James Sharp

What’s In a Name? – The New Tea Party Moniker

What’s in a name? That rhetorical question has been asked throughout the ages. For instance, the name of an organization is often the key to determining the success of said organization. Take, for example, Waste Management. This corporation has been phenomenally successful hauling and disposing of trash and garbage.

The Politics of Envy

The concept of sin is nearly as old as time itself. Just about every religion includes basic tenets concerning man’s treatment of his fellow human beings. In Judeo-Christian doctrine, The Ten Commandments are mentioned in the Book of Exodus – the second book of the Bible. The Tenth Commandment is the one that deals with envy.

America’s Crisis of Math

A great percentage of news in 2011 has been devoted to America’s spending deficits and debt crisis – specifically the recent battle to raise the country’s debt limit. And rightly so. It could be argued – and many economists make the argument – that the fiscal crisis that we are facing will cripple the nation economically. It could further be argued – and IS by many – that this is already taking place. The immensity of our nation’s debt really does boggle the mind. It is simply not possible for the average person to envision or comprehend the magnitude of a number that ends with twelve zeroes (a trillion), let alone fifteen times that number.

The Economic Buffalo Theory

The "Buffalo Theory" is a concept that was made popular by John Ratzenberger's character, Cliff Clavin, on the 1982-1993 television series "Cheers".

What Political Color Are You?

These days, a great deal is being said about the ever-increasing political polarization the United States. We have seen this taking shape for a number of years now; for decades, it could be argued. One might say that it began in the 1930’s as the social programs of President Franklin Roosevelt were unveiled. We could certainly look at the 1960’s and see this beginning to evolve as the free-love, progressive, hippie movement began to take root. Those aging hippies are now in their 60’s and 70’s and many are in positions of power both in government and in business.

Barack Hussein Spicoli

Most people who grew up in the 1980s are familiar with the movie "Fast Times at Ridgemont High". Fast Times was a coming-of-age movie for the Bon Jovi generation. It took place in Southern California, centered around a group of teenagers, and dealt with a variety of teen issues such as drugs, sex, and rock 'n' roll.

The Human Nature of Government

We have all experienced the pleasure of receiving a windfall in terms of money in our pockets. It may have been that quarter that your dad (or, perhaps, the Tooth Fairy) gave you when you were a kid. Who cannot recall the thrill of running down to the local Woolworth’s with that shiny quarter looking for a way to spend it? Later in life, perhaps you received a nice Christmas bonus. But, boy, doesn’t it feel good to have an extra infusion of cash, no matter how much or what the circumstances? Just a couple of years ago, the federal government gave most of us (even those that pay no income taxes) a nice little stimulus check.

The Morality of Debt

Most of the news in the mainstream media lately has been devoted to Washington DC and the argument between Congress and the president over the debt ceiling increase. The Democrats insist that the country will crash and burn if we do not increase the nation’s capacity to borrow money. The Republicans are refusing to budge on the subject of increasing taxes and are attempting to tie any increase in the debt limit to a corresponding reduction in spending. Liberals counter that we simply cannot survive as a nation unless we continue borrowing at least 44 cents out of every dollar that we spend. Or, in other words, unless we spend more, borrow more, and tax more.

What Liberals Fear the Most

Most of the stories in the mainstream media lately have centered around the nation's encroachment upon the current mandated debt ceiling. This political hot potato has been tossed back-and-forth countless times with no one willing or able to get a handle on it. Most of the rhetoric coming from the left - President Obama, in particular - has come in the form of fear-mongering and demagoguery.

Obama’s Economic Alchemy

Over the centuries, in his quest for riches, man has tried various and sundry means in an attempt to “get rich quick”. It is an inherent trait of man to attempt to achieve as much wealth as possible through as little effort as possible. Take, for example, the science of alchemy which dates back possibly as far as ancient Egypt and was a driving force during the Middle Ages. Alchemy was a quest to discover the means by which base metals such as lead could be changed – or transmuted – into gold or silver. According to historians, alchemists were motivated more by the quest for scientific knowledge and spiritual enrichment than by profit since alchemy was heavily rooted in philosophy and religion.

Capitalism versus “Greenism”

Over the course of the past several decades, the world has become much more energy-conscious. This trend actually began in the mid-1970's during the first energy crisis in the U.S. which was brought about by the Arab Oil Embargo. As Americans watched the cost of energy in general, and gasoline in particular, skyrocket, they rushed to find ways to stave off the siphoning of money from their wallets. Other, less-severe energy crises since then have served to make Americans more aware of their energy consumption. The federal government's mandated Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards is evidence of the government mandating personal behavior of citizens in the name of conservation.

A Diet for Government

This country’s immense debt has been the subject of a great many news stories of late and politicians on both sides of the aisle have attempted to state their case. Conservatives want to make drastic cuts to entitlement programs while liberals want to maintain the status quo with regard to spending and merely increase taxes in the misguided belief that this will fund the aforementioned spending.



Thoughts on Collective Bargaining

First off, let it be known that I am neither a psychologist nor a labor expert. However, I have spent thirty-five years in the workforce and I have been both a manager and a subordinate. Over the years, I have worked with literally hundreds of individuals whom I observed and from whom I have been able to draw certain conclusions. I have, in my opinion, acquired sufficient experience to be able to present a valid point-of-view with respect to worker performance and behavior.

Are You Stoned or a Liberal?

Back in the 1970s, with marijuana’s popularity, a commonly-heard expression was, “Are you stoned or stupid?” It was a veiled reference to marijuana’s tendency to make the individual under its influence appear stupid. Which explains why it is called “dope”?

Another Plea to Allen West

Back in late-February, I sent a letter (via fax) to Congressman Allen West (R-FL) asking that he consider running for president in 2012. In my opinion, Col. West is the only Republican that generates any excitement at all – at least as far as I am concerned. The political pundits on television are touting Mitt Romney as the front-runner. Obviously, I would pick Romney over Obama (I would pick Mickey Mouse over Obama) but I honestly believe that Romney will end up being another John McCain. I do not see the fire and the passion in Romney. And I believe that Obama will end up cleaning Romney's clock, so to speak. Don't even TALK to me about Palin. She has two chances and one of them is "slim".

What WERE They Thinking?

What kind of legacy are we - the current citizens of the United states - leaving for future generations? How will we be viewed by those citizens fifty or one hundred years or more down the road? I cannot help but think that they will look upon what we have done to the country and ask, "What WERE they thinking?"

Can Conservatives Defeat Indifference?

Although the presidential election of 2012 is still eighteen months away, potential candidates are already posturing. Of course, President Obama has not stopped campaigning since his victory over John McCain in 2008. He recently announced that he has kicked off his re-election campaign for 2012 and the Democrat moneymaking machine has already been fired up. Several Republican contenders have announced their plans to run and, even though Mike Huckabee and Donald Trump have announced that they are not running, others seem to be preparing to enter the race.

Chronicles of a Tea Party Animal

I consider myself a typical conservative American and I have been active in the Tea Party movement since shortly after President Obama's inauguration in early-2009. I like to describe myself as a “Tea Party animal”.

Honey, I Blew Up the Debt Ceiling

My wife went on a week-long cruise recently with a few of her girlfriends. She had a wonderful time. While she was gone, I decided to have some fun myself so I went on a spending spree. Boy – was it fun! I bought a new Ford Mustang which I had been wanting for quite some time. I had also wanted a boat for many years so I went out and bought myself a 32-foot Donzi.

“The Democrats Have Been Good to Me”

The story you are about to read is true. The names have been changed to protect the author: The wife and I had a visit recently from a member of the family whom we shall call "Cousin Johnnie". Cousin Johnnie hails from a heavily-democratic northeastern state. It had been a number of years since we had seen Cousin Johnnie so we had a great deal of catching-up to do during his visit.