Labor Day 2011

It is raining in north Alabama. I think it is raining all over the Southeast. As I look across Lake Guntersville, I can only see a few hundred yards. The fog and rain are keeping me from seeing clearly. The lake is rough, and I am glad that I am not outside. This is not a pretty picture. This is not why I built my house here, but it is why my house has a firm foundation and a solid roof. Luckily, I know more than what the current conditions tell me. I know that someday the clouds will clear, the lake will calm, and the view from my window will be beautiful. I will once again venture out onto the lake to enjoy life.

Everyone experiences storms in their life. Some are minor storms, and some are major storms. While the sun is shining, prepare for the storms, for they will come. Create. Earn. Save. Do what you can do to insure that you can weather the storms. Do not depend on someone else to take care of you. Your ship will come in only if you have built a secure harbor with a shining beacon to guide it to you. The only things that will accidentally wash up on your shore are shipwrecks.

Our country is in the midst of a storm this Labor Day. The economy is bad. The housing market is bad. Many people are unemployed. Businesses are afraid to spend. I believe the culprit is too much government. Although I strongly disagree with the policies of the current administration, both major parties have created the problems that are killing our nation. Both Republicans and Democrats have grown government and ignored our Constitution. The responsibilities of the Federal Government are clearly enumerated and limited in our Constitution. Everything else belongs to the States, or to the People. We cannot expect nor do we need someone else (the Feds) to take care of us. The less the Feds give to us, the less we will be forced to give them. I know that I can spend my money better than Washington can. The out-of-control Federal Government is the problem with our economy. If we cannot right the Ship of State, it will sink, and it will take us with it!

You need to do three things this Labor Day in order to get our Nation back on the right track. 1. Commit to create, earn and save for your own well-being. You cannot depend on anyone else to take care of you. 2. Commit to work to elect Constitutional Conservatives to local, state and federal office next November. I believe both liberals and conservatives can trust our Constitution to be the beacon that will guide our nation back to liberty and prosperity. 3. Commit to turn (back) to God and pray asking Him to cleanse your heart both personally and ours as a nation, and to forgive us for removing Him and His Son from our daily lives. It was God's blessings that created this nation. It will be His blessings that calm the rough waters we are experiencing now.

Don't Raise the DEBT Limit!

Here is an email I sent to my Congressman and Senators today:


Dear Senator Sessions, Senator Shelby, and Congressman Aderholt,

I have earned a lot of money in my life. Wisely, I have spent less than I have earned. There have been emergencies over the years where I have had to go in to debt. I also have purchased homes using a mortgage. In both instances, not only prudence on my part, but realistic restrictions on the part of my lenders, have limited how deep into debt I could go. Because of these limitations, I have always been able to repay my debts. Personally. I have never had to have my children, or even other citizens with more money than me, bail me out.

Regretfully, our Federal Government is not only unwise concerning how it spends my money, it also has the ability to borrow much more than is wise. And it has done so. For some idiotic reason, there is now a current move to increase our national debt limit in order to prevent an economic crisis. Again. The analogy of trying to put out a fire with gasoline is very fitting. What fool really thinks that adding to the debt will decrease it? How will giving the federal government more of my money teach it to be more prudent with how it spends?

I urge you to lobby the House/Senate to NOT increase the debt limit! Make the government live within its means. We all know the threat of default on the US debt has nothing to do with raising the debt limit. There is plenty money in the current revenue stream to pay the obligations on our debt, as well as to maintain all of the Constitutionally required services provided by the government.

Will not raising the debt limit hurt? You bet. Will a lot of the government handouts and unconstitutional departments have to be done away with? You bet. Not raising the debt limit will force the government to live within its means, and it will force the shrinking of the government. Both of these things will go a long way toward insuring that both our economy and our nation remain vibrant and free.

Thank you for your service,

Bobby Taylor
1501 Stadium Dr. NE
Cullman, AL 35055

Things

I was born in 1956, just about in the middle of the Baby Boom generation. By the time I was a senior in high school, Veit Nam was winding down, most hippies had cut their hair, and Nixon had resigned. The Beatles were already gone, and the Space Race was over. Teenagers were already moving from motorcycles to cars, and the cassette tape was the new technology replacing 8-tracks. We had one television in the house, and it was a color set (however, you still specified that it was color, because there were still a lot of black & white sets around.) We had expanded from three channels to five, but all were free via our antenna. We had one phone in our house, although a lot of people had an extension phone.

My grandparents had upgraded to an in-door toilet only a few years earlier (about the same year we landed on the moon.) I had an uncle and aunt who not only still used an outhouse, but they had just recently got electricity. Although my dad worked at a "plant", he also farmed. I helped. A lot. It was not unusual at all for me to get home from school and then get on the tractor and plow until after dark. Of course, on Saturday it was farming all day long. When I was about 14 or 15, my older brother and I planted an acre of okra to sell to the local farmers' market. It was my first entreuprenural endeavor. It required a lot of hard, hot work, but we made good money.

I had a happy childhood.

Why now do I spend over $100/month on cable television? Why do I have a color TV in almost every room of my house? Why do I have several phone extensions in my house, as well as a cellular telephone in my pocket? Why do I live in a house at least twice a big as my parents, but I have only half as many kids? Not only do I not farm, I hire someone to spray my house for bugs, someone else to cut my grasss, and someone else to maintain my pool.

Am I happier than I was when I was a teenager?

The US Is Failing

America was great because it was founded on Christian principles and the morality of the Holy Bible that permeated our whole society. Although they were certainly unChristian and immoral actions taken by individuals within the country, and even though our government sometimes did bad things, the basis of our nation, the very blueprint for our being, was the moral code outlined in the Old and New Testaments. Anyone who denies this truth has not read the hundreds of documents written by our founding fathers. The Bible's moral code is clearly engrained within our founding documents, the Declaration of Independence of the United States Constitution. God blessed America.
 
Our country is now faltering, ready to fall. We are no longer the envy of the world. Our government is in shambles, but no one recognizes the cause of the decay. Here is what I believe is causing the downfall of our country:
 
We removed the mother from the home, letting someone else raise our children.We removed prayer and God from the school, allowing other doctrines to be taught.We legalized abortion, putting self before the good of others.We normalized and sensationalized sex, breaking down the bedrock of the family unit.We made homosexuality moral, stretching the bounds on other moral bounderies.We took away personal responsibility, and replaced it with government control.We now accept immoral behavior in our families, our communities, and our government.
 
We are also beginning to no longer support Israel. The Bible promises that God will bless those who are a friend of Israel, and curse those who are her enemies. That is a promise that is repeated many times in the Bible. If you are a Christian or a Jew, you must believe this promise.
 
I believe that God is no longer blessing America. It does not matter how many times our politicians include the mandatory "God bless America" at the end of their speeches. It does not matter how many prayers are offered to a "higher power." We the people of the United States of America, must turn back to the Bible and the absolute moral guidelines clearly outlined therein. Jesus Christ is the only way to gain enternal life, and following his teachings, and teaching them to your children, is the only way to save America.
 
Pray for Israel. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. And pray for America. But do not waste your time praying to a "higher power." Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, is the The Way.

It Once Was Good

Walking to work. It once was good, but no more.
Riding a horse to work. It once was good, but no more.
Taking a carriage to work. It once was good, but no more.
Taking a streetcar to work. It once was good, but no more.
Taking a car to work. It works for now.

Things change. Just because something used to be good, does not mean that it always will be. Someday, some type of mass transit will replace the private car in many areas.

Get a job. Join a Union. It once was good, but no more.

Things change. Unions had a place during the early industrial revolution as workers moved from the field to the factory. Most early factory workers were uneducated and uninformed. Employment laws had not yet caught up with the move from an agrarian rural lifestyle to one based around big, urban employers. Workers needed to band together to protect against unfair and unjust treatment. The Unions worked.

But worker protection is no longer the primary goal of the Unions. Money, politics and control of the worksite are now the most important things to the Union bosses. Unions are the primary tool of the progressive/socialists in achieving their goal of wealth redistribution. The "good of the worker" is merely a campaign slogan to increase the dues co-opted from the membership in order to be able to finance the real objectives of the Union bosses.

Workers are no longer uneducated and uninformed. There are more than enough laws on the books to protect workers today. Unions should be allowed to exists as any other organization is allowed to exist. However, all laws favoring Unions and giving them special powers should be repealed. Just as I pay dues to the NRA and NESA, I can pay dues to a Union if I want to. However, my membership in the NRA has nothing to do with whether I can work for a certain company, and my employer certainly does not have to deduct my NESA dues from my paycheck.

Quotes by an Economist and Patriot

Famous quotes by economist and patriot Milton Friedman. My favorite is at the bottom.

"The most important single central fact about a free market is that no exchange takes place unless both parties benefit."

"Nobody spends somebody else's money as carefully as he spends his own. Nobody uses somebody else's resources as carefully as he uses his own. So if you want efficiency and effectiveness, if you want knowledge to be properly utilized, you have to do it through the means of private property."

"Governments never learn. Only people learn."

"So the question is, do corporate executives, provided they stay within the law, have responsibilities in their business activities other than to make as much money for their stockholders as possible? And my answer to that is, no they do not"

"The only way that has ever been discovered to have a lot of people cooperate together voluntarily is through the free market. And that's why it's so essential to preserving individual freedom."

"Most economic fallacies derive - from the tendency to assume that there is a fixed pie, that one party can gain only at the expense of another."

"Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself."

"What kind of society isn't structured on greed? The problem of social organization is how to set up an arrangement under which greed will do the least harm; capitalism is that kind of a system"

"The society that puts equality before freedom will end up with neither. The society that puts freedom before equality will end up with a great measure of both."

Registration, Certification or Licensure?

I believe in a free-market economy. In order to have one, government regulation must be kept to an absolute minimum. The market, or peoples' willingness to purchase, should be the controlling factor as to the success of a product or service. Whether your product is "approved" by any governing body should have little, if any, ability to control your right to offer such product or service. How do Registration, Certification, and Licensure affect a free-market economy?

Registration - The listing of a thing in order to keep track of it. If by government, in order to know how many exist and in order to tax. If by private parties, in order to be associated or known with that thing. Registration is not used to control the quality or quantity of something.

Certification - Attesting to the fact that a thing meets a certain standard. Certification standards can be created by private entities (i.e. Good Housekeeping, Microsoft) or by the government (i.e. OSHA, EPA.) The claim "Certified" lets the public know that you meet the standard set by the certifying organization. Certification normally is not used to control the quantity of something, but does advertise a minimum quality.

Licensure - The granting of a privilege not available to all. If by government or another official body, used to restrict the quantity of a thing (i.e Doctors and Lawyers must be Licensed.) The licensing body is usually made up of practitioners of the profession to be licensed, who have an inherent interest in restricting competition in the profession. Some licensing bodies are private (American Medical Association), while some are quasi-government or government agencies (State Bar.) Although often claiming to be concerned with quality, Licensure is most used to control quantity in a profession.

Registration is good when used to help the public to find a product or service. Registration is necessary if the government wants to tax a certain product or service. Voluntary certification allows a product or service to set itself apart from or above those not certified. Certification allows the public to believe that a product or service meets the minimal standard required by the Certification. Registration and Certification can be good for the market when not abused. Abuse normally comes in the form of some type of Licensure.

Licensure is bad for a free-market economy. In order to be free, the market for a product or service must be decided by the public's willingness to purchase it, not by a group who, in almost every instance, have their own interest, and not those of the public, at heart. Why is healthcare so expensive? Because the American Medical Association, made up of doctors already well-established in the profession, control the number of doctors (competitors) that are allowed in the market. They do this, not by setting standards, but by setting quotas. In fact, the AMA has done such a good job of controlling competition that they are able to not only restrict where a doctor may practice and what field the doctor is allowed to practice in, but even if the prospective student is allowed to attend medical school (the medical school also has to be licensed by the AMA.) The State Bars are even worse. Why do you think lawyers are able to charge $200, $300, $400 PER HOUR or even more for their expertise? It is because the Bar can do everything the AMA can do, and in addition, their members write the laws and regulations that assure there is no competition for services.

The requirement to be Licensed is leading us into a caste system not seen since medieval times, and it is restricting our free-market. When those already in the profession can control who is allowed in the profession, competition will always be restricted and prices will always be high. Those in control will be enriched, while those wanting to provide the product or service and not accepted will be forced into other fields. In addition, new products and new techniques, especially those "outside the box", will be stymied as those in control are reluctant to change, and those with the new ideas are afraid of being kicked out of the club.

Personal and Economic Freedom

Limited Government, Fiscal Responsibility, Free-market Capitalism. These three things are not three independent goals. They go hand in hand. You cannot have them separately. They are THE goal of Constitutional Conservatives and most who associate with the Tea Party movement (you know, those racist, bigot, extremist idiots who should be called terrorist, at least according to the main-stream media and those in power.)


Limited government interference and regulation sets the citizen free to pursue life, liberty and happiness, while it sets the entrepreneur free to start and grow a business, powering our economy and creating jobs and wealth. The only reason for a government to grow is so that it has more control of our lives. Every time Congress votes to spend more money (i.e. grow the government), we the people lose more of our liberty. That loss comes through more regulation and/or higher taxes. Every time. No exceptions.


Fiscal responsibility insures that we are paying our own way, and are beholding to no one. Although the Bible does not condemn or forbid debt, it does give some very wise counsel: Deuteronomy 28:12: The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.  Proverbs 22:7: Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender. Just like you and me, it is in our nation's best interest to not be in debt. Just like you and me, our nation should be mature enough to live within its means. The more government grows, the more it spends. The more it spends, the more it must raise our taxes, unless it goes into debt. So just what is government debt? It is the outward proof of the inner cowardice of our government that keeps it from saying NO to spending, while at the same time not having the guts to vote for tax increases.


Free-market capitalism is the engine and the proof, the cause and the effect, of a free people and a free nation. Without personal freedom, the free-market will disappear. Without a free-market, personal freedom can not exist.

Slavery

Slaves worked hard all day at a job, giving most, if not all, to their "benefactor." It didn't matter how hard a slave worked, for the master gave equally to all his slaves. Slaves had to accept, and could only have, the care that their benefactor allowed them to receive. They couldn't decide what kind of trade to practice without the master's permission. The slave had to eat what the master told them to eat, for the master always knows best. For giving their entire lives and livelihood and freedom to the master, the slaves expected to have their needs met all their lives. However, there was no guarantee, and usually they were mistreated and forgotten as the master's economic situation changed. After all, they were but slaves, and what was good for the master was the most important thing, the greater good.

Americans work hard all day at a job, giving most, it not all, to their government. It does not matter how hard you work, for the government gives equally to all its citizens. Americans have to accept, and can only have, the care that their government allows them to receive. They can't decide what kind of trade to practice without the government's permission. Americans have to eat what the government tells them to eat, for the government always knows best. For giving their entire lives and livelihood and freedom to the government, Americans expect to have their needs met all their lives. However, there is no guarantee, and we will be mistreated and forgotten as the government's economic situation changes. After all, we are but citizens, and what is good for the government is the most important thing, the greater good.

We fought a war to free the slaves once. Will it be required again? Only your VOTE will tell.

Personal Responsibility and Freedom

Thankfully, we are now starting to hear a lot about upholding the Constitution and protecting the freedoms that it guarantees. We want limited government as required by the Constitution. We want fiscal responsibility by our government, and we want free-market capitalism. When we get these things, we should have a vibrant economy and a happy nation. Right?

Well, there is always the other side of the coin. In order to have limited government and fiscal responsibility, we must do away with, or at least reduce, the out-of-control entitlement spending by the government.  That means less medicaide and medicare. It means less social security, and probably at a later age. It means fewer food stamps and other forms of welfare. I hope it also means the closing and dismantling of most federal Departments including Agriculture, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, Interior, Transportation and Veteran Affairs. Any functions of these Departments required or desired to be continued will be handled by the States (Defense will handle Veterans Affairs.) That leaves the Departments of (interstate) Commerce, Defense and Homeland Security, Justice, State and Treasury to handle the enumerated powers. Of course, replacing the income tax and the IRS with the Fair Tax will also help, as will abolishing the Federal Reserve.

What will be required of us, the citizens, if we are to achieve the limited federal government, fiscal responsibility and free-market capitalism we are voting for? We must once again expect Americans to exercise Personal Responsibility, be Morally Honest, and show Charity. For we cannot hold our politicians to a higher standard than we hold ourselves, and we must expect these American Traits from our Statesmen.

We can be free and happy. Lets do it!

The Basis

What does "basis" mean? The basis is the fundamental assumptions from which something is begun or developed or calculated or explained. It is the score from which the song is played. Without knowledge of the basis, chaos will emerge. It  has been said that poetic text is the basis for music. I do not know if that is true, or if I agree, or if I disagree. I do not even know what I would want to be the basis for music if I could choose. I just do not know. But I know I like music. I know that music is orderly. I know that music has certain standards and laws that determine how it works. I know that styles of music may change, but the foundation, the basis, MUST remain the same, or it is just noise, not music. I can enjoy the fruits of music without knowing the basis. But in order to create music, I must know the basis. In order to judge music, I must know the basis. In order for future generations to continue creating and enjoying music, the basis must be taught to new artists.


The basis of the United States is the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. The basis of these founding documents is the Holy Bible. These are verifiable facts. There are hundreds of documents that confirm these fundamental assumptions. Our forefathers stated their beliefs clearly, even in the face of death. There was no "politi-speak." They did not talk around the truth, and they did not waiver in their convictions. They were Statesmen, not politicians. I can like living in the United States and enjoy its sweet song without knowing the basis of our country. But in order for our country to survive, someone must remember the basis upon which it is built. If we forget the basis, chaos will emerge, and future generations will never know the beauty that is America.

Now is the time to remember the basis that makes our country great. We must study the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the Holy Bible to insure that we are able to give our children and grandchildren the same opportunities that we have to live, grow and succeed in the greatest nation on earth, the United States of America. We must elect Statesmen who know the basis of our country and promise to uphold the legacy provided by our founding fathers.

Vote November 2, 2010. Vote for Constitutionally limited government, fiscal responsibility, and free-market capitalism.

American Statesmen

The mid-term elections are in four weeks. We will see if the people of the United States really care about the future of their country. As I have said before, I believe that it is just as important that we have a high voter turnout then it is that only "conservatives" vote. I believe that the people are smart enough to know that we must change our country's direction, and it is only by voting that the change can happen.

I Hope we can effect Change. Hope and Change; quite the catchy phrase, isn't it. Who would have thought the politicians who sold us on Hope and Change, promising to Fundamentally Change America, would also so flagrantly violate the oath to Protect and Defend the U.S. Constitution while forcing an anti-Constitution agenda on the American People? But they have, and we must send the message that we insist that the Constitution be protected and followed.

There are hundreds of issues that need to be discussed and addressed. Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians and Independents all have their platforms and talking points. Red and Yellow, Black and White, and Brown, all have issues that need to be discussed and addressed. Male and Female, Straight and Gay, Christian and Jew and Muslim and Atheist all have issues that need to be discussed and addressed. Industrialist and Conservationist, Hunters and Vegans, Auburn Football fans and Other Football fans, all have issues that need to be discussed and addressed (I apologize if I left out your group or cause.) But there are only three things that must guide our voting this election:

1. Limited Federal Government.
2. Fiscal Responsibility.
3. Free-market Capitalism.

Insure that everyone you vote for will stand in support of these three things. For if we have these three things, we can find solutions for all of our other problems. If we do not have these three things, then our country will fail and someone else will be imposing their will on the American people. By insuring, we must also insist that what they said to get elected is also what they do once in office. American in name only will no longer cut it! We need American Statesmen, not politicians. All American Statesmen must put the Constitution first when deciding every issue.

Who To Vote For

The primaries are behind us, and the 2010 mid-term elections are only weeks away. In most instances, you will have the choice to vote for a Republican or a Democrat. In some instances, there will be an Independent, a Libertarian, or perhaps some other obscure party represented. It will be great if there is a candidate on the ballot whose beliefs and platform meld perfectly with your plan for America and your social and spiritual beliefs. Of course, that candidate needs to be just about perfect so that no one will be able to sling any "mud" his or her way. However, that will not be the case.

No one is perfect. Everyone has made mistakes. Not only are your fingerprints unique to you, so is your vision of the perfect candidate. You will not find a candidate with whom you agree on every issue. Instead, you must determine the key issues that are the most important to you, rate them in importance, and then find the candidate who will best represent you. Here are my "platform" issues, ranked in importance to me. Hopefully you will agree with some. I am sure you will have others. What is number one on my list may be number ten on yours. That is OK.

Uphold the Constitution as written by our founding fathers and interpreted in their writings
Limit Federal Government as demanded and outlined in the Constitution/Return power to the States
Promote Free-Market Capitalism
Fiscal Responsibility/Reduce Spending
Reduce Taxes/Abolish the IRS/Implement the Fair Tax
Reduce Federal Regulation/Abolish most Cabinet Level Departments (move them back to the states)
Maintain a strong National Defense/Reduce foreign deployments
Protect our Borders/Enforce current Immigration Law

Although I am a Christian, you will notice that I do not mention any moral issues or abortion. You will also notice that I do not mention roads, energy, national parks or farm subsidies. Once power is returned to the individual states and our laws are brought back into compliance with the Constitution, each state will be able to pass the laws its residents desire. If you want to smoke dope and marry your "partner", move to California. If you want to live in a dry county in the Bible Belt, move to Alabama. If you want mandatory recycling, move to Vermont. I believe in a United States where the states compete for residents by passing laws and providing the services that its citizens want and are willing to pay for. Mississippi's schools may not be as good as Florida's, but they are not now. If the citizens of Mississippi want better schools, they can vote to raise taxes, reduce spending elsewhere, or get more involved in the process. It is not Oregon's or Ohio's responsibility to improve the schools in Mississippi. The states should be able to compete for business and for their population. It is not the Federal Government's job to "level the playing field" or to redistribute the wealth of America among the states (as has been the case for the last 100 years) or among their people (as has been the case since FDR.) If the citizens of Connecticut want to give free health-care and early retirement to its citizens, then they can expect an influx of immigrants (both foreign and domestic.)

I believe in personal responsibility. Then community responsibility. Then State responsibility. And lastly, Federal responsibility. Luckily, the Constitution clearly outlines what the Federal Government's responsibility is to its citizens. Read it, and then vote for the candidates who most closely represent your views and beliefs.

2010 Mid-Term Elections

Have you ever read the United States Constitution? It is really a pretty simple document, especially the Articles and Bill of Rights (the first ten Amendments.) The website U.S. Constitution is a great site in that it provides links to notes within the body of the document, and highlights changes (amendments) made to the text you are reading. Every American citizen, and those wanting to gain citizenship, should not only read, but also study, the U.S. Constitution, for it is the guiding light that has illuminated our country's path to greatness.

Our country is at a crossroads. The current administration (and to a lesser extent many administrations since the 1900s) have decided that more government and fewer individual liberties and less personal responsibility is the way of the future. The Obama administration has told us in both word and deed that it wants to FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE AMERICA. They are disregarding our Constitution. They are taking more and more power away from individuals and the states and usurping it for themselves. Not only has the Executive Branch overstepped the bounds of its authority as delegated in the Constitution, Congress has completely failed in its job of limiting Executive power by controlling the purse strings. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate have completely abandoned their role as the protectors of the Constitution and the citizens!

The 2010 mid-term elections will be a referendum on the spirit of the American People. If only 30% to 40% of our voters turn out, then most likely the incumbents will stay in power, Obama will get his way, and our country as we know it will no longer exist. We will lose our ability to have individual liberty and to take personal responsibility for our families and our lives. However, if a large majority turns out and votes, then chances are there will be a major turnover in Congress, and even those remaining will understand that Americans are not going to stand idly by and watch the fundamentals of government change from being based on the Constitution to being based on a progressive/socialist agenda.

Limited Government. Fiscal Responsibility. Free-Market Capitalism. These are what made America great! This is what our Congress must work for as it upholds our Constitution.

May God Bless America.

Bear hunting with Alaska-Adventures

After spending Sunday night at the lodge and enjoying a couple of great meals prepared by Rocky, Sharon, Sunny (the youngest (19) of Rocky and Sharon's four daughters) and Nancy, Bill and I loaded my stuff back into the 206 and we headed for Aniak. Yes, it was still raining and windy. We had to fly around some of the mountains because the ceiling was so low. I am grateful that Bill delivered me safely every time we flew. I then flew back to Anchorage via PenAir, once again staying at the Puffin Inn overnight. As soon as I got checked in, I called Knight's Taxidermy in Anchorage and arranged for the owner, Russell Knight, to come pickup me and my bears. He arrived in short order and took me to his shop (more closely resembling a factory.) There were mounts and hides and skulls everywhere. His is a world-class taxidermy studio, proved by the works in progress of animals from all over the globe (he even had a giraffe in the showroom.) He took my bears and assured me that I would have two beautiful rugs in only eight to twelve months! He asked if I needed a ride back to the Inn. I did.

The atmosphere at Alaskan-Adventures on the Holitna River is very Christian oriented. Rocky is the son of a missionary who, although he admits to sowing some wild oats in his younger days, has spent most of his life trying to live for The Lord just as his father did. The slogan of his hunting and fishing guide business is "Restoration Through Recreation." According to his first book, "Wild Men, Wild Alaska", experiencing God's creation at its rawest and sometimes most dangerous level is one of the best ways to truly feel the power of our Creator. Rocky believes that by giving men an opportunity to be rid of the distractions of life while thrilling to the natural world of remote Alaska, they can renew their inner fire to live a better professional, personal and spiritual life. Did I feel closer to The Lord after my hunting experience? I did.

While at Alaskan-Adventures, I shared the lodge for one day with a group of fishermen from an organization called Stadia, a Christian Church planting organization. These men (about 15) had Bible study each morning before heading out on the river to fish. I really enjoyed their company. They are someway connected (although I am not sure how) to the Church Development Fund, a credit union type organization that only loans to build churches. One of their head guys was also fishing. I found it very comforting to know that even in remote Alaska, Christians were all around me. We prayed before meals, and we prayed and offered thanks after taking my bears. All in all, I had a great time in Alaska on my bear hunt. I really did!

I get my Black Bear

After harvesting a grizzly bear the previous morning, My guide Jeff and I floated the Holitna River for a day and a half looking for black bear. We didn't see any bears of any color. Because of all the unusually heavy rain that most of Alaska has been getting for the past month (it was still raining), the river was about 8 feet higher than normal, and it was adversely affecting both hunting and fishing. Because salmon naturally die after spawning, the river bank would normally be covered with dead fish drawing in the bears. However, the high water was washing everything away, evidently causing most bears to look elsewhere for the food they would need in order to pack on the fat needed to survive the winter. When Bill arrived in the 185 at about 4 pm, he told me to load up my gear and get ready to head to the hills. I did.

Bill and Jeff where in the front two seats of the Cessna, and I was behind them with the gear. We flew west from the river for about 20 minutes. Bill and Jeff looked to be discussing where to put us, as I was looking for a runway. As we were flying over rolling tundra, Bill decided to land. No runway lights. No runway. No nothing. He just landed on a flat spot on the side of a mountain. Jeff and I unloaded the plane and Bill took off, leaving me and my guide alone in the wilderness. We spent the next hour setting up our spike camp which consisted of two tents and a dining fly because it was still raining. In order to block as much wind as possible, we put our tents in a small group of scrub spruce trees about five feet tall. It helped, but not much. We ate a hot dinner of rice and breakfast sausage. Jeff asked if I wanted some raspberry-lemon mix for my water. I did.

After a long night of heavy rain and gusting wind, I awoke a little stiff from having only the tent floor, a tarp, and a sleeping bag under me. Jeff heard me moving around and told me that I might as well stay in the bag as the visibility was only about 10 feet. I peaked out and confirmed his assessment. Because of the rule prohibiting hunting the same day after flying, we had not hunted the previous evening (it stays light until about 11 pm.) Our plan was to move up to a high ridge this morning and start glassing (using binoculars) for black bear. Obviously, that was not going to happen, at least not right away. I spent the day dozing, snacking, reading, and enjoying the fact that I had my one man portable urinal with me. If I wanted to keep from having to go out in the wind and rain too often, I would have to use it. I did.

The weather lifted about 3 pm,  and we headed for the ridge line. When we got high enough to be able to see the valleys and hillsides around us, we set down in the wind and light rain and started glassing. My Steiner 10x40 C5 Predator binoculars enabled me to closely examine every nook and cranny for about 5 miles to the east, south and west. After only about 15 minutes, Jeff spotted a bear on a hillside to the east, about 2 miles away. We watched it, continuing to scan the area for others. About 15 minutes later, I spotted another one in the opposite direction. It was moving to the right on a hillside about 3 miles distant. It soon moved out of sight, but reappeared about 15 minutes later further down the slope. Jeff setup his spotting scope to get a closer look at these two bears. After several minutes of watching and discussing, we decided to move on the bear that I had spotted to the west, as Jeff said that it was an average bear for the area and worthy of our attention. We packed up our gear and headed out across the tundra. It was open and fairly easy walking, although walking on the mushy tundra was a lot like walking on a lumpy mattress. We walked for about 2 miles parallel with the bears direction of movement in order to insure that the wind did not carry our scent in its direction. We would occasionally see the bear, and once we got past it (in relation to the wind), we turned down the slope and entered the dreaded willow bog that would have to be crossed in order to reach the bear on the facing slope. It was now about 6 pm. Jeff chambered a round in his rifle in order to be ready for whatever might appear in the jungle we were about to enter. He told me to keep my rifle safe without a round in the chamber. I did.

I am not 100% sure if I was in willows or alders. I think they both grow in the area, but it doesn't matter. Whatever I was trudging through was getting the best of me. There was no trail, and no opening through which I could pass. Every foot of progress required stepping over, around or on a branch between one and four inches in diameter. I could no longer tell if it was raining, as the leaves were loaded with water that came cascading down with every touch. The closer we got to the bottom of the slope, the deeper the water on the ground. I had on my hip waders, and my rain suit, but it really didn't matter. I was soaked from the inside with sweat, and from the outside with rain. The stream at the bottom was almost crotch deep, and moving fast. I inched across, hoping that I would not slip and fall, possibly damaging my rifle. I made it across, but only to find more jungle. Jeff would occasionally disappear from sight, but thankfully he would wait on me (did I mention that this was Jeff's 8th year as a Alaskan guide, and that he was about 15 years younger than me and in much better shape?) Suddenly a view to the hillside opened up, and there was the bear. Jeff had already scoped it and determined it to be 230 yards distant. He asked me where my rifle was zeroed? I told him at 200 yards. He said that I should be able to hit the bear from here, even though it required a standing shot while leaning against a tree. Without much thought, I said OK. I sighted on the bear, trying to control my heavy breathing. After several seconds, the bear turned broadside and Jeff said, "Shoot." I did.

Twice. The bear rambled into the brush to the left untouched. I had missed. Twice. Between the distance and my exhaustion of having just spent 90 minutes busting through the willow bog, I was unable to close the deal. Jeff said, "No problem. Come on." I followed. After another 20 minutes or so, I caught up with Jeff (actually he stopped to wait on me) and told him that we should give the bear a chance to settle down by stopping where we were for a few minutes. Jeff agreed and I took a much needed 15 minute breather. After the break we continued up the slope looking for the bear. As we moved up, we left the worst of the willow bog behind us and began to move over fairly open tundra. Suddenly, the bear appeared at about 250 yards up the slope. It was feeding away from us, so we crept closer. At 150 yards, I put my backpack on the ground and took up a prone firing position using my pack as support. The bear continued to feed. I continued to keep my crosshairs on him. He turned broadside. I fired. He fell. Dead. Jeff told me to take a break. I did.

It was 8:20 pm. The stalk on the bear had taken four hours and twenty minutes. I was exhausted, and exhilarated. We moved up to the bear, took pictures, and started skinning. Jeff did most of the work, estimating the bear to be about five and half feet. It was still windy and rainy. I removed my hunting shirt (soaking wet) and replaced it with my super poly jacket. I was immediately warmed. We started for camp at 10:30 pm, arriving just before midnight. Jeff asked if I wanted him to cook dinner. I told him I was going to get in the bag. The rain and wind kept Bill and his plane away for the next two days. We just chilled in our tents most of the time. I shot the grizzly on Tuesday, the black on Thursday, and finally got back to the lodge on Sunday morning, after sleeping four nights on the ground. Bill had to use the Super Cub to ferry us off the mountain one at a time because of the weather. When we got the lodge, Nancy asked if I wanted breakfast. I did.

{Coming Soon: I will wrap up the bear hunt in my next blog.}

My Alaskan Bear Hunt

I departed Alabama on August 7, 2010. After about 12 hours of flying, I arrived in Anchorage. I spent two nights in Anchorage, giving myself plenty of time to make sure I had everything I needed, and to assure that if any of my baggage was delayed, I would be able to get it (it wasn't.) I departed Anchorage on PenAir Monday, August 9, heading for Aniak, a small village on the Kuskowim River in southwestern Alaska. It is amazing to me that a 30-passenger commercial flight would stop at such a small place. The weather was rainy and cool. As I entered the one-room airport terminal, an older gentlemen said, "You must be Bobby." I answered in the affirmative as he identified himself as Bill, my pilot from Alaskan-Adventures. I like old pilots. He told me to get my stuff and follow him. I did.

Bill and I walked across the tarmac to a Cessna 206, a single prop, wing-over, four-seater airplane that I later learned was the largest of three planes owned by Alaskan-Adventures. Bill loaded my gear, which consisted of a duffle bag containing my hip boots, clothes and sleeping bag, a daypack full of hunting optics and emergency and rain gear, and my rifle case, holding my Weatherby .300 magnum rifle with a Swarovski 2.5-10/56 scope. He then told me to get into the co-pilot's seat as he climbed into the pilot's and closed the door. As we were taxiing to the runway, Bill said I had better buckle up because it had been pretty windy on the way in. I did.

After a bumpy ride of about 45 minutes across what looked to me like deserted wilderness, we made an unscheduled stop at the village of Sleetmute so that Bill could check for mail. I stayed in the plane while Bill walked to the only post-office for about 100 miles in any direction (although we flew in and out of Sleetmute, I only saw five or six buildings, none of which looked like a post office to me.) The mail plane was delayed because of the weather, so there was no mail (which should tell you something about the flying conditions.) We then flew about 20 minutes south and landed at the Alaskan-Adventures Lodge at about 3 pm. We unloaded my gear as I was met by my guide Vern, his wife Nancy, the cook, and Rocky McElveen, the owner and Master Guide. I was told to remove my shoes as I entered the lodge. I did.

Opening day for Grizzly Bear in game management unit 19A, where I would be hunting, was the next day, August 10. Because of the Alaskan law that forbids hunting on the same day you have flown in an aircraft, I was going to be flying up the Holitna River about 100 miles to the main camp right away. After insuring that my licenses, tags and other paperwork were in order (and eating some very tasty salmon pate and moose stew provided by Rocky's wife Sharon), I took my gear to a cabin to change into my hunting clothes and separate out of my gear those items I would not be needing in the field (my wallet, i-Phone, money, gun case and travel clothes.) After about 90 minutes at the lodge, Bill, Vern and I loaded into the Cessna 185 and headed up river (the Cessna 185 is a single prop, wing-over, four-seater airplane that I was unable to tell from the 206, but is evidently a smaller plane.) After a nice ride up the river, we landed on a gravel bar beside two Civil War looking walled tents. I was told to move my gear into one of these tents and get ready to go fishing as Bill left to fly back to the lodge. I did.

The main camp consisted of the two walled tents mentioned, as well as two smaller guide tents, two 20' jon boats with jet props, a lot of fishing and cooking gear, and a really nice "reading" chair around back behind some bushes. I could look across the river and see about 25 miles to some beautiful mountains while seated on this, for lack of a better description, ventilated throne. There were bunk beds in the walled tents, and that is where I slept for the next two nights. Vern and I picked up some fishing gear and got in one of the boats and headed up stream. We would motor a while, and then stop and drift or anchor to fish. We caught King and Red Salmon, Arctic Char, and Grayling. We kept the King and Char and cooked them for supper later that night, as it did not get dark until about 11 pm. We also saw a sow grizzly with two cubs on the bank of the river, as well as several eagles and an otter. After eating, we prepared for tomorrow's hunt and headed for bed. Vern told me to get him up at 5 am if he wasn't already up. I did.

After a breakfast of pancakes and sausage, I got my hunting gear together and Vern and I headed downstream in the boat. Our tactic today was to float without power down the river and see if we could find any bears (Grizzly or Black, as I had tags for both.) Although we could use power when needed, Alaskan law forbids firing a gun from a boat under power. We quietly drifted downstream, enjoying the peace of the morning in the light rain. After about an hour of drifting, we rounded a bend in the river and spotted another sow on the bank, this one with triplets. After drifting to within about 50 yards, the mother noticed us, stood up to take a better look, and then split with a snort, followed closely by her three cubs. They were gone in a flash. We continued to drift. After about another half-hour, around 8 am, I noticed a head with ears crossing the river about 150 yards in front of us. "Vern, is that a griz swimming across the river?" He answered by cranking the boat and racing to get to the bear before it got to the bank. As he cut power to the engine, Vern told me that if it was a taker to shoot as soon as the bear left the water. I readied myself for the shot, but as the bear reached the bank of the river the current swung Vern's end of the boat between me and the bear. As the grizzly disappeared into the thick brush, I said, "Vern, you were between me and the bear, so I thought you might not want me to fire." He said, "It was too small anyway. Pat yourself on the back for not shooting." I did.

We continued down the river for another fifteen minutes. As we entered a long, sweeping bend in the river, we spotted a grizzly moving slowly along the far bank at about 250 yards. As we continued to slowly drift down towards the bear, it continued walking along the bank and eventually disappeared from sight behind a big pile of washed up logs. Using a paddle, Vern positioned the boat so that I had a clear line of fire to where we had seen the bear. We quietly discussed the merits of taking this bear, and we both decided that I would try if the opportunity was presented. Suddenly, the bear appeared on top of the pile of logs. Being only about 70 yards distant at this time, we could clearly see the Red Salmon in its mouth. I brought my rifle to my shoulder as the bear stood up to get a better look at us. I put my crosshairs on its chest and Vern said, "Shoot!" I did.

"Did you hit it?", asked Vern. "I should have", I replied. Vern powered up the boat and raced to the bank. He cut off the motor, threw the anchor on the log pile, grabbed his rifle, and sprinted up the pile of logs. I followed behind (only because of where I was positioned in the boat, not out of fear or anything like that.) "There's the dead fish. There's blood on this log. And there is a dead bear", Vern said as he looked beyond the pile of logs. Vern congratulated me on my bear. I congratulated him on my bear. He told me that this may have been the quickest and easiest grizzly he had ever taken. I told him that was alright with me. Opening day, one hour and fifty minutes into our hunt, from a drifting boat, one shot at 70 yards, and I had my Toklat Grizzly. Evidently I was about an inch too close to the bear when I fired, as Vern alerted me to the fact that I had a scope creep scratch on my nose that was bleeding. He asked if I wanted a band-aide? I did.

The bear was in a small creek and under water. Together we were able to pull the bear out of the water and onto the bank ready for skinning. However, first we took pictures. Lots of pictures. We then began skinning. Vern did most of the work, especially the fine and tedious work around the claws, ears, eyes and lips. I helped on the body and the legs. The entire skinning process took us about two hours. Vern estimated the bear to be about seven foot, weighing about 500 pounds. He said that it looked about average for the area. I thought it looked great. We loaded the pelt and skull (both are required to be removed from the field by Alaska law), and headed back up the river to camp.  When we arrived, I was surprised to see Bill and his plane, as well as a father-son hunting duo and two guides. Bill had just ferried them off a mountain one at a time for a couple of days of fishing after hunting black bear for four days up in the hills (they had shot a black bear the day prior.) After introductions and a little bragging by those who had killed a grizzly (me), I was introduced to my Black Bear guide, Jeff. Vern took my pelt and skull and left with Bill for the lodge in the Super Cub, a two-seater, wing-over, single prop bush plane used for "no runway" insertions. Jeff and I hunted for black bear on the river the rest of that day and the next until about 3 pm. We did not see any bear, of any kind. Jeff asked if I wanted to go to the hills to look for a bear? I did.

[Coming Soon: My next blog will tell the story of the Black Bear Hunt]

Dreaming of a Bear Hunt

Well, I finally did. After about 30 years of wishing, and about 10 years of actual planning, I went to Alaska and hunted bear. Here is the beginning of the story. I hope you enjoy it. I did.

One of my childhood memories was of the big brown bear rug at grandma Bailey's house. I heard it was a Kodiak Brown Bear shot by my uncle Urshel Bailey in the late '40s or early '50s. I do not know what happened to that rug, but I can still see those big teeth and claws that fascinated me as a young boy. I remember talking about bear hunting with my cousins as we played on the rug. Although I wasn't sure where Alaska was at the time, I knew I wanted to go there. So finally, I did.

Well, courtesy of the US Army, Kim and I got to actually live in Alaska from 1977 to 1980. Our third son, Matthew, was born there. I found time to do some fishing while we lived there, but I never hunted. I guess it had something to do with work, three small kids, and no money! After leaving Alaska, I became an Alaska "hobbiest." I read about Alaska. I dreamed about Alaska. Eventually, we traveled back to Alaska. We took an Alaska cruise. I went to fish. I went to snowmachine (that's snowmobiling for you Outsiders.) I went to see the sights. I kept dreaming about hunting in the Great Land. I was told to talk to people who had hunted in Alaska. I did.

For Christmas 2008, my wife gave me the book, "Wild Men, Wild Alaska", written by Rocky McElween, a Christian speaker and Alaskan big-game guide. Early in the book, he tells of an adventure he shared with a man named Ralph Meloon, Jr. Oh my goodness! What a surprise. I had attended church for more than ten years with Ralph Jr.'s father, Mr. Ralph Meloon. He is a grand old champion of the faith and a great business man. I am sure that everyone who meets Mr. Ralph feels just like I did; honored and humbled to have been able to speak with such a fine man. {You should google Ralph Meloon and Correct Craft to read the story of this man and his Christian witness in life and business.} Anyway, I immediately went online, found the website for Alaskan-Adventures, and contacted Rocky. I told him I was hoping to hunt, and he gave me some good pointers on how to make it happen. Did I get excited after reading his book? I did.

I sold my business in early 2009. One of the first things I did after that was to make the decision that I was going bear hunting in Alaska. I immediately started making plans. In order to hunt brown or grizzly bears in Alaska, you are required to use the services of a registered big-game guide. I called Rocky. The fall hunt of 2009 was out. How about spring 2010? Nope. How about opening week in August 2010? Right on. The hunt was on! I began the planning and training process. After all, the dream hunt was only sixteen months away. Do you think I bought any new gear? I did.

[Coming Soon: My next blog will tell the story of the Hunt]

Independence Day

"To see the men without clothes to cover their nakedness, without blankets to lie upon, without shoes...without a house or hut to cover them until those could be built, and submitting without a murmur, is a proof of patience and obedience which, in my opinion, can scarcely be paralleled."
George Washington at Valley Forge, April 21, 1778

Less than two years after the signing of our Declaration of Independence, it seemed that the battle would be lost. Many men, many of them men of great wealth and position, had lost everything. Many had lost their livelihood. Many had lost their families. Many had lost their lives. The power of Great Britain was bearing down on the Colonies. The Tyrant was putting "his" rebellious children in their place. He knew what was best for them. They were but ignorant, helpless subjects who should have been grateful for his benevolence. Who were these people who thought they could reject his taxes? After all, he knew what was best. He knew what they needed. Did these mere subjects really think that freedom was a right, a right granted by God? Did they really think that government, his government, was supposed to listen to the people? He would show these scoundrels what happened to those who opposed his will. Like a father correcting his children, he would use the rod of oppression to insure that they did the good thing, the "greater good" thing. He would insure that they all regretted putting their names on that silly Declaration of Independence. Ha!

"For make no mistake, and let me make this perfectly clear, if the Citizens of the United States do not rise up and vote out of office all of those who disregard our Constitution and follow the path of socialism espoused by Obama and his Chicago-land thugs, we WILL lose our prosperity, our freedom, and our Country!"
Bobby Taylor at Cullman, Alabama, January 28, 2010

OK. I am no George Washington. I am just an average Citizen of the greatest country in the world. But I am a citizen who believes that our current government wants to subject us to their will, whether we want it or not. I believe our current government wants to redistribute the wealth of America, not to the poor as the say, but to their cronies and into their own pockets. I believe that our current government wants to destroy free-market capitalism so that they can control every facet of our lives. I believe that our current government thinks that its citizens are children who must be told what to do, what they can have, and how they are to live. It believes that we are not smart enough to spend our own money, or build our own businesses without their oversight and permission. Our current government believes that its decisions are better, and more powerful, than those of the creator of the Universe, the Most High God.


I urge everyone reading this to commit today, Independence Day 2010, to hold every elected official accountable to the Constitution of the United States. We must have Limited Government, Fiscal Responsibility, and Free-Market Capitalism. These Three Things are what makes America great, and insures that our children and grandchildren are able to live, and grow, and have opportunity in the future. We must not let the sacrifices of all those at Valley Forge and all those who have fought and bled and died to protect our freedoms since July 4, 1776, be forgotten or to have been in vain.

Walking

I went for a walk this morning. Left at 6:05. Returned at 7:05. I should have walked about 3.5 miles, but I don't know for sure. I went east on the sidewalk running along Highway 98 and the Gulf. I met several other walkers. I said, "Hello" to all. Some responded. Some did not. Some bicycle riders rode past me. I started sweating after about 20 minutes. It was not as humid as it has been at home. A couple of walkers had dogs. That made me miss Beasley.

I think someone had been to the store and bought some eggs. They must have been on a bicycle, because there were three or four eggs dropped on the sidewalk. From the looks of the evidence, I do not think the eggs were thrown, but rather dropped. It must have been recent, because I am sure some animal would have cleaned up the egg mess if it had been there a while. Although I like to eat eggs, I did not partake.

After walking east, I turned around and walked west. I had to do that in order to get back to where I started, as I did not have time to walk around the world. Inside, I turned on Fox News in order to get my blood pressure up. Don't get me wrong. I like Fox News. I just get so upset at how our Federal Government is disregarding our Constitution and our laws.