Is This How Government Works?

I have been spending today like most Americans, glued to the television wondering how could this happen in the United States!
One gimmick after the other, one political purchase after the other, I wonder if all the added backroom deals are in the CBO's numbers?
We the People had better wake up before November, we need to let those congressmen and women know first hand that they are not representing the will of those who elected them.
If the Democrat Party can do this with health care, what will they do to pass immigration, cap & trade and God only knows what else. I have been scratching my head wondering what is Pelosi selling for each individual vote?
Look, it doesn't take a physics professor to know when something stinks, and this bill stinks.
At face value they are playing games with the numbers, the language and our lives. Talk about your house of cards!
Anyone who has read my post or articles in the past knows where I stand on 'big government' so I wont be redundant.
Have you heard the theory of communism? In a short anecdote it goes like this:
You have a bunch of wild pigs, you want to pen them up and raise them as food, 

1. Put out a slew of corn or feed, the pigs, curious but ready for a easy meal reluctantly eat the corn.
2. Put out a slew of corn but erect one fence near by, having had a free meal the pigs return ignoring the fence.
3. Put out a slew of corn and add the second section of fence, guess what? the pigs having tasted the easy meal have no problem ignoring their surroundings
4. Put of the third section of fence, do I need to tell you the pigs are eager for the free food, now while they are ignoring you and feasting, bring in that last section of fence. You'll happily be dining on pork chops for the future.

I don't want to compare you to pigs but that's how it's done.
Give someone a fish and you feed him for 1 meal
Teach a man to fish and he'll eat well for the rest of his life, or at least until GE begins dredging the Hudson again.

Is the Republic Safe?

Many Americans upset with the direction of their government are wondering if the Constitution can stand up under fire. Some say that it is unaffected by time while others insist it changes as the times change. Regardless of which camp you are a part, the document wholly responsible for the greatest advancements in personal liberties has once again proven the insight of its designers.

Can it be our Founding Fathers, some 235 years ago, could have imagined the tests and trials this document would face? If so where then can we find men of such fortitude and courage today?

The answer to the first question is yes, and it becomes more obvious with each step the current administration takes. Gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey and the latest Massachusetts Senatorial election have shown that the sleeping giant, the American Voter, has been listening. As often as the Congressional majority tries to marginalize the strength and fortitude of the American people, the stronger and more resolved they become.

Whether it is Healthcare, Cap and Trade or the stimulus bill, the idea of a bigger central government seems to be at the core of voter disillusionment. Proponents of such a change in the landscape of the American economy have faced the voice of the people in town halls across the nation and have run from the backlash of voter anger.

The reality of election losses of incumbents from both sides of the aisle depicts a constituency disappointed in the actions of Washington as a whole and has sent shockwaves through the foundation of both political parties.

So when we attempt to answer the second question, where can we find such men and women of courage and fortitude? The answer becomes just as obvious. Look to your neighbors, your family, friends and co-workers. Men and women of all ages and income brackets have forgone apathy and taken action. They are informed in spite of an incompetent media. They, or should I say we are taking our government back and forcing the changes promised by lofty speakers and charismatic politicians. This is the way it should be, the only way it can happen, from the ground up, forcing government to re-think its self-serving practices to deliver the kind of government Americans want and deserve.

The Tables Are Turning!

What will it take for them to finally get it? Them: the prominent representatives, both congressmen and senators including the office of the President, they who are elected to defend the Constitution and protect the American People.

We have witnessed a grass root uprising over the recent year the likes of which hasn’t been seen since the 1960’s & 70’s protests of the Vietnam War.

The outcome of recent elections, especially in Virginia, New Jersey and Massachusetts confirm voter discontent with the status quo. Political pollsters are reporting daily of America’s disillusionment with Congress and the President’s poll numbers have seen dramatic decline since he began to promote his own agenda over that of the people.

The message being sent is crystal clear, ‘now more than ever American’s are finding it difficult to realize their dream and want their government back.

The recent swing in voter loyalty seems to be one of abandoning both establishment parties, they, although enrolled as Democrats and Republicans, proclaim themselves as Independents and Conservatives insisting it is not they who have abandoned their party’s but their party’s who have abandoned them.

When one examines the current political landscape it becomes evident their claims are justified. On the national stage the extreme right and left have hijacked their parties and have left moderate Republicans and Democrats out in the cold. The Tea Party movement offers them a unifying theme as ‘We the People’ is once again the mantra of exploited Americans from coast to coast.

While the decades of the 60’s & 70’s left a generation disillusioned and searching for a sense of purpose, this generation, much broader in scope, has turned the tables on the established authority and coalesced under a theme of fiscal responsibility. Social issues once used to divide the nation with purpose no longer play a vital role in decisions we make regarding the direction of our country.

Political Pundits and media talking heads have helped the elite in Washington denigrate and abash what is quickly becoming a meaningful alternative to the status quo. The reasons may be simple, the threat posed by a third political party will not only effect the outcome of elections as seen in the States mentioned earlier, the deeper concern in the end is the inability to pigeonhole the constituency and tap into their fears and passions. This second point forces the candidates and the parties that support them to consider the issues of real importance to the electorate rather than issues of concern to them.

The truth is this may be the best way ‘We the People’ can wrestle control away from the lobbyists, left leaning media and professional politicians and return it to the those it was meant to empower.

If the President’s promise of change has succeeded in doing anything, it has succeeded in empowering ‘We the People’ to bring to ourselves the kind of change we so badly desire.

'A Shot Heard Round the World'-Again!

Democracy at its best is the only way to describe the events that unfolded in Massachusetts this evening.  “There is a lessen to be learned from this and I’ve learned it very well” a line from the 60’s pop hit “Red Rubber Ball”, something the elite press and politicos will fail to embrace.

Sentiment in America is once again pushing the pendulum right, realities of big central government and unbridled spending the target. Expressed in voter displeasure with healthcare, cap and trade and 10% unemployment, more recently by back room deals and vote buying, Americans across the country can take heart that Scott Brown’s victory in Massachusetts is a victory for us all.

In the face of strong lobbyist’s and labor unions carving up the hard earned tax dollars of 300 million ‘We the Peoples’, 1 million Democrats, Independents and Republicans have answered back, ‘NOT SO FAST'!

Criticized as ‘tea baggers’ and radicals, as bullies and party hacks paid to disrupt the Democratic process at Town Halls across the Nation, men and women from all walks of life have regained a voice in Washington Politics.

Nothing the left leaning media could do could have stopped this train from leaving the station. It is truly the ‘Peoples Seat’. No celebrity, not the President himself could impose their will on who will hold it!

America will look more familiar with tomorrow’s sunrise. A little friendlier and a little lest divided. The most important election of the year was held in the bluest state in the union and it left many red faced politicians and pundits in its wake.

Good for You, ‘We the People’. Knocked down and counted out by every representative in Washington, you have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat and sent a clear message to those who serve at your pleasure.

No matter how hard they try:

“A government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from this earth”

Take a Step Back............

Haiti! Tragedy beyond imagination best describes what is now every day life for millions in this tiny island nation.

Humanitarian aid is still slow to arrive, dead bodies line the streets sometimes piled one upon the other. Millions left homeless, many of whom are children left mulling around dead bodies searching for one or both of their parents or a brother or sister.

Can we truly envision such devastation, we see it on televised news reports and read about it in our newspapers, we are reminded of Katrina and 9/11 but can we ever hope to understand what lies before an entire people thrown into such chaos in what was only a matter of seconds?

There will surely be stories of heroism, hope and miracles out of this disaster. There will also be violence and inhumanity all of which will provide fuel and fodder for the talking heads of the media for months to come.

I'd like to take a different tact, after our prayers for the destitute, I'd like to take this opportunity to express gratitude to the American People. First on the scene with humanitarian aid, first on the scene with blood and treasure, while many take flight from the devastation, Americans rush in with help and hope for the millions in need as only Americans can.

Still we are criticized for what we have not done, still these critics, at home and abroad, abash our efforts as inadequate.

As Americans from sea to shining sea forget the failings of their own economy, as we come to terms with unemployment and home foreclosures at record rates, still the amount Americans donate at record rates.

Millions upon millions of dollars donated by corporations, our government and individuals, some finding difficulty with their own personal finances, have answered the call of people they do not know.

This is the spirit of 'We the People' at its best. This is the story of America.

Is it any wonder we have been a beacon to oppressed people the world over. Is it any wonder thousands have died trying to reach our shore’s.

When I hear public figures spew garbage of how they have never been proud of our country and refer to our citizens as 'nazi's or tea baggers' I ask them to count the numbers of Americans who have given their lives so that others can be free.

They number in the millions, and all have names beyond, soldier, care worker, statesman and volunteers, they are fathers, sons, brothers and sisters from all walks of life and they have made the ultimate sacrifice without hesitation. Yet we tolerate the criticisms of our enemies and even fellow Americans as they would rather consider us an oppressive nation.

Through the decades there have been natural disasters, they are one constant man cannot predict or control. There is one other constant, the sacrifice of the American People. It is a direct result of the freedoms we experience, as is our prosperity. Because of these liberties and freedoms we have developed into the best of mankind.

If not for 'We the People' what course would the experience of man taken?

Leave it to the States!

The Progressive Left has succeeded in dividing the Republican Party by controlling the discussion in the media. Republicans, in an effort to defend their core values have taken the bait and turned on one another over issues of social conscience.
The truth is our Constitution is written so that Social Values and legislation are left to the individual states.
When you think of it, it makes perfect sense, it is difficult for a central government to dictate social policy over 340,000,000 people while the needs of northerners are different than those of westerners and those of central or landlocked states differ from coastal or boarder states.
The government of the United States over the decades has usurped more and more power over the individual states and as a result, the individual citizen, by implementing the Interstate Commerce Act at every opportunity to gain control of different sectors of the economy and society.
As a result, since the 1st major expansion in the 1930's by then President Franklin D. Roosevelt | The White House, government has grown tenfold. Moreover the election of current President Barack Obama | The White House the size of the federal government will quite possibly triple again.
The taking of control of the banking and auto industries thru Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility - TALF and the expansion of Healthcare has put the percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) absorbed by the Federal Government at close to 20%, up from less than 10%.
That is for every $100.00 produced in the United States of America, the federal Government controls $20.00.
Is it any wonder unemployment is steady at 10% and could quite possibly grow unless 'Free Market Policies" are once again implemented and expanded.
The end result of so much Democrat control will inevitably lead to a better balance of power, Republicans have scored wins in Governor Races in New Jersey and Virginia in 2009, if this is any barometer of sentiment across the country, 2010, the midterm elections, should lead to multiple Republican victories in both the House and Senate.
The race for the Mass. Senate seat once held by Ted Kennedy is a further indication of the political landscape, always fluid, now moving in the favor of the Republican Party. When asked how he represent Ted Kennedy's seat, Mr. Brown stated: "It's not Ted Kennedy's seat, it's the peoples seat".
This is democracy at work, this is the best proof that the Republic which is America has flourished and prospered for more than 2 centuries.

At What Price Freedom?

Health Care—Stimulus—Omnibus—Cap & Trade—Bank Bailouts—Auto Bailouts—Immigration—Social Security—Medicare—Medicaid—Two Wars--Energy Independence—The Economy—Lobbyists—Czars and of course TAXES.

Fuel for Pundits, Fodder for the Press, Frustration for Politicians and most importantly

FURY of the PEOPLE!

We are: exploited, taken for granted, overlooked sometimes even insulted, such is the experience of the American Citizen today.

All of the above and more. Peal back a layer or two and you will find a bulls-eye on your back, we are also TARGETS!

Marketing Experts and Madison Ave Executives cleverly chart and dissect the passions and fears of the general public just as they have since the cavemen first drew on walls. The Talking heads of Television target the consumer and do it with a great deal of success. Politicians employ the same tools and tactics to target the voter.

As long as there is money to be made from controversy, problems will never be solved. In simple terms, solving the problem isn’t profitable. Creating and dramatizing the problem on the other hand makes a fortune.

Whether an elitist attitude permeates the Beltway is just the tip of the iceberg. Combine that with Political Pundits debating process and policy for a fee and a free press blinded by ideology and the problem becomes that of Main Street.

We can discuss how Bill O’Riely isn’t looking out for you, why Chris Matthews couldn’t tell a Hardball from a snowball and Wolf Blitzer’s Situation Room is more concerned with ratings than informing his audience. You can rely on one thing though, but it's: 'Coming up after the break'! 

Our elected officials are detached, the press is disengaged and 'Paid Political Pundits' are so full of useless information, (their own opinions), they make the Talking Heads look like heroes.
Just give us the facts, not the facts as you see them!

And so begins the search for Truth! One we must make if we are to hold government accountable and our 'free press', independent.


Thomas Jefferson, a defender of a 'free press'  would be so offended by an uniformed public:
"I am persuaded that the good sense of the people will always be found to be the best army. They may be led astray for a moment, but will soon correct themselves. The people are the only censors of their governors, and even their errors will tend to keep these to the true principles of their institution."

 Jefferson on Politics & Government: Freedom of the Press


It is painfully obvious that each of us must be more responsible when ferreting out the truth, in media and in politics. Decisions we make have definite consequences, usually beyond imagination. The decisions we make effect our nation for generations. For the sake of our and that of future generations it is up to us to make informed and responsible decisions.
For a 'free press' to be truly free it must maintain it's independence and must therefore be held to a higher standard. This is the responsibility of the the 'We the People"!

American Liberty & Leadership, Hand in Hand!

Accountability seems to be a lost quality especially in the our government, just ask any one of our 565 or so elected representatives.

I’m not going to start this year off where last year ended. We are all too familiar with the challenges that confront us as a nation, Immigration and insolvency, (on many levels), are still at the top of the list, healthcare is ‘reformed’, although I think they got it all wrong, even made it worse if that’s possible, and employment at 10% will haunt us for some time to come. How many of you are thinking of going ‘Green’ this year?

It’s nice to see the banking sector made out ok though, did any of you notice an improvement in your financial position? I read in the Wall Street Journal that Goldman Sacks had it’s best year ever! Was 2009 one of your best years financially?

All that aside, we have some real issues to consider as we move forward as a people and a nation. Yes the political landscape is a tentative one at best but I believe there is something more important to consider, the American Family, that is to say, the survival of the American Family!

The last 50 years have brought many changes in both the substance and structure of what makes up a family in America today. Gone forever is the stay at home mom. The family dinner hour and family attendance at Sunday Services are becoming more scarce with each passing year. Children grow up so fast these days, I’m not sure if they mature as fast as they grow however. Much of it is due to peer pressure and some to the lack of structure in their young lives. I think that more of a problem for our children, (by no fault of their own), is the absence of moral clarity.

Far be it from me to preach to anyone, I know I’ve made more than my share of mistakes, both as a parent and a person. It certainly is tough when outside influences are so prominent in our lives, let alone the lives our children’s. It’s kinda’ tough when you try to teach your children about the importance of credibility and the need for moral character when so many public figures seem to be rewarded for lacking both. And we complicate it even more by admiring them.

From Brittany Spears to Eliot Spitzer, it seems the reward of bad behavior is notoriety! That doesn’t seem quite right no matter how you spin it. If getting caught on camera with your panties down so to speak warrants a 15 minute spot on ‘E!” or the cover if People Magazine, don’t we need to protect our children from getting the message all wrong.

We take the 10 Commandments out of our courthouses, the Bible out of our schools and the morals out of our politics and expect society to teach our children about virtue, character and credibility. Lacking these qualities, what man would sacrifice his life for the defense of liberty?

It’s evident that social and political issues facing our Nation today would have never been in debate 50 years or more ago. American men and women so willing to fight and die for oppressed people the world over would not stand idly by as their own freedoms and the freedoms of their children come under attack. The greater travesty is the fact that the threats to our freedoms are being perpetrated not by our enemies but by our own elected representatives. The ‘Oath of Office’ sworn to by so many politicians, although so ceremoniously administered seems so thoughtlessly disregarded.

The liberties we no longer defend, the liberties we are so reluctant to protect are the same liberties denied to and envied by people across the globe. How can something so precious be treated so carelessly?

Have we become so complacent that we can no longer see the enemy even in our own back yard, and if so what will it take to motivate us once again? We can’t seem to come to the defense of our own children as we witness, allow and even condone government as it sells their future prosperity and freedom to ideologies bent on the destruction of the ‘American Dream’!

Never in the history of man has one nation, the concept of a handful of dreamers, advanced civilization for the good of all humanity. The unbridled spirit of America is at the heart of freedom throughout the world. Why then are we so willing to assist in destroying it?

I know that in the short passage above I have asked many questions. I don’t pretend to have the answers, at times I feel so overwhelmed I don’t know where to begin or even what to do. I do know this though, we must do something.

President Obama likens himself to our 16^th President, Abraham Lincoln. He speaks often of President Lincoln’s fortitude and courage and quotes him at every opportunity. As Obama asks us to consider the heroics and humility of one of our greatest leaders, his own politics and policies threaten the very liberties of which Mr. Lincoln proclaimed in his ‘Gettysburg Address’:

“The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Our enemies, at home and abroad, note our reluctance to revel in our history, in fact they make note of our short memories and consider it our weakness. What chance do we have when our current leaders do not understand the sacrifice made by our fathers, their fathers and their father’s fathers!

I can only hope that the character of great men in our history will once again emerge in men of our present to inspire us to defend our children and our future.