he's conservative the nut-case right wing Republicans feel like he is just right person to run the most powerful country in the world.  Never mind what his experience is, they only care what he "thinks".    Why should we care that he has no experience in administration?  Why should we care that he has no ideas for firming up the economy ?    In the middle of the worst recession since the Great Depression he commented that the economy is not the most important thing in this election, the most important issue is repealing Obamacare.   I can think of a few other things the President should prioritize besides a two year battle with Congress  (like our current President did).   I'm not a big fan of Obama, but Santorum compared his administration  to Germany in 1939, at the dawn of WW II !   I mean, Nazis !?  Seriously?!

He proceeds to babble on about "family values" and pays lip service to the Christian Right, but just as most Republicans before him, he will do NOTHING for them once in office.  They are the true suckers in all these presidential elections.

As is true for most extreme political thinkers, the more you hear him speak, the more it becomes obvious that his simplistic approach to a very complex country would be a disaster.   Mitt Romney ran a state, he started and ran a successful business, and he commandeered the Winter Olympics, successfully.   We need experience, we need focus on restoring the American middle class.  We need intelligence.   We need Mitt Romney.

In My Humble Opinion.....

Chuck Marshall

Separation of Church and Steak

There has been a lot of conversation about the separation of church and steak and I just wanted to say that I don't think there's a problem with steak in the church.  I have had steak at my church on several different occasions and was none the worse for it all.

Steak is good food and JC never said anything about it.  He did cast demons into the pigs which makes me hesitate to eat pork, especially since JC was Jewish and Jews don't eat pork.

For some obvious reasons I can see separating beans from the church, especially before any services.  I would support separation of church and beans.

There is a separation of church and wine that doesn't make sense to me.  Jesus turned water into wine (rather famously) but then when they serve communion we have to drink punch not wine?!  I would encourage no separation of church and wine.  Give me my wine with my cracker !

Should there be separation of church and other foods?  I would enjoy your comments.

Republican Party or Tea Party?

I've watched with interest this past  year as the Republican Party seems to be  morphing into the Tea Party.    I find it hard to distinguish the two.  What bugs me is if I'm going to vote for someone with a R in front of their name, I don't really know if that means the GOP I grew up with or the newly formed "Tea Party"?  I can't tell anymore !  Unfortunately for them, that means I'm now more inclined to consider the D candidate.  At least I know what I'm voting for in that circumstance. 

I don't like the Tea Party.  I find them ignorant and hysterical, unreasonable, unyielding, unfriendly, and uninformed.  UnAmerican.   They have latched onto a philosophy of "my way or the highway" mentallity that is very dangerous in these divisive times.   They villify anything they don't like as a tool of the "liberal" media, which is such a  lazy way to view the world.   They see conspiracy in every new scientific revelation.  Most of all, they endeavor will all their heart, and all  their soul and all  their mind that Obama will be voted out of office.  In fact, that's all they really do "think" about. 

So, the old reliable Republican party is no longer something I can count on.  This recent primary election has been more of a tug of war between the GOP and this cancer within itself.  The entire primary election season has been nothing but a parade of "flavors of the month", each one simply not quite as stupid as the previous.  The only candidate with the right experience and interest in American business, Mitt Romney is disliked by this  "Tea Party/Republican Party"  because he doesn't fit their mold of the ideal candidate;  one who mistrusts science,  panders to the religious extremes, and is openly hostile to all media except Fox news.    What a total disgrace they've become.  This Tea cancer is spreading fast and I have little faith in the future of the Republican party.   What was once a magnificent organization that represented the individualistic and capitalist ideals of our country well is now a bumbling dunce stuck in the corner breathing through its mouth with spittle on its angry little chin mumbling about Obamacare. 

In My Humble Opinion,

Chuck Marshall

p.s. If you enjoyed this at all, I'd appreciate it if you clicked an ad on my blog... here to your right... just click it, you don't have  to buy anything.... . I need the money. 

 

Romney is the Ticket for the Presidency

On the eve of the Florida Primary, being a lifetime Floridian I felt compelled to issue a blog mentioning who I think should lead our country for the next 4 years, even though I cannot vote in the primary because I'm an Independent.  (The state of Florida doesn't allow me to exercise my constitutional right !  Read all about it at this link.   http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-01-25/news/os-ed-letters-hydrilla-lake-apopka-012512-20120124_1_hydrilla-school-closings-lake-toho   See the second title;  "Closed primary encourages the same old gridlock".  Yes, my friends CMHO has been pulished again ! )

As you have probably gathered from my title, it's Mitt Romney that I support  for the Florida Primary.   I am endorsing Romney for the Republican nomination and for the Presidency if he is the Republican nominee.  If the Republican is another person or if there is no other Independent alternative, I will have to do some thinking.  Why Romney?  I think his experience in the business world and his success running the Olympics as well as administrative experience as governor of Massachusettes make him very well suited to the position.   In addition, he is clean.  I really cannot imagine any scandal befalling Romney.  Finally, I see him as being very open to "negotiating" with the Democrats when it is necessary.  No more of this moronic "no compromise" attitude from the mouth breathing right wing of the Republican party.  We need action, not 2 more years of goofy, childish bickering.

Gingrich?  I could never vote for Newt Gingrich for the presidency, EVER !   I think he is a crook, an adulterer, a liar, a lobbyist (lowest of lows) and he says whatever he thinks the audience wants to hear.  He is more than your typical  politician... he's a slimy, no good Washington insider with whom all who worked with have nothing but bad things to say about him.  They say he was a terrible manager, a terrible leader, he was a disgrace to the Republican party.  He lies about Reagan being a "buddy" of his, he lies about his record as a Congressman, he lies about his relationship with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for whom he was paid $1.5 Million to "help" them get influence in Washington.  He speaks of getting our country back on track when he is, quite literally, one of the people who was directly responsible for the Real Estate collapse of the last 4 years.   I find it ironic that the Tea Party is still the one group of people that actually considers him because he is EXACTLY what is wrong with our government today.  He is slime.  He is seepage.  He's a toad, a troll, a disgrace to the election event.  OK.  Maybe not that bad, but Lord he isn't good.........

So, vote for Mitt Romney he has the presence, the intelligence, the determination, the experience and the ability to get our country united again... and boy does he want the job.

Mitt Romney, you're hired !

In My Humle Opinion,

Chuck Marshall

Hope and Tim Tebow

Before I type a word on Tim Tebow I have to allow the reader to understand something;   I worship the water he walks on !  You see, I am a Florida Alumni, Gator fanatic and anyone that makes the Gators look better makes me happy.  With that in mind, imagine squaring the feeling and then squaring it again.... that's how I feel about Tim Tebow.

The first time I had the pleasure of seeing him was when my wife and I attended a game in Gainesville, it was the  2006  UF VS LSU game, the year UF eventually trounced Ohio State in the national championship game (a victory worthy of its own blog).  The game was proceeding somewhat quietly and then Urban Meyer sends out our new quarterback  (back up to Chris Leek that year) and this kid just electrified the stadium.   I mean, his body language and enthusiasm were palpable.  Before you knew it the team was waking up and the fans were in a rabid state... you could literally see how nervous we were making the "Bayou Tigers", they were fumbling and bumbling all over the field and Tim Tebow was railroading right over them...... it was sooooooo great !  We went on to trounce LSU by 20 points.  So from that moment forward...... my wife and I have been smitten.

The stories of Tebow's generosity and authentic Christian behavior have been very well covered in the press.  Most of the stories about Tim himself by the media have been almost overwhelmingly positive about what he does to help people.  One of my favorites is http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/7455943/believing-tim-tebow

All the Christian stuff and good deeds were a nice bonus since we are religious., though not evangelical.  Fast forward to 2012.  You all know how this story ends up.  Tebow captures the heart of Denver and the fans insist he be played and all the "experts" expect him to flop immediately but something happens.  He is successful !  OK, he doesn't win all his games but he wins most of them which is more than you can say for most other QB's in the NFL if my math is right.  Oh, they still say his mechanics are wrong and he can't throw a forward pass, etc.... BUT he's getting results and the NFL establishment does not like that.  It makes them look like fools and arrogant stuffed shirt, ex-jocks can't stand looking like fools.

Another group of people don't like all his success either.  Atheists and the anti-religious.  When Tebow fails the atheists are delighted and Atheists such as Bill Maher say disgusting things about Tebow because atheists like Bill Maher are frightened by the remote possibility that evangelicals are correct and they will burn in the lake of fire forever.  When Tebow gets creamed on the field it gives their hearts hope that the whole God thing is indeed all wrong, and they can go back to their lives of chance and circumstance with no concern for a future of eternal thirst and hunger.

Finally, the most mystifying group;  other Christians.  Some Christians, and I'm ashamed to admit they are often Presbyterians (I've been Presbyterian for 12 years)  look down their noses at evangelicals as if they are a dreaded fungus.  These people see Tebow as being too loud about his faith and he even has the audacity to thank "Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior" every time the media interviews him. Gasp !  This group, quite frankly is the most disappointing to me., but it has also opened my eyes to something.  To these people I ask;  How can you condemn a Southern Baptist (the church I was raised in)  for spreading the word of God when that is what is drummed into their heads from day 1?  Tim Tebow is simply doing exactly what he was raised  to do !   In his mind, he's simply being a good Christian., he knows no other way to behave and be faithful.  And besides, I think the American public can tolerate kneeling in prayer  (Tebowing) and one sentence mentioning Jesus Christ as a gesture of faith and thanks. Sorry it embarasses you, but I don't see the Baptist church shrinking like the Presbyterian church.

So, I guess you could say I'm having a little battle within myself.  The Baptist in me is mocking the Presbyterian in me for its lame commitment to God and Jesus and that I've committed so much time to a denomination that might not really be the answer for me.   A lukewarm denomination that is so self satisfied it finds it hard to embrace such a positive role model as Tim Tebow.    I've said it before and I'll say it again, Tim Tebow is probably the best example of what a Christian should be today in our world and the fact that he says it out loud has allowed many, many more people to be curious of our religion.   There could be millions of people who are better not from Tebow's actual philanthropy but from the fact that he offers hope in a world that has so little.

In My Humble Opinion.

Chuck Marshall