Comeback Victory or Sham?

So, it’s time to celebrate, isn’t it? The good guys scored some big hits and stole some thunder from the Omabites on election day 2009. Team Obama got beat back, and the libs  have been taught a lesson.  Time to party, to look to who won and plan to continue the winning strategy into the mid-term elections in 2010. After all the good guys came out on top!

Only there’s a flaw in all of this. Look who won and how didn’t. Sure, the Republican Party took a couple of seats from Democrat governors. But the way things are going that’s like being chased by a cheetah, and thinking you are safe when a leopard takes his place behind you. One may run faster, but either one will eventually catch you and then, lights out.

In the now infamous NY 23 house race, the Democrat Party took over a seat which was renowned as a safe republican seat for decades. Note that: ” a SAFE republican seat”.  (of course the seat was held by a democrat in 1993, but that’s a minor detail, isn’t it?) That means essentially one party rule in that district. Perhaps that’s why when Ms Dede  Scozzafava ran and called herself a Republican, the party rewarded her with nearly a million dollars in campaign funds, ignoring her liberal political stance on most issues.

As the election neared, and the Conservative Party of New York ( CPNYS) endorsed Doug Hoffman the two major parties tried their best to ignore him. As he gained ground, eventually garnering better poll results than either ‘major party’ candidate, the very liberal Scozzafava withdrew. The party of elephants then said they would support the conservative. Dede did not agree, and the one time nominee of the Republican Party of New York cast her support to the nominee of the donkey party. After having denounced him during the entire campaign, the Republicans now embraced  Hoffman. This is NOT because they embraced his positions. It was mere expediency, hoping to maintain a share of the seat to which they felt entitled. Remember, this is a “safe republican seat for decades”.

Down State, in Manhattan, the estimable billionaire Mike Bloomberg was running for a third term. Nevermind that the laws of New York City have prohibited  more than two consecutive terms for years. You see, Mr. Bloomberg could not imagine that anyone could run the city as well as he has done. Despite two separate votes in which the residents of NYC have voted to maintain a two term limit for their mayor, Bloomberg went to the city council, not the voters.  A compliant city council agreed to change the rules, and allowed Mr. Bloomberg to run again. Not by vote, but by fiat did Bloomberg get his way. Inconvenient laws are just waived away. Even the immensely popular Rudy Giuliani would not do such a thing, during the scary times after 9/11. He followed the rule of law and simply turned the office to his successor.  It is interesting to note that Bloomberg is reported to have spent more than $100 MILLION of his own money to gain this re-election.

See, the problem here is not liberal versus conservative parties, it’s not donkeys and elephants. The problem is accumulation of power and the sense that those who currently hold office are entitled to those offices. This sense of ownership betrays the entire mindset. It really doesn’t matter if you color your state ‘blue’ or ‘red’ or purple. It does not matter if you show up to speak wearing an elephant head or a donkey head during your campaign. As long as you are part of the club, you are in. Not the interests of the nation, nor the American People, the primary concern maintaining their elitist grip on power.  The two major parties are now so concerned with getting and keeping power that they will simply act in the interest of party rather than in the interest of the nation.

The secret is revealed by the results of the special election in the 23rd district of NY.  As soon as the seemingly opposed parties saw their place at the table threatened, they reacted. Actual citizens seemed on the brink of taking control of their own government. Those annoying ‘Tea Party” people were crushing the established party candidates. Only one thing to do: Dump the fake elephant,  have her endorse the donkey and at all costs, do not allow an outsider to get a place at the table. The future of the two party system is on display in New York.  The election results for NY -23 and NYC Mayor Bloomberg show the length the major parties will extend themselves to maintain their grip on the levers of political power.

I am taking a close look at an organization that seems, at first glance to have this concept in mind.  “Get Out of Our House” is a growing grass-roots organization whose entire goal is to fund and elect outsiders.  I suggest you take a look around and see what you think. I have just begun to read through, but so far I like what I see.  Please, check them out.

Please, do something. Just pay attention. We are seeing our government corrupted and the ‘Two Party system” turned into a fiction used to hold oligarchs in power. If we do nothing, we will have a government little different from that currently pretending to be a democracy in Russia.

Keep the Faith.

The Rev

The Pay Czar And Illegal Acts

So, Kenneth Feinberg is ordering steep cuts in the compensation of various bank and financial executives.  Clearly there is no constitutional foundation for this incredible power grab by the White House. Mr. Feinberg, who apparently rejects the nickname of ” Pay Czar” but not the authority of the role will use this power regardless. He claims only the highest of motives. He is trying only to recoup the bail out money given to the banks already.  He is simply a steward of taxpayer funds.

Many in all positions of the political spectrum will forgive this one time intrusion. After all, they reason, the banks DID take federal money, now they have to dance to the federal tune.

I see some problems with this. First, as many accounts have shown there was little choice on the part of most of the execs who took funds. Stories abound of the closed-door pressure meeting in which GW Bushes treasury secretary essentially forced the major banks to take money, in order not to taint only one financial institution.  Secondly there was no valid authority for the Treasury to use taxpayer money to save, and essentially buy private corporations.  All this was cloaked in a blanket of  ‘temporary emergency’ but emergency is not a valid reason to void constitutional principles.

Finally history shows us that once the federal government takes a new power it is rarely surrendered.  Using the broad and nearly limitless powers found hidden in the ‘Interstate Commerce Clause’ the federal government has taken control of vast chunks of the private economy in the name of exigent circumstances and never relinquished the shackles once placed.  Using the doctrine of Eminent Domain, much private property has essentially been taken from owners simply for the benefit of others. See for example the now infamous Kelo case. The socialists in congress now will use this as a template for future action. Once the public is shown that the government has such a power, regardless of the extra-constitutional origin of such powers, the government will simply continue to use it. Saying,  ‘ well we have done it before’ is often the only justification for future abuses.

The public at large, intentionally educated to be ignorant of constitutional principles and the proper rule of law, will simply assume that as long as it is some  ‘rich guy’s bonuses’ getting clipped  they are in no danger of it affecting them.  The history of creeping use of ill gained power shows that it will be a matter of when, not if, congress begins to extend the power to regulate the pay of private citizens compensation.

Feinberg is an abomination. His power is absolute. There is only one appeal to is rulings. And Feinberg himself hears the appeal. Unlikely that he will overrule himself.

Keep the Faith.

The Rev

Where is Tom Doniphan?

It’s been a while, and I apologize for my lapse, but I’m back, at least for now. There’s been a lot for me to think about, and I just had to hit the keys to get some thoughts out there.

In my work lately I have encountered many active duty military personnel lately. Sterling men and women who seem to shrug off the incredible danger they are facing. Most recently I had a conversation with a Marine, who had completed three tours in Iraq, including one during the siege of Faluja. He is preparing to deploy once again, this time not to the deserts but the mountains of Afghanistan.  He discusses the upcoming events as calmly as an accountant might discuss a balance sheet. However the balance will not be numbers but lives. His job is not to sort debits and credits but killers and those in need of protection. He is clearly frustrated by the intervention of bureaucracy and politics into warfare, but seems to have reconciled himself to the modern restrictions on warriors. As for me, I find it outrageous that we are on the brink of introducing Miranda warnings to the battlefield, and US Constitutional protections to battle field opponents.

I’ve been doing quite a bit of reading and thinking lately, about government, freedom and the role of the citizen in protecting liberty. There is a significant conflict right now, between those who believe that government should have the ability to do whatever it must and those who believe the sole purpose of government is to guarantee ordered liberty. Those who generally embrace limited government and maximum liberty have tended to be more civil and more calm during most of this debate. Those who embrace activist government and enforced civilization have tended to be more outspoken. Look to the Global Climate Change crowd. They have shouted and made films and staged demonstrations to push their agenda of action items. Proponents of liberty tend simply to just want to be left alone. They try to live their lives privately, with as little disturbance or offense to others as possible. There is a fundamental conflict between these viewpoints.

Those who would advance a statist agenda will simply not tolerate someone who wishes to be ‘left alone’. Such a person is a threat to those who wish to have an all encompassing state controlling every aspect of life. In order to prevent others from simply opting out from control, myriad laws and regulations are created, forming a nearly inescapable web. We are told over and over again that the legal system, as complex and dense as it is, is simply the only way to hold society together. By imposing law we impose civilization. And that civilization is the only way to ensure our survival. Legal networks and webs of regulations are not the foundation of civilization.

John Ford made a movie many years ago(1962), which brought John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart together on stage.In ” The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” Wayne plays a tough as nails man with a gun, the archetypical western man named Tom Doniphan He encounters Ransom Stoddard, an eastern lawyer after he has been attacked on the highway by a brutal gang led by Liberty Valance. Stoddard recuperates in the town of Shinbone. There he encounters Valance again, and swears to bring the dangerous man to justice, using the law, not the gun. While there he also meets Hallie who believes in his dream. She eventually transfers her love from Doniphan to Stoddard, whom she eventually marries.

Stoddard has several encounters with Valance, and eventually Valance ‘calls him out’ promising to kill him in a gunfight. Stoddard goes against his pledge, and faces off against the gunslinger. After toying with him, shooting all around him,  Valance shoots Stoddard in the arm. Finally he raises and aims, but this time he is hit, killed by the newest wild west hero, Ransom Stoddard: The man who shot Liberty Valance. Stoddard goes on to marry the girl and become the first senator from the State which emerges from the wild territory as it is settled by civilization and civilized by law.

What we learn, only at the very end of the film is that the legend is false. Stoddard did not fire the fatal shot. Tom Doniphan, foresaw the danger and hid in the shadows. He fired the fatal shot  and vanished leaving Stoddard to claim the fame and hero’s mantle.

Doniphan died alone. But he had the satisfaction of allowing the woman he loved, Hallie, to be happy, and seeing that those he wished to protect are saved from the likes of Valance.  He did as he wished, lived his life his way and survived.

The lesson cannot be more clear. Legal society can only work when real strength is behind it. We cannot simply waive legal briefs and subpoenas at violent enemies and expect them to surrender. Surely the world needs men like Ransom Stoddard to keep order and civility. The problem is that we have forgotten that we have also always needed Tom Doniphan to bring that very order and civility into a chaotic and dangerous world. Once the Wild West is tamed, the eastern lawyers can take over, but they could not step into the field until it was tamed.

Right now, we can see this very problem and the lack of understanding each night on our TV screens and read it on our news sources.

We have leaders who insist that if only we get one more international tribunal, or multilateral communiqué we can conquer those who mean to destroy our civilization. Our nations are being led by an array of Ransom Stoddards  who are attempting to face down an even greater array of Liberty Valances. Only problem is there seems to be no Tom Doniphan hiding in the shadows this time. The Stoddards have driven him away, and this time unless somehow Stoddard learns to shoot Valance may just be able to shoot first. And he doesn’t miss twice.

We managed to defeat Germany and Japan in less than five years. This was NOT done with long legal memoranda. It was accomplished by firebombing Dresden, Berlin and Tokyo. It was accomplished by dropping not just one but  TWO nuclear bombs in the Japanese Empire. It was done through the death of more than four hundred thousand Russian soldiers who were killed in the campaign to pacify Germany.

We are still shooting in Afghanistan eight years after they attacked and destroyed our Twin Towers and did nearly the same in the Pentagon. We have not succeeded simply because we are fighting with the legal strategies of Ransom Stoddard instead of the military tactics of Tom Doniphan.

We need to learn the lesson that we cannot  install civilization until we have defeated anarchy and chaos.  We know that America is home to thousands of Ransom Stoddards.

We have to ask, over and over:

Where is Tom Doniphan?

We need him.

Keep the Faith!

The Rev

Why Is All This REALLY Being Done?

Bailout, Cap and Trade, Stimulus,  Government take over of Auto industry, Government take over of financial services industry, Pay czar, science czar, green czar Fix the broken health care system…

Why is so much happening at once.  So many things happening, it’s tough to track all of it. So many different areas being adjusted, tweaked, tinkered with.

Remember the campaign rhetoric of then Senator Obama? We will remake America.  Just how is he planning that? Look to all his agenda items, and you can see just what’s going on, but if you take a few steps back you can see the pattern all this activity begins to form.

All of this is done with one main theme, a hidden framework which supports all the trinkets sparkling on Obama’s goodie tree. Liberty.

Obama and his progressive allies, from Alinsky on down are opposed to individual ordered liberty.  By offering to have the government ‘take care’ of the needs of so many troubled Americans, he will help you right into ordered slavery.

Liberty is about individual freedom, but it is also about individual responsibility. When you surrender the responsibility to care for your medical needs, you surrender the liberty to do so also.  You give some government system the authority to decide what is good for you, and you give up the right to say that for yourself.

A perfect illustration of this would be what has happened to the care of the needy. In days past, local communities would band together, Helping neighbors, or providing for those who had been hit by some dire event and help them out.  Think back to ‘olden times’ and the stories of ‘barn raisings’ in rural communities.  Think to church run soup kitchens, and similar operations. All this has been replaced by government run or funded systems, such as AFDC, WIC or medicaid programs. All are funded by government. As  the big government Leviathan has expanded, taking on the responsibility for such tasks, it has taken control, and individuals have provided less and less for their own neighbors. Taxes, taken by force ( Do you think if you said, ‘no thanks’ the IRS would go away) from every productive citizen are allocated by bureaucrats to those deemed needy by the government. There is no choice, no liberty no individual participation or responsibility permitted. Assistance is allocated simply according to government regulations. This has of course, freed  those who so choose to say ” my money is already used to help, so I have no need to do anything myself to help those around me.”

All of this will be compounded with more intrusion of  oppressive government into the sphere of what was previously individual liberty. Everything from exercise habits to diet will come under scrutiny from a government that provides your ‘health care’. There can be absolutely no area excluded from such a government.

None of this crisis mode thinking is about any of the individual topics which the press wants us to pay attention.  The crisis of the week is a diversion. Each new topic brings a frenzy of attention and discussion and much anger. Each new topic distracts from the big picture. These people are simply convinced that only they are smart enough to run your life. The burdens of self government and individual liberty are simply too hard for the people to handle, and so will be lifted from our shoulders and taken by the DC Government. They actually believe a ‘perfect society’ can be created if only they can have all the power and authority to decide how each day to day event should be handled. As long as the enlightened progressives can install their fascist system, they can repair and remake the world into a perfect society. Peace will reign. But remember one thing. One of the most peaceful places in the world is a cemetery.  The only peace their system can guarantee is the peace of the dead.

There are two books which I suggest you find time to read. Liberal Fascism, by Jonah Goldberg is one.  The other is Liberty and Tyranny by Mark Levin. Each of these will give a greater understanding of the history of such systemic attempts to crush liberty. Each will provide enough information to let you see clearly the true goals of all of this.  Understanding is the first step to thwarting the dangerous plans which are being implemented now. Make time to read, then make the effort to speak out to thwart this incredibly dangerous agenda.  Now is the time, now is the moment.  Don’t wait or you will be ‘cared for’ completely by your federal bureaucrats. Cared for, and controlled.

Keep the Faith!

The Rev

Why The Rush?

Among all the videos and reports of Town Hall meetings, and disruptions, and planted critics, and the whole tempest surrounding them, comes a post on YouTube of Rep Sheila Jackson Lee. The traditionally ignorant and arrogant Ms. Lee is seen, clearly having a conversation on her cell phone while a participant at her Town Hall meeting attempts to ask a question.

I’d like to break down this subject, taking Rep. Lee’s on air discussion with CNN’s Rick Sanchez as a template. There is much to see. Lee’s tactics and evasions are a perfect illustration of the tactics of incumbents in general, politicians and the Obama Administration in particular. This is how they appear responsive without, in fact, anything at all.

Many have viewed this, and regard it as typical of the attitude and actions of Congress.  Both houses are trying to rush headlong into passing some sort of legislation to change ‘the broken health care system’.  President Obama and his allies are once more repeating the mantra that this must happen now, and there is no time to waste.  When pressed for an answer or a reason there never is anything more than the empty rhetoric of the campaign, reminiscent of his nonsense phrase ” The fierce urgency of NOW!’

Watching Representative Lee is like seeing the entire mindset of these politicians laid out for review.

Watch the clip of Rich Sanchez trying to get a straight answer from Ms. Lee and see what I  mean.  At 49 seconds Sanchez asks if she thought she was rude. At 1:39 he interrupts, or attempts to, as she meanders and discusses something completely unrelated to the question.  1:45 he flatly repeats the question ” Why were you on the phone?” Ms. Lee addresses the bill, her knowledge of it, how nice she is, how nice Sanchez is, anything but the answer to the question. Pushed again she starts by saying ” Let me answer your question”. Snachez resets and then tells her it is ” impolite…wrong… rude..” to be on the phone while people are attempting to talk to you.  He then says it ‘appears that you are doing just that’. She then says ” I am so glad you said that, and implies that the video may have been ‘doctored’ (2:50). ‘ How I explain it is this: I MADE a call, I did not take one” So it may be rude to take a call, but making one is OK. Then she dodges to say she told them but they ‘may not have heard’ that she was simply trying to get a better answer. Then we see her launch into an attack against those who are upset with her actions. “…Are they concerned about health care, a robust public option…” So the problem here is not that she is rude or unconcerned with her constituents, but the problem is her critics are not good people, concerned with all the good things she wants done. And the killer line… If I offended anyone, let me say that it was through misinterpretation”.

Sanchez asks ‘ Did you apologize..” Lee begins her reply this way: what I will say to you is that… What I will say to you Rick.. No offense taken, no offense given, what I was focusing on is what America should be focusing on” Clearly the implication is that anyone who dares to challenge her is not ‘focusing on what is important to America’. And don’t miss the reference to children. No demagogic talking point is complete during this debate without referring to children in some way. And of course the ‘broken health care system’

The next killer line comes when Sanchez asks if she thinks the the tape has been doctored. She then opens again with shopworn ” Let me say this” then hits a home run in irrelevant rhetoric ” We in Congress, who believe in Democracy are not going to focus on distractions”. This from someone who has changed the subject or evaded the same question for more than four and a half minutes so far on a TV interview. The implication is that only those in Congress believe in democracy, and others are distractions. Perhaps she thinks the Town Hall participants are distractions, and that’s why she refuses to focus on them? This is followed by a preposterous claim that she ‘knows nothing about the video, and she will not comment on it”. Other than, of course to imply that it is doctored. But she knows nothing about it, right?

Sanchez presses again, why is it so hard for you to apologize for being disrespectful.  Lee replies with a whopper ( she gets more and more ridiculous as the interview plays, doesn’t she?) ” It was NOT disrespectful!” followed by the classic non apology used by so many political weasels: If offense was taken, I wish it had not been; no offense was intended.” Once more Sanchez brings the discussion back to the issue. asking if Lee thinks it’s OK to talk on the phone while someone is attempting to ask a question.

Lee responds, again, completely off topic, saying Sanchez does not want to talk about small business, or bringing down health care costs. She also plants an incredible claim that people are facing ‘ $1800 a month INCREASE in premium charges. Do the math, that would be almost $22,000 annual INCREASE — not premium, she said INCREASE!.  We see once more the incredible distortions  passed as facts by the statists here. She concludes by referring to herself in the third person: ” Sheila Jackson Lee has helped by having this town hall so people can bring their questions to me.

There is so much here that is typical of the statist mindset ruling the US Congress today. This interview, over seven minutes encapsulates much. When confronted with facts, dodge the question. When the question is repeated, change the subject and demonize your questioner ( We in Congress believe in Democracy”. When the facts are irrefutable, challenge reality ” Maybe the tape was doctored”.

When that fails, simply ignore reality and repeat the lie again and again, refusing to stop. ” Sheila Jackson Lee held this town hall and helped her constituents…” etc. etc. Lee is not by any means alone in this kind of behavior, she’s just one who got it all on tape. The business of Congress has become simply preservation of their incumbency. Anything that will protect their ample seats will be done, even if it bankrupts our nation. By the time the bills come due, they will be retired living on pensions paid by Americans who were not able to vote when they served.

In short, these people are planning to expand the power of the State at the expense of individual liberty, and will do so, regardless of the thoughts and wishes of Americans. They will do so and will lie and obfuscate while doing it. They are dangerous. They are in office, and totally insulated from any responsibility for their actions. The only way they can be stopped is by being turned out of office.

I have said it before, and will repeat: If someone is running for office as an incumbent, they should be defeated. We need to ventilate the halls of government and start over. Start with your own favorite representative in DC. The one who you say is ‘one of the good guys there’. Everyone thinks the person who represents them is ok, it’s the others who are bums. I’ve got some news for you. They are ALL part of the same corrupt system. TURN THEM OUT!!! If your rep is so good, then let him or her run the next time, and see what happens. For now TOSS THEM ALL OUT SOON!

Keep the Faith

The Rev.

Obamacare?

This morning I got an e-mail from a friend, asking my thoughts on Obamacare. Here’s my response.

Ok, that sir, is a truly loaded question.

Here’s my best answer:

I will need to start with some background, so I hope I don’t bore you.

One of the things I have learned is that we can’t take government actions at face value. As far back as the beginning of the twentieth century,when programs were put in place by our government,  they were saying one thing and planning something else. The Architect of Democracy, Woodrow Wilson was a man of deceit when it came to government plans. Wilson was one of the first true visionaries who wished to bring about a ‘Progressive’ vision to the nation. They generally believed that the common man was not competent to handle his own life, and those enlightened progressives could direct things better for us. It was then that the idea of compulsory education for all children evolved. The leaders knew that if they would be able to take children away from the family they could gradually inculcate the ideas of government in a stronger and more permanent way in the minds of citizens. The public education system was designed with one goal in mind. To produce good and cooperative citizens willing to do the things the State deemed essential.

Creating a social welfare program, administered by the State accomplishes a major part of this goal. By gradually and steadily making people dependent upon subsidies from the government, instead of a network of family and community, the progressives are able to exert more and more control upon the individual. For example, when confronted with the idea that the Payroll Taxes were ‘unfair to lower wage workers’ Roosevelt is reported to have replied:” We put those payroll taxes there so as to give the contributors the legal, moral and political right to collect their benefits” With those taxes in place, no damn politician can ever scrap my social security program”

Then the fiction of the trust fund was created. Even in the face of a court challenge, the Roosevelt administration maintained the lie. In court, to prevent it’s termination, the administration stated clearly that Social Security is NOT an insurance plan, but a government paid wealth transfer. However they continue to this day to publicly discuss the fiction of the ‘Trust Fund” and your regular ’social insurance contributions’. ” In Hellering v. Davis, 1937 the US Supreme Court ruled  ” The Proceeds of [the taxes] are to be paid into the Treasury like internal-revenue taxes generally and are not earmarked in any way” Yet to this day every American gets an official looking statement of payments and benefits from the Social Security Administration, which pretends to show some form of promised benefit. (Recall even Al Gore’s now infamous ‘ Lock Box’.)

Later, when the Johnson Administration added to the deceit by creating the Medicare and Medicaid programs, Wilbur Mills, then chairman of the House Ways and Means committee said ” I think we’ve got you something that we won’t only run on in ‘66, but we’ll run on from here after.”

So you see, when looking at such programs, one MUST look at the motivations and long term goals of those who wish to implement such programs.

This brings us to the current administration. There are several versions currently in play to create a new medical care/medical insurance program in the United States.

All have at their heart one thing: They will eventually bring about a ‘Single Payer’ plan.

Despite his recent statements to the contrary, Barack Obama has been quite clear for the last decade in his statements to supporters that he is a ‘proponent of single payer systems’. He has repeated it over and over again. Just as he has said ” we do not want to be in the auto business” as the Treasury department forcibly purchased majority stakes in General Motors and controlling interests in Chrysler Obama has one driving interest: Control.

Make no mistake, that is what the entire debate is all about. Who will control and decide what individuals may or may not do. By controlling access to health care through a single point, government will in fact control who gets what. Right now in England, medical decisions are legally dictated by long term outcome. even in the USA certain choices are already controlled.

In his book “Liberty and Tyranny” Mark Levin recounts the story of Barbara Wagner, a resident of Oregon. Oregon created a state run health program. She had lung cancer, which recurred.  A certain specific drug would help prolong her life, and improve its quality. The Oregon Health Plan refused, as it does not cover drugs which ‘only prolong life’. In a macabre twist, the state plan DOES cover assisted suicide. So,  Ms. Wagner received an unsigned letter from the State Health Plan offering to pay for the costs involved in paying a doctor to help her kill herself.

( The company which manufactured the drug heard the story, and contacted her, and provided her medication at no charge. )

If such a program were rolled out nationwide, there would be no way the company could have provided the drug, as this would be outside the laws.

Socialized medicine is only the beginning here. This is all about control and liberty. It is about freedom and individual rights. This is a plan to move America further away from the Republic given to us by the founders and closer to the dream of the progressives who desire to create a controlled, docile nation of serfs who will be at the mercy of the government bureaucrats who control their wealth and health.

That’s why they are so desperate to paint opponents as ‘paid mobs’ of Nazis and Klansmen. They can’t afford to lose this round, as it may take another twenty or so years to try again. (Remember Clinton Care?) And by then Americans may just have found they value their liberty more than their security. Or perhaps by then the myth of Social Security and Medicare will be so apparently fraudulent that no one will be willing to add to the scam.

So, if you value any of the ideals this republic was founded upon, if you value liberty, if you are opposed to being corralled and herded like sheep, then oppose this plan. Write and call your legislators. Write letters to your local paper. Show up at Town Hall meetings and tell your government reps you want them NOT to do this.

Keep the Faith

The Rev

Is The White House Compiling An ‘Enemies List”?

Day after day, this administration seems to push things further and further. During the Bush years, we saw the adoption of the Patriot Act as a direct response to an attack on our country. Many questioned, some quite loudly if the danger was sufficient to justify the curtailing of liberty which accompanied the new rules. While many objected, there was at least some rational purpose, an attempt to find and stop those who would attack us again.

The danger was, and is clear. In addition to the short term infringement of our freedom, the use and abuse of the Patriot Act powers by any future administration, with perhaps a less than pure motivation was always lurking.

Now we see that even more than just abusing existing statutes the Obama Administration is moving toward using ’snitches’ to gather information on those who ’spread misinformation on Obama’s health care plan’. Look here to see Byron York’s essay in the Washington Examiner. CBS says the following:

The White House in recent days has taken pro-active steps to combat the misinformation spreading about the president’s health care plans…

Senator John Cornyn of Texas has send a letter in which he puts it plainly and clearly:

“By requesting that citizens send “fishy” emails to the White House, it is inevitable that the names, email addresses, IP addresses, and private speech of U.S. citizens will be reported to the White House,” Cornyn wrote to Obama. “I can only imagine the level of justifiable outrage had your predecessor asked Americans to forward emails critical of his policies to the White House.”

The Dallas Morning News has more detail, including the entire letter from Senator Cornyn.

When all of the actions of this administration are put out for view, in the clear light of reason it is difficult to avoid reacting in fear. Recall  his plan for  Obama 2.0, to continue his own separate campaign organization. Recall the statements from his administration on the need for a separate ‘ civilian organization’ to equal the military.  The press secretary calls those who are angry at their representatives at town hall meetings angry mobs.

This most recent request is just far too similar of tactics used by past administrations to collect information on ‘dissidents’ in National Socialist Germany, or Stalinist Russia, or Castroist Cuba. Use fear, use neighbors to rat out others, and you will rapidly silence opposition.

How long before this secret list is used by the Obama Justice department, or the IRS to target those who have opposed him.

We are in dangerous times folks. We all need to step up. If you are not afraid to have your name and e-mail added to the list, then why not try this. Send an e-mail to the following: ( I am following the lead I read here, it’s brilliant)

flag@whitehouse.gov

and ask that you be reported as opposed to Obama care. By the time I post this I’m willing to guess that I’m already on the list, but I’ll send a copy of this post just to be sure.

Don’t forget, send your polite, friendly and courteous message to Macon Phillips, the White House Director of New Media at this e-mail address

flag@whitehouse.gov

Keep the Faith

The Rev

Link for Today

Not earth shaking, I just thought this is funny.

From Ride Fast & Shoot Straight:

I Wonder what the Holster Looks Like?

More State Media Lies

Elkhart, Indiana has been the major manufacturing site for Motor homes and RV’s for years. This has put the industry in the cross hairs of the environmental movement and the leftists in government for a long time.  We see how the drive to demonize auto industry has slammed the industrial base in Elkhart.  Shortly after inauguration, President Obama visited Elkhart, promising to help.  Subsequently he took over the auto industry, and further bashed the industry, putting a spike into the heart of the employment base in good old Elkhart.

Today Obama returned to Elkhart, hoping to puff up his economic plan in front of a friendly crowd. With a fawning supine media present he got most of what he hoped for. Driving home from work today, I heard the report from  taxpayer funded NPR  ( should be called National Propaganda Reporting). First the on air reporter states that the local economy has been hurt, Obama’s economic plan has produced only ’sluggish job growth’. Immediately after, they stated that “unemployment has increased 1.6%.” Even while on air reporters were shading the numbers to make Obama look good, the following was reported on NPR’s own website:

Despite the positive jobs creation message, the day’s economic picture was mixed with one survey by a business services firm showing job losses slowed in July, while another suggested that there are more layoffs to come.

The labor market shrank by an estimated 371,000 jobs in July according to a report by ADP Employer Services.

and:

But another survey by outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas was more ominous. That survey found a 30 percent jump in planned layoffs

Further in the report, we hear from a local, who tells of being laid off for seven months. Now he’s coming back to work. He says, of Obama, I guess he’s doing something right, cause now I have a job.  The NPR report glowing uses this as a praiseworthy example of the good things from Obama’s plan. Unfortunately it is not President Obama that man needs to thank for his job. It seems the parent company of his employer has gotten a multimillion dollar federal grant to subsidize its foray into manufacturing electric trucks.  So it is tax money that has employed this man. That means he should call and thank me, and you, and anyone else who works and pays taxes. This is not employment, it is simply another form of welfare. $39 million worth of welfare in this case. Obama is taking money from every working American  across the nation and sending it to Elkhart.

Yet somehow this is reported as ‘Job growth’ on the Federally funded radio station. Somehow an ‘ uptick of 1.6% in unemployment is reported as ’sluggish job growth’.

President Obama is moving steadily toward a system every bit as repressive and controlled as that run by Hugo Chavez in Venezuela.  NPR is probably the worst offender in the media, and they are  supported by federal tax dollars. This is unquestionably government propaganda. The privately owned networks are simply going along to ensure they get their cut of the pie.  The established politicians are doing all they can to cement their place in power regardless of which party holds majorities in Congress. We are fast moving away from the ideal of representative government and establishing a system of power brokered by barons and those with inherited wealth. Without direct pressure from every voting, taxpaying citizen we are on the way to surrendering the republic bequeathed to us by the founders of the nation.

Window Wars

The recent post about the execrable Senator Lindsey Graham prompted a few interesting comments. One mentioned ‘The Window War” A long time ago I think I had read that, and did not even catch it’s repost in February.

Here is a link to a wonderful story, posted on Sipsey Street Irregulars, by Mike Vanderboegh. I encourage you to spend a few minutes and read it. Be careful, as always no one is being encouraged or enticed to do anything even remotely against any laws. We’re all good, law abiding citizens.

Now, go read and enjoy.

Keep the Faith

The Rev