Campaign 2010

March 7, 2010
Jay St. John

Jay – From time to time, you talk about and make fun of different religious practices.
My question is what religion bugs you the most and why?
Norma Reyes – March 7, 2010

Norma, I’m a Jedi master. Now you meet me on the bridge of the millennium falcon with $100 and we’ll shoot the breeze while we drink Saurian brandy out of the skull of a Hortor from the ice planet Hoth. I will show you salvation! Oh, and remember the $100!

My answer is The Church of Scientology.

First of all the IRS thinks it’s a religion, but in reality it’s a sci-fi cult. Transparent, laughable, awful, cultish trash, the whole deal top to bottom. The fact that people can and do, in large numbers, fall for one of the most patently and hilariously bogus belief-systems ever concocted, whose creator was a science fiction writer, L. Ron Hubbard, and is well known to have admitted the whole thing was just a joke and a financial scheme, testifies to the truly astonishing ability of our species to avoid using its most potent asset – critical thinking.

Years ago when I first moved to Los Angeles, a friend and I were finishing up brunch across the street from the “Church” of Scientology. We were bored, curious, so we walked over to the visitors center. I’ll never forget the strong sensation as we walked in as if a steel dungeon door slammed behind us. It wasn’t long before a succession of kind but creepy zombies herded us deeper into the building, higher up the chain. Each asked questions more weird and prodding. While sitting alone in a waiting room, my friend and I conspired to adopt false persona’s for whatever came next. He would be a Hollywood Blvd. runaway with a rebellious temper and I would be a rich kid with a submissive, passive personality.

We were split up and put through several hours of tests and interviews. The questionnaires were hundreds of questions long and cleverly designed to begin the process of raising doubts about self-worth and distrusting your current support structures. The interviewers were powerfully shrewd in their use of psychology to these ends. They deflected any questions that sought to understand a bigger picture of the steps I’d take, what I’d gain from each, and how much they would cost. I was only to look at the next step in front of me.

By now our fun little lark was going on about three hours and I wasn’t entirely sure I was free to leave. So, in character, I began to have a panic attack. It took making quite a fuss, but I was finally able to retrieve my friend and get the hell out of there. We literally gasped for fresh air when we got outside.

My friend, as expected, had a different experience. They recognized he was a free thinking troublemaker and were eager to get him out long before me (even though his character arguably needed spiritual guidance more than I did).

For six months afterward I received Scientology letters, they even came around to ring my doorbell a few times. My friend, on the other hand, received no follow up.

My experience convinced me that Scientology exhibits primary characteristics of a cult: identify the gullible, separate them from the pack, sow doubts, create dependency and fear of leaving. All religions do some of these things to some degree, but Scientology is off the charts. In my view, it’s an organized crime syndicate that practices unlicensed psychotherapy and the IRS should end the tax-free status for these creeps now!

March 7, 2010

“History repeats itself, first as tragedy second as farce.” I don’t like to quote Karl Marx, but he had a way with words. It is more poetry than accuracy, but it well and good sums up the nature of human affairs. Themes recur because human nature doesn’t fundamentally change. They also recur because of world geography. Some places provide the basis of power and influence, since the good Lord didn’t distribute topography, rivers or riches evenly.

China was a center of culture and civilization for thousands of years. The Roman Empire was at its height at the same time as Han China flourished. They had little contact, but they would have been what we call “peer competitors” today. Both these empires fell, but China reconstituted itself, while Rome did not. Some say that was because the Muslim conquest split the Western World. The Mediterranean, which had been the central focus and avenue of Ancient Western cultures, became a hostile boundary. This left China as the biggest and most cohesive place, despite occasional divisions and “foreign” rule (Qing,Yuan etc). China remained the richest and arguably most advanced society on earth until the middle of the 18th Century. (China did extraordinarily well in the in the 18th Century with three great emperors from Qing Dynasty.) Then China went into relative decline. It missed the boat of modernity. The irony is that China didn’t adapt because it was already too well organized, too rich and too content.

Some people blame the West for China’s decline, but the only reason the West COULD push China around was because of China’s internal decline. Think of little Portugal or little England projecting its “power” clean around the world and being able to influence China. European gunboats on the Yangtze are like Sri Lanka sending gunboats up the Mississippi. If that ever happens, the decline of the United States will not be the fault of the Sri Lankans. The magnitude of Chinese decline was so monumental that it becomes hard for us to see it any other way. What China is doing now is merely taking its place among the nations of the world. This is a place it used to have and a place it would have had if not for the amazingly bad luck and bad choices China had and made over the past two centuries.

There are indeed lessons for America. Power is fleeting and bad decisions can squander even the fantastic advantages or a China 200 years ago … or an America today.

We have other examples of countries screwing up great advantages. I have read a couple of good books recently that talked about Argentina (False Economy & the Ascent of Money. Argentina was one of the richest countries in the world a century ago. It had everything going for it. But its social and political system just didn’t work.

America has lots of advantages. We would not want to trade places with anybody else. But history shows many examples of those with great advantages squandering them. We don’t have to make the same mistakes that the Chinese or the Argentines did. Maybe knowing something more about them will help us avoid them. As Otto von Bismarck said, “Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others.”

March 6, 2010
Jay St. John

Question from Liz Trevino…

I got a sneekin’ feeling Liz that no one knows how pissed off Americans are going to be and what they will do? It’s not gonna be nice if this bill passes into law by dishonest means, it will be a blood bath.

For me, I consider this bill a monstrosity, it represents everything that is wrong within our legislation process and culture which operates independent from any responsibility of Constitutional due process, along with a total lack of common sense, and, due representation of people outside the sphere of entitlement and special interest.

The only aspect of this bill is it constitutes gerrymandering on our nation constitution with far reaching consequences. I believe the actors behind crafting it see this as an opportunity for gaining access to lifelong power, it is entitlement on a scale that encompasses a roll call of hundreds of millions of people. It is an act designed to manipulate and control most Americans lives, part of a strategy to place in the hands of a few the power to dictate the course of almost every aspect of our culture, the very frame work of our lives.

In the simplest terms, it has nothing to do with health, medicine or the management there of, it is all about power and control. The drafter’s behind the real intent of this act understand this is an area in our country where people are most vulnerable and susceptible to coercion, once alternative sources of medicine and health are removed from the market people have no choice but to submit.

I think they are in for a huge surprise, that this bill will galvanise the will of the people to the extent the likes of which have never been witnessed an America’s history.

What is being missed is the effect of Scott Brown. Late in 2009, the voter backlash was a fear but not a reality; the Brown election in January made it a reality. My guess is that the Brown victory will cause more Democrats in rural America to vote no this time around. Second chances don’t come around that often and I think a number of Democrats are secretly welcoming the opportunity to vote no in order to save their seats.

In South Texas, where people are most vulnerable and susceptible to lies and believe entitlement programs are a right, our representative’s will vote for it’s passage for their voting record speaks for itself. Bottom line, If they think it’s for free – they vote for it, and thats what their constitutes want them to do.

We all want health care reform, but not like this. If this passes, as well as other bills like Cap & Trade, and add this insane spending and bail outs, I predict in time many of the working class and generations to come will be forced to succumb to a socialist government (poverty).

I’m sure before then I will most likely become a high ranking officer in the second American revolution.

This Opinion Section is for Local Issues concerning Laredo and Webb County. Simply write or paste your Opinion in “comments” or email it to stjohnradio@yahoo.com, and at the end of the day we will post it so others may comment.

Your anonymity is guaranteed providing you sign in using the name of your favorite cartoon character.

And don’t forget to join me on FaceBook through my website. Thanks Jay

March 6, 2010

WOULDN’T IT BE GREAT TO TURN ON THE TV AND HEAR ANY U.S. PRESIDENT, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN GIVE THE FOLLOWING SPEECH…..

“My Fellow Americans: As you all know, the defeat of the Iraq regime has been completed.

Since congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in Iraq is complete..

This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American forces from Iraq. This action will be complete within 30 days… It is now time to begin the reckoning.

Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict. This list is short. The United Kingdom , Spain , Bulgaria , Australia , and Poland are some of the countries listed there..

The other list contains every one not on the first list. Most of the world’s nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing copies of both lists later this evening.

Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those nations on List 2 ceases immediately and indefinitely. The money saved during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the Iraqi war. THEN EVERY YEAR THE MONEY SAVED WILL GO TO OUR SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM SO IT WONT GO BROKE IN 20 YEARS.

The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world Hell holes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption.

Need help with a famine ? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France .

In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this money toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home . On that note, a word to terrorist organizations. Screw with us and we will hunt you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the earth.

Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France or maybe China .

I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with France , Germany , and Russia. Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are retiring from NATO as well.

I have instructed the Mayor of New York City to begin towing the many UN diplomatic vehicles located in Manhattan with more than two unpaid parking tickets to sites where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don’t care about whatever treaty pertains to this action. You creeps have tens of thousands of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch your precious Benzes, Beamers and limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops in the world.

Immediately, we’ll be drilling for oil in Alaska – which will take care of this country’s oil needs for decades to come. If you’re an environmentalist who opposes this decision, I refer you to List 2 above: pick a country and move there.

It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens. Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, ‘darn tootin.’

Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America. It is time to eliminate homelessness in America.

To the nations on List 1, a final thought: Thank you guys. We owe you and we won’t forget.

To the nations on List 2, a final thought: You might want to learn to speak Arabic.

God bless America .. Thank you and good night.”

March 3, 2010
Paul Cavazos (published in the LMT)

The Dog and Pony show is over. The kennel and the stall are empty and the last notes of the “Impossible Dream” have waned. (LMT Feb. 27 Ed workshop facilitates city trade)

Now we who are in the business consider it prudent to separate fact from fiction and the wheat from the chaff. I am afraid that there was more fiction and chaff than what was expected.

It is worth noting that Nuevo Laredo was not invited to participate or be taken into account; after all, if the promise becomes a reality they would be the main beneficiaries.They would provide transportation on the longest segment of the trip, plus customs clearance twice plus the necessary warehousing and storage plus incidental fuel sales etc., plus the fact that the cheapest and fastest way to come or send freight to Laredo via air is using the Nuevo Laredo airport.

The sessions, according to the Mayor, allowed people from Latin America to understand Laredo.This they did. They found out it is too far from the source and too far from the important markets.The subject of motor carrier transportation was not even discussed.The Guatemalan delegate noticed that we don’t have a USDA-approved facility to handle large volumes of perishables.That is located in McAllen. McAllen has the largest produce terminal outside of the Bronx, New York. Buyers no longer have to go visit the growers in Southern Mexico, they go to McAllen to inspect and buy. They found out that no international airline, except Federal Express who has a freight handling terminal at the airport. The airport has buildings but not the specialized equipment and loading devices required to assemble, load and unload freighters. According to Mayor Salinas, many of the products that will soon be shipped by Central American companies will be arriving via the ports of Veracruz and Lazaro Cardenas, and some directly via air to the Laredo airport. That is nothing but a pipe dream. There is no service between Mexican ports in the Gulf of Mexico and Central American ports on the Caribbean, and no steamship company is interested in investing in that route. There is no business and no need for the service. There is no service between the port of Lazaro Cardenas and Central American ports on the Pacific. According to the Panamanian delegate, freight from the Pacific ports is destined for the California and Northwest markets. It would be absurd to send goods from Panama to Lazaro Cardenas to Laredo and from Laredo to the West coast. The cost would be astronomical.

It would have been very helpful if the delegates as well as our Mayor had studied a little geography and considered the distances between certain points, they would have saved a lot of time and money.
One of the delegates thought of sending the goods to Laredo and from Laredo to Europe. This was said even though they know, or should know, that there are several vessels a day sailing from Panama to Europe.
These are not rust buckets but vessels doing 35 knots. By the time the goods reach Laredo, the goods on those vessels would be on the European markets.

The mayor was seen in the media, signing agreements with three countries. What happened to the other countries the city visited? Didn’t they go along with the charade?

Signed,Paul Cavazos

Note from Jay: Since when doe’s the Mayor have the authority to sign any type of agreement?

March 3, 2010
Jay St. John

For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they didn’t pay into Social Security, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws.

The latest is to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform that is being considered. Somehow, that doesn’t seem logical. We do not have an elite that is above the law.and I truly don’t care if they are Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever. The self-serving must stop.

This is one proposal that really should be passed around:

Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution:
Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States.

March 1, 2010
Jay St. John

Take a look at this and just remember elections in November 2010.

The U.S. House & Senate have voted themselves $4,700 and $5,300 raises.They voted not give you a S.S. Cost of living raise in 2010 and 2011. Your Medicare premiums will go up $285.60 for the 2-years and you will not get the 3% COLA: $660/yr. Your total 2-yr loss and cost is -$1,600 or -$3,200 for husband and wife. Over these same 2-years each Congress person will get $10,000!

Do you feel SCREWED?

Will they have your cost of drugs – doctor fees – local taxes? NO WAY!

Congress received a raise and has better health and retirement benefits than you or I. Why should they care about you? You never did anything about it in the past. You obviously are too stupid or don’t care. Do you really think that Nancy, Harry, Chris, Charlie, Barnie care about you?

In 2010 you will have a chance to get rid of the sitting Congress: up to 1/3 of the Senate and 100% of the House! Just make sure you’re still mad November 2010 and remind their replacements not to screw-up.

Maybe it’s time for amend Amendment 28 to the Constitution. 28th Amendment will be as follows:

Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators or Representatives, and Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States. Don’t hold your breath!

February 27, 2010
Jay St. John

On February 24th, Senate Majority Harry Reid instructed Sen. John Kerry to produce a revamped climate bill as soon as possible before any controversy on the validity of man-made global warming hits the fan; a task Kerry say’s he intends to accomplish within two weeks. Wow! The marching orders could represent the best chance advocates will have to pass a climate and energy bill before the November elections.

I can’t help believe that in the height of the health care reform fog, these orders where given to expedite a climate bill. Just the day before there was a hearing by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget, ranking Republican “Okie from Muskogee” James Inhofe told EPA head “On my cell phone” Lisa Jackson that man-induced climate change was a “hoax” concocted by ideologically motivated researchers who “cooked the science.”

Some bias media’s would have you believe that this is just the Senate Majority Leader being proactive on a problem with the full support of utility companies, yet hear is what actually happened in the Senate last week. You might want to ask yourself why these things never make the 6 O’clock news.

From International Business Digest Headline:

“Climate Fraud: A senator wants an investigation of the false climate testimony before Congress and wants Al Gore to reappear. The illegalities may involve more than just lying to Congress.”

Inhofe, releasing a GOP report questioning the science used to support cap-and-trade legislation, said that such activities may be part of a vast criminal enterprise designed to bilk governments, taxpayers and investors while enriching those making the false claims.

Hey don’t you think that regardless of what they believe, the inform American would like to know that a group of Senators are undertaking an investigation to prove that other legislators, government agencies, intergovernmental agencies, and a former vice president colluded to promote a trillion dollar fraud?

Whether its a case of this potentially being true, or a case of a few Senators working for big oil, this is important.

I have to ask myself – why no main stream print media, no national cable coverage at all? You know any lesser scandals like a incompetent New York Governor being investigated over a cover-up gets around the clock coverage. But nothing about our own legislators slinging earth-shaking allegations on legislation that could potentially change the way we live our lives. Come on!

P.S. Global Warming? I’ll believe it’s a crisis when those claiming it’s a crisis start living like it’s a crises – Jay St. John

February 5, 2010
Jay St. John – Published LMT

Yes folks, it is going to be a interesting election year nation wide and hopefully a good one here in Laredo. Definitely the most exciting in my 57 years here on planet earth. Already 10 months before election day, progressives in Washington are now running for cover after Scott Brown, a good looking Gomer Pyle, ran away with Kennedy’s throne in DEEP BLUE Massachusetts. I hope you left wing (give me free please) nut jobs got the message. Hilarious, though refreshing to see that most Americans who don’t give a damn about party affiliation will no longer stomach self serving politicians, their lies, and back room deals. Poor Obama now feels the hammer coming down so he say’s this the other day. “I’d rather be a good one-term President than a mediocre two-term President” Now that my friend is a really dumb quote! Barring illness or tragedy, a good one-term President is an oxymoron. If the voters don’t reelect you, it means you blew it! Unfortunately, that’s not true here in Laredo. We just love electing more of nothing! Even the word Mediocre’ is too generous a word in describing most of our public servants here, for it is very obvious that their ideology runs totally counter to progress. Procrastination is their favorite word and it shows in their non-action way of governing. A $500 million dollar budget and look around. I see nothing but private investment supporting empty new strip malls!

During my ten years here I find many of the working class here are blind, complacent and just don’t care! At the same time I realize there are some that do care and are great Americans – just wish we had more. The fact is elections here are won be very narrow margins. I have witness first hand that to win all you have to do is solicit folks who are not long for this earth. Last election I personally went to several locations and witness this first hand. My conclusion? Nursing homes, Day care centers for the elderly determines Laredo’s next four years. So another words, while it is likely that their vote is now in heaven, we are living with the results. It’s nice to get the last laugh.

So with that in mind, I’m hoping that some of our young will stand up, resister to vote and VOTE. Some of you guys should consider running for office especially since it’s not that hard to beat a dummy. Obviously, it’s up to your generation to take over and make Laredo a great place to live and visit. Sorry to say, if you don’t, you’ll probably leave sooner than later.

Oh and by the way… thus far, the chances of Obama getting even passing grades in the next three years is close to 0. And if you believe he gives a damn about Laredo, or our Congressman, then your just plain NAIVE. There is a shinning light though for you liberals, I definitely see in a couple of years a Hillary come back. I know that she and Bill love this place and believe she would be great for Laredo providing we had leadership that could at least carry a conversation with her. At least she knows how many zero’s in 500 million.