The Sheepdog's Pick Is In

I doubt anyone is as ready as I am for football season to get started. I've already spent some time working on fantasy football draft boards and may have watched more of the 2017 NFL Draft than any others of my lifetime. Mainly, I was not only interested in which team would pick Florida State running back Dalvin Cook, but I just missed football. I think there are a number of teams that passed on Cook who will eventually realize they made a HUGE mistake.

National Football League Draft (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Back in March, I wrote an article expressing my opinion and displeasure with the direction I perceived the Pittsburgh Steelers to be headed in, and, that after 40 years of following them, I was ready to move on. In my opinion, today's Steelers have left their blue collar roots. In fact, regarding the Steelers, I suspect my feelings are similar to Ronald Reagan's when he said, "I didn't leave the Democratic Party, The Democratic Party left me." Well, I'm not leaving the Steelers, the Steelers have left me. Click here to read my article if you missed it.

In the 3 months since I wrote that article, I don't feel that things have gotten any better in Pittsburgh. For instance, one drama queen, Antonio Brown, has now been given a mega contract, which I expect will only encourage even more drama queenness from him, and the other drama queen, Le'Veon Bell, is sitting out OTA's, basically pouting, in order to wrangle a mega contract of his own out of the Steelers. My opinion is that just as it was a mistake to pay Brown, it would be an even bigger mistake to pay Bell with his injury history and being suspended for parts of 2 seasons for violations of the NFL's substance abuse policy. I think that paying both of them will finish sinking the organization. However, I suspect that eventually the Steelers will give in and do so. Personally, I would have traded both of them prior to the draft. Some sucker would have given a minimum of a 2nd round pick for each, and likely a 1st.

About a week after I wrote the Steelers' article, I posted another ranking and explaining which teams I was considering moving to. Click here to read that article. There were 6 on the list ranked as follows:

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2. Oakland Raiders
3. Indianapolis Colts
4. Arizona Cardinals
5. Atlanta Falcons
6. Detroit Lions

Oakland Raiders logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today, I'll share which team I picked, but honestly, the rankings didn't change much. Detroit stayed at 6, and Atlanta at 5. However, Oakland dropped from 2 down to 4. Why? Honestly, I grew weary of the drama regarding the move to Las Vegas. I also have concerns that even though a Raiders move to Vegas has a nice ring to it and is kinda cool, it's riddled with problems. For example, the city of Oakland now hates the team and wants it gone sooner rather than later, and according to a couple of articles I've read about the Las Vegas stadium financing deal, I can't help but wonder if a crash and burn might be coming. Another question is after a promising 2016, prior to Derek Carr's injury, will the distraction of the move prove too much for this young team to handle and 2017, and the years to come, be a disappointment in terms of not living up to expectations?

Overall, the Raiders dropped, because after getting sick of all the Steelers' drama, I've had enough of it. Been there. Done that. I just want people to shut up and play football.

Tennessee's Voting Gunowners Deserve Better

In early July, the Tennessee Firearms Association (TFA) released the results of its "2014 Legislative Candidate Survey." I first saw it on the organization's Facebook page on July 1st and then received a copy of the results in my e-mail inbox a few days later on the 4th. The survey's purpose was to identify the pro- and anti-gun members of the Tennessee State House and Senate, as well as their challengers, in advance of the 2014 elections. TFA wanted its members and other voters to be informed in regards to which candidates support their gun rights when they vote this year.

Source - Wikipedia

Current incumbents, challengers, and candidates for open seats were asked 26 questions, including ones about their :

• support for a constitutional carry bill (carrying a firearm without a permit),
• support for nullifying federal firearms laws,
• support for allowing carry on public school grounds (by law-abiding citizens), and
• support for the elimination of taxes and fees on firearms and ammunition sales.

The 26 questions could be answered :

• "Y" = yes,
• "Y+ = yes and willing to sponsor bill, or
• "N" = no

As I looked over the questions and responses of each legislator (click here to view), my first reaction was one of disappointment, because at first glance, it appears that most of the candidates are anti-gun. But that didn't make sense ... in Tennessee. As I reviewed and thought about the results some more, I went from confused, to bewildered, to ultimately coming to the realization that the survey results are worthless. This is why I have put together the following review of the survey.

Why? Since "N" can represent an answer of "No" or "no response", the results are at best confusing and unclear. Now, in defense of TFA, when the survey was sent out to the candidates, it stated that the failure to return a completed survey "... will be assumed to have answered in the negative..."

I suspect that the "assumed to have answered in the negative" policy was to give an incentive to the candidates to complete the survey and take it seriously. I get that. However, the problem is that of the 230+ candidates listed, 165+ of them have straight "N's" across the board. That's about 72% of them. So, based upon those results, are we, voters and gunowners, expected to assume that :

1. 72% of the candidates did not return the completed survey?
2. Or, does it mean that 72% of them, are anti-gun?

Do either of those make any sense to you considering that we're in Tennessee? They don't to me. Consider this - if we go with assumption #2 that about 72% of the candidates, or nearly 3 out of every 4, for state legislative office in Tennessee is anti-gun, then how in the heck can any of us even legally own a gun, let alone carry one? Would we not have some of the strictest gun-control laws in the U.S.?

It's a seriously flawed assumption. The 72% anti-gun result is what I would expect if the survey had been conducted in liberal, anti-gun states like California, Illinois, and New York, not in Tennessee. Therefore, in my opinion, the survey results are seriously flawed and should not be relied upon by voters in Tennessee.

Over the last few years, TFA's rhetoric towards various members of the Tennessee legislature has become more and more intense and, in my opinion, rude on several occasions. Once you start using terms like "crucifying" and directing it at a legislator who doesn't do what you want, I think you've gone way too far. So, I'm wondering if the straight "N" rate of 72% is primarily made up of candidates who chose not to respond.

Now, some might try to make the point that, "They must have something to hide since they didn't respond." Not necessarily. Maybe they decided that, "It doesn't matter how I answer or what I say, TFA ain't gonna be happy. So, why bother?" Maybe there's now even a lack of respect for TFA due to the way some legislators have been treated. If so, who can blame them?

I generally agree with TFA on gun issues, including constitutional carry, lowering taxes on guns and ammo, and prohibiting local governments from passing gun control laws, just to name a few. However, I disagree with the way they have gone about pushing their agenda the last few years. It reminds me too much of the way some unions have pushed people around in order to get their way. I've always heard, "you get more flies with honey than with vinegar." If you're constantly demeaning the people you need to vote the legislation you want into law, what makes you think they will do so? If it were me you were treating that way, my response would be, "Screw you!!"

Shortly after TFA's 2014 survey results were published on their Facebook page on July 1st, I left the following comment / question for John Harris, TFA Executive Director :

Mr. Harris, would it be possible to modify the codes (Y, Y+, N) a little? I think it would be helpful to voters to add one for the ones that did not respond instead of lumping those in with the N's. As is it could be a little misleading to some. Plus, I think most would like to know who responded and who didn't.

To this day, 16 days later, I have not received a response from Mr. Harris. A few other members of the organization left follow-up comments after mine, but nothing from Mr. Harris. I've wondered what that means. I thought I was polite. I was just trying to make a suggestion and provide some constructive input, because I thought the proposed change would be helpful and clearer to voters. Maybe I offended him. If so, that was not my intention. Why would I? Mr. Harris is a smart guy, well-respected within the firearms community, he knows his stuff, and if he's not the best firearms related attorney in Tennessee, he's got to be in the top 2 or 3. Maybe he just didn't agree with me. Or, maybe the survey was designed to get exactly the results I have evaluated above as meaningless. I sure hate to think so, but I guess I'll never know since I never received a reply.

Official Portrait of President Ronald Reagan. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My whole point in sharing this survey and it's results today is to warn you about relying on election information from third parties, even conservative ones. As President Reagan used to say, "trust but verify." Glenn Beck would say, "do your own homework." I try to live by both of these. You should too. Otherwise, at some point you will get burned.

Early voting begins in Tennessee tomorrow, Friday the 18th. Prior to then, do your homework if you haven't already. If you're a gun guy like me, and you were planning on relying on the "2014 TFA Candidate Survey" in making your choices as to whom will represent you, I encourage you rely on something else. However, don't take my word for it either. Check it out yourself. Look at the results. Look at the candidates and incumbents you know to be pro-gun due to their record, including their votes, and see if the survey results match what you already know. In at least some cases, it may not.

In my opinion, the survey results are somewhat misleading at best and deceptive at worst. I'm concerned that TFA may be going the way of the NRA by becoming unreliable. It's one reason I resigned my NRA membership 5 years ago. Let's hope the TFA changes course.

Tennessee's gunowners, and voters, deserve better.

Is Tenneseee's Proposed "Fairness in Ticketing Act" Really Fair ?

Back in December, I wrote a blog article about a proposed law working it's way through the Tennessee Legislature. The article was titled "A Season of Miracles" (read it here). At the time, the article's purpose was two fold. First, it contained some of my usual sarcasm in order to provide a few laughs. Second, after first learning about the bill while reading a local newspaper, I felt it was worth making others aware of it, too. More recently, I've looked into the bill even further and found that the issue is worth visiting again in more detail.

Tennessee Capitol Building at night

The bill is known as the "Fairness in Ticketing Act." Supporters of the bill claim it will curb scalping. Opponents of the bill claim it will infringe on the property rights of consumers by making it more difficult, if not impossible, to transfer legally owned sporting event and concert tickets to family members or friends. Who's right ? I'll tell you in this article.

I am a firm believer in President Reagan's mantra of "trust but verify." So, after reading various press releases, blog posts, Facebook pages, and websites applicable to the issue, I decided to go to the Tennessee Legislature's website and read the actual text of the bill. I felt like I needed to determine for myself what the bill actually did and which side was telling the truth. I want to encourage all Tennesseans who buy tickets to sporting events, concerts, etc. to do the same. A summary of the bill can be read by clicking here, and the entire text of the bill can be read by clicking here.

When I read through the entire text of the bill the first time, it reminded me of the Affordable Care Act a.k.a. ObamaCare law because of how ambiguous and complex it is. Fortunately, the bill is only about ten pages long, because I had to read it multiple times to really make any sense of it. My first impression was that it was nothing more than a progressive, big government regulatory bill, because it will require so-called ticket brokers, better known as scalpers, to register with the state of Tennessee, pay a fee (the Progressive term for "tax"), and basically get a permit to scalp tickets. I did not see the threat to regular everyday consumers, until I had read the bill a few more times and let the words sink in. I ultimately found that, like ObamaCare, the dangers with the bill are not what the legislation is saying, the devil is in what it's not saying.

There are a number of consumer-related problems within this bill. For instance, consider Section 62-45-107(2) which states :

To preserve the rights of consumers to secure tickets to entertainment events through safe and reliable means and to protect freedom of enterprise, nothing in this chapter shall prevent operators of places of entertainment, event presenters or their agents from utilizing any ticketing methods for the initial sale of tickets, through any medium, whether existing now or in the future (emphasis added).

Sounds good overall, right ? The Legislature is looking out for Tennesseans, right ? Well, hang on for a minute and let me point out what the bill says a "ticket" is. Section 62-45-103(23) of the bill states the following :

Ticket means a printed, electronic or other type of evidence of the right, option or opportunity to occupy space at or to enter or attend an entertainment event even if not evidenced by any physical manifestation of such right (emphasis added).

Now, if you're like I was when I first read these two sections of the bill, you're probably thinking, "O.k. Sheepdog. I must've missed something, 'cause I really don't see a problem here." That's exactly the problem with not only these two quoted sections but the rest of the bill as well. It's vague, open-ended, and open to interpretation.

Currently, there is a movement to go "paperless" with most event tickets. This legislation would likely accelerate that push. So then, what would we consumers use as a "ticket" to get into a ballgame or concert if it's paperless ? What type of "medium" would it be ?

Nashville Predators (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One "medium" that might be used as a paperless "Ticket" is the credit card the ticket was purchased with. For example, let's say you buy tickets from someone, such as TicketMaster, to go watch the Nashville Predators play. You'd pay for the tickets with your credit card, then when you get to the arena for the game, you would swipe your credit card and show some form of i.d. to gain entry. Your "tickets" would be linked to your credit card. The main problem for consumers would then be if you wanted to transfer a ticket to someone else. For example, let's say you bought the tickets for someone else as a gift, or at the last minute had a scheduling conflict and couldn't make the game. Currently, you would just give the paper ticket, or maybe sell it, to someone else to go in your place. Guess what ? That ain't happening with a paperless ticket. The transfer, if even possible, will be much more difficult and potentially a real headache.

It's likely, however, that the ticket seller you bought the tickets from would be willing to help you transfer them, or perhaps refer you to an associated company who could provide that "service." In the case of a Predators ticket, currently their tickets are sold by TicketMaster. However, if, as in the example above, the tickets are paperless and linked to your credit card, you would likely only be able to transfer the tickets through TicketMonopoly .... oops, I mean TicketMaster or one of their "associates." Here's another question ? Do you think they will let you do that for free ? Of course not - just like with the airlines, everything, especially changes, costs money. No free lunch here.

Let's talk about TicketMaster for a minute. They are reportedly major supporters of this bill. I hate those guys. It's nearly impossible to buy a sporting event or concert ticket without going through them. That's why I refer to them as "TicketMonopoly." Plus, sometimes the so-called "service fee" they attach to each ticket can be nearly as much as the ticket itself. They've got a real lucrative racket going.

Image via CrunchBase

Remember my example above about the process involved if you wanted to transfer a ticket if this bill passes and tickets go paperless ? Here's something else you may or may not know about TicketMaster. They already own a "ticket broker" company called TicketsNow. TicketsNow is part of the secondary ticket market putting owners of previously purchased tickets with prospective buyers. TicketsNow basically does the same type of thing that the individual "ticket brokers," or scalpers, you see walking around on the streets and sidewalks holding up handfuls of tickets outside sporting events and concerts are doing. TicketsNow and their competitors, such as StubHub, just do it on a much larger scale. Now, can you guess who TicketMaster might use to provide the "transfer service" on those tickets you want to transfer ? C'mon guess. Ding, ding, ding. I think you're right. I'm betting it would be TicketsNow, too. Amazing isn't it ?

Back to those Preds tickets you bought. Let's say you bought those to take your family to a Preds game. This bill is law. One week before the game, something comes up and you and your family of four can't go to the game. You contact TicketMaster to transfer the tickets to a buddy and his family. TicketMaster directs you to TicketsNow who then charges you a fee to do the transfer. TicketMaster has just made money on both the original ticket purchase and the transfer. They've basically double-dipped. I'd also be willing to bet that TicketsNow would not only charge you a transfer fee but also another "service charge" like you paid on the original purchase. You getting pissed, yet ? Well, you ought to be, because you just got ripped off. If this bill passes, be sure to write the General Assembly and thank them for allowing it to happen.

Tennessee State Sen. Ken Yager

Personally, I believe the scalping problem is one that is easily fixed with a solution that is already in place - it's called the "free market." However, apparently the bill's sponsors, Sen. Ken Yager and Rep. Ryan Haynes, other members of the General Assembly, and the bill's supporters do not. They think "the gubmint" needs to step in and fix the scalping problem. They even said as much in Section 62-45-102(5) which states :

The general assembly must act to ensure a free market for tickets whereby consumers know what they are buying, artists and teams have the ability to ensure that fans have access to great seats at fair prices, and deceptive, anonymous resale and deceptive internet marketing practices are prohibited (emphasis added).

Tennessee State Rep. Ryan Haynes

They think they must protect us. Really ? I, for one, am sick and tired of the big government loving, progressives thinking they have to step in and fix everything. I also like the way they bring up the "free market" when it suits their purpose, but then quickly forget about it later when it doesn't. By the way - did I mention that both Sen. Yager and Rep. Haynes are Republicans ? Well, they are, proving once again that the GOP is not immune to the plague of progressivism, but I digress.

Personally, I think the main reason for this bill, besides enlarging TicketMaster's monopoly even more, is because is gives "the gubmit" more control. The bill will force every "ticket broker" to register with the state, pay a fee a.k.a. tax, and basically get a state issued permit to resale tickets. However, just like with ObamaCare, there is an exemption in the law regarding the resale of tickets. Can you guess who qualifies for it ? Ding, ding, ding. Man, you guys are good - you got it right again. It's TicketMaster.

Before I forget it, let me get back to the TicketMaster / TicketsNow relationship for a minute. Back in 2009, these two found themselves in the middle of an alleged scandal. It came about when some folks attempted to purchase tickets from TicketMaster's website to a Bruce Springsteen concert, but were re-directed to the TicketsNow website. There, these people found that the same tickets they tried to purchase from TicketMaster were being sold at "a premium price." Someone correct me if I am wrong, but that sounds like "scalping" to me. What about you ? Some alleged that TicketMaster did it intentionally, too. TicketMaster's defense was that it "was a glitch."

So .... let me get this straight - the General Assembly, with the support of TicketMaster, tells us that they "must act" and pass this legislation to protect "us" from the type of activity that TicketMaster and TicketsNow were alledged to have participated in ? Sounds like the fox telling the hens that he'll make them a great deal on a security system for the hen house. Hmmmm. (Read more about the alleged "scandal" by clicking here and here.) I ain't buying what they're selling. Are you ?

I've got a better, two-part solution. First, since according to Section 62-45-102(2) quoted above, "artists and teams," as well as the General Assembly, want fans to have fair access to tickets in the free market, how about if the ticket industry policed itself ? Why is additional government regulation needed ? The ticket industry could just stop selling the huge blocks of tickets to the scalpers and only sell the tickets to individuals. Plus, they could limit the number of tickets that can be purchased at one time by these individuals to maybe 4, 6, 8, etc. Doing so would give everyone wanting tickets a fair shot at getting them. Leave the government out of it. Nobody forces the ticketing agencies to sell the huge block of tickets to the ticket brokers. They choose to do so for one simple reason, and it has nothing to do with being fair to the fans - "It's all about the benjamins." They really don't care who buys the tickets as long as they get them sold and the money in their bank account.

The Scalpers Are Cheating The (Vancouver Folk Music) Festival (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The second part of this solution is where we, the fans, come in. We live in a free market with free market principles. We don't need government regulation to fix this problem. The simple law of "supply and demand" will fix it if we let it. The scalpers supply event tickets at huge markups, because we demand them. So, let's stop demanding them. Don't pay the outrageous prices. Then, the scalpers will have to lower their prices, or they'll still be stuck holding them when the game or concert is over.

Personally, I would not be surprised if it was found that many of the scalpers actually work for some of the artists, teams, and arenas. The reason I say this is because when I was attending the University of Tennessee in the late '80s, there were rampant rumors that the folks outside Neyland Stadium and Thompson Boling Arena scalping football and basketball tickets were actually hired by the UT athletic department. I do not know for sure if it was true, but other actions taken by the university led me to believe it was so.

The solution to the scalping problem in Tennessee cannot be solved with this lousy piece of legislation anymore than the meth problem was solved by a piece of lousy legislation. That one moved the decongestants behind the pharmacy counter making us "register" our purchases of cold medicine each time. You may remember that the General Assembly and law enforcement told us it was the ultimate fix. Now, that law has been such a dismal failure that they are considering passing another law which would require all decongestants to be available by prescription only. You know what that means ? Yes, you will be required to go see the doctor each and every time you get the sniffles if you want a decongestant. Most Tennesseans have allergy problems, so such legislation would result in a ton of extra doctors visits. Since they were wrong on the meth bill, why should we trust them on this one ? But, I digress, again.

In my opinion, we shouldn't trust them on this one either, especially when you consider that the bill is anything but "fair" to us, the ticket consumers, because it will infringe upon our freedom to transfer tickets we have purchased with our money. The only people it will benefit are the state's coffers and large ticket sellers like TicketMonopoly. Sorry, I did it again. I mean TicketMaster, but you knew that already. Bad Sheepdog.

I've addressed the highlights of what, in my opinion, is wrong with this bill. I could go on and on. Now, can I say for sure that the projected possibilities I've used in this post will come true if the bill passes ? Of course not. However, the supporters of the bill, likewise, cannot tell you with absolute 100% certainty that I'm wrong, either. That's the problematic part of the whole piece of crap legislation. There is so much ambiguity that we don't know exactly what it will and will not allow to occur. That's why it must be defeated. One thing I can guarantee is that it will not stop scalping. The scalpers will find a way around it.

Photograph of the Tennessee State Capitol on a sunny day, the central cupola soaring against a clear sky. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If Tennesseans want to remain free to do with their tickets what they please, then it is imperative that they contact their elected representatives. If you don't know who your State Senator and State Representative are, you can find out by clicking here. I can guarantee you that the folks with the money who support the bill, such as TicketMaster, are contacting the legislators. If we, Tennesseans, don't contact our representatives, it will be hard to defeat this bill. Plus, don't forget - this bill brings with it additional tax, ... oops, I mean fee, revenue. Politicians really like "the benjamins" and that makes the bill very appealing to them.

Therefore, we have to let them hear from us, because we have something that they like even more than revenue, and that's ....... our votes.

P.S. Here's one other little tidbit for you to think about. Section 62-45-110 of the bill states that, "A ticket represents a revocable license, held by the person in possession of the ticket, to use a seat or standing area in a specific place of entertainment for a limited time."

Tickets are already licenses, but this legislation reinforces that more. Additionally, if you flip over your sports or concert ticket, somewhere in the fine print it will say something along the lines of "no refunds or exchanges." Therefore, if this legislation becomes law, and you don't follow it to transfer a ticket purchase, the ticket can be revoked by the issuer without giving you a refund. Now, think about that the next time you buy those $100-a-piece professional sporting event tickets.

Man, wouldn't that suck if those tickets were taken away from you and no refund offered ? You might want to call your representatives now.

Related articles

• Citizen Uses Baltimore's Old Scalping Law To Give Ticketmaster A Swift Kick In The Pants (consumerist.com)

Music Monday in the "Land of Confusion"

As promised in last Monday's post, I've put together a special Music Monday for today. Actually, "special" may not really be the right word. I really just wanted have a little fun today and take a poke or two at some folks.

As we all know, tomorrow is "Super Tuesday" with GOP Presidential Primaries being held in ten states, including my home state of Tennessee. In my opinion, the 2012 GOP Presidential Candidates are the worst crop of my lifetime. Each one of them claims to be a so-called "Conservative" but their records tell a different story. For instance :

• Mitt Romney - He claims to be a conservative despite signing multiple tax and fee increases into law, signing restrictive gun controls into law, and creating RomneyCare which ObamaCare was modeled after while governor of Massachusetts. He first supported abortion only changing his stance to pro-life when he began considering a run for the presidency. Romney is no conservative no matter how hard he tries to paint himself as one.
• Newt Gingrich - He had not one, but two marriages fail due to cheating on his wives. He supported various gun control measures while in Congress. He's on record as supporting the individual mandate in ObamaCare, and he made millions lobbying on behalf of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. He's no conservative, either.
• Rick Santorum - He loves big government and hasn't seen an earmark or spending bill he didn't like. His record on the 2nd Amendment is sketchy at best. It's hard to put the conservative label on Santorum either.
• Ron Paul - I could support Ron Paul except for one thing - his nutty foreign policy views. His opinion is that it's the U.S.'s fault that our enemies don't like us. Sorry Ron, but that's not the case. They don't like us because they hate freedom. It's that simple.

So, where does that leave us as we head to the polls tomorrow ? Honestly ... I don't know. However, I think today's song and video is perfect for "Primary Eve." It's the Genesis 1986 classic, "Land of Confusion" from their album Invisible Touch.

"Land of Confusion" is a strange, but unique, video containing scenes with puppets of the band and of various political players from the '80s including Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, and others. You can learn more about the video by clicking here.

The song's lyrics were fitting then, and in my opinion, they are fitting for today, also. It's especially true considering my earlier analysis of the GOP Presidential Candidates. There's not a clear conservative among them, nor a really good candidate, either. It's liberals trying to pass themselves off as conservatives. If that doesn't describe a "Land of Confusion," I don't know what does. So, what does a conservative do tomorrow when he or she walks into the voting booth in the "Land of Confusion ?"

If you figure that out in the next 24 hours, please let me know, because I haven't made up my mind yet. I'm stuck having to choose from the "lesser of the evils," and I hate that. For today, though, enjoy the video by clicking here or watch it embedded below in this post.

Yes indeed - "Oh Superman, where are you now ?"

Related articles

• Ron Paul attacks Romney in Oklahoma (worldviewtonight.wordpress.com)
• Ron Paul slams "counterfeit" conservatives (rt.com)
• Super Tuesday expected to give Mitt Romney clear lead in Republican race (guardian.co.uk)
• Poll: All tied up in Tennessee (politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com)
• RomneyCare Assaults Religious Freedom Like ObamaCare (americanclarion.com)
• Super Tuesday States Update: How do Romney, Santorum, Gingrich and Ron Paul Stack up? (ibtimes.com)
• Super Tuesday Preview: Romney/Santorum To Win Lion's Share of Super Tuesday States (ryankantor.com)
• What's so super about Tuesday? 419 GOP delegates (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Super Tuesday States Have Some Of The Highest Underwater Mortgage Rates - Will The GOP Offer Solutions? (thinkprogress.org)

Is Obama really considering trying 'Reaganomics" ?

The other day I read an interesting interview with Arthur Laffer, a member of President Reagan's (right) Economic Policy Advisory Board. In the interview, Laffer said that he was contacted by the White House earlier in the year. They asked him to speak to Austen Golsbee, the former chair of Obama's Council of Economic Advisors. Laffer says he told Golsbee that the only way to fix the U.S. economy is through "Reaganomics."

Laffer is known best for an economic theory called the Laffer Curve. Laffer's theory states that somewhere between 0% and 100% there is a tax rate that will result in the most tax revenue. The Laffer Curve was one of the theories around which President Reagan's economic policies, "Reaganomics," were based. Reagan was a firm believer that lower tax rates, controlling the money supply to reduce inflation, less government regulation of the economy, and reducing government spending will lead to economic growth. After the four-year economic debacle called the Carter Administration, the following happened as a result of "Reaganomics" :

• By the end of Reagan's last year in office, unemployment had fallen from about 12% when he took office to about 4%. In other words, he cut it by two-thirds.
• Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew at a rate of nearly 4% from 1981-'89.
• Federal Income Tax receipts grew from $309 Billion to $549 Billion from 1981-'89.

Reagan's "trickle down" economic policies worked. The top tax bracket was reduced from 70% to 28%  by the mid-'80s spurring investment and creating millions of jobs leading to greater tax revenues. Laffer said in the interview that five things needed to be done to fix the economy. They are :

1. Get rid of current Federal tax structure in favor of one low-rate flat tax.
2. Cut Federal spending.
3. Have sound money. He said Ben Bernanke's policies are poor.
4. Ease up on the regulations that are causing unintended damage.
5. Have free trade.

It's good to see the Obama Administration finally consulting with someone with Laffer's background in successful economic policies. The question I have is, what the heck took you so long ? This should have been done two years ago.

Source : article on Newsmax.com titled Laffer : Obama Must Use Reaganomics to Save Economy

Related articles

• Art Laffer: Obama Must Use Reaganomics to Save Economy ('It's not magic sauce, it's common sense') (gunnyg.wordpress.com)
• The GOP Heads Straight for the Laffer Curve (businessweek.com)
• Arthur Laffer Joins Consensus Point Board of Directors (prweb.com)
• Reaganomics Vs. Obamanomics: Facts And Figures (peregrine5700.wordpress.com)

More than just a vacation

View of downtown San Diego, CA during harbor cruise

It's been nearly two weeks since I posted anything on this blog. My wife and I needed a break, so we got out of Dodge for a week for a much needed vacation. Our destination was San Diego, CA. We were there five years ago for the last vacation before my heart transplant. We had been wanting to go back badly but had not had the chance. I wanted to go back for two reasons : 1) the climate is perfect (especially in July), and 2) I had "unfinished business" there.

We had big plans for our first trip to San Diego in July 2006. We planned to visit the highly acclaimed San Diego Zoo, the U.S.S. Midway, and Sea World. Even though I had been in heart failure for several years, we felt like I could handle it as long as I paced myself. The trip was basically ruined on the first day. I had been on a anti-arrhythmic called Amiodarone for about six years. It had done it's job and kept me alive but at a price. One of the many side affects of the drug is increased sensitivity to the sun. In other words, it makes you sunburn easily. I tried many different sunblocks and sunscreens, some prescription strength, while on the drug, but none of them kept me from burning. As a last resort, one of my doctors recommended a new sunscreen made by Coppertone called Sport. It came in a cream or spray. I took some of the spray with me on the 2006 trip and "marinated" in it thoroughly before we headed out for Sea World the first day of our trip. Our first stop in Sea World that morning was Shamu the killer whale's show. Fifteen minutes into the show, I could feel my skin tingling - I knew I was already sunburned, and there was nothing I could do about it. We stayed through the rest of the day ducking into the shade any chance I got. When we got back to the motel that evening, I was as red as a lobster. I hurt so bad I couldn't bear to move, let alone sleep. The trip was ruined. We stayed inside the next few days only going to some museums and taking a bus tour of downtown. No Zoo. No U.S.S. Midway. I was both disappointed and angry. I now knew for sure that there was no sunscreen / sunblock made that would prevent a sunburn while taking amiodarone. We thought "maybe another day." Unfortunately, after we returned home, my heart conditioned plummeted. Three months later, in October, the doctor told me he had done everything he could and without a heart transplant I'd be lucky to live another year. I was only 36 years old. Now, the last thing on my mind was returning to San Diego. Then, February 2007 came along, and without rehashing my transplant story, the "second chance" I was hoping for became a reality.

In 2009, we went to Yellowstone National Park on vacation. Last year, our vacation was the U.S. Transplant Games. We decided that 2011, five years after our last trip there, was the year to return to San Diego and see the sights we had missed out on in 2006. We flew out on July 4th and enjoyed a fabulous fireworks show over San Diego Harbor that evening. The next day we went to the U.S.S. Midway, one of the destinations we had to punt on in 2006. The Midway has a storied history. It was commissioned as an aircraft carrier at the tail-end of World War II and launched the first planes to bomb Iraq in the 1991 Persian Gulf War. It is a beautiful ship that is well maintained and taken care of. It was a neat feeling to walk out on her long deck and realize I was re-living history. Furthermore, I was getting that opportunity because of a generous organ donor named Kent and the grace of God. If you're ever in San Diego, you have to visit the U.S.S. Midway. It's an experience you will not forget.

The U.S.S. Midway with downtown San Diego in background

On day two of our trip, we visited the San Diego Zoo. It's a very nice zoo with nice facilities and plenty of animals to see. They have a shuttle service to various drop-off points within the zoo included in the ticket price enabling you to save some walking. The food was pretty good but a little pricey. It reminded me of going to a movie. Once they've got you in there, it's their food or nothing, so the prices are at a premium. We enjoyed the zoo but felt that the admission price of about $40 per adult was a little excessive. It was a nice zoo but not that nice of a zoo.

A baby giraffe at the San Diego Zoo

When, we started planning our trip, we decided to explore the possibility of driving from San Diego north through Los Angeles to Simi Valley to visit the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. It's an estimated 3-4 hour drive depending on traffic. We made the trip on day 3, and if I can offer a word to the wise for anyone else that might consider doing the same thing - go ahead and plan on four hours. I've always heard about how bad LA traffic is, but I learned very quickly that you can't really get a feel for it without experiencing it. I'll say this - after making the round trip, which meant driving through LA twice, I believe I am fully qualified to race with the NASCAR Sprint Cup guys at Talladega and Daytona. I raced, uh ... I mean drove, three and four wide on I-5 for 350+ miles that day without putting a scratch on the rental car. Maybe I'll start looking for sponsors and a crew. Then, it's move over Jimmie Johnson, Dale Jr., and Kyle "Whiny" Busch. I'm coming through.

Myself with picture of President Reagan

The Reagan Library was wonderful. It contained copies of letters, diary entries, famous quotes, hundreds of photographs, videos, and artifacts from Reagan's Presidency and his life beforehand. There, you can learn about his childhood, his early career in radio and TV, his life with Nancy, his faith in God, what motivated him, and the highlights of his presidency. President Reagan has always been one of my heroes due to his love for his country and freedom, his character, his faith, his communication skills, the way he stood up to the U.S.S.R. and his other enemies, and because he was a perfect example of "The American Dream." He grew up with very little but worked hard and became successful. If you are a fan of Reagan, you need to make it a point to visit the Reagan Library. It's something I've wanted to do for years and experiencing it may have been the highlight of the trip for me for one reason - I shouldn't be here to experience it. However, because one hero, Kent, chose to be an organ donor, I was able to experience the life of another hero, Reagan, on a more personal level. I found myself getting emotional on a number of occasions while in the library. It's an experience I will never forget.

The rest of our trip included a visit to the Cabrillo National Monument, which overlooks San Diego Harbor, and a cruise of San Diego Harbor in which we got closeup views of a number of Navy ships in port including submarines, destroyers, missile cruisers, and the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Carl Vinson. The Carl Vinson got some notoriety lately as being the place where Osama Bin Laden's body briefly resided before "sleeping with the fishes."

The gigantic U.S.S. Carl Vinson in San Diego Harbor

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip. It will be one I will never forget. For me, it's as if this vacation was about more than just getting away. It's as if it brought my heart transplant journey full circle. Shortly after the last time we returned from San Diego, the bottom fell out of our lives as we began the journey to, through, and after my heart transplant. We visited places we had to put on hold after the last trip making me feel as if we had taken care of "unfinished business. Furthermore, God gave me an opportunity to conquer the demon that raised it's ugly head in late 2006.

Lastly, I can help but wonder if this trip is the completion of one chapter of my life, and another one is about to open. I'm looking forward to whatever that is. There's one last thing that I've thought a lot about in regards to this trip since getting home. Years ago, while working for the state, a co-worker named Tony, who was an old Marine, told me, "What doesn't kill you will make you stronger." He served two tours in Vietnam. He seems wiser and wiser every day.

Sunset over San Diego Harbor with U.S.S. Carl Vinson at left.

Tennessee's Big "Gubmint" Republicans

The 2010 elections featured big wins by Tennessee Republicans. They re-took the governorship, gained more seats in the state legislature, and installed the first ever female Speaker of the House with Beth Harwell (pictured right.) It all happened because Tennesseans, like many Americans, were sick and tired of the Democrats failed economic policies. One of Speaker Harwell's first orders of business was to establish a litmus test for bills coming before the legislature this session. She said (see TheCityPaper.com, January 11, 2011, Republicans Take State House Control, Install Speaker Harwell) that for each bill lawmakers should consider :

Does it (the bill) increase the size of government or not ? Second, does it make it easier to start a business and operate it in Tennessee or not ? And finally, does it keep us moving forward in reforming our educational system to best meet the needs of the next generation or not ?

Speaker Harwell's litmus test led me to believe she was sending a message that if a bill didn't pass these tests, then the sponsor shouldn't even bother bringing it up this session. However, this post will show that there are a number of bills currently before the Tennessee Legislature that don't meet any of these tests. In fact, many of them actually increase the size of government and decrease the freedom of Tennesseans. Below I list some of these bills and their sponsors and tell what they do. You will be surprised at what you see.

• SB 257 / HB 1822 - Liet. Gov. Ron Ramsey and Rep. Jon Lundberg - DNA and Genetic Testing - Bill would require a DNA sample be taken from all persons arrested on a felony charge - not after you're convicted, but when arrested. The DNA would be entered into a database to be maintained by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). It changes existing law which requires a DNA sample from anyone arrested for a "violent" felony and makes it applicable to all felonies. It would require the TBI to destroy the sample if the charges are dismissed or if the accused is acquitted. This bill stinks of unconstitutionality under both the 4th Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures and the 5th Amendment protection against self-incrimination. Personally, I don't trust the "gubmint" to destroy the sample after an acquittal or dismissal of charges as required. I suspect that after your DNA goes into that database, it will stay forever. Then, whenever a crime is committed, the first thing law enforcement will do is look for DNA at the scene and then check the database for a match. No more thorough police investigations, and Lord help you if your DNA shows up at the scene and if you're in the database. That'll be the end of the investigation and you're on the hook for the crime whether you're guilty or not. The good thing is that the bill has not gotten anywhere in the legislature and Liet. Gov. Ramsey has taken a lot of heat for the bill. In fact, he's gotten so much heat that in a recent interview he said he may drop the bill because "... it's not worth the hassle." Please notice he didn't say because it's unconstitutional. He said because of the hassle. I guess he would have went full steam ahead if he hadn't been called on it. The scary thing is Ramsey was the preferred pick of many conservatives and Tea Partiers for Tennessee governor. I guess now we know his true nature. Thank God he didn't win the governorship.
• HB 910 / SB 785 - Rep. Jon Lundberg and Sen. Bill Ketron - Criminal Offense - The bill is known as "The Animal Fighting Enforcement Act" and it increases the penalties for animal fighting. Maybe they should have named it "The Michael Vick Act." What I'd like to know is how does this help with jobs or education ?
• HB 1112 / SB 1568 - Rep. Frank Niceley and Sen. Bill Ketron - Agriculture - The bill is known as the "White-tailed Deer Breeding and Farming Act." And yes, you read that right. The state of Tennessee wants to regulate deer. Why ? So, they can charge the "deer farmers" fees for such regulating. I promise I'm not making this up. Once again, how does this create jobs ? Oh yeah, that's right. It'll create "gubmint" jobs because they'll have to hire "deer regulators." Thus, it will increase the size of government. Doesn't that mean it fails one of Speaker Harwell's tests ? 
• HB 427 / SB 418 - Rep. Dale Ford and Sen. Rusty Crowe - Administrative Procedure - The bill would require a state agency to file a report with the Government Operations Committee if they levy any fine over $1000 or suspend or revoke for more than 7 days the license of anyone licensed by that agency. Why does the state legislature need to get involved here ?? Let the licensing agency handle the disciplining of their licensees.
• HB 428 / SB 416 - Rep. Dale Ford and Sen. Rusty Crowe - General Assembly - The bill sets up a committee to evaluate the fines, suspensions, and revocations reported to the Government Operations Committee due to HB 427 / SB 418 mentioned above. Unbelievable. This is Big "Gubmint" at it's finest.
• HB 153 / SB 74 - Rep. Bob Ramsey and Sen. Doug Overbey - Motor Vehicles - The bill makes it illegal for a child under 5 to ride as a passenger on a motorcycle. Here's an idea - LET THE PARENTS REGULATE WHETHER OR NOT THEIR KID IS ON A MOTORCYCLE. Focus on jobs, jobs, and more jobs. Is Tennessee becoming the Mother of All Nanny States or what ? Abso-freakin'-lutely ridiculous.
• HB 1537 / SB 1503 - Rep. Dennis Powers and Sen. Ken Yager - Drugs, Over the Counter - The bill says that a pharmacist can only sell you an over-the-counter decongestant after he or she has consulted with and "observed" you in order to determine whether or not you are planning to use the medication to manufacture methamphetamine. Once they are sure you are not gonna make meth with it, they can sell you the medication. I guess this means pharmacists are gonna have to undergo some law enforcement training in profiling techniques if this passes. I bet they're gonna love that. I wonder if they'll have to Mirandize you before questioning ? I can see it now - "You have the right to remain silent." However, if you choose to exercise your right to remain silent and not talk to us, then we will be forced to not sell you the Claritan D." Lovely, huh ?
• SB 325 / HB 234 - Sen. Mae Beavers and Rep. Debra Maggart - Drugs, Over the Counter - The bill would require sales of over-the-counter decongestants containing pseudoephedrine to be entered into a national registry. A consumer would only be able to purchase a certain allotment within a specified time period before being "cut-off." So, if you have a lot of sinus problems, at some point you could be prohibited from purchasing Claritan D, Zyrtec D, etc. It would work much like the instant check you go through when buying a gun. The pharmacist would enter your identifying information into the registry, and as long as you've not been "bad" and purchased more than your allotment, they would complete the sale. If not, then too bad, so sad for you. The bill is being pushed by law enforcement agencies and others due to the meth problem in Tennessee and the huge costs of cleaning up meth labs. However, just like gun control through the registering of firearms doesn't prevent gun crime, this "meth control" scheme won't work either. Just like bad guys will always find ways to get guns no matter how much gun control is implemented, they will find ways to make meth even if this bill passes. The only people that will be affected are the law-abiding citizens. For years Sen. Beavers has been an opponent of gun control and gun registration schemes because they don't work and only punish the law-abiding. Therefore, she should scrap this worthless bill for the same reasons. Tea Party groups have liked her in the past because she is anti-big "gubmint." Could it be they were wrong and she actually likes Big "Gubmint ?" Or, maybe she's just changed her mind recently and went from anti-Big "Gubmint" to pro-Big "Gubmint ?" If that's the case, I wonder if she's pro-gun control now, too ? However, here's the really screwy part of this bill. Sen. Beavers voted in favor of the bill in committee, but when it got out to the Senate floor she voted against her own bill. What happened ? Did she see the error of her ways and vote against it ? Or, was she just as confused as I was when I saw that she voted for her very own sponsored bill while it was in committee and then against it on the floor ? Maybe this was one of those "she was for it before she was against" kinda deals.
• SB 756 / HB 1119 by Sen. Mae Beavers / Rep. Curry Todd - SB 477 / HB 1252 by Sen. Mae Beavers / Rep. Bill Dunn - Election Laws - These two bills go hand-in-hand with each other. They tell the county commissions in Tennessee that even though the county election commissions are funded by county tax dollars, the county commissions have no say so in how they are ran. It's been previously established by the courts that the county election commissions are state agencies and their employees are state employees. Now, this bill will tell the county commission that they must fund the budgets of the election commissions and cannot cut or otherwise change their budgets. In other words, "You're gonna fund it, but we're gonna tell you how to run it and there ain't nothing you can do about it." In my opinion, that's crap. That's about like me going out and buying a brand new car and then my neighbor telling me how and when I can drive it. It's another Big "Gubmint" / Nanny State bill sponsored by Sen. Beavers. She's the same Sen. Beavers that railed against ObamaCare and the state taking Federal stimilus dollars. Why ? It was because she felt the Federal government was overstepping it's bounds by telling us how do things in Tennessee, of course. Now, she wants to pass a bill allowing the state to do the same thing to it's 95 counties that she pitched a fit about Obama and the Feds doing to Tennessee. Isn't that a bit hypocritical ? And she's supposedly a small government Conservative, huh ? Perhaps someone should change the definition of small government Conservative.

Some are probably wondering, "Dang Sheepdog. You're being awfully hard on the Republicans. What's up with that ?" It's simple. As I've said before, I considered my a Republican for 30 years. However, recently I've felt just like Ronald Reagan did when he said he didn't leave the Democratic Party, they left him. The Republican Party as a whole has lost it's Conservative roots. It's why I've joined the ranks of the Independents. There's still some good Republicans, but they're getting few and far between. Republicans in Tennessee were hired to do a job. I think Speaker Harwell had it right when she said the priorities should be smaller government, the economy, and education. Every one of the bills I highlighted above fail that test. Every single one. Republicans should take this as constructive criticism. Tennesseans and Americans everywhere are fed up and running out of patience. Republicans in Tennessee and all across the country whined, complained, and criticized the Democrats when they were in power for passing legislation that was intrusive into the lives of the American people, increased the size of government, and spent millions upon millions of dollars. The Republicans promised to put an end to all that if we would elect them. Well, we did and they haven't lived up to their end of the bargain. We can vote you right back out. The problem is that it puts the Democrats back in power, and they are a lost cause. The Democratic Party of today is not the one our fathers and grandfathers knew. Today's Democratic Party has been infected by Socialists. It says so right on the Socialist Party USA website (click here). They are working to pass their agenda through the Democrats. When the American people lose their patience with the Republicans again and vote the Democrats back into office, these are the jokers that will be in power !! Is that what the Republicans want to see happen ? If not, then they need get to work doing the job we hired them you to do which is making job creation easier, helping with the economic recovery, and shrinking the size of government. Knock it off with the Nanny State Bills. They don't create jobs or opportunities. Get it in gear.

Related articles

• Tennessee House elects first woman speaker (commercialappeal.com)

Super Bowl XLV

Image Source - Wikipedia.

The 2010 NFL season has been a long, exciting one. After a 4-week pre-season, a 17-week regular season, and a month long postseason, it all culminates tomorrow when a champion will be crowned. The Pittsburgh Steelers are seeking a record breaking seventh Super Bowl trophy and the Green Bay Packers are seeking their fourth. The Game starts at 6:30 PM EST (5:30 PM CST) on FOX. It is one for the ages as two of the most successful franchises in NFL history meet for the NFL title. It should be a great game.

The Green Bay Packers go into the game as a 3-point favorite to beat the Steelers. In my opinion, that doesn't make any sense. The Packers just squeaked into the playoffs as a wild-card and the sixth seed in the NFC. The Steelers, on the other hand, won the AFC North Division and were the 2nd overall seed in the AFC earning a first round bye. I admit that as a Steelers fan I am a bit biased going into the game. Not only am I pulling for the Steelers, but I believe they will win the game. However, my bias is not the reason I believe they will be successful in winning their seventh Lombardi Trophy. The Steelers will win for the following reasons :

1. Defense - The Steelers ranked second in total defense during the regular season and are currently first in total defense in the postseason. The Packers defense has had a good year, too, ranking in the top five in total defense in both the regular and postseason. However, they're not as good as the Steelers, and the Steelers have wrote the book on the old adage "Defense Wins Championships." They've been doing that for years.
2. Playmakers - The Steelers have more playmakers on both sides of the ball than the Packers. The offense is stacked with Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, Heath Miller, Mike Wallace, Rashard Mendenhall, and others. On the defensive side of the ball they have James Harrison, 2010 Defensive Player of the Year Troy Polamalu, Lawrence Timmons, and others. The Packers just don't have as many weapons at their disposal.
3. Experience - The Steelers have "been there and done that." They have far more Super Bowl experience on both sides of the ball than the Packers do. This will be their third Super Bowl appearance in the last six years. They won the two previous. That experience is probably the most important at the quarterback position where "Big Ben" has already played in and won two Super Bowls. He knows what to expect. Aaron Rogers of the Packers doesn't.
4. "The Intangibles" - The Steelers season has been rocky. In the offseason, Roethlisberger had his off the field "issues" and was originally suspended for six games, nearly the first half of the season. Next thing you know, the NFL reduces it to four games. I felt like at that time that if the Steelers could go 2-2 while Roethlisberger was out, then they had a shot at making a playoff run. They went 3-1. The offense was very slow getting started this year. Early on, they couldn't run the football worth a lick. Mounting injuries to the offensive line didn't help matters any. However, the defense made plays keeping them in games and they found ways to win. Finally, late in the season, the offense started clicking and they finished 12-4, won the division, earned the #2 seed, and the bye week on route to the Super Bowl. Most of the time when a team's offensive line is severely beat up, as the Steelers' was this year, a team is in big trouble and doesn't win games. Coach Mike Tomlin and the Steelers, though, stuck together and now they are in the Super Bowl. With everything they've dealt with this year, the handwriting is on the wall - it's their year.

As I look at both teams and think about why I think the Steelers will win tomorrow, I do believe it will be a good game. I think it will be back and forth some, but the game will remain close. However, I think the Steelers take control of the game in the second half. Aaron Rogers' lack of Super Bowl experience and only three years under his belt as the Packers starting quarterback will be the difference in the game. I see the game close with the Steelers leading by four or five points late in the fourth quarter. This will put pressure on Rogers as he must drive the Packers down the field and score a touchdown. The Steelers' defense takes advantage of his inexperience and force him into a mistake sealing the game for the Steelers.

I also believe we'll see something in the game that we haven't seen for several years. The last seven Super Bowl MVP's have been either quarterbacks or wide receivers. The last defensive player to win the award was Tampa Bay safety Dexter Jackson in Super Bowl XXXVII. The Super Bowl XLV MVP will be another safety. However, this time it's the 2010 NFL Defensive Player of the Year - the Steelers' Troy Polamalu.

I'm looking forward to both the game and the pre-game festivities honoring Ronald Reagan. Get those Terrible Towels going !! And before I forget - Steelers .... win this one for The Gipper !!

Related articles

• Super Bowl XLV: What The Pittsburgh Steelers Must Do To Win Their Seventh Title (bleacherreport.com)
• Super Bowl Odds: Packers Remain Slight Favorite Over Steelers (sbnation.com)
• Super Bowl XLV Preview: Can Green Bay Packers Defeat Pittsburgh Steelers? (sportingo.com)
• Key matchups that will decide winner of Super Bowl XLV (reuters.com)
• EA Sports changes Super Bowl prediction, chooses Steelers to win over Packers (techvibes.com)