I felt like ending this work week on a humorous note....

by Sean Overpeck

Humans originally existed as members of small bands of nomadic hunters/gatherers. They lived on deer in the mountains during the summer and would go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in the winter.

The two most important events in all of history were:

1. The invention of beer, and
2. The invention of the wheel.

The wheel was invented to get man to the beer.

These were the foundation of modern civilization and together were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct subgroups:

1. Liberals
2. Conservatives.

Once beer was discovered, it required grain and that was the beginning of agriculture. Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can were invented yet, so while our early humans were sitting around waiting for them to be invented, they just stayed close to the brewery. That's how villages were formed.

Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to B-B-Q at night while they were drinking beer. This was the beginning of what is known as the Conservative movement.

Other men who were weaker and less skilled at hunting learned to live off the Conservatives by showing up for the nightly B-B-Q's and doing the sewing, fetching, and hair dressing. This was the beginning of the Liberal movement.

Some of these Liberal men eventually evolved into women. The rest became known as girlie-men.

Some noteworthy Liberal achievements include the domestication of cats, the invention of group therapy, group hugs, and the concept of Democratic voting to decide how to divide the meat and beer that Conservatives provided.

Over the years Conservatives came to be symbolized by the largest, most powerful land animal on earth, the elephant. Liberals are and were always symbolized by the jackass.

Modern liberals like imported beer (with lime added), but most prefer white wine or imported bottled water. They eat raw fish but like their beef well done. Sushi, tofu, and French food are standard liberal fare.Another interesting evolutionary side note: Most of their women have higher testosterone levels than their men. Most social workers, personal injury attorneys, journalists, dreamers in Hollywood, and group therapists are Liberals. Liberals invented the designated hitter rule because it wasn't fair to make the pitcher also bat.

Conservatives drink domestic beer. They eat red meat and still provide for their women. Conservatives are big-game hunters, rodeo cowboys, lumberjacks, construction workers, firemen, medical doctors, police officers, corporate executives, athletes, Coast Guard Officers and generally anyone who works productively. Conservatives who own companies hire other Conservatives who want to work for a living.

Liberals produce little or nothing. They like to govern the producers and decide what to do with the production. Liberals believe that Europeans are more enlightened than Americans. That is why most of the Liberals remained in Europe when Conservatives were coming to America.They crept in after the Wild West was tamed and created a business of trying to get more for nothing.
Here ends today's lesson in world history.......

It should be noted that a Liberal may have a momentary urge to angrily respond to the above before forwarding it.

A Conservative will simply laugh and be so convinced of the absolute truth of this history that it will be forwarded immediately to other true believers and to more liberals just to piss them off....

by Dacia Nichol

What does it mean to be a responsible American? In today's age of bailouts, welfare, and other categories calling for an open hand, we're seeing a sense of entitlement beyond any sort of justifiable reason. It is one thing to accept the precipitations of capitalism and provide some type of buffer from the very bottom of the bin - after all, the world needs "ditch diggers" too and having a crummy job that needs to be done by someone doesn't mean you deserve to be thumbed down by the entire country. But when does the buffer become the very means of survival itself? When does the hand up become the expected hand out? When did we decide that the government owed us tangible goods instead of just the pure liberty sought by the citizens before us? When did we trade personal prosperity for a government provided version?

We always hear the rhetoric about what the Founding Fathers intended for this country, so instead of repeating the same points or pushing an interpretation agenda, I'm just going to sum their vision with three familiar concepts not up for debate:

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

I don't recall there being any sort of asterisks on those concepts. The quote isn't "...life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness...as provided by government." America has always been about the opportunity to be anything you want to strive for - equality in opportunity, NOT outcome.

I've seen bumper stickers, t-shirts, comedian acts, Radio City shows, television ads, and even pop songs that all seem to be centered around blaming someone else for every problem that exists in the world today - in particular, George W. Bush. The man had his problems, and his policies are fair game for criticism. That I will give you. But when you blame the president for your credit card bills, your children's lack of a father, your McJob, or even world hunger - darling, it's time for some self-reflection.

For the 2008 elections, we saw the massive uprising that rejected everything that Republicans came to represent - nation building, illegal spying on citizens, spending, and amnesty...just to name a few. In order to disguise the fact that all of the hated policies happened to be what were once traditionally liberal ideas (American liberals I mean), the socialist left demonized a single man as being the root of all evil. Little Kimmy failed her spelling test - damn that Bush. This line at the airport is taking forever - damn that Bush. My hospital bill is so ridiculous - damn that Bush! We all want to be mad at someone - let's try looking within. Did you need those new sunglasses? What about that cruise and the 10 bottles of Vodka you went through every week? I don't think a big man in a black suit was hovering over you as you swiped Lady Visa at the checkout.

Let me use a broader example - if the government was able to wreak all that havoc in just 8 short years, then where the heck were we, the American people? Why are our politicians gallivanting around the country, running with children's ideas of a better world that have done nothing but plunge us into debt and killed our chance at happiness through skyrocketing taxes? Who's fault is that? We're not even paying attention to what our elected officials are doing, so how can we blame them for what they're doing to the extent that we have? There's no one to blame but ourselves - our corrupt government is a direct reflection of what American responsibility has become. It's time for us to be accountable as citizens and in doing so, hold our officials accountable for their actions. American responsibility needs to make a comeback in 2010 and 2012.

by Thomas Craig

Last night on my way home from work, I was reading the news on my blackberry just like I do every other night.  I didn't expect to read anything particularly shocking and let's face it, with the Democrats in charge there is not much more that would actually surprise me.  However, last night turned out to be rather memorable for me.  I came across a headline about Texas Governor Rick Perry.  It turns out that Gov. Perry and the Texas Legislature are trying to pass a House Resolution (HCR 50) in support of States Rights under the 10th Amendment.  Please watch the following video and see what a Politician who understands the Constitution sounds like.  Gov. Perry has risen exponentially in my mind as a Leader of the new Republican movement.  I have been asked several times what I thought of the Tea Parties and I am totally in favor of them, however, I believe that the system is so far corrupted and the federal government is so distant and abusive of the powers granted to them by the Constitution, that the only real progress must come from within the Government.  This of course is not an easily attainable task since it would require Politicians to regulate themselves and limit the amount of money and power that they accumulate.  There are several things that the Government could do to return this Country to the one envisioned by the Founding Fathers and returning our Government to the limits imposed on them by the 10th Amendment is an excellent start.  The People of Texas should feel proud that they have elected a true patriot and a role model for Politicians throughout America.  Watch the following, it is worth it!

by Thomas Craig

Every so often, America finds itself in a position where we look back and say, "why the heck did we do that"?  Unfortunately, this always occurs AFTER we go ahead with some idea that seemed really good at the time.  Well my friends, we actually have the luxury right now of being confronted with one of these super ideas and if we are loud enough, perhaps we can stop a bad idea before it makes things worse.  In President Obama's ongoing adventure of "Barack and the Super-Friends save the world", there is now a proposal to combat global warming using what the President's science advisor calls "Geo-engineering".  Now I'm not one of those people who claim global warming is a lie, and I'm certainly not one of the nut-bags who pray to Al Gore and hold my Captain Planet ring close to my heart at all times.  Does global warming exist?  I don't know.  The only difference between Al Gore and myself is that I admit I don't know and I'm not making millions off terrifying millions around the world.  At the very least, I don't argue with the global warming nuts because with every effort to make America more "green", we pull ourselves away from foreign oil and create jobs at home.  Not a bad thing at all, I only wish all liberal rhetoric had such wonderful outcomes.  John Holdren, the President's science advisor, believes that the global warming epidemic is so catastrophic that the White House is considering drastic measures to "cool" the Earth.  Now listen, I do believe that the Bush Administration far too often cast aside scientific data in favor of ideology.  Not a great idea but it is far safer than a liberal agenda of implementing radical experiments to which we could not possibly predict the consequences for.  Our Planet has a remarkable ability to heal itself.  If we can cut down on pollution, I'm sure it will make it that much easier for the Planet to heal itself.  These ideas, such as shooting sulfur particles into the upper atmosphere to replicate a volcano erupting and blocking out the sun thereby cooling the Earth, is one of those ideas that we would look back on and ask ourselves, "why the heck did we do that?"  There is also a plan to plant artificial trees which capture and store pollutants.  If only nature could come up with something so creative.  You know, something like, REAL TREES.  Listen, if it makes people feel better to plant a fake tree, go for it.  I even accept the fact that it will most likely cost taxpayers billions of dollars.  I'm for it as long as it keeps the Government away from some crazy experiment that will result in consequences much worse than what we started with.  Mother Nature will take care of itself, let’s help it, but let’s not be so naive to think that the only way it will survive is with a coveted Obama bailout.

There is something very frightening that is happening in New York City.  As a New Yorker, I see it more and more firsthand, and as an American I fear it is spreading throughout the Country.  The idea of personal responsibility is all but diminished in the city that never sleeps.  A few weeks ago, a young man left court with a verdict reward of $2.3 Million.  What did this young man do to receive such a reward?  Well, this gentleman a few years ago decided to go to a bar to watch a hockey game and wanted to kick back a few beers.  No problems, all good fun.  When he left the bar, he was so intoxicated that he could not even remember the details of what followed.  What did follow was a drunken stumble down to a subway platform and a subsequent dive off of the platform on to the tracks.  Now for those not familiar with the NYC subway system, there are spaces underneath the platforms which you could fit multiple people in if you tried.  Both outside and inside these spaces is garbage.  A lot of garbage.  Subway cars arrive every few minutes and breeze past the garbage routinely, not thinking much of it.  A subway car approached the platform where the drunken man had fallen and by the time the conductor of the train (a longtime Veteran of the MTA with a spotless record) realized that there was a person on the tracks, the train had accidentally run over the mans leg, severing it.  Now I feel for this guy, it has to be a nightmare having your leg cut off by a train.  What I don't understand is that a jury decided that this man held virtually no responsibility for this accident.  It is a terrible event, however, this man made the choice to drink to the point where he couldn't even recall the moment his leg was cut off.  I'm not saying the conductor is free of fault, but all he did was perform his job as usual and a horrible accident occurred.  To say he is at complete blame is to say that the conductor realized that there was a man on the tracks and maliciously continued to drive the train.  This is an accident which occurred because of the choices this drunken man made.  Skip forward a few weeks and I happened to come across the story of a poor woman who was raped on the subway not long ago.  The woman was assaulted on a subway platform late one night on her way home from school.  What makes this particular story even more tragic and frightening is that TWO subway workers witnessed the entire rape and did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to stop it!  The two workers both pressed a panic button to alert their superiors that there was an incident on the platform.  They did not even pick up a phone and directly call police or better yet, get off their behinds and try to HELP THE WOMAN!  I read about how the woman made eye contact with one of the workers who just stared back at her and made no attempt to help her.  Her life was practically ruined that day and when she rightfully tried to sue the MTA for virtually being an accessory to her rape, a Judge threw out her lawsuit and said the subway workers did all they legally had to do.  These two workers who stood by and did nothing are disgusting human beings and the fact that they felt they had no responsibility to stop a horrific crime occuring right in front of them is insulting to anyone with any sort of morals.  This is what the city has become and this is what our country is becoming.  A Nation of people who sit by and watch everything around us burn, while stupidity and arrogance are being rewarded time and time again.   At what point will we return to an era of personal responsibility and common sense?  Or will we just toss it aside permanently in the name of progression?

by Thomas Craig

Obama, we believe in thee.  It seems that reality is slowly creeping in to the mind of the man who came on a horse named "Change".  Just a few months in, the President is witnessing the harsh realities of the world.  He is learning that despite his election and massive campaign rallies, people around the world are protesting and (surprise, surprise) they still hate America.  The last eight years led many, especially Obama, to believe that the world did not hate America, they just hated George W. Bush.  Well, it seems that the protests abroad have not subsided, only slightly switched demographics.  Instead of seeing Muslims in the mideast protest against America every day, we now see Europeans and Russians protesting every day.  Add to this the continual Tea Party Protests occuring across our Country, and you get a universal harmony which comes a bit short from the Utopia promised to us by Obama.  The President has ended the War on Terror yet he continues an "Overseas Contingency Operation" because those darn terrorists just don't seem to realize that Obama is the President and they can stop hating America now.  The United States which used to maintain a strong presence in the world, now seems to become a running joke amongst hostile Nations.  North Korea obviously does not think much of Obama's threats over their missile launch, and they were proven to be right.  After all the rhetoric and warnings, North Korea is still going to launch the missile test  and we are going to roll over and smile as they do it.  Obama is meeting with Russian President Medvedev at the G20 summit to try and improve relations.  They will smile and shake hands, and then Medvedev will return to his Country which is hanging on by a thread and continue the scapegoating of the evil Americans.  Obama's efforts in Russia will be as useful as his efforts in Iran.  No matter how "nice" we are to them, these Nations will continue to hate us because as long as their Governments can blame their problems on us, their people will be distracted away from the failings of their own Leaders.  European Leaders, mostly extreme left-wingers by American standards, are almost unanimously against Obama's economic recovery plans.  It's not that I believe that the career politicans leading Europe know more than a one-term Senator and Community Organizer from Chicago, it's just that I think the Leaders of Europe (who don't have our finances) are reluctantly restricted by logic in finding solutions to the economic mess.  Obama the saviour, who wanted to turn America into the shining light and beacon of hope in the world once again, is instead turning us into the misguided, laughed at, wrecking ball, Paris Hilton of the world.

by Thomas Craig

Many visitors to AmericanTusk.com have emailed me specifically about the Employee Free Choice Act or as many of us call it, the “Employee NO Choice Act”, which amongst many other detrimental features, would eliminate the secret ballot voting implemented today.  I am particularly interested in this topic due to my own personal experiences with Unions.  First, allow me to state that I am in a Union.  Second, believe me when I say that I am very much against Unions.  I was forced to join the Union because years ago when I got hired on a new job, it was already a Union position so my choice was to either join the Union or not accept the position.  I have worked many non-union jobs and in those positions I have expanded my talent base, was offered new opportunities, and was treated fairly to the extent of the law.  My Union position, after my bi-weekly dues, did not offer me much more money than when I held non-union jobs and completely restricted many opportunities and training.  Unions have become blackmailers of corporate America.  A good friend of mine entered a position that was non-union about two years ago.  The Union, which oversaw the majority of the jobs in his profession, wanted my friend’s position to become Union as well.  He was not opposed, however, the Union insisted that my friend not accept any work until Management unionized him.  Unfortunately, my friend was not in a financial position to turn down any work so while he supported the Union efforts, he continued to work.  The remaining weeks included Union thugs calling him and persistently threatening him.  They would also resort to attempting to sabotage his work whenever possible.  These are the people who were supposedly “looking out for him.”  Modern day Unions are, I believe, unnecessary.  In the past they were essential to the creation of safe and secure jobs in the workplace and they were instrumental in the creation of many of our labor laws.  These labor laws have become more than sufficient in ensuring the safety and security of employees.  The Unions now focus on obtaining more and more benefits for less and less work.  The auto industry is a perfect example of how Unions have crippled an entire industry.  Their greed and arrogance has caused an industry that was created in America to fall behind foreign competitors.  Now we are witnessing the fall of the American auto companies.  Employees know this and they understand it.  Given the choice, 74% of Union workers favor keeping the current system of secret ballots.  If workers were forced to publicly decide, they would be subject to harassment and intimidation, much like my friend was subjected to.  The Government knows this, so why do they support the EFCA?  Perhaps the Democrats want this passed because this Bill would expand the Government’s control over privately owned companies.  If Employees and Management cannot come to an agreement over a contract, the EFCA would allow the Government to step in and create a contract for all to abide by for 2 years which would be when the negotiations can be reopened.  The Government would dictate all facets of the company from benefits for workers to mergers, subcontracting, and general management.  This is a further example and a testament to the socialist state that we are turning into.  We were promised “Change”.  Boy, are we getting it!

by Thomas Craig

Have I forgot anything?  I just wanted to run down the list of ways we pay for the outrageous spending in Washington. 

Accounts Receivable Tax 
Building Permit Tax 
CDL License Tax 
Cigarette Tax 
Corporate Income Tax 
Dog License Tax 
Federal Income Tax 
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA) 
Fishing License Tax 
Food License Tax 
Fuel Permit Tax 
Gasoline Tax 
Hunting License Tax 
Inheritance Tax 
Inventory Tax 
IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax) 
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax) 
Liquor Tax 
Luxury Tax 
Marriage License Tax 
Medicare Tax 
Property Tax 
Real Estate Tax 
Service charge taxes 
Social Security Tax 
Road Usage Tax (Truckers) 
Sales Taxes 
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax 
State Income Tax 
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA) 
Telephone Federal Excise Tax 
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax 
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax 
Telephone State and Local Tax 
Telephone Usage ChargeTax 
Utility Tax 
Vehicle License Registration Tax 
Vehicle Sales Tax 
Watercraft Registration Tax 
Well Permit Tax 
Workers Compensation Tax 

Call me crazy, but I enjoyed the press conference last night.  I was highly amused at the awkwardness between the President and several members of the Press.  I laughed when Obama got agitated and snapped at CNN's Ed Henry.  There were legitimate questions being asked and the President danced around each one.  I think it is because of this reason that the Press was getting frustrated and kept asking follow up questions which were simply just reiterating the original question.  It's great when Obama gets angry at the media for not just rolling over and wagging their tails as if he wants to say, "how dare you question me!"  The greatest question of the night was definitely about the deficit and the passing on of trillions in debt to future generations.  This, of course, is in direct contrast to his campaign promise of not pushing our problems on down the road to our children.  I was also pleased to see that the expansion of Government which the President is requesting was brought up.  The President wants to grant the Government the power to take control of financial companies.  I would love, just once, to hear a reporter ask the President or his pets in Congress a simple question.  I want to hear "How much Government is too much?"  I want to see what the President says about that.  To a much lesser degree I'm interested in Congressional Democrats answer to that as well.  I want to hear it from all of them except Pelosi and Frank.  To be honest, the sight and sound of Pelosi and Frank make me nauseas now.  (I'm becoming allergic to bullsh*t.)  We are down a troubling path but next year we have a chance to start correcting our mistakes.  I believe it is crucial for us to vote out these socialists in Congress.  That is the beauty of Democracy, we can vote them out.  That is, until the Government takes that away as well.

by Thomas Craig