One Man's Perspective: Let's keep our president safe

Couple of things up front. First, this quick blast from the past.

A friend sent me an a editorial cartoon that originally ran in the Chicago Tribune - no not within the last few months - but in 1934. Take a good hard look. See anything familiar. Didn't work then, won't work now either. Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

On a more positive note, I was reminded yesterday that "Shayla," who lives on in the legacy and good works of the Shayla Bee Fund headed up by her grandfather Jerry Faulkner and many others in her honor, would have celebrated her 11th birthday on Friday. Happy birthday young lady, your name brings smiles to many children's faces and tears to many parents eyes.

Stop by Janitor's Closet this weekend and make a purchase at the Craft and Bake Sale to benefit the Shayla Bee Fund. It will be a special birthday gift for her. Janitor's Closet is located at 502 Southmoor Dr. in Spencer. The sale will continue today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and then wrap up Sunday from 1-5 p.m.

There are many great charitable organizations in this area, but none any better than this one. It's truly about the gift of love for children and families - wrapped in a big leather bow hand delivered by those "scary" biker folks.

Also remember to visit SWOT's special shopping with Santa event at Southpark Mall from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday; arrive early for Sunday's "The Messiah" performance at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and get into that holiday spirit at the Grand Meander beginning at 5 p.m. Monday. Tis the season to be busy.

And now, our feature presentation...

It's somewhat mystifying to me how two Washington socialites just mozied on into a special state dinner with the president, first lady and vice president minus an invitation.

Apparently they just sauntered on up the line, got to the checkpoint, then zipped on by to pose for pics with the most powerful people in this country without being officially invited. Please understand, these security checkpoints guard what is supposed to be one of the most impregnable objects in America -- no not Nancy Pelosi's skull -- the White House. And somehow they just scooted on in.

No one will ever accuse me of being a fan of President Barack Obama's politics, but that said, I don't want to see any harm come to the president of the United States, the first family, or any other person serving this nation in an elected capacity. Yet if one of these two, or both, had bad intentions, they could have walked right up to the president, shook his hand, smiled for a photo op, then used a dining utensil and stuck it in his chest. Fortunately no such drama played out, but at that point, what would have prevented it.

I know the Secret Service is nearby and they are the best of the best when it comes to protecting our leaders, but these "party crashers" were among invited friends and dignitaries so they are allowed a little more access to the president at an event like this.

The real question remains: How did they get through the checkpoint to begin with?

Well apparently the White House social secretary -- reportedly a longtime friend of the Obamas -- who is in charge of the guest list decided to make herself a party guest. Rather than do the job for which she is paid, monitoring the guests and the list, she opted to join the fun.

Everybody wants to dump this on the Secret Service, but really, I think it's this secretary who needs to have her feet held to the fire...figuratively speaking of course.

At this time, please allow me propose to the "Keep Our President Safe Initiative" -- a simple set of rules that will ensure this kind of thing doesn't happen again.

First, and read closely because this part is really important, if the name does not appear on the list THEY DON'T GET IN! Pretty simple.

I understand this is a formal high society event, so you don't want to upset a guest who may have been accidentally left off the list; so you ask them, very politely, to please wait a moment while you contact the social secretary to try and correct the mistake. Sure you have to interrupt the secretary getting her "social" on - although this is the first administration where that's ever been an issue. Previous social secretaries were overseeing the guest list, not pretending to be one - but you find the person in charge of the list and see if the name omission was a simple mistake or if they aren't supposed to be there.

If they were supposed to be on the list and it was a mistake of omission, let them in; if they are party crashing, kick em' to the curb.

Apparently simple safety measures are too complex for the Obama staffers, but it seems pretty basic to me.

Just some simple, free, security tips to protect our president courtesy of your friendly, neighborhood, conservative.

Oh by the way, I am open for any White House New Year's festivities.

Just throwing that out there.

My name is spelled, C...A...U...