By Alan Burkhart
Since 2001, the phrase “War on Terror” has become a part of the English language. That we are a nation at war and at risk, there can be no doubt. This is not the first time the United States has entered into a war with a shadowy, ill-defined opponent. We’ve done it at least two other times in the past half-century, and those wars, still being fought on many fronts, have a lot in common with our present conflict.
Other Wars…
In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson declared the War on Poverty. At that time roughly 35 million Americans were living below the poverty line. Johnson’s push for anti-poverty legislation led Congress to pass the Employment Opportunity Act. The legislation created the Office of Economic Opportunity, the primary intent of which was to funnel federal money to local authorities to assist needy Americans.
After more than 40 years and untold billions of dollars, there are still 35 million Americans living at or below the poverty line. Sure, the percentage of the population is lower, but if the goal was to end poverty, one must conclude that the War on Poverty is not winnable. It doesn't help that the cost of living has increased from thirty percent of individual income to fifty percent of household income. If ever a war deserved to be called a "Quagmire" it is the War on Poverty.
As to the War on Terror, it didn't have to be a quagmire, and there's still time to turn it around and get us back on track to win the thing. While the loss of even one American life is too many, the war in Iraq is still among the least-costly in terms of American lives.
But there is one war we've been fighting almost as long as the War on Poverty and far longer than the War on Terror: The War on Drugs.
President Richard Nixon declared the War on Drugs in 1969, five years into the War on Poverty. The idea was to create enough obstacles to the production and distribution of illegal drugs to make the industry unprofitable.
One could make the case that the Drug War actually began in the late 1800's when the US and China undertook to stop the shipment of opium between the two countries. This was followed by the Harrison Narcotic Act of 1914 and the ill-conceived alcohol prohibition of the 1920's and 1930's.
In 1937 Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act which levied a "nuisance tax" of one dollar on anyone known to distribute America's Favorite Herb. In the years that followed, grossly exaggerated accounts of non-existent side-effects from marijuana use led to it being added to the list of Stuff You Go To Jail For Using.
Predictably, a black market for marijuana sprang up almost overnight. What had once been the buzz of choice for poor immigrants and struggling musicians took on a new aura of desirability. It was no longer just a backyard weed that got you dizzy if you smoked it. It became an exotic and forbidden herb. Thanks largely to prohibition, marijuana use has skyrocketed to the point that it's now America's largest cash crop, outpacing all legal agricultural products. If current estimates are to be believed, up to thirty-seven percent of Americans use marijuana to one degree or another.
But nowadays marijuana is a back-burner issue. The market for hard drugs (which marijuana isn't) has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry. And anytime that much money is involved, those who are making that money will stop at nothing to protect their interests.
Mexico is a major supplier of illegal drugs to America. A few years ago, the United States government trained a group of Mexican commandos to combat the drug trade on the Mexican side of the border. Those commandos promptly sold out to the same drug cartel they were trained to combat, and there is documented evidence of Mexican military incursions on American soil. That's right, folks... not only are our Border Patrol agents in danger of being attacked by desperate illegal immigrants, but from the Mexican military as well.
One could make the argument that these Mexican soldiers are renegades. It's doubtlessly true that they are operating without any "official" sanction from the Mexican government. That does nothing, however, to alter the fact these are Mexican soldiers. We are being invaded by a foreign military. That foreign military is actively supporting those who bring deadly drugs into our country.
Is this not a form of chemical warfare? Are we not under attack? Add to this the well-established fact that Muslim terrorists have also been crossing into the US from Mexico, doubtlessly with the knowledge and probably with the assistance of Mexican drug lords and their puppets in the military.
The War on Terror and the War on Drugs have become one and the same. All the while, our government plays with the notion of granting amnesty to millions of people who have insulted our sovereignty and violated our laws. The elected leaders of the greatest nation on the planet play head games with their own people while Mexican methamphetamine labs churn out tons of poison each year to be sold on American streets to American teenagers.
The remnants of Johnson's War on Poverty, long-ago swallowed up by other parts of our top-heavy bureaucracy, are now heavily engaged in providing healthcare, housing and education to illegal immigrants. And those illegals are often brought to our country by human smugglers who are no less dangerous than the drug cartels. The War on Poverty has also become a part of the greater war.
What to do?
Thanks to decades of inaction by the US Government, there is no simple solution. Ultimately, our southern border must be secured against unlawful entry. Our Border Patrol should receive immediate and long-term armed support from our military, and all foreign aid to Mexico should be suspended until the Mexican government has done its part to solve the problem.
The issue of illegal immigration is certainly a part of the equation, even if most of those here illegally are only seeking work. Our laws must be enforced, and it's high time we ceased to handle these people gently. Children of illegal immigrants should be followed home from school, their parents arrested, and the entire family deported. Proof of citizenship should be a requirement for receiving any assistance aside from emergency medical treatment. American businesses that employ illegal aliens should be summarily run out of business and their assets confiscated. English should be mandated as the official language of American commerce.
And most importantly, our own government must be brought into account for its utter failure in regards to border security. None of the above can happen until our so-called "leaders" show a willingness to enforce our laws and provide the security Americans need and deserve.
Related Reading:
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Politicizing Christmas
By Alan Burkhart
First, I’m well-aware that our traditional day of celebrating Christmas is chronologically off by several months from the birth of Christ. Nevertheless, December 25th is the day officially set aside as the most important of all federal holidays. Throughout our history we have in essence shut down the country on this day in celebration of the birth of the Christ Child. Those who choose not to believe are certainly not left out of the celebrating, given that jolly old St. Nick is just as prominent a figure in the celebration as Jesus Christ.
For as long as anyone can remember, this time of year has been a time of singing and sharing and coming together in a spirit of love and generosity. I’ll admit to having some issues with the gross over-commercialization of the season, but that doesn’t take anything away from the utterly joyous nature of Christmas.
Remember when cities small and large hung Christmas decorations from every lamp post and traffic light? Remember the Nativity Scenes in front of the old county courthouse? The United States long ago adopted Christmas as her most prominent holiday. Untold millions of Americans have celebrated this day in manners both spiritual and secular. But thanks to the ACLU and other anti-American organizations, this heartfelt American tradition has been twisted into a supposed violation of church and state. Not a week goes by this time of year without one group or another making trouble over Christmas.
Corporate Christmas…
I can’t count the number of US retailers who have come under fire in recent years because of their handling of Christmas promotions and decorations. While it is indeed a childish and petty thing to attack the proper celebration of Christmas, the fact remains that some people are intimidated or offended by the religious aspect of the holiday. Thus, some American companies have modified the ways in which they participate in the holiday season.
Christmas trees become “holiday trees.” The “Christmas Season” becomes the “Holiday Season.” These changes generally come as a result of intense lobbying or even legal action by parties who object to any display of spirituality in the storefront or at City Hall.
What inevitably follows is yet another assault, this one by traditionalists who insist that the old Christmas decorations be pulled out of the closet and used instead of the new politically correct decorations. The corporation becomes the rope in an ideological tug of war between the Secular Left and the Religious Right.
Both sides take turns congratulating themselves each time they influence corporate policy. Neither side has a clue as to just how insignificant they really are.
Let’s get real for a moment. Giant corporations like Wal-Mart, Target and Sears have no conscience. They have no soul. That isn’t to say they’re evil. A corporation is by design a neutral entity. Anything a corporation does is done with the intent of making money. That is the sole reason for a corporation to exist. The corporation doesn’t care how you celebrate Christmas. It only cares about paying dividends to its shareholders and meeting the payroll. It is in effect the most purely instinctive of animals. Its behavior is based solely upon its own survival. Darwinism is alive and well in Corporate America.
The various groups who are busy attempting to influence corporate policy in regards to Christmas generally do so by threatening to boycott that corporation unless their demands are met. This has the potential to cost the corporation money. Thus, the corporation seeks to find a compromise in which both sides are appeased, or failing that, it’ll simply appease the group it believes will spend the most money at Christmas time. Once the corporation reaches a solution it finds acceptable, it moves on to whatever the next issue may be, and the self-important, protesting throngs are quickly forgotten.
Speaking of shareholders and corporate employees, most of them are everyday Americans. Your plain-vanilla savings account at the local credit union is earning interest because of those evil corporations. Think about that the next time you consider boycotting them because of how they decorate in December.
What’s at the root of all this bickering over Christmas?
At the risk of sounding biased, it started with those who object to the traditional celebration. There wasn’t a problem until troublemakers began creating havoc for companies and municipalities over anything and everything spiritual. Subsequent actions by the Religious Right are nothing more than an effort to defend what the vast majority of Americans see as being right and proper. Simply put, the troublemakers need to pack their tents and go home. Maybe, just maybe… they can find a real issue to pursue instead of attempting to create one where none exist.
That goes for you right-wingers, too. Does your life change if Wal-Mart celebrates the Holiday Season instead of the Christmas Season? Mine doesn’t. Neither will yours.
The trouble-making and hell-raising we read about in the newspaper is for the most part the work of a handful of extremists on both sides of the fence. Everyday Americans have neither the time nor inclination to worry over the semantics used in the Christmas catalog from Sears or the window display at Target. I don’t, and you shouldn’t.
C’mon boys and girls. It’s Christmas time. Put up the tree. Hang the lights. Send out those Christmas cards and max out your credit cards. And stop worrying over how everyone else is celebrating it. You drive your wagon, and let me drive mine.
We’re at war with the deadliest enemy we’ve ever faced. We’re in a time of political upheaval. Issues ranging from immigration to healthcare reform are pressing in from all sides.
Can’t we exclude the single most cherished day of the year from our bickering and bashing?
Related Reading:
First, I’m well-aware that our traditional day of celebrating Christmas is chronologically off by several months from the birth of Christ. Nevertheless, December 25th is the day officially set aside as the most important of all federal holidays. Throughout our history we have in essence shut down the country on this day in celebration of the birth of the Christ Child. Those who choose not to believe are certainly not left out of the celebrating, given that jolly old St. Nick is just as prominent a figure in the celebration as Jesus Christ.
For as long as anyone can remember, this time of year has been a time of singing and sharing and coming together in a spirit of love and generosity. I’ll admit to having some issues with the gross over-commercialization of the season, but that doesn’t take anything away from the utterly joyous nature of Christmas.
Remember when cities small and large hung Christmas decorations from every lamp post and traffic light? Remember the Nativity Scenes in front of the old county courthouse? The United States long ago adopted Christmas as her most prominent holiday. Untold millions of Americans have celebrated this day in manners both spiritual and secular. But thanks to the ACLU and other anti-American organizations, this heartfelt American tradition has been twisted into a supposed violation of church and state. Not a week goes by this time of year without one group or another making trouble over Christmas.
Corporate Christmas…
I can’t count the number of US retailers who have come under fire in recent years because of their handling of Christmas promotions and decorations. While it is indeed a childish and petty thing to attack the proper celebration of Christmas, the fact remains that some people are intimidated or offended by the religious aspect of the holiday. Thus, some American companies have modified the ways in which they participate in the holiday season.
Christmas trees become “holiday trees.” The “Christmas Season” becomes the “Holiday Season.” These changes generally come as a result of intense lobbying or even legal action by parties who object to any display of spirituality in the storefront or at City Hall.
What inevitably follows is yet another assault, this one by traditionalists who insist that the old Christmas decorations be pulled out of the closet and used instead of the new politically correct decorations. The corporation becomes the rope in an ideological tug of war between the Secular Left and the Religious Right.
Both sides take turns congratulating themselves each time they influence corporate policy. Neither side has a clue as to just how insignificant they really are.
Let’s get real for a moment. Giant corporations like Wal-Mart, Target and Sears have no conscience. They have no soul. That isn’t to say they’re evil. A corporation is by design a neutral entity. Anything a corporation does is done with the intent of making money. That is the sole reason for a corporation to exist. The corporation doesn’t care how you celebrate Christmas. It only cares about paying dividends to its shareholders and meeting the payroll. It is in effect the most purely instinctive of animals. Its behavior is based solely upon its own survival. Darwinism is alive and well in Corporate America.
The various groups who are busy attempting to influence corporate policy in regards to Christmas generally do so by threatening to boycott that corporation unless their demands are met. This has the potential to cost the corporation money. Thus, the corporation seeks to find a compromise in which both sides are appeased, or failing that, it’ll simply appease the group it believes will spend the most money at Christmas time. Once the corporation reaches a solution it finds acceptable, it moves on to whatever the next issue may be, and the self-important, protesting throngs are quickly forgotten.
Speaking of shareholders and corporate employees, most of them are everyday Americans. Your plain-vanilla savings account at the local credit union is earning interest because of those evil corporations. Think about that the next time you consider boycotting them because of how they decorate in December.
What’s at the root of all this bickering over Christmas?
At the risk of sounding biased, it started with those who object to the traditional celebration. There wasn’t a problem until troublemakers began creating havoc for companies and municipalities over anything and everything spiritual. Subsequent actions by the Religious Right are nothing more than an effort to defend what the vast majority of Americans see as being right and proper. Simply put, the troublemakers need to pack their tents and go home. Maybe, just maybe… they can find a real issue to pursue instead of attempting to create one where none exist.
That goes for you right-wingers, too. Does your life change if Wal-Mart celebrates the Holiday Season instead of the Christmas Season? Mine doesn’t. Neither will yours.
The trouble-making and hell-raising we read about in the newspaper is for the most part the work of a handful of extremists on both sides of the fence. Everyday Americans have neither the time nor inclination to worry over the semantics used in the Christmas catalog from Sears or the window display at Target. I don’t, and you shouldn’t.
C’mon boys and girls. It’s Christmas time. Put up the tree. Hang the lights. Send out those Christmas cards and max out your credit cards. And stop worrying over how everyone else is celebrating it. You drive your wagon, and let me drive mine.
We’re at war with the deadliest enemy we’ve ever faced. We’re in a time of political upheaval. Issues ranging from immigration to healthcare reform are pressing in from all sides.
Can’t we exclude the single most cherished day of the year from our bickering and bashing?
Related Reading:
Monday, December 04, 2006
So You Want to Be a Trucker...
By Alan Burkhart
Lately I've been getting a lot of information requests from people who have either recently entered into trucking, or are considering becoming a trucker. These e-mails are ultimately what have caused me write this article. I'll try to answer the most frequent questions and also anticipate other questions that are as yet unasked. Here goes…
What's it like to be a truck driver?
Not bad. I've been a trucker for most of the last 27 years and I have few regrets. Let me say this: Cross-country trucking is not a job. It's a lifestyle. Being a cross-country trucker changes your life in a few big ways and hundreds of little ways. Your general outlook on life will change a bit because you'll see places and meet people you'd have otherwise not seen or met. You'll learn about how the economy moves, both literally and figuratively, across America and the world. You'll be appreciated for your hard and important work by some, and you'll be abused and disregarded for the very same thing by others. You'll be away from home for periods ranging from days to weeks, and when you're finally home you'll find you appreciate your humble abode just a little bit more than before.
You'll be amazed from time to time at the people who say, "I always wanted to drive a truck." In the last two and a half decades, I've heard this from dozens of "everyday" people, a former World-Champion Pro Wrestler (no, I'm not saying which one), a university science teacher, and a couple of Baptist preachers. Men almost universally have a fascination with Big Iron, and a sleek, fast 18-wheeler is the ultimate Iron, in my opinion. It isn't just men, of course… many women have that same fascination, and there are quite a few female truckers out here, many more now than in years past. I for one like having the girls out here. It keeps us guys on our toes (competition between the sexes and all that).
The bottom line is that it's hard work and you'll get homesick from time to time, but it's also a lot of fun and the money is quite good as skilled labor goes. The real question here is NOT whether trucking is right for you, but whether you are right for trucking. Let's explore that question briefly…
Trucking is a good way of life but like most other lifestyles it also has a dark underbelly. I would be remiss in my responsibility to you if I did not tell you about the "dark side" of trucking. Like any other cross-section of society, you'll find that trucking has its share of undesirable people. You'll find drug users, drug dealers, thieves, smugglers, liars, cowards, prostitutes, and a handful of complete idiots sitting in the driver's seats of 18-wheelers. You'll have to deal with rampant profanity on the CB radio, bad directions from customers, hustlers trying to sell you cheap jewelry and fake Rolex watches, beggars trying to make YOU feel guilty about THEIR bad life-decisions, and warehouse managers who regard truckers as slave labor. You'll deal with what I call "road burnout" when you just know you can't face another day of running your backside off, and stress levels that reach near-biblical proportions. It ain't all fun and games out here, okay? Just thought you'd want to know.
So, you're still here? Good! Read on…
Trucking has plenty of positive aspects to offset the negatives. If you work hard and work SMART, you'll make a lot of money. Most midsize and larger companies have benefit packages ranging from good to great, and you'll find a camaraderie reminiscent of that found in the military, on football teams, and the like. You can strike up a conversation with a total stranger out here because we're all on this boat together. We help each other with no thought of being paid for our time, and you'll see places you'd otherwise not have seen or even known about. You'll visit every major city and small towns you've never heard of. You'll meet people of every stripe, and you'll discover that of all the jobs in America, ours is the most vital to our society. Why? Because almost nothing moves in this country without us. You can't build a rail spur, canal, or runway to every corner grocery store, department store, or auto dealership in the country. Whatever material possessions you may have were at some point delivered by truck. It's unavoidable. Without truckers, America isn't America. Am I proud of this? Yeah, as a matter of fact I am. I like knowing that I do an important service for my country. If that sounds corny to you, please stop reading this article now and find something else to do.
How do I get into trucking?
Nowadays there are many truck driving schools across the country. In addition to the schools most large trucking companies offer training to qualified applicants. At the end of this article I'll include a list of companies that I feel are recommendable. In the "old days" when someone wanted to be a trucker, you had to sneak in through the back door. I drove a tow truck for my father from the time I could simultaneously reach the pedals and see over the steering wheel until I went out into the world. I took my commercial driving test in a 1964 Ford F-750 tow truck with vacuum brakes and no trailer. I have never had a "regular" driver's license. I've always had a commercial license. I lied about my driving experience to get my first trucking job. I damn-near killed myself a dozen times while running down the road asking myself, "what am I DOING out here?!" I can honestly say that I'm a better driver now than I was back then, so don't be afraid if you see me coming.
And please remember that you NEVER know it all. You'll never reach a point in a driving career where you don't have to be cautious every minute of every day. Just because you have control of your vehicle does not mean that everyone around you also has control. Drive as though you're surrounded by idiots, because in many cases, you will be. A truck is only as safe as you make it. There are no unsafe trucks. There are unsafe drivers who have bad driving habits, there are unsafe mechanics who do not properly maintain the equipment, and there are unsafe companies that expect drivers to run when they're tired or when the truck is lacking proper repair. DO NOT let yourself fall into a situation in which your truck becomes an 80,000-pound battering ram. The image at left is of an accident on I-95 back in 2004. The trucker had control of his vehicle. The driver of the minivan (not pictured) did not. That trucker is DEAD. Do you read me here? BE CAREFUL!
In current times the test for a commercial driver's license (now simply known as a "CDL") is more complicated and the driving test is more demanding. You'll need to pay attention in class and work hard to sharpen your driving skills. When I backed into trucking, the test I took was essentially the same as that for a non-commercial license, but you had to be in a one-ton or larger vehicle. That was it. No trailer, no "serpentine backing" test, no nothing. There were a few extra questions on the written test about where to place your reflective triangles or flares if you broke down and other related questions. Any idiot could pass the written test.
Now there are several classes of CDL, with written and driving tests to match each type. You must know how to properly inspect your vehicle and understand the basics of adjusting brakes, fixing lights, etc. You must understand the laws that govern the industry, and separate "endorsements" are required for hazardous materials, tankers, and vehicles with air brakes. There is of course a separate test for each endorsement. You have to know how to secure a load to the trailer, safety procedures for chemical spills, and a host of other information. And, a CDL costs a lot more than it used to. This is partly due to an overly zealous Federal Department of Transportation. However, the F-DOT is only part of a monstrous bureaucracy in Washington that changes the rules almost yearly in an attempt to pacify every brainless truck-hating special interest group that shows up to lobby them "for change." My first license cost me $6.00 back in 1976. When the CDL program (it's a federally administered license now) went into effect in 1992, the prices increased dramatically. The price varies from state to state and prices are subject to change so I won't attempt to quote those prices here. Suffice it to say that it's doubtful you'll get your CDL for less than fifty dollars. And don't bother looking for a movie where Godzilla attacks D.C. I FX'd it myself. Damn... I'm good.
Is it like "Smokey and the Bandit?"
Yes, I've actually had to field this question, and no, it isn't like in the movies. It's fun, it's hard, and it's both demanding and rewarding. But don't try hauling a load of stolen beer at 100 mph with a nutcase in a Pontiac running your front door, okay? It isn't like the movie "Convoy" or "High Rolling" either. Ahem… reality please.
Is there police harassment?
To a degree, yes. You're subject to random inspections and on rare occasion, random searches. You must pass through DOT (Dept of Transportation) checkpoints and weigh stations in which an officer can, on the slightest whim, demand to see your logbook, permits, and freight bills. You are subject to being tied up in a weigh station for half an hour while an inspector (we call'em "Creeper Cops") crawls around under your vehicle looking for ANYTHING that constitutes an equipment violation. Fines are high, jail is a possibility, and the cops know that they have you by the… uh… well you know what I mean.
There are corrupt cops, stupid cops, arrogant cops, cops who are having problems at home and take it out on you, and fortunately there are also a lot of straight-up honest cops. Most of them are content to just do their job and behave in the process. If you encounter a "bad" cop, and you will sooner or later, just swallow your pride and get it over with. Keep your mouth shut until you're told to open it. Be polite and cooperative and the whole thing will go much more quickly and much less painfully. Personally, I regard DOT cops as a necessary evil. Laws are pointless if not enforced, but when I'm on a tight schedule I have little patience for some guy with a cheap badge and a bad attitude who feels he's qualified to tell me how to do my job. I deal with it, but it's rarely easy.
Ninety-nine percent of the time, you'll roll through a weigh station with zero problems. I get hit with an equipment inspection about once or twice per year, and my logbook gets checked about 3 times per year. In most cases the DOT cop just checks things over and sends me on my way. Greet them with a smile, but don't kiss ass. Excuse my French here, but kissing ass is a sure way to arouse a cop's suspicion. Act like a pro, and in most cases you'll be treated like a pro.
What kind of benefits can I expect?
A midsize or larger company will nearly always have health insurance. You can also expect a paid vacation, retirement program, and on rare occasion, sick days. Most trucking company retirement programs are generic 401k's. Seen one, seen'em all.
Most companies have passenger programs that allow you to take your spouse, child, or other family member along. Some charge a small fee to cover the cost of insuring your passenger, and most all of them will require that you and your passenger sign a waiver releasing the company from any liability regarding your passenger. That's fair enough.
Some companies also allow you to carry a pet. One of my brothers is also a trucker and he cherishes the company of his two Rat Terriers, "Dodger" and "Wishbone." I personally don't carry my pets, though I miss them and pay a "kitty sitter" to care for them while I'm gone. I can't imagine having 3 rambunctious cats confined in the cab of a truck. It'd be pure madness. Be mindful of keeping your pet well-groomed and you'll need to be vigilant in cleaning up after your dog, cat, spider monkey, or whatever your chosen pet may be. If you get lax in your housekeeping, your truck will smell like the city dog-pound. So will you. Also, keep in mind that your employer will probably not be very understanding if your truck ends up looking (and smelling) like a city dump. Don't expect to keep your job very long if you allow your pet to completely trash a $100,000 piece of equipment, okay?
What do I look for in a prospective employer?
First and foremost, even before you consider the pay, consider how a company treats its drivers. You have the right, even as a rookie driver, to expect fairness and honesty. You are owed respect and common courtesy, and do not settle for less. It's a driver's job market. Just about every company in the country is constantly hiring drivers to meet the needs of a growing economy. Wages are generally non-negotiable, but you can shop around to find a company with a wage and benefit package to meet your needs.
Also look at their equipment. It doesn't have to be a shiny brand-new truck. Judge how the company maintains its equipment. Safe equipment is your first concern here, but also consider what options are included in their trucks. Some companies strip their trucks to the frame rails, while others have every available option. I'd much rather drive an older truck with tilt, cruise, a good stereo, and a roomy sleeper than a new truck with nothing. At the time of this writing I'm assigned to a 1996 Freightliner with over a million miles on it. But… it's gets all the attention it requires. It has tilt wheel, cruise control, a 470 hp engine, "condo" sleeper, a SERIOUS 4-speaker stereo, and a load of other options. It pulls well enough, runs like a racehorse, and rarely gives me problems. I also have an excellent benefit package considering the size of the company (27 trucks) and I'm treated like family. A rookie driver won't work here. My boss requires years of experience. This job, I feel, is the one I've finally earned.
As to the money, it varies widely from job to job. You must compare pay against benefits and equipment to find the balance that works for you. You won't be able to do this at first. You'll need to work for a rookie-friendly company for a couple of years to gain the credibility found only with hard experience, then you can go out and find a better job if you're not satisfied where you are. Most companies pay by the dispatched mile, based upon the "Household Movers Guide." This is a huge list of standard mileages between cities and towns. Per-mile pay can run anywhere from 25 cents per mile (avoid these cheapskates!) to 40+ cents per mile. At the time of this writing (Jan-05) the average pay per mile for a company driver with 3 years experience is 33 cents per mile. You can run pretty much as many miles as you wish as long as you stay within the Hours of Service Regulations. It's reasonable to expect 2500 to 3000 miles per week from most employers. Do the math. For a single driver with no passenger, living expenses on the road will normally run about $100 per week for eating, smoking, drinking coffee, and whatever else you require. Avoid buying stuff like toiletries and clothing in truck stops, even though most of them have well-stocked stores. Truck stop prices are much higher than your local store at home.
You'll also get paid for extra stops. This is when a load requires that you either pick up and/or deliver to multiple points. There is also extra pay if you have to physically unload the trailer. Most warehouses that have a "driver unload" policy also have "lumpers" onsite who will unload you for a fee. Your company should pay this fee and most of them do pay it without complaint. Avoid companies that don't pay lumper fees. The lumper issue generally only applies to box trailers (dry vans and refrigerated trailers). Flatbeds, tanks, etc rarely have to deal with fees for loading and unloading. Nearly all companies pay for weighing your load (most truck stops have public scales) and the majority of companies also pay for your tolls, if any, as long as the toll road or bridge is on your route.
How do I take a bath?
Nearly all truck stops have showers. The major truck stops and the nicer independents have private showers that are cleaned and sanitized after each use. Expect to be reminded of the bathroom in a small motel. Showers are generally free with a minimal fuel purchase (usually 50 gallons) and a non-fueler can shower for about seven bucks. Don't be surprised if you have to wait in line to shower if you do it in the evening.
Where do I eat?
Truck stops almost always have decent food. You'll find everything from fast food to elaborate buffets. Be careful what you eat, though. It's easy to end up gaining a LOT of weight while eating all that buttered cornbread, mashed 'taters, pork chops, and chocolate pie and sitting on your butt all day driving. I learned the hard way. Lordy! What a gut I've grown. Don't stop in the middle of the day and sit down for a meal. That uses up valuable time. Grab a sandwich to go if you must and eat your big meal in the evening after you're done. Then, go take a walk and burn a few calories. It's working for me.
What if I get sick on the road?
Most truck stops will allow you to drop your trailer on their lot and go visit a doctor. Some don't allow this. You may need to call a cab. Look in the Yellow Pages for a walk-in clinic and then call ahead to make sure it's okay to show up with a bobtail truck. Most clinics don't mind at all. If you're deathly ill of course, you'll probably want an ambulance anyway. My worst day was in 1987. I got food poisoning from a truck stop in North Carolina (no longer in business) and ended up in a hospital for one day and then flat on my back in the sleeper for two more. I almost died. Thanks to ex-wife #2, a very good Virginia hospital and the Lord above I pulled through. I didn't know a stomach could hurt that badly. I've only been ill on the road one other time, and that was a particularly bad case of the flu. A clinic I visited prescribed me a bottle of pills, my boss made arrangements for a late delivery with the customer, and all went well enough. Getting sick on the road is never fun, but it doesn't have to be a disaster.
Is it all worth it?
I can't answer that question for you. It's been good for me, but we're all unique people (Some of us are "more unique" than others). You may try it and love it, or you may decide that trucking just isn't for you. You may decide that you like to drive a truck but don't like being gone from home. In that event there are plenty of local driving jobs to be had, although some of them have weird working hours. If you have family at home, and especially if you have small children, give it a lot of thought before jumping into trucking. Can your spouse deal with your absence? I'd guess that at least two-thirds of cross-country truckers have been divorced at least once. This is a serious consideration. If you're single, or if your spouse wants to go along (team-driving is an option here), then it can be a boatload of fun. Take your camera. Buy postcards and send'em to Mom and Dad (yours, not mine!). Savor and remember each and every day on the road, and drink in the sights you see in your travels. Trucking ain't easy, but if you love the road, life can be good behind the wheel of a semi.
Lately I've been getting a lot of information requests from people who have either recently entered into trucking, or are considering becoming a trucker. These e-mails are ultimately what have caused me write this article. I'll try to answer the most frequent questions and also anticipate other questions that are as yet unasked. Here goes…
What's it like to be a truck driver?
Not bad. I've been a trucker for most of the last 27 years and I have few regrets. Let me say this: Cross-country trucking is not a job. It's a lifestyle. Being a cross-country trucker changes your life in a few big ways and hundreds of little ways. Your general outlook on life will change a bit because you'll see places and meet people you'd have otherwise not seen or met. You'll learn about how the economy moves, both literally and figuratively, across America and the world. You'll be appreciated for your hard and important work by some, and you'll be abused and disregarded for the very same thing by others. You'll be away from home for periods ranging from days to weeks, and when you're finally home you'll find you appreciate your humble abode just a little bit more than before.You'll be amazed from time to time at the people who say, "I always wanted to drive a truck." In the last two and a half decades, I've heard this from dozens of "everyday" people, a former World-Champion Pro Wrestler (no, I'm not saying which one), a university science teacher, and a couple of Baptist preachers. Men almost universally have a fascination with Big Iron, and a sleek, fast 18-wheeler is the ultimate Iron, in my opinion. It isn't just men, of course… many women have that same fascination, and there are quite a few female truckers out here, many more now than in years past. I for one like having the girls out here. It keeps us guys on our toes (competition between the sexes and all that).
The bottom line is that it's hard work and you'll get homesick from time to time, but it's also a lot of fun and the money is quite good as skilled labor goes. The real question here is NOT whether trucking is right for you, but whether you are right for trucking. Let's explore that question briefly…
Trucking is a good way of life but like most other lifestyles it also has a dark underbelly. I would be remiss in my responsibility to you if I did not tell you about the "dark side" of trucking. Like any other cross-section of society, you'll find that trucking has its share of undesirable people. You'll find drug users, drug dealers, thieves, smugglers, liars, cowards, prostitutes, and a handful of complete idiots sitting in the driver's seats of 18-wheelers. You'll have to deal with rampant profanity on the CB radio, bad directions from customers, hustlers trying to sell you cheap jewelry and fake Rolex watches, beggars trying to make YOU feel guilty about THEIR bad life-decisions, and warehouse managers who regard truckers as slave labor. You'll deal with what I call "road burnout" when you just know you can't face another day of running your backside off, and stress levels that reach near-biblical proportions. It ain't all fun and games out here, okay? Just thought you'd want to know.
So, you're still here? Good! Read on…
Trucking has plenty of positive aspects to offset the negatives. If you work hard and work SMART, you'll make a lot of money. Most midsize and larger companies have benefit packages ranging from good to great, and you'll find a camaraderie reminiscent of that found in the military, on football teams, and the like. You can strike up a conversation with a total stranger out here because we're all on this boat together. We help each other with no thought of being paid for our time, and you'll see places you'd otherwise not have seen or even known about. You'll visit every major city and small towns you've never heard of. You'll meet people of every stripe, and you'll discover that of all the jobs in America, ours is the most vital to our society. Why? Because almost nothing moves in this country without us. You can't build a rail spur, canal, or runway to every corner grocery store, department store, or auto dealership in the country. Whatever material possessions you may have were at some point delivered by truck. It's unavoidable. Without truckers, America isn't America. Am I proud of this? Yeah, as a matter of fact I am. I like knowing that I do an important service for my country. If that sounds corny to you, please stop reading this article now and find something else to do.How do I get into trucking?
Nowadays there are many truck driving schools across the country. In addition to the schools most large trucking companies offer training to qualified applicants. At the end of this article I'll include a list of companies that I feel are recommendable. In the "old days" when someone wanted to be a trucker, you had to sneak in through the back door. I drove a tow truck for my father from the time I could simultaneously reach the pedals and see over the steering wheel until I went out into the world. I took my commercial driving test in a 1964 Ford F-750 tow truck with vacuum brakes and no trailer. I have never had a "regular" driver's license. I've always had a commercial license. I lied about my driving experience to get my first trucking job. I damn-near killed myself a dozen times while running down the road asking myself, "what am I DOING out here?!" I can honestly say that I'm a better driver now than I was back then, so don't be afraid if you see me coming.
And please remember that you NEVER know it all. You'll never reach a point in a driving career where you don't have to be cautious every minute of every day. Just because you have control of your vehicle does not mean that everyone around you also has control. Drive as though you're surrounded by idiots, because in many cases, you will be. A truck is only as safe as you make it. There are no unsafe trucks. There are unsafe drivers who have bad driving habits, there are unsafe mechanics who do not properly maintain the equipment, and there are unsafe companies that expect drivers to run when they're tired or when the truck is lacking proper repair. DO NOT let yourself fall into a situation in which your truck becomes an 80,000-pound battering ram. The image at left is of an accident on I-95 back in 2004. The trucker had control of his vehicle. The driver of the minivan (not pictured) did not. That trucker is DEAD. Do you read me here? BE CAREFUL!In current times the test for a commercial driver's license (now simply known as a "CDL") is more complicated and the driving test is more demanding. You'll need to pay attention in class and work hard to sharpen your driving skills. When I backed into trucking, the test I took was essentially the same as that for a non-commercial license, but you had to be in a one-ton or larger vehicle. That was it. No trailer, no "serpentine backing" test, no nothing. There were a few extra questions on the written test about where to place your reflective triangles or flares if you broke down and other related questions. Any idiot could pass the written test.
Now there are several classes of CDL, with written and driving tests to match each type. You must know how to properly inspect your vehicle and understand the basics of adjusting brakes, fixing lights, etc. You must understand the laws that govern the industry, and separate "endorsements" are required for hazardous materials, tankers, and vehicles with air brakes. There is of course a separate test for each endorsement. You have to know how to secure a load to the trailer, safety procedures for chemical spills, and a host of other information. And, a CDL costs a lot more than it used to. This is partly due to an overly zealous Federal Department of Transportation. However, the F-DOT is only part of a monstrous bureaucracy in Washington that changes the rules almost yearly in an attempt to pacify every brainless truck-hating special interest group that shows up to lobby them "for change." My first license cost me $6.00 back in 1976. When the CDL program (it's a federally administered license now) went into effect in 1992, the prices increased dramatically. The price varies from state to state and prices are subject to change so I won't attempt to quote those prices here. Suffice it to say that it's doubtful you'll get your CDL for less than fifty dollars. And don't bother looking for a movie where Godzilla attacks D.C. I FX'd it myself. Damn... I'm good.Is it like "Smokey and the Bandit?"
Yes, I've actually had to field this question, and no, it isn't like in the movies. It's fun, it's hard, and it's both demanding and rewarding. But don't try hauling a load of stolen beer at 100 mph with a nutcase in a Pontiac running your front door, okay? It isn't like the movie "Convoy" or "High Rolling" either. Ahem… reality please.
Is there police harassment?
To a degree, yes. You're subject to random inspections and on rare occasion, random searches. You must pass through DOT (Dept of Transportation) checkpoints and weigh stations in which an officer can, on the slightest whim, demand to see your logbook, permits, and freight bills. You are subject to being tied up in a weigh station for half an hour while an inspector (we call'em "Creeper Cops") crawls around under your vehicle looking for ANYTHING that constitutes an equipment violation. Fines are high, jail is a possibility, and the cops know that they have you by the… uh… well you know what I mean.
There are corrupt cops, stupid cops, arrogant cops, cops who are having problems at home and take it out on you, and fortunately there are also a lot of straight-up honest cops. Most of them are content to just do their job and behave in the process. If you encounter a "bad" cop, and you will sooner or later, just swallow your pride and get it over with. Keep your mouth shut until you're told to open it. Be polite and cooperative and the whole thing will go much more quickly and much less painfully. Personally, I regard DOT cops as a necessary evil. Laws are pointless if not enforced, but when I'm on a tight schedule I have little patience for some guy with a cheap badge and a bad attitude who feels he's qualified to tell me how to do my job. I deal with it, but it's rarely easy.
Ninety-nine percent of the time, you'll roll through a weigh station with zero problems. I get hit with an equipment inspection about once or twice per year, and my logbook gets checked about 3 times per year. In most cases the DOT cop just checks things over and sends me on my way. Greet them with a smile, but don't kiss ass. Excuse my French here, but kissing ass is a sure way to arouse a cop's suspicion. Act like a pro, and in most cases you'll be treated like a pro.
What kind of benefits can I expect?
A midsize or larger company will nearly always have health insurance. You can also expect a paid vacation, retirement program, and on rare occasion, sick days. Most trucking company retirement programs are generic 401k's. Seen one, seen'em all.
Most companies have passenger programs that allow you to take your spouse, child, or other family member along. Some charge a small fee to cover the cost of insuring your passenger, and most all of them will require that you and your passenger sign a waiver releasing the company from any liability regarding your passenger. That's fair enough.
Some companies also allow you to carry a pet. One of my brothers is also a trucker and he cherishes the company of his two Rat Terriers, "Dodger" and "Wishbone." I personally don't carry my pets, though I miss them and pay a "kitty sitter" to care for them while I'm gone. I can't imagine having 3 rambunctious cats confined in the cab of a truck. It'd be pure madness. Be mindful of keeping your pet well-groomed and you'll need to be vigilant in cleaning up after your dog, cat, spider monkey, or whatever your chosen pet may be. If you get lax in your housekeeping, your truck will smell like the city dog-pound. So will you. Also, keep in mind that your employer will probably not be very understanding if your truck ends up looking (and smelling) like a city dump. Don't expect to keep your job very long if you allow your pet to completely trash a $100,000 piece of equipment, okay?What do I look for in a prospective employer?
First and foremost, even before you consider the pay, consider how a company treats its drivers. You have the right, even as a rookie driver, to expect fairness and honesty. You are owed respect and common courtesy, and do not settle for less. It's a driver's job market. Just about every company in the country is constantly hiring drivers to meet the needs of a growing economy. Wages are generally non-negotiable, but you can shop around to find a company with a wage and benefit package to meet your needs.
Also look at their equipment. It doesn't have to be a shiny brand-new truck. Judge how the company maintains its equipment. Safe equipment is your first concern here, but also consider what options are included in their trucks. Some companies strip their trucks to the frame rails, while others have every available option. I'd much rather drive an older truck with tilt, cruise, a good stereo, and a roomy sleeper than a new truck with nothing. At the time of this writing I'm assigned to a 1996 Freightliner with over a million miles on it. But… it's gets all the attention it requires. It has tilt wheel, cruise control, a 470 hp engine, "condo" sleeper, a SERIOUS 4-speaker stereo, and a load of other options. It pulls well enough, runs like a racehorse, and rarely gives me problems. I also have an excellent benefit package considering the size of the company (27 trucks) and I'm treated like family. A rookie driver won't work here. My boss requires years of experience. This job, I feel, is the one I've finally earned.
As to the money, it varies widely from job to job. You must compare pay against benefits and equipment to find the balance that works for you. You won't be able to do this at first. You'll need to work for a rookie-friendly company for a couple of years to gain the credibility found only with hard experience, then you can go out and find a better job if you're not satisfied where you are. Most companies pay by the dispatched mile, based upon the "Household Movers Guide." This is a huge list of standard mileages between cities and towns. Per-mile pay can run anywhere from 25 cents per mile (avoid these cheapskates!) to 40+ cents per mile. At the time of this writing (Jan-05) the average pay per mile for a company driver with 3 years experience is 33 cents per mile. You can run pretty much as many miles as you wish as long as you stay within the Hours of Service Regulations. It's reasonable to expect 2500 to 3000 miles per week from most employers. Do the math. For a single driver with no passenger, living expenses on the road will normally run about $100 per week for eating, smoking, drinking coffee, and whatever else you require. Avoid buying stuff like toiletries and clothing in truck stops, even though most of them have well-stocked stores. Truck stop prices are much higher than your local store at home.You'll also get paid for extra stops. This is when a load requires that you either pick up and/or deliver to multiple points. There is also extra pay if you have to physically unload the trailer. Most warehouses that have a "driver unload" policy also have "lumpers" onsite who will unload you for a fee. Your company should pay this fee and most of them do pay it without complaint. Avoid companies that don't pay lumper fees. The lumper issue generally only applies to box trailers (dry vans and refrigerated trailers). Flatbeds, tanks, etc rarely have to deal with fees for loading and unloading. Nearly all companies pay for weighing your load (most truck stops have public scales) and the majority of companies also pay for your tolls, if any, as long as the toll road or bridge is on your route.
How do I take a bath?
Nearly all truck stops have showers. The major truck stops and the nicer independents have private showers that are cleaned and sanitized after each use. Expect to be reminded of the bathroom in a small motel. Showers are generally free with a minimal fuel purchase (usually 50 gallons) and a non-fueler can shower for about seven bucks. Don't be surprised if you have to wait in line to shower if you do it in the evening.Where do I eat?
Truck stops almost always have decent food. You'll find everything from fast food to elaborate buffets. Be careful what you eat, though. It's easy to end up gaining a LOT of weight while eating all that buttered cornbread, mashed 'taters, pork chops, and chocolate pie and sitting on your butt all day driving. I learned the hard way. Lordy! What a gut I've grown. Don't stop in the middle of the day and sit down for a meal. That uses up valuable time. Grab a sandwich to go if you must and eat your big meal in the evening after you're done. Then, go take a walk and burn a few calories. It's working for me.
What if I get sick on the road?
Most truck stops will allow you to drop your trailer on their lot and go visit a doctor. Some don't allow this. You may need to call a cab. Look in the Yellow Pages for a walk-in clinic and then call ahead to make sure it's okay to show up with a bobtail truck. Most clinics don't mind at all. If you're deathly ill of course, you'll probably want an ambulance anyway. My worst day was in 1987. I got food poisoning from a truck stop in North Carolina (no longer in business) and ended up in a hospital for one day and then flat on my back in the sleeper for two more. I almost died. Thanks to ex-wife #2, a very good Virginia hospital and the Lord above I pulled through. I didn't know a stomach could hurt that badly. I've only been ill on the road one other time, and that was a particularly bad case of the flu. A clinic I visited prescribed me a bottle of pills, my boss made arrangements for a late delivery with the customer, and all went well enough. Getting sick on the road is never fun, but it doesn't have to be a disaster.
Is it all worth it?
I can't answer that question for you. It's been good for me, but we're all unique people (Some of us are "more unique" than others). You may try it and love it, or you may decide that trucking just isn't for you. You may decide that you like to drive a truck but don't like being gone from home. In that event there are plenty of local driving jobs to be had, although some of them have weird working hours. If you have family at home, and especially if you have small children, give it a lot of thought before jumping into trucking. Can your spouse deal with your absence? I'd guess that at least two-thirds of cross-country truckers have been divorced at least once. This is a serious consideration. If you're single, or if your spouse wants to go along (team-driving is an option here), then it can be a boatload of fun. Take your camera. Buy postcards and send'em to Mom and Dad (yours, not mine!). Savor and remember each and every day on the road, and drink in the sights you see in your travels. Trucking ain't easy, but if you love the road, life can be good behind the wheel of a semi. Saturday, December 02, 2006
Pics From Wolf Creek Pass
All images copyright 2006 by Alan Burkhart
Here are some pics I shot while driving over Wolf Creek Pass in Colorado (hwy 160) in September '06.
Here are some pics I shot while driving over Wolf Creek Pass in Colorado (hwy 160) in September '06.
You’re Damn Right I’m a Nationalist
By Alan Burkhart
Nationalism:
The United States of America is rapidly becoming a faceless, cultureless place with no soul or sense of self. Our culture is being watered down by a new generation of immigrants, both legal and illegal, who refuse to assimilate into our society – and they’re aided and abetted by elements within our own borders. Our sovereignty is for sale to the highest bidder, and our future has been mortgaged to foreign nations.
Our troubles are rooted in a variety of sources.
Impoverished illegal immigrants are streaming across our border with Mexico. While the vast majority of these people are only seeking work, a disturbingly large percentage of them were criminals before they violated our immigration laws. Murder and thievery by illegal immigrants (including the recent death of a US soldier – just back from Iraq) are rampant in several states. While the federal government has taken a few stuttering steps toward border security, it has been far outpaced by the continuing influx of illegals.
Illegal immigration costs Americans jobs, holds wages down and creates numerous safety and security concerns. To put mildly, those concerns are not being properly addressed. Most illegal immigrants have no interest in learning our language, paying taxes or doing anything at all that benefits the nation. They take, but they rarely give anything in return. Simply put, they’re parasites.
Authorities in counties along our border with Mexico have found irrefutable evidence that Muslim terrorists are entering our country from Mexico. There has been relatively little news coverage of this situation, and I find this fact amazing in a post-911 environment. One would think we’d regard this as an outright invasion.
Some would argue that the Bush Administration is taking positive steps to secure our border. Bush did after all sign a bill to build a fence on a whopping one third of our porous southern border. Keep in mind that as of this writing, funding for the fence is still in question.
And if Bush, in his infinite wisdom, is so determined to secure our borders, then why is he so eagerly pursuing a globalist agenda that would convert the USA into a state within a North American Union? You’d think that the rapidly disintegrating European Union would give him cause to pause on this issue. Bush has instead continued to move forward with his dream of open borders with Mexico and Canada. A unified currency, referred to by some as the “Amero” may also be in the works.
There are many reasons why our southern border has become such a multi-pronged thorn in our side. Both Republicans and Democrats are enamored with the Hispanic vote. The GOP knows that even with the growth of the black middle class, it’ll never garner enough black votes to be a factor in an election. Republicans in general and Bush in particular see poor Hispanic immigrants as a source of cheap labor for American businesses, and many legal Hispanics regard any effort to enforce our immigration laws as being racist. With a significant minority of centrists and conservatives seeking alternatives to the Republican Party (as evidenced in the recent election), the GOP is hungry for voters.
Democrats have been courting the Hispanic vote for years. While there is a significant conservative element within the Hispanic community, the majority of Hispanic voters vote Democrat. And, with blacks gaining ground in terms of home and business ownership, the possibility of a rightward political shift, however slight, in the black community is a frightening prospect for Democrats who have for decades taken the black vote for granted.
Why else would so many liberals oppose definitive reform of the voting process? Why would liberals object to the notion of photo-identification to verify a person’s right to vote? All the while, the Left screams about voter fraud while making certain that anyone can vote – legally or otherwise – as long as they’re voting Democrat.
The two major political parties are deeply engaged in a power struggle. What we see on the news is most likely the tip of a much larger iceberg. The continual leftward drift of our government, regardless of which party is in power, is a strong indication that a larger agenda lies buried beneath the surface. The parties may be locked in a struggle for control, but I suspect that struggle to be more about perks and donations than ideology. The plethora of scandals involving money-grubbing politicians and lobbyists is a good indication that I’m correct in this assumption.
Speaking of money, how did we reach a point in which foreign interests own more of our national debt than we do? In 1995, foreign nations owned twenty-five percent of our national debt. That number now stands at fifty-three percent. This makes our economy more vulnerable than ever to foreign interests who on a whim might decide to take a shot at crashing our economy.
Add to this the fact that the Bush Administration and a number of state governments believe it’s just fine and dandy for foreign interests to own and / or operate American highways. I don’t object to foreign investment, but some things – like our infrastructure – should be off-limits to foreign ownership.
There is no greater example of America’s growing dependency on foreign interests than our hunger for imported oil. Thanks largely to Bush’s ill-conceived plan to Americanize Iraq, we are now faced with the prospect of Iran positioning itself to control the export of Arab oil. If we fail in Iraq, if we leave Iraq without a strong, America-friendly government in that war-torn nation, Iran will be quick to move in and take control. Saddam needed to be ousted, but surely there must have been a better way.
Should we not have first finished the job in Afghanistan and waited to see where Al Qaida next reared its ugly head? Had we committed more resources to Afghanistan and (for the time being at least) left Iraq to its own devices, how much more stable would affairs now be in the Arab world?
And is anyone besides me bothered by the fact that Venezuelan – owned Citgo is funding the anti-American government in that country?
America needs more (and cleaner) refineries. We need to see more wells being drilled both offshore and on dry land. We need to cast aside the enviro-socialists who scream bloody murder every time a spotted owl or pinstriped beetle has to pack up and move fifty yards to accommodate an oil well. In short, we need to substantially decrease our dependence upon foreign oil. Fuel-efficient and eco-friendly vehicles are of course an important part of the equation, but the need for a secure and plentiful supply of domestic oil far outweighs other concerns in this matter.
Another part of the problem we face today is the fact of America being a divided nation. Think about all the issues that split and splinter us. Abortion, gay rights, religious expression, education, taxation, property rights… need I go on?
Each group, be it a conservative Christian organization or a bunch of left-wingers fighting for the right of transsexuals to switch bathrooms (no, I’m not joking - this happened) must come to grips with the fact that we share a nation. And that nation is in trouble. We face a clear and present danger of losing our sovereignty and becoming little more than a patch of ground with no real national identity. Regardless of your political affiliation or religious beliefs, this should trump every other concern. It won’t do any good to work for change in America if there is no America left to change.
We have about eighteen months before the 2008 election season kicks off in earnest. During that time it is imperative that we impress upon politicians of every stripe that America must retain her sovereignty if she is to preserve her identity. If other nations wish to vanish into the societal quicksand of collectivism, they’re welcome to do so as far as I’m concerned. No treaty that conflicts with our own interests is worthy of an American signature, and any American politician who signs such an agreement (NAFTA, CAFTA, Kyoto, etc) should be booted from office at the first opportunity. Thus far, we have at least dodged the economic silver bullet of Kyoto. But with the Left getting back into power, that also could become a dicey proposition.
Why are we letting all this happen?
The unique chemistry that made this country special is being diluted. The chain of events that led to her creation over 200 years ago has been all but forgotten by many. In a nutshell, we are losing our sense of nationalism. We are allowing ourselves to become citizens of Planet Earth rather than citizens of the greatest nation to ever grace the surface of the planet. We are unwittingly becoming as politically correct as our fair-weather friends in Europe.
A strong sense of nationalism begins with a strong sense of individualism combined with the knowledge that the level of individuality we enjoy in the USA is possible only if we remain a free sovereign nation. We won’t be a free nation, or a nation at all, if we allow The Powers That Be to continue on their present course.
Sources and Related Reading:
Nationalism:
- Devotion to the interests or culture of one's nation.
- The belief that nations will benefit from acting independently rather than collectively, emphasizing national rather than international goals
The United States of America is rapidly becoming a faceless, cultureless place with no soul or sense of self. Our culture is being watered down by a new generation of immigrants, both legal and illegal, who refuse to assimilate into our society – and they’re aided and abetted by elements within our own borders. Our sovereignty is for sale to the highest bidder, and our future has been mortgaged to foreign nations.Our troubles are rooted in a variety of sources.
Impoverished illegal immigrants are streaming across our border with Mexico. While the vast majority of these people are only seeking work, a disturbingly large percentage of them were criminals before they violated our immigration laws. Murder and thievery by illegal immigrants (including the recent death of a US soldier – just back from Iraq) are rampant in several states. While the federal government has taken a few stuttering steps toward border security, it has been far outpaced by the continuing influx of illegals.
Illegal immigration costs Americans jobs, holds wages down and creates numerous safety and security concerns. To put mildly, those concerns are not being properly addressed. Most illegal immigrants have no interest in learning our language, paying taxes or doing anything at all that benefits the nation. They take, but they rarely give anything in return. Simply put, they’re parasites.
Authorities in counties along our border with Mexico have found irrefutable evidence that Muslim terrorists are entering our country from Mexico. There has been relatively little news coverage of this situation, and I find this fact amazing in a post-911 environment. One would think we’d regard this as an outright invasion.
Some would argue that the Bush Administration is taking positive steps to secure our border. Bush did after all sign a bill to build a fence on a whopping one third of our porous southern border. Keep in mind that as of this writing, funding for the fence is still in question.
And if Bush, in his infinite wisdom, is so determined to secure our borders, then why is he so eagerly pursuing a globalist agenda that would convert the USA into a state within a North American Union? You’d think that the rapidly disintegrating European Union would give him cause to pause on this issue. Bush has instead continued to move forward with his dream of open borders with Mexico and Canada. A unified currency, referred to by some as the “Amero” may also be in the works.There are many reasons why our southern border has become such a multi-pronged thorn in our side. Both Republicans and Democrats are enamored with the Hispanic vote. The GOP knows that even with the growth of the black middle class, it’ll never garner enough black votes to be a factor in an election. Republicans in general and Bush in particular see poor Hispanic immigrants as a source of cheap labor for American businesses, and many legal Hispanics regard any effort to enforce our immigration laws as being racist. With a significant minority of centrists and conservatives seeking alternatives to the Republican Party (as evidenced in the recent election), the GOP is hungry for voters.
Democrats have been courting the Hispanic vote for years. While there is a significant conservative element within the Hispanic community, the majority of Hispanic voters vote Democrat. And, with blacks gaining ground in terms of home and business ownership, the possibility of a rightward political shift, however slight, in the black community is a frightening prospect for Democrats who have for decades taken the black vote for granted.
Why else would so many liberals oppose definitive reform of the voting process? Why would liberals object to the notion of photo-identification to verify a person’s right to vote? All the while, the Left screams about voter fraud while making certain that anyone can vote – legally or otherwise – as long as they’re voting Democrat.
The two major political parties are deeply engaged in a power struggle. What we see on the news is most likely the tip of a much larger iceberg. The continual leftward drift of our government, regardless of which party is in power, is a strong indication that a larger agenda lies buried beneath the surface. The parties may be locked in a struggle for control, but I suspect that struggle to be more about perks and donations than ideology. The plethora of scandals involving money-grubbing politicians and lobbyists is a good indication that I’m correct in this assumption.
Speaking of money, how did we reach a point in which foreign interests own more of our national debt than we do? In 1995, foreign nations owned twenty-five percent of our national debt. That number now stands at fifty-three percent. This makes our economy more vulnerable than ever to foreign interests who on a whim might decide to take a shot at crashing our economy.
Add to this the fact that the Bush Administration and a number of state governments believe it’s just fine and dandy for foreign interests to own and / or operate American highways. I don’t object to foreign investment, but some things – like our infrastructure – should be off-limits to foreign ownership.
There is no greater example of America’s growing dependency on foreign interests than our hunger for imported oil. Thanks largely to Bush’s ill-conceived plan to Americanize Iraq, we are now faced with the prospect of Iran positioning itself to control the export of Arab oil. If we fail in Iraq, if we leave Iraq without a strong, America-friendly government in that war-torn nation, Iran will be quick to move in and take control. Saddam needed to be ousted, but surely there must have been a better way.
Should we not have first finished the job in Afghanistan and waited to see where Al Qaida next reared its ugly head? Had we committed more resources to Afghanistan and (for the time being at least) left Iraq to its own devices, how much more stable would affairs now be in the Arab world?
And is anyone besides me bothered by the fact that Venezuelan – owned Citgo is funding the anti-American government in that country?
America needs more (and cleaner) refineries. We need to see more wells being drilled both offshore and on dry land. We need to cast aside the enviro-socialists who scream bloody murder every time a spotted owl or pinstriped beetle has to pack up and move fifty yards to accommodate an oil well. In short, we need to substantially decrease our dependence upon foreign oil. Fuel-efficient and eco-friendly vehicles are of course an important part of the equation, but the need for a secure and plentiful supply of domestic oil far outweighs other concerns in this matter.
Another part of the problem we face today is the fact of America being a divided nation. Think about all the issues that split and splinter us. Abortion, gay rights, religious expression, education, taxation, property rights… need I go on?
Each group, be it a conservative Christian organization or a bunch of left-wingers fighting for the right of transsexuals to switch bathrooms (no, I’m not joking - this happened) must come to grips with the fact that we share a nation. And that nation is in trouble. We face a clear and present danger of losing our sovereignty and becoming little more than a patch of ground with no real national identity. Regardless of your political affiliation or religious beliefs, this should trump every other concern. It won’t do any good to work for change in America if there is no America left to change.We have about eighteen months before the 2008 election season kicks off in earnest. During that time it is imperative that we impress upon politicians of every stripe that America must retain her sovereignty if she is to preserve her identity. If other nations wish to vanish into the societal quicksand of collectivism, they’re welcome to do so as far as I’m concerned. No treaty that conflicts with our own interests is worthy of an American signature, and any American politician who signs such an agreement (NAFTA, CAFTA, Kyoto, etc) should be booted from office at the first opportunity. Thus far, we have at least dodged the economic silver bullet of Kyoto. But with the Left getting back into power, that also could become a dicey proposition.
Why are we letting all this happen?
The unique chemistry that made this country special is being diluted. The chain of events that led to her creation over 200 years ago has been all but forgotten by many. In a nutshell, we are losing our sense of nationalism. We are allowing ourselves to become citizens of Planet Earth rather than citizens of the greatest nation to ever grace the surface of the planet. We are unwittingly becoming as politically correct as our fair-weather friends in Europe.
A strong sense of nationalism begins with a strong sense of individualism combined with the knowledge that the level of individuality we enjoy in the USA is possible only if we remain a free sovereign nation. We won’t be a free nation, or a nation at all, if we allow The Powers That Be to continue on their present course.
Sources and Related Reading:
- Texas Border County Sheriffs Warn of Criminals Crossing from Mexico
- Lawmaker: Terror war spilling across border
- Drunken Illegal Alien Kills Marine
- Cop murder spotlights crisis of killer aliens
- 3 illegals beat pregnant woman
- Lou Dobbs (CNN) video regarding Bush’s NAFTA Superhighway
- North American Union Is No Conspiracy
- Senate OKs raising federal debt limit to about $9 trillion
- Foreigner Ownership: Debt Dwarfs Ports
- Prospect of Six More Years of Chavez Alarms Conservatives
- Iraq sets timetable for transfer
- Judge throws out Ga. photo-voter ID law
- Transsexual Discrimination OK NY Court Rules
- Yahoo Dictionary (nationalism)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
