Compassionate Conservatism

I was listening to Rush Limbaugh today, and I often do, and he was discussing the charitable giving trends of Conservatives (Republicans) and Liberals (Democrats). One of the main sources of the discussion was the book “Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth about Compassionate Conservatism" by Arthur Brooks. The conclusion of the book, is that while Liberals are widely viewed as more compassionate because of their view that the government should redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor, it is Conservatives who are far more charitable with their own money, giving an average of over 30% more to charitable organizations.

While I'm sure this is surprising to those who pay attention to the drive-by media's portrayal of Conservatives as mean-spirited misers, this doesn't come as a surprise to me. In fact, it's consistent with my image of a true Conservative.

As I see it, a Conservative believes that government, for the most part, doesn't work! If something doesn't work, why pay money into it? A Conservative believes that they can do more with their money than the government can. While Liberals rely on the government to solve the problems of society, the Conservative looks for ways they can help, rather than relying on someone else to get it done. This is where charitable giving comes in. Conservatives look for charities that most align with the causes they are passionate about and then they help those causes with their time and money.

Typically, these are charities in their own community, such as churches, museums, nature centers, youth programs, etc., etc., etc. While these types of organizations don't garner national attention, they are important to every community nationwide.

This is one of the toughest things about being a Conservative. It's very easy to see a problem and say "that's horrible, the government should really do something about that." It's much harder to see a problem and say "that's horrible, how can I help to fix this" because when you say that you're committing your time and your money. When you put it on the government you are committing someone else's time and money. I think this is why Conservatism is so much harder to sell than Liberalism.

Anyway, that's the long rambling way around debunking the notion that Conservatives are greedy misers who would put their own grandmother on the street if it helped them earn a buck. We really are a charitable people, as the study by Mr. Brooks clearly demonstrates. So, the next time you hear the media or a Liberal portraying a Conservative as a cold-hearted sack of garbage, remember it's all lies and propaganda.

The Nightmare Scenario

So, 2 weeks ago, my Denver Broncos were 8-5 and headed for the playoffs. The 2nd place team is the San Diego Chargers and they were 5-8 two weeks ago. Here we are 2 weeks later and the Broncos are 8-7 while the Chargers have climbed to 7-8. The Broncos just finished up losing a home game to a bad Buffalo Bills team, while the Chargers destroyed a really good Tampa Bay team on the road. Next week, the 2 teams play, with the winner getting the division title.

This was my nightmare scenario as a fan. The Chargers are the better team, but they've underachieved all year. As a fan, I know what the Broncos are. The Broncos are a 1 man show...basically, if QB Jay Cutler plays awesome, they win. If he plays anything less than awesome, they lose. I know that the Broncos defense is close to the worst in the NFL, and that their running game has bordered on pathetic all year. Basically, I'm saying that they really have no business going to the playoffs.

With that said, I was really hoping they would make it to the playoffs this year. The team is full of a bunch of young guys, and a playoff game, even a loss, would be great experience for future seasons. But, it appears that it's not to be. I don't believe the Broncos will beat the Chargers next week. Like I said, the Chargers are the better team, plus they should have won earlier this season in Denver, but they had a bad call go against them.

I hope I'm wrong about all this and next week I get to write a blog celebrating a victory. But, I fear that, like Chicago Cubs fans, I will be saying "wait 'til next year". Overall, I think I'm handling this very well. I'm disappointed, but not as mad as I thought I would be. I won't be watching any more football tonight because it will bum me out to see the scores go by, but I'll be tuned in next week hoping that the Broncos will upset the Chargers and make it to the playoffs.

Book Review: The Tales of Beedle the Bard

I'm not into heavy reading, as you'll quickly discover if you read "The Tales of Beedle the Bard", by J.K. Rowling. I believe this is Rowling's first book following the 7th and final Harry Potter book. If you've read the final book, you'll hopefully remember that "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" plays a small, but important role in the book.

"The Tales of Beedle the Bard" are a collection of Wizard Fairy Tales, from the same world as Harry Potter. They are fairly simple and designed for children. What makes this book fun is that Rowling added commentary from Professor Albus Dumbledore after each story. The commentary is witty and provides further insight into the world of our favorite teenage wizard.

If you've read and enjoyed all 7 of the Harry Potter books, pick this one up. I think you'll enjoy it. If you haven't read all 7 of the Harry Potter books...what's wrong with you? Just give in and read them, it's pointless to resist!

Movie Review: The Incredible Hulk

Shockingly, I thoroughly enjoyed "The Incredible Hulk". After the disaster that was the 2003 Hulk movie directed by Ang Lee, I had very low expectations for this one. Again, low expectations is a key to a good movie watching experience.

Edward Norton was significanly better as Bruce Banner than Eric Bana was in the 2003 movie. Norton portrays the plight of Banner very well. He struggles to learn self control while working find a cure for himself and remain hidden from the military.

The CGI in this movie was significantly better than the 2003 movie. This time, the Hulk didn't look like a cartoon stuck in a movie...he looked like another character in the movie.

What I also enjoyed about this movie was it payed homage to the Bill Bixby/Lou Ferigno TV Series. The theme from the TV series was a part of the movie, and Ferigno had a cameo appearance.

As expected, "The Incredible Hulk" was packed with great action sequences. From the brilliantly executed "shadowy" first appearance of the Hulk, to the final battle against the supercharged villian, the action doesn't disappoint an action film fanatic like me. Finally, watch out for the tie-in to Iron Man. Very cool, and bodes very well for future movies.

"The Incredible Hulk" is rated PG-13, for good reason. Liv Tyler, William Hurt and Tim Roth also star in the movie. All give good, but not great performances. I gave this film 4 stars on Netflix. (I know I give everything 4 stars...I haven't seen a bad movie lately).

New Abortion Rules

Today, the Bush administration issued a federal rule reinforcing protections for doctors and other health care workers who refuse to participate in abortions because of religious or moral objections.

Of course, the left is objecting saying that this new rule is too broad and may limit a patients ability to get accurate information or care when needed. What a load of crap! I guarantee there are still plenty of doctors in this country who will perform abortions on demand. People should not be forced by federal law to do anything that violates their religious or moral beliefs. This is exactly why the Founding Fathers gave us the 1st amendment to the Constitution.

(Note: The Constitution is a document that was written by some really smart guys 220ish years ago. It has worked great for this country for a long time...maybe we should keep it around! That's a subject for another blog...)

I find it extremely hypocritical that opponents of this rule are worried about patients not getting accurate information. These are the same people who pitch a fit when states attempt to pass laws saying that doctors and other health care professionals have to present all the options available to women before performing an adoption. This includes telling them that they have the option to give their baby up for adoption.

If these "pro-choice" people truly had the best interest of the woman in mind, then they would be for all types of information getting to a pregnant woman so she truly can make a choice. I don't know how anyone who claims to have a woman's best interest at heart can object to this rule and have even a shred of credibility left.

Miscellaneous Items of Interest

It's been a few days since I've written a blog. I've been sick with a cold, followed by a sinus infection. Over that time, a few things have piled up.

Throwing Shoes - I realize it's a serious thing when someone throws anything at our President. And, I really think its a travesty the way the media is "laughing" about this more than anything. However, after the "shoe throwing" incident this weekend, all I could think about was the movie Austin Powers. After getting hit by the shoe throwing villain, Austin says:

"That really hurt! I'm gonna have a lump there, you idiot! Who throws a shoe? Honestly! You fight like a woman! "

Obama mulls a 1 trillion dollar stimulus package - Ok, I understand that Obama is trying to mimic what Roosevelt did after the Great Depression, but honestly, where are we going to get 1 trillion dollars? Just asking the question...

Tampa Bay Bucs DE change his name to Stylez G. White - Professional football player Gregory White Jr. has legally changed his name to Stylez G. White. The name change was inspired by the character Rupert "Stiles" Stilinski, from the 1980's movie "Teen Wolf." I'm baffled beyond the capacity to come up with anything witty.

The Jackrabbits are ranked!!! - The South Dakota State Jackrabbits Women's Basketball Team is ranked #22 in the latest ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll. This is the first time the team has been ranked since making the jump to Division 1. Go Jacks!

Movie Review: Hancock

Ok, I'm probably going to get harassed for this one. I loved this movie and rated it 5 stars on Netflix.

Let me explain why. First off, I don't think Wil Smith is capable of making a bad movie. I think any Wil Smith movie automatically gets a minimum of 3 stars. I haven't decided if he's really that good, or if he's just really good at picking scripts. Smith is excellent as John Hancock, the Super Hero of the movie, who is more anti-hero than anything. After saving the life of a PR guy, played by Jason Bateman, they set about trying to change how Hancock is seen by the public by changing Hancock. Initially, Hancock is resistant to the change, but comes around to it and ends up becoming the hero...sort of. You'll have to watch to see more.

This is a unique Super Hero movie, in that it's much more about the man than the Super Hero. It focuses on Hancock the person first, and then the fact that he has super powers. The movie is funny at times, serious at others. And, at only 95 minutes, it's not a huge time commitment. While not everyone will like "Hancock" as much as I did, I think it will be difficult for someone not to enjoy it.