What Now, America?

A few days ago, may of us took a moment to thank and honor the armed services in general and veterans in particular for their service and sacrifice in protecting the United States, our freedoms and our way of life as we acknowledged and celebrated Veterans Day. Others did not.  But what has become of us, since that noble holiday was established so long ago to celebrate the end of a terrible and costly war?  What have we lost in terms of freedom, democracy and most importantly a sense of self reliance since those days a hundred years ago?  That America, I am sad to say, no longer exists.  In that America, one could wake up in the morning and go out into the world and not only be free, but able to make his own way, in most any way he chose.  The unbridled optimism of people simply being and doing resulted in our country becoming the most ambitious, free, and prosperous nation the world has ever seen.  Innovation, literature, science, technology, manufacturing, exploration - all of these things were heralded, honored and admired.  But today, our every act and thought is monitored, judged and punished by a mindless, nameless, overreaching and completely totalitarian government.  Innovation and intellectual curiosity is quelled and is made to genuflect at the alter of political correctness.  Individual motivation and desire to excel is punished so that egalitarianism may be worshiped.   How were we, as the most powerful and righteous nation on earth, able to defeat the authoritarianism of a hostile communist enemy, only to succumb without a whimper to the very same ideology from within?  How did our concept of our nation of laws, not men, become so perverted in such a very short time into the exact opposite of that noble notion today?  How did we allow this to happen?

The culprit was- and is - moral apathy and cultural complacency, and the enemy took advantage of that weakness.  Are we defeated?  No, not yet.

I'm encouraged by the overwhelming change of national mindset I hope I see in the results of the recent midterm elections.  If what I see is true, then the country has indeed awaken to the fact that we have been literally invaded and occupied by an alien and hostile force, not only in a political sense, but culturally as well.  If the folks we elected into positions of leadership follow the electorate's mandate, and resist being sucked into the amoral political morass that defines Washington, DC, we just may be able to pull back from the brink of Orwell's dehumanizing nightmare, and save our culture, our nation, and our way of life after all.  If however, those leaders resort to the insipid get-along, go-along mentality espoused by the smiling, evil freedom sucking vampires, then I suspect we, as a nation of free men, will need to resort to other means.  What now, America?

Real Estate Consultants: A New Idea?

Real estate agents get a bad rap sometimes.  Public perception is that agents broker transactions, but don't really delve into the client's needs and motivation any more than is necessary to close the deal.  But is that an accurate assessment regarding real estate consultants?  Consultants don't act like traditional agents; they work on a fee for service basis, and are concerned more with successfully achieving the client's needs, rather than being focused on any one singular transaction.  In challenging fiscal environments, such as the one we're in now, employing a real estate consultant to navigate the market seems to be the best idea yet.

 People get in and out of real estate assets all the time, for varying reasons.  Maybe they're moving up, downsizing, avoiding foreclosure, or just investing in cash flow tangible assets.  Perhaps they're just starting a new business and need some professional, in-depth insight as to the best location.  Or maybe a business needs to expand, and existing or proposed zoning and land use constraints may be an issue.  Or it may just be one seeks to speculate in the real estate market, but wants the help of a real estate professional to get some of that "inside baseball" knowledge, but who will then step back let the investor handle the rest of the transaction.

In these cases and countless others, utilizing the services of a real estate consultant is the perfect solution, because consultants provide those services you need and want, and when you need and want them.  OK, so how does one go about picking a consultant?

1.  Find a short list of consultants with expertise in your particular needs.  Web search real estate consultants in your area, or ask friends and colleagues.  Real estate consultants should be licensed professional real estate practitioners; avoid any who are not.

2.  Interview, Interview, Interview.  Expect that your real estate consultant will be an integral member of your team, so treat that selection with the same care as you would in picking a lawyer.  You must have a sense of ease with him, and you must pick a consultant in whom you trust to do the job in the best way for you.  Rather than grill him, chat with him and determine a level of comfort and competence.

3.  The importance of experience cannot be understated.  How long have they been consulting, as opposed to how long they been brokering?   Ask this, because their answer may be enlightening.  Brokers make deals, that's true, but a good consultant will work with your own attorneys, accountants and partners to ensure that your project is successful, and glitch free.

4.  The importance of connections is noteworthy, as well.  Is your consultant candidate well known in your project's community?  Does he do business with attorneys, accountants, and others who may have an impact on your project?

5.  Is your consultant candidate a member of any organization that serves the consulting community?  A candidate's membership in groups such as C-CREC, ACRE, and others is a determination of who's who in the consulting universe.

6.  Determine the legalities of a working relationship.  Ask to see his employment contract and ask about his fee schedule. Discuss these terms extensively.

So, go ahead and make the leap into real estate.  Real estate assets make an excellent store of wealth, as they tend to appreciate in value over time, and they also can produce cash flows in certain cases.  But don't go in blind, let the experience of a real estate consultant guide you along the way.  The money you spend for this service will pay off in greater rewards for you as the project develops.

Thanks, Vets!

On this Veteran's Day, it's proper to recognize and appreciate what members of our all-volunteer military do every day for us, and for what others have done in the past. But before I get into that, a personal salute to Dad, Chief Petty Officer, US Navy Seabees, Bougainville, Pacific Theater, 1943-1945.  Thanks, Pop.  Glad you made it back so I could be here.  And to every enlisted member of my family and to all veterans, I say, thanks y'all.

But what does The Kenyan's regime do on this somber day?  It issues a list of the recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, "presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States." Just look who's on this list, and compare them to the gallant members of the US armed forces who actually did something to further to the security and national interests of the United States. These folks are merely the Kenyan's Hollywood and political pals.  Isn't it telling that on the single day each year to honor those who fought and died, the Kenyan recognizes civilian political hacks?  What an inspiring  leader we have!

As of last year, the number of veteran lawmakers in Washington DC is depicted here as declining, as one would presume.  I'd like to see an update of these figures in January 2105, when the 113th Congress is sworn in and convenes.  In my humble opinion, a lawmaker who has served in the military has a wider view of the impact of lawmakers' policies than does a protected and secure citizen.  Meanwhile, the left-wing-nut media like to point out that the "childish" military members are not the reason we're free.  I guess the 19 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom above were responsible.  But what can you expect from the vile, anti-American left?

To those of you in uniform, or who have worn it in the past, my salute and thanks, from me and a grateful nation.

Midterm Spanking

The results of the 2014 midterm elections are in, and the consensus is that the Kenyan's policies and his worshipful sycophants are definitely out.  Republican candidates held the House and retook the Senate, and captured several key gubernatorial wins, as well.  Quite a showing, especially on the heels of the overwhelming victory in the 2010 midterms just four years ago.  Although the Kenyan won two consecutive elections hands down, the electorate seems to regret both of those elections, as they try to right the ship of state in the midterms.

So now the pressure is really on.  First, the Kenyan will use these last two years of his regime to punish the plebeian masses for their disloyalty to their master.  We can expect ever defiant executive orders left and right.  Amnesty by the end of the year, gun control, doubling down on the disastrous ObamaCare, more IRS abuses, federal interjection into trivial private citizen matters and more can be expected as the Kenyan exacts his revenge and implements his totalitarian ideology.  Even as hard liner Democrats turn on him - think Harry Reid for one - he will deny that this election was the smack-down of the last six years of his regime.  He will continue to view his America-brought-to-her-knees policies as successful - he alone was the guiding hand bringing the country through the castle gates of his utopian totalitarianism.  He still wants to be the leader who destroyed the most free, prosperous and enlightened nation the world has ever seen, so deep is his hatred for freedom and individual liberty.  Be warned and be prepared, as psychopaths never admit they're wrong.

Secondly, for the Republicans, after the glow of their hard won victories subside, their work will be considerably hard. The most important issue will be to address the invasion of the southern border.  Not only are there some 34 million illegals in the country now, but blanket amnesty will literally open the borders like floodgates. These folks are not educated, civilized people seeking a better life in the US, far from it.  They are, and will continue to be, the most unworthy and undesirables imaginable.  Unschooled, unwashed, disease ridden, and criminally inclined, most will tax the system to failure.  Which is exactly the Kenyan's plan. Using the Cloward-Piven maxim - overwhelming the system to destroy it - he intends to cap his ill-begotten legacy by literally changing the moral fiber and color of America.

Republicans need to seek out and punish the wrong doing and unconstitutional endeavors arising from this regime.  Persecute and imprison Eric Holder for his roles in Fast and Furious, the IRS scandal, his meddling in Ferguson, Missouri, his sanctioning of the Black Panthers to deter voters in Pennsylvania and elsewhere, and any and all other crimes he's committed, either known or to be discovered.  Put Lois Lerner in jail.  We cannot survive as a nation when some criminals are deservedly punished for their crimes, while others, especially those in high office, are not.  The new congress needs to guard against the onslaught of unconstitutional mandates, executive orders, and general tyranny dished out by this illegal regime.  In fact, it's my opinion that everything that's been done in this regime is invalid, notwithstanding any legal standing, due simply to the fact that the Kenyan is not qualified constitutionally to hold the office of President.  That on its face nullifies all his policies, notwithstanding endorsement by a cowardly and compliant congress.  The constitution and the rule of law cannot stand if this egregious, blatant violation of Article II, Section I of the US Constitution is not remedied. 

Will the Republican led congress have the intestinal fortitude to not only stop this illegal and unconstitutional regime, but to reverse the damage already done?  To restore the public's faith in its cherished institutions? Time will tell, but we are definitely at a constitutional crossroads, and failing to get it right in Washington will ultimately result in getting it right at Concord Bridge. Molon Lube.

Skanks A Lot!!

In her book, the vile and amoral Lena Dunham, in excruciating detail, describes homosexual experiences with her six year younger sister, which were not consensual.  These episodes included multiple predatory advances, again by her own admission.  A conservative website, Truth Revolt, uploaded its opinion and commentary in the form of a review of Ms. Dunham's book, citing specific examples.  No big deal, right?  It is if you're a left wing activist and radical feminist misandrist.  She hired a law firm to send a cease and desist letter to Truth Revolt, demanding a rescission, apology and further threats of punitive million dollar damages.  Naturally, Truth Revolt and its editor attorney Ben Shapiro, essentially told them to pound sand.  The point is not that this is a bullying tactic in an effort to nullify the first amendment, even though it certainly is.  It's about a vile, disgusting personage who is so emboldened by the decay of American morality and culture at the hands of the amoral progressives, that she feels free to admit to - and publish - her most heinous acts against a defenseless child. Males go to prison for this kind of behavior.  But this is today's feminist as I described here last month.  So skanks a lot, Lena!