Day548 Tuesday 02/28/12

ran 3.3 miles
This is the best idea I have seen in a long time and the first thing I am going to do tomorrow is purchase a few stacks of post-it notes. I am going to scribble and stick these things everywhere and I encourage you to do the same.

This is as grassroots as it gets. If you want to get involved, remain anonymous, and express how you feel, go to a store and buy a pad of post-it notes and stick them on anything that moves you.

Gas stations, grocery stores, libraries, malls, restaurants…there is no end.

And, just to fully convey to what extent how disappointing the direction our country is heading under Barack Obama, what sort of message would his supporters write on these post-it notes to promote his re-election?

I can’t think of one.

399.9 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day183.

Day547 Monday 02/27/12

ran 3.6 miles
Stats and polls from RasmussenReports:

• Barack Obama’s presidential index rating shows that 26% of American voters strongly approve of his performance while 42% strongly disapprove, giving Obama a presidential index rating of -16. This is the lowest rating in over a month.

• Overall, 45% of voters at least somewhat approve of Obama’s performance while 53% at least somewhat disapprove.

• Romney 45%, Obama 43%

• Paul 43%, Obama 41%

• Obama 45%, Santorum 43%

• Obama 49%, Gingrich 39%

In a poll conducted today from TheWashingtonFreeBeacon, they found that an overwhelming majority of voters think the rich already "pay their fair share".

“The big majority opted for a lower tax bill when asked to choose specific rates; precisely 75 percent said the right level for top earners was 30 percent or below. The current rate for top earners is 35 percent. Only 4 percent thought it was appropriate to take 40 percent, which is approximately the level that President Obama is seeking from January 2013 onward.”

The Associated Press and a Pew poll surveyed the same topic recently and found a completely contradictory result. November 6, 2012, will be the only way to settle these opposing numbers.

403.2 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day182.

Day546 Sunday 02/26/12

ran 3.2 miles
Today ends week seventy-eight of running against Obama. I ran 21.1 miles this week, averaging 3.01 miles per day.

Unbelievable.

How about “Whites for Paul”? Or “Caucasians for Romney”? What about “Americans of European Descent for Santorum”? Or “Anglo-Saxons for Gingrich”?

This is the battle we are entrenched in. Our president has been shamelessly engaging in class warfare and now he is deploying racial warfare on a one-way road. None of the Candidates in line to win a shot at Barack Obama would ever ask an entire minority or majority to vote for them. Everything about this is wrong, yet our president employs these un-American, desperate tactics to ensure his journey to his cliff’s edge.

America has been divided right up the middle under Barack Obama. Along the lines of figuratively examining this end he is after, to divide America, let’s assume we could literally divide this country in half. Everyone who plans on voting for Obama gets one side and everyone who plans on voting for anyone on Earth besides Obama gets the other half. What side would you want to be on?

On the one side, Barack Obama could take all the money from the wealthiest who chose to be on his side and redistribute it properly to those who voted for him, they could manufacture solar panels and electric car batteries, refine algae for energy, and they could live happily on their twenty-five state unicorn farm. On the other side, those who would be happy to elect anyone else but Obama could happily live their lives in the other twenty-five states without the infection of communism.

Just wishful thinking, but it goes to show that if you could divide America in two and compare Barack Obama’s half to anyone but Barack Obama’s half, one side would clearly thrive and the other would not. Does it take that much common sense to figure out who is who?

406.8 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day181.

Day545 Saturday 02/25/12

ran 6.2 miles
Another green company, A123 Systems (an electric car battery company), has recently laid off 125 employees after receiving $390 million in government subsidies. That is not very surprising, but what is disappointing is that the company is handing out raises to the company executives at the same time.

Just one more small notch on the giant chart of things in America that make absolutely no sense.

I ran a 10k in Houston today and got my best time ever. 6.2 miles in 44:52 (7:13 per mile). Better than some, worse than others, but I am very happy with it. And it helps when I have a cause to run for like the removal of Barack Obama from the White House.

410.0 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day180.

Day544 Friday 02/24/12

ran 0.1 miles
It looks like America’s $16.4 trillion debt ceiling might be hitting the fan earlier than our president expected. According to the Bipartisan Policy Center the “debt-limit doomsday” appears to be edging closer to somewhere between November of 2012 and January of 2013. Last summer’s deal to lift the debt ceiling pivoted on the certainty that this problem would not resurface until deep into 2013. They planned poorly and this hot issue might end up surfacing right in the middle of millions of Americans heading to their local voting precincts.

That’s all for tonight. Big race tomorrow. I’m in Houston and tomorrow morning is the ConocoPhillips 25th Annual Rodeo Run. 6.2 miles first thing in the morning. Can’t wait!

416.2 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day179.

Day543 Thursday 02/23/12

ran 1.4 miles

On Saturday, I’m running the 25th Annual ConocoPhillips Rodeo 10k. It’s in downtown Houston and it wraps up at Minute Maid stadium. This run draws nearly 16,000 people and along the race route are bandstands with six or seven different bands playing as the runners go by. Beyond the 16,000 race participants, tens of thousands more show up for the music, parades, and rodeo. To say that I am excited about this 10k would be an exaggerated understatement.

Meanwhile, Barack Obama suggested we utilize algae as an energy resource to lower gas prices today. Reminds me of 2008 when he suggested that if only we all kept our tires inflated and performed regular tune-ups then we could all be part of an epic solution to curbing gas prices---that, or investing hundreds of billions of tax dollars into solar companies that are going bankrupt---that, or investing in the technology that gave us the Chevy Volt, which no one seems to want to purchase, and the few that did were recalled because they caught on fire. Algae sounds promising.

In a Univision interview today Barack Obama asserted that he had another five years left. Five years of what, I’m not sure. It will either be five more years of marring this country from its own identity or five more years of being closer to holding the title for worst president in American history. Let’s face it, if this guy does not get a second term to either continue deconstructing America or to rebuild America, depending on whose side you’re on, he will far surpass Jimmy Carter as the worst occupier of the Oval Office ever.

President Obama apologized today to Afghan President Hamid Karzai over the burning of a couple of Korans by U.S. soldiers. This after two U.S. troops were shot and killed during the riots that have been persisting in Afghanistan over the past three days. They are burning effigies of Barack Obama, they killed two of our troops, and our president is apologizing. Our president assured Karzai that those who were responsible for burning the Korans would be reprimanded and that he was severely apologetic. Maybe we’ll give them an extra few hundred million dollars this year on top of what we already give them just to smooth things over.

This is wrong in so many ways. One thing I would like to mention is that as this story is new and developing, one thing I keep hearing over and over is that the Korans that were burned had an abundance of handwritten notes in them expressing incendiary, violent ideas and messages. And, regardless of the content of what was written, it is a well-known fact in the Muslim world that if any word, or even a scribble, is written in a Koran, that Koran should be purified by burning it. This story is a testament of how little respect these people hold for America, how unhappy they are with our presence there, and how curious it is that a leader of America can so easily stand upright without a spine. A book being burned versus two of our troops dying for that book being burned---and our president apologizes for the book?

416.3 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day178.

Day542 Wednesday 02/22/12

ran 3.5 miles

417.7 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day177.

Day541 Tuesday 02/21/12

ran 3.3 miles
Greece was rescued today in the form of $172 billion by the European Union. This was the reason our stock market hit heights today it hadn’t seen since 2008. Enjoy the glimmer while it lasts.

Had this bailout not occurred a wake of economic disruption would have rolled up on many other nations’ shores, including our own. Think about it. Do you honestly believe that every country in the European Union actually wants to throw away money at a nation that naively promised its people the impossible? It’s like having a cousin who lacks all responsibility, hope for a future, and is involved in things that serve no real purpose for his own well-being. Ultimately, every member of this individual’s family, all the way to the most distant relative, is affected.

The EU is not letting this rapidly growing bubble pop. They are only buying time from inevitability at the price of greater disappointment.

Speaking of bubbles, there is an American bubble that will be popping soon and it is Barack Obama’s spending.

The American housing bubble that popped in recent years is similar to what happened in Greece. The banks that financed the loans for people who could not afford the payments to live in the houses they purchased are being blamed; in fact they are in the process of shelling out a few thousand dollars to each of the hundreds of thousands of those who received bad loans.

Bad loans?

There is a certain amount of common sense that is expected to function in American society and purchasing a house that is way out of your means lacks common sense. Shame on the banks, but shame on the unrealistic perception of one’s own financial situation, as well.

America, as a whole, has a bubble that is swelling to a devastating state It is our national debt. Just as Greece unrealistically promised its people golden pensions, unrealistic minimum wages, excessive vacations, and everything else utopias have to offer, Barack Obama is following this same path regardless of the warning signs, one after another.

Americans living in houses they know they cannot afford, the sense of “getting away with it” that they felt, Greece actually believing they could get away with the unrealistic way of life they were promised, and, back to America, the idea that so many believe we are moving forward under Barack Obama when we are only further ensuring a rapture of economic regression---there is a larger picture here.

Barack Obama is obviously not going to campaign on “hope and change” again in 2012 because "hope and change" failed. Fortunately for him, the average voter has the memory of a goldfish, so now he will campaign on something entirely less optimistic and more disparaging. His theme will be about fair shots and everyone getting a square amount. But it will be fresh and new and distracting and that’s what counts.

America is on Greece’s path and the current administration shows no apparent restraint from that course.

421.2 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day176.

Day540 Monday 02/20/12

ran 3.4 miles
As deciphering news often becomes confusing and contradictory, even more so when it is in the form of words coming out of the mouths of politicians, particularly our president, it is important to remember to go with your common sense. It is the most vital tool you can rely on.

For example, Barack Obama often stands in front of thousands of people, or in front of a camera, speaking to millions of people, and he smiles and says America is moving in the right direction, that our economy is moving forward, and that he deserves four more years. My gut and my common sense tell me otherwise. Most arguments he makes to showcase what he refers to as progress are at the peril of stacking up national debt to a level that is simply unsustainable. Any one of us could grin and lie about anything we wished if we too had a stack of blank checks or a credit card with no limit. But we don’t and that is because things like this do not exist. Our president thinks otherwise.

Here you go. You be the judge. Here are eighteen facts with sources affirming that the economy has not improved, but exponentially worsened, since Barack Obama became president. Somebody is lying here. It’s either our president or the eighteen different sources that these statistics came from. Here is the story.

• 88 million working-age Americans that are not employed and are not looking for employment (all-time record high).

• When Obama was elected, 15% of unemployed Americans had been out of work for 52 weeks. Today it is above 30%.

• 1.2 million fewer jobs in America today than before Obama was sworn in.

• The number of long-term unemployed workers before Obama was 2.6 million. Today, the number is 5.6 million.

• Average duration of unemployment in America is close to an all-time record high.

• Under Obama, worker’s health insurance costs have increased 23%.

• 90% increase in the price of gas.

• Home values in America have declined 13% under Barack Obama.

• New home sales in America set a new all-time low in 2009, again in 2010, and once again in 2011.

• 6 million more Americans in poverty under Obama.

• Number of Americans on food stamps has increased from 32 million to 46 million.

• Amount of money the federal government gives directly to Americans has increased by 32%.

• Percentage of Americans in “extreme poverty” is now at an all-time high.

• When Obama took office an ounce of gold was worth about $850. An ounce of gold is now worth more than $1700.

• U.S. national debt has increased 44% under Barack Obama.

• During Obama’s first two years, our government added more to our national debt than the first 100 U.S. Congresses combined.

• Under Obama, our government has accumulated more debt than it did from the time of George Washington all the way through Clinton.

• U.S. national debt has been increasing by an average of more than $4 billion per day since Obama was sworn in.

Things will all be fine very soon, though. Give this guy another four years and see.

424.5 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day175.

Day539 Sunday 02/19/12

ran 2.7 miles
Today ends week seventy-seven of running against Obama. I ran 24.7 miles this week, averaging 3.53 miles per day.

In news today one of the big headlines on DrudgeReport is “Iran Cuts Oil To UK, France”. At first glance, it looks like a severe measure taken by a nation that is constantly in the news demonizing and threatening other nations around the globe, particularly our own and our long-time ally, Israel. But what about this…

What if we let them stick a cork right in their Strait of Hormuz, as they keep threatening to do, and just say “fine”.

What if America said, “Okie-dokie. Don’t really need you and we also don’t appreciate your hate-mongering. We can refine our own resources. Good luck financing the nuclear projects we and other countries you export oil to are paying for.”

Two things wrong with that approach. The first, we currently have a president who has little interest in America relying on itself for its own natural resources. His alternative energy companies he invested in with our tax dollars are going belly-up monthly (I think it was four in the past one or two months) and his decision to turn down the Keystone pipeline speaks for itself. And, secondly, that is way to simple of a solution. Decisions need to make as little sense as possible to at least fifty-percent of our nation in order to pass in Washington.

Here is why Iran’s decision to cut oil to UK and France is hardly newsworthy. In a story from Reuters, “The European Union in January decided to stop importing crude from Iran from July 1 over its disputed nuclear program, which the West says is aimed at building bombs. Iran denies this.”

Iran chose to cut off UK and France but the entire European Union was planning to cut Iran off in July. Iran has been in the process of getting phased out due to their controversial nuclear research and they simply cut the cord early out of spite. EU’s sanctions on Iran far exceed the U.N.’s including a ban on dealing with Iranian banks and insurance companies.

Why isn’t America leading this effort with the most extreme sanctions and bans? Our largest obstacle is a president who has so little interest in domestic oil and so much in failed green companies.

427.9 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day174.

Day538 Saturday 02/18/12

ran 2.5 miles

“There are elements in our society and they are predominantly on the hard left that say it’s no longer enough to challenge and contradict or defeat or fight these fellas in arguments. We’ve got to smear them, stigmatize as racist or homophobic and then we’ve gotta silence and censor them and the way we do it is go after the media outlets that put them on the air…this is un-American what is going on right now.”

Pat Buchanan

430.6 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day173.

Day537 Friday 02/17/12

ran 3.6 miles
Unbelievable. Just look at Tim Geithner. He looks like an eight-year-old trying to convince his parents otherwise of a blatant truth only adults would understand. Head leaning forward, shoulders raised and clenched in guilt, little and sporadic eye contact, sarcastic grins, so desperate to defend himself that he only achieves making himself look that much less credible. And, through and through, Ryan sits across from him calmly explaining how ineffective and destructive his budget is. I actually felt a tiny bit sorry for him. But, as Paul Ryan pointed out, he is the Treasury Secretary and he deserves every belittling comment Ryan so easily threw at him.

This stuff isn’t hard to grasp. Our national deficit and the budgets our leaders draft each year are leading us further and further to the edge. Even if this edge has ten years of distance before it ends and drops off into an abyss, it is simply irresponsible to appease the short-term interests of our nation while jeopardizing the long-term potential of America.

433.1 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day172.

Day536 Thursday 02/16/12

ran 3.5 miles
Spending like this cannot last forever. I’d venture to say it couldn’t even last another five years. Yet, our president does not address the unacceptable state of our national debt. He keeps adding to it. The messages expressed in the videos above are a clear statement of how broken America’s compass is and how obvious it is that we are heading in the wrong direction.

What is the end game here? If I wanted to deliberately lose everything I have worked so hard for, let down my entire family, and abandon all sense of hope, I think the easiest way to do it would be to follow the template of living extraordinarily out of my means with absolutely no regard for the fact that the money I am wasting will eventually have to be paid back. This is what our government is doing, and should a government not lead by example?

436.7 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day171.

Day535 Wednesday 02/15/12

ran 4.5 miles
Barack Obama did something today that I never would have expected. He exhibited the virtue of humility. He held himself accountable. He did not blame someone else. When asked why he did not reach his promise of having the national deficit cut in half by the end of his term, his response was:

“Well we’re not there because this recession turned out to be a lot deeper than any of us realized.”



This might be the first time since he was inaugurated that he accepted blame, even if only a fraction.

Hang on, just found another one. July, 2011:



One last thing, here is something I found today on Snopes that I thought was interesting and serves to encapsulate the essence of the liberal agenda. And, it was written 63 years ago.
The ideas Barack Obama represents were a bad idea in 1949 and they are a bad idea in 2012.


440.2 miles to go.

Here is what happened one year ago on Day170.