Obama Shares the Wealth—Why Stop There?

Communists, socialists, and Democrats are all about sharing the wealth. That is a euphemism for forcefully taking money, and thus property, from one group of people and giving it free to another group of people. How much to seize is entirely up to the big, radical leftist government. Not a future government, our existing federal government today.

The right to own property (wealth) is one of our basic freedoms. For the government to legally seize property from a specified group based on arbitrary government rules robs that group of its freedom; and thus subjects it to arbitrary infringement on all freedoms stemming from wealth and property up to, and including, life itself. The victims’ homes, salaries, savings, real properties, and their basic necessities for life can be seized and given to another group.

Much of the radical left’s agenda is being implemented, over the objections of the majority of American people, by Obama and his Democrat fellow travelers. The health care “reform”, like all government reforms, it not a reform at all, it is a power grab and freedom limiting expansion of big government. But, there is much more to health than just shared wealth. Why not extend sharing the wealth to sharing everything needed for health, welfare, and happiness?

What Else Could Government Seize from one Group and Give to Another Group?

Well, healthy organs such as eyes, kidneys, hearts, livers, etc. are essential to good health and survival. Why not select the groups in America with the healthiest organs, take them, and give them to the poor groups without healthy organs? Sharing the organs is morally equivalent to sharing the wealth and can be just as easily justified. This is especially true since there is a group that is generally wealthy and healthy. Just think of it as a wealth and body tax on the rich. Professional athletes are in superb health and could easily spare an eye or a kidney at any time. And, after they turn 40 or so most are no longer of use in professional sports. So, like the death panels in the Obamacare reform for seniors beyond their economically productive life span, the government could establish death panels for professional athletes beyond their athletically productive life. Their major organs: heart, liver, remaining eye and kidney, and bones, tendons, etc. could be taken and given to those poor without healthy organs.

No need to stop their either. Many people are poor by virtue of infertility, i.e. not able to have healthy children. Others are able to have healthy children from their teens to their 40s or so. The group with healthy children could easily be taxed as “wealthy in healthy kids” and be forced to share the wealth of healthy children. The government could declare healthy children as wealth and thereby seize healthy children and give them to the poor groups without healthy children.

The love of work and accomplishment is not only a blessing but a wealth. Those groups who love their jobs and work 50-80 hour work weeks (e.g. small business owners, medical interns, medical doctors, scientists, engineers, long-haul truckers, etc.) are wealthy in work and happiness. These groups could be taxed on their “wealth of work and accomplishment enjoyment” and have some of it taken to work for those groups poor in work and accomplishment enjoyment. Government could provide these work poor groups with able workers by taxing this source of wealth. Those taxed for enjoying extra long work hours and accomplishments could have their tax payment be in the form of temporary assignments to work for the poor (indentured servants). In the event that a family had two or more work healthy members, then one or more of them could be shared with the groups that are not “work wealthy” in permanent assignments (slavery).

Discussion

Don’t grin; don’t laugh at the foolishness of the above suggestions for organ, children, and work taxes on those judged wealthy in these areas. Here is why:
1) Progressive income taxing forces sharing of financial wealth and we have had that since the WW I era.
2) Health Care Reform is taxing those wise enough to work and buy health insurance and giving free insurance to those who do not work and buy health insurance (and remember, not everyone in America has insurance, but everyone in America does have health care).
3) The senior death panels are real and in the health care reform bills. Seniors will have mandatory “end of life counseling” designed to push them into a decision to die. Other people’s lives are neither precious nor sacred to our radical leftist elite. What better proof exists than senior death panels and legal, publically funded abortions? The leftist Democrats seem to hate our most vulnerable citizens; babies trying to be born and seniors trying to hang on to life after a lifetime of contributions. Leftist morality would not stand in the way of a tax on those wealthy in health.
4) Beyond death panels and abortion, women and children are also not honored by our leftist government. Our open border with Mexico is almost entirely responsible for the white slave trade in America, and, many of its victims are children.
5) Slavery remains widespread in parts of Africa (e.g. raids on Christians and animists in southern Sudan and their transfer to Muslims in Africa and the Middle East). And, indentured servitude is common in Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East (especially with foreign workers from poor countries in Asia). The UN and the US have always known about this slavery and indentured servitude and look the other way because of political, economic, and politically correct reasons.

So don’t laugh and don’t sneer at the above “tax the rich” scenarios. People are rich in more than just money. The leftist seeking tyranny through block-voting by dependency groups will stop at nothing to gain and hold power in America. Want evidence? Consider what has happened in every communist and leftist tyranny that ever existed. And which countries are honored and befriended most by the Obama Administration? It is not the democracies, it’s the tyrannies.

I hope this essay illustrates the evil of sharing the wealth, regardless of how you define wealth, and of big government, especially a godless, leftist big government.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

Here, in the words of our greatest modern-day president, is a Thanksgiving Proclamation. It is so good that I decided to post it again this year.

As we give thanks to God for his blessings, please think about President Reagan's proclamation and how much it means to us today.


THANKSGIVING DAY, 1985
Proclamation 5412. November 15, 1985
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, A PROCLAMATION

Although the time and date of the first American thanksgiving observance may be uncertain, there is no question but that this treasured custom derives from our Judeo-Christian heritage. "Unto Three, O God, do we give thanks," the Psalmist sang, praising God not only for the "wondrous works" of His creation, but for loving guidance and deliverance from dangers.

A band of settlers arriving in Maine in 1607 held a service of thanks for their safe journey, and twelve years later settlers in Virginia set aside a day of thanksgiving for their survival. In 1621 Governor William Bradford created the most famous of all such observances at Plymouth Colony when a bounteous harvest prompted him to proclaim a special day "to render thanksgiving to the Almighty God for all His blessings." The Spaniards in California and the Dutch in New Amsterdam also held services to give public thanks to God.

In 1777, during our War of Independence, the Continental Congress set aside a day for thanksgiving and praise for our victory at the battle of Saratoga. It was the first time all the colonies took part in such an event on the same day. The following year, upon news that France was coming to our aid, George Washington at Valley Forge prescribed a special day of thanksgiving. Later, as our first President, he responded to a Congressional petition by declaring Thursday, November 26, 1789, the first Thanksgiving Day of the United States of America.

Although there were many state and national thanksgiving days proclaimed in the ensuing years, it was the tireless crusade of one woman, Sarah Josepha Hale, that finally led to the establishment of this beautiful feast as an annual nationwide observance. Her editorials so touched the heart of Abraham Lincoln that in 1863 - even in the midst of the civil War - he enjoined his countrymen to be mindful of their many blessings, cautioning them not to forget "the source from which they come," that they are "the gracious gifts of the Most High God…" Who ought to be thanked "with one heart and one voice by the whole American People."

It is in that spirit that I now invite all Americans to take part again in this beautiful tradition with its roots deep in our history and deeper still in our hearts. We manifest our gratitude to God for the many blessings he has showered upon our land and upon its people.

In this season of Thanksgiving we are grateful for our abundant harvests and the productivity of our industries; for the discoveries of our laboratories; for the researches of our scientists and scholars; for the achievements of our artists, musicians, writers, clergy, teachers, physicians, businessmen, engineers, public servants, farmers, mechanics, artisans, and workers of every sort whose honest toil of mind and body in a free land rewards them and their families and enriches our entire Nation.

Let us thank God for our families, friends, and neighbors, and for the joy of this very festival we celebrate in His name. Let every house of worship in the land and every home and every heart be filled with the spirit of gratitude and praise and love on this Thanksgiving Day.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, RONALD REAGAN, President of the United States of America, in the spirit and tradition of the Pilgrims, the Continental Congress, and past Presidents, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 28, 1985, as a day of national Thanksgiving. I call upon every citizen of this great Nation to gather together in homes and places of worship and offer prayers of praise and gratitude for the many blessings almighty God has bestowed upon our beloved country.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and tenth.

Why do Well Intentioned Non-Profit Organizations Go Bad?

It happens too often. Successful and usually conservative or moderate, business leaders amass a fortune and decide to give some back to help our country and its people. The original goals of the nonprofit organization often involve nonpolitical charity, conservation of natural or cultural resources, and general benefits to America and its people. Within a generation of the founders’ death the nonprofit is usually changing rapidly in its move to a liberal philosophy, and by the time of the next generation the foundation has been completely dominated by extreme leftist radicals. Now, many of the nonprofit’s goals and purposes have morphed into radical, anti-American organizations with socialist or communist goals far different from the founder's intention. Moreover, the nonprofits are often deeply involved in radical leftist politics far beyond any political involvement of the founder's wishes.

Why does this happen so often. For example, why does the Ford foundation move left from helping all America’s poor to funding racists and anti-American organizations such as La Raza (“the Race”)? Why do nonprofits originally devoted to protecting wildlife habitats and conserving our natural resources become radical leftist advocacy groups generating a plethora of lawsuits in support of leftist politics? Why do organizations devoted to the welfare and humane treatment of animals wind up deeply involved in gun control and other leftist agendas? There are several reasons, but let’s start with the money.

Salaries of Nonprofit Executives

Nonprofit salary data are available, including a free demo package, at ERI.

Comparable, accurate statistics on government, private, and nonprofit salaries are hard to get. Each of these sectors has reason to hide and obfuscate their salaries and budgets. What is viewed as a benefit (and thus part of compensation) in one sector is not included in another sector. The information may be in the databases somewhere, but the intention of reporting these salaries is motivated by the law requiring them to report and the desire to make the required reports confusing and deceptive. For example, these sectors often report by size in revenues (here is the first deception, "revenues" often does not mean the same in the reporting requirements as they would to you and me). Nonprofits may report by categories of revenues of $1 million (small), $10 million (medium), and $100 million (large). Government statistics on private businesses may be reported as those making $300 million or less Medium), those making $1 to 2.5 billion (medium large), and those making $10 billion or more (large). The federal government lumps its salaries and benefits amounts for Senior Executive Service, Executive Schedule, and General Schedule. Given these odd ways of reporting, let’s look at some salary comparisons.

Nonprofits, Chief Operations Offer Compensation (salary plus benefits per year), 2009

Average over all nonprofits surveyed:
Small: $64,000. Medium: $111,000. Large: $193, 000
Range of salaries by category:
Least--Religion Related: Small: $54,000. Medium: $97,000. Large: $193,000
Most: Union Related: Small: $110,000. Medium: $165,000. Large: $248, 000


Federal Government, Executive Schedule (salary plus benefits per year), 1999

Interesting data on federal, private, and nonprofits are available here.

These data are about 10 years out of date. Assuming an average 3% per year increase, the 2009 estimates are presented below. One might go back and get actual year by year increases where possible, but the relative relationships would still hold. The objective here is not a precise salary comparison, but relative salary estimates to determine if pay is a leading draw of leftist radicals to work at nonprofits. Federal pay is determined by law, significant variations can be due to bonuses and other benefits not broken out in the database. The federal benefits package is more generous than in the private sector and I was unable to get detailed analyses of private vs. nonprofit benefits. Therefore, I use the basic salary plus benefits for federal employees. The figures for low, average and high are due to time in position, bonuses, etc.

Federal Executive Service Corrected to 2009

Low: $223,000. Average: $231,000. High: $237,000.

Private Sector Chief Executive Officer, Medium Sized Firms (salary plus benefits per year), 1999

These data are updated the same way as the federal salaries were, assuming a 3% per year increase.

Low: $326,000. Average: $988,000. High: $1,918,000.

Large Nonprofit Chief Executive Officer (salary plus benefits per year), 1999

These data are updated the same way as the federal salaries were, assuming a 3% per year increase.

Low: $171,000. Average: $285,000. High: $380,000.

Notice that the federal government estimates of large nonprofit CEO salary plus benefits are significantly larger than the “$100 million” data in the ERI database cited above. For example, even without adjustment for 1999 data to 2009 data, the average 1999 salary plus benefits of nonprofit CEOs is $212,000 compared with the ERI estimate of $193,000. in 2009. The federal government data are from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a non-partisan but agenda-driven agency. If the majority of Congress wants high or low numbers, then that is probably what they get from the CBO.

Summary of average salary plus benefits estimates

Nonprofit Chief Executive Officer: $193,000 to $285,000.
Government Executive Schedule: $231,000
Private Chief Executive Officers: $988,000.

Next, Lets Speculate on the Work Environment

It is harder to generalize at the Chief Executive Officer level than it is at the average worker level. Based on my first-hand observations the work effort and pressure is greatest in the private sector, followed by the government sector, and least in the nonprofit sector. If this is correct, then the above salary estimates generally follow this rank except that the nonprofit CEO’s may be somewhat better paid than the federal executives in terms of work effort and pressure.

Conclusion based on Salary plus Benefits.

The government and nonprofit salaries above are lower than the comparable private sector salaries. Therefore, I conclude the following:
1)Money is not the primary draw of leftist radicals to the nonprofit organizations.
2)My observations on level of work effort and job pressure may be a draw to both government and the nonprofit sectors because work effort and pressure are probably highest in the private sector.
3) Government agencies and nonprofits do not need to make a profit and thus their pressure to perform is generally less than in the private sector where lack of profits usually results in loss of jobs. Thus, job security may be a draw to government and nonprofit jobs.

Effects of Political and Social Beliefs

Leftist radicals, socialist, and communists all hate private industry and the concepts of profits and rewards for effort. They hate the idea (excepting themselves) that an individual who works harder and is more educated, capable, and dedicated should make more money than a less hard working, less educated, less capable, and less dedicated individual. It is not an overgeneralization to say that big government wants to regulate and control and that leftist radicals want to regulate and control. Their views on big government and social control and limitations of freedom are mutually supportive.

I conclude the following. Leftist radicals are drawn to nonprofits (they have learned that lawsuits and propaganda bring money and power and peer recognition) and somewhat less to big government, although under the leftist radical Obama that may be changing.

Other factors

Those who do not believe in capitalism, equal pay for equal work, and equal justice under the law are more likely to seek jobs that reward these beliefs, i.e. nonprofit and government jobs. Good pay, less work, the arrogance of do-gooders, power, and security seem to be the draw for leftist radicals to work and take over nonprofits.

Of course, there are exceptions. The scouting programs, Alcoholics Anonymous, The Salvation Army, and thousands of faith-based groups all are based on volunteerism and “living among the people you help”. I deeply appreciate and admire these kinds of nonprofits. The people involved in such nonprofit organizations give more than most of us. America needs many thousands more of them.

However, I believe that many nonprofits are out of control and do not deserve their tax exempt status. Hard earned taxpayer money should not be spent supporting organizations that seek to destroy freedom and individual responsibility; that are politically motivated, and seek to destroy America.

Al Gore’s Photoshop Work Violates Physical Laws

Picture 1 is the book cover
Picture 2 is the world before the picture was altered


























Picture 3 is Gore's Deception


Al Gore has a new alarmist book out. Gore keeps harping on global warming causing hurricanes. The data show the opposite, no large hurricanes hit US since Katrina. Oh well, Gore and the truth are as strange to each other as dogs and cats are.

Three satellite views of the earth are shown above. The first is from the cover of Gore’s book. Notice the hurricane. This cover view shows only half the earth. source.

The second picture is a satellite view before Gore’s Photoshop work. Notice the large extent of arctic ice, the size of Florida, and the lack of hurricanes. source.

The third picture is after Gore’s Photoshop work. source.

Please notice the following features of pictures 2 and 3

In Picture two there is a large amount of arctic ice, no hurricanes, and a normal-sized Florida.

In picture 3, just to the right of Florida is a typhoon (what they call hurricanes in the southern hemisphere). Hurricanes in the northern hemisphere, like all low pressure storms, rotate counterclockwise. The hurricane just off the coast of Florida is rotating clockwise. The laws of physics preclude this. The southern hemisphere typhoon was “photoshopped” into the picture east of Florida. First, it is spinning clockwise, and second notice how the pasting and blending of the picture distorted the image of Florida.

Al Gore – A Politician; and a Dumb and Dishonest One

Gore is a politician and he lies all the time. Unlike smarter politicians, he is not smart enough to make his lies plausible.

Most of us learned about counterclockwise rotating low pressure storm systems in the northern hemisphere and clockwise rotating low pressure storm systems in the southern hemisphere while in grade school, or in junior high and high school, or in college.

Gore could have asked a student, or consulted a text book, or an encyclopedia. But he didn’t, and apparently the Photoshop user he had doctor the picture was as ignorant or as dishonest as Gore.

Anyway, that’s the scoop on part of Gore’s latest book. As phony as last year’s bird’s nest.

Suspicions Confirmed

A couple of my suspicions confirmed. The first suspicion confirmed comes in the form of the above picture stolen from Charming, Just Charming.

Second, Al Gore it totally ignorant about science, and probably most other things too. He did flunk out of divinity school! Glad to see some universities still have standards.

Please read the following excerpts (and then the entire post) on Watts Up With That?

Gore has no clue – a few million degrees here and there and pretty soon we’re talking about real temperature
16 11 2009

This is mind blowing ignorance on the part of Al Gore. Gore in an 11/12/09 interview on NBC’s tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, speaking on geothermal energy, champion of slide show science, can’t even get the temperature of earth’s mantle right, claiming “several million degrees” at “2 kilometers or so down”. Oh, and the “crust of the earth is hot” too.

Temperature of the sun’s corona: 1–2 million kelvin
Temperature of the sun’s photosphere: 6,000 kelvin
Temperature of the Earths mantle, more than “2 kilometers or so down”: between 500 °C to 900 °C (773 to 1173 kelvin)
Watching Gore make a complete scientific idiot of himself on national TV: priceless
source.

PC Rules--More Islamic Terrorism to Come

Political Correctness (PC) is dragging us down and is a cancer on the body of America. PC in America today is an almost mandatory position for the majority of Americans. Even the many who hate it and know it for a false doctrine lack the courage to oppose it because of society’s swift and harsh punishments. Speak the truth and those following the doctrine of PC will shun you, censure you, fire you, imprison you, and even kill you. It is a “pile on” doctrine where if you are accused of a crime and someone labels it a hate crime then additional punishment is piled on. PC is wrong and it is an evil doctrine designed to overcome fairness, equality, justice, civilized behavior, and common sense. PC has its roots in Communism and that explains a lot. Please see here for a detailed discussion or PC and how to fight it.

Like a Cancer, PC Has Infected the Army

US Army Maj. Nidal Hasan launched the second most deadly terrorist attack on America; the worst since 9/11. It is clear to that he is a Muslim terrorist, no doubts, no contrary data, no opposing evidence; just facts and witnesses, and common sense. Only those sick with the sin of Political Correctness or who owe there allegiance to our Islamic enemies could say otherwise.

Political correctness has been called the handmaiden of terrorism, and in the case of Maj. Hassan, she served him well. Dr. Hasan was allowed to complete medical school, at the expense of the U.S. taxpayer, while at the same time receiving substandard performance reports reflecting he was a mediocre student and a lazy worker. These were evidently fine credentials for a man trusted to treat emotionally wounded Americans as they returned from the horrors of war. Those who worked with and around him described him as defensive and argumentative concerning his Muslim faith, belligerent, intense, combative, disconnected, aloof, schizoid and paranoid, this coming from men and women who had the training and experience to correctly diagnose such issues and illnesses. source.

The greatest allies our enemies have are the Politically Correct in America. As long as PC rules America terrorists attacks will continue. Only a return to conservative, patriotic, and decent government will give us the tools to fight political correctness. RINOs are the tip of the spear for PC in the Republican Party and they must go if we are to recapture our government from the radical leftists.

Anti-American Businesses and Organizations in Arizona Fight E-Verify

Open Border Traitors

E-Verify is an electronic citizenship verification system for businesses to use in verifying employment status of potential employees. In most places it is voluntary (and thus not used very much), but in Arizona it is mandatory.

To avoid any misunderstanding or open borders propaganda, E-Verify is about as simple to use as the procedures merchants and others use to validate credit cards. Credit card validation is almost universal, it is used by the largest businesses down to people at craft fairs and farmers markets, and it takes a few seconds to perhaps a minute or so. E-Verify is just about as simple.

Well of course, the cheaters, the crooks, the anti-American groups and organization, and assorted racists and scumbags don’t like obeying the law. They want open borders for a continued supply of cheap, illegal labor and for a pathway for illegal drugs, terrorists, and illegal aliens. I say crooks, cheaters, racists, scumbags, and anti-American because that is what they are. With Phoenix as the city with the second highest kidnapping rate in the world (after Mexico City), Mexican drug cartels as the main illegal drug and people smugglers, and illegal aliens responsible for the majority of felonies committed in Arizona (and in most Southwestern states). No one who cared at all about America, equal justice under law, crime prevention, kidnapping, murder, drug smuggling, or protection of American jobs could possible be against E-Verify.

Yet powerful and politically correct groups oppose E-verify. Please see the following site and excerpts from it below.

Friends of Arizona Businesses with Illegal Workers Take E-Verify Law to Supreme Court (see the list)
By Van Esser, Sunday, November 8, 2009, 8:00 PM EST - posted on NumbersUSA

In a last ditch effort to undermine Arizona’s mandatory E-Verify law for employers, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a coalition of business and open-border groups have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to determine whether Arizona’s law is preempted by federal law. The case (Chamber of Commerce of the U.S. of Am. v. Candelaria, U.S.) is an appeal of a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision that upheld Arizona’s law. The Supreme Court this week asked the U.S. Solicitor General for an opinion on the preemption question.
SNIP
They include:
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Arizona Contractors Association
Arizona Chamber of Commerce
Arizona Employers for Immigration Reform
Arizona Farm Bureau Federation
Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Arizona Landscape Contractors Association
Arizona Restaurant and Hospitality Association
Arizona Roofing Contractors Association
National Roofing Contractors Association
Chicanos Por La Causa
Somos America
Valle Del Sol, Inc.

Petitioners are being represented in the Court by other organizations that have consistently fought state and local enforcement efforts, including:
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
National Immigration Law Center

Plus more support has been provided in the form of amicus briefs filed by groups like:
Service Employees International Union
National Employment Law Project
Asian American Justice Center

The above organizations and groups have already been invaded by agents and lawyers from the drug cartels and from racist and politically correct originations. Notice the infamous Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and ACLU. The infiltration situation of drug cartels, racists, and criminals into our businesses and organizations is well enough advanced that they have access to our federal government, including the Supreme Court (I guess they are not told they lack “standing” as happens to many patriotic groups).

It is sad to see our government and military also being infiltrated by Islamic terrorists through the establishment of institutional politically correctness. First it was the drug cartels and the open border scumbags, now terrorists are following the same tactics.

We can only hope that the Supreme Court has the courage to enforce the law, to do the right thing, and to support equal justice under law.

Veterans Day, November 11, 2009

Sergeant Alvin York, Medal of Honor Winner
(From www.worldwar1.com)


History of its Origin

Veterans Day has its origins in World War I (WW I), and stems from Armistice Day to commemorate those who lost their lives and the end of WW I. In much of the World it remains more strongly linked to WW I, the “Great War”, than it is to World War II and subsequent wars.

Armistice Day is the anniversary of the symbolic end of World War I on 11 November 1918. It commemorates the armistice signed between the Allies and Germany at Rethondes, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning — the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month". While this official date to mark the end of the war reflects the cease fire on the Western Front, hostilities continued in other regions, especially across the former Russian Empire and in parts of the old Ottoman Empire.
The date was declared a national holiday in many allied nations, to commemorate those members of the armed forces who were killed during war. An exception is Italy, where the end of the war is commemorated on 4 November, the day of the Armistice of Villa Giusti. Called Armistice Day in many countries, it was known as National Day in Poland (also a public holiday) called Polish Independence Day. After World War II, the name of the holiday was changed to Veterans Day in the United States and to Remembrance Day in countries of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Armistice Day remains an official holiday in France. It is also an official holiday in Belgium, known also as the Day of Peace in the Flanders Fields. source.

In America after World War II (WW II), Armistice Day was changed to Veterans Day
Here is how Armistice Day became Veterans Day in 1954.

In 1953, an Emporia, Kansas shoe store owner named Al King had the idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans, not just those who served in World War I. King had been actively involved with the American War Dads during World War II. He began a campaign to turn Armistice Day into "All" Veterans Day. The Emporia Chamber of Commerce took up the cause after determining that 90% of Emporia merchants as well as the Board of Education supported closing their doors on November 11, 1953, to honor veterans. With the help of then-U.S. Rep. Ed Rees, also from Emporia, a bill for the holiday was pushed through Congress. President Dwight Eisenhower signed it into law on May 26, 1954.[3]
Congress amended this act on November 8, 1954, replacing "Armistice" with Veterans, and it has been known as Veterans Day since. source.

Given its origins, I have decided to focus on WW I and our greatest hero in that war,
Sergeant Alvin York, Medal of Honor Winner

Alvin York was our most famous soldier in WW I. He was a reluctant warrior and finally decided, after he was drafted, that some wars could be moral and worth fighting. His courage and fearless fighting in the Battle of the Argonne- Meuse resulted in him knocking out a machine gun nest, and with 8 other soldiers captured 132 enemy troops behind enemy lines and then returned back to American held territory.

He was an uneducated and humble man from Tennessee who led and amazing life from a bar-brawler, to a devout Christian, to a Medal of Honor winner, to a man dedicated to educating the youth in his native Tennessee and keeping the US out of another war in Europe, to eventually becoming a strong supporter of the War against Hitler.

In 1940-41, York joined the Fight for Freedom Committee which combated the isolationist stance of America First, and York became one of its most vocal members. Up until Pearl Harbor, York battled another legendary American hero, the man who symbolized America First to the general public, Charles Lindbergh. Meantime, the film Sergeant York starring Gary Cooper, became one of the top grossing Warner Brothers films of the entire war era and earned Cooper the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1942.
SNIP
York's health began to deteriorate after the war and in 1954 he suffered from a stroke that would leave him bedridden for the remainder of his life. In 1951, the Internal Revenue Service accused York of tax evasion regarding profits earned from the movie. Unfortunately, York was practically destitute in 1951. He spent the next ten years wrangling with the IRS, which led Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn and Congressman Joe L. Evins to establish the York Relief Fund to help cancel the debt. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy ordered that the matter be resolved and considered the IRS's actions in the case to be a national disgrace. The relief fund paid the IRS $100,000 and placed $30,000 in trust to be used in the family's best interest.
SNIP
York died on September 2, 1964 and was buried with full military honors in the Pall Mall cemetery. His funeral was attended by Governor Frank G. Clement and General Matthew Ridgway as President Lyndon B. Johnson's official representative. He was survived by seven children and his widow. source.

Please read the rest of the article at the above link. It will be worth your time.

In Memory of Sergeant York and in Gratitude to all Veterans:

May we always remember and cherish our heroes such as Alvin York and honor all of our Nation’s veterans. May God Bless and keep them all.

To Reagan, Obama, and Pelosi---

Now you know how the song can be done on ukuleles and what the title means.
Thanks to Baxter Dogg.