The last portion of article 1, section 8 of the US constitution says this about Congress:
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
All legislation crafted at the federal level is to be authored and revised by the House and the Senate. The executive branch is not to edit or revise legislation passed by congress. Therefore, the line-itemveto which gives the president legislative power greatly increases the power of the presidency (eg, deleting the Stupak Amendment if the house version of the healthcare bill passed) and illegally subverts the seperation of powers written into the Constitution.
The following portion of Article II delineates the powers the president has. You will notice that conspicuously missing is the ability to legislate, as this has been reserved for Congress:
Section 2 – Civilian Power over Military, Cabinet, Pardon Power, Appointments
The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.
He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.
The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.
Section 3 – State of the Union, Convening Congress
He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.
We must stop looking to “easy” answers provided to us for getting pork spending under control, whether the line-itemveto, or a “balanced budget amendment.” The ONLY effective solution to this dilemma is not giving too much power to the President, but to elect legislators who will faithfully uphold and defend the Constitution. If they did that, they would not pass pork. We must not forget that the president is a politician too, who is given to the same political games that abound in congress. Hold your congressman accountable this year for ANY pork he or she has voted or lobbied for, regardless of what party’s letter they have beside their name.
Giving the president such power would allow an unscrupulous politician of a president to strip out key portions of a bill that may defend our rights or limit spending. We must not allow any lineitemveto powers to be unconstitutionally vested in the president of the United States.
The people at the union hall took notice that I was the first one to arrive outside before the meeting, and once they let people in for the Town Hall, I was interviewed by one of the gentlemen in the SEIU local 1199. I was asked this question: “What is wrong with the healthcare system we have now?” Given the targeted nature of the question, I was not able to really get into the problems with HR 3200, but I did offer this answer:
I believe that insurance contracts should be translated from lawyer speak (used to deceive people) into standard English, people should know what benefits and details are in their plan. I believe we need more targeted legislation than what is being discussed now.
“Targeted in what way?”
Towards the tangled web of laws preventing trans-state competition and insurance portablity from one state to another. It will help strengthen competition and prevent one company from having a monopoly over a given geographic area.
On Wednesday at about 10AM, the Senator held a Town Hall, or “Round table” as the aides in his office called it (thereby denying there was any town hall, according to those I spoke to regarding their efforts to find out about the event). I decided to get there an hour early only to find out that an hour early is about two hours too late. The staff kept saying that the main room was full, and they were busy preparing an overflow room (where no one was able to ask questions, and to which the senator did not make an appearance).
Despite the assurances of the staff that the main room was filled, large groups kept being admitted ahead of the line, all of the ones I saw either had “planned parenthood” stickers clearly present, or “Organizing for America” signs.
For about 1/2 the meeting, audio was terrible, prompting several people to leave the overflow and go home. One of whom was a gentlemen in a suit with a House of Representatives binder who seemed increasingly agitated about the meeting. I was hoping to talk to him afterward, but he left about 15 minutes in.
On stage, the whole panel was totally for the AAHCA bill as it stands, with Sen. Brown noting one point of disagreement. Overall the talking points were the same (the “40 million” uninsured, the “public option” would keep insurance companies honest, you can “keep” your current coverage, etc) and it was clear that the purpose of the Town Hall was not to have an honest discussion about the bill, but to merely garner a “friendly” town hall unlike any of the open town halls held across the country (with the exception of the “Yes we can!” town hall hosted by the president).
Overall, given the timing of the meeting (10AM on a workday, selective admittance, long winded sales pitches by each of the people on the “round table,” hastily and poorly concocted “overflow” room, it was an organizational and conversational failure. With the Senator solidly in the bill’s camp (having helped write it), it was clear that he is on board regardless of what his constituents want.
As far as protestors go, there were 3 sides represented outside: those for the bill (complete with glossy pre-fab signs), greenpeace, and those who oppose the bill.
One thing I feel has been particularly interesting. I was talking with an acquaintance, not specifically about the healthcare bill, but the words of Nancy Pelosi, and how she called the protesters “un-American” And he brought up the psychological term “projection,” whereby an individual accuses his opponents of the very thing he himself is guilty of. There has been much harping about how “Fox News is bankrolling the protesters!” When in reality it seems that these protesters are individuals. I have yet to see an anti-ObamaCare protester carrying a glossy pre-made sign, while the proponents of the plan almost exclusively are carrying expensive ready made sings that SOMEONE bought and paid for (there was one individual that had a homemade pro-reform sign that I could see), and which were being distributed to the proponents as I was waiting for the meeting.
This healthcare bill AAHCA has some very deep pocked bankrollers (including radical abortion proponent Planned Parenthood).
So, to those who look at see “Fox News Operatives” disguises as elderly, disabled, moms, college students, nurses, or John Does, take a good look at that glossy sign, and ask yourself where the money came from to print and distribute all of them.
And after all this, why not take some time to sit down and take a long hard look at what is in this bill…
The president gives you the “facts about the stability and security you get from health insurance reform.” I give you the facts behind these “facts” Doggone it, I agree with the White House on one thing: facts sure are stubborn things. (especially with the whole text of the bill available for perusal)! Links HERE!
“Fact”1 Reform will stop “rationing” – not increase it
WHITEHOUSE VIDEO: http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/4
The president’s plan will stop insurance companies from charging more for pre-existing conditions and will dictate plan coverage this will raise overall prices because preexisting conditions are costly. This will also not stop the government from rationing its own provision of health care. The woman in this video lies that it will not create more bureacracy. The AAHCA bill will create numerous boards, administrations and new officials, all directly appointed by the president. The president has said “time and time again” you can keep your plan and doctor. If you already have what you like you can keep it, but the federal (Read: TAXPAYER) subsidy will give the plan an unfair advantage, in addition to being able to set ALL the rules and coverage requirements AND levying a tax on the private plans it will increase the cost of the private plans and competitive forces will exterminate the private options (how can you compete when your opponent can offer as “low” of prices as they want, and cannot go bankrupt, merely absorbing more and more tax money to stay afloat). So once again, the president’s words prove ultimately meaningless (much like his transparency pledge and waiting period pledge for bills). This video also does not show his repeated desires to set up a single payer plan.
“Fact” 2 The “euthanasia” distortion on help for families
WHITEHOUSE VIDEO: http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/7
First of all, what business does the government have demanding “end of life” counseling? Given that they want to require it more frequently for nursing home and critical patents, how can it not have anything to do with euthanasia? This is where the “drop in a bucket” savings will come from ObamaCare, by eliminating those most costly to the system, who have social security and medicare and other unfunded lien against the government. Yes, social security is a lien, the government took our money with the promise to return it in old age, and they have spent it and now they are clamoring for ways to get out from under that burden. Death counseling will eliminate 2 birds with one stone. The government hates being responsible to people, even if those people have been healthy productive citizens their whole lives. That is why the elderly have been some of the most vocal and adamant protesters at town hall meetings, THEY are the ones that will be most seriously impacted initially through these orwellian measures.
“for president obama, health care is a deeply moral issue…” Obama has shown he all but completely lacks a moral compass. From his wish that he had voted against trying to save Terri Schiavo to his stalwart opposition to ANY restrictions on abortions (including babies born alive, which even NARAL didn’t oppose) in the Illinois senate. Forgive me, but I do not trust our president’s ability to handle “deeply moral issues” let alone the fact that the constitution gives him no such power to control health care. His service to the American people is not to run our lives and make all our choices, but to “uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States,” which he has shown no desire to do whatsoever.
This bill will withhold services from the elderly, opting instead to give only pain medication in liu of “expensive” options. page 425.
* Sec. 1233, Pg. 425, Lines 4-12 – Government mandates Advance (Death) Care Planning consultation. Think Senior Citizens and end of life. END-OF-LIFE COUNSELING. SOME IN THE ADMINISTRATION HAVE ALREADY DISCUSSED RATIONING HEALTH CARE FOR THE ELDERLY.
* Sec. 1233, Pg. 425, Lines 17-19 – Government WILL instruct and consult regarding living wills and durable powers of attorney. Mandatory end-of-life planning!
* Sec. 1233, Pg. 425-426, Lines 22-25, 1-3 – Government provides approved list of end-of-life resources, guiding you in death.
* Sec. 1233, Pg. 427, Lines 15-24 – Government mandates program for orders for life-sustaining treatment (i.e. end of life). The government has a say in how your life ends.
* Sec. 1233, Pg. 429, Lines 1-9 – An “advanced care planning consult” will be used as patient’s health deteriorates.
* Sec. 1233, Pg. 429, Lines 10-12 – “Advanced Care Consultation” may include an ORDER for end-of-life plans – from the government.
* Sec. 1233, Pg. 429, Lines 13-25 – The government will specify which Doctors (professional authority under state law includes Nurse Practitioners or Physician’s Assistants) can write an end-of-life order.
* Sec. 1233, Pg. 430, Lines 11-15 – The government will decide what level of treatment you will have at end of life, according to preset methods (not individually decided).
(Source: http://www.lc.org/index.cfm?PID=19319)
People can already get access to living will services, and other services regarding life decisions. Again, the government has no legal right to provide or mandate such services.
“Fact” 3 Vet’s health care is safe and sound
I am not that familiar with the current system of Veteran’s health care, so I am not going to comment excessively on this, other than to say that it will certainly be as “safe and sound” as the rest of the Americans that will eventually be herded onto the government program through unfair competition and special taxes on private options.
Also, one has to wonder how much the President really likes Veterans, since his DHS appointee Janet Napoliano has openly called returning veterans likely domestic extremists/terrorists.
UPDATE: Obama has re-instituted the VA “Death book” which referred its readers to counselors associated with the (successor to the) Hemlock Society (this book had been BANNED under the Bush administration once they found out its contents). This also brings into question the administrations adamant mockery and denial of “death panels.”
“Fact” 4 Reform will benefit small business – not burden it.
WHITEHOUSE VIDEO: http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/21
It will benefit small businesses to be taxed for not providing health care. It will also penalize larger firms. Why does a small business pay more to offer health care programs? Its because when you have a larger business, you are “buying in bulk” when you offer a health care plan, which means that you can negotiate lower rates just because you are so big. A smaller business, with fewer people, has less leverage, they are not buying as much, so they cannot get the same rates. So, in effect, ObamaCare will levy an extra tax on the larger firms to subsidize the smaller ones – keeping with the president’s long term theme of “spreading the wealth around.” Not to mention any business not offering “approved health care” will be levied an additional tax, and employees which do not opt for an “approved health care plan” will also be slammed with a hefty tax, all for not wanting to buy a product they do not want!
“Fact” 5 Your medicare is safe, and stronger with reform.
WHITEHOUSE VIDEO: http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/31
“cutting unnecessary subsidies” Reduced reimbursement will mean reduced acceptance of medicare, increased costs.
* Sec. 1162, Pg. 341, Lines 3-9 – The government has authority to disqualify Medicare Advantage Plans (Part B), HMOs, etc. This will force people into a government plan. “The Secretary may determine not to identify a Medicare Advantage plan if the Secretary has identified deficiencies in the plan’s compliance with rules for such plans under this part.”
(Source: http://www.lc.org/index.cfm?PID=19319)
“Fact” 6 You can keep your own insurance
WHITEHOUSE VIDEO: http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/3
Its Linda Douglass from the snitch video plays a starring role here. In fact, its the exact same video, with the exact same lies, claims of “sentences and phrases out of context.” The president has indeed been talking to the American people, and he has been saying radically different things to his audiences. While talking to the radicals, he promised “single payer” he has repeatedly said he favors “single payer” government health care. However, all the recent clips shown are from his efforts to get the American people to swallow the poison pill of a “public option,” which, through unfair competition and controls will ultimately become the only option, thereby government will nationalize healthcare and it will appear that the “free market” has caused it to happen. Thus, I give the president props for a very clever and ingenius method to get the people to swallow his scheme. (Double props to the senior citizens and many others who have seen through this deceptive veil and have come out strongly against it!)
If you want to pay a special tax on it to help fund the government’s plan, and, as people migrate to the tax-payer subsidized government plan, are willing to pay increasing premiums until the government mandates that to stop and the provider subsequently goes out of business. The long term affect is being compelled onto the government plan, since, if your insurance goes out of business and you refuse coverage, you will be taxed for doing so.
The bottom line is the president advocated a “voluntary” universal health care program and adamantly campaigned against Hillary’s involuntary program. Once again, the president, through his strong support for AAHCA shatters yet another in a long list of broken promises.
Just for the record, if Bush had lied this often, he would have been impeached without hesitation…
The first thing you will notice if you were here in April 15th is the crowd! The Volume appears to have at least doubled from April 15th! And this with even rain continuing to threaten to break out.
If you haven’t made it out to one of these rallies, you should definitely get out there! Not only is the cause great, but the people are too. Common Americans, Republicans, Independents and those Democrats who believe in the Constitution, who oppose the Marxist policies of the Obama administration (though started at the end of the Bush administration), and who want to preserve an America, ripe with liberty and freedom for their progeny, and for those many legal immigrants entering this country.
The speakers were varied and powerful, from Alicia Heely to Judge Napolitano of Fox News fame. God was recognized as the Author of Liberty, and wasteful and harmful government spending was blasted. The Constitution was boldly defended.
This is our time! This is our generation! We must stand up. People are standing up now. Join us. Let us start a constitutional revolution that will throw out the tyrants and ignorants who refuse to read bills!
We want our country back! Our numbers are growing! This is winnable! By God’s grace this movement can move mountains and preserve the unique blessings of liberty present in this country to a future generation.
Whether we like it or not, the fact is God provides wealth to individuals, and they in turn give to charity (note that God will hold accountable those who misuse their wealth, or who abuse others to gain it). With the exception of sacrificial giving, most families in America will only donate after the basic needs of their families are met. A system of government that encourages free and private competition is the economic system which God has used in America to fuel technological advance and wealth generation. For, money itself or the ability to generate large amounts of it is not the root of all evil, but rather the love of money.
Let us look at Ananias and Sapphira for some lessons about economics and morals.
(Acts 5:1) But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
A perfectly acceptable and moral way to raise money.
(Acts 5:2) And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
This verse reveals the source of the couple’s sin, but it also reveals something else: that men of wealth were receiving Christ and joining the church and were donating large sums of money, and that all the church was rejoicing in how God was blessing. While lying is an abomination, it does say something about the society that honor and exaltation was received by those who gave of their wealth voluntarily to further God’s work in the world, which would have been administering to the poor and widowed (as the bible calls “true religion), and presenting the good news of Christ to a lost and dying world.
(Acts 5:3) But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Herein lies the sin: This couple has conspired together to deceive God, that they might receive honor for giving away such a great value as the entire price of what must have been a sizable possession (though in principle it would not have mattered whether it was a comic book or a Beverly Hills mansion).
(Acts 5:4) Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. (Acts 5:5) And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
The early Christian church recognized the God granted right of private property. Civil governments work best when they honor the basic moral laws and principles explained in God’s word. As surely as lying and theft condemn single persons, so to will governmental theft and deceit condemn a nation. For the Bible says:
Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. (Proverbs 14:34)
When government steals from men and forcibly redistributes wealth, it breaks the process whereby men generate wealth, by destroying personal incentive by progressive taxation and other methods more recently discussed such as special healthcare taxes, special “windfall profit” taxes. The government also engages in theft when it breaks contracts held by private companies and individuals, such as GM bond holders. Governments, like people are not immune to the effects of sin. The offense of slavery nearly broke this country into pieces. American law at that time, in violation of both our own Declaration of independence, and the immutable laws of God robbed people of their most basic rights: life and liberty. Had we not learned the lesson, that would have been the end of America. Today, we are accelerating down a similar road. The government of man in America has completely lost sight of God spiritually, morally, socially, and economically. In the noble name of promoting “economic justice” (as opposed to equal access to the opportunity to engage in the “pursuit of happiness,” the president and his cohorts across all branches of government seek to destroy personal liberty and private prosperity. By doing this, many who currently work will lose jobs, and many charities will decline and fail (and this in addition to the president’s crass desire to deplete the tax credit granted to the wealthy who donate to charity).
This will not hurt the wealthy, who will merely reduce or eliminate charitable giving, but it will have a direct impact on, and increase the number of, those individuals living at or below the poverty level in the United States, and this even as the president wants to force billions of American dollars into the coffers of the United Nations to “loan” to dictators who can then use it to bribe loyalty and prop up their failing regimes.
The economic implosion being engineered by Obama, Pelosi, Volkner* and their cohorts will have a direct and decisive impact on charity and home and abroad. By limp-wristed diplomacy and kissing up to Anti-Israel forces, Islamic Iranian tyrants and Marxist Latin-American dictators he has set himself at odds with the cause of Liberty.
The bottom line is this: Obama is the current figurehead of a movement that, at its higher levels, seeks to subvert America and remake in their own image, which is revealed by looking that those who promoted his agenda and walked closed to him:
*The head of Obama’s economic recovery team, Paul Volcker has openly advocated the enforced decline of the American standard of living. He said:
“The standard of living of the average American has to decline … I don’t think you can escape that” – Paul Volcker, former Fed Chairman, and current Obama adviser, in 1979
(note Mr. Volcker’s use of the term “average American” – not him and his type of course). (a Source)
The Main Stream Media love to call the Tea Parties an “Astroturf” movement, meaning that they aren’t an authentic movement of the people, that they are merely people drawn to conservative celebrities, whether they be Glenn Beck or Rush (though Rush has intentionally distanced himself from the movement citing that very reason.
Yet, this same MSM saw no problem at all with, nor did they call the Hope and Change campaign in 2008 “Astroturf” despite the celebrities that climbed on board.
Will-I-Am and other liberal elites exalt Obama in a song flavored with “praise and worship” styled music and lyrics.
“Obama Girl” uses her body and sexy poses with images of Obama to cultivate an aura of celebrity around Obama that is empty. Do you really thing “boring discussions of policy” could have created such undying love in a generation (my generation) with perpetual ADHD? The MSM gave her several awards for her fantastic piece of astroturf. (While it resulted in actual votes, I consider popularity built around sexy political images instead of policy and practicality to be fake aura) (Astroturf is used to cover over dirt and concrete concealing reality in a prefabricated illusion of lush greenness)
A more “distinguished: part of the astroturfing of Obama was the incessant pimping of the “historical” aspect of Obama’s election. This pimping was carried out by every MSM news outlet, and by most news papers, for which Obama’s race trumped his agenda and any other considerations (This included the “conservative” Columbus dispatch, which though it technically endorsed “McCain-Palin” trumpeted the “historic” aspect of the election in almost every article written, with references to race so constantly, they must have thought all their readers had Alzheimer’s and forgot the historic aspect within seconds of reading of it.
One could argue that celebrities like the black eyed peas’ Will-I-AM, and cyber celebs like “Obama Girl” helped to propel Obama’s campaign over the top, creating an aura of celebrity around Obama himself. The media and other celebrities were complicit in making the “historical” aspect of the election, namely Obama’s skin color, the main attraction, followed by his “hip youngness.”
The Tea Parties, by contrast, do not center around a cult of personality. While Obama Girl and company made it about Obama’s “hotness” or “making history” the Tea Parties are about ideas, the chief among them opposing socialism (rapidly expanding government spending and control) and hailing the restoration of the free market and individual liberties.
Movements need leaders, who understand what’s going on with the ability to explain why something needs to be done.
They call these things a product of Fox. That’s because Fox angered the other stations by actually covering the protests and rallies in a “fair and balanced” manner, without resorting to juvenile derision tactics employed by CNN and MSNBC. (Speaking of such who can forget the MSNBC anchor that got a thrill going down his leg when he heard Obama’s voice?)
The other attempt going on to discredit the movement is that its only “old white guys” protesting the “historic election.” They think everyone else is as superficial and race-based as themselves, and that the only reason anyone could possibly oppose Obama is because “he is a black man.” This tactic is also employed by ignorant youtube kitties which make videos like this one:
The author of the video has included this email address in the video’s intro. flugennock@sinkers.org since he has disabled comments and video replies, I would urge you to email him and tell him that he’s wrongly and grossly slandering average Americans of all walks of life.
Claiming the Tea Party attendees are Nazis and white power people. He missed the passionate latin American immigrant who spoke at the DC rally, as well as the diversity within the very audience he tried to paint as little hitlers. These people lie to make themselves feel better, and because they have nothing of substance to attack people standing up for the constitution, and against tyranny. So they call them “racists” and “tea baggers”
My photo collage of the attenders of the July 4th Washington DC tea party.
People of all colors issuing an open invitation for Janeane Garafolo to attend the July 4th Texas tea party and see who makes up the tea party movement.
Ironically, with a little creative editing of my own, one of Flugennock’s own comics can be turned on him…
It is clear now the direction this administration is taking us: from debasing ourselves before the Islamic world to Secretary of State Hillary begging 3rd World dictators in China to continue buying our debt, bringing in the most corrupt tax-dodging career politicians to the highest positions of power, spending money we don’t have to bring the economy and nation out of debt, honing the politics of fear to a razors edge, paring hundreds of points from the stock market destroying more people’s retirements and wealth with every presentation of a socialist plan.
Which the stock market still reeling from the unprecedented trillion dollar spending plan, already a plan for the government to spend another quarter trillion plus on buying mortgages and forcing banks to write down other mortgages, already a plan to introduce a tyrannical cap-and-trade global warming con designed to leach about a third of a trillion dollars from the private market, not to mention the ensuing surge in fuel prices and the fact that Obama plans to spend that money buying the votes of the people who can’t (or no longer can thanks to cap-and-trade) afford their heating bills. This is not even factoring in the cost of nationalized health care!
He has lied in front of the entire nation, not, as Clinton did about some private and debasing sin, but about one trillion dollars of OUR money. There is no such thing as federal money, it is the money of the taxpayers! It is supposed to be spent to keep this country safe for prosperity, not on pork! Oh, he made a couple petty “concessions” like about the condoms, but I can’t help but think those were in there, specifically so they could be removed and touted as a “compromise” without endangering the porkish nature of the spending package.
At best, Obama is naive of the most basic of economics and is a terrible judge of character. At worst, he is out to undermine this country, to subvert and destroy her prosperity and strength by economic chaos and international weakness.
Wake up people and see this! Let the scales fall from your eyes, birds of a feather flock together, and you have seen Obama’s flock: Tax Cheats, Racist Preachers, Socialists, Marxists, Unrepentant Terrorists (jump starting your political career out of the home of one DOES count)!
This country needs a rapid change of direction! Keep pressure on your congressmen! on your local and state governments! Hold them accountable!
Our next real chance to turn America off this destructive path is in 2010. We MUST hold them accountable for following the pied piper off an economic and social cliff! We as Americans MUST repent, and turn our hearts to the God of our Founding Fathers! It was by HIS divine providence this country emerged and was able to throw off the chains of colonial oppression. We must, with clear hearts and clean consciences repent and turn back to Him! We must discern righteousness and reject evil! Hold our government accountable to a higher standard! In order for a revival to take hold of our government, it MUST start with you and me! Live within your means, trust in the Lord and don’t lean on your own understanding! Turn YOUR heart to God. That is how it starts! How can we cry out to God about our government’s debt, when we ourselves live beyond our means, max out credit cards, buy houses and cars we cannot afford? Our government has lost its economic and moral compass because WE THE PEOPLE, have lost ours. We are reaping what we’ve sown in abundance over the last 50 years! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do good? Who can pervert His judgment? If we but repent, He will stay His hand.
America has much work to do, but it can still be done! Start today! CHANGE your own life, get YOUR priorities right. As you do, SPREAD the word. Let us start a REAL grassroots revival. Time is short! Tired of Washington? Step up and GET involved! Run for office! KNOW the issues! PRAY! WORK! We can pray God will revive America, but are WE willing to STAND up and be USED of God to bring that revival? Faith without works is DEAD!
The Author of Liberty is ready and willing to refill the cup of a repentant people! Let us be humbled before HIM, put ourselves under HIS blessing! Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to us! Righteousness STILL exalts a nation! Let us be removed from the reproach of SIN!
We call Liberty a right. However, it has been a rare privilege throughout history. If we mean to pass the torch of liberty to a new generation, we must ACT NOW! To wait, to delay, to depend on government to save us from our own sins, is to deny the blessing of liberty! TAKE responsibility! Humble yourself before GOD, he promises to exalt! Be part of a new generation of leaders who will rise up and draw this country back to greatness!
Acknowledge the Author, and PROCLAIM LIBERTY THROUGHOUT THE LAND, and TO THE INHABITANTS THEREOF!
In his book, Dreams From My Father, Obama makes this commentary regarding the release of a line of bathroom products by the Nation of Islam (Power brand) and advertised in it’s Newspaper, The Final Call:
The newspaper also carried…promotions for a line of toiletries–toothpaste and the like–that the Nation had launched under the brand name POWER, part of a strategy to encourage blacks to keep their money within their own community.
After a time, the ads for POWER products grew less prominent in The Final Call; it seems that many who enjoyed Minister Farrakhan’s speeches continued to brush their teeth with Crest. That the POWER campaign sputtered said something about the difficulty that faced any black business–the barriers to entry, the lack of finance, the leg up that your competitors possessed after having kept you out of the game for over three hundred years. (Page 201)
The problems an upstart company faces going against an established giant like Crest in its mainstay product would be the same for anyone! No upstart could instantly gain the brand loyalty, quality and economies of scale that an established firm has. Further “you” haven’t been kept out of the game for over 300 years. Anyone who has never been exposed to invention techniques, college, or who didn’t have parents who ran a business are just as economically impared as those who can trace their family line back 300+ years. Why? Because economic sense and entreprenuership are NOT genetic, they are learned!
Further, Obama neglects some important factors regarding the fizzle of the Nation of Islam(NOI)’s POWER line:
The parent company, NOI is widely considered racist and antisemitic
The target market is going to be very small
The brand loyalty of Crest is well established
They could never match the price as an upstart and make money
Their radicalism alienated many potential customers
As a side note, Obama noted that he “would occasionally pick up the (NOI’s) paper” p201, and yet it must have been quite frequently because he goes on to note the gradual diminishing of the ads for the POWER line.
On page 202, he goes on to lament that the “unifying furvor” garnered from Farrakhan’s speeches wasn’t able to carry over into the every day choices of blacks, and he blames this on “decisions forced by a market economy.”
If this is the “economic prowess” that Obama will bring to the white house, that race and the free market are the sum of the problem, then how on earth will he lead this country out of a recession? With the taxes and governmental spending explosions he promotes? Coupled with his radical mentality, I do believe he will take this country’s economy out of the recession…
As we near the end of Black History Month, let us consider the famous words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr:
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
That is the dream, whereby man would look beyond the surface and judge men by their values, beliefs and standards. Much progress has been made in that direction in America.
We have gone from a time where the legal system looked another way when a black man whistled at a white woman. Racism has been evicted from America’s public square. By and large it only finds refuge in the hearts of men (and women) who’s hearts are hardened, who’s minds are narrow, who’s only claim to self worth is the putting down of another based on the color of their skin.
Today, however, skin color has again returned to America’s public square. As we race towards the 2008 presidential elections, change has become the buzz word. In many circles the prospect of a Black or woman president has trumped all other issues.
McCain, Bush, the Clintons are painted as stogy old white establishment types. Relative youth and skin color are trumpeted as the best assets of a candidate this year, in 2008.
The truth of the matter is this: once you peel off the surface, there is no substantial difference in the agendas that will be pursued by a President Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama.
There is a song that has been co-opted in some areas as a sort of theme song for this years election season: Matchbox 20’s “How far we’ve come.” The music video to this song seems to attempt a historical chronology of the women’s and civil rights movements, cumulating in cheering images of Barack Obama’s and Hillary’s supporters.
There is no doubt that the Civil Rights Movement and certain aspects of the women’s movement have legitimately leveled the social and economic playing fields. However, the problem comes when the cumulation of these efforts is presented as Hillary and Obama. The Euphoria over the potential of a “first” black/woman candidate has completely hijacked democrats and would be social progressives. Any attack that would be directed at Obama’s policies or values can, and sometimes is, twisted into racism. Gender and skin tone becomes a defense in liu of answers.
Barack Obama himself says he is gaging racism by whether or not whites vote for him.
“If I do well in Iowa, and if I do well in New Hampshire . . . then by the time we get to South Carolina, I think we will have dispelled the notion that somehow whites won’t vote for African Americans.” -SOURCE
This is audacious in every sense of the word. Ignoring the issues and diving straight for the cover all. I would vote for the President regardless of his or her color, that stands closest to what is best for America.
It will send the message: Skin matters more than issues.
It sure seemed like we’ve come along way since Dr King’s famous speech. However, here we are as a nation still judging people by the color of their skin.
It will only be a matter of time before we are all judged for our actions this year. This election has the potential to change the heart and soul of a nation.
If you LOVE America, if you sincerely want the best for this country look behind the smooth talking, the glitzy publicity war, the buzz words and rock concert style slogans and chantings.
King was murdered for his bold position, that all men are equal. If you love civil rights, if you support on any level the legacy he has handed us down through the civil rights movement, then reject the politics of “famous firsts.” Focus on the issues. Focus on America.
