Up the Politicians...

By John Henry

If a politician tells me its daytime, Im going to walk outside and check

John Henry is an average American. He loves his family. Hes not rich or politically connected. Hes kept his nose clean, served in the military, votes and plays by the rules. He believes in this country and idolizes American heroes. He loves the American culture and freedom. He loves and respects those who have made the sacrifices for his freedoms. He believes in God and wishes the best for his fellow man. He respects the rights and privacy of all. He wonders what has happened to his country and the leaders we have previously elected. He wonders what has happened to the qualities of courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit. He wonders why our political leaders have failed us. He wonders why the government has declared war on him. For the first time, hes decided to fight back and voice his opinions about many things concerning the American politician and federal government. Hes mad as hell and hes not going to take it any longer!

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Aug 19, 2011
• ISBN: 9781450261142

Book preview

Up the Politicians

                                                   John Henry

If a politician tells me it’s daytime, I’m going to walk outside and check

John Henry is an average American. He loves his family. He’s not rich or politically connected. He’s kept his nose clean, served in the military, votes and plays by the rules. He believes in this country and idolizes American heroes. He loves the American culture and freedom. He loves and respects those who have made the sacrifices for his freedoms. He believes in God and wishes the best for his fellow man. He respects the rights and privacy of all. He wonders what has happened to his country and the leaders we have previously elected. He wonders what has happened to the qualities of courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit. He wonders why our political leaders have failed us. He wonders why the government has declared war on him. For the first time, he’s decided to fight back and voice his opinions about many things concerning the American politician and federal government. He’s mad as hell and he’s not going to take it any longer!

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Contents

Up the Politicians

Dedication

Introduction

Why I love the United States of America

Foreword

My View of American History

My Heroes

The Supreme Court and the Judiciary

Elections and Election Reform

The Bill of Rights

Issues, Concerns, Opinions, and Circumstances

Election Reform

Term Limits

Abortion

Gay Marriage

The Three Branches of Government

Criminal Justice System

The Economy

Education

National Security

Taxes

Immigration

Trade

Environment

Religion

Lawyers

Unions

Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs

Civil Rights

Political Correctness

The Census

Politician’s Pay and Benefits

Guns

Veterans

Health Care

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

Protection of Children

My Views of the Future

Be careful what you ask for, you might get it!

Conclusion—Hope

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the memory of my son, Shelby, who passed away suddenly in January, 2011 at the age of thirty-five. Shelby touched the lives of those who knew him in so many ways and he was a comfort to many in need. Shelby was a man with a strong and independent personality, great character and indomitable spirit. Politically, he was a Libertarian and he believed in The Bill of Rights. He loved his family, he loved his Dobermans, Gus, Arnold, Tara and Fritz and he loved his cats, Peanut and Cleo. His life with us brought both his mother and I much love, joy and hope, but there is a loss to our family that can never be filled or replaced. We have children from first marriages, but Shelby was our only child together and he is greatly loved and will be sorely missed. God bless Shelby and keep his soul until we are all reunited again.

Introduction

I have no loyalties to any political party. My opinions are based upon practicality, not political alliances. I find it both sad and amusing that all politicians accuse each other (by political party) of doing exactly of what they do themselves; I think this is called hypocrisy. Unfortunately, political pundits do the same thing.

I’m just an average guy, nothing special, and probably would never be considered an expert on anything. The only time any politician or pundit would have an interest in me is at election time when they are looking for my vote (I do vote). I’m not rich and I don’t have any rich and powerful political friends. My family was not rich; my father owned a small appliance store and worked hard to support his family. My mother was born into wealth, but her family lost everything in the stock market crash of 1929. They lived through The Great Depression and World War II. My father was drafted into the Army Air Corps at the age of 34. My twin brother and I were adopted at birth in 1947, by these most wonderful people whom I’m proud to call my mother and father. My brother died of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) in 1947. My father was a Southern Baptist from Georgia and my mother was a Quaker from Pennsylvania. They taught us that hard work was its own reward, to respect others’ beliefs, be honest and of good character, have faith in God, help those who cannot help themselves, and remember that freedom is not free. My mother died in 1986 from lung cancer, and my father died in 1991 from Alzheimer’s disease.

I graduated from high school in 1965 and started junior college. In 1967, I enlisted in the United States Air Force and served honorably. In 1968, I married my high school sweetheart and we had a daughter. The marriage did not last and we divorced. In 1973, I met my current wife, we were married in 1974 and are today after thirty-five fantastic years. Her father was a career Army officer, and she is a United States Air Force veteran. She had a son by her first marriage and we have a son together whom is college educated and served in the United States Marine Corps. I have two granddaughters and one great granddaughter. At this writing, my youngest granddaughter is in the United States Army and has completed a tour in Iraq.

My parents dream was for me to complete college. They got to see me graduate with my Bachelors Degree in August, 1977 and my Masters Degree in August, 1978. I worked in Corporate America, later owned my own business, and now teach Advanced Placement World History and American History Honors to tenth and eleventh graders.

My mother loved animals and we always had pets. My father was the most generous and kind person I ever knew. He loved fishing and baseball, and we spent a great deal of time together fishing as I was growing up. What is amazing to me is that the older I get, the smarter my parents become. I hope my own son will make the same statement about me. This book is dedicated to the memory of the two most wonderful people who walked on this planet; Shelby McCarty and Mary Chambers Williford—my mother and father.

I must express to the reader that this book is opinion based, not necessarily fact based. It is based upon facts as I understand them. My opinions are based on my sixty plus years on the planet and my observations over that time. I do have to thank all my friends and family who encouraged me to write this book and provided valuable input with their opinions and observations.

Why I love the United

States of America

Why do I love The United States of America? I can answer this question with one word. Freedom! Seems simplistic doesn’t it. The right to make my own decisions, the right to work as hard as I need to, the right to be successful, the right to fail, the right to enjoy the fruits of my labor, the right to not have the government run my life, the right to defend myself and my family, and most of all; the rights granted me by God—those pesky inalienable rights. Over one million men and women of The United States of America have died to preserve my freedom (God Bless them). How many countless others have suffered both physical and emotional wounds preserving our freedom? As we look around today, it seems we’ve lost touch with what our founding fathers fought so valiantly for—individual freedom. It seems sometimes that some people think that Karl Marx was one of our founding fathers. The ability to succeed or fail, based upon the individual’s freedom is the epitome of the rights and freedoms that our creator granted to all of us. Today, it seems one must be a member of a large group or organization with an abundance of money to gain the attention of any of our elected representatives. However, We the People still have the ability to change the system, no matter what the politicians have done. I love the fact that our country, as imperfect as it may be, admits to mistakes made and corrects those mistakes. I love the fact that we still have freedom of speech.

I’m adding this part about 6 months after the elections. Oh my God (OMG) the country just got what it asked for! We just changed the system; we elected a new president and his puppet Congress. Change for the sake of change. Did we not learn anything from the misery index Jimmy Carter years? Don’t get me wrong, the other choice would probably not have been any better. Guess what? We, the people (not the political hacks) lose again (still?). I’ve become somewhat disillusioned with our election system; I think it has been corrupted for the sake of political power. The press, they’ve become a joke. Citizens can no longer obtain news that is not politically tainted. Objective news reporting, it no longer exists. What happened to the objective press? It is slowly going bankrupt. Who’d a thunk? We (the people) are not going to buy your crap any longer. Our government has become almost everything our founding fathers warned us against.

Regardless of whatever the system deals us, We the People (not the political hacks) can if we wish, through our vote, gain control and change things. As a child, I remember seeing a Life Magazine, World War II era picture of a Frenchman crying as the Nazi’s marched into Paris. I can now fully appreciate why he was crying. I just wish my country loved me as much as I love it.

Foreword

Why