MITCH SNEED EDITOR (256) 234-4281 X213 editor@alexcityoutlook.com
EDITORIAL BOARD Kenneth Boone Mitch Sneed
Page 4
Outlook Fear, loathing of Washington make presidential race nuts
Friday, November 18, 2015
checking your Facebook page for crazy. In business, owners are responsible and bad employees are fired -- just the opposite of government. Our government wouldn’t see red flags at a Crimson Tide football game. Yet they will send in Loretta Lynch’s Justice Department if they see the Confederate flag at an Ole Miss game. Obama runs his government and foreign policy like he is afraid someone is going to report him to the Department of Children and Family Services. He thinks this huge government morass he’s created can actually function. And Democrats think Camille Cosby is in denial? America is now looking for decisive strength in a leader, and we are willing to give Trump some leeway on not being PC in order to make changes. The weak and historically cowardly French got hit by terrorists who shot up a concert venue, to the dismay of the civilized world. French authorities successfully tracked down some of the accomplices in the attacks and surrendered to them. With all the NSA cell phone-gathering, snooping powers they had on us, our government let this terrorist woman in and did not thwart the attack in San Bernardino that had been planned since 2012. We spent trillions on a stupid war in Iraq which ended up supplying ISIS with the tanks and weapons we left there. But after eight years, we did find bin Laden! He was in his house.
“It is not what happens to you, but how your react that matters.” – Epictetus
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Unfortunately ‘tis the season
T
wo stories on the front page of today’s Outlook concern theft. As is often said this time of year, “Tis the season.” Each Christmas, we see all kinds of theft increase. Not even small towns like Dadeville, Goodwater or, for that matter, Alexander City are immune. And while the instances of theft cited in today’s paper aren’t common, theft is theft and there are innumerable ways that a thief can make you his or her victim. Already, we’ve seen the door-to-door frauds that get you because you’re made to believe a person is someone he or she is not. There are pickpockets, pursesnatchers, the more sophisticated thieves like those that skim gas pumps or automatic teller machines. Yes, thieves come in all forms and they are particularly prolific this time of the year. But they all have one thing in common. They all want and – given the opportunity – will take money that doesn’t belong to them. Be diligent this Christmas and don’t let them take yours. While you’re out shopping this Christmas season, make sure your money and purchases are secure. Park in a well-lighted area or, if possible, a garage. Lock your doors all the time, keep your vehicle neat and any items of value out of the vehicle or out of sight. Stash any items before you park so that anyone who may be watching won’t know there are valuables inside the vehicle. At home, keep all doors and windows locked and blinds closed so thieves can’t see your holiday loot. Also, dispose of all empty boxes, which, left outside, are a sign to a thief there are goodies inside. Christmas is a season of joy. It is also the major shopping season of the year. Folks need money and, when desperate will take extreme measures to get it. We all work hard for our money and the things it allows us. Sometimes we must work just as hard to keep it.
The
W
ith all the fear and anger in this country, it’s been the craziest presidential campaign of my lifetime. The numbers for Dr. Ben Carson, who was leading in many polls just last month, abruptly dropped when he was unable to convince folks he really did try to stab someone. After yet another intemperate remark about banning Muslims, Trump surged in the polls. It’s like the play The Producers: The more outrageous Trump’s statements are, the better he does. I can’t wait for his “Springtime for Hitler” closing. Trump began his rhetoric on Muslim extremism by lashing out at Iraq, calling it “The Harvard of Terrorism.” It made sense, since George Bush probably got into Iraq only because his dad went there. Then Trump made his “ban on all Muslims entering the U.S. until we can sort out what the hell is going on” statement. Rand Paul put it more sensibly when he proposed temporary bans on immigrants from 34 countries that are active incubators of terrorists. Paul’s proposal was more savvy and more considered than Trump’s blustering. But in this election, that gets Rand Paul 2% in the polls while Trump’s populist bombast gives him a commanding lead. If we do ban all Muslims, it really opens the door for non-denominational terrorist groups to form. Obama seems feckless, bureaucratic, aloof, arrogant, and in over his community- organizer head, yet he continues to lecture us and call Americans “racists.” He has fumbled his duty to be a strong leader. He favors self-serving political rhetoric over action
RON HART Guest Columnist
and always tries to blame Republicans. On national security and ISIS, he has been consistent in his position: fetal. Obama traded five Taliban leaders for one U.S. deserter. At least one Taliban commander and another recently released Gitmo detainee have returned to the fight against America. It gets worse: the Thanksgiving turkey Obama pardoned at the White House recently fled to Syria and joined ISIS. In September, Obama released Osama bin Laden s bodyguard from Gitmo, which was not fair. How is this guy going to get another private sector job as a bodyguard with his résumé? His only chance is hiring on with our Secret Service. As Obama assured us of his government’s ability to vet Syrian refugees wanting to enter the U.S., we learned that the woman terrorist who was issued her K-1 entry visa by our Keystone Kops government had consistently posted on her social media page that she wanted to wage jihad against America. They never checked that. Instead, they believed Malik’s answer to a real question (I am not making this up) on her Department of Homeland Security application: “Do you plan on engaging in terrorist activities while in the United States?” She said “No,” and was good to go. Another e-Harmony success story. The private sector would not hire you to make Subway sandwiches without
A libertarian op-ed humorist and awardwinning author, Ron’s a frequent guest on CNN. He can be contacted at Ron@ RonaldHart.com or @ RonaldHart on Twitter.
“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in word. — Romans 8:26
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Governor Robert Bentley represents the state of Alabama and its 67 counties. He was elected to office on Nov. 2, 2010, and can be reached at 334-242-7100. His office is located at the State Capitol at 600 Dexter Avenue, Montgomery, Robert Bentley Alabama.
Tom Whatley represents the 27th District covering Lee, Russell and Tallapoosa County. He was elected to the Alabama Senate on Nov. 2, 2010, and can be reached at 334Tom Whatley 242-7865. His office is located at 337 East Magnolia Drive, Auburn.
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Lieutenant Governor Kay Ivey represents the state of Alabama and its 67 counties. She was elected to office on Nov. 2, 2010, and can be reached at 334-242-7900. Her office is located at 11 South Union Street, Suite 725, Montgomery. Kay Ivey
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Letter to the Editor
Alabama Baptists pushing left wing agenda Dear Editor, We live in perilous times; I don’t think anyone would argue that point. To further complicate the issue, we are entering a Presidential Election Campaign season. Consequently, I was not at all surprised when I read the current issue of The Alabama Baptist and saw their reprint of an article condemning Candidate Donald Trump for his suggestion that the U.S. should “temporarily” halt Muslim immigration until we can determine who is safe & who has a goal of terrorizing our nation. This piece read like a page out the liberal left wing playbook, quoting several Baptist “officials”
as saying that the Trump idea was about limiting the religious freedom of Muslims and must be condemned. Surely these learned Christians know this is about protecting our national security and nothing at all to do with limiting any faith. Have we forgotten that Congress enacted the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 that mandates the President, by Executive Order, take similar action when any known individuals or groups are identified as being subversive and intent on terrorist acts against the U.S. In the early 1940’s, President Roosevelt actually imprisoned 120,000 Japanese in internment camps for national security. The
Immigration Act of 1924 actually banned the immigration of Arabs and Asians. This politically correct position being pushed by Baptist leaders is just another step to steer our denomination away from conservatism further toward a liberal agenda. Franklin Graham and the Billy Graham organization have clearly sided with Trump and this issue. Our Baptist leaders should strive to attend matters of faith and Christianity and stay out of politics, especially when their positions are in direct conflict with member values. James W. Anderson Talladega
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