News Flash!!!!!!

This just in: The press is not impressed with the current crop of GOP candidates for president. What a shock.

I think it's time for us to investigate things for ourselves and not let the press generate our excitement for us. They almost all a bunch of leftist DEM cheerleaders anyway. Don't be manipulated. Research, THINK!

Reality Check Time

Strange exercise time - I want you to leave this site and go to one that features food. You know the one's with beautiful pictures the most delicious looking food you have ever seen. Then I want you to put your hands on those pictures, grab that food, and eat it. Then come back here after you've clean up your face and hands. Go on. I'll wait.

O.K. You're back now. How was it? What do you mean you couldn't grab it. It was right there in front of you. You could see it. You knew what it looked like.

Alright, enough foolishness. What was the point of that? Reality. The pictures and the recipes are there to show you what you could have, if you go to the store, buy the food, bring it home, prepare it, cook it, serve it. There is a process to get for the picture to the reality.

The concepts and abstracts are good to shoot for but there is a reality that must be dealt with. The Reality is there is a political structure that is in place with its own power structure. It gives the illusion that it is transparent but we all know it is not. The real question is how to make the concepts and abstracts the new reality? Do we marginalize ourselves by acting like complete morons in public meetings. Do we join together to support very marginal "Tea Party" candidates who have NO CHANCE of winning just to "get" the MACHINE.

OR do we take an approach where we present ourselves as reasonable, rational people who haven't forgotten the concepts and abstracts but who understand that to get there it will take time and effort, maybe a lot of both. People who are willing to work with the system but work to not be infected by it.

The second is the only one that will work and the only one that has a real plan, not just a means to advance one person's business.

2 postscripts:
1. What is LIBERTY? ( I know what I think. What about you?)
2. A republic is a government that has representatives. The Roman Republic was a republic but not everyone was able to enjoy the benefits. Most of the population were slaves or conquered people. Two modern examples of republics without liberty are the Peoples Republic of China and the U.S.S.R. Both are (and were) republics in name but neither in practice. So it is possible to have a republic without liberty.

How to Really Honor our Fallen Heroes Every Day

We have heard the phase, "Freedom doesn't come cheap" and it is true. This is Memorial Day. It is the day that we honor those who gave the last full measure to either win or keep our freedom. We have had parades. We have had speeches. The taps have been played. Tears have been shed on a day to remember the who paid the price.

As I thought about the day, I wondered what can we do to pay our part of the cost? I'm over 50. I can't join the armed forces again. Some may say I already did my part, almost 5 years active duty plus that little more than a year in the reserves. I did my part, right? I don't think so. What can I do? What can you do?

The best thing that we can do is to use the hard won freedoms well. We need to become informed about politics and world events. We need to understand the intellectual foundations for this nation. We need to be diligent in protecting the freedoms that were won. Our cost of freedom is constant vigilance. This includes voting.

Sadly, slothfulness has crept in. There was an election just last week. Twenty-one percent of the registered voters voted in that election. That means that 79% weren't willing to even go to a polling place to protect their freedom. That result is typical of most elections. What an insult to the fallen that we take so lightly the freedom that they paid so dearly to give to us.

If we truly want to honor our fallen heroes we need to get involved in the political process.

A Need for Time of National Repentance?

In the men's Sunday School class that I teach we have been going through some of the Old Testament prophets. One theme that is seen over and over again is "Repentance".

Looking at the events that have happened to this nation, I wonder if we need a time of national repentance?

WHO ENDED 'MEDICARE AS WE KNOW IT'?

By BETSY MCCAUGHEY (from The New York Post, May 24, 2011)

In today's special election for the 26th
district US House seat in western New York, Democrats are trying out a tactic
they're sure to use nationwide in 2012 -- the obscenely false claim that they will save "Medicare as we know it" from Republican efforts to reform it.

The truth is, the Obama health law, passed by Democrats last year, already eviscerated Medicare -- though seniors won't feel the effects for some time. And the reform plan Democrats are attacking -- Rep. Paul Ryan's entitlement-reform vision -- would undo much of the damage, while charting a new course to ensure Medicare doesn't run out of money.

"Medicare as we know it" can't survive ObamaCare's cuts of $575 billion from the program's funding over the next decade. Just as outrageous is that the Obama law stole $410 billion of those
"savings" to expand eligibility for Medicaid.

It's like robbing Peter to pay Paul -- but it's robbing Grandma to create a whole new class of government dependants.

The nation needs to spend less on government, and entitlement reform is key. Instead, the ObamaCare law starts new entitlements -- with its vast expansion of Medicaid and a new insurance program for the middle class -- then imposes sacrifices on seniors to (partly) pay for these new obligations.

The administration's own actuaries say Medicare will spend $14,731 per senior in 2019, instead of $16,162 if the health law hadn't passed. That's less care for seniors. Richard Foster, the chief actuary for Medicare, testified to Congress that the Obama law makes such severe cuts that some
hospitals may stop taking Medicare.

Such cuts might be justifiable if the "savings" extended Medicare's financial life, as President Obama and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius often claim. In fact, the Obama law just pays less to those who treat Medicare patients, then uses the cash for something else entirely. Raiding Medicare leaves less money to care for future retirees.

So what can that next generation, retiring a decade from now, count on? The Obama law puts those decision in the hands of an unelected board called the Independent Payment Advisory Board, or IPAB -- a cost-cutting panel.

The board is a radical departure from Medicare as we've known it. On the pretext that budgeting decisions should be shielded from outraged seniors and political pressures, the Democratic Congress handed nearly all control of Medicare spending to IPAB. In April, the president reiterated that the board would decide what care is "unnecessary" for seniors, and added that he wants its unprecedented powers increased.

Last week, Obama indicated that he'd like to reduce the deficit by taking another $200 billion from Medicare over the next decade. That would be IPAB's job, too.

Yet IPAB is drawing fire from many who pushed hard for the ObamaCare law -- including the AARP and Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.).

Ryan's reform, passed by House Republicans early this year, would repeal the ObamaCare law in full, thereby restoring the $575 stolen from Medicare and ending IPAB. But, to keep the program sustainable in the decades ahead, the Ryan plan would (starting in 2022) give each new Medicare enrollee a choice of private health plans and pay a premium to the policy chosen. He argues that seniors would be safer choosing their own health plan rather than putting their care in the hands of the cost-cutting IPAB panel.

Let's hope voters examine the plain facts -- because one thing is clear: Obama and the Democratic Party are not saving Medicare "as we know it."

Betsy McCaughey is the author of "The Obama Health Law: What It Says and How To Overturn It."

Time to Change Some Old Stereotyoes

You have heard them, those same old stereotyped attacks, "The Republicans only want to give tax breaks to the Rich", "The GOP want to take away Medicaid, Social Security, School Lunches, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah." I don't know about you but I get so sick of hearing that baloney over and over again and no one ever seems to confront it with the truth, that all of that is a flat out lie.

I don't know how the 26th Congressional race will turn out (we'll all find out tomorrow) or the local races this fall but it has to become our focus to change these misconceptions. I'm not rich but don't try to trick me with this class-envy garbage. This all goes back to property rights and the purpose of government. Both are lost concepts in this dumbed-down age.

I've written about property rights before so I won't get into that again. But I have to ask, "Who gave the government the right to redistribute wealth"? I don't think anyone did. They just assumed that they had the right. It goes back to the first 3 decades of the 2oth century, when the elite became enamored with the ideas of Marx and Engle. It actually goes back farther than that when the top European colleges and seminaries moved away from biblical concepts and took the ideas of the rationalists and secular humanists. There those ideas were disseminated to minds full of mush. Unfortunately those mush-minds were very well connected and moved into places of leadership in government and academia. There those ideas became part of new American thought.

As I have written before the Founding Fathers knew and accepted the Bible as the Word of God, even those who some try to make out as only "deists". While many had trouble living by the Bible , they at least understood it and knew that it was the only hope of making this new system work.

Most of the problems we have as a nation go back to the days when Americans set aside the ideas of our Founding Fathers and became enamored with European ideas. Makes you wonder, "Why do some many want to Europeanize us"?

More later on what is the function of government.

OBSESSION

Webster says:OBSESSION

1

: a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling; broadly : compelling motivation obsession with profits>

In this case it is an obsession with "THE MACHINE". (dah, dah, dahhhh)

I look at the website: Political Class Dismissed when I need a good laugh. If you have ever looked at it then you understand "Obsession". The blogger there, political hack and skilled fantasy writer, Jim Ostrowski is obsessed. To him the most evil thing in the world is "THE MACHINE". (dah, dah, dahhhh)

Now I understand that those who are political party executives and party leaders are not perfect. Frankly, they often show an incredible amount of ineptitude and arrogance mixed with a Machiavellian corruptness. They control the money. They control the endorsements. They do have a lot of power. They are symbols of the Old Way of doing things, when most people didn't really know or care about the political process. I agree that it is a way that needs to go because it does exclude most people from the process.

BUT to be so fixed on "THE MACHINE" (dah, dah, dahhhh) that nothing else matters then you are "obsessed". It is especially strange when it is only one "MACHINE" (dah, dah, dahhhh) that seems to bother him, the GOP one. So obsessed is he that he doesn't mind if the DEM "MACHINE" (dah, dah, dahhhh) uses him and the rest of the Sour Grapes Coalition to put a liberal democrat into an office that has been a dominated by the GOP. He doesn't care if conservative or libertarian values are trashed as long as "THE MACHINE" (dah,dah, dahhhh) is beaten. Prop up a businessman with strong liberal leanings whose only platform is to use tariffs to suppress trade. A policy that any REAL libertarian rejects because it destroys the "FREE-MARKET" and increases the cost of goods and services. Put the TEA PARTY label on him and do everything you can to deceive the public. It's O.K. because all these are inconsequential because you must beat "THE MACHINE". (dah,dah, dahhhh)

I believe with all my heart the he and the other members of the TPC are doing a great disservice to the people of the 26th district and the Tea Party cause in general. I know that things need to be fixed and I think we can do it without betraying REAL, CORE TEA PARTY VALUES which he is replacing with his obsession.

Letter to "you know who you are."

Old Proverb - It's better to have people wonder if you are a fool than to open your mouth and to prove that you are.

An Open Letter to Tony

Tony,

While I agree with the fact that there are problems with the party, just being right isn’t always enough. The idea is to change the way people think and if no one will listen to you, what good will it do? A lesson from history – Franklin and Adams had the same goal on their mission to France (to get French support for the revolution). Who made it happen? The diplomat or the non-diplomat? The Diplomat. Adams was so impatient that he was removed from France. There is a time and a place for impassioned rhetoric and a time and place for diplomacy. The wise man knows what time it is and how to act. If you come across with a condescending attitude, If you disrupt meetings to show your contempt, why would anyone take you seriously? Be wise.

A second point.

If the machine supports the most tea party of all the candidates why support a
non-tea party candidate just to spite them. Jack Davis is not tea party! I saw the Peter Schiff video you put up. If Peter is right (and he is) how can you support Davis?

You and your cohorts seem to think that there is gong to be this ground-swell where people will suddenly rise up and threw off the oppression of "The Machine". Again history is not on your side. Jefferson correctly wrote that people will endure difficult situations as long as it is tolerable because they don't like change very much. There will be no ground-swell. The situation is bad but to most it is not intolerable. The only thing that Davis will do is allow a Liberal Democrat take the office. I do wonder if the DEMs aren't paying Jack to run. It is the only way they could have had a chance of winning. Are you encouraged by the thought that you are being played by "The Other Machine"? At least Jim and Dave made a few bucks on the deal. Were you and Allen able to cash in to?

America's Greatest Need

I teach an adult men's Sunday School Class. I pray about what to teach before I start a new series. In the last year year and a half I believe the Lord led me to the Old Testament Prophets. We have gone through Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, and Obadiah so far and about to start Jonah. I am becoming more and more convinced that if America is going to stand, Christians first and foremost need to get right with the Lord. Look at the way God deals with nations. He tolerates sin for only so long.

We as Americans have been so proud of ourselves. So many think, "We're the Greatest Nation to ever exist! Look at what we have done! See the great nation that we have built with our own hands!" See Daniel 4:30. We have trusted so much in our military might. Who could defeat us?

The nation of Edom was also very proud. They had an impenetrable city, Petra. They thought on one could get in. They were wrong. They turn on their brother. Edomites were descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob. They joined in the sacking of Jerusalem, even keeping people from escaping. God judged them. Read Obadiah.

Israel under King Jeroboam II was enjoying great success in every area but one. That area was the spiritual one. They had continued in the sin of Jeroboam I and added Baal and Molech. With those came temple prostitution and child sacrifice. Merchants cheated their customers. The poor were bought and sold to pay off their debt. Israel thought they were untouchable too. They were wrong. See the book of Amos.

America has been blessed. We can be cursed. Are we really any better than those 2 nations?

I have to examine myself. You have to examine yourself. Our only hope is the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

If you are not sure that you have eternal life, you can be. Here is the simple road to heaven - the Romans Road.

1. We are all sinners before God. Romans 3;23, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:10, "There is none righteous, no not one."

2. Because you are a sinner you are worthy of God's wrath and condemnation. Romans 6:23, "The wages of sin is death..."

What can you do? You can DO nothing. Because the work has already been done.

3. Romans 5:8 says, "But God commended His love to us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

4. Romans 6:23 finish "... but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

5. How does this gift become yours? Romans 10:9-10 say, "That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and will believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

As Romans 5:1 says, "Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Justified means declaried righteous.

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be SAVED." (Sorry that's from Acts not Romans)

Put your trust in the finished work of Christ. He paid the price that we could not.

America's Greatest need is to return to our national motto of "In God we trust." To do it in not just word but in deed.

Tea Party Principle part 3

Can anyone explain:

How are “balanced trade”, tariffs, and tax increases that they
cause part of the tea party movement or free-market thinking?

Aren’t tariffs a source of government revenue i.e., a tax?

How does increasing the cost of all goods and services
benefit the consumer?

How does a “Tea Party” candidate embrace these things and
still get the support of other “tea party” people?

The Tea Principle Part 2

There have been a lot of accusations thrown in the last year by some tea party people, that others have sold out because they worked with the GOP. Well, they may have violated one of your pet principles but they have not violated the “Tea Party” Principle. I firmly believe that some in the “TEA PARTY” movement need to set aside their own pet principles and remember what the real “TEA PARTY” principle is.

Now some of the most venomous accusers have jumped on to the Davis bandwagon, even selling their services to him. This is especially humorous considering the supposed libertarian leanings of some. Even a quick look at the icon of libertarian economic thought, the Mises Institute and its website will show that the libertarian view point and Jack’s are in completely the opposite direction from one another. You know what they say, “Anything for a dime”, or is it 500,000 dimes? It seems to me that they sold out the true tea party principle.

The question must be asked, “Who is the sell-out?”

The Tea Principle Part 1

So much has been made by some as to what “Tea Party” principles are. So many have co-opted
the name to make it fit their own ideas that many really do not know what those principles are.

To understand this you have to go to the beginning. Yes, that’s right way back to December 16, 1773. What was that about? Was it about political machines? NO! Was it about monetary policy? NO! Was it about the FED (Federal Reserve Board)? NO! It was about taxes! Our Founding Fathers were upset about taxes. They didn’t want to pay more taxes, so they threw the “taxed” tea into Boston Harbor. Did you get that? Taxes. Now we have a lot of problems that need to be addressed but the one, the only “TEA PARTY” principle is TAXES and being opposed to them!!!!!!!

This leads us to the “Tea Party” candidate for congress in the 26^th district, Jack Davis. Jack is a one-trick pony. He has one issue and only one that he cares about and that is TRADE. Oh, you will see he has other positions but they aren’t his. I think I know who wrote those for him. But Jack is a one-trick pony. His trick is trade. What is his position on his one-trick? To understand this we need to go back, not to 1773 but back to when Jack was running before.

This leads us to a recent Blog. I appreciate when someone points out something that many have overlooked. On the website, The Lonely Conservative, Sam Foster went back and looked at Jack’s one-trick position in the past. It seems that Jack is for “Balanced Trade”. What is “Balanced Trade”? It is the
imposition of balancing tariffs on all imported goods. What is a “tariff”? Webster’s says,

Tariff- 1a: a schedule of duties imposed by a government on imported or in some countries exported goods b: a duty or rate of duty imposed in such a schedule

2: a schedule of rates or charges of a business or a public utility

3: price, charge

What is a “duty”? Webster’s says,

Duty - 4: tax; especially: a tax on imports

It’s a what? A TAX? Remember the one and only, the true and original “TEA PARTY” principle? It was Taxes and being opposed to them. SO IF JACK WANTS TO INCREASE TAXES, HOW IS HE A TEA PARTY GUY? It’s pretty clear that he isn’t.