This is the last column of a destructive political year. People said they wanted change, yet in most races the voters kept the incumbent. By a few seats, in New York, the Republican Senate changed the power structure and gave the state control to the New York City politicians.

People wanted change on a national basis and chose a man who made that his promise. All indications are that there will be change, and hopefully it will be for the better. The best place to make these changes is in government. The least likely place for change is government.

Humbly, this columnist offers a few suggestions for productive change with the knowledge that the suggestions will be ignored, and if brought up in the capitols, will be opposed by the power structure.

In New York, we face a huge budget crisis and in a typical Democratic response, Governor Patterson has proposed more than four score of new taxes and fee increases. Since the power to tax is the power to destroy, if his ambitions are met, the people who work for a living, or have savings or decent pensions will see their standard of living drop. However, the governor has proposed a thirty percent increase in welfare benefits.

In order for real change, the attitudes of those governing must change. It would seem that those in power have changed the definition of government. It started as a form of society to do for the people what they could not do for themselves. The politicians changed that concept from providing just services. They created bureaucracies that would provide jobs for people who supported the power structure.

The bureaucracies provided a power base and many provided few, if any, real benefits to the people who are taxed to support them. On a federal level, two come to mind immediately. They are the Department of Education and the Department of Energy. Education has not improved in spite of the billions of dollars poured into it and yet, those in the bureaucracy claim they can solve the problems if they have yet more money to spend.

President Jimmy Carter started the Department of Energy which he said was to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. In spite of the billions of dollars poured into that bureaucratic rat hole, we have yet to see any positive return for the taxpayer’s investments. Investment is the liberal term for “spending taxpayer’s money.”

We suggest that there be a complete abolition of several departments who seek cures for problems that they themselves created.

On the state level we suggest cutting the cost of government rather than raising taxes. At the top of the list, we would like to see many of the state authorities eliminated. They seem to be dumping grounds for political incompetents who can’t get a decent job in the private sector. They are good at sucking money from taxpayers, and the benefits usually don’t merit the money spent. However, our government is all about power and money.

Instead of raising taxes and fees on the working and productive people in the state, we suggest cuts in the salaries of those at the top of the financial food chain. Those who live off taxpayer’s money and have a salary of more than $112,000 per year should take a ten percent pay cut. If they make more than $200,000, they should take a twenty percent pay cut.

Anyone who can’t survive on a six-figure salary obviously doesn’t have good budgeting skills. It still wouldn’t cause anywhere near the hardship that the increased fees and taxes will cause the average New York worker.

Cuts should be made in Medicaid to be in line with other states that take care of their citizens adequately, but don’t spend the extravagant amounts that New York does. The system needs revamping, but it appears that the legislators and the leadership they blindly follow, are content with the status quo as long as they keep getting reelected.

We get the government we deserve.

Merry Christmas! This is the proper greeting for the season. It is Christmas, a celebration of the birthday of Jesus Christ who is worshiped by a multitude of Christians. It is not a time of “Happy Holidays.” We have written in previous columns our resentment of others, not of the Christian faith, to use this holiday for the purpose of generating profits.

Enough said about the efforts of manufacturers and merchants to install “Christmas Spirit” in the people. Their idea of the spirit is to lure them away from the spiritual and guide them to the economics of business. If you love someone, spend a lot of money (even if it takes you until next Summer to pay off the debt) on them and show them that material gifts are much more important than spiritual values.

We know that there is a minority in our country that wants to get rid of any mention of God. This handful of atheists and non-believers want all those who believe in a Supreme Being to reject any mention of our beliefs.

They have taken prayer out of the schools, removed the Ten Commandments from public buildings, demanded that no religious displays be placed in public places and they are trying to remove the words “under God” from the pledge to the flag.

However, they have no objection to the Christian holiday being used to generate money. This supports this columnist’s frequent commentary that “It’s ALL about money.” Whether it is business (where money is the major reason for starting a business) or government that statement is difficult to argue.

The Constitutional protection regarding freedom of religion is just that. We should have the freedom to proclaim our faith as a faith without government interference. If the majority of the people in a community wish to display a Crèche, there should be no governmental interference. If they prefer to display a Menorah, so be it. Not to be allowed to do so should be considered a violation of the free speech protection.

This is a subject that this columnist would like to debate with anyone who wishes to disagree. If the burning of an American flag or producing pornography is protected by the free speech amendment, why should not the displays and prayers be legal?

We consider the “politically correct” people to be an insult to intelligence. Who sets the rules for what we can and can’t say? We understand that all rights have responsibilities associated with them. The right of free speech rightfully prohibits slander, libel and perjury, but that is also prohibited in the Ten Commandments regarding bearing false witness.

We also understand that truth is a defense against charges of libel and slander, and if a person makes a statement under oath that the person believes is the truth, it isn’t perjury. It is a mistake. There is a big difference between telling a lie and being misinformed. Christians (and those of other faiths) believe that what they believe is absolute truth, and should not be denied the opportunity to proclaim their beliefs during a high holy holiday.

Nobody denies the right of atheists to deny the existence of a god. We ignore them and let them have their non-beliefs. They should ignore us when we proclaim ours. That is only fair. This is a great time for the believers to come together as it is a season where the Christians have a surge of kindness and good will.

As a believer and a columnist, I want to wish those who believe, a very Merry Christmas and the prayer that they will be able to spend the holiday and their money as they please. We just hope they have their priorities straight and pray for those who don’t. The greatest gift is free. It is love. Give it freely and unconditionally and you can’t fail to have a great new year. Even an opinionated columnist can be tolerant. Can a non-believer do the same? I ask God to bless them, too.

The whole nation is freezing to death. We can add Dallas to our national misery. Here is our weather forecast:

Today is the first day of winter, and a cold front sweeping across North Texas caused temperatures to fall into the upper 20s and high teens by daybreak, with wind chills dipping into the single digits at some reporting stations.

At 8 a.m., the National Weather Service reported it was 18 degrees in Denton and Decatur; 19 degrees at McKinney, Sherman/Denison and Fort Worth Meacham Airport.

How cold is it? 19 degrees is pretty cold in Dallas!

Normally, I go outside to enjoy a cigar and the Sunday night NFL report on ESPN radio.

Tonight, I enjoyed the NFL report but I did it inside!

My uncle in Wisconsin said that it’s freezing cold up there. He used a Cuban term that we can’t repeat in a family blog. My uncle always has a nasty word for Castro whenever the temps go frigid!

The headlines are amazing:

WINTER BLOWS IN

Dangerous Cold Sweeps into East…

Check out the national map and see all of those negative temperatures! I think that we called them “minus zero” when I lived in Wisconsin!

Soup, soap and salvation is one of the mottos of the Salvation Army. When faced with a helpless and/or hopeless person they first feed them, clean them up and then do miraculous things to get the person the help they really need.

Salvation is not only spiritual. A healthy soul is a good start to get a healthy body, but the spiritual beginning is the good first step to a healthy mind. As the mind goes, the body usually follows. A person who is depressed usually falls into many bad habits which are contrary to a decent life style.

Ask anyone who has overcome the bad habits of any sort of addiction. If it is drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex or any other compulsive habit, the person first has to accept the premise that there is something greater than they are and once they come to grips that there is a higher power, they can begin to kick the bad habits.

That is where the Salvation Army comes in. They are a charitable organization and Christian in their beliefs, but they don’t require that those who come for help accept any particular religious belief. They will feed hungry atheists with the same dedication that they nourish the followers of a faith or church.

The only criterion the Salvation Army needs is that the person needs help and is willing to accept it. When a tragedy or disaster strikes, many have noticed that while other charitable and governmental organizations are moving in to set up their programs, the Salvation Army is already feeding people and providing shelter and other needs.

The Army is well noted for working in conjunction and cooperating with the other organizations providing services. They are concerned only with providing the help and don’t care about mundane things like “who is going to get the credit.”

The Salvation Army is supported by donations and some government grants. The amazing thing about getting the government grants is management in the Army knows how to stretch a buck farther than any other receiver of public funds.

One of the reasons is that those familiar with the workings of the Salvation Army learn quickly that nobody is in it for money. Their paid employees earn far, far less than their counterparts in the public sector and those in other charitable organizations. They work, and work very hard, because they believe it is the right thing to do. It definitely is not a career path for those who want to retire with a generous pension or an extravagant way of life.

When you see the person standing with the red kettle, please consider that even with the economy heading in the downward direction, by giving up that extra cup of coffee that day and dropping a buck into the bucket, you can provide a meal for someone who would otherwise go hungry.

When you go through your closets and decide to get rid of your out-of-style clothes, think of giving them to the Salvation Army. During the winter months, the gift of used warm clothing can make a huge difference in a person’s ability to survive in Buffalo winters.

Along with the usual help, the Salvation Army has programs to help people regain dignity and self-respect. For the unwed mother, they offer programs to help them develop necessary skills to raise their children properly. They have counselors and social workers to guide the poor to get proper housing and medical care. They offer a hand up rather than a hand out.

They consider their successes by the number of people they aid in becoming self-sufficient and productive members of society. Their results speak volumes of doing the most good for those who need it most.

The next time you have some clothing, old furniture, or anything that can be used, consider a donation to the Salvation Army. There are many drop-off points in the area, and it is tax deductible. And if you are in the mood to help an unfortunate child during the Christmas season, you might want to consider a gift of children’s clothes, a toy for them to play with, or even some spare change so they can begin to have a better life.

The politicians like to say; “It’s for the children.” The Salvation Army says: “It is for those who need help.” From the newborns to the aged, there are programs and help from the Salvation Army.

During the Christmas season, won’t you be generous and help someone who really needs a lift up? You will feel much better than if you spend the buck on the extra cup of coffee.

The Cowboys should look at this video. I think that I just found a back-up for Tony Romo.

Let’s give Bush a little credit here.

How many 62 year old men can move like this? It’s a shame that the security forces didn’t let Bush just go over and beat the crap out of this clown. (My money is on Texan Bush!)

What about the “shoe thrower”, a.k.a journalist? I guess that he is now ready for a show on MSNBC or a column in The NY Times.

Iraq is indeed a new place. First, you can throw a shoe at an official guest in one of Saddam’s old palaces. Second, no one will be raping the thrower’s 14 year old daughter!

Beyond the comedy, the new US-Iraq agreement is very significant. Read what Charles Krauthammer wrote about it:

The barbarism in Mumbai and the economic crisis at home have largely overshadowed an otherwise singular event: the ratification of military and strategic cooperation agreements between Iraq and the United States.

They must not pass unnoted.

They were certainly noted by Iran, which fought fiercely to undermine the agreements.

Tehran understood how a formal U.S.-Iraqi alliance endorsed by a broad Iraqi consensus expressed in a freely elected parliament changes the strategic balance in the region.

For the United States, this represents the single most important geopolitical advance in the region since Henry Kissinger turned Egypt from a Soviet client into an American ally.

If we don’t blow it with too hasty a withdrawal from Iraq, we will have turned a chronically destabilizing enemy state at the epicenter of the Arab Middle East into an ally.

Also largely overlooked at home was the sheer wonder of the procedure that produced Iraq’s consent: classic legislative maneuvering with no more than a tussle or two — tame by international standards over the most fundamental issues of national identity and direction.

The only significant opposition bloc was the Sadrists, a mere 30 seats out of 275.

The ostensibly pro-Iranian religious Shiite parties resisted Tehran’s pressure and championed the agreement.

As did the Kurds.

The Sunnis put up the greatest fight.

But their concern was that America would be withdrawing too soon, leaving them subject to overbearing and perhaps even vengeful Shiite dominance.

Like the Cheney shooting a couple of years ago, the American left will enjoy this video. It will certainly be a distraction from Obama’s Cabinet appointments or the scandal in Chicago.

However, we will have the last laugh. Why? Because Obama won’t change anything about the Bush Iraq policy.