Harry Reid Re-Election

So I was asked to discuss Harry Reid's chances of Re-Election and I find the subject to be very fascinating and so I will try to explain my thoughts on the issue at hand.

First off I will say that I think its way to soon to predict or even know at all if he will be re-elected and I will explain why. Their are many different issues that will impact his ability to be re-elected and most of them impact each other so we will see if they have a positive or negative domino effect for Senator Reid.

As all know, Harry Reid is the Senate Majority Leader for the democrats. Reid being in this position really will have the biggest impact on his re-election chances. The reason for this is because he will be linked directly with what happens with President Obama. If Obama is able to improve his pool ratings than I feel that Harry Reid's pools will go up as well. Being linked to Obama overall is not a bad thing if President Obama can improve on a few main issues.

I find that the worst thing that Obama, Reid and Pelosi have done for themselves is continue to strive with their Health Care bill. They were not successful with 60 Democrat Senators and so I really do not see them being successful with 59. Their overall outlook has only really been viewed upon by looking at their health care success and if it does not improve than their pools will not improve. I feel they should scratch the issue and really either start over or distance themselves from the subject and try to improve their candidacy from a different angle. So Harry Reid's re-election will depend a lot on Obama's health care bill but their is one issue that being linked to President Obama is a positive for him.

Obama recently mentioned that he is planning on closing down Yucca Mountain and with Nevada residents not really being supportive of Yucca this really could help Reid's re-election. I personally was in favor of Nevada having Yucca Mountain but for Reid and many of those who did not like the waste coming to Nevada it is a very positive thing for them for Obama to mention it being closed down.

With a few years for more and different national issues to arrive, Reid's link to Obama as his Senate Majority Leader will continue to impact his re-election chances a lot.

Moving on. When people think of Nevada they all think of Vegas and the revenue that comes from Gambling. Senator Reid for many decades has had a close tie with the gambling industry and many times it has been this link that has helped him continue to be re-elected. Nearly one in every three jobs in Nevada is linked to the gambling industry and so if he can keep his link to the industry it will help him a lot in the long term. Something to note though is that the gambling industry really is not tied to democrats or republicans but to the people themselves so if any other candidates can convince some major casinos to back them than it could help swing them into election. Recently the owner of the MGM backed Senator Reid and so his link to gambling as of now seems to be strong which will help him.

In politics many times it is not what you know but who you know and what they give you. This is where Senator Reid as the incumbent really I feel owns Nevada. He has so much more money than any other person and it has been his money that has basically bought his re-elections the last couple of times. With a chest full of cash he really has the advantage of advertising and with many voters that are ignorant to the issues it is their ability to simply know someones name that causes them to vote for someone.

As of now Harry Reid is behind all of the republican candidates in the pools but we must first remember that the republicans still will be going through a primary. A primary election will cause three negative things for the republicans.

First Reid will be able to focus his attention on improving his positive outlook at a time that his opponents really wont be able to focus on him.

Secondly, as most primaries bring, the republicans will be fighting against each other and this usually causes their pools to all go down. For example Huckabee as a republican himself really caused Mitt Romney to have no chance in the republican primary and both of them basically hurt each other. Primaries are interesting as they settle who will be the candidate but basically it tears the candidates down. So Harry Reid will be hoping for Lowden,Tarkanian and other Republican candidates to basically kill their own chances for election by bringing up dirt on each other.

Lastly the primary will cause the republicans to spend a lot of their already small budgets on each other. By the time one of them wins their might not be much to spend and so Reid would be able to come in and dominate the advertising spending and no matter who the republican candidate is it really might not matter.

So after all of my rambling I will conclude on why I feel that Harry Reid has a lot more of a chance for re-election than the pools really show. I hate how money really can buy an election but with Harry Reid having about 5 times more money than the other candidates I feel that this cant be over looked. If the republican candidate can get out of the primary with a decent amount of money, unscratched with no dirt on them and momentum than Reid's money might not have as much impact.

Lastly as mentioned above I feel that Reid's re-election will actually depend on how Obama is doing. With Reid being linked so heavily as part of the 3 headed monster this really could help the Republicans if their overall success does not improve nationally.

As of right now I would say that Reid will not be re-elected as all democrats are suffering all over the nation but lets remember that time always changes things. When the election is upon us many things would of been forgotten, issues could of changed and anything is possible. If you do not believe this just remember the changes that really helped Obama take office. (Change form National Security Issues to Economy in just a few months).

Lets go GOP and lets try to win back the Senate starting with taking out the Senate Majority Leader.

Mr. P.

(Please Respond With Comments)

Dating

If you ever have been around me you would know that the subject of dating is one that I have very strong opinions about.

First off, I am not married so its not like I am an expert on things but their are some ideas that I wish people would just understand.

Last week I was talking to a young man that I will not name and I asked, Who are you going to take on a date this week? He answered, "I dont know of any girls that would want to go on a date with me?" SO GUYS, if you have these same thoughts I just want you to know that they are really retarted as I could count about over 1000 girls that would want to go on a date with you. (I dont really know of 1000 girls by name but I still know that their are plenty of girls who would drop pretty much anything to go on a date)

To go along with this, just because guys might think that their are no girls who would want to go on a date with them, that is the point of dating. Most girls will not turn down a first date and than after the first of 2nd date is really when the girls start thinking if they want to continue going on a date with you. THIER IS NO HARM to a first date.

Now for the girls about this subject of first dates. Please DONT OVER THINK THINGS. If a guy asks you on a date, it does mean we are interested but it DOES NOT MEAN, that we are planning marriage, thinking of ring shopping or naming our first kid. Just relax and have a good time and than feel things out from the date. Also unless the guy is a 100 percent creeper, atleast say yes on the first date.

On my last evening of the mission my Mission President spoke on dating, (It would be a miracle and a sin if they didnt). President Bullock stated that one thing that has really blessed his dating life is that he has take time out of his busy life to go on atleast one date for the rest of his life. This includes when he was pursuing to date, dating someone, engaged and married.

I have tried putting this to practice and it has been great. Since my mission, (Not counting the time in Fallon when their were no one to go on dates with) I have only missed 3 weeks of going on atleast one date. This has really helped me realize how much fun dating is and also helps me take the nervousness out of dating.

So you married people out their, try to take time out of your busy family life to do something if at all possible with just you and your spouse. President Bullock mentioned this could be going food shopping, watching a movie, playing a game or reading a book. It does not have to be fancy. Well like I mentioned I am not married, so back to the single life of me and other singles.

Since I have gone on atleast one date a week and many times 2 or 3 I have noticed that dating is a number game. Its not about how many dates I go on but with taking out more girls it is so much easier to really see the type of girl that I want to pursue. Just think that the more dates I go on, the more likely their is one that really interests me. Latly I have been dates with a Ball Room dancer, future Librarian, Swimmer, Someone that loves politics, someone that hates politics. Basically what I am saying is that it doesnt matter who they are and what they like its how they are.

Lastly I would like to compare dating in England to dating in Provo. I have noticed that the singles that I worked with in the UK really understand their position in dating. With about 100 YSA in one area they realize that is the pool they have to pick from and no matter how small it is they know they have to deal with it. They are very successful and happy in their dating and a lot of them do get married.

Compairing this to Provo with about 150 youth in one ward and I know of hundreds of wards. Many people go on dates and just think, "Their must be someone better". Our pool of singles seems to be to big as we sometimes think that our special someone is still out their. I am not saying to quickly get married to anyone but I am saying that dating simply is not happening many times as people think to much. With this the church has stated and I know that their is not just one person out their that we can each get with.

Basically to step off my soap box, as you could tell I am passionate about the subject. I am not married so I have not experience the whole path myself but I do feel that if we just open our eyes, realize their are people out their wanting to date and I am sick and tired of guys putting vidoe games over the wonder beuatiful girls waiting for them.

OH THE JOY OF DATING LIFE

Jacob Perazzo

Playing for Haiti

No matter who wins today's Super Bowl their are a few players from each side that have a greater purpose for playing.

Pierre Garcon of the Colts and Jonathan Vilma of the Saints both have direct ties and family in and from Haiti.

As we watch the game and are entertained by two great teams lets try to remember that these two players are not just worried about winning but are playing for the whole nation of Haiti.

Watching them compete for their family and nation is one of the great story lines that could make this one of the greatest Super Bowls every played. No matter who wins lets just remember that their are some that do not have the freedom to even realize that their is a game going on but are more worried about building their country back to living standards.

Lets go Haiti

"Spending Freeze" and "Double Exports"

I would like to discuss two big issues from President Obama's State of the Union address. First his so called 3 year "Spending Freeze" and than him mentioning his desire to double exports in the next 5 years.

It makes no since to me that he would put a 3 year Spending Freeze to domestic spending and state it will not start for a whole year. Much of the speech he discussed the debt that we are in and how we need to watch ourselves to help take care of it. This whole year wait is simply giving him a year to do what he wants.

I don't know how this works but he quietly stated "This is how budgets work" I am not an economist but I don't think spending when you don't have money will really help and than not spending when the economy is supposed to get somewhat better.

Overall President Obama putting a freeze on spending is like having Homer Simpson say he will stop eating donuts. It simply will not happen.

Moving on to what I found to be one of the most interesting topics of the speech. Obama stated he wants to improve the economy by doubling American exports in the next 5 years. It sounds great but I will state why I don't think it is possible.

With America's influence in the world many other countries have found ways to grow their own produce and compete in the world market. There still are many minute nations that just don't have the resources but overall most countries are at least middle ground traders in the exporting market.

If we try to double our exports in the next 5 years I really don't know where they will go. WE MUST GET SOMETHING IN RETURN and that is where the question comes what will it be. We can basically be self sustaining and so I really don't know what we will get back. If anyone has an idea please let me know?

Oil for energy for instance has been a big import from the middle east but with Obama's mentioning of clean coal and nuclear energy plants in this same speech really shows that we are continually becoming self sustaining in ways that we have not before. Not saying we could not be "Cough Cough, Alaska Oil Cough"

All in all, I appreciate Obama's interest in these two discussions of helping out the economy and our world stance but I want answers. I want actions to be more logical than just words and so the next FEW years will help answer these questions.

Mr. P

"The Best Ever"

In my Super Bowl Preview I mentioned that I feel Peyton Manning is the best quarterback of all time and since than I have received some questions why. So here is why I feel he is the best ever.

First off he has and will continue to break many NFL career records. Some very important ones include. The most MVP awards with 4 and probably more to come. The most seasons with at least 4,000 yards being 10. He has had more 12 win seasons (8) and 10 win seasons (10) than any other quarterback ever. Some of these show a few attributes that only he has.

He continues to win games with any coach and any set of skill players around him. For him to have 8 seasons of 12 wins or more is simply amazing showing he often wins 3 out of every 4 games he plays.

With this he is known as a coach on the field which can be seen by him winning with any receivers. Reggie Wayne is great but without Peyton I really don't feel that Garcon and Collie would do much of anything. He simply is the best Offensive Coordinator their is and it helps that he is the one on the field. This can be seen by him calling audibles so often and it is what helps him win.

The one other stat that I feel completes his dominance is his TD to Interception Ratio. It is the best ever and really shows he does not turn over the ball. He is the smartest football player to ever play the position.

Others have mentioned Brady because he has 3 rings but I will mention a few other quarterbacks. Montana has 4 and is not really in the talk for best ever. Dan Marino has no rings and is considered a better quarterback than Brady. Ben Rothlesberger has 2 and really should not be mentioned. RINGS ARE GREAT but are NOT what the whole argument should be upon.

Peyton's one downfall is that he has not done the best in the playoffs but I still would consider him to be the best ever. He will get at least one more ring if not more but I don't feel it will be this year as I really feel the Saints will win.

Lastly I did need to research most of these stats but even with that I can just feel how great he is while he is on the field. Even more of a understanding than Brady.

Super Bowl Preview

So the Super bowl is less than a week away and it looks like it could be one of the best super bowls every played. Their are a few reasons why everyone should at least pay attention to the game.

For the sports fans it is between two of the best offensive teams in the league. The Colts are led byPeyton Manning who I think is the best Quarterback of all time and could solidify that with a win. The Saints are led by Drew Brees who I feel will become the best in the league once Manning stops playing. It has been a long time since we have two great quarterbacks facing off against each other in the biggest game of all.

For those who watch the commercials, once again even with the economy the commercial slots are sold out and hopefully we will not be let down.

Lastly, I feel their is one great story that all Americans should watch for. Since Hurricane Katrina the people of New Orleans have really rallied behind this organization and it is a sign of the cities recovery. With it also being the Saints first visit to the Super Bowl ever, New Orleans and America should continue to rally behind this team as a moral booster.

"State of the Union"

So I had a few thoughts after watching all of President Obama's State of the Union address.

First off he forgot who he was speaking to. The State of the Union address is supposed to be to Congress and he hardly seemed to address his fellow politicians. The only times he did was when he was putting them down for their lack of work. He really chastised the democrats for not doing anything while they had 60 votes and than seemed to beg the republicans to work with him now that they have a filibuster block.

Second his formation of the speech was very unique. It went from American Values, to bashing Bush, to American Values. I guess he thinks that he can clearly get away with bashing Bush if he smashes it between telling America how good and honest we are. Also with bashing the Bush administration it was amazing that he kept looking backwards instead of looking to the future.

Third and probably most important was the uniqueness of subjects talked about. It took him 24 minutes to finally mention Health Care and this was the most important subject of the last 6 months. I really took this as his lack of confidence in his own policy and also his admittance that it will take a lot to even get Health Care back on any type of track.

Lastly, President Obama simply seemed flustered. He commonly stopped for applause when he did not get one and this seemed to bother him. When the applause did not come he would finally be bailed out by the two stooges behind him. Oh I wanted to put him out of his misery. '

Overall, I will be posting more about specific topics but I was not encouraged by the speech. I feel no more confident in President Obama but even more confident in believing that he will not be reelected.

Mr. P

Welcome to "Average Joe"

Welcome everyone,

I have always had the idea of starting this blog and so here is the beginning of what I hope will be a successful blog. All should know first hand that this blog is going to be different from a normal personal blog. As many of you know I always seem to have and like to state my opinion on the issues of the day.

I am calling the blog, "Average Joe" as I hope to state an opinion on many different issues that the everyday person would be interested in. The topics will change often as they will be guided by what I feel are important at the time. With that in mind, I will commonly be discussing topics such as sports, politics and any other topic that is important to us. Feel free to mention any subjects that are interesting as if they are interesting to you, they are important to me.

I am excited to start this and hope that as an "Average Joe" I will be able to speak to you about these important things.

Mr P.