What are dreams? What is the purpose of dreams? Why have dreams? The answer is simple, hope. Hope that the goals we set in the beginning of wanting to become a reality or is it that the hope of being something with meaning. Hope is a word that defines who we are as a person, as a key to develop the personalities that make people individuals. Without hope, there is no purpose, there is no you and there are no goals. There are elements that want to crush hope as a word to make it one of millions of words that have no meaning to these elements that wish hope will go away. The problem for these elements is that hope is a light at the end of the tunnel and a word that can never die. Some will say, never say never that hope can die, but I point to the facts in history, hope is eternal, everlasting. The only thing that can stop hope is the individual giving up on hope.

            So, the question is, why choose hope? The answer is different to any person, but the end results are the same. The results are the common goal that makes people, human. People wanting something that seem so far away and the stars are out of reach. Well, hope helps bring the stars within reach and that person can see the light that they can be who they hope to be. So, why question hope? The reason is to why there are elements that want to stop hope and the answer is control. Stop hope and the elements rule those with no hope, which the people without hope can be controlled. The problem with stopping hope is that hope is every person and it is a natural element that can stop the bad elements from completing its quest for control. Hope is an accidental weapon that can crush tyranny, oppression, social justice that takes freedom away from people, and those that wish to take from the innocent. Hope is the key to freedom and that everyone can have individual choice to be what that person dreams to be. With hope dreams can come true.

Out of the Frying Pan and into the Fire

            Is it a good idea to transfer around a hundred Gitmo detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Thomson, Illinois? Should someone be asking, “Is it safer to have such dangerous terrorist prisoners being held here in the middle of the United States?” Well, they are many people and politicians asking that very question. House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) called the plan “preposterous” which he also said that the White House “must’ve forgotten” the September 11 terrorist attacks. People, who live in the region of northwest Illinois, are split of the issue, which that some thinks it will help the already suffering economy in the state and there are some think that they will become targets for terrorism.

            Many of the Democrats support the Gitmo transfers in saying “It will create jobs” and further quoting, “This is probably the economic-development opportunity of a lifetime for northwest Illinois, and we intend to take full advantage of it,” said Russ Simpson, a leader of an economic development group stationed west of Chicago. Many of the Democratic Congress feels that this will also boost the state’s economy and help the small 450 population of Thomson to receive government money. “That’s the best thing that could happen to it,” said Rick McGinnis, who owns a bar called Kyle’s, which had been in his family for 62 years. He remembers the good money his bar made when the prison was being built and hope its reopening could bring back the good money.

            President Obama feels that this will help stop fueling Terrorist recruiting, but has he stop to think that this is like as the old saying goes, “Jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire,” or is America more safer now that around one hundred Jihad terrorist will be placed in the middle of the country? America needs to ask, how is it safer?

            Guantanamo Bay is a very isolated place, which half of the base is blocked by water while the other half is blocked by a small country called, Cuba. Thomas, Illinois prison maybe away from towns and cities, but it is surrounded by millions of Americans. This has insight fear that the people of Thomson will be targets for terrorist or even worse, “Home grown terrorist,” which can put many innocent people at risk. It seems that Gitmo is less likely to be attacked, which the soldiers and guards can see any attack coming several miles away. Although the Thomson prison is classified as a high maximum with electric fences, high block walls, and state of the art security cameras, but can it see an attack coming?

            The Democrats believe that it is in the best interest of the United States to close Gitmo. President Obama vowed to close the terrorist facility in 2010, which the maximum security prison in Thomson, Illinois helps his agenda in making good on a campaign promise. Still, there are many people who fear for the worse and think it is a bad idea to send such dangerous terrorist on American soil. If the Obama administration thinks that by closing Gitmo will stop terrorist from using the place as an excuse to recruit more Jihad, well is it not the same thing. Both facilities are prisons and will hold terrorist for crimes against America, which is more less the same problem, just different locations.

            So, why is the government making the same mistakes I did as a young man? Do they know better or do they think they know better? They should be smarter than that, because they represent their states and communities, which the American people trusted them to make the right decisions. I had a excuse for making my mistakes, but the government has no excuse for making foolish judgments that everyone knows will hurt the economy and goes against common sense.

            The people of America spoke out against reckless spending and were mocked by the very people we trusted. They are ignoring the America voice and taking on a dictator like movement that will bring America to the brink of destruction. Why would the president and his progressives want to hurt America and go against the US Constitution? What is President Obama thinking that he is helping America by going in the wrong direction, which seems to be extreme thinking?

            In 2010, we the people need to show that the American citizens are really in charge by voting out the extremist and voting for the real representatives of America ideas. President Obama needs to ask himself if he wishes to be re-elected that he should start listening to the America people and not mock them, because it is our right to make our voice heard as it is written in the US Constitution. There is some famous words once spoken, “United We Stand, Divided We Fall,” should be the foundation of the real grass roots of America values that Americans will not go quietly in the night, but stand side by side and shout to Washington DC that we will be heard.

            People also forget why the Soviet Union collapsed. America is based on capitalism and the USSR is socialism or communism. There is growth in Capitalism and no growth in Socialism. In capitalism, people can grow and their hard work is met with great rewards, but if you don’t care to work or learn, which education is available to everyone, you can stay at the bottom. In socialism, no one can grow and it doesn’t matter how hard you work, you will receive the same as everyone else, even those whom did nothing. So, why do anything and grow.

            I was told by someone whom lived in socialism, that a man had a garage and had plenty of work. He made lots of money and his family did well, but the man gave some of the extra money to pave the road in his town. Sadly the government got wind and taxed the man more so he could not make more money. Redistribution of the wealth is a fools dream. In the USSR, only government officials had wealth hidden from the public and the people suffer. The technology was Stone Age, but in a capitalist country, technology grew and advance science, medicine, and so many other great discoveries.

            So those out in the world that want to end capitalism, go to Cuba, Venezuela, or China and try to enjoy the freedom you have in America. You will be thrown in prison, disappear or even worse become a slave to feed the socialist Dictators. In America, education is everywhere and if you don’t believe it, take off the socialist Che blinders so you can see Capitalism made America great and free. You can speak your mind without worrying if you will be shot, you can order a cheeseburger so you not need to go hungry or even oppose my point of view, because this is a free country with freedom of speech that is based on Capitalism.

            Now there is a new health care reform that is supposed to save America once again, which is to bring health care down and insure all Americans. This plan is to stop so call high rates from private insurance businesses and make the organ stealing greedy money hungry doctors give the right care for all people in America. According to the new Health Care Reform, many Americans will be covered with cheap rates, even if they have a pre-existing disease or sickness, which will be guaranteed to be covered in this new government controlled plan. This plan will force, I mean, allow companies to give health insurance to all their employees no matter how big or tiny the business.

            This new plan will give a mandate that in five years all Americans will switch to this plan, but according to the president, you can still keep your existing health plan. It is strange, I heard from Democrats that we as Americans can’t keep our original health plan, but have to use the new health reform plan. House Speaker Pelosi says that the government will monitor health care and the government will control the rates and coverage. I have a strange question. Is this something that will hurt America or help Americans? I see cold red.

            If the government says that all Americans will use the new health reform eventually, what will happen to the insurance business? Is this plan going to run them all out of business and cause more job lose? Is the government going to chose a health plan for you like you didn’t know how or understand how to take care of yourself? And the most famous question that concern Americans are asking, but not getting straight answers. WHO IS PAYING FOR THIS NEW HEALTH PLAN?

            Keep in mind, if there is a plan that has a mandate for all Americans to be forced to use, there will be no business for the private insurance companies. Everyone will have to eventually use only the new heath reform. Small companies will have to lay people off to stay in business and many will close. We do need a heath plan to help those Americans that need insurance, but why force all Americans to use this plan that do have insurance? Here are the facts of the future, more layoffs and more business closings, followed by the lost of free choice. How is this going to help America?

written by

Leonard Rich

            After the Soviet Union collapse, Russia was seeing an economic crisis and in the chaos gambling boomed into a fast growing empire. This was followed by crime and greed, which led to many common people losing everything they owned trying to hit the jackpot. There are many evils that can follow with gambling, if left uncontrolled.

            In America, Las Vegas was the Mafia and organized crime money belt, till the government took control. The government went after the crime lords by cutting off the head and replacing it with federal ruling.  Putin can learn from how we solved our problem. There will always be crime around gambling, but controlling gambling will not send the country into chaos. It can help the country grow and keep its people safe.

            This tactic did work and people didn’t lose their jobs and the government keeps taxing the winnings from gambling.  Control of the problem could lead to helping the country get out of financial trouble quicker or help generate jobs. Creating gambling laws and where it is allowed to gamble can stop much of the crime and corruption. The Russian people have suffered enough, so why go to extremes and try to solve one problem by creating a new one. It is like taking one step forward and two steps back. Putin loves his country, but don’t forget about loving the people. They are the ones that are going to hurt and suffer more.