A Republican Minority

Bye Bye Blogger

2011-07-12T17:39:00.002-04:00

Moving over to wordpress mainly because I purchased a domain name. See me at:

http://arepublicanminority.com

I'm in Debt.

2011-07-12T00:10:00.000-04:00

I'm not really sure what the difficulty here is... The way I see it, when someone is in debt, they have three options:

1. Increase their wages (easier said than done) in order to pay off those debts.
2. Decrease their spending in order to pay back those debts.
3. Default on their loans and suffer the consequences.

Option three is probably the most out of the question. No one wants to renege on their promises to creditors so let's just not go there. That leaves options one and two. I know what I would do. Decrease my spending. The most simple way to put more money towards your debt is to reallocate it from somewhere else.

If you haven't noticed, I'm over-simplifying the situation going down on Capitol Hill & the White House these days. I'm not an economist by any means so I won't try to be too analytic and like I said, it may be over-simplyfing matters, but it really does seem that simple of a choice to me. I understand there are a lot of layers to these talks and a lot of posturing and negotiating, but really it shouldn't be this difficult. The country is in debt. Fine. Wouldn't this be a perfect time to reduce spending levels which have ballooned out of control? And if you have to cut a deal in order to reduce spending then so be it. I'm sure most of the country will agree with me when I say: "Shut up. Do what we elected you to do."

In the end I know a deal will be struck like always seems to happen (see "countdown to shutdown 2011). Right now both sides have to dig their heels in so when the elections roll around they can tell their voter base that they stuck up for what is right. The fact that they are digging their heels in even deeper is good news to me. It means they are getting ready to strike a deal. Members of Congress are imperious, arrogant, and verbose for the most part, but they are not idiots (for the most part). If a largely insignificant economy like Greece threatens to destabilize the Eurozone by defaulting on their loans can you imagine what would happen to the world economy if the mighty United States defaulted?? They will not let that happen. Oh, I left one adjective out in describing members of Congress: egotistic. They all want to make history, but not this kind of history.

Though, looking at things on a macro level, it's rather obvious that problems like these will never go away so long as the current two party system is in place. Now that is a whole different topic that is best left for another day.

Thankful for 7.11.11

2011-07-11T22:54:00.000-04:00

- My mother-in-law. She helps a ton with the kids and never (rarely) complains.

- Hot Tea. Harney & Sons Earl Grey Supreme to be exact. Delicious.

- Abby learning to talk. Love her little voice when she says "pease" :)

Thankful for 7.10.11

2011-07-10T23:00:00.000-04:00

- Our house. The first two months we lived here were depressing b/c of how far away we were from Fairfax. Gotten used to it now. It's a great house.

- My job. The flexibility, the friendships, and the opportunities it provides.

- Sports. No matter what's going on in the world they always provide a welcome distraction.

- Lazy Sundays. See yesterday's post. :)

My Dirty Little Secret.

2011-07-10T22:51:00.001-04:00

I have a dirty little secret. I'm twenty nine years old and I'm a student at Northern Virginia Community College.

I know it's not that dirty of a secret, but these days it's not the type of information I willingly share. It's weird because, I'm really proud of myself for the way I'm doing it this time around and I wish I wasn't embarrassed to share my story (with some of my friends).

All of my close friends did things on schedule. By that I mean, went to high school immediately after college, were there for four years, then graduated. It all started junior year of high school. While everyone around me was focusing on taking AP classes, SATs, and their GPAs I was looking for an alternative to college. My parents weren't putting any sort of pressure on me to go get a post secondary education either. I think that's because the way they grew up it was more important to start working as soon as possible. Anyway, I found my alternative in the marine corps. By Mid Junior year I had made up my mind that I was going to to boot camp less than a month after graduating high school. I was proud of that. Fast forward to winter of Senior year... All my friends and my girlfriend at the time were receiving acceptance letters to their schools. I had already signed the paperwork with the marine corps the previous summer and I thought I was at peace with that. I tried to suppress any doubts I had about that decision, but it just didn't feel right. By March I had backed out of my commitment with the marine corps and was trying desperately to get into a four year college. Needless to say it didn't work. My grades weren't great and obviously I was too late. I enrolled at NVCC for the fall. It was my only option.

I spent four years at NVCC. They didn't go too well. I just wasn't interested. Looking back on those years it's clear to me how not ready for college I was. Maybe it took me becoming a father to realize how important it is to have that piece of paper (a college degree). I'm back now and I'm doing pretty well so far. My goal is straight A's, although I only need a 2.0. Seven classes before I can transfer to the University of Virginia (they have a Northern VA program). I plan on finishing the seventh class in the Spring and being at UVa by fall of next year.

I've only told a handful of people this and I can't help but get a little awkward when someone sees me going to school. They ask where I'm going and I always wish I had some canned answer to give that would not beg for follow up questions. I don't have that response and I end up having to explain why I screwed up when I was younger. Most are quite proud of me for not giving up. It would be so easy to give up on the dream of a college degree. And it's probably all in my head. No one probably looks at me any differently when they find out I don't have a degree. But I can't help and think that they do, and believe me, some do. It's ok. That's just the extra motivation I need, but don't tell anyone. It's our little secret.

Thankful Thievery

2011-07-09T21:48:00.000-04:00

I'm going to steal an idea from my friend Meghan. Everyday she posts a list of things that she is thankful for. What a great way to put your heart into a thankful mindset. So often we focus on all the negatives we deal with on a day to day basis, we forget to just give thanks for the little things. When I'm putting the girls to bed and we're doing our night time prayer I'm always sure to thank God for basic things that we don't necessarily think about. A good example is I always say thanks for our beautiful home and the roof over our heads. Hopefully this will make the girls aware of just how blessed we are.

So I'll make my daily list as well and I'll make it based on that particular days events. I'll stick to at least three per day...

Thankful for 7.9.11:

- My mother. Today is her 59th birthday. We've had our differences in the past (and still do), but I love her and all she has done for us. Some may say she has a funny way of showing love, but she shows it.

- Ava's smile first thing in the morning. She's four and a half years old and every morning she comes in wide eyed and smiling. Doesn't get old.

- Lazy Saturdays. Had zero plans for today. At the beginning of the day it seemed like it would drag, but it went by fairly quickly and the girls were great. Can't ask for much more.

- Meghan's idea & posts. Here's to giving thanks.

Welcome back.

2011-07-08T21:40:00.005-04:00

Everything that needs to be done on a computer seems a lot more enjoyable when it is done on a macbook. I'm so happy w/ my new macbook pro. School work is more enjoyable, work is more enjoyable, hell even blogging is more enjoyable.

I wrote a paper the other day for class and I literally could not wait to turn it in. I kept thinking to myself "geez, the older I get the more I crave feedback." And it's not just for classwork, but on all things. I will say it's weird being in school again, but for some reason it feels right. in my late teens and early twenties I had exactly zero interest in school. I mean, every once in a while i would run into a teacher that made a particular subject interesting, but for the most part there was no motivation or will to try on my part. Looking at my transcripts is quite sad. English 111 - D, only to turn around and get A's in both English 112 and American Literature. there was a lot of that in my early school years. Like I said though, this time it seems different. A lot different. I want to complete work, turn it in, and be graded. I want to plow through school as quickly as possible and fast forward to the fall & UVa. Focus. That's the theme for the 29th year of my life.

One thing that is definitely making school more enjoyable this time around is technology. It's nice to not have to lug around a bunch of textbooks. I have all my English class books on the iPad. Very cool.

Focus.

Thank you. It's nice to be back.

When will it end??

2009-07-28T18:46:00.002-04:00

I wonder when, if ever, Obama zombies will stop responding to criticism of the guy with the following reply: "well, Bush this..." or "Bush that...." Shut up already! Please! for the love of everything holy, just let the guy be. Don't bring his name up to defend your moron. If you can't defend the guy with his own substance, then he has nothing good to offer (which I suspect is in fact the case). Sample dialogue:

Me: Obama Sucks. his healthcare plan is terrible, he is spending money like there is no tomorrow.

Obama Zombie: Well Bush spent a lot of money.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Shut up about Bush. Just because one guy did it, doesn't mean it's ok for the next guy to do it. Ever heard of "two wrongs don't make a right"? Oh and by the way, most conservatives didn't support Bush when he was bailing out banks and corporations either.

Anyway.. I always do research before I come to a conclusion and certainly ALWAYS do research before I post info on this blog. This particular time it was more of me venting, but my next blog (Healthcare Reform) will be well researched and not just some rant (like this one). If you're going to truly defend the president, do your homework and don't just come at me with something about President Bush. He's gone. you got what you wanted. Now back it up.

2009-07-18T09:11:00.001-04:00

Today is my best friend’s birthday. He would have been 27. Taking a break from blogging politics to celebrate what would have been TJ’s 27^th birthday. This guy had nothing but potential and would have been the most successful person I know. Everyone loved him and we all still do.

What’s funny is, TJ and I didn’t get super close until sophomore year of high school, but we grew very close, very quickly. It seemed like we didn’t go a day without hanging out. By junior year we were inseparable. So much so that I would be at his house every night after school for dinner and even called Laurie (his mom) “mom”. Senior year was more of the same, except we were seniors so we had cars and more freedom to get into trouble J Of course we never did.

We were separated by distance once he went off to JMU, but our friendship did not suffer. He didn’t get to enjoy college for too long, unfortunately. Cancer hit spring of sophomore year at JMU and by early fall (2002) he was gone.

These days I think about him often. The picture above sits on my desk at work so he’s on my mind often. I think of him at the oddest times, usually when I’m doing something that I know he would’ve loved. “T would’ve loved this,” I say to myself. That happens a lot when I’m just hanging out playing with Ava. TJ would’ve loved her and she would’ve loved him. I tear up thinking about the good times we could’ve had together. He was going to make a great father and we often talked about our kids playing together when we finally settled down.

I know I’ll see him again and honestly, when I think about my time to go, I smirk knowing that I’ll see his smiling face again on that day.

Happy Birthday friend.

Supreme Court

2009-07-14T15:15:00.003-04:00

I've been waiting for quite sometime to weigh in this Sonia Sotomayor lady. Mainly b/c there was way too much to say and I really didn't feel like sitting here and typing it all out. Now that she's going through all the judicial panels, etc I think I should lay out there. She's Hispanic. Hooray. Who cares? I'm not going to sit here and be proud or applaud the democrats because they delivered someone of my race to the footsteps of the highest court in the land. This whole thing is a carefully calculated joke by the Democratic party. Nobody cares to mention that when President Bush nominated Judge Miguel Estrada to the US Court of Appeals in DC (which has historically been a stepping stone to the Supreme Court) the Democrats prevented that move from going forward. Why? Because God forbid the Republicans get the first Hispanic on the Supreme court.... How could they?!?! Hispanics are supposed to side with Democrats! what a joke.

Anyway, back to this Sotomayor lady. I won't lie. I don't know a whole ton about her. What quotes I have heard from her have me come to the conclusion that she sucks. I don't particularly trust her to uphold the constitution, which regardless of what you may hear is NOT a living, breathing, ever changing thing... No, I hear this judge say things like "Justice O'Connor has often been cited as saying that a wise old man and wise old woman will reach the same conclusion in deciding cases." She followed that by saying, "I am not sure I agree with that statement.""I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who has not lived that life." I'm sorry... I'm Hispanic and I find that insulting to my American white wife. This lady is the kind of Hispanic I just can't stand. The kind that feels that just because you grew up differently or had it a little tougher in life you are better than any white person. Well hey, I had it pretty tough for the first six+ years of my life. With bombs going off around the corner from our house in El Salvador during the war, then living in a super ghetto area of Langley Park, MD and being picked on in school because I didn't know a lick of English and kids can be cruel. Does that mean I am better than my wife who grew up in a great neighborhood with all the amenities this country has to offer an upper middle class family? yea, right. In fact, let's take the Judge's comment and change a few words around:

"I would hope that a wise white man with the richness of his experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a Hispanic female who has not lived that life.."

Now you tell me... What kind of raging ball of fire from hell would that not unleash on the person who said it?? I mean, it would be career suicide. Just because you are a minority doesn't mean you can't be racist. Unfortunately, a lot of minorities in this country fall into the philosophy that we are owed something just because our population is fewer than others. No sir. Work for what you got.

Well then today (under fire from Republican Senators) my little Hispanic friend says "I want to state up front, unequivocally and without doubt: I do not believe that any ethnic, racial or gender group has an advantage in sound judging." Sorry friend. Don't believe you. I know your type. I was raised by a Hispanic woman and I know how ya'll think. You think you're better at making decisions just because you're a minority. You think this country owes you something just because you may been called some names when you were younger. Doesn't work that way dude (or at least it shouldn't).

There's no doubt that this lady will be confirmed. That's just the way it is. She has the votes to do so. Luckily, she'll only be replacing another liberal judge so it won't make much of a difference. Someone should tell these people that the constitution is like a contract. It sets forth certain terms and conditions. Follow them. It shouldn't be this difficult.

You laughing at me??

2009-06-01T15:16:00.001-04:00

http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE54U0W320090601

Paragraph number 5 of the first page is quite funny, but sad at the same time... They might as well laugh in the president's face.

The Candyman...

2009-06-01T11:55:00.002-04:00

He truly is touted as the savior and this song really plays on that. It's hilarious.

http://mfile.akamai.com/5020/wma/rushlimb.download.akamai.com/5020/New/obamacan.asx

There is a reason...

2009-05-31T23:10:00.003-04:00

I am beginning this blog because of something Pat Mullins, our newly elected Republican Party of Virginia Chairman, said. He said, in order for the Republican party to become relevant again, we'd have to go grassroots like the dems did and for that we'd need to get up to speed with regard to social media... Those weren't his exact words, but something to that effect. Anyway, by that he meant blogs, facebook, twitter, etc... He's right and thus I decided to create a blog that would serve as a place for me to express my opinions with regards to politics and how a country I have grown to love as my own is headed down such a different path than was originally intended.

But first, some background:
I tend to be very opinionated. Ever since I became a citizen last year my opinions about politics have grown to be pretty strong. A lot of people can't believe a Hispanic and a person under 30 can be a Conservative/Republican. To me, it makes perfect sense to be a conservative. Most of it has to do with my Christian values & beliefs, but a lot is really due to my upbringing. Coming from a third world country in the late 80's and watching my dad work his butt off to get us where we are today is a perfect example of the type of opportunities this country has to offer. We didn't take advantage of any government handouts. We didn't come to this country illegally. We worked hard, went through the process to get our greencards and later our citizenship. Now, my family is middle class (some lower middle, some higher middle) and we live in one of the richest areas in the country. That to me is proof that anyone in this country can do anything they put their mind to.

We live in the greatest country God has blessed the world with. There is a reason why so many people want to come live here. Leave their families behind and start all over in a foreign land. My dad did it. My mom has her Master's in psychology, but doesn't speak english too well and now works at a grocery store. They could've stayed home in El Salvador. My Dad had a good job, my mom worked for the Health Dept. They came to the US b/c they knew my brother and I could really succeed in this country. They knew we could do whatever we put our minds to. That was the greatest gift my parents could've ever given us. And, that was the most selfless thing I've ever seen them do. I try to keep that in mind everytime I see my poor dad counting down the days until his 62nd birthday so he can retire and collect Social Security living like a king in his home country. It breaks my heart to see my poor parents work grueling jobs at ages 60 and 57. They should be behind a desk somewhere signing documents or approving projects. Instead, they dropped everything and came to the US b/c they knew all the hype was real. They knew if they put aside their personal career goals or visions of success my brother and I could have success they had only dreamed of.

That's what this nation is about. It's not about Republicans, democrats, lobbyists, special interest groups, etc... We've lost sight of what truly makes this nation so great. It's the people and countless acts of selflesness that lead to success story after success story. I'm only 27 and to some that is a baby. My professional life has just begun, but I already consider myself a success. Millions of people in El Salvador would agree. I can only pray that I'll have the opportunity to give my children such a gift as my parents gave me back in May of 1989.

I hope the collection of my thoughts/rants/opinions that will make up this website will help explain how on God's green earth it is possible that a 27 year old minority can be a conservative.