Conversations on this and that. A place to gather and civilly (politely, courteously) discuss current events, happenings, or just fun things to laugh about. You have the right to your own opinion, but remember ... so does everyone else. Those with nothing to add to the conversation will not be warmly welcomed.
I will not attempt to write a post for today. My words would be feeble and unable to express the feeling of gratitude to all those who have served this country. I salute each and every one of you regardless where or when you served. May God bless each of you and may all those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice rest in His peace.
AF Ticker.
I add this quote which says more than I could ever say:
"We were young. We have died. Remember us. ... We have done what we could But until it is finished it is not done. ... We have given our lives But until it is finished no one can know what our lives gave. ... Our deaths are not ours, They are yours, They will mean what you make them. They say, Whether our lives, and our deaths were for peace and a new hope Or for nothing We cannot say. It is you who must say this. ... We leave you our deaths, Give them their meaning." --Archibald MacLeish, American poet, writer and the Librarian of Congress
Does anyone actually know anything about the Arizona Immigration Law, especially the critics?
It would appear that those in Washington do not have a clue as to what the law says. The totally clueless head of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, or Nappy as she is known to those who have no use for her and probably with good reason, has admitted that she hasn’t even read the law. One would certainly expect someone in her position to at least have read the law before opening mouth and inserting foot. However I suppose that was one of the qualifications for Obama’s cabinet level post since all of his high profile secretaries have done so. It is doubtful that Eric Holder at the Department of unJustice , as it is fast becoming, would have read the entire law or at least had some of his underlings read it for him and explain it to him , very slowly, so that he could know what it said before opening his mouth and inserting foot. Pelosi doesn’t have a clue but she sure is defensive when it comes to discussing the law. Her only comment was, “we just can’t deport twelve million people” what she meant was we can’t deport millions of votes for the leftist party. Of course I don’t see why not. Eisenhower did it during the 50’s, Harry Truman did it at the end of WW2 and Herbert Hoover did it as well. Would seem as if there was some sort of a precedence set here but then the left seldom sees such or perhaps even knows such. That is a part of history that they would revise and hopefully have the people forget. I would suppose that it has worked since few even know about Eisenhower doing so much less Truman and Hoover. Of course the left likes to throw up the name of the Eisenhower program, Operation Wetback, and point to the right as racist.
In all the hoopla over this law and so many speaking without knowing it would seem that at least one person who has spoken out on the law and actually may have read the law has some understanding of it would be Miss Oklahoma, Elizabeth Wollard. It is for certain that she has a better grasp of states rights and the Arizona law than anyone in the current administration.
Not only that but she sure is better looking than Nappy and looks multiple times over better in evening wear than the occupier in chief’s first lady.
Another individual who has condemned the law is Mexican el Presidente’ Felipe Calderon. Calling it discriminatory would show that he has no real idea of what the law contains. Of course he failed to say that the laws of his country are much stricter and carry a stiffer penalty than the laws of Mexico.
When asked in a recent interview with Wolf Blitzer “if people want to come into Mexico, they can walk in?” “No,” was Calderon’s answer. “Do Mexican police go around asking for papers of people they suspect are illegal?”, “Of Course,” said Calderon. What? You mean that he expects there to be one standard for Arizona and one standard for his own country? What a hypocrite! But then what else is new when it comes to relations between Mexico and the US or any other country for that matter.
Then of course there is the Amnesty ‘n’ Chief who has called the law “misguided” or words to that effect and has even gone as far as to say that the Justice Department may launch an official challenge to the law. It is very evident that Chief Amnesty has not read the Arizona law nor the Federal Law which the Arizona law mirrors.
The people of Arizona have the right to protect the citizens of their state and of their cities. t. Under the Supremacy Clause, everyone must follow federal law in the face of conflicting state law. It has long been established that "a state statute is void to the extent that it actually conflicts with a valid federal statute" and that a conflict will be found either where compliance with both federal and state law is impossible or where the state law stands as an obstacle to the accomplishment and execution of the full purposes and objectives of Congress. Similarly "otherwise valid state laws or court orders cannot stand in the way of a federal court's remedial scheme if the action is essential to enforce the scheme." Arizona law does not attempt to override the Federal law nor does it stand in the way of enforcement.
In Arizona and particularly in Phoenix, families are being tortured and kidnapped at rates that are shattering previous records. Why? Because illegal immigrants and armed gangs like MS-13 are in the business of human and drug trafficking. Roughly half of all the marijuana intercepted on the U.S. border comes from Arizona's border, making America's fifth largest city--Phoenix--a terrifying place. Parents are afraid of leaving their kids alone at bus stops. Husbands worry about intruders, who have committed horrific acts against innocent people. Victims everywhere are being snatched up in broad daylight, prompting local law enforcers to create a special "Home Invasion Task Force”." Second only to Mexico City in the entire world for kidnappings, Phoenix has a responsibility to defend its citizens--not to adhere to some unwritten rule of political correctness.
If the Federal Government will not enforce the laws that are already written and on the books then Arizona must assert it’s rights as a State and pass a law which will allow them to do so.
Article IV, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution says: "The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence."
So far the Federal Government has failed to uphold the Constitution. It’s time they did.
"[D]emocracy will soon degenerate into an anarchy, such an anarchy that every man will do what is right in his own eyes and no man's life or property or reputation or liberty will be secure, and every one of these will soon mould itself into a system of subordination of all the moral virtues and intellectual abilities, all the powers of wealth, beauty, wit and science, to the wanton pleasures, the capricious will, and the execrable cruelty of one or a very few." --John Adams, An Essay on Man's Lust for Power, 1763
In reading these words of John Adams a variation of these words came to mind and I thought it fit well with his quotation.
There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. Proverbs 16:25 (NIV)
It is doubtful that anyone could deny that what Adams spoke of what has and is occurring in this country. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact date of the beginning of such decline but I suppose it became more apparent to many of us in the early 1960’s. We as a nation entered the Age of Aquarius, the age of anything goes. Free Love was the motto of the young people as they paraded half naked and often times naked through the streets of major cities such as San Francisco, wearing, as the song says, “only flowers in their hair”.
The respect for parents, for government and for the nation as a whole declined. It was declared an age of heightened intellectualism, but was it merely the subjugation of such? Perhaps the age of humanist relativism would be a more appropriate title for that period.
Certainly the respect for religion and the Biblical teachings of Jesus and other moral teachings were not apparent, that is unless it perhaps suited an agenda. Then of course we heard, Judge Not, Thou Shall Not Kill, etc, etc. but the words were meaningless and hollow for they didn’t carry the true meaning behind them. Even today Judge Not is a favorite of those Progressives who would continue this trail downward with their so called “freedom” of anything goes, live and let live mantra. They wrap it up in “social justice” and other fancy names which in the overall picture of things means “dowhat you can with what you have and clothe it with moral garments.”(Saul Alinksy’s Rules for Radicals) .
During this period of decline, from what ever date one wishes to give, the primary assault would be on Biblical absolutes and Christian values, which must be crushed as a social force before the new face of Progressivism could rise and flourish. Malachi Martin stated:" By 1985, the influence of traditional Christian philosophy in the West was weak and negligible.... Gramsci's (Antonio Gramsci) master strategy was now feasible. Humanly speaking, it was no longer too tall an order to strip large majorities of men and women in the West of those last vestiges that remained to them of Christianity's transcendent God."
One time frame stands out in many peoples mind and that was when the Supreme Court heard the Abbington School District v.Schempp,in 1963. The Court voted 8-1 in Madalyn Murray O'Hair favor, which effectively banned coercive prayer and Bible verse recitation at public schools in the United States. Some people date this as the beginning of the decline. Perhaps in more modern day it was. Following that case there have been a multitude of cases calling for the striking of the words “In God We Trust” from our currency, banning of crosses in Veterans Cemeteries, removal of the Ten Commandments from all public properties, to name a few. The assault on moral virtues and intellectual abilities continues while the call for “spreading the wealth” from those who produce to the non-productive has become the motto of Progressives and this current administration.
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." Could these words, coupled with the words of Adams indicate the death of this nation? Have we come the point of not having a fixed truth?We know thattruth to the Progressive is relative and changing; “everything is relative and changing to the extent that mankind is free from the shackles of dogma and he can respond to the realities of the widely different situations.” (Saul Alinksy) If so, then we have reached that point of which Adams spoke of in 1763.
In 1794, when Congress appropriated $15,000 for relief of French refugees who fled from insurrection in San Domingo to Baltimore and Philadelphia, James Madison stood on the floor of the House to object saying:
“I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.” — James Madison, 4 Annals of Congress 179, 1794
Entitlement-mania in that nation has cost more drachmas than it could raise in the next 50 years, and the U.S. Spender-in-Chief wants to lend a hand -- yours. Here's how: Of the $145 billion Greek bailout passed early this month, $40 billion will come from the International Monetary Fund. And guess where the IMF receives a big chunk of its money? You, again. Economist Stephen Moore writes, "Last year, the Obama administration muscled through a new authorization of $100 billion in funding for the IMF." So first, the Obama administration pushed to fund the IMF; then, it pushed to bail out Greece using IMF funding. Welcome to Obamanomics.
It would appear that no one in Congress has ever read the Constitution or perhaps they just don't care, after all it's only money.
In recent months we have seen the birth of a movement which desires and demands to see change in how our government operates. A group that has grown tired of the usual order of business of spend, spend, borrow and spend some more and fails to understand that even the government must live within their means just as normal folks do. A group of individuals who now call themselves the Tea Party are the base of this movement and have begun a revolution much to the dismay of the left and those who desire to maintain the status quo.
In December of 2007 I sat before my computer and wrote of such a movement happening in this country. It has taken this long for it to manifest itself and gain the attention of not just this nation but the world. I titled the bunch of random thoughts “The Revolution That is Coming.” I had hope that such an event would take place in this country during my lifetime and I am happy to say that I am not only watching it take place but being a part of this revolution.
I have preached and written of the need to return to the Constitution since I was in high school and college and I will admit that it has been more than a few years past. I believe when you read these rambling thoughts that I put on paper that December evening you will realize that indeed a revolution is not just coming but has arrived.
December 22, 2007:The Revolution That Is Coming
There is a revolution brewing and the idea of doing things as they have always been done is about to explode.
What is going to be surprising to a lot of people, making some downright mad and really tearing some into pieces is who is going to be leading the movement.
It is not going to be the farleft group that would have us all give in to "whatever" and anything goes. It is not going to be the farright who seem to only know how to cut Kudzu with a weedwhacker and never get to the root of the problem. It is not going to be a group of politicians in Washington declaring "a new age of politics". It is not going to be a group of racist, on both sides, who wish only to push one agenda into the forefront inorder to keep one segment of society in slavery.
It is going to be those who are fed up with being fed up and seeing nothing happen.
It is going to be the people who don't vote party lines at every election just because they have a dislike or even a hatred of the other side.
It is going to be those who were taught to think,when in school, back before the days of political correctness and teaching the test or teaching from revised history books.
It is going to be those who actually remember the greatest generation and are now looking at the mistakes and the apathy that their generation created that would certainly disappoint the greatest generation.
It is going to be the folks who take their faith seriously but do not ram it down others throats but will stand up unashamed for what they believe. That pretty much leaves out the far right and will make those on that side really mad to think that they are not responsible for the change that is coming.
It will be those who believe in values such as the Golden Rule and believe that there are absolutes and consequences. So that will really tick off the farleft who have shown no values and certainly don't believe in absolutes and consequences.
It will be those who read, who vote and are informed about the issues and the stand that those seeking election to represent them have taken. So that leaves out those who have become apathetic and know little or nothing about the issues or about those running for office seeking to represent them.That is going to make a bunch of people mad because they really don't realize that they are "dead" and just walking around "stinking' " up things.
Does that surprise anyone?
I know it infuriates a large segment of society off but it matters not because you see they are already "left behind" and will still be wondering what happened when the change comes.
There will perhaps be a few younger people involved because they have been taught to reason and not swallow what ever sounds good.
There will be some older one's left behind because they fear change and believe that there is only one thing that can keep them functioning and that is government. There will be older ones who fear government and will refuse to change just because it is change. These will be left behind.
It is going to be those who believe that a change is needed and not just a change in the political group that is in charge or wants to be in charge but a total change of politics period.
It is going to be those who believe that their voice is worth hearing and will not be afraid to stand up and be counted when it comes time to vote for the change.
It will be those who have perhaps never spoken up before but deep inside could see that it is time to change the seemingly unchangeable.
It will be the ones who are not afraid to take a chance on voting for someone new, for someone who will stand up for making a difference and not be taken in by the lobbyist and the "good ole boys" who have ruled for too long.
It will be those who will get up, stand up, and say, NO MORE, because they know that if nothing changes we are doomed.
It is going to be the people who are not afraid to dare the established group of so called leaders to step aside because it has been shown that they can not lead.
It is going to be those who know what has occured in the last 30plus years and are tired of the same ole same ole.
These will be the folks leading the charge for change.
This will be the same group of folks who will educate their own children to see that nothing needs to stay the same in the world of politics and will see that others are educated as well to this belief.
Some will say that we are going to create a generation of anarchist who will destroy the foundations of this nation but that is wrong thinking. This will be the generation that takes back the reins of power and steadies the foundations that this nation was built upon, the Constitution of the United States, and keeps these foundations from crumbling and falling apart.
This will be the generation that is no longer apathetic and allow "the anything goes" crowd to keep on letting "anything go".
I entirely concur in the propriety of resorting to the sense in which the Constitution was accepted and ratified by the nation. In that sense alone it is the legitimate Constitution." --James Madison, letter to Henry Lee, 1824
"The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave." --Patrick Henry, speech at the Virginia Convention, 1775
"I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection.’Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death." --Thomas Paine, The Crisis, No. 1, 1776
The words of these men who were in great part responsible for the foundation of this great nation should inspire us to stand up and join the Revolution just as they did and shirk not our responsibility and duty just as they did not.
Congressman Dr. Michael Burgess from my district here in Texas sums up the reaction by the government toward the oil spill and tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico.
“…We must get answers to the lingering question of what caused the Deepwater Horizon tragedy and be smart with future exploration, so that we do all we can to ensure that an event like this never happens again. But we must also be smart moving forward with energy legislation in light of this tragedy, because many times, even with the best intentions, Congress can do more harm than good.”
I wish to share his comments with you since it seems he has hit the nail on the head.
Last Friday I traveled to the Gulf Coast area affected by the oil spill caused by the April 20 explosion on the ultra-deep-water exploratory oil rig, Deepwater Horizon. The most dreadful consequence of this tragedy is the loss of life—of the 126 men and women on board the rig, 11 perished. Oil is now leaking into the Gulf at rates currently estimated at 5,000 barrels per day, and thousands of men and women have been working around the clock to get the spill under control.
While in Louisiana, our delegation received a briefing from Coast Guard Rear Admiral Mary Landry at Unified Area Command, and we also met with representatives from the Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service (MMS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, local officials, affected industries and response teams.
What was most readily apparent was the seamless cooperation between all of the entities involved, including BP. While many politicians in Washington have turned this tragedy into an opportunity to push their own agendas, the men and women directly involved with the situation are working collaboratively to correct the problem and protect their communities and the environment.
Today the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (O&I), of which I am the ranking member, will hold a hearing to look into the cause of the explosion and subsequent spill. While I believe in strong oversight—it is one of the most basic responsibilities of government—I can’t help but wonder if this hearing was called prematurely.
The cause of the explosion is not yet known, as well as other critical information, such as why there was a leak in the pipe and why the blowout preventer did not work. Furthermore, a substantial number of questions remain as to the federal government’s role in the explosion. The Department of Interior’s MMS is responsible for permitting, regulating, and inspecting oil rigs, like the Deepwater Horizon, operating in federal waters. Reports suggest the MMS inspected the rig as recently as April 1, finding no safety violations.
For these reasons, I requested that Interior Secretary Salazar accompany the oil executives and explain to Congress what his agency’s role in federal permitting and inspecting is, and how a rig with zero violations could fall to the Gulf floor less than one month later. At past O&I subcommittee hearings concerning Toyota and crib safety, Members had the opportunity to ask questions of the federal official from the agency of jurisdiction, and I don’t see why today’s hearing should be any different.
While I look forward to questioning the company executives on their preparation for ultra-deep-water oil exploration, I want to also caution against making sweeping judgments and rushing to unrealistic conclusions about what America’s future energy policies should be, in light of this tragedy. Congress has a long history of overreacting to public tragedies with hasty legislation that—months or years later—we realize has unintended consequences (the latest health care reform law will no doubt fall into this category).
For over 50 years, offshore drilling in the Gulf has been a well-engineered operation, with a remarkably good record overall, until this spill. In recent years, the bulk of new production has come from deep-sea operations, with exploratory and production wells developed at depths equal to or substantially greater than the 5,000 foot depth of the Deepwater Horizon—all without serious incidents.
Some Members have suggested that they will push more forcefully for divisive, ideological energy policies such as cap-and-trade, which Americans have already soundly rejected. I, like my Republican colleagues, have long supported an “all-of the above” energy strategy.
Our economy will require oil and gas—Americans consume 20 million barrels of oil a day—as well as clean energy, such as natural gas and wind, for decades to come. We have the resources right here at home to provide the bulk of that energy, rather than import it from unstable and unfriendly regions of the world, but we cannot take certain energy sources off the table because of the Deepwater Horizon incident, like some have suggested.
Obviously, we must be vigilant in achieving the correct balance of energy production and environmental protection and human safety. Tragedies such as this one underscore that importance. But not letting a crisis go to waste, as some would say, is no more a solution than hiding our heads in the sand and pretending this type of ultra-deep-water exploration can’t be dangerous. America can produce our own energy resources—oil, natural gas, wind, and nuclear power, to name a few—in a way that minimizes risks.
This is why we must get answers to the lingering question of what caused the Deepwater Horizon tragedy and be smart with future exploration, so that we do all we can to ensure that an event like this never happens again. But we must also be smart moving forward with energy legislation in light of this tragedy, because many times, even with the best intentions, Congress can do more harm than good.
On Monday, Obama on Monday portrayed Elena Kagan as a guiding force for a fractured court and a champion of typical Americans. She would be the youngest justice on the court and give it three women for the first time in history. Obama,who said Kagan has "one of the nation's foremost legal minds," wanted someone who could counter the court's conservative leaders as well as sway votes with her thinking and temperament.
Kagan strongly criticized the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gay service members as discriminatory; she joined a Supreme Court case seeking to invalidate the law that put colleges at risk for losing federal money if they banned military recruiters.
Recently, in her brief tenure as Solicitor General, she argued that the federal government has the power, under campaign finance laws, to ban certain books and pamphlets. Responding to this argument of Ms. Kagan, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote, "As a free-floating test for First amendment coverage, that (proposition) is startling and dangerous."And indeed it is. If Obama doesn’t like something someone wrote then with Kagan’s support and vote it could be banned. Could one also see this as applying to the Holy Bible, since the leftist and progressives find it not to their liking?
This, one could speculate, is a political payback to the Gay front for their votes and to appease those who were growing angry that Obama had not fulfilled his election promises to their group. I don’t think that is much of a stretch on that subject.
This nomination also shows Obama’s disdain for the military as well as the Constitution for certainly if appointed the Constitution will become more of the “living constitution” as desired by those on the left.
Wait — did Obama just diss the iPad?
"And meanwhile, you're coming of age in a 24/7 media environment that bombards us with all kinds of content and exposes us to all kinds of arguments, some of which don't always rank that high on the truth meter. And with iPods and iPads and Xboxes and PlayStations — none of which I know how to work — information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment, rather than a tool of empowerment, rather than the means of emancipation. So all of this is not only putting pressure on you; it's putting new pressure on our country and on our democracy." “…With so many voices clamoring for attention on blogs and on cable, on talk radio, it can be difficult at times to sift through it all; to know what to believe; to figure out who's telling the truth and who's not. Let's face it, even some of the craziest claims can quickly gain traction. I've had some experience in that regard."
So is the president saying that iPods, iPads and PlayStations are bad(as one outlet put it, “on his axis of evil list)?
New coverage for young adults will raise premiums
Letting young adults stay on their parents' health insurance until they turn 26 will nudge premiums nearly 1 percent higher for employer plans, the government said inan estimate released Monday. The new benefit will cost $3,380 for each dependent.
Premium increase will come on top of hikes employers already expect for next year. Large companies forecast that premiums will rise between 6.5 percent and 7 percent without the impact of the health care overhaul.
Greece is in flames, but if you look around, you can smell the smoke here as well."
"Greece has cultural problems that contribute to its economic implosion. But there are similarities to the U.S. as well -- and because we have elected Democrats, they are growing. By the end of 2011, Greece's debt will be 150 percent of its GDP. According to a March report by the Congressional Budget Office, President Obama's 2011 budget will generate nearly $10 trillion in cumulative budget deficits over the next 10 years -- $1.2 trillion more than the administration projected -- which will increase our debt to GDP ratio to 90 percent by 2020.And we are giving away money to BAIL THEM OUT?Who will bail the US out?
“Let us remember in our thoughts and prayers those suffering from natural disasters in Haiti, Chile, and elsewhere, and the people from those countries and from around the world who have worked tirelessly and selflessly to render aid. Let us pray for the families of the West Virginia miners, and the people of Poland who so recently and unexpectedly lost many of their beloved leaders.” Obama’s declaration of Day of Prayer.
If that had been George Bush the media would have been all over it. Had Bush not flown immediately to Nashville he would have been condemned just as he was during Katrina. Fearless leader, Obama, was playing golf and spending $125 per person for dinner, but not a word from the Lame Stream Media.
Instead he sends a stand in: Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano listens as Ruthie Hostetler describes the flood damage done to her home in Nashville, Tenn.. Napolitano visited Nashville to view the flood damage and talk with homeowners and cleanup workers. Can you imagine the uproar if Bush were President or for that matter any Republican? Wonder if the reason he sent a stand in is because Tennessee folks didn’t seem to care enough for his “hope ‘n’ change” to vote for him.
With a record 13-inch rain, the Cumberland River overflowed its banks last Sunday, yielding dramatic pictures of houses floating along interstates and residents stuck in torrid waters. Ten people died in Nashville alone of 31 total. The cleanup could be one of the costliest in US history.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano went to Nashville Saturday,(almost a week later) and President Obama has declared 53 counties as federal disaster areas, clearing the way for residents to receive federal aid.
Political response has been mostly by the book. Relief efforts have been intensely local. Water, food and money have come mostly from individuals.
While the Nashville, Tennessee, flood will bring federal aid, some complain the area became the nation's hidden disaster. But many Tennesseans are happy to clean up the mess on their own.Nope you don’t hear those folks screaming to be put up in hotels in Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas or elsewhere. You don’t hear them whining that FEMA hasn’t arrived with care packages and water (remember NO and the water issue). You don’t see them rioting in the streets, looting stores, and raising general mayhem.
One Nashville resident and blogger sums it up this way: "A large part of the reason that we are being ignored is because of who we are," writes Patten Fuqua on the hockey blog Section 303. "Did you hear about crime sprees? No … you didn't. You saw a group of people trying to move two horses to higher ground. [We] weren't doing anything to draw attention to ourselves. We were handling it on our own."
C'mon, how big is the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, really?
Official estimates for the flow of oil out of the Deepwater Horizon well may be just a drop in the bucket. Critics call for release of worst-case scenario data to describe the oil spill disaster. Of course the enviro-nuts and the Obama administration are calling it a “great disaster” and there will be hearings on the subject until the cows come home but only for show. Obama prepared to visit the affected area this weekend ( for a photo op, days after the tragic event), as the government began wresting control of the relief operation from BP.I would surmise that he will be giving the experts there advice on how to bring the situation under control. I am sure that with his experience as a Community Organizer he would at least be able to organize the coffee line for the workers. Now making the coffee is a different story.
The only thing the government has done is to criticize BP for its efforts and claim that they were there on day one to stop the damage.It should be noted that immediately the Obama Administration began the comparison to Katrina. Guess that means we can see more money funneled into NO to be wasted. Of course it also is a political payback for the health care vote which of course went along with the initial bribe. Wow it pays to have voted for “the One”.
Gas prices rising nationwide, but maybe not for long
Gas prices are up an average of four cents a gallon nationwide during the past week – and 78 cents a gallon from last year. I wonder if the left and Obama will attempt to blame this on Bush?Would it surprise anyone?In fact on a few of the blogs sponsored by newspapers such blame has already been established by the kooky leftist. They claim that Bush “deregulated” energy to pay back his Halliburton buddies (note they said energy, not oil, which only proves they don’t have a clue) and thus caused the disaster in the Gulf which caused gas prices to rise. The facts of the matter aregas prices typically rise every year as Memorial Day approaches. Refineries are switching over to their summer blend, which is more expensive, and companies expect a rise in demand during the summer driving season.But of course the leftist never let little things like facts stand in their way of blaming anyone and everyone but their own ignorance andfoolishness for a problem.
And the most ridiculous things of the week
What Senior Moment? Center Denies Prayer to Elderly
When it comes to meal-time prayers, Georgia's Senior Citizens Inc. may have bitten off more than it can chew. In a ridiculous new decision, the organization told its elderly that it "violates federal rules" to pray before meals. Because Port Wentworth's Center receives government money, one local official said the individuals’ prayers compromised the group’s funding arrangement.. Mayor Glenn Jones said he was irate about the decision and will try to find a solution with the city's attorney. "For me to look at their eyes and tell them they can't thank God for their food, it's unheard of." It's also unlawful. Several members of Congress qualify as "senior citizens," and they open every day with prayer provided by an official government chaplain! We've gone from seniors in high school not being able to pray at graduation ceremonies to seniors at retirement centers unable to pray over food. This is truly a new era of religious intolerance.Now that is totally ridiculous! What next? If you pray, the prayer police will come in and snatch your plate of food away?Or perhaps you will be denied medical care as punishment, oh, forgot that has already been covered under OBAMANOCARE.
Nancy Pelosi On Immigration
Nancy Pelosi, speaking on the so called Immigration Reform bill which is in all actuality nothing more than an Amnesty bill:“We can’t just deport 12 Million Illegal Aliens”.And pray tell Nancy, just why not?Eisenhower deported 3 million illegals during his tenure of office. Could it be Nancy that you are actually saying, “We can just throw away 12 Million Democrat votes?”Take a look as this.You may have to copy and paste it into your browser but I assure you it will be worthwhile. It certainly explains much about the so called Immigration Bill : http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/17260182/1610997888/name/ftc-vi26.wmv
"To the distinguished Character of Patriot, it should be our highest Glory to add the more distinguished Character of Christian. The signal Instances of providential Goodness which we have experienced and which have now almost crowned our labours with complete Success, demand from us in a peculiar manner the warmest returns of Gratitude and Piety to the Supreme Author of all Good." --George Washington
This was a call in 1775 by the First Continental Congress when they called for "a day of publick humiliation, fasting, and prayer." Apparently, our Founders saw a national day of prayer as a fitting observance even if the present day naysayers do not.
The leftwing, their media cohorts and so called “progressives” made a big deal over the National Day of Prayer recently. It would seem that they believe that somehow a Day of Prayer for this Nation is a vile thing and according to the leftist and their “living constitution” totally illegal and in violation of the “Separate of Church and State”. Of course there is no “Separation of Church and State as the leftist wish to describe it. The real meaning as set forth by the founders was set forth in Amendment I of our Bill of Rights:"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." In other words, Congress may not mandate that a particular religion be nationalized, and others be prohibited. Regardless of this, the leftist courts even went so far as to declare the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional, as it is "an inherently religious exercise that serves no secular function." (U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb -- a 1979 Jimmy Carter nominee)
The fact that they leftist used the Separation of Church and State showed that they were only using the Day of Prayer to further their agenda of a Godless nation. It is easy for them to hide their agenda behind a small thing like the Day of Prayer rather than attacking Constitution directly.
To the leftist their agenda means, No God, in any form in any part of the government, which trickles down to schools, community events and even NASCAR pre-race events. Of course those who watch NASCAR know that they have ignored the leftist and offer a prayer for safety and even , in horrors to the leftist, evoke the name of Jesus Christ in many cases. Many of the leftist think racing is a waste of gasoline and a “horrid pollutant” to the atmosphere which absolutely without a doubt contributes to Global Warming. (now change to Climate Change since there is no real facts to back Global Warming)
The leftist , through the courts would amend our Constitution by judicial diktat in full disregard for the constitutional prescription for amendment in Article 5 of the Constitution. But then they think that the Constitution and Rule of Law is outdated and should be replaced by their “new living constitution” which can be interpreted in any manner on any matter as long as it suits their agenda.
In 1952, Congress established the National Day of Prayer as an annual event by a joint resolution, signed into law by President Harry Truman. The NDP designation (36 U.S.C. § 119) calls for the nation "to turn to God in prayer and meditation."
The founding fathers had much to say concerning such a day:
John Adams declared May 9, 1798, as "a day of solemn humiliation, fasting, and prayer ... that our country may be protected from all the dangers which threaten it."
James Madison followed this tradition, but wrote, "I was always careful to make the Proclamations absolutely indiscriminate, and merely recommendatory; or rather mere designations of a day, on which all who thought proper might unite in consecrating it to religious purposes, according to their own faith & forms. In this sense, I presume you reserve to the Govt. a right to appoint particular days for religious worship throughout the State, without any penal sanction enforcing the worship."
The Founders were greatly and rightly suspect of any encroachment by government upon religious freedom, and codified that proscription in Amendment I of our Bill of Rights: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."In other words, Congress may not mandate that a particular religion be nationalized, and others be prohibited. Madison wrote, our Constitution, the one he penned, does not bar the government from designating "particular days for religious worship throughout the State."
So what does this tell us about the leftist.
One, it tells us that they know nothing or totally ignore history. Well, nothing real new since we already know that in their agenda revising history is a top priority. They do not wish that people be allowed to be educated on how this country was founded much less any knowledge of the thoughts of the founders and signers of the Constitution. If people become educated to these facts and understand them, then they will object to the leftist agenda and will recognize the back door attacks on the Constitution such as occurred with the objection to the Day of Prayer.
Second, it tells us that they wish to remove all references to God from the government and all other forums. We have seen this evidenced in the attacks on school prayer, prayers at football games, prayers at military functions and in the military itself, the wording on our currency, the posting of the Ten Commandments and more. The beginning of such attacks was when Madalyn Murray O'Hair was one of the litigants in the case of Murray vs. Curlett, which led the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 1963 decision, to ban organized prayer in public schools. Anyone who has lived through this period can offer testimony that not only has our education system gone down hill but society in general. We the people allowed one woman to change the course of an entire nation.
Third it should tell us that we need to be very aware of all that the leftist are doing for just as they have attacked the Constitution through their attack on the National Day of Prayer, they will find subtle ways to re-write the greatest document of the free world and make it nothing more than a leftist manifesto to be used and interpreted as they wish. Afterwards all the freedoms that this nation’s people have fought, bled and died for will disappear. The enemy is a silent one and seeks to destroy and kill any vestige of what this great nation has stood for over the past 250 years.
The leftist agenda is dangerous if not evil in its intent. We know that evil loves darkness, secrecy, subterfuge, and lies. This is evidenced in the manner in which many of the bills before the Congress were not allowed true debate, were presented in a deceptive manner and were of course passed in the middle of the night (darkness if you will). We who understand the ways of the leftist need to constantly seek to educate those who are uninformed, totally ignorant and those who are just so gullible that they believe anything that they are told, especially if it has the words “free, your right, your entitlement” attached. If we fail, the leftist win and all the freedoms will be gone.
Thomas Jefferson proclaimed, "The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time. ... Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with his wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep for ever."
Men such as Jefferson have warned us. It is up to you, me and others who grasp the meaning of these words to sound out his warning. We know the consequences of doing nothing. What action will we take?
**I wish to thank Mark Alexander for the quotes of the great men who understood what prayer meant to a nation.
It would appear that those who fail to uphold our nations laws, in other words , our elected officials are among those who think the Arizona law is a bad thing.
Critics of Arizona's tough new immigration law, which makes illegal immigration a state crime, have called supporters of the bill "racist," "mean-spirited" and "un-American." Here's the newsflash: The measure is also good politics, not only in Arizona, but nationally.
Usually after a measure like this has passed, the news media respond with stories about how the measure will hurt the GOP among Latino voters. This time, not so much.
The Patriot Post ran this article recently. It shows just another step by this administration to control every move made by American citizens, especially those who oppose the flagrant violations of the US Constitution. While it appears they have back off from a separate Office designation to do their evil deeds they have now included such authority into the functions of the FDIC. It's all about deception, not transparency that was promised by this administration. For those who are not too blind to see it is very transparent as to what this administration is seeking to accomplish.
The power of Banks and Congress were something to be leery about according to Jefferson. If you are not familiar with the warning I refer you back to last weeks post on the thoughts of Jefferson concerning the powers of Banks. Here is just more proof of that danger via the promise of Hope 'n' Change. My question is, who, in their right mind, needs it or wants it?
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who didn't see fit to pay his own income taxes, may soon have the authority to watch over your financial transactions, thanks to a new federal agency that would be created in the Democrats' financial overhaul bill. The Office of Financial Research, straight out of a George Orwell novel, would serve as a central repository of transaction records generated at private financial companies. Geithner, along with an unspecified number of bureaucrats that he hires, will have unlimited access for "statistical analysis and research" of the nation's financial institutions -- supposedly for the purpose of spotting systemic problems that will allow them to act before another meltdown.
This agency is the latest in the series of unconstitutional power grabs that Democrats have grown accustomed to since Barack Obama became president. It violates American citizens' Fourth Amendment guarantee of security in their "persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures" and its imprecise language leaves plenty of room for expanding the agency's activities without congressional approval. The type of information access that Democrats seek would not have enabled them to prevent the financial meltdown of 2008, but it would allow bureaucrats who work for this agency the opportunity to share their privileged information with the private sector one year after leaving the agency. So, ironically, the Office of Financial Research simply presents our bloated government even more opportunity for further corruption and mismanagement of the economy.
"They are not to do anything they please to provide for the general welfare, but only to lay taxes for that purpose. To consider the latter phrase not as describing the purpose of the first, but as giving a distinct and independent power to do any act they please which may be good for the Union, would render all the preceding and subsequent enumerations of power completely useless. It would reduce the whole instrument to a single phrase, that of instituting a Congress with power to do whatever would be for the good of the United States; and as they would be the sole judges of the good or evil, it would be also a power to do whatever evil they please.... Certainly no such universal power was meant to be given them. It was intended to lace them up straightly within the enumerated powers and those without which, as means, these powers could not be carried into effect." --Thomas Jefferson, Opinion on National Bank, 1791
What else need be said on today's situation. Jefferson seems to have been able to foresee the future or so it appears to me.
