I had a recent submission titled “A president like none other.” In my writing, I mentioned Barack Obama’s upbringing as a Muslim, his admission to doing drugs in high school, mentored by a card-carrying communist, friends with an American terrorist, supported in his campaigns by many socialist groups, accusing Christians of killing in the name of God, and agreeing to a treaty that allows Islamic Iran a pathway eventually to a nuclear bomb.

I didn’t have to think long and hard about how Obama in many other ways makes him extraordinarily unique in the history of America’s presidents, at least recent ones. Looks to me our president is setting records and making history all over the place.

For example, has this country ever had a major piece of legislation, namely Obamacare, which was passed in such a nefarious way, not even getting one single Republican vote? “You can keep your doctor and insurance” came to be a complete and total untruth, although our president said that would be the case over 20 times. Has any other piece of legislation been changed some 40 times out of the blue by our president, changes to the law that should have gone through Congress? Obamacare will go down in history as a failure in its attempt to take over a sixth of our economy unless major changes are made to it.

Before going on with more, let me remind readers our founders envisioned vigorous debate about our government, particularly about those in power. My letter is not hate speech since I do not make up things about Obama. To some, the truth may hurt, but in a democracy, it’s essential to look at the facts. I would remind my dissenters that the left preyed on George W. Bush relentlessly as if he was the devil, and much of what was said by liberal media was stretching the truth. GOP presidential hopeful Ted Cruz is getting accused of being crazy as we speak by liberal media as they try taking him out, even though millions upon millions totally agree with what he says.

Does anybody believe a Republican president would avoid impeachment with the same record Obama has? Media would make sure there would be impeachment.

Obama set a record for the nation’s debt, now up to $18 trillion. He has added more debt than all the other previous presidents combined. Bush added to our debt, but Obama has exceeded that by whopping margins. Mathematically, it may be impossible to pay it down as this government has mortgaged to the hilt our children and grandchildren’s future. History in the making!

I quote John Bolton, former U.S. ambassador to the U.N., and expert on the Middle East as he says, “Barack Obama is going to sign the worst deal made by a western power since the British sheepishly tried to appease Hitler. Iran is our enemy, and we’re foolish to think they will honor any deal we make with them.” Does Obama’s Muslim upbringing have anything to do with his many concessions to Islamic Iran? It makes one wonder, and it’s not hate speech to question where he’s coming from. Our national security is at stake.

What president would use taxpayer money ($350,000) to defeat Israel’s Prime Minister? Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and has always been an ally, but Obama’s behavior makes one wonder. America has always been throughout most of our history a Judeo-Christian nation, but no longer as we listen to Obama. Iran has said time and again, “it will wipe Israel off the face of the earth, the destruction of Israel is non-negotiable, and death to America.” What is Obama thinking as he partners with our enemy and throws a friend under the bus?

There’s so much more that has occurred since January 2009. My head is exploding as I just think “off the top of my head” how much has changed in America. I have lots more to present and although I just joked about it, we’re at a crossroads like never before in our history. For example, more people than ever on food stamps, more people than ever living in poverty, fewer people in the labor force, fewer full-time jobs and more part-time jobs, lower middle class incomes on the average, etc.

How do you explain a president incessantly preaching income inequality, while under his watch the rich are getting richer? Socialism is many things. In particular, it is big government. Our government has never been bigger or more invasive.

The Obama beat goes on and on in record breaking and historical ways, therefore … to be continued with a Part II.

Les Knoll lives in Victoria and Gilbert, Ariz.

Submitted by Ulises Gonzalez

Fort Hays State University students Ulises Gonzalez, a Garden City junior, and junior Molly Morgan, a Wilson junior, are campaigning for the 2015-16 academic year for the Student Government Association Presidential and Vice Presidential seats, respectively.

Gonzalez is a double major in Management and Tourism & Hospitality Management. He currently serves as the Vice President of the Student Government Association. Gonzalez has previously participated in the allocations process, the Big Event, Tiger Day at the Capitol, and many other local and statewide initiatives. During his term as Senator, Gonzalez also served as chair of the Student Affairs Committee of the Student Government Association.

Gonzalez stated “Molly Morgan and I, in a collaborative effort, will strive to put the interests of the students first while maximizing their fees at a minimal cost. We are in this with the students and for the students.”

Morgan is a political science major who has been a part of the Student Government Association for three years as a Senator for the College of Arts and Sciences. Morgan has also served as the Administrative Assistant, the Senate Affairs Committee Chair, and the Appropriations Committee Chair of the Student Government Association. Recently this semester, Morgan had the honor of being elected the Allocations Committee Chair for the Fiscal Year 2016 funding process.

FHSU Student Government Association elections will take place through https://tigerlink.fhsu.edu/ starting at 8:00am April 8th and closing 4:30pm April 9th. Voting is open to all Fort Hays State University students enrolled in on-campus courses.

One of the inevitable side effects of watching a movie every weekend for over three years is becoming a little jaded. It becomes harder to please anyone who has ever say in the critics’ seat because they have seen how the sausage is made, so to speak. I try to anticipate and adjust for my bias as much as I possibly can. I’m the first to admit that I’m far from perfect.

That said, “Furious 7” is a steaming pile of garbage that deserves neither its stupefying level of critical acclaim or its bountiful weekend box office total.

This just isn’t a good movie. The “Fast and the Furious” franchise has taken a long, winding road through cinematic history but never has it stopped in a more seedy or idiotic part of town than it does in its seventh installment. The best, and most truthful, way I can describe the latest two episodes of this franchise is this: these films have become moronic “Transformers” movies with fast cars that don’t transform.

The writing is absolutely abysmal, the acting is poor, even from veteran actors, and the runtime is bloated beyond belief. I’m perfectly fine with “stupid funny” movies or “just for fun action” flicks, but “Furious 7” is neither. It’s stupid, but not funny. It has action but it takes itself far too seriously to find the fun in its ludicrous proceedings.

“Fast Five” was an incredibly enjoyable “just for fun” movie. It had everything those types of films need. Installments six and seven tried to up the ante and up the octane by such ridiculous amounts that the resulting mess blasts off from the realm of fun sails obliviously through one trope and camp after another.

Yes, the tribute to Paul Walker at the end was touching. Yes, Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel are exciting action stars. However, “Furious 7” is guilty of the most egregious of creative sins -it’s a sellout. Instead of delivering what would tell the best story or be the most entertaining, the filmmakers instead decided to deliver everything they (correctly if the buzz and box office numbers are any indication) thought audiences wanted to see. “Furious 7” is a radioactively glowing example of the business of the cinema industry, which is a shame.

2 of 6 stars