A Christmas Story

We are fast approaching Christmas, the day we celebrate as the birthday of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  Of course many do not share these beliefs and there are many who do not understand the true meaning of this special season.

As for me, I have always been intrigued with children's versions of Christmas and wish to share one such that I recently read in the Rock Springs Church bulletin.

A little boy came home from Sunday School and was all excited about learning about the Wise Men who brought gifts to the baby Jesus.  He couldn’t wait to tell his Mother.  “Momma, guess what I learned in Sunday School today about the first Christmas?  There wasn’t a Santa Claus way back then so these three fellows on camels had to deliver all the toys. And ‘Rudolph  the Red Nosed Reindeer with his nose so bright’  wasn’t there so they had to have this big spotlight in the sky to find their way around.  Wow, ain’t that something Momma?”

I hope you have enjoyed this version of a child's view of Christmas.  If you have any such stories please feel free to share them with all the readers. I am sure they will enjoy them as much as I will.

Until then, keep shopping but don’t forget the real reason for the season.  I’ll have more on that subject closer to Christmas day.

Has Capitalism Come To An End In America. Part V

The Death of Capitalism:


In this final segment we will explore the authors ideas describing the death of capitalism as he outlines in his book The Fallen Eagle .   As the author used the description of Babylon and of  the Babylonian spirit to describe the ideology which he sees as coming out of modern day capitalism  and how it contributes to the death of Capitalism we will continue with his description for clarity.   The authors quotes are highlighted as in previous article post.

It is indeed my wish that each of  you who have read this series have enjoyed it as much as I have enjoyed presenting it.
 
We are indeed seeing some of the things which have been presented in this series of  writings. Do they spell the end of Capitalism?  If they do not, then they certainly show that this country is riding on a very slippery slope and everything possible should be done to insure that there are brakes to apply and that the brakes are indeed strong enough to stop this country from crashing into they abyss.  Have we come too far or is there yet hope?  That is the question that I leave with each of you. Please feel free to leave your comments on the subject.

“...the merchants of  the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no may buyeth their merchandise any more...” )Revelation 18”11)  “For in one hour so great riches is come to naught...” (Revelation 18:17) What but a financial collapse like that of 1929 could trigger the sudden loss of great riches and of merchants wherewithal to accumulate more? (Note: Even if we have reached the wrong conclusion that Babylon is capitalism, it seems ovvious that capitalism will fall in the near future.)

The author points out that for the time being Babylon sits peacefully atop the Beast. Capitalism and socialism coexist today in a fascist style marriage of convenience but in the end the Beast will devour the Harlot (Babylon) system. Socialism will totally envelope capitalism. The entire process began in the early 1900’s and will end with a final coup de grâce.

Just as the hatred between the Harlot and the Beast so is the hatred of  the socialist toward capitalism and are determined that it must end. They are not content with the mixture.  In order to carry out their goal of remedying the worlds ills they must destroy capitalism in order to complete the redistribution of the world’s wealth.  To them nothing short of total destruction will correct the mammoth inequities in today’s economic structures.  We see this in the constant call by the UN for elimination of “world poverty” and the only way that body can achieve such is by total redistribution of wealth, taking from the countries that produce and giving to the non-producers which has proven to be a wrongheaded task each time it has been attempted. We hear and see this constantly in this country from the administration currently seated in Washington and from the so called “progressives” who while losing nothing themselves are more than anxious to redistribute the wealth of others, once again taking from the producers and giving to non-producers.

The setting of the stage for the final clash between the world two economic forces is near completion. Capitalism is slowly being strangled to death given the myriad of taxes, regulations and litigation forces of government’s domination by socialist. Capitalism is being kept alive for now in order to provide for the production capabilities and resources to fuel socialism's worldwide redistribution rampage.

The Humanist see capitalism as an obstacle to human progress. To them, capitalism functions as a religion because it sacrifices individuals on the alter of utopian promises. To them , commercialization is a debasing force. To them, individuals are ground won by the weight of capitalism and must be rescued by the state. To them, when the cyclical economic bubbles burst ( as the recent housing debacle demonstrated, they always blame cait6alism and use the crisis (as did FDR) to pass massive redistribution legislation.  

With such hatred, ideological fervor and overwhelming political clout, socialism(humanism) is bound to with the struggle... The ten kings of John’s prophesy (Revelation 17) need but finalize a socialist takeover that was first introduced in the United States seventy five years ago but that today is hopelessly engrained in the moral fiber of a materialist , security conscious people.

William Bowen, a noted authority on humanism and globalism, said,  “The complete takeover will dome through an economic catastrophe. Most likely , it will be the result of a bankruptcy of the United States government. That will trigger a devaluation of money and lead to a stock market crash. This will bring on a world depression—and a global government which will be thought necessary to solve of all our problems.” 
 
We have recently witnessed several summits in which these very issues have been discussed or at least brought to the attention of those who claim to be in the leadership of this country and yet the continuation of printing of more money which is claimed to be necessary to keep the government from collapsing.  We are watching the devaluation of our currency even though there is little mention of it in the media which of course is under the influence of the current leadership in Washington whose goal is retribution of wealth not only within this country but world wide.  We are witnessing the borrowing of huge amounts of money from such countries as China who are rejoicing at the failure of their nemesis, the model of capitalism, the United States. Is there much room for doubt in Mr. Bowen’s prophesy? Is there much room for doubt that we are hearing the death knell of capitalism? 

What say you?

 

Has Capitalism Come To An End In America. Part IV

What’s Wrong With Capitalism?:

In this segment we will explore the authors ideas describing what he sees as wrong with capitalism as he outlines in his book The Fallen Eagle.  The author uses the description of Babylonian spirit to describe the ideology which he sees as coming out of modern day capitalism. In order to make for a better understanding of the terminology and descriptions taken from the Bible Scripture perhaps a look at Babylon and who or what Babylon is would be in order.  The authors quotes are highlighted as in previous article post.

Babylon is described throughout the Scripture both in natural terms and supernatural terminology.   We know from history that Babylon was a city sitting on a main trade route in what we know as Iraq.  It was indeed a prosperous city but it also was an evil city containing every perverseness  known to man.

John the Revelator saw Babylon as a lavishly dressed Harlot riding on the back of a seven headed beast and described her as such:

I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, haviing seven heads and then horns.

And this woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthness of her fornicatin”

And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABONMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Revelation 13:3-5)

Babylon’s association with the seven-headed, ten horned beast makes her a prominent historical and end time figure, for the beast upon which the Harlot rides represents earthly kingdoms.  The ten horns symbolizes ten end time kings who: ...shall give their power and strenght unto the beast” (Revelation 17:13).

Babylon's influence is worldwide--”...all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her...” (Revelation 18:3)

Some equate the Babylon influence to a false religion which perhaps impacts peoples and governments however the Scriptures seem to lean more toward referring to Babylon and other cities like her as great trade cities or centers and liken their business transactions to adulterous behavior.  The Old Testament prophet Isaiah spoke of another large trade city, Tyre, in this manner: “...she shall turn to her hire and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world ...”(Isaiah 23:17). John, in his Revelation also emphasizes Babylon’s commercial activity rather than religious affairs: ...”thy merchants were the great men of the earth...” Revelation 18:23)  We know that today, business leaders fro the free world hold unprecedented power and command respect worldwide. No political system, not even Communism, hinders their movement around the world. Hardly a nation escapes their.  warlike quest for larger markets, cheaper labor and scarcer natural resources. John again alludes to Babylon as an economically based process in which “...the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies” (Revelation 18:3). The merchants grew rich because they had the freedom to employ their skills and possessions to accumulate more wealth “...that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships at sea...” (Revelation 18:19)

That description of Babylon is a very good description of the freedom , flexibility and opportunity allowed under modern capitalism.  And now, what is wrong with capitalism?

Marx was wrong since not all privately-owned enterprises are capitalistic in nature , not do all corporations harbor the Babylon sprit. Neither is the concept of private enterprise inherently evil, for God has always advocated man[‘s economic freedom and individual responsibility. This must  certainly include his rights to own property, to enter into voluntary exchange with whomever he chooses, to select the vocation of his choice, to provide goods and services in order to make enough money to provide for his family, to help the needy , and to put enough aside for a rainy day.  The writer (and this writer) is a firm believer in free enterprise and the concept behind pure capitalism but something with in the capitalist system—the misuse of its freedoms—must defy God’s laws relative to making money. These abuses of privileges distinguish mere private ownership from capitalism.  The introduction of these abuses into an individually owned business signals the departure of God’s sanction and the entrance of the Babylon spirit to administer its economic affairs.

So from this point forward, when we use the word” capitalism” we do not mean the free enterprise system per se but the willful perversion of those freedoms into a competitive, ever expanding monster, incapable of expressing even the slightest measure of human compassion.  By capitalism we mean the merger of equipment and human labor into a profit producing machine  incapable of looking beyond its own voracious appetite for larger markets, cheaper labor, and scarcer natural resources. By capitalism, we mean an attitude or spirit, with an  economic system that lends itself to the old man’s natural desire for fun, fame and fortune, that focuses on selfish desires as they seek gratification through the things of the world , that forsakes the right of others and perverts the love of God into a Laodicean** craze for pleasure, possessions and prestige.

Any business , regardless of size can,  according to the author be possessed by the Babylon spirit. Void of feelings other than greed especially a lack of feeling toward people it simply operates to make more and  more money.

Capitalism gives birth to our latent impulses to covet “things” and exalt ourselves because the foundational principles upon which it operates are geared toward accumulation and self emulation.  the use of it’s freedoms to reap gain, often at another expense , makes capitalism just as obnoxious to God as atheistic Communisms.

At the heart of capitalism, dominating its every precept and principle is a competitive drive for higher profits.  A business filled with the Babylon spirit is not content to merely cover cost and make a reasonable profit. It exist solely for making more money.

When bottom line looms as the driving force behind nearly every management decision , those decision eventually and inevitably lead to expansion. Marx right concluded that capitalism had no stopping place but was relentless driven by greed to innovate and increase output.

This dangerous concentration takes a deadly toll on small businessmen, but the loss of human compassion and understanding is far more devastating.

Central to capitalism , equality is nothing more than equal opportunity of all to compete freely for economic advantage.  With advantage must come disadvantage; invariably weak suffer most in a fully competitive environment...  In such a system there is little compassion for losers but boast proudly of their affluent winners.

However innocently, capitalism does create a noticeable poverty, and an increasing price structure perpetuates the economic distinction between the upper (and middle )classes and the poor.  Capitalism did not necessarily produce poverty by taking the poor man’s money (although this is true to an extent in the price he must pay for necessities), but it did  create a chasm which few will cross.

To solve the poverty problem advocates of capitalism feel that rather than subdivide the pie into smaller and smaller parts, there ought to be a bigger pie. Of course we know that the socialist in our government would not only subdivide the pie into smaller pieces but also create a larger pie by extracting profits from the very entity that created it, be it right or wrongly created.

As long as the competitive system survives, and in spite of social programs, government handouts, and foreign aid, the poor will remain, and the rich will get richer.


Capitalism will fail, but not because everyone in America suddenly adopts Christian values and applies them to their business life.  Sadly , most Americans, including Christians, are determined to preserve or improve their current lifestyles and the economic system that ensures its preservation. Accordingly , the Babylon spirit will continue to spell bind and enslave all who abuse their economic freedoms and do so with little regard for the rights or feelings of others.That is, until the end.


Next the final segment: The Death of Capitalism

** Laodiciean spirit is described as this in Revalation  3:17-18 "Because you say, 'I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;' and don't know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see"  .

The words attributed to the Laodiceans obviously mark an ironic over-confidence in regard to spiritual wealth. They are unable to recognize their bankruptcy. However the image may also be drawing on the perceived worldly wealth of the city and in the content of the article on Capitalism this is the authors intent.

Has Capitalism Come To An End In America. Part III

In Part III of this series on the end of Capitalism in America we take a look at how arch enemies have been united despite their struggle to overcome the other.

The highlighted segments are excerpts from a book by Thomas G. Reed,  The Fallen Eagle 


The Enemies Unite But Not By Choice:

One only need look at our Western European friends to see a perfect portrait of Marx’s state controlled economics.  After years of infiltration, most of Europe is now dominated by socialist polices and governments. I might add that in recent months and weeks we have seen the peeling of the paint from the portrait of  the Utopian promises brought about when one falls for the idea that one can use “cheap  watered down paint” instead of good oil paint for a long lasting portrait.

Europe has fallen but America has not yet experienced a total conversion to socialism not withstanding the decades of relentless socialist attacks.  Nevertheless through our democratic processes she has adopted enough of Marx’s theories that countless demands have been placed on her once-free economic process, Social Security taxes, minimum wage standards, unemployment compensation, employee quotas and other benefit packages have helped convert private enterprise into an unwilling sponsor of socialism.  The socialist have legislated, with great success, their arch rival into a rather effective ally. Our recent election of such Marxist inspired leaders have greatly accelerated the process.
 

Along with the legislation has come the taxation. By taxing producers and donating the proceeds to non-producers, the state, as an errand boy for socialism, redistributes huge chunks of this country’s corporate (and personal) wealth. In just four decades, the government’s war on poverty has cost American taxpayers trillions.

Honest Americans realize the outrageous cost of these government social programs and are sickened by them. These same Americans were disheartened and disgusted for the most part, by the reluctance and ineptitude of elected officials to make changes even though it has been proven time and again through studies that these pet projects of politicians are wasteful, ineffective(even harmful to the participants) or destined for bankruptcy.  Perhaps our recent Congressional elections have shown these entrenched politicians, living on the power as if some kind of drug, that the American people are finally tired of this spending and it can either be reigned in, cut, or their supply of  “power drug” can be taken away at the ballot box. One can only hope that it is not too late. 

One of the most recognized of these programs, and a seemingly untouchable one, is the social security system, which when conceived was a commendable idea, but nonetheless an expensive pyramid scheme.

When it’s fraudulent nature appears , and that is fast occurring, the system will collapse and the latecomers will lose. Before that happens, payroll deductions will continue to escalate as the ration of workers to recipients steadily declines. And, as the number of retirees (and with them, cost) goes up, rivalry between the generations will increase, creating further social divisiveness.

Another such program and an example  of misguided government intervention is minimum wage laws.
Those on the left screamed that such laws were necessary to protect the “downtrodden” from the likes of the “Big Mac” cookeries, the evil Wal-Mart's, and other such “big box” stores who hired the unfortunate and then oppressed them through low wages and long hours. In other words the left attempted to paint a portrait of the 19th century sweat shops using cheap watered down paint and now the paint is peeling and the portrait is proving to be nothing more than a canvases with muddled patches of untruths spoken in order to gain another foothold in a group of uninformed individuals for the purpose of producing votes for their agenda. In all the program has done nothing but have a negative effect on those workers at the lower end of the marketable skill level. The program has resulted in cost increases wen employers raise prices, increase productivity levels and often fire or refuse to hire workers in the minimum wage category. In addition, minimum wage laws decreased competition that higher skilled workers face from the lower-skilled, creating a situation of unfair advantage to the skilled worker. The unskilled remain unemployed and the skilled grow steadily more affluent.  Yet those who demand such programs continue to decry the results and demand increased wages despite that facts prove their agenda to be wrongheaded... Ahhh but it buys votes.

There are more such programs that have done little to nothing to aid those for which they were intended such as the food stamp program, assistance for medical treatment (and we have seen the introduction of the biggest of these doomed for failure programs introduced as Obamacare within the last two years), housing projects, which have become nothing more than “welfare havens” for non-producers and baby factories for illegitimate children produced by unmarried women who find it more economically rewarding to remain unmarried than to marry. All such are supported by Welfare which has done more to keep people in poverty than any other known program produced by the government. But yet the cycle continues uninterrupted because of the thirst for power by greedy politicians who in fact could care less about the people that their programs adversely effect. Those on the left will never allow the “plug” to be pulled on such programs for it will sound the death knell for their control and power.  As the Communist use the proletariat, political poverty pimps use the poor as a devise to assume and retain power.

The capitalist system capitalized on the socialist redistribution efforts. The economy grew , the people had more money to spend and spent it, wisely and unwisely. The law of supply and demand drove prices up and business prospered. Prices climbed after trade unions extracted increased wage and benefit packages from reluctant profit[conscious corporations. The never-ending spiral of increased costs followed by higher prices generally favored the corporation. In essence, capitalism has shared enough of its bounty with the working class to buy them off while it rebounded from near collapse in the most prosperous haven of private enterprise ever.


Sadly to say, the die is cast and until the end, American economics is destined an unholy mixture of philosophies espousing material blessings on the one hand and altruistic welfare on the other. 


In the next segment I will present a look at What’s Wrong With Capitalism from the author of  The Fallen Eagle  perspective which uses both political and biblical outlooks to as a basis for his outlook.  

Has Capitalism Come To An End In America.

Today we continue with Part II of a series on the subject of the end of capitalism in America.  I hope that you will continue to follow as the subject is presented and will offer comments on the subject as well.

As  stated before highlighted sections are excerpts from a book by Thomas G. Reed, The Fallen Eagle.



 Part II-- The History and Philosophy of Socialism:

Karl Marx, the 19th century economist, and his man-centered philosophies of socialism (and communism) are the major contributors to the dramatic change in capitalism. Marx’s  writings were little read during his lifetime but yet exploded in the the 20th century’s most catastrophic phenomenon. His ideas clashed with predominant capitalist order but depending on the type of government, authoritarian or democratic, confrontations would either be violent and disruptive or settled quickly and peacefully. 

Reed states in his book:

Socialist take advantage of democratic freedoms to peacefully transfer capitalism’s blessing to the politically active masses through a “democratic revolution.”  Marx argued that democratic republics would be transformed into “dictatorships of the proletariat” by the numerical superiority of the working class. Workers would wrest political control from capitalist, thereby transforming the state into socialism.

In exchange for freedom , the state would offer security and economic equality. Since wealth belongs to everyone in society more or less equally, benefits would be offered to all, regardless of their job status. Ideally the state-supported system would evolve upward until the nation experienced utopian bliss; blessings would be accorded to one and all with absolutely no help from the Christian God.

Marx had no problem with a preeminent state or a defiled man because to him, there was no God in whom man could trust or to whom he should be subservient. Marx was convinced that man projected his ideals onto supernatural beings and actually created gods in his mind. He felt that the unfulfilled human desires for humane, just and loving relationships materialized as characteristics of the gods which man perceived as independent beings.  Marx believed this would be corrected by creating conditions in which these desires could be fulfilled. He believed that the man-made product, be it God or money, assumed ascendancy over man. The reason behind this was the belief that man does not act as a free agent but reacts to external stimuli. Man is a product of his environment and especially his economic environment. How many times have we heard these words from those on the left. It has become their motto to blame all the conduct and ills of the criminal on “economic environment” and demand that more be done to correct this situation. In other words, take from the producer and give to the non-producer in order to improve his economic environment and with this done all the crime and criminal activities will cease. To Marx the evils of the world are not the result of man’s sinful nature but are products of institutions whose removal would bring happiness. The primary institution of evil to Marx and to those on  the left was and is private enterprise as it exists under capitalism.

Paradoxically, Marx viewed capitalism as evil but necessary in the evolutionary process.  In Marx ideal world Capitalism’s powerful forces of production would be turned into vehicles of social reform as they financed socialist human development projects and allowed man the leisure to develop his own creative potential. He believed however that the benefits derived from capitalism could not be fully realized as long as production and distribution capabilities were privately owned. He contended that the owners stole profits from the workers and that all profit motives must be eliminated altogether. He believed that once private ownership of business was replaced with public (social) ownership was achieved then capitalism would disappear. Of course we know that “public” should be translated as “government” as , in socialism, the state assumes ownership or control of previously privately owned institutions. 

In the past two years we have seen Marx ideas played out before our very eyes with the seizing of auto manufacturing, banks, and insurance companies, all in the name of “salvation” of those institutions who were “too big to fail”. But was it for that reason?  How far we have come, and now the questions posed is how and why.

Next: The Uniting of Enemies But Not By Choice.

Has Capitalism Come To An End In America.

In this series of writings I hope to guide the readers through this question by presenting historical background and then by exploring how two opposite ideologies have merged, discussing what is wrong with capitalism then finally deciding if capitalism is dead in America. Feel free to offer opinions , ideas, background and such as this series progresses.  I hope you find it to be stimulating and educational as well.

The parts highlighted are excerpts from a book by Thomas G. Reed, The Fallen Eagle.



Part I. History and Philosophy of Capitalism

“Capitalism is an economic model in which all or most of the production and distribution capabilities are privately or stockholder corporately (not state) owned. It is based on the premise that man will pursue a path that enhances his own self interest. It is fueled by ambition, enterprise, invention, and self sacrifice. It capitalizes on man’s natural desire to improve and to reap the rewards of superior talent, energy or skills.”

Some form of capitalism has existed from the early days of the Egyptians until the fall of the Roman Empire at which time it basically ceased to exist during the era known as the Dark Ages. Feudalism and a strict social class society disabled and inhibited any desire to move forward.

Until the 18th century most industrial production was small, privately owned workshops.  Then came the Industrial Revolution which concentrated production into the hands of a few wealthy capitalist, the independent factory owners. At the same time powerful landlords were driving small business farmers out of business and into the towns and cities where they became a source of cheap labor. Workers with no land or means of production were forced to sell their labor in order to survive. Capitalism, with heavy investments in equipment and human labor, merged the two into producing marriage of man and machine.

During those years government took the “laissez-faire” policy. Private enterprise was characterized by unobstructed competition among independent and unsubsidized businesses. They operated under the premise that competition would bring success to the most efficient producers and at that time Government agreed.

Influencing the Industrial Revolution as much as anything were the revolutionary ideas born in the “Renaissance and the Protestant Reformation.

The Renaissance was characterized by humanist thought that regarded life as an end in itself. This contrasted the medieval belief that life was a short testing period determining whether the soul would be saved or destroyed after death. Contrary to Biblical precepts, this humanist outlook stressed the desirability of material advancement and improved living conditions.

The Protestant Reformation introduced, amid predominant social doctrine, several ideas that complemented humanism's fleshly appeal that was prevalent during the Renaissance. Most noted were the teachings of John Calvin. He “legalized” the collection of interest on loaned money, encouraged savings and stimulated a materialist drive among Protestants by interpreting “predestination” in such a way that made business success appear to be a mark of God’s favor.

By Calvin’s standards, God blessed the 18th and 19th century capitalist. This is shown by the facts that business owners often grew rich, and those who sold their labor to growing companies also prospered as the standard of living in industrialized countries generally increased duiring the period. Banking and investment banking blossomed in response to the insatiable appetite for new capital.  An thus it continued to grow into the 20th Century.

In 1929 the bubble burst. The stock market crashed and the Great Depression which followed took capitalism to it’s knees.  After eleven years of despair it struggled back to it’s feet but was forever altered to alleviate the misery of it’s “Victims”.  (Under FDR) Capitalism was saddled with the responsibility of securing both the present and prospective needs of every member of society, whether they belonged to the economic structure or not. Social, or state managed, capitalism evolved and swept over the world of heretofore free economics. Recent economic crises have greatly accelerated the demise of capitalism at the hands of it’s arch enemy—Socialism.

Next:  Socialism, the history and philosophy

I Will Never Forget!

 On this special day set aside for our Veterans I want to take the opportunity to say a special thanks to some special folks. I know there are more that I should have included but this by no means is a slight to any who served.


To those who served this country, I salute you.

To my Uncle D.P., North Africa campaign, Sicily, Italy Campaign, Invasion of Normandy, captured at Argonne Forest  and spent the rest of the war as a POW. He was released in 1945, after the war was over. I salute you!

To my former Father in law, now deceased, Milton (Mutt) Boaz) 101st Airborne, Invasion of Normandy,  captured at the Battle of the Bulge. and was POW for over 6 months.  I salute you!

To my recently deceased Father in law,  Rudy Mathis who was at the Battle of the Bulge as well as the Invasion of Normandy receipient of the Bronze Star.  I salute you.

To my Dad, Ross T. Williams, now deceased 70th Coastal Artillery, Pacific, I salute you.

To those of my high school class and friends as well as my college class who paid the ultimate sacrifice I salute you.  (These listed are but a few)

JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE:
CPL JAMES DAVID BOWERS	CPT ALVIN KLASON BROYLES Jr	SP4 GARY ALLEN CURTIS
SP4 LARRY GENE CURTIS	SP4 DANNY MAX ERWIN	CPT EUGENE DELANO FRANKLIN
SGT CHARLES HARTSELL GOBBLE	PSGT WILLIAM LEONARD GREENWELL	PFC JOHN ALVIN HARLAN
PFC KENNETH LEE HINNANT	SGT KENNETH RAY HODGE	PFC DOYLE HOLCOMB
PFC ARNOLD BRYAN JACKSON	SP4 CECIL BEN JONES Jr	PFC ANDREW MARTIN LARSON
PFC JAMES HARVEY LEDFORD	SSG LARRY JEROME LYONS	SP4 BENNIE EUGENE Mc CORKLE
LCPL LARRY DAYTON MILHORN	1LT FULTON BEVERLY MOORE III	MAJ BILLY JOE NAVE
MAJ HOMER LEFTERAGE PEASE	SGT MICHAEL DEAN RIDDLE	2LT ALLEN TEBBS ROGERS Jr
SGT MARVIN SHELL	CPL THOMAS DEAN SNYDER	1LT HARRY RAY STEWART
SSG THOMAS WILLIAM TRUELOVE	CPT GORDON O DELL WALSH	LCPL JOHN EDWARD WEST Jr
PFC DORSEY BURWIN WILLIAMS	LCPL HAROLD WENDELL WILSON	PFC EARNEST LYNN WITT
JONESBORO, TENNESSEE:
PFC HAROLD GENE AYERS	SSGT JAMES EDGAR BOWMAN	SGT CHARLES JESSE FORD
PFC ROBERT GENTRY HODGES	CPL JAMES EDWARD HYLMON	SP4 RAY MORGAN KEITH JONES
SP4 HAROLD B KING	MAJ EDDIE B STORY	SSGT LOUIS ROBERT TAYLOR

To those of my high school class and college class who served, fought, bled and damn near died, I salute you.

To those of you who are serving today and are standing in the gap for all of us who no longer can serve, I salute you.

To those who bear the scars , both physically and mentally of those times past and battles you wish you could forget, I salute you.

To my friend and fellow blogger, Mustang, I salute you.
And to the rest of my fellow blogger who served, I salute you.
To my friend Dean Tucker, "tunnel rat" Viet Nam, I salute you.


I thank each of you for the service to our country.

May God Bless our Troops and May God Bless America, not only on just this special day set aside for Veterans, but everyday of the year.  I salute you!

WHO WON!

Who Won!  That is the question that many will be asking over the next few months and into next year when the new Congress takes their seats.  There are a lot of "IF's" to consider before this question can be fully answered.  At some point down this upcoming rocky road perhaps it can be said that the Republican's won--IF they carry out the wishes of the American voters who spoke in a clear and loud voice on November 2 and said "Enough is Enough of the Same Old  Same Old".  IF these newly elected representatives carry through on their promises of a return to a Constitutional way of governing then it an be said the American people won. IF the Republicans stick with the will of the people and repeal the OBAMANOCARE then they will have won but if they compromise as the proposed new Speaker of the House has stated he wants to do then the Left will have won.  IF the new Congress can re-write the so called Finance Reform Bill then the people will win but if not, the Left will have won.   The Republicans must be careful in presenting legislation and create only that which will withstand the scrutiny of Constitutional guidelines. With Obama's veto of any such legislation it becomes a formidable weapon for 2012. IF Obama Vetoes the majority of legislation coming out of the new Congress then the victory for the Right will be greater in 2012 than yesterdays victory.

Therein lies an interesting question for consideration. Can Obama, given his far left ideology, move to the center as Bill Clinton did or will his narcissistic personality disorder get in the way?  Certainly he can talk a good centrist game but can he actually carry through with it and thereby appear to have weakened and given in to the Republicans.  My bet is his narcissism will get in the way and he will continue his march toward socialism and attempt to carry out his agenda through Executive Orders and regulations.  He has the Agencies under his leftist control and can through regulation do what he can not do through legislation. For example Cap and Trade or "crap and tax" as I prefer to call it is dead as far as passage in Congress but he has the EPA to do his handy work for him. He also has the leftist Federal Courts in his favor to further his socialist agenda without one vote occurring in the Legislative Branch of government as has been evidenced of recent with DADT.

IF yesterdays election gave those Democrats in the Senate a moment of pause to consider their fate in 2012 should they continue down the same slippery road they were on then it can be said that the people won for certainly those up for re-election will not be so willing to go along with Harry Reid and Obama.  IF that indeed did occur then Harry will find getting anything on the socialist agenda passed to be difficult indeed. Of course Harry will do his best to push this agenda through during the Lame Duck session and we know that those who lost yesterday won't care what the people think and will vote to shove it down our throats.  IF enough of those up for re-election in 2012 take pause perhaps even that can be defeated and once again the people will have won.  IF not, the Leftist will have succeeded and snatched sweetness of victory from  the American people. 

My prediction says, IF Boehner is the Speaker of the House and IF he compromises as he has said he would then the Republicans can say goodbye in 2012 and they will cease to be a viable political party.The Tea Party organization will be of no effect in this case. IF that occurs then we can say hello to a dictatorship, one party rule for years to come which of course will be the end of democracy in this country and the beginning of the fall into a third world banana republic status.  As we know that is the goal of Soros and Obama and the other assorted Leftist.

I would ask that you Bookmark this post for it will indeed be interesting to see the results of the IF's. Come back in six months,  in one year and again in 2012.