Fred Phelps Needs Help

Abuse of Freedom of Speech and Other Cowardly Acts

I hate to bring any attention to someone who appears to be mentally deranged but those who follow the writings and leadership of Fred Phelps and his so called church are in my humble opinion in need of some serious help.  Fred Phelps calls his church a Baptist church but there is absolutely no affiliation with the real Baptist Church .  I hope non-churched individuals will realize this and not associate with those who attend REAL Baptist churches with Fred Phelps and his followers.

For the un-indoctrinated, Mr. Phelps (he calls himself a preacher) and his WBC (Westboro Baptist Church) pride themselves in picketing the funerals of military members killed in Iraq .  This in itself is, again, in my humble opinion, an act of treason but Mr. Phelps hangs his hat on first amendment rights.  Now, is it not ironic that brave individuals are dying for our freedom, including freedom of speech so that a self proclaimed preacher (I doubt he has any real credentials) can run around the country further inflicting pain and suffering on families who have lost loved ones.

This so called man of God has a website that spouts rhetoric and hatred equal to that of the Nazi party in the 1930’s.  I refuse to give any credence to his ravings by repeating anything from his website but needless to say the protesting of funerals is just one example of the apparent sickness.  One would be almost forced to ponder how much food this man has eaten from aluminum and iron cookware.  I am told a lifetime of eating from cheap aluminum cookware has a negative effect on the electrical impulses in the human brain. 

The latest outrage will be picketing the funerals of those killed at Virginia Tech earlier this week.  One of these funerals will take place in Augusta, Georgia this weekend.  Again, the irony here will be the fact that the local law enforcement will be required to protect the rights of Mr. Phelps and his band of village idiots from any harm that might be perpetrated against them.  I hope there is no violence for the sake of the family of Ryan Clark. 

Perhaps I am incorrect in my assumption that exposing Mr. Phelps and the WBC will give them more credibility.  Perhaps we should make it our mission to read the hatred on his website and realize that all the dangerous people in the world do not carry automatic weapons and kill human beings through mad acts.  Human beings can receive serious damage by madmen using the guise of religion and free speech to perform character assassination and emotional distress. 

Shame on Fred Phelps and shame on those who use religion as a crutch to spout hatred and their own political viewpoints!

Terry

Power Pride and Arrogance

Power Pride and Arrogance or Ignorance and Naiveté

Speaker Pelosi has placed herself in the position of defending the wording of her message to Syrian President Assad.

The issue is really not whether or not she delivered the wrong message – the issue is Speaker Pelosi’s obvious naiveté regarding politics on the world stage. Her demeanor is scary, dangerous and somewhat foolish.  She is the person only two steps away from assuming the Presidency of the United States and she is acting like a power crazed court jester.

Perhaps she did not violate any diplomatic rules when communicating with President Assad but she put herself in the position of being second guessed and criticized.  She is operating in an arena where she has no qualifications and obviously fewer skills on the world stage.  Does she really believe King Abdullah cares one bit about the number of women in authority in Saudi Arabia?  The comment did make for some good sound bytes however.

So now we have Prime Minister Olmert of Israel telling us that Speaker Pelosi delivered a message he did not authorize.  Speaker Pelosi’s press machine is already in full defense telling anyone who will listen how she did not break any rules and stayed within the boundaries of her office.  Once again, I say it does not matter what message she delivered it matters that she is not qualified to play in this sandbox. 

Will Syria now assume they are more than a second class country on the world stage?  No one really knows but visits from self important demagogues will certainly not take away from this perception.  Will King Abdullah realize the error of his ways and appoint more females to important posts within the Saudi government?  When pigs fly!!!  As a matter of fact King Abdullah is now preaching the rhetoric that the U.S. is an invader in Arab lands and needs to leave the area post haste.  He is putting a multi billion dollar arms deal with the U.S. in jeopardy with his current stance on U.S. Mideast Policy. 

One would have to suspect that King Abdullah is concerned with his power base in Saudi Arabia due to the large influence of radical Islamist in the country.  Perhaps we need to stop selling arms to the Saudi’s and let them slowly return to the 7^th century.  The radicals talk about returning to the glory of ancient Islam but I really wonder what they would do if they no longer had air conditioning and Coca-Cola.  Remove the facade they have installed and we might see they really like Western culture. 

Speaker Pelosi – please keep up the good work and you may find yourself wearing a veil and being the servant matron for King Assad.  Should radical Islam get their wish and dominate the world stage including the United States, it will be ironic that individuals such as Nancy Pelosi would be the first to have their power diminished in a male dominated culture.  Good thing she does not qualify for one of the 72 virgins’ positions.

Terry

Carbon Offsets: A Scam of Global Proportions

Finally, I have a better understanding of global warming.  Academy awards, congressional hearings and a mountain of written information have allowed me to see the light but it must be a CFL.  (Compact fluorescent light)  You know CFL is the replacement bulb for regular light bulbs and they only cost 4 times as much as incandescent bulbs. 

New terms have emerged because of the global warming scare and one should be cognizant of the definitions for these terms prior to engaging in any attempt at logical conversation.  The terms in question are Carbon neutrality defined as purchasing something called a Carbon Offset.  Basically, if you produce too much carbon in the atmosphere through driving, flying, using too much power at home or the office you can soothe your troubled mind by giving money to one of several companies in business to sell you a carbon offset.  Your money supposedly goes to projects creating power through non-carbon producing processes. 

I encourage everyone to investigate the motive behind global warming by visiting websites such as www.terrapass.com where you will be offered the opportunity to pay for the privilege of seeking carbon neutrality.  For example, you can enter your zip code and a little information about your power bills or your vehicle and you are quoted a carbon-offset fee.  I entered my power bill totals for the past month and as a result can receive a Terra Pass for one year for only $149.70.  For only $80.00, I receive a decal for my vehicle and have the opportunity to feel good about driving again.    Frankly, whoever is behind this website has my admiration.  Anyone who can pull this off has to be brilliant.  It remains to be seen if the American people will act like sheep running to the slaughter but I would wager these organizations would be extremely successful.

Does it seem a little strange we are requested to pay fees to allow us to abuse natural resources such as natural gas and petroleum?  I thought the purpose of reducing global warming was to reduce our dependence on these resources through conservation.  Now, we have a new industry evolving that will let me pay in advance for my sin of overindulgence.  Such a deal, I can purchase a vehicle getting 8 miles per gallon but put a decal on my window and be forgiven for my greed.

Follow the money! This ain’t brain surgery.

Terry

Universal Health Care Volume III

Look before you leap!  This has always been a favorite saying of mine because some of our politicians often open their mouths and spew forth great ideas as they embrace noble causes.  Health care is one of these noble causes.  However, no one bothers to define the main issue,  define the costs involved or where to find the money to fund these great experiments. 

There are volumes of data available regarding universal health care but let’s use one example already mentioned in one of Richard’s earlier postings and that is the situation at Walter Reed Army Hospital.  My friends tell me that most VA hospitals are neat, clean and run on time.  The one drawback so I am told is the fact they are run like assembly lines.  This makes sense to me because of the volume of patients they see each day.  Often I wish my private physician would run more like a factory but frankly I have no major problems with the way my personal health care is handled. 

The quote by Ronald Bailey in a previous post in this Blog says it all regarding government run hospitals. “no real accountability from the people who run the joint.”

This statement speaks volumes of what citizens of the United States can expect if Hillary or those like her get their wish for Universal Health Care.  Look at the budget that is being sought by the VA to run their health care unit.  For fiscal 2008 they are seeking $36.6 Billion U.S. This information is readily available at http://www.va.gov/budgetYou might ask how many patients will be treated using this $36.6 billion.  By the way, I am all in favor of spending whatever is necessary to treat the troops who keep me safe on my own soil.  The point of this is to say the government is overwhelmed by 5.8 million patients who happen to be veterans.  That’s correct … the $36.6 billion will treat and take care of 5.8 million deserving veterans.  Do the math and you will see we are spending only $6200 per individual patient treated by the VA.  Statistics show we have around 47 million uninsured individuals in the U.S. Using simple math we can multiple the total of $36.6 billion by 8.3 (we arrive at 8.3 by dividing 47 million by 5.8 million) to arrive at a figure necessary for the government to supply universal health care to everyone without insurance.  The figure looks like this 8.3 X $36.6 billion = $307,178,571,428.57 or $307 Billion.

Where in the world do you think the additional Billions of dollars will be generated?  One guess boys and girls.  BY YOU AND ME.  In addition we will have the potential for the same disaster that has occurred at Walter Reed.  No accountability and a lot of passing the buck.  Do you want to see your loved ones be denied service for what we now consider routine health care?  Look at your local hospitals and tell me that individuals are being turned away if they have no insurance.  The answer is “no.”  Our local hospital subsidizes those who cannot pay using the insurance payments from those who can.  You may be told this is not lawful and does not happen but think about it.  Do hospitals write off bills of indigent patients or those who have problems paying?  NO!!  They may try to collect and in some cases they are somewhat successful in collecting a portion of the amount due.  Take a close look at your next hospital bill if you have to use a public hospital.  One reason we have $100 aspirins is to pay for those who cannot pay.  We already have universal health care and believe me bringing all citizens to the lowest level of care will not increase the care for those without insurance.

Have a grat day!

Terry

Picking a Presidential Candidate

The Dragon in Wolf Clothing

Her Highness, Senator Clinton, began shedding her centrist ways at the recent Democratic Winter Meetings.  In example, her comment regarding the profits made by Exxon last quarter “I want to take those profits and put them into an alternative energy fund that will begin to fund alternative smart energy alternatives that will actually begin to move us toward the direction of independence.”

First, whoever is responsible for writing this comment for her should find a substitute for the word alternative!  More importantly, every person who thinks they understand the profit motive and the word socialism needs to rethink the definitions in “Hillaryspeak.”  Like it or not the profits made by Exxon are due to the American public and their non quenchable thirst for gasoline and petroleum products.  Who bought the products that allow Exxon to be so profitable?  A better question may be do we really care if they are profitable as long as the flow of gasoline continues?  I think the latter comment may be closer to the truth.  Senator Clinton is utilizing the age old practice of Demagoguery to increase her polling numbers and possibly because she feels the hot breath of Obama breathing on her neck.  She will have to unleash her true persona if she is to beat back the onslaught of “Mr. Clean”.  Pardon my paraphrase of Senator Biden’s verbal misdemeanor.

So now we have the wolf’s clothing being removed to make room for the fire breathing dragon lady known as Senator Clinton.  I cannot wait to see what outlandish comments she may let escape her oral cavity during the next few months.  I suspect the true socialist’s agenda may raise its ugly little head regarding not only the stealing of private enterprise funds (Exxon) but also the heavy yoke of additional taxes required to fund the plethora of social programs desired by the Democratic Party.  Does socialized medicine come to mind?  It should because the likes of Senator Clinton, Senator Kennedy and the current most powerful woman in America, Nancy Pelosi, would all like to force so-called medical care for everyone down our throats. 

Look at the current budget approved by the Bush administration!  2.9 Trillion dollars for a budget with which to run our country.  Our friends in Congress do not believe this is enough and would like to increase the budget to accommodate additional social programs (vote buying).  So now we know that with a population of 300,000,000 (not including illegal aliens) and a budget of 3 Trillion every man woman and child in the United States owes $10,000 apiece in order to fund the budget.  For argument sake let us say that there are only 200 million working people in our country paying taxes.  The bill now becomes $15,000 per working person.  How much tax did you pay last year?  More importantly, how much tax will you pay next year and in the future?  How in the name of common sense will our children and grandchildren live in such a suppressed society?  Regardless of your political, religious or societal affiliations you have to ask yourself the questions above and then put the pressure on our elected royalty in this country to actually do something. 

I suspect a lot of working individuals believe that the rich are not paying enough and that the good old boys currently in charge in Congress will see to it that this changes.  Poppycock! Do the research and you will see that roughly 5% of the American public pays 57% of the taxes in this country.  All we need is to tax those making more and the free enterprise system will fall about like a house of cards.  Where is the incentive to work and make more when the dragon lady is planning on appropriating any excess profits for redistribution to her favorite governmental charity?  I certainly cannot speak for anyone but myself but I would never want to see any branch of government be able to “steal” profits for redistributions from private enterprise.

My firm belief remains constant that Barack Obama and Hillary will eventually become running mates.  Our electorate is uninformed regarding factual information surrounding candidates and so brainwashed into the celebrity mentality that Obama is almost guaranteed a position should the Democrats win in 2008.  Barack Hussein Obama is indeed quick on his feet and gives a great impression during a grin and grab session.  His charisma and charm have generation X and Y all but swooning like giddy schoolgirls, but it remains to be seen if Gen X and Y will get out and vote.  Meanwhile the Republican Party remains on course to run another aging European American male.  The number of individuals remaining in America who will vote for the traditional candidate is shrinking every month and heaven knows who will be less polarizing to the Republican faithful. 

The countdown has begun and we only have 11 months until the first Presidential caucus.  How much money and how much ink are wasted determining the next candidate remains to be seen but I personally cannot wait to witness the verbal assault from Hillary once she receives the oral colonoscopy from the media.  Then we will see the wolf shed her fur and assume the true persona of a fire breathing scale covered dragon lady.

Remember picking a Presidential candidate is not brain surgery.

Terry

Don’t Overlook Your Local Community College

Choosing a college or university need not be a life changing decision for most individuals. Naturally some students pride themselves in attending a specific school due to family ties, sports activities or if all else fails because of the academic standing enjoyed by certain institutions. In my humble opinion, high school and college counselors should spend a little more time analyzing some of the local institutions such as community colleges and smaller four year state institutions.

Why would I choose a small institution over a large research institution? Usually this would depend upon my average high school grades, my financial status or my transportation options. More and more students returning to school after long absences find the small local institutions offer more flexibility in their scheduling of classes. Often the staff and faculty are more empathetic toward working adults in smaller local institutions due to the large population of students falling into this category.

The main point to any of this is to look in your own back yard before you spend a lot of effort and money applying to and attending large colleges and universities that may be a long distance from your home. A great percentage of first year students arrive on campus full of vigor and wanting to immerse themselves in the entire college experience. More often than not the first quarter or semester removes all optimism regarding passing grades while spending most evening hours chasing after love interests and drinking oneself into oblivion. Living at home for at least the first year and attending a local Jr. College or 4 year institution could establish a base line for grades and behavior that would follow students to the next level. Once bad habits are established they are difficult to change even when the desire is present.

Like a lot of individuals I spent a many hours bending my elbow and being amazed at the transformation process that takes place with young females after midnight. Had I spent a little more time with the books and in class I might have found myself a little less stressed in midlife trying to make a living and supporting a family. The real world experience is best explained by one who has been through the same experience. In my case I was the first person in my immediate family to attend college and consequently my family had no idea as to the temptations to which I would be exposed.

When my children were deciding upon college one of them chose to go attend a college away from home. I made this promise to her. If you make less than a C in any subject you will come home and attend the local JR. College for 2 quarters. Her second quarter in college found her with 2 D’s and a C. True to our word her mother and I drove to her apartment, loaded up her belongings and took her home to a Jr. College as promised. She make A’s for 2 quarters and was allowed to go back to her previous life. Why do I relate this story? Because it is true and it worked for my family. Smaller institutions offer a lot of opportunity and one should hasten to take advantage of these before grades get totally out of hand.

By the way, my younger child decided to attend a local Jr. College for two years and afterward received a scholarship to a private Regional University. Normally, the tuition for the private school would have run me well over $20,000 a year (this was in the mid 90’s) but with her scholarship we only paid $3000 per quarter. Why am I a firm believer in local institutions? The previous two personal examples say it all for me.

Presently, I am fortunate to be employed as an instructor at a local 4 year state college. The majority of my students live within 20 miles of the college and are receiving a quality education at a reasonable cost. A majority of the professors and instructors in our business school have years of practical business experience and the class sizes are small enough for a lot of personal attention.

Should you be wrestling with a family member regarding where they should attend an institution of higher learning please do not overlook any local Jr. College or 4 year institution as you will do yourself and your family member an injustice. For the most part those attending college will get out what they put in and you do not have to mortgage the house and go into overwhelming debt to accomplish the goal.

Terry

The Academy Awards aka The Narcissistic Awards

After watching and listening to all of the pre announcements for the pending announcements of those choosing to run for President of the United States, I thought things could not get much worse. Wrong!! Beginning today, the 23 of January, we will be inundated by hype for the annual academy of Narcissism Awards or as they are commonly known, Academy Awards.

You know the Academy awards! These are awards voted for and given by those who write, produce, direct and star in films (motion Pictures) that we have never heard of and most likely will never see until they are released on CD and sold to 24 hour cable channels for endless broadcast.

The Academy has done it’s best to increase the audience but after all there are only a limited number of adolescent individuals in the world. Observing so called celebrities arrive on the red carpet dressed in costumes that rival the national debt of most third world countries is about as entertaining as chewing on tin foil. The punishment is only increased by interviews of Hollywood’s best and brightest who are generally only interested in getting their best profile in front of the camera. I would love to see the combined IQ of all those interviewed on the red carpet. I suspect it would rival the combined IQ of patients in a large Meth rehab unit.

Only when we think we have seen it all the actual awards take place. Oh yes, the career achievement award given to the best and brightest 32 year old bimbo in the academy. The recipient may show up in a strapless gown split completely on one side and her silicone enhanced bosom hanging out the top just in case a unique photo op might occur. The recipient for best male actor (it is not longer in vogue to use the term actress and actor) may show up wearing the worst excuse for a tuxedo in the history of man. The most talented clothing designers are employed to furnish the costumes for the Narcissism Awards. Most of the designers still believe that Blade Runner was a real look into the future and design accordingly. The only costumes that have been even more ridiculous were those worn in a movie named The Fifth Element and I fully expect to see some of the Hollywood elite show up dressed like the character portrayed by Gary Oldman in this movie.

By the end of the evening the television viewing audience will be limited to those with permanent memory loss or those who will soon suffer the same fate. It has been rumored The Narcissism Awards may be used for the treatment of mental patients. It is a non invasive treatment substituted for prefrontal lobotomies, less invasive but unfortunately a lot more painful.

A good alternative to watching the Narcissistic Awards is to find a good cable channel and watch continual reruns of the old sitcom The Real McCoys. If you do not recognize the program look it up on a search engine. Another alternative is to watch the first four hours of this year’s 24 and wonder what would happen if the radioactivity spread to Hollywood. WWJBD?.

Bubba Terry

Ivory and Ebony in 2008

Ok, I must admit that I feel much safer now that Barack Obama has decided to take the first legal steps toward running for the Presidency of The United States.  NOT!!!  Are there any human beings with a body temperature of 98.6 who actually believe that Mr. Obama will run against Hillary?  Give me a small break!  Were I a betting man I would bet that the Democratic ticket for 2008 will be Clinton for President and Obama for President of Vice.

Barack Obama is indeed a fine looking young man and evidently has a lot of charm. I hardly think he has the same charisma of JFK although the media has already decided he is the second coming of John Kennedy.  He has a myriad of experience having been elected to the U.S. Senate exactly one time after serving for 2 terms in a state office in Illinois. (notice my tongue is sticking through my cheek.)  I hope his main qualification among those of voting age is not the fact that he is the only black member of the U.S. Senate.  One must admit however that a Presidential ticket that includes a white woman and the wife of an ex-President and a running mate who is young, smart, good looking and oh, by the way, is also African American would present an almost unbeatable ticket. The first woman President might serve for 2 terms and then the first Black Vice President could become the first Black President for 2 terms.  The Democrats would have the White House locked up for 16 years.  It is almost too perfect.  The only thing that could make it better would be for Mr. Obama to choose a Muslim for his VP running mate sometime after 2012.

One major problem would be Teddy Kennedy trying to pronounce Obama’s first name.  Usually, depending on how awake the Senator from Massachusetts may be, the name is slurred something like Osama Obama or Barack Osama.  That Teddy Kennedy, he is certainly a source of pride for The Bay State!

Clinton and Obama might make for an interesting ticket because it would be considered un-American and politically incorrect to vote against either of them.  I suspect Hillary would quickly find a way to avoid public scrutiny due to her disdain for answering questions that are not rehearsed or previously submitted to her staff for her approval.  Mr. Obama might have to take up the slack resulting from Hillary’s refusal or inability to give answers to any meaningful questions.  This would make for some very interesting behind the scenes jockeying as Hillary Rodham loves the spotlight but refuses to answer any serious questions and I suspect Obama will grab any microphone that is not glued down in order to get a few sound bites on the evening news.

Hang on boys and girls … the election of 2008 will indeed be a great awakening for those of you who still believe elections are won on integrity and principle.  Sound bites, good looks and little in the area of substance will certainly play well with the great unwashed voting public in 2008.  I cannot imagine who the Republican Party will run against Obama and Clinton. Perhaps Newt Gingrich, John McCain or whoever else decides to run on the Republican ticket should grow a beard and begin wearing black suits and a stovepipe hat and hope they are confused with a reincarnation of Abraham Lincoln.  The Republican Presidential candidate will also have to choose a good looking black woman to run as VP.  Condi Rice certainly has the intelligence but gets absolutely no respect from the press.  Perhaps Paula Abdul should be chosen and share her inside secrets from the American Idol Kool-Aid drinkers.  As a matter of fact, perhaps the Republicans should run an American Idol type of presidential race, the candidate could sing, dance and promise everything to everybody and then the public could vote on who they wanted to be the Republican candidate.  Wait a minute … the Democratic Party has already begun using that idea.  Oh well, I suppose we will have to become accustomed to ivory and ebony in the White House.

Terry

The Two Major Political Parties: Dumb & Dumber

I have finally been convinced of what I consider to be fact and that is … There is very little difference between the two major political parties.  Now before you take issue with this statement let me elaborate just a little.  First, I know the statement is not original.  Untold numbers of pundits and analysts have been saying the same thing for years.  The primary problem, I believe, is not many people really care one way or another.  Those of us who do care were highly invigorated when the Republicans took back the house in 1994.  Since 1994 the Republican led congress has gone out of their way to conceal their so called conservative viewpoints.  Those of us who voted for a Republican controlled congress did so for a reason but those we put into office put their own interest above those they chose to serve.  Now we are stuck with 535 members of American royalty sucking the lifeblood out of American taxpayers.

Let’s not forget the executive branch either.  I voted twice for “W” and given the choice of Gore and Kerry, I would do it again but “W” gives the appearance of a closet liberal.  Look at our policies on education and immigration. No Child Left Behind is nothing more than Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society with another name.  Every attempt to legislate education rather than attack the core problem further complicates everyone’s life.  Our education problems in the United States are more of a cultural issue than a political issue.  Immigration on the other hand is a huge political issue.  Nothing has been done under the current administration to stem the rising tide of Hispanic immigrants into the United States.  This is an old song but one that needs to be sung by all citizens, natural born or otherwise.

Now we are reading about the document signed between the United States and Mexico in June of 2004.  In case you have not heard the document basically gives Mexicans illegal or otherwise access to Social Security once they have accumulated 18 months of documented working time in the Estados Unidos.  If you do not know how this translates you need to get used to it.  The treaty, or document as it were, has not been sent to congress for ratification.  Why not you ask? Well because Congress only has 60 days to ratify this “treaty” or it becomes a non issue.  Due to the current political climate in the USA, there might just be a little consternation if such a deal between the U.S. and Mexico becomes too widely known. The Bush administration for some reason does not want Congress to let this issue die nor do they want the American public to gain much knowledge about the issue. For more information go to this article on the subject (“Critics say Social Security deal would give billlions to Mexicans”) at the Houston Chronicle Newspaper online.  Interesting reading!

As of this last week we are blessed with a Democrat controlled congress.  I cannot tell you how much better I sleep knowing this bunch of clowns is in charge.  I seriously doubt we will see much difference with the exception of additional taxation.  “W” has almost two years left in office and nothing to lose so I would really appreciate him using his veto powers to try and hold back the tidal wave of entitlements and tax increases we are bound to see.  Minimum wage is just the beginning.  No, I am not against the working man earning a decent wage.  Minimum wage is nothing more than another political football.  The statistics of those earning the minimum wage are very revealing considering that the majority of individuals in this category are young, work part time, are not the sole breadwinner for a family and live above the poverty line.  Why then is such a furor being created about less than 1.5 % of the working population?  The answer is simple; it makes good press and sounds good.  Will raising the minimum wage help those living in poverty?  Probably not, because they will be the first ones laid off and their goods and services will now cost more.  The price of increasing wages is not going to be absorbed by business or by any business owner.  The increase will be absorbed by you and me and any one else who purchases goods and services and this is how it should be.  Can we wipe out poverty?  Can we make someone go to school or strive to be the best they can be?  Can we make laws outlawing ignorance and poverty?  The answers are evident and the answer in all cases is NO.  We can attempt to educate and assist those in need and we can try and instill the desire to succeed in our employees, friends and family but we will never be successful 100% of the time.  Our elected officials would rather make all citizens suffer at the expense of a few.  This is not the prudent way to run a country, business or family.  There comes a time when facts must be faced and the needs of the many may exceed the needs of the few.  Will any politician have the courage to tell the truth and stand behind their belief?  Time will tell, Time will tell!

Terry

The Science of Sales Management

In my humble opinion, the term sales manager is extremely misleading yet most companies continue to use this description for one of their most important positions. Let’s think for a moment how sales are actually made. Do we as sales people create the sale through our dynamic personalities and outgoing demeanor? Hardly; we make the sale through our continued activity with the client. I will go out on a limb and boldly say we never manager sales, rather we manage activity. Should you disagree with this please read on.

Nothing happens until a sale is made! The truth in this age old comment sometimes amazes those new to the field of sales. In a prior life I would always begin a sales meeting with this statement and always begin my interviews with potential employees with the same comment.

So, if we have to manage activity and nothing happens until a sale is made, how do we accomplish both tasks in order to be successful at the science of sales? The answer is rather simple. As the “Sales Manager” one must put into place some very simple but effective methods of managing activity. Some very successful and seasoned professionals will disagree with my suggestions and that is OK. If you are satisfied with the performance of your sales team and are making as much money as you want to make then stop reading now. Otherwise read on for some proven tactics.

The plan is very simple as one activity leads to another and eventually to a sale. Regardless of the amount of money being spent on the sale, the steps to making the sale are always the same and must be orchestrated if you are to be successful. We will discuss sales training another day so let’s concentrate on the activity required and how to track it properly.

As elementary as it may seem, you must require each salesperson to make a predetermined number of sales calls per day or week but this number must be specific and rigid.

Second you should set a goal each week for number of demonstrations or proposals or both. Naturally the product will determine if you need demonstrations or presentations prior to the actual proposal. A good rule of thumb is to expect 5 personal contacts before a presentation can be expected and possibly more for the proposal. This varies from industry to industry.

Third, you should determine a closing ratio for each member of the sales team. Naturally you can use one of your successful salespeople as a benchmark but each salesperson has to have their own closing ratio. This an excellent method for forecasting sales and for modifying commission plans.

Fourth, each sales person has to keep a list of their top prospects and the sales dollars forecasted for the account.

Fifth, where is the account in the process? i.e. are they ready to make a decision or are they still kicking tires?

And sixth, every salesperson should keep a record, either electronically or written regarding personal information of every person involved in the process from maintenance person to executive Vice President.

There are always more steps that may be added or perhaps you might reduce some step but the key is to keep sales people from wasting time on non-productive accounts or individuals.

We all spend money on countless items each day and in my case I like to purchase costly items from someone I know. The individual who has sold me over 100K in automobiles during the last two years realizes the value of everything listed above especially step six. He knows a lot about my and my wife because he took time to ask the questions and was rewarded with us purchasing another vehicle from him recently.

Remember none of this is brain surgery and just takes a little effort to accomplish.

Have a great day!

Terry