tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60772618466715967032024-03-06T02:00:41.649-05:00RaymondOwens.comWelcome to my place on the web. I'd love to hear from you, and if you visit here often, you'll be hearing quite a bit from me. Shoot me an email at Raymond@RaymondOwens.com Also, sign up to follow me at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-50365895171992660652008-11-17T20:40:00.002-05:002008-11-17T20:45:32.032-05:00Immigration comes up as major topic in McCain/Obama meetingOn Saturday, I predicted (http://raymondblogs.blogspot.com/2008/11/obama-and-mccain.html) that Obama would offer McCain some sort of position working on the immigration issue. Today, (http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed7/idUSN17514919) the meeting took place and we are now hearing from "sources" that immigration was one of the topics discussed. It looks like my prediction is still alive:) Let's see if anything official happens.<br /><br />Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-90491224956973228482008-11-15T20:57:00.003-05:002008-11-15T21:15:36.198-05:00Obama and McCain...I don't make lots of predictions, but I'd like to take a chance on this one. Sen. John McCain is expected to meet with the President-Elect on Monday. I believe President-Elect Obama will put Sen. John McCain in some sort of leadership position with regard to Immigration. I believe he wants to move quickly to find ways to work with his former opponents where possible. Sen. McCain is obviously his biggest opponent, but also a man he can work with. Sen. Hillary Clinton would be his 2nd biggest opponent. She has already been mentioned as a potential Secretary of State. If you think about it, if he brings the logical opponents into his administration, it makes arguments against whatever he proposes harder to make. Working with McCain will help Obama get things passed that he otherwise might have a tough time on. Immigration would be a logical place for Obama to work with McCain. The two men see pretty much eye-to-eye on that issue. Quite frankly, if anyone was voting for or against either candidate in the general election due to immigration, I have no idea who that vote would have been cast for. The 2 candidates have very similar positions on immigration. This would be a way for Obama to score a quick victory. It would also almost surely solidify the hispanic vote for Democrats in the near future. If the plan led to eventual citizenship for illegal aliens, then the plan could also bring on voters who can't even legally be in the country under current laws. That would be a win-win for Obama. That's my prediction. As far as domestic policy, Obama pointed out McCain's shortcomings during the campaign. When it comes to foreign policy, the 2 also seem to have major differences. However, immigration is the logical issue with which the 2 men could work together. Considering the fact that the President-Elect has fewer than 70 days left before taking the oath, he wouldn't be meeting with McCain if he didn't have a specific plan in mind ahead of time. I doubt a cabinet position would be part of this. It seems more logical that he might tap McCain as the head or co-head with a Democrat of an immigration "task force." That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!<br /><br />Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-2762206909275021402008-11-08T23:27:00.002-05:002008-11-08T23:40:16.512-05:00President-Elect ObamaOk, it looks like President-Elect Obama will soon be running the country. With Pelosi and Reid running congress, one thing is sure... It looks like we will see how things go when they are run from the left. I hope Obama does a fantastic job. Maybe some of the theories about how taxing the rich means they have less money to hire employees and expand business will turn out not to be true. We're soon gonna find out. I'm praying for Obama and his family. They are certainly getting ready to begin an exciting part of their lives. I wish them the best! As Americans, we'll all be watching to see how things go. I think there are a couple of things that would not hurt him, but would both give him even more political capital with which to work... He could announce a task-force that will work out a solution to the immigration issue. That task force could be co-chaired by a Democrat and a Republican.. If he announced John McCain will be co-chairing with a Democrat, that would be a coup. McCain's immigration policy is not far removed from what Obama wants as well (remember, Ted Kennedy worked with McCain on the immigration bill that never made it.) Then, he could announce a similar arrangement with Healthcare and Hillary Clinton. He also has many similar idea to Hillary when it comes to Healthcare. Announcing these 2 task-forces/committees will give him time to deal with economic/foreign issues he will surely be spending a great deal of time working on. They would also prove that he is serious about bringing people together to fix these problems. Since he has congress on his side, it should be fairly easy to get whatever he finally proposes passed. Obama can then work on the economic stimulus and tax hikes/cuts he has promoted during the campaign. He can focus on that during his first 100 days, and the Healthcare and immigration plans could be submitted several months after these task forces begin their work. This will allow him to deal with these issues within 6 months or more. We'll see what happens:)<br /><br />Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-34033771025081746242008-11-03T00:13:00.004-05:002008-11-03T00:32:07.701-05:00Presidential Election... some battleground states getting closer..We are just 2 days away from the election, and there are still many polls showing Obama leading nationally. However, a poll showing just a 2 point lead by Obama just came out. This is after about 4 or 5 polls showed a 3 point lead. Most of those would be within the margins of error. Even so, plenty show bigger leads for Obama. One interesting thing about this new 2 point poll is it is the Investor Business Daily poll. This was the most accurate poll in 2004. If you look at battleground state polling, several of those are getting interesting as well. Take Ohio as an example... the latest Mason/Dixon poll there now has McCain up by 2 points. There have been several polls of Ohio showing a McCain win there. In Florida, while Obama is leading by a few points in many polls, the latest Reuters poll shows a tie. From October 16-22nd, 4 polls showed McCain winning there. I know it has been said several times on the networks that Obama polled better than he performed in several primaries. If this is true for the general election, Tuesday night could be interesting. By the way, most of the polls I'm referring to I found at realclearpolitics.com. You could spend hours there researching polls, if you are bored! Anyone who says this race is over is fooling themselves. For McCain to win on Tuesday night, a lot of things have to go his way. However, if he can just get many of the states to fall the way they did in 2004 for GWBush, he could still pull off a win. We'll see what happens...<br /><br />Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-50317864299829150822008-11-01T23:54:00.002-04:002008-11-02T00:30:42.500-04:00Happy 90th Birthday Billy Graham!There aren't many people I can think of who hold the position that Billy Graham does. I was flipping through the TV tonight, and I ran across a tribute to Rev. Billy Graham. He is turning 90. Billy Graham has always been held to extremely high esteem in my family. While I understand he is not perfect, he is an example of the power of allowing the Lord to use your life. If there is someone alive today on earth who will have a better welcome to heaven than Billy Graham, I can't think of who that could be. A month or two ago, his son Franklin Graham was in town to do a Franklin Graham Festival. Franklin is taking up his father's cross to bring others to the Lord through crusades. One of the things I love about my job in TV is that I get the chance to meet newsmakers, and often I get a chance to have a short conversation with people in the news. I had the chance to talk to Franklin Graham just before he kicked off his Festival. I was impressed with what he was doing in Charleston, and I told him so, but when I was talking to him, I couldn't help but think that this was Billy Graham's son. Billy is a living example of what it means to be a man of God. I wish I had had the chance to go to a Billy Graham Crusade. I look forward to talking to him in heaven. They just showed a clip of Billy Graham getting a star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It points out what kind of man he is. He said that years prior to that ceremony, he was asked if he would be willing to have a star put on the walk named after him. He said he couldn't think of a reason God would want a star with his name on it. He said years later, he recalled meeting people from Hollywood who were Christians. He said it dawned on him that one day a child might walk by his star and ask his parents "which rock star was this Billy Graham?" He said that might be an opportunity to explain that he was a preacher, and perhaps someone would have the message of Christ explained to him, and someone may come to Christ because of that. He's a great man, and he keeps his message simple. If you aren't really familiar with him, I'd invite you to take a look at the 2 minute clip of his sermon from decades ago below. It is as relevant today as it was the day he preached it. Thanks Billy! Happy Birthday.<br /><br />Raymond <br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mdyS3LEpkeA&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mdyS3LEpkeA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-50520708068881102042008-10-31T22:10:00.002-04:002008-10-31T22:14:50.497-04:00Election in 4 days....We're 4 days away from a major election. No matter which side of the political fence you stand on, it is clear there are two very different directions this country could end up taking. It appears Obama may win this race, but several recent polls show it could be almost a dead heat. I'm looking forward to finding out on Tuesday. <br /><br />PS: Saw a funny bumper sticker on a car tonight.... "Intelligent people for McCain/Palin 2008." That's a good one.<br /><br />Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-44242033927322442402008-10-25T12:17:00.002-04:002008-10-25T12:18:19.834-04:00Laugh your face off...WARNING: DO NOT CLICK PLAY UNLESS YOU HAVE A FEW MINUTES TO LAUGH...<br />This is so funny I can't stand it.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5pFv8CAniYQ&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5pFv8CAniYQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-18680792120316526492008-10-24T22:56:00.002-04:002008-10-24T23:03:11.883-04:00Been away for awhile...Hey folks...<br /><br />I've been away from the 'ole blog for a couple of weeks. I was out of town for awhile, and I've just been so busy I haven't gotten around to updating the blog. You can check out my online talk show on the Smoky Mountains at www.gosmoky.com to see that I haven't been ignoring the net completely. I'm going to make an effort to update this several times per week.<br /><br />Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-81843979903824226352008-10-15T18:45:00.002-04:002008-10-15T18:47:15.789-04:00Blog Action DayToday is National Blog Action Day. It is a day set aside to highlight the issue of poverty. Check out more info at www.blogactionday.org<br /><br /><br /><br />Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-53544486432447955092008-09-28T22:50:00.003-04:002008-09-28T23:19:18.289-04:00Ray Boltz is Gay...Ok, this is a big deal. I worked at WKCL in Ladson, a Christian radio station for 10 years. Ray Boltz was probably requested and played hundreds, perhaps thousands of times in that decade.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DzhFyNp3Ja8&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DzhFyNp3Ja8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />The first concert I went to with my future wife was a Ray Boltz concert. He came out of the closet in an interview with a gay magazine in Washington this month. I never saw this one coming. My first reaction is, well, I never really knew Ray Boltz. On second thought, I think I knew who he was, I just didn't know THIS about him. I have no problem personally with the fact that he has a boyfriend. As a Christian, I believe the bible says this is sin. Having said that, there are all sorts of sins that don't change the way you think about someone. If I told you Ray Boltz has not tithed 10% of his earnings for the last 20 years, would that change the way you think about him? As far as I understand it (and I'm by FAR not a biblical expert,) sin is sin. There really isn't a set of sin "levels." Telling a lie keeps you out of heaven just as sure as killing someone. Jesus paid the price to cover ALL SIN. I DO understand that. Once we become a Christian, we are to turn away from our sin. If he is still sinning, isn't that wrong? Well, I suppose it is. Just like it is still sin when we allow our temper to flare up. It keeps us from being the husband/father we need to be. In the end, it is God's job to judge us. I have friends who are gay, and I don't look at them any differently than my straight friends. There are straight friends I have who aren't living the way I believe the bible says they should either. But that doesn't mean I believe I should point out their sin to them, especially if they are not Christians. This whole story is just a shocker to me, since Ray Boltz was such a part of my life for such a long time. I'm sure some of the others who read this can relate to what I'm writing here. What do you think about this subject? I'm really interested in hearing other opinions.<br /><br /><br />Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-2799439887751646272008-09-23T11:42:00.001-04:002008-09-23T11:45:14.451-04:00Honestly not allowed in the campaign...Ok, so last night, I blogged that Biden agreed with me, that the McCain "internet" ad was terrible. Now today, Biden changed his mind...<br /><br />http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2008/09/biden_sent_to_reeducation_camp.asp<br /><br />BTW... the video from Biden on the bus with Katie is right below this post... check it out and let me know if it sounds to you like he hadn't seen the ad.<br /><br />Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-4349153172586097162008-09-22T23:18:00.002-04:002008-09-22T23:20:14.770-04:00Biden, on ad I blogged about: "I thought that was terrible."I was extremely pleased to see Joe Biden agrees with me on the ad that the Obama campaign ran, making fun of the fact that John McCain can't use the internet the same way the rest of us can...<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/U2-eRTTtlEc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/U2-eRTTtlEc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-54699120143432107402008-09-13T22:34:00.005-04:002008-09-13T23:22:22.561-04:00Obama ad: McCain can't use computer.. .doesn't mention war injuries that makes that difficult...This is a story that has my blood boiling... apparently, being injured serving your country is not a good excuse to not be as "techno-savy" as some in politics believe you should be. No matter what your politics, this should be something that upsets you as well.<br /><br />Sen. Barack Obama has a new ad out, highlighting how "old" John McCain is...<br /><br /><object height="412" width="486"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bQ2I0t_Twk0&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bQ2I0t_Twk0&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="486" height="412"></embed></object><br /><br /><a href="http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/still_ad/">http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/still_ad/</a><br /><br />...while I suppose it is the Obama campaign's right to talk about McCain's age, the part that irritates me is the following...<br /><br />"He admits he still doesn't know how to use a computer, can't send an e-mail."<br /><br />That statement is FINE, unless you consider the facts...<br /><br />FACT 1: McCain suffered injuries as a POW that make it difficult for him to type on a keyboard...<br />FACT 2: Unless FORBES was making the news up, as far back as 2000, it was reported that McCain, through the assistance of his wife, has been sending email..<br /><br />"In certain ways, McCain was a natural Web candidate. Chairman of the Senate Telecommunications Subcommittee and regarded as the U.S. Senate's savviest technologist, McCain is an inveterate devotee of email. His nightly ritual is to read his email together with his wife, Cindy. The injuries he incurred as a Vietnam POW make it painful for McCain to type. Instead, he dictates responses that his wife types on a laptop. "She's a whiz on the keyboard, and I'm so laborious," McCain admits." (<a href="http://www.forbes.com/asap/2000/0529/053_print.html">http://www.forbes.com/asap/2000/0529/053_print.html</a>)<br /><br />I sure hope nobody in the Obama campaign realized that McCain's war injuries make it difficult to use a computer the way you and I can on a regular basis. I also assume nobody in the campaign bothered to do 5-10 minutes of research on google prior to releasing the ad. However, that is a lot of assuming. We all know what assuming does.<br /><br />I'd love to hear what you think on this... am I being oversensitive, or is this about as low as any campaign can go?<br /><br /><br />Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-31793920605575472872008-09-10T21:24:00.009-04:002008-09-10T22:21:51.624-04:00SC Democratic Party Chair: Palin's biggest qualification is no abortion<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTvWAqAIh9csA0cYAQlnc3ZHprwmn3AcpqxJbcgSoBnFuuqtuiD8JcvUWSfwUN-UXsgF2Lid3A2T9Ec9p2ZLp2Oa2dhASJZwkCMWUgoKJKMS9nw1ojmr1o76p41uBaUTdd92GWgyDDTY4/s1600-h/carolfowler.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244574400805140370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTvWAqAIh9csA0cYAQlnc3ZHprwmn3AcpqxJbcgSoBnFuuqtuiD8JcvUWSfwUN-UXsgF2Lid3A2T9Ec9p2ZLp2Oa2dhASJZwkCMWUgoKJKMS9nw1ojmr1o76p41uBaUTdd92GWgyDDTY4/s400/carolfowler.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>Here is the dumb comment of the night... The chairman of the South Carolina Democrat party said that Palin's primary qualification is that she has not had an abortion. I first heard about this at Palmetto Scoop... <a href="http://www.palmettoscoop.com/2008/09/10/fowler-palin-primary-qualification-that-she-hasn%e2%80%99t-had-an-abortion">http://www.palmettoscoop.com/2008/09/10/fowler-palin-primary-qualification-that-she-hasn%e2%80%99t-had-an-abortion</a> </div><br /><br /><div>I can't imagine why this comment would be made. Afterall, even if it was used in jest, it failed. There doesn't appear to be ANY context that I can imagine in which the statement would be considered funny. </div><br /><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244574854864660370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPp2dlhfCfdCHufbSqPuuoHYoi3_fBrgj9ya3225PzgEQ11rCWvpj_LuZACsWEZz4u3j-2I1rJjT54KepV1GxD9mblWWx1Dt4MfgqPkYopAKeKHCT6R8fU2_yhtDQjb4WLu5uJd24kiwA/s400/chevychase.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div>I suppose it could be like Chevy Chase adlibbing a joke... not funny unless it's scripted... but my guess is there is just serious panic on the left and they are just blurting out their thoughts without considering the consequences. </div><br />That appears to be what the McCain campaign thinks of the comment as well.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244581358492449506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpA6HnU1_CrmUu-1Dw8l-gHLhTQ7kMEifutyUzeeO6YPF2kH8mN0LKbDoFRb-smcSErA2rDjjQjg07Pzmv7Aa2-ukPCHEAfwwNMdwn2RNnkUaRrSNcMN1YeYkTVvIxcY_Shyphenhyphene16oxxccs/s400/grahammccain.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br />I had the chance to phone in to a media conference call this afternoon with Sen. Lindsey Graham. Here are few of the things he had to say about the comments... He said he was "shocked and surprised" that Fowler would make such comments. He said "If this were done the other way, there would be a firestorm…" Finally, he said "It shows our democratic colleages are in a meltdown." That makes the most sense to me as well.<br /><br /><br />UPDATE: As usual, FITSNews has a unique look at this story...<a href="http://www.fitsnews.com/2008/09/10/carol-fowler-is-kind-of-a-bitch/">http://www.fitsnews.com/2008/09/10/carol-fowler-is-kind-of-a-bitch/</a><br />Fowler, and the FITSNews story touches on an issue I mentioned here Monday.. <a href="http://raymondblogs.blogspot.com/2008/09/i-have-to-apologize-for-not-updating.html">http://raymondblogs.blogspot.com/2008/09/i-have-to-apologize-for-not-updating.html</a><br /><br />Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-36741233546579163822008-09-09T23:08:00.003-04:002008-09-09T23:21:03.984-04:00Illegal Immigration Problem? Ok, let's make it harder to do it legally!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh8RqDT0hGe5-C28KqbRyLFp1KwIvkVsCrdQBqTSzBHHAgIKXduk9PjHG766aQC35-M8kANicsTyr_ZXbfVvJ1jckEJm8dgWBkeKox5caKjh-KVQwtvnh9Dd18mgA1V695X8Eq5v2prZ0/s1600-h/citizenship.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244226986770924946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh8RqDT0hGe5-C28KqbRyLFp1KwIvkVsCrdQBqTSzBHHAgIKXduk9PjHG766aQC35-M8kANicsTyr_ZXbfVvJ1jckEJm8dgWBkeKox5caKjh-KVQwtvnh9Dd18mgA1V695X8Eq5v2prZ0/s400/citizenship.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I read an article in USA Today (<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-09-09-citizenship_N.htm?csp=34">http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-09-09-citizenship_N.htm?csp=34</a>) that covers the fact that the number of people applying to become a US citizen has dropped by more than half after the fee to apply for citizenship increased more than 50%. The fee went from $400 to $675 per year. This simply does not make sense. One of the biggest problems facing this country is illegal immigration. One of the easiest ways we can fix the problem is to make it EASIER to come to the US and become a citizen LEGALLY. If we increase the fees to become a citizen by more than 50%, that is basically ASKING for more illegal immigration. As I've said to friends before, if I were born in Mexico or other less than modern countries around the world I would be doing my best to get to the United States as well... legally or illegally. The fees involved with coming to the US and becoming a citizen need to be lowered, not raised.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonline</div>Raymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-79796597358974589812008-09-08T01:43:00.005-04:002008-09-08T02:10:02.161-04:00TRUE face of feminists<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Sg6D3gNbDlnWVS4aAvc1lnsWeT9xMETYFszF09PH53HI5BlBhIsoSCG3VBbHGSGl55MUzOPqlHtG04wT376LeKzsbteQHT6wBeRHOozAh56bBHFRZOWVJTeglOr3oaCxjqVF69Y3QGU/s1600-h/palin-in-the-car.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Sg6D3gNbDlnWVS4aAvc1lnsWeT9xMETYFszF09PH53HI5BlBhIsoSCG3VBbHGSGl55MUzOPqlHtG04wT376LeKzsbteQHT6wBeRHOozAh56bBHFRZOWVJTeglOr3oaCxjqVF69Y3QGU/s400/palin-in-the-car.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5243527323015012258" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I have to apologize for not updating the blog since Palin's speech last week. To be honest, I think I was just stunned into not blogging. As I watched the speech, I was thinking of several things... that I might be watching the US version of Margaret Thatcher... That I was looking at the modern Ronald Reagan... that she was a similar woman to my own mom... who raised us while still working and proving that women can do the same jobs men can do. I've always thought of my mom as a feminist of the TRUE variety. I've never bought into the lie that N.O.W. or people like Gloria Steinem or women like her are the true feminists. I think that was a media creation. I ran across this post from NPR... <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94369835&ft=1&f=1102">http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94369835&ft=1&f=1102 </a>that asks if Palin is the NEW face of feminists. I agree, she is the face of feminists. However, I am not sure this is NEW. I believe women all across this country are just like Sarah Palin. They want to do the same jobs as men, but at the same time, they don't want to pretend they are men. A TRUELY strong woman doesn't need to look/dress in a masculine way in order to be a true feminist. Sarah Palin is the embodyment of this point. She is making the tough decisions, she is a leader, she is a mother, she is a friend, she is a real woman. The incredible reaction we are seeing to her, from the 37 million people who watched her speech, to the crowds showing up to see her on the campaign trail, to the brand new polls out showing a BIG jump (<a href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_mccain_vs_obama-225.html">http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_mccain_vs_obama-225.html</a>) all prove this. Women (and men for that matter) across this country have been waiting for a REAL, TRUE feminist to show up on the scene. Nothing in the definition of a feminist (<a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/feminist">http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/feminist) </a>suggests that women have to act like men or dress like men to be a feminist. Quite the opposite. I believe a true feminist can be who she is. She doesn't need to act like a man to be a woman. That is what I've seen so far from Sarah Palin. She is who we see on TV. Her friends say this, people from Alaska say this. It is refreshing to hear from a politician who knows who she is, and isn't afraid to be that in public. </div><div> </div>Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-90563494757093731312008-09-03T23:10:00.004-04:002008-09-07T00:35:08.243-04:00WOW....If you missed Gov. Palin's acceptance speech, look it up on youtube.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKgNrb3baNM&eurl=http://www.johnmccain.com/informing/news/Speeches/c1af6c79-f5bf-42ed-9fb9-9e83b0c580e1.htm">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKgNrb3baNM&eurl=http://www.johnmccain.com/informing/news/Speeches/c1af6c79-f5bf-42ed-9fb9-9e83b0c580e1.htm</a><br /><br /><br />Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-74730649462301743292008-09-03T22:30:00.004-04:002008-09-03T23:05:44.203-04:00NOW: Palin's more a conservative man...<div>I just read this post in The Weekly Standard... NOW tries to say, since Palin doesn't think the way they do, she must not be a woman, but perhaps a conservative man... NEWS FLASH FOLKS... Turn your tube on and you'll see what a REAL woman looks like.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2008/09/now_palin_is_not_a_woman.asp">http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2008/09/now_palin_is_not_a_woman.asp</a><br /></div><div><br /></div>Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-14401098857118753962008-09-02T22:36:00.003-04:002008-09-02T22:41:51.827-04:00Thompson lays groundwork for future...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvuYqXXMw15pHBrfVQaFlMXJxHVXQbwpEzn7C9KRMtQsm0xdwnWZ2HvF9vvdex3xVKFuzrqCAJ_zcXJVjHDFfifZmUU3BLonGLyYUg08-Pm31TrpWGRRuSJ7KQGDxCKQ23IZpoVaeOh4/s1600-h/fredthompson.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFvuYqXXMw15pHBrfVQaFlMXJxHVXQbwpEzn7C9KRMtQsm0xdwnWZ2HvF9vvdex3xVKFuzrqCAJ_zcXJVjHDFfifZmUU3BLonGLyYUg08-Pm31TrpWGRRuSJ7KQGDxCKQ23IZpoVaeOh4/s400/fredthompson.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241619773765915474" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Listening to Fred Thompson's speech tonight, I can't help but wonder if he isn't laying the groundwork for a future in higher political office. He certainly is saying the right words to get the crowd pumped up.</div><div><br /></div>Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-78046829313542091912008-09-02T21:46:00.002-04:002008-09-02T21:51:47.988-04:00I get dibs on the GOP Convention plasma...<div>I want that plasma when the convention is over in St. Paul.</div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241606759646047714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="150" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMBHHKQjFLI3TFnXfB3mrnG1OOOJFAdStnyr_m4MN8p9xbWtmUdC0xyuCaywNXpgCSpb5cdAffZ3bPml9tMkZpn_-2zO9CXzuOu5flSjzcKGwipJJG8dRDjBYxzdWhBv5QRxSamhOZaqw/s400/convention.jpg" width="183" border="0" /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonline</div>Raymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-43896729368991072322008-09-01T15:47:00.003-04:002008-09-01T15:53:58.619-04:00Prisoner Escapes for 2nd Time...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnGLDpAlNPj1ILlUp4lX-nliiF9JmhRWke3cDWB_pf7pPHrEBKcLATRgmIYg7pEPXmXq64zAMiRKmNwPmZebm1ciUj-RuLd4hDEOYOq3d36t9o4AWZhHqCXXs_VAlbGH1zVypOP-luKk/s1600-h/KeystoneKops.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241143147443672834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnGLDpAlNPj1ILlUp4lX-nliiF9JmhRWke3cDWB_pf7pPHrEBKcLATRgmIYg7pEPXmXq64zAMiRKmNwPmZebm1ciUj-RuLd4hDEOYOq3d36t9o4AWZhHqCXXs_VAlbGH1zVypOP-luKk/s400/KeystoneKops.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I love law enforcement. Frankly, law enforcement is the only thing between all of us and the criminal crap of society. However, every so often something happens that makes you ask HOW? How did that happen? This is one of those stories... (<a href="http://www.counton2.com/cbd/news/local/article/inmate_escapes_for_second_time/13953/">http://www.counton2.com/cbd/news/local/article/inmate_escapes_for_second_time/13953/</a>)</div><div>Apparently, this dude escaped from the Dorchester county sheriff's office twice. That either says a lot about HIM, or the SHERIFF'S OFFICE. I'm hoping it says a lot about him. He is now on the run.</div><div></div><br /><div>Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonline</div>Raymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-32472473513751336582008-09-01T13:58:00.003-04:002008-09-01T14:20:33.468-04:00Palin's daughter expecting... Is it possible to have another baby that soon??<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBtqcDm7f57yysEnKTA9Qdlaec8KiDvqM24VTosXElXxLrXjOpHnE3IrbJMQgwDuHYPJFCvc3PAcSRWZxWvQRhuEmNmgjZF84YV1ZpUikxGZD1GTkiouH6ilI55fGURcz69FLORy5PiE/s1600-h/palinmccain.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241118967976561714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBtqcDm7f57yysEnKTA9Qdlaec8KiDvqM24VTosXElXxLrXjOpHnE3IrbJMQgwDuHYPJFCvc3PAcSRWZxWvQRhuEmNmgjZF84YV1ZpUikxGZD1GTkiouH6ilI55fGURcz69FLORy5PiE/s400/palinmccain.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Gov. Sarah Palin says her daughter is pregnant. Now, I'm sure the medical experts over at The Daily Kos must be able to explain how the daughter is 5 months pregnant when she just gave birth in some elaborate scam The Daily Kos explained here... (<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/30/121350/137/486/580223">http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/30/121350/137/486/580223</a>.) The more likely story is, The Daily Kos and other online blogs have been lying about Sarah Palin because they don't appreciate strong women. It appears Bristol Palin is planning to marry the father of the child. I don't know how people can sleep at night saying things like that about others, even if they are running for vice president. I'm sure none of the people at The Daily Kos have had teenage children who ended up pregnant.<br /><div></div><br /><div>Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonline</div>Raymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-21490685911696045542008-08-31T23:19:00.002-04:002008-08-31T23:26:50.155-04:00New polls show race dead-even again...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV3ndzvvEpQcdxw4YmSMpYmlJ8MMGkkrx1n3Sus2EkXr0sEwiADy5UEef-pjEYRmKTx8vDHHA-HXbHoZ_bhYZ98rC-j-i5TzmFp5gbZT33nSs8wpjXSn07Z60gL6zD2br5FNkXb2NXWbE/s1600-h/mccainobama.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240889158782764258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV3ndzvvEpQcdxw4YmSMpYmlJ8MMGkkrx1n3Sus2EkXr0sEwiADy5UEef-pjEYRmKTx8vDHHA-HXbHoZ_bhYZ98rC-j-i5TzmFp5gbZT33nSs8wpjXSn07Z60gL6zD2br5FNkXb2NXWbE/s400/mccainobama.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Just a few days ago, the latest polls showed Obama had bounced up to about a 6 point lead on at least one poll, with several others showing 2-3 point leads. Now, the latest Zogby poll shows ( <a href="http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews1547.html">http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews1547.html</a> ) a 2 point lead for McCain... and CNN has Obama leading by a point ( <a href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_mccain_vs_obama-225.html">http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_mccain_vs_obama-225.html</a> ). This comes after Obama had at least a 3-4 point lead in most polls for a couple of weeks. We'll see what a weaker GOP convention this week means for McCain's convention "bounce" or lack thereof. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonline</div>Raymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-1265368184212940542008-08-31T21:12:00.003-04:002008-08-31T21:26:05.618-04:00UPDATE: Now Ferraro will not reveal who she will be voting for...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ItD4htjDbLNV8kJgxWAioUqCSTaG4aRTSmlBGyYXVc0Cjeev4siUDdyxWMkPqxsKGbIVXMNmrn3P-8VzL-Nr5ctygmQltABAUJikib2q-fvhx5trFXn61NzA3wZmwvHGWt0doWtva7s/s1600-h/Ferarro.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240857971082304018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ItD4htjDbLNV8kJgxWAioUqCSTaG4aRTSmlBGyYXVc0Cjeev4siUDdyxWMkPqxsKGbIVXMNmrn3P-8VzL-Nr5ctygmQltABAUJikib2q-fvhx5trFXn61NzA3wZmwvHGWt0doWtva7s/s400/Ferarro.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />On Friday, I blogged about how it was surprising what Geraldine Ferraro was saying about Gov. Sarah Palin( <a href="http://raymondblogs.blogspot.com/2008/08/surprising-words-from-geraldine-ferraro.html">http://raymondblogs.blogspot.com/2008/08/surprising-words-from-geraldine-ferraro.html</a> ). Tonight, it appears Ferraro is happy about the Palin pick. Not only that, she wont say who she plans to vote for in November ( <a href="http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/08/ferraro-happy-a.html">http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/08/ferraro-happy-a.html</a> ).<br /><br /><br /><br />Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6077261846671596703.post-83853249061609136082008-08-31T17:01:00.005-04:002008-08-31T17:48:39.892-04:00The attacks on Palin begin...I understand attacking political candidates on their positions on the issues. However, it amazes me how fast the "attack machine" has gone overboard on Sarah Palin. Apparently, the left is not interested in WOMEN moving up in politics as much as LIBERAL WOMEN moving up in politics. Alan Colmes, whom I must admit, I had a bit of respect for before today apparently posted information so offensive it is no longer listed ( <a href="http://www.alan.com/2008/08/31/heres-that-screenshot-of-the-original-post/">http://www.alan.com/2008/08/31/heres-that-screenshot-of-the-original-post/</a> ) on his website. The point he was making was that Palin didn't take care of her baby during pregnancy. You would think the left, many of whom (including Bill Clinton) believe an abortion is fine up until the day the baby could be born a healthy child, would have some nerve complaining about prenatal care. According to several blogs online, he posted an article claiming (among other things) that her flying home to deliver the baby was not in the best interest of the health of the child. He also posted a blog about the fact that the Palins eloped 20 years ago, and had their son 8 months later. He (<a href="http://www.alan.com/2008/08/29/conservative-family-values/">http://www.alan.com/2008/08/29/conservative-family-values/</a>) implied that this questions their family values. I was bit aware that conservatives claim to be perfect. Conservatives simply acknowledge that there IS a right and wrong. The fact that they married and had the baby also says something about their family values, however I'm not sure Alan "gets" that. Quite frankly, getting married and having the baby also shows you what they think about responsibility. Then, this next one is equally disturbing... "The Outlook of a Liberal Veteran" is ( <a href="http://oiflog.blogspot.com/2008/08/something-doesnt-add-up-with-sarah.html">http://oiflog.blogspot.com/2008/08/something-doesnt-add-up-with-sarah.html</a> ) repeating the rumors that one of Palin's daughters may really be the mother of Palin's infant. To even repeat rumors like that as possible fact without knowing for sure shows a lack of class. The blog references ( <a href="http://openthread.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/8/30/121350/137/486/580223">http://openthread.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/8/30/121350/137/486/580223</a>) a link to The Daily Kos that goes into detail about why, since Palin didn't "look" pregnant (I assume according to the medical experts at "Daily Kos",) then she must not be the mother of the child. Now, I'm no statistician, but what would be the statistical probability that a doctor or someone else would deliver the child of the daughter of the governor of a state, while at the same time, the governor would go to the hospital to give birth, but not actually be giving birth, and NOBODY involved (doctors/nurses/hospital employees) would talk about it? Let's go a step further. Add to that the fact that this governor is now the VICE PRESIDENTIAL nominee for one of the 2 main political parties. Like I said, I'm not statistician, but that would have to be SOME CONSPIRACY in order to be true. I love conspiracy theories as much as the next guy, but come on... I think this is just the first of many examples of tasteless rumors that will be brought up to fight this trailblazing woman. No matter what anyone says, and even if McCain does not win in November, she is still the 2nd woman to be on the ticket for a Presidential nomination. It's too bad the very people who claim to support women in this country have turned against Palin almost as fast as many on the left turned from Hillary Clinton once it looked like her chance of becoming President had faded. By most accounts, Palin even comes to her position as nothing more than an average American who wanted to change the way things were run in her city/state (and now nation.) You would think that might ring with the left, since they often claim to support the little man and woman in this country.<br /><br />Raymond<br />Let me know what you think! Post a comment now... and sign up for my twitter at www.twitter.com/raymondonlineRaymond Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06347523795344063907noreply@blogger.com4