Patriotic Never Forget 9/11/01

9/11/01 Patriotic Never Forget Tattoo to honor the memory of everyone we lost on 9/11 at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Shanksville, PA. Never forget the 343 firefighters who died at the World Trade Center, police and law enforcement officers and our Military still fighting to keep us safe.

9/11/01 Patriotic Tattoo Double-Sided Ceramic Round Christmas Ornament by politicalgirl 

Political Parties and Primary Voting

Planning on voting in the Primary election for the candidate of your choice for President of the USA - well think again.  Many states - mine is one of them - limits who can vote in the Primary elections. If you are registered Democrat you can only choose a Democrat candidate in the primaries and if you are a registered Republican - you can only choose a Republican candidate of your choice. This is NOT true for the general public election for President on Election Day. Anyone no matter what party they are registered with, can vote for any candidate of their choice.

If you are planning on choosing a candidate to RUN FOR PRESIDENT in 2016 - check your state's laws on Primary election voting - you may be surprised.  I had no idea until I happened to read someone's comment online urging people to check this out in their state.

I changed my long standing registered Democrat to Republican this year because I want to be able to choose who will run as the Republican candidate for President of the United States.  In NJ it was really easy to access the NJ State Department Division of Elections website.  I was able to download the proper form and filing information with no problem. There is often a time limit before primary date so if you want your vote to count, time to get working on it now.

Primary voting wasn't something most people get involved in. They often, like me, wait to see who's running on the big ticket and then go out and vote. I have almost always voted on Election Day but I have never voted in a Primary election before.  With  many different candidates running for nomination in both parties, this year I feel more involved than ever before. Our country is really needing some great leaders and while no one running can probably fix our whole world all at once, I really feel like it's up to Americans to get involved, get the facts and get our voices heard.

Did you know depending on the State you live in, you must be affiliated with the Party you want to choose the candidate from in the Primary Elections!  I did not know this. New Jersey is a strictly closed Primary process in which the election of party candidates is limited to only party affiliated members as registered.  Click on the map below for more information

Different states have different laws and the best way to figure out your status in your state for voting in the Primary elections is checking it out on sites like FairVote.org or the links below to learn more about it. Check out your own State Department's website and find out where you stand.


The information is from the National Conference of State Legislatures

Closed States

Closed Primaries

Eleven states operate closed primary elections or caucuses. In either case, only voters who are registered as members of a political party prior to the primary date may participate in the nomination process for its candidates.

Proponents say that closed systems contribute to a strong party organization. Opponents note that independent or unaffiliated voters are excluded from the process.

CLOSED PRIMARY STATES

	States
Delaware	Maine	New York
Florida	Nevada	Pennsylvania
Kansas	New Jersey	Wyoming
Kentucky	New Mexico

Open states

Open Primaries

Eleven states operate open primaries, which permit any registered voter to cast a vote in a primary, regardless of his or her political affiliation. This means that a Democrat could "cross over” and cast a vote in the Republican primary, or vice versa, and an unaffiliated voter can choose either major party's primary. 

Proponents say that this system gives voters maximum flexibility because they can cross party lines. Opponents counter that this system dilutes a political party’s ability to nominate its own candidate without interference from non-members.

Alabama	Michigan	North Dakota
Arkansas	Minnesota	Vermont
Georgia	Missouri	Wisconsin
Hawaii	Montana

American History Is It Relevant

American history is it relevant to us still and does it have any place or purpose in our world today or is it just you know, stuff that happened yesterday.

I am so not a political expert. But I'm interested. I want to exercise my privilege and vote for Presidents and Senators and Congressman. In today's world filled with dozens of news channels, mind you 24/7 along with your 4 pm, 5 pm, 6 pm and morning news there are newspapers. Political magazines, Facebook, Google and so many resources, so many more than we used to have. We can find out how our candidates voted. What their beliefs are. History in business and politics. Watch debates and interviews. This is great stuff.

But I am so overwhelmed watching the news tonight. Jeb Bush and Donald Trump feuding. Well OK, that's not so news. But listening to the news anchors, listening to the "experts", retired political analysts, media billionaires and a slew of others repeating what Jeb Bush said. This one line that keeps playing in my head is Jeb Bush referring to Donald Trump talking about  9/11/01 and his brother George W. Bush "I don't know why he keeps bringing that up." 

Wait. What?  You don't know why Donald Trump keeps bringing up 9/11/01. Hey I'm no politician but I watched the Republican Debates I heard this exchange:

"Your brother and your brother's administration gave us Barack Obama because it was such a disaster those last three months that Abraham Lincoln couldn't have been elected," Trump said.

Bush then defended his brother regarding Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, a day during President George W. Bush's administration on which more than 2,700 people lost their lives.

"As it relates to my brother, there's one thing I know for sure: He kept us safe," Bush said. "I don't know if you remember, Donald -- you remember the rubble? You remember the firefighter with his arms around him? He sent a clear signal that the United States would be strong and fight Islamic terrorism, and he did keep us safe."

I remember sitting there and saying out loud to my husband, how really can he say that when George W Bush was President when the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and who knows what was next if the terrorists weren't forced down in PA on September 11, 2001. I mean that's not really saying he kept us safe, almost 3,000 people died that day. I was waiting to see who was going to remind him of that at the debate, but, no one did. And no one did after that either. Until Donald Trump got tired of him saying that. Because, it's not true.

How does the media now let this go? Jed Bush is mad about this. Let's see. It's just Donald Trump getting more attention. It's just Donald Trump pushing Jed's buttons. Jed's just protecting his brother so we can understand that. What? How come media people you are not saying, well that is true. That did happen under his watch and by the way, come on. I know you have done your homework guys - you read the reports too. The 9/11 investigation follow up pretty clearly spells out that President Bush was critically warned repeatedly by his CIA and informants were really worried, very sure there was an imminent attack being planned on our soil. Something about airplanes. Something about big, federal or important buildings. FBI arrested one of the 9/11 attackers in Michigan and begged for the rights to seize and search everything. Computers, papers, everything. But they weren't granted that right. Someone said hey, two of these guys on our list are taking flying lessons, this is a red flag. But no President Bush didn't listen. Maybe because the guy saying it was a "Clinton" day staffer. Maybe he just didn't believe it. Finally, he said OK make a plan. Months go by. His advisers, his top spies, they are telling him something is going to go down, but you know he's got a lot going on. He only took over a couple of months ago and I guess terrorism attacks maybe on our soil wasn't #1 priority. These guys testified at the hearings. So I don't think President Bush ever would want to hurt us or turn a blind eye. But he didn't really keep us safer either. I think if he would have been more on it, more upset about it, listened closer, granted safeguards, you know at least try......

So maybe, just maybe Donald Trump is saying it because, wait for it, because it's true. And nothing in the world could make me angrier than anyone, but especially a Presidential candidate saying, I don't know why he keeps bringing it up.......  You have to. We all have to. Why - 

1. Because we promised we all did, we swear we will never forget 9/11. We promised them, all of them we would not forget them and let their lives go in vein.

2. Because anyone in this world who is smart knows that the worse the error, the terror or the missed step in life, the more you can learn from it and do better so that it, or something worse might not ever happen again.

3. Anyone, and I heard plenty of you Donald Trump/Republican Party haters say many times tonight, oh yeah why does Trump keep bringing it up, it's 13 years ago, it doesn't matter any more then you, you who say that, are America's problem. If we cannot learn from, discuss and make anything better come from the worst disaster that happened on our soil, then you are not serious about making America safer, stronger or better. You are just playing political games.

If you disagree with the way to go about it, that's OK, this is America, but never say it's just a political ploy, game or irrelevant when it comes to learning from our history.

And understand I'm not blaming President Bush either. No one I think no one could have put this catastrophic plot completely together. But. Had he specified after that horrific day, my brother kept us safer. I could say that's more true. Had he said look how fast he got the nation back united and we had a plan in place quickly for better security, etc and he did, because after the terrible attack he probably ended up using the plan his top spies, CIA and advisers told him they had before it all happened and that was a good start. 

But maybe better, tougher immigration laws and policies could have stopped one or two or six of the immigrants that were here even legally. Maybe having a tough enforced stance in place would have deported the 6 who were here illegally. That could have made a real impact on that day. Maybe it wouldn't have stopped all of the horror, but every little bit could have made a big difference. Maybe letting the FBI search and seize would have turned up the whole plot, lets say he was not on a secure e-mail server and we busted up the whole thing. 

No, we will never know. But to say that having smarter, tougher laws and implementing what we did not have then could never change anything means that we just give up. I don't want to give up to terrorists. I don't want them to kill more innocent people. I don't know who they are either, but I would like to feel safe enough knowing my government will know and take care of it.

Would the families who lost loved ones fighting for us in Iraq which well, we know what that has done and led to now in the Middle East compliments of President Bush, would they agree their loved ones were safer. 

Devastating Hurricane Katrina that tore apart more than homes and property, it ripped lives a part for ever. While President Bush was on vacation at his ranch. For 27 days. Then a few days after that so more than a month later, he flew by overhead to look down at the utter disaster, chaos and confusion of horrendous living conditions, men women children. Lack of aid. Lack of response. Not enough food. Not enough shelter. Diseases. Mold. Mud. Homes wrecked. Businesses wrecked. Those people so terribly affected, many I'm sure that never really recovered everything they had and worked so hard for, I'm sure they didn't feel safer under President Bush.

You are right Bill O'Reilly. It is political madness, but it does serve a purpose. It has to serve a purpose especially now in our world. I guess someone has it out for Donald Trump and Ben Carson maybe too. Maybe they are too independent and didn't ask the Republican Party what they are allowed to tell us. Maybe not and I'm just paranoid. It really makes me even more sure I want one of them to be our President next.

But you know, I see the smug grin the last couple of days on Jeb Bush's face, kind of like I'm just going to say anything because well, I know something. And Romney back on TV all of a sudden and he definitely has that smug grin too, you know when he said well I'm sure it won't be Trump who is the candidate. Didn't Jed Bush say almost the exact same thing. Maybe there's a memo out and I haven't gotten it.

And Charles Krauthammer this wasn't just an issue in 04 and 08, it's still an issue because we haven't learned every thing we possibly can from that 9/11/01. It's not a reality show, this is very real for too many of us too. You know others might be bringing up something real and you might be missing it because you don't happen to like him personally.  Here's where I was 9/11/01, I don't want to be there ever again. I don't want anyone else to ever be there again because of some good old boys gang or old fashioned politics.  Pass it on, all the experts and politicians who haven't solved anything yet and especially those who have made it worse, keep your eyes and ears and mind open, you never know you might be able to learn something new.

9/11 Remember We Said Never Forget

September 11, 2001. 9/11 Remember We Swore We Would Never Forget. I have not forgotten, how could any one? How could any American forget. We all have our story. I remember what I was doing that day......  Me too. I remember the bluest sky and beautiful weather. A morning like every other morning. I bet so many of you say that too. I know 2,977 people who can never say that. They died that catastrophic evil day.

I remember just like every other day I was at work early, around 7 a.m. drinking my fourth cup of coffee and entering information on my computer when a co-worker came in and said "something is happening, something is happening in NYC a plane just flew into the World Trade Center" I have to get back to my patients, I wanted to be sure you knew. I was the Office Manager with an office filled with patients, 22 employees and a husband working in NYC. Not far from the World Trade Center. I quickly turned on the news and saw the first plane already wedged into the WTC. The flames. The horror. The smoke, the sea of humanity, fear and confusion. News anchors weighing in and I thought to myself a commercial airliner at that height in NYC, I don't know. I don't think this is an accident. Could be my years and years of firefighter experience and terrorist alert training but I was on high alert inside. I called my husband but the phones weren't going through. I managed to find him online. AOL chat in those days. He knew, could see it in the distance and while we were "chatting" the second plane hit. We both typed at the same time "terrorist attack". He had the same training I did. But he was there. Blocks away. I told him leave the city now, head home. He said don't worry, you know me I'll make it home.

My daughters were in college and frantic to get in touch with me, to make sure their Dad was OK. Did I speak to him? We couldn't get through to each other though, phone lines everywhere were busy or down. Families calling each other. Lines down. Communications were a mess. I had terrified, fearful patients in my medical office. 22 employees who were worried about loved ones and torn between their jobs and watching the News. Tears. Fears. Horror. Another plane. Another terrorist attempt, how many more would there be. Where would they land.

Somehow we all kept it together. Some employees and patients had family and friends that worked in the World Trade Center. It was no use, you couldn't get through to anyone by phone. You could only try to help them fight the waves of panic. We finished treating the patients that needed immediate treatment. Staff members called to patients that were scheduled through the day to re-schedule them. They were glad. No one wanted to leave home. Many had loved ones to track down if they could. A job interview for that day was re-scheduled, but the applicant it turned out, lost her brother that day. She told us that a month later when we interviewed and hired her.

I made sure everyone had someone to go home with. I made sure the patients were treated. Prescriptions called in. Sutures removed. The doctor I worked for had agreed, we needed to close the office for the rest of the day and let our employees and patients get through this horrible day.

It was late afternoon by the time I got home. Some time earlier I had spoken to each daughter finally and told them I would meet them at home. Schools closed. Businesses were closing. Hours and hours later, I still had never heard from my husband again. I had no way to reach him. Manhattan was only about 50 miles from my house, but today it was a million miles away. Bridges to the city were closed. Tunnels were closed. Subways were shut down. Buses were stopped. One of my patient's husband was on the plane that crashed in the field in Pennsylvania. He never got to see his pretty wife and two beautiful children again. My neighbor across the street, young promising woman never made it to her first wedding anniversary.

      

It got darker and darker as the night went on. My daughters and I stayed glued to the TV for every bit of news. Every look at the devastation beyond comprehension just a few miles away. And fighting to not be overwhelmed by the fear. Where was my husband.

Finally, 14 hours after I had spoken to him. 12 hours after he left New York City and started to make his way home, we heard his key in the door. We were a lucky family and had our loved one return to us that day. We wept openly. Well we girls did. My husband said, it's really really bad and I have to be back in the city by 5 AM - we need to set up communications so the city can keep on working, antennas are down, everything is down. I felt the fear rise, but he was determined he would help get the city back to being able to communicate. And he did.

I promised my girls I would never volunteer to go help as a firefighter in Manhattan while their Dad was also there. Their fear of losing both of us was even a zillion times worse for them to think of than even losing one of us. The evil intrusion into our lives, into the lives of thousands of innocent, innocent people that died. And even more thousands of innocent lives that were left to mourn the loss of those they loved, and worked with and were friends with.

My story lives inside of me and all of us, all of us that were affected. Every. Single. American. Was Affected. Whether you lost a loved one, lived through the fear of not knowing if you lost a loved one, or watched it on TV hundreds of miles away.

I remember 9/11/01 as if it was yesterday.  The fear of looking up overhead for weeks after, the insane fear that you would see a plane in the clear blue sky on a beautiful day..........

Republicans or Democrats Party Time

Republicans or Democrats most importantly be sure to register to vote.  I am. Registered years ago and almost every year I have exercised my privilege to vote for the candidate that I thought would do the best job. So here's the thing. I am a registered Democrat. Why? I have no idea. My parents registered Democrat. The political leaders in my community were democrats, I had to pick one so I did.

I am a registered member of the Democratic Party, but what does that really mean. Not very much to me. I am going to choose who I want to vote for based on what I know about them. What do they stand for, do their beliefs in the local community, schools and view on taxes fit mine? Back in the day, it was even harder to find that out. Without social media you were at the mercy of the brochures left in your screen door. Occasionally an article in the local newspapers. Sometimes you got to shake their hands ask a few questions at a local fair or community event.

Do I think like a Democrat? Am I a Democrat who thinks like a Republican? Most years, I find that most candidates just make a lot of promises. Most promises are never fulfilled. You never see or hear from your Senator or Congressman again. Laws are passed you and your neighbors hate. But your elected representative voted for it too.

So what is the deal with Republicans and Democrats anyway. Why in the world do we need two or more political parties. Can't candidates just run for elections, including President of the United States of America without a "party" affiliation? Why not? Parties have changed their positions over the years. The Democratic party was pretty against abolishing slavery during the Civil War Era. In the 1960's it was the Democrats that didn't want to sign the Civil Rights Act into Law. Of course it was a Democratic President and outspoken Democratic leaders who pushed their party to get this done. Republicans were all about rights for minorities. Can you really vote for the Party and can that Party stand for everything you believe in. Do the candidates have to stand for only what the Party at the time believes in?

We need leadership not parties. The days I hope, of the good old boys running the candidates should be over. Candidates have a voice. Senators and congressman had our vote and they are supposed to represent what we believe, we trust them to do that.

I'm not voting by party belief. Candidates have changed parties over the years. From Democrat to Republican. From Republicans to Independents.  Why bother having political parties at all anymore. Because they "financially" support the candidates? Maybe if the candidates can't find the support from those willing to invest in them because of what they believe in or what they represent, then maybe they shouldn't be running.

There is no doubt though that not every candidate no matter what party will probably not stand for everything you believe in. I guess you have to listen to what they say, find out what they have stood for. How they have voted in the past. Who else is talking about them and why. Scandal personally and business wise.

Check, Check , Check the facts so you can vote smart. If the truth is exaggerated or untrue or just plain wrong that's a red flag right there. They are either BS or just don't have a clue. And once you believe you have picked the candidate you will vote for, be sure to listen with an open mind to the other candidates because they may have something more for you to learn either way. Vote Smart. As smart as you can in this very political savvy world.

Political Girls and Guys Like Me

Political girls and guys like me are somewhere and everywhere in the USA. We know we have the right to vote. The right to freedom of expression and religion. We know we are the greatest country in the world because, we are America.

Lately politics has become more about what freedoms we don't have any more instead of the rights to enjoy the freedom we do have. Violence in horrific situations is up. Terrorists are threatening our world with their extremist views both domestic and foreign terrorists are making their statements by killing, maiming and horrifying innocent civilians, innocent Americans who just want to live their lives, make their families safe and secure and find a way to enjoy all that we have.

It's easy to say everyone has the right to freedom of speech. It's easy to say the government should not be invading our privacy. It's easy to say just get rid of the extremists and trouble makers. But it isn't really that easy to do. Bad guys do not identify themselves as bad guys. They disguise themselves as any guys. They infiltrate our lives, schools, politics and playgrounds. They may or may not be American citizens. Those who are innocent and would never do harm protest they have the right to be protected by the government. Yet at the same time so many are angry because they don't want the government tapping into their social media, their phone calls, surveillance cameras in the streets. I guess what I'm trying to say is, how do you want those who are determined to protect us to find the bad guys if you don't allow them these abilities? 

Since I'm not guilty of anything and don't expect they really care about my everyday, very ordinary life, I don't really care if Big Brother is watching me, but I do care that they are watching for the bad guys who will kill innocent people. Who will inflict their extremist hostile views on children, students, teachers, movie goers, marathon runners and everyone else who does not subscribe to their religions, beliefs, mentally unbalanced way of thinking and viewing the world.

With our economy in the tank, really our money today is worth barely nothing, even the banks won't give you much interest on your money, real estate used to be worth gold. To live in, to afford, to sell someday and make a wonderful profit. Not any more. It is now, more important than ever before I think, to get involved in what is going on around you. Get involved by watching political debates. Read the newspapers. Watch the news channels. Go to a rally and listen to what people are saying.

Check your sources. Know where the info is coming from. There are a lot of bogus Facebook pages out there calling themselves news sources. Check your facts and those you read. See what is going on.

Listen with your ears, your mind, your freedom of American citizenship, not with your pre-determined Republican or Democrat same old, same old.

That's what this little blog in the great big world is all about. I'm listening. I'm learning. I'm using the every day to hopefully help shape a better day. I'm just a citizen in America, maybe just like you. Working hard. Trying to save a buck. I would rather watch TV, work on my laptop or iPad than worry about the safety of my children, my money, my freedom of speech. But every one of us everyday political girls and guys make a difference and deserve to know how to do that.