It appears that the liberal left has not yet cornered the market from the looney bin. While the Democratic Party has it's George Clooney's, it's John Edwards, Hillary Clintons and Rosie O'Donnells, the Republicans are stuck with Ron Paul.
The fact is, the Republican party needs to change course in order to maintain it's hold in Washington DC and to do so means seperating itself from the undesirable elements who have nearly destroyed us and what our party initially stood for.
This means weeding out the Ron Paul elements within our party. Ron Paul is not a Republican but a Libertarian hiding behind sheep's clothing. He is a nutcase who believes in 9/11 conspiracy theories and who is willing to blame America for everything that is wrong with the world. His 'Austrian economic' theory is illogical when looked at in a modern context. His desire to return the Constitution to it's pre-Civil War form is just a smoke screen to hide his affiliation with the League of the South and other Neo-Confederate, white supremacist groups who desire to place blacks and other minorities further down the ladder of equality than they are. Be careful as to what amendments would be removed from our Constitution if Ron Paul ever becomes President.
Liberatarians have long called for an alliance with the Republicans but I warn you that they are not a people we should be in political bed with. They believe in 'choice' when it comes to abortion and drug use. They believe that prostitution should be legalized. Libertarians are far removed from both Reaganomics or even Reagan, or Lincoln for that matter.
Paul, like the Democrats, desires to 'surrender' our troops in Iraq; to bring them home in disgrace. This would be a mistake greater than the one made when we invaded in 2003 for it would signal to the terrorists that the United States has no backbone and could be easily pushed around just like Europe. Paul is nothing more than a modern day Neville Chamberlain yelling 'peace in our time' while Hitler conquered Europe. Paul's 'peace' would allow Iraq to fall further in to civil war or be divided up by Syria, Saudi Arabia or Iran.
Republicans do not surrender nor do they run from their mistakes. We made a mistake in Iraq and now it is our duty to correct that mistake. By correcting this mistake we also gain in the long run by installing the first democratic regime smack dab in the heart of Islamic extremist central. Duty, of course, is a word alien to both the Democrats and the Libertarians. What a combination: socialist democrats and white power Libertarians. Both opposite ends of an extreme mixed together in the same pot. Not only does the United States have enemies without but also within.
If you wish to vote for Ron Paul, by all means do so, but I ask you to first look beyond the propaganda he promotes and take a real hard look at both the man and his past associations. Do this for both your sake and for our future's sake.
This is my first blog in a long while. How long? Well, long enough that I forgot my original log-in and password; that's how long.
My name is Mike Kotyk and I am a retired Chief Aerographer's Mate from the US Navy. What is an Aerographer's Mate? Pretty much, nothing more than fancy lingo for someone who makes maps of the sky or, in layman's terms, a weather forecaster.
I was placed on terminal leave last month. My official 'retirement' date is January 31st. The word retirement is, of course, a misnomer because I have no plans to actually be retired as the term implies.
It has been difficult readjusting back to a civilian lifestyle after 20 years with the Fleet. For the first couple of days back home I woke up early and confused; not recognizing my bedroom, and feeling that I had to be somewhere (which I normally did at 5am every morning).
I am also adjusting back to Pennsylvania's culture after spending the last 15 years in Norfolk, Virginia. Personally, I do not miss Virginia at all and the food there was so bland that it left something to be desired. I also do not miss the traffic. Norfolk thinks itself to be a major US city but, in reality, it could fit snugly within the confines of Philadelphia.
I was born in Wilkes Barre but, already, I claim Philadelphia my home even though I live on the outskirts of town in Elkins Park. Philly has some of the best food around and it's great to be up at 11pm and still be able to order a pizza or hoagie. In Norfolk, restaraunts close by 10pm unless you want to eat the cuisine served at IHOP. Hoagie? Southerners have no idea what that is. They call them subs and I made the mistake, once, of ordering a 'sub' and got a response from the other end of the phone stating, 'what's that?' By the way, Norfolk has the worst cheesesteaks in the world and their pizza tastes like cardboard.
Did I knock Norfolk enough?
As to what the future holds for me, that question is still up in the air. There is little need for a weather forecaster here in Philadelphia or much anywhere else for that matter. Computers and a gluttony of forecasters compared to a drought in the amount of jobs has placed my career in meteorology on hold. I plan to complete my degree, which I am 4 courses shy of doing, and then seeing what I can find as far as employment.
Until then, I think I hear Target and Wal-Mart calling.
