Showing posts with label Revolution. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Revolution. Show all posts

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Obama's War on Prosperity Continues

As the Vice President makes no objection to the accusation that the Tea Party are terrorists, the real terror is being foisted on the American public by the Administration's ongoing War on Prosperity. Aided by his obedient Democratic soldiers in the United States Senate, Big Union Labor Leaders, and the National Press, the Obama Administration pursues it's frontal assault on the nation's economy and the those who would lift it out of malaise.

Before the debt ceiling bill, which no one on either side of the aisle nor Wall Street likes, was even signed Tim Geithner was busy heaping another massive $600 billion of debt upon our unsuspecting children and grandchildren, further insuring their indentured servitude for generations to come.

Then Yesterday, another General in the War on Prosperity, Ray LaHood mounted a fresh assault on the American Farmer, by proposing a new requirement that anyone operating farm machinery, even on their own farm, must hold a Commercial Driver's License. What possible rationale can there be for that, other than to make it increasingly difficult for the family farm to eek out an existence while they do their best to provide the rest of us with sustenance, and to give the government a greater hold on the means of food production in our country?

The front lines of the War on Prosperity are many and varied. By edict issued from the Commander in Chief, all health insurers are now required to provide, free of charge, birth control and other reproductive services to all insured women. After the ObamaCare takeover of the entire health care system is complete, this edict will encompass all women. By requiring all insurers to now cover the co-pays for these services, Mr. Obama has increased the cost of health insurance for everyone, and made it just that much harder for any employer to hire additional employees.

The ObamaCare munition in the War on Prosperity has already taken its toll on tanning salons, some 3100 of whom have closed their doors resulting in the loss of 24,000 jobs. This due to a ten percent tax on tanning. The law continues to provide tremendous uncertainty for those who would like to hire, but find it impossible to compute the cost of doing so, and therefore do not.

Another front is lead by Big Labor, with heavy supporting fire from the National Labor Relations board. The NLRB is currently obstructing the hiring of thousands of manufacturing workers in South Carolina. At issue is the expansion of a Boeing Manufacturing plant in that state. Boeing wants to hire, workers want to work and the jobs are good high paying jobs, but the NLRB stands squarely in the way because of the workers right to choose against union membership in that state.

Meanwhile, the battalion lead by GE CEO Jeff Immelt, the Director of the administration's job council, has sent his corporation's medical unit to China, along with that unit's manufacturing jobs.

Leading the PR campaign in the War on Prosperity are the national press who either ignore the devastating effects this Administration's policies are having on our economy, or defend them.

On the science and technology front, NASA's space shuttle program has been brought to a halt, costing another nine to thirty thousand good jobs, and killing an unknowable quantity scientific and technological advances the program may have continued to produce.

The environmental army, meanwhile, pushes it's advance on the energy producers, preventing the mining of coal, the completion of pipelines, and the production of oil. This front, by far the largest against the unemployed is estimated to be preventing the creation of over a million jobs. From light bulbs, to low flow toilets, to washing machines, the EPA continues to lob grenades at manufacturers of every kind of good they can think of. It is estimated that their recent new CAFE standards requiring automobile manufacturers to produce cars averaging over 50 miles per gallon will cost another 200,000 jobs.

Why is this Administration waging the War on Prosperity? What they say is that “Millionaires, Billionaires, Private Jet Owners and Oil Companies should pay their fair share” of the tax burden. The fact that the top 10% of Income Tax payers already pay 70% of the Income Tax, and the bottom 47% pay no Income Tax makes no difference to them, because who pays the tax is not what they mean by “fair”. What they mean by fairness is sameness. In other words, everyone should have the same amount of goods and services. Unfortunately, the only way to achieve sameness is to lower everyone to the least common denominator. All socialist philosophy works that way in practice. The problem is that it doesn't work. It requires that the means of production be eventually transferred to the state. And all work be performed for the state, and that compensation be equal for everyone. That is what the War on Prosperity is designed to do. Rather than echo John F. Kennedy's proclamation that a rising tide lifts all boats, the Obama regime has decided to lower all boats to the bottom to achieve equality. Unfortunately we will be equally poor and disenfranchised. This philosophy fails to take human nature into account. Humans are by their nature competitive, and some will always rise above others. The difference between free market capitalism and socialism is that the latter requires force for the elite to rise to and maintain their power, while the former requires ingenuity.

No wonder those on the left see the Tea Party as terrorists. They ARE terrified. As more and more of the American public figure out what the left is up to, the left begins to lose their ability to further enslave them. Just as King George viewed Madison, Jefferson, Washington, and Paine as revolutionaries, so must the Washington elite view the Tea Party. The Tea Party wants the same thing that those early patriots did, freedom from tyranny!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Where Does the Buck Stop?

Last night we heard the President of the United States once again take to the microphone and lecture us about the debt crisis. While I listened very carefully to what he said, I was saddened. It was little different from many speeches he has given recently with no plan, no new information, and very little truth.

There was a time in America when we were proud of the leader of our country. There was a time when, rightly or wrongly, we trusted what he said. There was a time when we could tell our children to be inspired by his words, to look up to him and aspire to the quality of his character.

It is no longer that time. Our country has a serious problem. We are spending our children into indentured servitude, slavery as it were. We are digging for them a hole from which they will find it impossible to extract themselves. Everyone knows this, it is self-evident.

A man with integrity, with strength of character, a man of leadership, would take bold action. He would acknowledge the elephant in the room and recognize that when one finds one's self at the bottom of a deep hole, the wise course is to stop digging.

What did we hear from our President last night? First of all, blame Bush. Nothing new here. Second, scare people. He once again threatened senior citizens by offering to withhold their Social Security checks. The problem is that threat is an outright lie, and designed only to maintain a hold on his power, and to urge us to let him make the hole deeper with a backhoe, rather than a shovel. How am I to teach my daughter the value of honesty when the President of the United States knows very well that he cannot stop the Social Security payments, even if he wanted to. There are 2.6 trillion dollars of treasury notes in the Social Security trust fund. Those treasury notes are already there, and are not affected by the debt ceiling. Mr. Obama knows that they can be negotiated in order to pay our seniors, and that the law requires him to do so.

He threatens default on our debt, when he also knows full well that there is more than enough money coming into the treasury on a monthly basis to service our debt, pay our soldiers, and cover our most pressing obligations.

There is no integrity in this man. He is concerned with his own political future, period. How can I point to the Office of the President of The United States, and tell my daughter how great this country is? How can I talk about the principals which made America the most desirable place in the world to live, when we have such a blatant ego-maniacal liar for our leader?

He has offered no plan. He has obstructed every sensible plan offered. He has stood squarely in front of every effort of business to grow our economy, from denying permits for oil and coal exploration, to blocking manufacturing plant expansion, to taxing tanning salons out of business.

So we should hand him a larger shovel, a mechanized shovel with which to bury us and our posterity? Should we allow this man to heap further debt upon the heads of our children while continuing to limit their opportunities for the future? Should we sell our children into never ending servitude to a government whose leader cannot muster up the intellectual honesty to admit he might be wrong about anything?

I say NO! I say not while I still have the ability to speak for the lovely young woman who is my daughter! This is my country. I earned the money the federal leviathan extracts from my pocket every two weeks. It is NOT your money Mr. President. I do NOT agree to make the payments on the debt you wish to incur on behalf of my daughter and me. Many brave souls gave their lives to extract themselves and their descendants from the yoke of Tyranny and if it becomes necessary, many more will. If the buck will not stop with you Mr. President, then I say the buck stops here, with me and mine!

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Shame on You President Obama!

What part of out of money, and live within your means do the Democrats and Barrack Obama not understand. They whine and complain that we need to reach an agreement, when the House of Representatives have already done the job they were sent to Washington to do, Cut, Cap and Balance.

Does Harry Reid REALLY think we the people are that stupid? While Highwayman Harry cries over the possible loss of federal funds for his beloved Cowboy Poetry festival, and Barrack Obama refuses to rescind the 53 Billion Dollars promised to his buddy Jeff Immelt at GE to build High Speed Rail no one will ride, Rome is on fire.

I feel compelled to remind everyone that in 2006 Barrack Obama himself said, "The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies. … Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that ‘the buck stops here. Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better."

You are right Mr. President, we do deserve better, and the lack of leadership is squarely in your corner. The GOP in the House have done their job, you just don't like it. You and Highwayman Harry would much rather enslave our children under a mountain of unspeakable debt than swallow a little pride, admit your policies haven't worked, and accept a deal to pull our beloved nation back from the brink of disaster.

Shame on you Mr. President. Shame on you Mr Reid. We know. We the American public, know that like Nero, you are fiddling while the Nation burns. We know you would prefer to burden our children and grandchildren with the yoke of bondage to the Federal Leviathan for generations to come, you would gladly hand our country over to our advisories than act responsibly. You do not fool us.

When the country crumbles under the weight of your massive increases in spending over the last two and a half years, we WILL hold you responsible. We know it is only your ego and childish insistence on having your own way for political reasons which will lead the country to ruin.

Shame on you Mr. Obama, Shame on your house!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

President & US Senate Support Slavery of our Children!


That may sound like a provocative headline, and it is, but it is also the truth! Our current debt is $14.519 Trillion. That means my 12 year old daughter's share of that is currently $46,564.00. Add in the current unfunded liabilities of $114,751,918,000,000.00 and her share of the national debt plus unfunded liabilities for Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare is $414,583.72 or $1862.00 per month every month for THIRTY years. On top of that the US Senate and President Obama want to add an additional 2.4 Trillion dollars which, under the McConnell plan, have no spending cuts associated with it, and under the Gang (appropriate name for what they are trying to do) of Six plan nobody knows.

Assuming we stopped borrowing right now, and my daughter could get a job right out of high school making $40,000.00 per year, she would already owe her entire take home salary to the government. She did not vote for these debts. She did nothing to create them, yet there she is at twelve years old owing the Slave Owners in Washington nearly a half-million dollars. You owe that much too!

We are all rapidly becoming enduntured servants of the leviathan we call our government. It has long ago ceased to be a governemnt of the people, for the people and by the people. It has become instead a government of the career politician, for the career politician and his friends, and by the lobbyist and government dole recipient. Unfortunately soon there will be no producers left to feed the insatiable appetite of the gluttonous belly of the political beast in Washington DC.

So yes, the President and the US Senate, by refusing to support the cut, cap and balance plan which passed the House of Representatives last night, and offers a real chance to start to get a handle on our spending problem, are de-facto showing themselves to be in favor of enslaving our children and grandchildren now and long into the future.

It is time to stop the practice of making slaves out of ourselves and our children. It is time to stop NOW. We are the governors of this country, not the lazy, cowardly career politicians in DC. Let them know. Let them know that if they do not free your children from the yoke of bondage now, they will be sent home to labor under that very same yoke themselves. It is YOUR country, YOU can make a difference. You have until Saturday, and then it too late.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Stop the Senate from Handing a Blank Check to Obama!

Well, folks, I am sorry to report that the fix is in. The Senate, in back room dealing, appears to be prepared to hand President Obama a blank check to spend our children's as of yet unearned money any way he pleases, to the tune of an additional 2.5 TRILLION dollars.

I listened to John McCain yesterday on the Sean Hannity show, and he all but said as much! Mr. Hannity was asking repeatedly about cut, cap and balance, and McCain said he was going to fight for it, but then consistently argued for the McConnell plan. He barley gave lip service to cut, cap and balance, and got angry when Hannity pressed him about the McConnell plan. McCain said it was a last resort, but then continued over and over again to argue it's merits. Heaven help us!

In making my calls to Senate offices yesterday afternoon, my impression did not change. Republican staffers with whom I spoke, seemed to be hedging when I brought up the McConnell plan and my opposition to it. The Democrats staffers just gave me the “yeah, yeah I'll pass your message on” routine.

McCain told Hannity that his office had been flooded with calls from seniors who were frightened by the Obamascare campaign. The fact that the Administration could not stop social security checks from going out, even if they wanted to, because of the way the Social Security Administration's computers are programed, didn't get in McCain's way. Our only course has to be action!

If these Senators' offices are overwhelmed with calls from concerned citizens like you and me, we might have a slim chance of beginning to free our children from the slavery and tyranny being foisted upon them by our so-called representatives.

Given the fact that ICE is busily shutting down blogs and seizing domain names, I don't know how long we will have the opportunity to speak in opposition to this Administration's ongoing power grab and usurpation of the rights with which we were endowed by our creator!

I urge anyone who is interested in freedom, in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to call as many Senators as possible and voice strong opposition to Senator McConnell's plan to hand over a blank check to the President, so he can spend as many of our children's hard earned dollars as he chooses! Do it today! Do it now! Time is running out for our beloved nation!


Akaka, Daniel K. - (D - HI)
(202) 224-6361
Web Form: akaka.senate.gov/email-senator-akaka.cfm

Alexander, Lamar - (R - TN)
(202) 224-4944
Web Form: alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Email

Ayotte, Kelly - (R - NH)
(202) 224-3324
Web Form: ayotte.senate.gov/?p=contact

Barrasso, John - (R - WY)
(202) 224-6441
Web Form: barrasso.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUs...

Baucus, Max - (D - MT)
(202) 224-2651
Web Form: baucus.senate.gov/contact/emailForm.cfm?subj=issue

Begich, Mark - (D - AK)
(202) 224-3004
Web Form: begich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=EmailSenator

Bennet, Michael F. - (D - CO)
(202) 224-5852
Web Form: bennet.senate.gov/contact/

Bingaman, Jeff - (D - NM)
(202) 224-5521
Web Form: bingaman.senate.gov/contact/

Blumenthal, Richard - (D - CT)
(202) 224-2823
Web Form: blumenthal.senate.gov/contact/

Blunt, Roy - (R - MO)
(202) 224-5721
Web Form: blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact

Boozman, John - (R - AR)
(202) 224-4843
Web Form: boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-me

Boxer, Barbara - (D - CA)
(202) 224-3553
Web Form: boxer.senate.gov/en/contact/

Brown, Scott P. - (R - MA)
(202) 224-4543
Web Form: scottbrown.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/emailscottbrown

Brown, Sherrod - (D - OH)
(202) 224-2315
Web Form: brown.senate.gov/contact/

Burr, Richard - (R - NC)
(202) 224-3154
Web Form: burr.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Conta...

Cantwell, Maria - (D - WA)
(202) 224-3441
Web Form: cantwell.senate.gov/contact/

Cardin, Benjamin L. - (D - MD)
(202) 224-4524
Web Form: cardin.senate.gov/contact/

Carper, Thomas R. - (D - DE)
(202) 224-2441
Web Form: carper.senate.gov/contact/

Casey, Robert P., Jr. - (D - PA)
(202) 224-6324
Web Form: casey.senate.gov/contact/

Chambliss, Saxby - (R - GA)
(202) 224-3521
Web Form: chambliss.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Email

Coats, Daniel - (R - IN)
(202) 224-5623
Web Form: coats.senate.gov/contact/

Coburn, Tom - (R - OK)
(202) 224-5754
Web Form: coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactsenatorcoburn?p...

Cochran, Thad - (R - MS)
(202) 224-5054
Web Form: cochran.senate.gov/email.html

Collins, Susan M. - (R - ME)
(202) 224-2523
Web Form: collins.senate.gov/public/continue.cfm?FuseAction=Contact...

Conrad, Kent - (D - ND)
(202) 224-2043
Web Form: conrad.senate.gov/contact/webform.cfm

Coons, Christopher A. - (D - DE)
(202) 224-5042
Web Form: coons.senate.gov/contact/

Corker, Bob - (R - TN)
(202) 224-3344
Web Form: corker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactMe

Cornyn, John - (R - TX)
(202) 224-2934
Web Form: cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactForm

Crapo, Mike - (R - ID)
(202) 224-6142
Web Form: crapo.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

DeMint, Jim - (R - SC)
(202) 224-6121
Web Form: demint.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactInformation

Durbin, Richard J. - (D - IL)
(202) 224-2152
Web Form: durbin.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact

Enzi, Michael B. - (R - WY)
(202) 224-3424
Web Form: enzi.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact?p=e-mail-senator...

Feinstein, Dianne - (D - CA)
(202) 224-3841
Web Form: feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactU...

Franken, Al - (D - MN)
(202) 224-5641
Web Form: franken.senate.gov/?p=contact

Gillibrand, Kirsten E. - (D - NY)
(202) 224-4451
Web Form: gillibrand.senate.gov/contact/

Graham, Lindsey - (R - SC)
(202) 224-5972
Web Form: lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Em...

Grassley, Chuck - (R - IA)
(202) 224-3744
Web Form: grassley.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Hagan, Kay R. - (D - NC)
(202) 224-6342
Web Form: hagan.senate.gov/?p=contact

Harkin, Tom - (D - IA)
(202) 224-3254
Web Form: harkin.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Hatch, Orrin G. - (R - UT)
(202) 224-5251
Web Form: hatch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact?p=Email-Orrin

Heller, Dean - (R - NV)
(202) 224-6244
Web Form: heller.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm

Hoeven, John - (R - ND)
(202) 224-2551
Web Form: hoeven.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-the-senator

Hutchison, Kay Bailey - (R - TX)
(202) 224-5922
Web Form: hutchison.senate.gov/?p=email_kay

Inhofe, James M. - (R - OK)
(202) 224-4721
Web Form: inhofe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Con...

Inouye, Daniel K. - (D - HI)
(202) 224-3934
Web Form: inouye.senate.gov/Contact/ContactDKI.cfm

Isakson, Johnny - (R - GA)
(202) 224-3643
Web Form: isakson.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Johanns, Mike - (R - NE)
(202) 224-4224
Web Form: johanns.senate.gov/public/?p=ContactSenatorJohanns

Johnson, Ron - (R - WI)
(202) 224-5323
Web Form: ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact

Johnson, Tim - (D - SD)
(202) 224-5842
Web Form: johnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Contact

Kerry, John F. - (D - MA)
(202) 224-2742
Web Form: kerry.senate.gov/contact/

Kirk, Mark - (R - IL)
(202) 224-2854
Web Form: kirk.senate.gov/?p=contact

Klobuchar, Amy - (D - MN)
(202) 224-3244
Web Form: klobuchar.senate.gov/emailamy.cfm

Kohl, Herb - (D - WI)
(202) 224-5653
Web Form: kohl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Kyl, Jon - (R - AZ)
(202) 224-4521
Web Form: kyl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Landrieu, Mary L. - (D - LA)
(202) 224-5824
Web Form: landrieu.senate.gov/about/contact.cfm

Lautenberg, Frank R. - (D - NJ)
(202) 224-3224
Web Form: lautenberg.senate.gov/contact/routing.cfm

Leahy, Patrick J. - (D - VT)
(202) 224-4242
Web Form: leahy.senate.gov/contact/

Lee, Mike - (R - UT)
(202) 224-5444
Web Form: lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact

Levin, Carl - (D - MI)
(202) 224-6221
Web Form: levin.senate.gov/contact/

Lieberman, Joseph I. - (ID - CT)
(202) 224-4041
Web Form: lieberman.senate.gov/index.cfm/contact/email-me-about-an-...

Lugar, Richard G. - (R - IN)
(202) 224-4814
Web Form: lugar.senate.gov/contact/

Manchin, Joe, III - (D - WV)
303 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3954
Web Form: manchin.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm

McCain, John - (R - AZ)
(202) 224-2235
Web Form: mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Con...

McCaskill, Claire - (D - MO)
(202) 224-6154
Web Form: mccaskill.senate.gov/?p=contact

McConnell, Mitch - (R - KY)
(202) 224-2541
Web Form: www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=contact

Menendez, Robert - (D - NJ)
(202) 224-4744
Web Form: menendez.senate.gov/contact/

Merkley, Jeff - (D - OR)
(202) 224-3753
Web Form: merkley.senate.gov/contact/

Mikulski, Barbara A. - (D - MD)
(202) 224-4654
Web Form: mikulski.senate.gov/contact/

Moran, Jerry - (R - KS)
(202) 224-6521
Web Form: moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=e-mail-jerry
Murkowski, Lisa - (R - AK)
(202) 224-6665
Web Form: murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Contact

Murray, Patty - (D - WA)
(202) 224-2621
Web Form: murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm

Nelson, Ben - (D - NE)
(202) 224-6551
Web Form: bennelson.senate.gov/contact-me.cfm

Nelson, Bill - (D - FL)
(202) 224-5274
Web Form: billnelson.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

Paul, Rand - (R - KY)
(202) 224-4343
Web Form: paul.senate.gov/?p=contact

Portman, Rob - (R - OH)
(202) 224-3353
Web Form: portman.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm

Pryor, Mark L. - (D - AR)
(202) 224-2353
Web Form: pryor.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactMe

Reed, Jack - (D - RI)
(202) 224-4642
Web Form: reed.senate.gov/contact/contact-share.cfm

Reid, Harry - (D - NV)
(202) 224-3542
Web Form: reid.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

Risch, James E. - (R - ID)
(202) 224-2752
Web Form: risch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Email

Roberts, Pat - (R - KS)
(202) 224-4774
Web Form: www.roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=EmailPat

Rockefeller, John D., IV - (D - WV)
(202) 224-6472
Web Form: rockefeller.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

Rubio, Marco - (R - FL)
(202) 224-3041
Web Form: rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact

Sanders, Bernard - (I - VT)
(202) 224-5141
Web Form: sanders.senate.gov/contact/

Schumer, Charles E. - (D - NY)
(202) 224-6542
Web Form: schumer.senate.gov/Contact/contact_chuck.cfm

Sessions, Jeff - (R - AL)
(202) 224-4124
Web Form: sessions.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Constitue...

Shaheen, Jeanne - (D - NH)
(202) 224-2841
Web Form: shaheen.senate.gov/contact/

Shelby, Richard C. - (R - AL)
(202) 224-5744
Web Form: shelby.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/emailsenatorshelby

Snowe, Olympia J. - (R - ME)
(202) 224-5344
Web Form: snowe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact?p=email

Stabenow, Debbie - (D - MI)
(202) 224-4822
Web Form: stabenow.senate.gov/?p=contact

Tester, Jon - (D - MT)
(202) 224-2644
Web Form: tester.senate.gov/Contact/index.cfm

Thune, John - (R - SD)
(202) 224-2321
Web Form: thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact

Toomey, Patrick J. - (R - PA)
(202) 224-4254
Web Form: toomey.senate.gov/?p=contact

Udall, Mark - (D - CO)
(202) 224-5941
Web Form: markudall.senate.gov/?p=contact

Udall, Tom - (D - NM)
(202) 224-6621
Web Form: tomudall.senate.gov/?p=contact

Vitter, David - (R - LA)
(202) 224-4623
Web Form: vitter.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Con...

Warner, Mark R. - (D - VA)
(202) 224-2023
Web Form: warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Contact

Webb, Jim - (D - VA)
(202) 224-4024
Web Form: webb.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Whitehouse, Sheldon - (D - RI)
(202) 224-2921
Web Form: whitehouse.senate.gov/contact/

Wicker, Roger F. - (R - MS)
(202) 224-6253
Web Form: wicker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.EMa...

Wyden, Ron - (D - OR)
(202) 224-5244
Web Form: wyden.senate.gov/contact/

Monday, July 4, 2011

History Lesson on the Fourth of July - Or So There Joe Biden!

I was appalled last evening to discover the results of a Marist poll taken on July first that found that only 58% of those polled could correctly say that the year of our independence was 1776, and only 76% could say that we became independent from England. The results were far worse for those under 30 years old! This is the kind of edumacation that Joe Biden and the NEA want for our children!

So on this Independence day, I find myself thinking about how this country came to be. I offer a short history of the founding of our nation, which will apparently be better than the one offered by public education these days.

Once upon a time, the earth was flat. This made it extremely dangerous to sail out of sight of land, as one might drop over the edge at any moment, and that could ruin an entire day! A fellow named Columbus, conned the queen of Spain out of some ships and supplies and proved the flat earthers all wrong. In the process he bumped into a new continent that no one, especially the flat earth people, had any idea was out there. The Spaniards believed there was a lot of shinny yellow metal there, and so sent more folks to explore. Word got around, as it often does. In jolly old England, they had a King who didn't like to stay married very long, mostly because none of his wives seemed able to produce a son, so he kept disposing of one wife after another. The Catholic church took a dim view of that, so, not to be restrained, King Henry formed his own church and required all his subjects to belong to the Church of England.

Some miscreants didn't like that very much, and had a desire to worship in a manner that suited them better. The King took exception and sent them packing off to the new land to worship as they pleased, and to find goodies to ship back to England, for the further enrichment the King.

After 150 years or so, these new colonies were thriving, containing some two and a half million people. The King at the time, George his name was, had helped out with some trouble the colonies were having with the Indians and the French. With the war over, he turned his attention to collecting some additional revenue to balance his budget. A lot of revenue. He reasoned that as some in the colonies were getting rich, they ought to spread the wealth around a little, contribute their fair share as it was. He put a tax on tea, which many folks in the colonies didn't like so much. They decided to brew the tea in the Boston Harbor. Next he required the colonists to purchase paper for all legal documents from England. At the same time, he was sending soldiers to the colonies to keep the peace, and requiring citizens to keep the troops in their homes. When colony legislatures objected, he disbanded them, in violation of their founding documents. He bypassed the duly appointed lawmakers and issued edicts about how the colonists were to live (is any of this sounding familiar?)

In 1776, late in the evening of the third of July, following a little skirmish a year previously in Lexington and Concord, the colony legislature's representatives finally came to agreement on the wording of a document declaring their Independence from Great Brittan. This document precipitated a prolonged conflict called The Revolutionary War, the result of which was that the Colonies were free from the tyrannical edicts of the King of England, and were free to govern themselves.

After experimenting with various ways of governing themselves for twenty years or so, including a little disagreement about whiskey and another about water rights, the colonies decided they needed a founding document which would for forever limit their federal government and allow each state to govern itself, except in areas such as arguments between the states, the common defense of the New Nation, and in arranging for trade with other nations. They called this document the Constitution of the United States of America, and it is THE foundation for the federal government's existence. The federal government is supposed to be bound by and constrained by the words in that inspired work. It is what gives our government its right to exist. It laid out a system of checks and balances to ensure that power would never be concentrated in the hands of a few, and it provided for redress of grievances against the government through the judicial branch of that government. If that fails, and the federal government becomes tyrannical, it provides the means, through the second amendment, to dissolve that government.

As the federal government reaches further and further beyond the bounds of Constitution, it heads ever closer to its own Lexington and Concord!

I hope this missive has helped clear up the confusion a bit. In any event, please enjoy your celebration of the Founding of our Great Nation! Happy Fourth everyone.