Time for a Change in Politics

The general population of American citizens is completely tired of the politicians in Washington D.C.  Fed up, ticked off, and there are countless ways to express the frustrations held by the American voter.  Mainly we are tired of being over taxed, told what we need or must do, tired of having our rights taken from us and we are generally aggravated with politics as usual.  What we find refreshing is people willing to take a stand, speak their minds and say NO to those who continue to push and steal our way of life from us.  It is time to push back and push with meaning.

It is very clear that the GOP is feeling the strain of non-political politicians stealing the lime-light from the establishment presidential candidates but it is refreshing from the average Joe’s standpoint.  We are tired of the same old rhetoric, lies and incompetence of the GOP promising to change the status quo when all they do is back down.  They placed Bonehead  John Boehner as the Speaker of the House and he is a drunk, limp wristed cry-baby and Mitch McConnell is so old that he probably has to take ten naps a day just to keep up appearances.  Then look at all the people who have spent more than 10n years in Washington D.C., they are all bought and kept politicians.  Even Kansas can’t get away from bought and paid for Senators; Pat Roberts is a has been; working in D.C. from 1966 until the present in various capacities.  He is no more a Kansan than the current idiot in the White House.  Having a recliner chair in someone’s house is not considered a residency Pat.  Besides, you are too old to be there anyway.  BUT you continue to claim you are helping the farmers.  I am not so sure that is truth.  Even our once good-guy, Jerry Moran, who is now taking on more leadership roles has lost sight of what is best for Kansas.  He can’t really believe that we agree he is doing what is best for Kansas.  “Nope, Nope, Nope” as Ducky says in Land before Time.  Jerry, you’ve drank the Kool-aid and it is time to give it up and come home.

I like Tim Huelskamp but he has been emasculated by the Speaker of the House for standing up against him.  Still, Tim has been able to stir the pot a little and show everyone just what is happening to people who do try to buck the system.  That is why it is so important for the PEOPLE to take action NOW.  We can do a few things to make changes and make a difference.  First we must select people to run against the incumbents, just to keep them on the straight and narrow or even replace them.  Secondly, we the PEOPLE CAN recall our Senators and Representatives if we don’t like the way they are voting.  A threat to remove them from office can be a very influential force.  It is time we use these tools and we can also make laws in individual states that LIMIT the number of years a person can serve their state without the federal government being involved.  EACH STATE can limit their elected Senators to no more than two terms and Representatives to three terms.

Our once great country was founded by men and women(you can’t tell me women didn’t motivate their men) who were just average people.  Many were natural leaders and yes, some were very wealthy people.  But they all had one thing in common, they wanted liberty to do what made them happy and that was to pursue their happiness as long as it didn’t interfere with others happiness.  They wanted a government free of tyranny that would protect them and allow them to worship the way they wanted.  It is time to take those same philosophies and put them first and foremost once again.

Why is Donald Trump and Ben Carson so dangerous to the GOP? It is because that is what the PEOPLE WANT, non-politicians that are true leaders, who care about what is right and good in this country.  The career politician is a dinosaur and limp as a wet noodle.  We want leaders who cannot be bought by special interests, who want to move this country back to the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave, who won’t sell us out to the United Nations or to rouge nations such as Iran and Cuba.

Take action folks.  REMOVE the career politicians and replace them with people who know how to work.  People who have callouses on their hands and know how to make money.  It is time to get rid of the lazy buy-outs and get work horses who can do the job.

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In Memory of Steve

Today I will go to the funeral of a dear cowboy friend, Steve Ward.  After the funeral, I intend on riding into the hills on a  horse, to honor my dear departed friend.  I would like to share with you an essay I wrote, the day after his passing.  It was written then as I was in such shock the day he died, I couldn’t even put words together.  To make matters worse, he died on the birthday of a dear cowboy friend who had died nearly fifteen years ago, so I was already down, thinking about my buddy Sid, when I got the news about Steve.  Here is the essay:

 Farewell to Steve

   I lost a cowboy buddy, August 17, 2015.  He was at the sale barn, working the sale, when he took a fall from his horse.  He went quickly; so I’ve been told, so I don’t reckon he had time to say goodbye to anyone.  His passing is hard to take; why just last week, Steve called and we had a nice little chat and then parted with kind words.  I still can’t believe it was the last conversation I had with him.  I will miss him.

   I met Steve when I worked at a feed yard.  He came to shoe horses and I was immediately drawn to this man, who I recognized as a true cowboy.  I heard he had spent may years on the King Ranch in Texas and on the Pitzer Ranch in Nebraska; he had to be a good hand to work those ranches.  He was always kindly to me and had respect for me as a woman cowpuncher.

   We rode together one time; I had a green colt to ride and he offered to ride with me.  It was one of the most pleasant Saturdays I’ve ever had.  We talked for hours and our commonality allowed us a special communion that only cowboys can appreciate.  I loved him as a brother, then and now.  Kindred spirits of the cowboy kind; perpetual optimists, savvy to  uncertain trails, sure of our skills and yet, somewhere deep inside, there is a little bit of bitter sweet understanding that one day, our trail must end.

   Steve and I talked of God and our faith on various occasions and I know I will see Him again, someday.  He, like many cowboys understood the significance of God’s Grace in our lives and perhaps too, it was that Grace that allowed my dear friend to go so quickly.  I do believe that it is the way it was; even though, those of us he left behind must now deal with the loss of a friend, father, grandfather, brother, cousin and uncle.  He leaves a little bit of himself in our hearts and memories to make us smile and then wipe a tear from our eye.

   My heart is broken at the loss of a good friend and even more as this dear friend passed away on the birthday of another dear cowboy, who I lost almost fifteen years ago.  My heart aches for both my cowboy friends, and yet I find some comfort knowing, they were called to ride for HIS brand, forever, on that Glorious Ranch in the sky.  It makes me want to hurry up and get there myself, but I must wait my turn.  I have a few more sunrises and sunsets to see and appreciate, a few more cattle to gather, a few more goats to rope, a few more colts to ride and a few more dusty trails to wander down.

   See you down that Heavenly Trail Steve, and say hi to Sid for me, I’m sure the two of you will have a lot to talk about.

   Your Friend,

   The Barnyard Mare, Duchess of the Prairie

Thoughts & Comments of the Week

This past week has brought several thoughts into my mind as I read various news feeds and listen to Talk Radio.  I have found that there are some programs that are so far out there that few really believe them and sometimes I have a hard time listening but deep down inside, I know they are true.  Still, my human nature wants to blow them off but we are in a serious situation in the United States of America and it is all due to the Progressive movement.  For more years than I care to say, the Democratic Party has held control of this country and in turn, held us hostage and enslaved us through various avenues.  Take the income tax for instance, it is a voluntary system or so it is set up to be but we have no choice but to pay income tax, so that makes it compulsory, in other words, we are being FORCED to do something that really is illegal or at best, unconstitutional.

Income tax was suppose to be a temporary fix and yet, American citizens have been paying them since I believe 1913.  I did not agree to this, nor did many Americans who now pay them.  So what are we to do?  We can protest our taxes.  Pay them under protest and see if that will tie things up to the point that the federal government has to make changes.  There is a problem with that though,  most people, like myself, file our taxes via the internet, which is what the Federal Government prefers, that take the potential for protest out of the picture, but if we all do this just one year, we can tie up a lot of money and maybe the IRS would get the point.

Another thought that went through my mind as I listened and read articles, is the consent of the people.  Of course if you read John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government, you would understand that the PEOPLE must CONSENT (agree) to a government before a government can wield any authority over people.  IF we remove that consent, the government can be declared null and void, the problem with that is, the result is total chaos.  But then again, isn’t that what we have now?  I suggest removing the consent of the people and see if we can get something done.  Let’s take up our Constitution and shove it down Washington DC’s throats and maybe pound it into their heads to make a point.

Keep calling your Senators and Representatives folks.

Senator Jerry Moran’s numbers are : 202-224-6521 & 785-628-6401

Senator Pat Roberts number is: 202-224-4774

Representative Tim Huelskamp’s numbers are: 202-225-2715 & 785-309-0572

Tell them what you think and DEMAND that they do as the PEOPLE OF KANSAS WANT, not what the establishment dictates.

Representative Tim Huelskamp: 202-225-2715 & 785-609-0572

Call them and tell them what you think.  DEMAND that they do as WE THE PEOPLE of KANSAS  want, not as the establishment dictates.

Where is the logic?

Okay this is a short one.  Where is the logic in having goats (which are notorious for escaping their pens) and not keeping good fences?  Why should a person get mad at the goats when they get into the neighbor’s milo field and eat the crops when there isn’t anything to stop the goats from crawling out of the fence?

Oh, then they claim they aren’t putting up fence this late in the year……… GRRRRR….. maybe the goats with run over that person when it comes time to feed and put a few hoof prints on the back of his head.

This is just like the federal government.  They can’t figure out why so many illegal immigrants are running across the border and then a large majority of them are killing, raping and dealing drugs.  Until there is a FENCE that will keep them out, the ‘goats’ will continue to do wrong.  Sometimes there is no logic.  Makes me want to knock heads together.*)^*&^&*&%^%%^%^&  ahhhhhhh that felt better.

GOP is in a Panic

After the very first debate, it is very clear that the GOP is in a panic because a non-traditional candidate is kicking backsides and leaving scorch marks as he goes.  That’s right, The Donald, Trump that is, has the whole GOP establishment sucking air and scrambling to distance themselves from him.  His scorching words and lack of political correctness is catching the attention of the PEOPLE and they are jumping up and down, cheering him on.

Everyone knows that Trump has been very controversial over the years and with good cause, but we must also recognize, as does the majority of the population, he is a sly businessman and he won’t back down from anything he wants and this time, I believe he really wants to be President of the United States of America.  Why?  Because he doesn’t want to see us go down the direction we are heading.  He wants America to be prosperous again and there is little hope in the GOP established candidates.

Never before have I seen so many people running for president and very few even have the nerve or wit to do what Trump is doing.  So, here is my list of who and why the candidates don’t measure up  and why they will fail to get the nomination.  Oh, by the way, there are about 38 candidates listed on the Republican Candidate list but I won’t mention those who won’t have a chance to even get into a debate.

Cruz may end up dropping out if people keep pushing his citizenship.  Yes he is a good man and I have no doubt he might make a good president but the Democrats are going to keep pushing his birth to the front and he will fall out.   I like him and I probably will vote for him in Trump doesn’t get the nomination, unless Trump gets a good following as an Independent and I think that is a good possibility that he could win as an Independent as even Democrats like him.

Huckabee is a washed out candidate, he is too old school and has no real following except Evangelicals that are willing to give up their votes if they don’t have everything they demand.

Jeb Bush is just another version of Bush 1 & 2 and we certainly don’t want another one, he is too much a liberal for even moderate Republicans.

Carson is good and his heart is in the right place but I fear he will be chewed up and spit out due to his lack of any political experience.

Rand Paul is another establishment joke and while I like some of his ideology, people will continue to associate him with his father and that will be his downfall.

Scott Walker is good, he has fought the liberals and won in his home state and he has a good track record but I don’t think he has the following he needs.  If other big names weren’t in the running, he might have a chance but I don’t think he has a chance.

Rick Santorum is a no start for me, he is too goody-two-shoes on the outside and too weak all around.

John Kasich, may have been Governor of Ohio but he is not presidential material and he has been in politics too long.

George Patake is another governor that is too GOP establishment and isn’t a big enough name.

Bobby Jindal is a good guy and at one time I thought he would make a good president but he has little chance of gathering large numbers to support him.  He needs to go back to being Governor of Louisiana and tell the US Government to kiss his back side.

Rick Perry may have been a Texas Governor but he has too many dark shadows for my liking and is a no starter for me.

Lindsey Graham has been in Washington D.C. too long.  His voice is a big turnoff for me and his limp wristed behavior and whining just makes me want to puke.

Marco Rubio is a good guy and I think he would be presidential material but not now, we need someone with more power, not only in his voice but in being able to negotiate.  He needs to grow up a little more and learn from others who buck the system and won’t be a buy out.

Carly Fiorina, our only female GOP candidate.  She is tactful, wise beyond belief and extremely witty.  She can slap a person down but still manage to make them feel good about themselves.  This woman is Vice Presidential material and I think after two terms as a VP, she could be a great President.  But she needs to show people how hard handed she can be as VP first.  I agree with many that she is probably the USA’s equivalent of Margaret Thatcher but very few people know about her, that is her downfall.  PLUS, everyone who knows about her, knows she was fired from the corporation she was CEO of.  Yes, she was fired but not for lack of performance but rather she had a vision for the company that the board of directors didn’t want to reach for.

So that is my run down of the more well known candidates running on the GOP ticket.

As far as Trump is concerned, he is the man for the season; in my opinion.  He isn’t politically correct, which is big for me, I think the country has had enough of PC to last a thousand years.  When someone tries to bring him down, they only manage to bring him up.  He appeals to the illegals, Mexican -Americans, middle class and working poor.  He truly wants to see America recover and take its rightful place as the greatest country int he world.  What the GOP establishment doesn’t realize, the Trump snowball from hell is rolling and picking up speed.  If he doesn’t get the nomination, the GOP is through, not for one election but forever.  They will slit their own throat if they don’t give him the nomination.  They also don’t realize that the PEOPLE have had enough of politics and want true leadership, prosperity for all, not just for the elite and if they let WE THE PEOPLE down, we will lose this country to another democrat and we’ll become slaves to the UN without a way to recover. (By the way, the UN needs to go away, leave our country and teh USA needs to drop out of it.).

I hope you have enough to comment on for this time around.  Let me know what you think.

The Barnyard Mare

Time of Action

Well, my Daddy is going home from the hospital today and I am very thankful for all the prayers that everyone has prayed on his behalf.  It will take some time to recover but he will be with us a while longer, Lord Willing.  This trial in my life has opened my eyes and given me a purpose to do more for all our veterans in this country as I know for FACT they are not being cared for by the government and with the current administration, this will continue.

I desire to organize a volunteer force that will work in conjunction with the local veterans hospitals; to assist in services that the hospitals are just not capable of doing without help.  I am talking about the mental health area of the veterans hospitals.

More and more, we see veterans returning from deployments with PTSD and other mental conditions that we are not use to seeing in the general public.  The truth is, there are not enough staff to take care of all of our mental health veterans and waiting lists create worse situations and more veterans are committing suicide each day, all because they are not receiving the treatments they need.

I desire to organize a group of mental health providers, either psychologists, psychiatrists and counselors, to provide services.  This idea is simple.  Find retired mental health workers who still have their certifications and are willing to volunteer to help do the initial screenings.  They can refer the more difficult cases to the full time providers and the volunteers can work with those who are not as severe, thus lightening the load for the full time workers at the VA.

To get this going, it will take a large network of people who are patriotic and willing to step up to help.  I personally am not financially able to do much other than help organize and spread the word.  However, I am working on contacting philanthropists and those people who know people who can do this.  Our congressmen can’t do much to make the changes needed, thus it is up to THE PEOPLE to do what is needed to help our troops in their time of need.

I need the following:

People who are good at brainstorming ideas.

People who understand mental health issues that have been properly trained and are still certified to  perform services.

People willing to help schedule and organize meetings to spread the word about what I want to do.

I also want feedback from my readers, friends and acquaintances about this idea.  I also want to know what you think of my idea for the name of my organization which is; VANO  (Veterans Are Number One).

Please contact me through my Barnyard Mare Facebook page or by leaving comments on this page.  Thank you and God Bless you and America again.

A Very Difficult Week

This is not the epic rant I planned as I have calmed down and decided a plan of action is BETTER than popping off.

For those who follow me on other social media, they know that I have been having a difficult week.  MY DADDY, is in the hospital and well, he is still alive and things are more hopeful now than they were last Friday.  So here is the run down.

On July 16th, my dad’s blood pressure dropped low enough that his heart nurse demanded he go to the VA Hospital in Wichita.  The Emergency Room triaged him, saw he was low on potassium and basically sent him home.  While he was being examined, the individual caring for him treated him rudely and his bedside manner upset my dad so much that his blood pressure skyrocketed; not a good thing for a heart patient with a pacemaker.  Had he been sent on to a doctor, I am convinced his condition this last week would not be so serious.

Last Friday, the 24th, Mom called to inform me Dad was in the ICU at the VA and that his pacemaker defib had to fire (at least twice and possibly 5 times) between late the 23rd and noon on the 24th.  It is certain that he would be dead without his pacemaker defib.

The findings on Friday revealed he had a blood infection and his heart attack was a result.  The heart cath revealed 2 90% blocked arteries and we had 3 choices.  1. Bypass surgery at the Columbia Mo VA, 2. Stints put in at Wesley  hospital in Wichita & 3. Medications.

The Columbia VA refused my dad because he is too high risk to do the by pass.  They pick and choose who they want to care for basically, they are to ‘skairt’ to take care of Dad’s condition.  So the heart doctor decided to attempt putting in the stints and he is scheduled for Friday the 31st.  AT this point I want to ask those who pray, to pray for MY DADDY and the doctor.

I took the time to visit with some folks who work at the VA and they expressed frustrations at the overwhelming number of new vets requiring services, particularly in the mental health area.  I feel that the patriotic citizens can step up and help without the government controlling things.  I feel that we need to gather a team or army of mental health workers who are retired or willing to offer free services to assist the VA with evaluating the new mental health vets and perhaps provide services to those vets who don’t require extensive mental health services and leave those who do require more extensive services to the VA mental health workers.

I also think that we need to set up a work force of volunteers to help with other areas.  The VA already has a volunteer work force but we can do more if we organize and take charge of caring for our Kansas veterans as the federal government is so stifled that nothing gets completed in a timely fashion.  We also should be able to organize corporations to help fund things that the government is failing to get done for the Kansas Veterans Hospitals.  Anyone who has any ideas needs to help me figure out how we need to  organize and implement these ideas and more.  The VA system services Hays, Wichita, Salina, Topeka and Kansas City.  I feel that we can easily organize to help and serve the Hays, Wichita, Salina and Topeka areas. We need to take action and not just talk about it as the congress, department of defense and administration spend more time yapping and gapping with total inaction.

Anyone wanting to do something to help can send an email to mary_powell25@yahoo.com with ‘educated cowpuncher VA’ in the RE: line.

Please share this post with those who you think can help and again, thank you for the prayers as we still covet them for Daddy and the doctors, nurses and everyone who is caring for MY DADDY and all our Kansas Veterans.

Hello!

Welcome to The Educated Cowpuncher Blog!  I suppose an introduction is necessary for those who do not know who I am .  I am simply, The Barnyard Mare, Duchess of the  Prairie, The Educated Cowpuncher and my real name is Mary Powell.  I am many things to many people but for most, I am The Barnyard Mare.  I have spent much of my adult life working with livestock, mainly beef cattle &  horses but I have some experience with pigs & goats as well.  Sheep?  NOPE, we won’t go there, don’t care for them much.

I live in Kansas and I am very proud to say that Dorthy was right when she said; “There is no place like home.” I have lived in Kansas since about 1979 with a year in North Carolina, two and a half years in Germany, nine months in Oregon and that is about it.  I keep coming back to Kansas and that is where I will stay.

I love agriculture and that is my passion in life, the wonder of livestock production, birthing of new critters is a wonder to behold.  I love to watch things grow.  I love the animals and I also love to watch the crops grow, corn,  milo, beans and of course, the wheat.  There is nothing so amazing as to watch a wheat field dance, when the wind blows and it blows a lot in Kansas.

My animal family includes my three border collies; Miss Allie, Jinx & Joy-Joy, seven horses; Little Hi Des Champ (Shep), Pretty Buck Champ (Champ), Pepponitas Smart Gal (Lena), Chief (resident paint horse), Pippi (Champ’s daughter), Bunny (Shep’s daughter), and Little Lady (a Welsh/Quarter Horse cross).  Oh, we have to mention Dawnkey the BLM burro and Lucky (my grown daughter’s ancient cow that is I think 17 years old).  I also have a few meat goats but we won’t try to talk about that mess right now.

I do have a Facebook Page called “The Barnyard Mare, Duchess of the Prairie” for my speaking event activities, where I go to different events and tell my misadventures as a Cowboy in the Girl Kind of Way.  If you are interested in a speaker/storyteller to provide a little cowboy entertainment, you can contact me that way.

Well, that is me in a nutshell and my blogs, well, they will have essays about Kansas, country living, critters, news commentary and political comments as well.  A couple things to remember; 1) I am an Evangelical Christian, I will talk about God and HE is not finished with me as I am as rough as they come, I am not perfect and I try not to be judge people but I reserve the RIGHT as an AMERICAN to decide who I want to work for, talk to and associate with.

2) I may say things that offend people, if it offends you, that is tough, you do not have to read this blog.  I believe in my First Amendment Rights of FREE SPEECH & my RIGHT to practice my RELIGION and I will not infringe on other religions.  BUT if your religion infringes on mine, I will guarantee you that I will fight back to protect my rights.

3) I believe in the Constitution of the United States of America and that it is the LAW of the land, even if there are those in the government who think they can change it.  Our Founding Fathers created that constitution to protect us against tyranny and I will utilize every right I have to protect The Constitution!

 

Enough Said!  Hope you enjoy my blog.  Come back often and share this site with others.  It is my hope that I will soon have my own .com address but until then I will be at WordPress.

 

The Barnyard Mare, an Educated Cowpuncher