Updated: A proposed Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture (OKPOP) for Tulsa won narrow approval in the state Senate Wednesday, but the $20 million bond issue did not get a vote in the House in part because of issues raised in this editorial posted Thursday with questions of propriety based on past judgments and Flaming Lips.

Long story short, the Oklahoma Historical Society conducted an online
contest that awarded the music group the “Flaming Lips” song “Do You
Realize” as the state’s official rock song in 2009.  The state’s
legislature voted to affirm the track’s importance, putting musician
(term used loosely) Wayne Coyne and Co. in the history books as part of
Senate Joint Resolution 24.

As Tulsa Today wrote at the time, the Flaming Lips sing and proudly proclaim in media interviews that they believe religious faith is the equivalent of believing in “little green men from mars.”  They hold an annual parade in Oklahoma City that carries this theme of ridicule of all religions worldwide.  

In published media interviews, Wayne Coyne speaks of how the group began by stealing musical equipment from a Christian church and premiering their music at a transvestite club.

Most Oklahoma musicians were flabbergasted if not angered.  Nationally, Rolling Stone Magazine in 2009 seemed stunned writing:

The 2002 track from Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots beat out some stiff competition: the 10 finalists that were “representative of the pervasive influence of Oklahoma and Oklahomans on the development of rock & roll” included “Let’s Have a Party” by Wanda Jackson (1958); “Walk Don’t Run” by The Venture (1960); “Endless Oklahoma Sky” by John Moreland and the Black Gold Band (2008); “Home Sweet Oklahoma” by Leon Russell (1971); “Move Along” by the All-American Rejects (2005); “Never Been to Spain” written by Hoyt Axton (1971); “Oklahoma” by The Call (1986); “Heartbreak Hotel” written by Mae Boren Axton (1956); and “After Midnight” by J.J. Cale (1965).
 
An official Official Oklahoma Rock Song Advisory Panel was convened in 2007 to recognize the role the state has played in rock history and after the nominations were gathered in 2008 (2,498 were submitted for 458 different tunes) and narrowed down to 10 by the panel, the public voted on the Website oklahomarocksong.org. When the 21,061 votes were counted, the Lips were on top.

To read the 2009 Rolling Stone article, click here.

The inside buzz is that the Legislature; didn’t pay attention to the vote proposed by the Historical Society, didn’t know anything about the Flaming Lips or have any understanding of Oklahoma’s rock history.  Thus the question of Oklahoma Historical Society Executive Director Bob Blackburn’s judgment arises.

Some suggest that the alternative lifestyle promoted by the Flaming Lips was well represented on the “Official” panel thus they became personally invested in the group’s promotion.

Wow, and some still think of Oklahoma as the “Buckle of the Bible Belt.”  Maybe if Oklahoma Muslims realize the Flaming Lips insult all faith equally; the issue could get some traditional media coverage.

Musicians are offended as the quality of other proposed songs dwarf what was selected and a quick comparison of the record chart history would show the Flaming Lips are not even in the same league with other Oklahoma rock music stars – specifically from Tulsa.

Blaming the panel has worked for Blackburn to date, but at some point, it is rumored that the Legislature would be willing to correct this designation, but alternative lifestyle participants in media, music and government strongly support the Flaming Lips.

Blackburn had requested $42.5 million for the museum, but, according to press reports, learned Tuesday only $20 million for the museum would be offered as a bond issue.

In a typical ploy for immediate passage, Blackburn is quoted saying $20 million might work, but he is concerned that the deal will begin to unravel if the bond issue does not pass.  (If it could be built with $20 million, why did Blackburn ask for $42.5 million?) The Historical Society has agreements for land for the museum from the Bank of Oklahoma and a number of entertainment figures and their families for collections.  Blackburn threatened that if the bond issue fails those opportunities might be lost.

We believe, when better judgment prevails, more support would be available for OKPOP.

Tulsa Today could repost our 2008 archives on the Flaming Lips.  Local musician and music history writer Jim Downing wrote some excellent stories at the time, but in late 2009, Tulsa Today upgraded our content management system to stop a hacker attack and the majority of our previous content waits a journalism intern with the time to post it again.  We also struggled with how much attention to provide these marginal musicians who apparently worship themselves.  However, below are Downing’s final previously unpublished notes on the Flaming Lips.  Warning, graphic language.

Editorial Summary:  Tulsa Today supports OKPOP.  Tulsa would benefit from a museum.  We honor those willing to make contributions, but if the historians in charge can’t tell the difference in the quality of rock music – do we really want them in charge of a museum dedicated to pop culture? 

 

---

Jim Downing’s final notes on the Flaming Lips:

Warning: strong graphic language.

Reporter’s Note:  This story almost made me physically ill. The more I looked at it, the worse it got.

Recently added to the list of negatives:
Wayne Coyne worked at Long John Silvers for 12 years; that says something about his ability. He admits that he dumped an ashtray in the coleslaw.

Ivins said “belief in God is f***ing s**t. “We believe in things that are real.”

They speak disparagingly of the acts they’ve opened for: “Nine Inch Nails and Stone Temple Pilots were concerned that some of our confetti would get on their little guitars. Who gives a f**k?” And Beck didn’t seem too happy with them either.

Their movie features a marching band with vaginas for heads.

It’s hard to find any negative press on them; thus they don’t take well to criticism.

How did this happen?

The Historical society handled nominations and voting, then passed the winnowing of nominees to the Film & Music Board. We suspect that’s where it broke down.

It’s telling that Lips are the only act from OKC that has ever achieved a modicum of fame, and the board evidently wanted something to represent their town.

If they wanted something young and hip, well, they got the Rejects on the list. But Hanson did not make the list.

We’ve referenced Lips chart action already. They brag of two gold records; signifying $1,000,000 in sales each, or approximately 50,000 units.  In comparison Hanson has seven Platinum disks; symbolizing a million copies each. Hanson has sold 50 times as many records, and had a world wide #1 hit single. Even now, they chart higher than Lips ever have. Yet they did not make the top ten. Something was indeed very fishy on that committee.

We and others have received tons of feedback from the music community, all in accord that this is a travesty. Music historians from now on will ask:

“With the inordinate amount of great rock and roll from Oklahoma, why did the people vote for this sleazy, third rate band?  Maybe Okies are as dumb as we thought, trying to be hip and shooting themselves in the foot.”

It takes us back to the grapes of wrath.

I read all their lyrics, every last worthless word. They have no philosophy; they don’t read philosophy or poetry, if they read at all. Most of the songs are depressing or outright offensive. Some are just gibberish. They have nothing to offer, and their shows are mindless entertainment for people who don’t’ know much about music.

They
declared themselves a band before bothering to learn anything about music. Some
respected musicians told us that all this band could do at first was make
noise. They embrace the punk ‘ethic’ of thumbing their noses at everything so
they are for nothing other than self-aggrandizement.

Matt was playing a club when the Lips sat in the back staring at candles and lighting incense, probably hallucinating. One of them stood up and hurled a full beer bottle at the bass player. The band packed up and left.

The music community doesn’t dislike them because we’re jealous of their success. There are plenty of famous jerks we wouldn’t trade places with.

Music is not just notes, it’s the most spiritual art form. It’s also about heart and soul, and these guys probably think that is f**king sh**t too.

Notes Lips Part 4

Michael Ivins in the Montreal Mirror, 2006: “Santa Claus and Jesus Christ. Both of whom live up there—Santa in the North Pole somewhere, Jesus up in the sky—and they both watch you to make sure that you’re being good, and you’re either rewarded or punished depending on whether you’re good or bad. When you hit five or six, somewhere in that age, you have to give one of them up. One of them is not real, and you have to give him up—and you have one guess who.  Man, we have to stop. All of this stuff. Muslims, Judaism, Christianity—it’s all gotta go. It’s an idea that has way, way outlived its service. I think it’s detrimental to the whole human species. We have to move on. It just seems childish.”

From Popmatters.com:

I ask Coyne, who has penned what seems like dozens of songs name-checking that Jesus fellow, what his take on religion is.

“I think the first rock band I ever saw was in church,” he reminisces. “I thought it was the greatest thing ever, because they were playing in this old church that was all stone and marble, and they were playing the drums, and it was ricocheting, and I was like, ‘F**k, I’ll go to church if there’s a f**king rock band playing.’ ”

On meeting the guy who cut his own arm off, trapped by a boulder: “Somewhere along the way, he says he had this divine intervention and that’s why he’s alive today. And that’s fine, but why wasn’t there some divine intervention with those people trapped in the towers? God gets to pick and choose who wins a football game, who gets to live? It’s just not true. You can call it whatever you want, but no one gets to come in and say, ‘You get to live, and you don’t.'”

Flaming Lips on Drugs:
“If you’re young and you’re seeking some intense experiences, there are things like LSD and ecstasy and peyote and marijuana that let you have a subjective, personal, intense moment, and they let you get a little bit braver or have a different mindset. If you don’t want to them, you shouldn’t do them, but there’s elements of experimenting with yourself that I think are wonderful.”

From Rolling Stone, 2006:
“I can see where people think I’m some sort of psychedelic freak warrior who believes in UFOs and God, but I f**king hate that sh*t,” Coyne says gruffly. “I believe in things that are real.”

Lips lyrics:
Most of the lyrics are either psychedelic gibberish or admissions of ignorance and alienation, nihilistic fatalism, and spiritual ignorance. Then there are those that are anti-religious

From Here It Is:

Charlie Manson Blues

Cause I’m slipping into the charlie manson blues.
I’m a stupid dressed jesus son.
I’m slipping into the charlie manson blues.
I’m a stupid dressed jesus son.

Whoa, goddammit!
Shit!

Jesus Shootin’ Heroin

Well, I never really understood religions,
Except it seems a good reason to kill.
Everybody’s got their own conceptions,
And you know, they always will.
These days are needles under my skin.
Jesus shootin’ heroin.

If there are priests at your party,
And you’re playing cards that are numbered,
And you got no reason to think it,
Until your chances are uncovered.
Tell me that I got to believe in,
Jesus shootin’ heroin.

From Oh MY Gawd:

The Ceiling is Bendin’

Well, it’s midnight in a liquor store
In texas on halloween
Salvador dali watches
From his window in a dream
Jesus is a rock star
Who destroys all he sees
Godzilla is a cowboy
Who is dressed up as a queen

From Telepathic Surgery:

The Last Drop of Morning Dew

I think the state of mind that I’m in
We should drop it right now
Well you’ve got yourself to blame
If you need these sunny days
And all those plans that I made
They’re all changed by the end of the day
’cause God fucked up when he made us
’cause he made us so we could hate us
And the world could end in a second
Album Hit to death in the future head

Drug Machine in Heaven

Every time that we fly together
Our plane blows up in the sky
We’re workin’ in an explosives factory
Cause we don’t care if we die

Everything, everything, everything that I wish
Give us a 20th century jesus guy
And he could make us rich

You’ve known me for a million years
And I’ve been chewed up by all your gears
I don’t wanna be no one else
I like it here, ’cause I like hell.

Felt Good to Burn

I didn’t care when that guy ripped us off
We borrowed a gun to get him, we were so pissed off
We shot his leg. he was a dick, anyway

It felt good to burn. felt like a movie star
When you hold my slippery brain
Kiss my forehead

All summer long we refused to die
We just sucked and fucked and got high
And all we’d steal. we lit up on the ferris wheel

From Clouds Taste Metallic:

Evil Will Prevail

With loving hands and their arms are stretched so wide they can’t
Seem to take a breath knowing evil will prevail, and a million people
Seems
Like a lot, and a million people can’t be wrong…

With loving smiles, and their mouths are stretched so wide they can’t
Even take a breath, knowing evil will prevail, and the magic bullet is the
Glowing mother ship, and the mother zaps you dead…

With loving hands knowing evil will prevail
Knowing evil will prevail
Knowing that evil will prevail
Knowing evil will prevail
Knowing that evil will always win…
From At War With The Mystics
The W.A.N.D. (The Will Always Negates Defeat)

(You’ve got the power in there)
(Waving your wand in the air)

Time after time those fanatical minds try to rule all the world
Telling us all it’s them who’s in charge of it all
I’ve got a tricked out magic stick that will make them all fall
We’ve got the power now, motherfuckers; that’s where it belongs

There You Are
(jesus song no. 7)
There you are
And you stand in the rain
And the rain fills your brain
And it makes you think that god
Was fucked up when he made this town

There you stand
With your bleedin’ hands
And you don’t understand
Why you work so goddamn hard
To be anything at all

There you are
And you drive in your car
And you wish for the stars
And you end up face down in the road
Dead as fuck

five stop Mother superior rain
And all my smiles are gettin’ in the hate generation’s way
Tell ’em I’m gonna go out, shoot somebody in the mouth
First thing tomorrow

My hands are in the air
And that’s where they always are
You’re fucked if you do, and you’re fucked if you don’t
Five stop mother superior rain

I was born the day they shot a hole in the jesus egg
Now the rain, it’s all so random
What does free will have to do with it at all?
And you can’t cry, but
It really don’t matter, y’end up cryin’ anyway.

My hands are in the air
And that’s where they always are
You’re fucked if you do, and you’re fucked if you don’t
Five stop mother superior rain

Plastic Jesus

I don’t care if it rains or freezes
Long as I got my plastic jesus
Sittin’ on the dashboard of my car
Comes in colors, pink and pleasant
Glows in the dark, it’s iridescent
Take it with you when you travel far

Get yourself a sweet madonna
Dressed in rhinestone, settin’ on a
Pedestal of abalone shells
Goin’ 90, I ain’t scared
Cause I got the virgin mary
Assuring me that I won’t go to hell

She Don’t Use Jelly

I know a girl who thinks of ghosts
She’ll make ya breakfast
She’ll make ya toast
She don’t use butter
She don’t use cheese
She don’t use jelly
Or any of these
She uses vaseline
Vaseline
Vaseline
(and the Tulsa World entertainment reporter says this song is not about sexual lubrication …  oh of course she is right … right)

A full room of legislators, lobbyists, academics and activists of all stripes witnessed a debate over income taxes between two economists at the Oklahoma History Center on Wednesday (May 9). Sparks flew at times. While the tone was generally civil, the two men did not persuade each other on key points.

University of Central Oklahoma Professor Mickey Hepner defended the state’s income tax status quo, while Professor Arthur Laffer made the case for income tax cuts, pressing anew for the proposal he helped craft that would phase out the income tax levy over a decade or more. 

Hepner said maintaining or increasing state government spending is critical to the state’s quality of life, while Laffer argued Oklahoma can go to the next level in economic success by joining the ranks of states that are inviting to income producers.
 
In an interesting twist in their discussion, the two agreed Oklahoma has weathered the Recession well and that the state economy is undeniably on an upward track, especially in comparison to most other states. They parted company sharply on what should come next for the Sooner State.
 
Hepner said he has “serious concerns about the model used” in Laffer econometric study making the case for an income tax phaseout, while nonetheless characterizing it as a sophisticated system. He said tax cuts should follow (as in some past cycles) good revenue years, not be the basis for projecting future good tax revenues. He asserted, “The Oklahoma economy is doing better than most states that don’t have an income tax.” He contended “we are thumping Texas” and “bumping Texas metrics.”
 
He passionately contended a tax reduction or phase out “won’t generate the benefits proponents are claiming.” He contended the state’s options then “will be to raise the sales tax or property tax, or to cut spending.” He observed that in that case, a property tax hike would be unlikely, and that sales taxes are already high.
 
Hepner’s thesis, stated in several different ways, is that the state’s needs for education, roads, prisons and other government projects outweigh any benefits that might come from cutting taxes. He observed that there are “undeniably” benefits from lower taxes, but that “cutting government spending would create harm, undeniably.” Arguing from his premises, he concluded the state will better progress with retaining the structure of existing government spending and taxation.
 
He concluded one of the exchange’s opening segments by saying, “My fear is that is that if this plan doesn’t generate the benefits that proponents project, it will harm Oklahoma’s quality of life.”
 
Dr. Laffer placed himself squarely in the tradition of the late Nobel economist Milton Friedman, his colleague of many years at the University of Chicago. Laffer referenced his work on the intersection of economic theory with the real world of policy-making, including involvement in the historic Proposition 13 property tax reductions that helped trigger an economic surge in California. He reflected, as Larry Gatlin has said, “This is not rocket surgery.” Laffer continued, “Government spending is taxation.”
 
He observed that Oklahoma taxation and spending have risen, relative to personal income. His fundamental analysis: “All taxes are bad, but some are worse than others. “
 
He pointed to both his work for the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, and books (including “Eureka”) to note that while it is not possible to predict exactly how a set of tax changes will play out in every state, it is “common sense” to observe that zero or low income tax states are, over time, outperforming high income tax states. He stressed that of the 11 states that have introduced a state income tax in the modern era, “all have lost ground/declined as a short of national GDP.
 
"The zero/lower income tax states do better.”
 
He noted that the often-acclaimed income taxes early in the presidency of John F. Kennedy “led to a boom” – followed by the economic follies of “the four stooges” – Presidents Johnson, Nixon, Ford and Carter. Laffer argues from evidence that just as JFK’s tax cuts provoked economic growth, Ronald Reagan’s two decades later led to another boom. His thesis for the state of Oklahoma, and for its problems of poverty: “You’ve got a chance to make Oklahoma better. When you talk about poor people, the best form of welfare is a good paying job.”
 
Treasurer Ken Miller served as moderator of the History Center event, jointly sponsored by the State Chamber, OCPA, and the Oklahoma Policy Institute.
 
Miller observed the state is low (37th) in overall state and local tax burden, but seventh highest in sales taxes – yet 47th lowest in property taxes. Then there are personal and corporate income taxes. He asked each economist how they would structure government revenue sources to maximize growth and fairness.
 
Hepner said the system should be designed to raise money with the lowest possible cost. He said it is important to “keep in mind income tax and property tax are deductible. … If you rely more on deductible taxes, you reduce federal tax liability.” Relying more on those, and less on sales taxes, is a better tradeoff, he asserted.
 
Laffer repeated his belief that allowing a phase out permits “ten years to identify problems,” leaving time for correctives or moderation. He reflected, “Taxes don’t redistribute income, they redistribute people. If you want to make the state attractive to people, lower taxes.” While agreeing with one of Hepner’s contentions, that good education should be a government objective, he said a more critical factor is to make the state “a better place to live.”
 
Briefly the discussion turned to the tradeoffs of a national sales tax versus national income taxes. Laffer said, “if that were the choice,” he would support a sales tax rather than income levies. Hepner strongly argued against that tradeoff.
 
Miller asked the pair to consider evidence from Rich States/ Poor States, published by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). He pointed to what he considered mixed evidence on the difference in performance of no-income tax states like New Hampshire and Tennessee, versus a state like New York that has recently performed well, economically. He also noted that Oklahoma has outperformed some of the no-income tax states.
 
Laffer observed that Oklahoma is among the states that have been cutting taxes, and that Tennessee, for example, has not been as aggressive in some respects in creating a tax-friendly environment – although certainly “friendlier” than his former home of California. Hepner noted that distribution among the income tax vs. no-income tax states was not consistent. In competitiveness rankings, distribution of economic vibrancy was mixed.

The pair seemed to agree that a number of economic and taxation factors matter, not just “all one thing.”

The men did not agree on anticipated or projected “dynamic” effects on jobs growth that Laffer anticipates will occur (and, he notes, historically has occurred) in the wake of income tax reductions.
 
Laffer said “I hope you do it. Get rid of all deductions and exemptions. Go to a lower rate” of income taxation. He stressed his view that “the income tax protects the wealthy, and prohibits the poor from becoming successful.” His point was that taxes change behavior. He observed, “The dream in America has always been to make the poor rich, not to make the rich poor.”

Dr. Hepner argued that an income tax phase out would not be prudent, that the state would be forced, as he contended repeatedly, to “raise taxes or cut spending.”
 
Among the sharpest disagreements was over that “dynamic” effect of tax reduction. Hepner was dismissive of this analysis, and said taxes were needed to finance improvements in government functions in core areas. Laffer said the object should be creation of economic vibrancy, not maintenance of government – that new economic activity will, in turn, be taxed and broaden the base.
 
The two men also clashed on the importance of teacher pay in government education systems. Hepner said the state could not expect to attract or retain quality teachers without higher pay; Laffer countered with his contention that teacher pay is not the crucial factor in teacher, or student, performance.
 
Miller noted that Oklahoma news reports provide evidence that the more aggressive tax reduction/elimination plans “have not gained traction for various reasons ranging from natural gas prices to lack of interest in reducing spending or incentives.”He asked if multi-year reductions and/or growth triggers should be part of a tax cut plan.
 
In some of their final arguments, the pair clashed over what the result of income tax reduction would be. Hepner repeated his contention would lead the state either to “cut services or raise [other] taxes.” Laffer argued that some taxes are worse than others, and that an income tax phaseout would make the system simpler, and “then you have certain expenses that are gone.”
 
Hepner’s argument was that the Legislature should adopt a “pay as you go” approach on all tax or spending questions. Laffer endorsed triggers as a moderating mechanism that would, in good revenue years, still allow progress to reduce taxes and “start on the way to prosperity.”

Op/Ed:  Let’s see if I have this straight. Greece is, but for Germany and other EU nations bailing it out, bankrupt. The long and short of how that happened is that Greece having joined the EU adopted a cradle-to-grave economic model much like American Democrats; and embarked on paying its workers dream salaries and retirement benefits, not to mention “universal” health care, all of which are a reflection of the U.S. Democrat Party and agenda.

Costs rapidly expanded given increases both in the number and breadth of government programs. Having found liberal lending at the EU “trough” the cure to its expanding largesse, Greek politicians believed the “borrowing well” was infinitely deep and would be a permanent cure for its spending addiction much like U.S. Democrats and the Obama Administration. In the meantime, Greek government unions, similar to California, Wisconsin and other places kept beating the drum for more. The government responded by borrowing more so those irresponsible politicians could dole it out to buy votes very much like U.S. Democrats historical record.
 
But, interest on the borrowed money i.e. the Greek national debt, began to mount to the point where money managers at the EU realized that Greece was too far extended to pay the interest on the debt, much less repay it. The scenario is somewhat reminiscent of Zorba, in “Zorba, the Greek.” When responsible people at the EU awakened to the fact that it was impossible for Greece to service its debt, it instructed Greece to find ways to economize. For a short time the Greek Government “cooked the books” but was soon found out and forced to begin to tighten its economic belt. Belt tightening has not been in their vocabulary for decades but what else could they do?
 
Typical of the left, those Greeks pointed fingers except at themselves and now want to abandon austerity.  Despite the fact that they have no way to pay the money back they want their entitlements. Unions foment riots seen daily on TV in response to legislative grappling with the out-of-control economic situation.

Were Greeks so stupid as to believe there would never be a day of reckoning? (Are U.S. Democrats/RINOs any different?) Did they really believe that EU membership would not exact a toll on its sovereignty?  Did they actually believe that borrowing more than the country could produce would have no consequences? Talk about arrogant!
 
Across the Atlantic in Washington, D.C. Democrats have the mistaken impression that the county’s wealth is theirs to give or take, and if taxes are not generating enough revenue, “raise taxes on the rich,” except that makes no difference; or borrow more from Communist China with the naïve notion that like Greece, it would have no consequences. In short those Democrats believe that the Federal Government owns the Country.  Why did Democrats unilaterally enact "Obamacare" over the objections of the large majority of U.S. population? Just who is serving whom around here? 
 
Democrat strategy has always been to overspend believing that the economy would expand, thereby generating tax revenues to cover the costs. Those days are gone! Increasing taxes on “the rich” would not work even if increased to 100% because there is not enough money even at the 100% rate to cover Democrat spending of the past three and one half years.
 
For decades Democrats have spent so much that as of now future generations of U.S. taxpayers will pay taxes that are so high they will essentially work to support careerist politicians and government programs. Stated another way, everyone will work for the government and the country will have arrived at Democrats’ socialist utopia. This prospect is both the essence and fulfillment of Obama’s and Democrats’ strategy to “spread the wealth around.” Although there is plenty of precedent to show that their model fails 100% of the time, liberals, whether in Greece or the U.S. believe under their leadership it will be different.  Right! And donkey’s fly!
 
Semper Fidelis
Bob Pappas: 
Follow Bob on Twitter @CheetahPappas

Thank you, Lord, for this opportunity to pay tribute to our mothers.  Thank you for those who endured the disfiguring of the body, morning sickness, months of discomfort, anxious moments and excruciating pain to bring us into the world.  We were oblivious to them!  We give You, O’ Lord, thanks for her endurance now.

Almighty God, You said, “In pain you will bring forth children”, and those words are not only obvious at birth, but also the ongoing emotional pain that every mother experiences.  Today we want to pause and thank You, and them, for the hurt they tolerated for us.

Thanks that our mothers climbed out of bed at 3 a.m. to feed us when we were hungry and held her nose to clean up after us when we were sick and changing our diapers.  We weren’t capable of saying thanks then, but we are now!  Thank you precious mother!

Thanks that our mothers sat on hard bleachers in the hot sun for hours to see us perform for a few seconds and then fought back the tears when we struck out.  Or distressed over arriving late for an assembly, play, recital or concert at school we were in, and got there at the end of the program.  Then as we traveled home she reassured us that we did great.  Forgive her, God, when she wasn’t totally truthful, but she knew what we needed to hear.  We were probably too young to say thanks then, but now we can say, “Thanks, Mom!”

It’s not pleasant to repeatedly correct improper behavior, tolerate insolence and stay up late worrying about teenager’s safety.  We resented her sometimes then, but now we can say, “Thank you mother for caring!”

Lord Jesus, it had to hurt when she worked for hours preparing a special meal, no one said anything positive when it was consumed in fifteen minutes and everyone went their selfish way while mom was left to clean up alone.  She must have felt so taken for granted then, but now say can say, “Thank you cherished mother for your sacrifices!”

Thanks for moms who taught us about the Bible.  We never ever dreamed that she could be tired and would have just as soon put us to bed with out reading about Moses in the wilderness again.  We thought she was in a rut then, but now we can say, “Thank you mother for your determination.”  

Lord, it’s got to be extremely painful to see a child, who was loved, and instructed about You, O’ Lord, leave home and forsake that teaching.  When a child goes to a far country, there’s a sense in which a sword pierces the mother’s soul.  We laughed at her pleading then, but now we say, “Thank you mother for your devotion.”

Help us to find some ways today to encourage her and to let her know that we finally notice and are appreciative.  For those whose mothers are no longer living, O’ Heavenly Father, would You communicate for us and reward them accordingly?  Thank You that You see what is done in secret and You have promised that one-day You will reward openly.

God, none of us has a perfect mom.  Instead of blaming them for all our troubles, help us to forgive and understand, as we want You to forgive and understand us.

We pray this in the strong but tender name of Jesus.

Op/Ed:  As it becomes more likely that Obama-Soetoro and the Marxist Democrats are going to lose the election in landslide fashion, they’ve been ramping up their lies, their attacks on the Constitution, and their use of rogue agencies like the EPA to do as much damage as they can, before they’re unceremoniously dumped in the trash, where they belong. 

In just the last few days, we have been subjected to the spectacle of Chuck Schumer, Democrat Senator from New York, and his cronies telling us that the First Amendment doesn’t protect free speech, if the people speaking have organized themselves into a corporate entity.  

He wants us to believe that corporations are some sort of creature, existing apart from, and without participation by people.  Unfortunately, the Democrat base, i.e., the Welfare Class, is not educated, intelligent, or sane enough to understand how utterly bizarre and ridiculous this notion is.

We have also heard from Federal Reserve Chairman, Ben Bernanke, claiming that the economy is just about to make a real recovery, even though they have been claiming we have been in a recovery for the past three years. He claims inflation is negligible, but this is not what we who actually do our own shopping are seeing. Bernanke apparently doesn’t buy food, or gas, or clothes, or any of the other myriad items that we consumers have watched grow more and more expensive. It’s likely that the inflation figures are kept low by the still decreasing price of houses, hardly an indicator of an improving economy.

He also repeated the lies about the unemployment rate, determined by playing slight-of-hand games with how unemployment is defined and playing fast-and-loose with the numbers. The administration wants us to believe that the rate is 8.2 percent and dropping, when it actually is over 10 percent and rising.

Obama-Soetoro has also stepped up his attacks on the oil, gas, and coal industry. CNSNews reports that the rogue EPA’s Greenie-in Charge was video taped in 2010, saying that the EPA intended to “crucify” and “make examples” of the oil companies, and then proceeded to do so (http://cnsnews.com/blog/craig-bannister/epa-officials-philosophy-oil-companies-crucify-them-just-romans-crucified). Look at this in juxtaposition with B. Hussein’s give-away of seven Alaskan islands and all the rights to the undersea oil surrounding them, the shutdown of the proposed Keystone Pipeline, the illegal moratorium on oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, and the drastic reduction in issuance of drilling permits for federal land, and what emerges is a picture of a murderous onslaught on the life-blood of American capitalism.

Just in passing, one might want to note that the Russians will be getting enough oil in this deal to supply them with a million barrels a day for the next 200 years.

Barack “Barry” Hussein Obama-Soetoro, or whatever his real name is, has also continued to insult our intelligence by expecting us to believe his lies about creating a jillion new “green energy” jobs, coming from the clearly failed or failing wind, solar, ethanol, and electric car industries. The cars epitomize the absurdity of the entire concept. The batteries – please recall that greenies tell us that car batteries are a major source of hazardous waste pollution – weigh upwards of 700 pounds and add some $15,000 to the cost, all to give you a maximum range of 73 miles before you have to recharge for three-and-a-half hours, or switch back over to a gasoline engine. And do not the greenie prophets of doom tell us that generating that much electric power causes major pollution, in and of itself? On top of all this, only a handful of morons have actually bought these examples of modern-day, rolling snake oil.

B. Hussein also wants us to believe that the war on terror is over, that radical Islam is no longer a threat, that we should all make nicey-nice with the Religion of Peace, and go back to sleep. At the risk of contradicting the Smartest Man in the Room, who the clearly psychotic Chris Matthews claims has an IQ of at least 160 (rather than the room temperature one indicated by his performances in public, even with his teleprompters), I strongly urge everyone to watch this video and decide for yourselves: http://www.wnd.com/2012/04/iran-preparing-for-the-last-six-months/. Our open border with Mexico, and the clearly corrupted Injustice Department have allowed thousands of OTMs (Other Than Mexicans) to enter the country, and it’s likely that terrorist cells exist in every city in America, just waiting for orders to attack.

However, now that the absurd primaries are over, We, the People, can ramp up, too. Regardless of how we feel about the “purity” of Romney as a conservative, or what we think about his religion, we need to set aside our differences, pull out all the stops, and work together to bring down the Marxist regime in Washington, in crushing defeat.