The Dream of America, The Dream of Man

Growing up in the farm land of the mid-west during the 1960's, I often heard references to The American Dream. The liberal influence in public schools was still in it's infancy and more prevalent in the colleges and universities than in the elementary and high schools. Conservative thought was still in the mainstream in small and medium sized cities throughout the prairie states, in both political parties and for the most part in the white-collar and working class homes. America was celebrated and respected as a unique country that exhibited excellence and independence not found anywhere else. Despite the social injustices and problems we faced, many of us were raised understanding what the American Dream was and how fortunate we were to have access to it.

Today I hear our President, media outlets, lenders and others speaking of how the American Dream is out of reach for so many in our society. I have to say, I agree with them. The American Dream is fading from the collective memory of our society and is resulting in a oppressed class of citizens that is growing each year.  The once great inspiration and hope that the lower classes had of being upwardly mobile is diminishing. At times it seems that access to that dream will never return. However, there is hope.

Somewhere out on the horizon you can still see the dim light of the once brightly shining American Dream. It is hard to see most days, and on some days appears to be totally gone, but it is there. It is waiting on us. It is waiting to rise once again and shine on everyone that is willing to work hard, pay the price, take on the responsibility for themselves, and help their neighbors. It is waiting for room to grow. It is waiting to take it's former place in the sky, a place that has for the past 100 years been inhabited by a large, dark storm cloud that oppresses the spirit of man.  The storm of large, intrusive over-regulating government.

While I agree with those on the left and in the current administration about the need to revive the American Dream, I strongly disagree with their interpretation of what that dream is. The American Dream is not owning a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house in the suburbs. It is not having tuition provided for all your children to go to college. It is not universal, government (or more accurately, tax payer) provided health care. The American Dream is as unique as each individual American citizen that strives to embrace it. In this great country every man and woman is limited only by the size of their dreams and their dedication to that pursuit. In America a person can rise to a position of prominence, power, wealth, success, leadership and service regardless of who their parents were or where they came from. The dream is not about the material things that one can provide for themselves, nor is it about the services that the government can provide for them. It is about much more than that. Small government and individual rights provided a environment where the dreams of man could flourish and grow, unimpeded by a dictator, monarch, or socialist regime that would try and take from those that work and achieve, and give to those that will not.

From the beginning, America was a unique experiment. The citizens of the world have nearly always lived in societies that were organized for the benefit and enrichment of the ruling and privileged classes. America was different. This is a country that allows all men to dream of reaching their God-given potential. A place where men and women can succeed, but are also allowed to fail. This is the common desire of mankind. To be free and exercise the rights granted them by God, but too often limited or denied by governments of man.  

I feel that our time is short to turn back the tide of large, restrictive government. We must work to restore the American Dream to it's proper place. To restore America to that place as the Shining City on the Hill. To carefully guard all that was entrusted to us by the founders, to provide opportunity for all men to achieve that which is their dream. God give us the strength to carry on this fight and the wisdom to constantly pursue that which makes men free. 

Success. It Always Comes Back to... Work!

A new year has started... again.  Most of us look back at the past year and think of the things we wish we would have done and are amazed at how fast time has past.  Meanwhile we have become absorbed in everyday life and accomplished little or nothing that we wish for.  I do this each year.  Perhaps it is not normal and I am the only one that feels this way, but I think not.  I tend to look back and think how different things would be if I had just been on the treadmill 20 minutes each day, followed that healthy diet, practiced my musical instrument an extra 15 minutes daily, etc.  I recognize, and take responsibility for, the place I find myself in life and realize it has mostly been because of decisions that I have made.  On occasion, however, I fall into the familiar old thought pattern that says "why have better things not come my way?" or "why didn't I get that kind of a break/promotion/financial windfall/etc.".

As much as I struggle within myself to believe that this is not true, I must say that often I think even these things are a result of my actions, or should I say inaction.  Whether you believe in God, karma, mystic energy, a benevolent all-knowing intelligence, or your own power, many of us often wonder why fortunate situations and circumstances seem to come to others but not to us. Why is it that so many of us say to ourselves "why do good things happen for others but not for me?".  We think back on things we enjoyed doing, probably things we have talent for, and wonder why we didn't get the breaks that came to someone else.  Why do we spend our lives working at a job that we dislike or feel has no meaning, going through the motions of a meaningless existence.

I don't have the answers to so many of the things that happen to us all.  I do believe in God and that He has a purpose for each and every one of us, and will use us when we allow Him to.  I am beginning to think more often these days that the limiting factor in life is ourselves.  I have spent most of my life looking for a break, an opportunity, someone to come up and tell me how great they think I am, how much potential I have and what a great blessing I will be to the world with this new career/business/ministry/bank account that they are giving me.  The answer in my life, and I would guess many others, is work and preparation.  There are so many things that I have talent for, but without work, study and preparation I am not ready for success in these areas.  A great example is individuals that win the lottery and in a few short years find themselves divorced, isolated from friends and family and broke.  The work we do prepares us for the success God will bring our way when we are ready for it.  God has given me the talents, but He leaves it up to me to develop and use them.

Ignorance Must Be Bliss!

For several years now I have wondered how it is that some seemingly intelligent people come up with ideas that, to me, seem so illogical.  How can they look at the events of the day and interpret them in a completely different manner and come to a conclusion that seems to be the antithesis of the combined evidence.  I have wondered, is it a fundamental difference in the way that they process information?  Do they see things through a prism of life experience that bends the light of reason into some complex and hard to understand formulation that is difficult to interpret?  Is it pride that makes them twist everything into a multifaceted conglomerate of information that can only properly be decoded by those elites with a high degree of education?  Is it just good old fashioned ignorance?

Today I got a glimpse into the mind of two of the worlds most prodigious thinkers.  It was completely by mistake, or maybe by divine providence.  As I was looking through the programming guide trying to decide what channel would best compliment my current viewing of Fox News (I am one of those people that loves to switch back and forth between 2 shows that air simultaneously) I ran across Hardball with Chris Matthews.  Now, I must admit that in the past I have never watched more than about 5 minutes of Mr. Matthews at one time... or maybe in total, and that will probably remain true in the future.  His esteemed guest on this episode was Bill Maher.  You know the man I am talking about, the one that thinks that Jimmy Carter was a great President and displays his intelligence through a college frat-boy-like string of smart-ass quips.  Yeah, like I said, definitely two of the great thinkers of our day!

After making fun of the usual... Sarah Palin, Christine O'Donnell, Newt Gingrich and of course W, they talked about the "tea baggers" and their radical right ideas.  This time they really proved their point.  Did you know that the tea party folks want to end the popular election of senators in favor of having them elected to their terms not by the people, but by (gasp) the state legislatures?  And furthermore, they think even small states like Delaware and Vermont should continue to have two Senators.  Where did these wing-nut idiots come up with that kind of idea?  How funny is that?  Definitely proof that the extreme right, conservative, homophobic, puritanical, sexually repressed, fundamental Christian, war mongers are completely looney!  Where did they get a radical political idea like that anyway?

Hmmmm. I had to think about that for about 0.21546 seconds before coming up with the answer... and, yes it is extremely crazy and radical.  If our liberal mental-giant friends would turn to Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution of the United States (I am sure they carry a well-worn, well-read copy in their pocket at all times) they would read "The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, [chosen by the Legislature thereof] for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.  This was to ensure States Rights and protect the States from an overreaching power-hungry Federal Government.  Imagine if someone did something crazy that the majority of the people and the State governments were against (uh, like proposing some weird, socialist, sure-to-fail government healthcare), the Senators would be obligated and instructed to vote according to the wishes of their State.  Sounds like a pretty good idea to me.  Too bad a group of Progressives got Amendment XVII passed to ensure more power to the Federal Government (along with Amendment XVI, the income tax, another great idea!).

Now I know why these people think like they do... they are just ignorant of the founding documents, principles, and people that worked to create this institution.  I also know why Chris Matthews has a viewership about one-fourth or less of that of Glenn Beck... or  Sean Hannity, Brett Baier, Bill O'Reilly, Greta Van Susteren, etc.  I guess I will have to try and remember to tune in again next year... assuming Hardball is still on the air.   

 

Label Me A Racist!

It seems that nothing gets the attention of the public like charges of racism. No decent American wants to promote one race over another, or practice the denigration of anyone based on race, sex or national origin. America has always drawn strength from her diversity of legal immigrants, each one bringing unique talents and skills to the melting pot of capitalism. Only a fool would want to live in a world where everyone mirrored themselves in beliefs, talents, preferences, and physical characteristics.

Racism being an extremely volatile subject, it is easy to understand why people don't want to be associated with it. The extremists on the left side of political ideology have not missed out on this. In fact, the charge of racism has become one of their most powerful tools over the years. They have charged Republicans and conservative politicians with being against the poor, the aged, the minorities every time they seek to promote conservative ideas through our legislative system. This has become such a constant mantra that they have even effectively stolen the credit for civil rights legislation that passed in the 1960's by the efforts of the Republican Party.

With the election of President Obama there was a great deal of talk about how we had moved into the era of post-racism in America. As long as their candidate was in office, it was a great step forward in the healing of old racial scars and a better world was dawning. This post-racist era was evidently short lived. The racism, this time however, seems to be promoted by the very same liberals that seemed appalled by it just a few short months ago. These are the people that avoid any debate in the arena of ideas, by focusing on their opponents race and using their telepathic abilities to decipher the true meaning of any conservation. You say you doubt their telepathic ability? How else do you explain Maureen Dowd's interpretation of Joe Wilson's outburst in Congress? Only with her special powers could she know that what Mr. Wilson was really saying was not the audible "You lie", but actually "You lie, boy!".

It seems that this will be the trend for anyone that opposes this President and his agenda. I guess because of their racist attitudes these leftist individuals cannot fathom anyone that would actually oppose someone because they have differing ideas, not because of race. Well, if that be the case, then label me a racist. I will not allow this false accusation to silence my opposition to the fascist policies of our President or his liberal friends.

You Really Don't Get It... Do You?

These days it seems that our elected representatives in D.C. have really stirred up a hornet's nest. The discontent on both ends of the political spectrum is growing almost daily and this has the politicians scurrying around trying to find the middle ground that will keep the constituents happy. It is as if each one of them is trying to put their name in the history books as the person that saved healthcare by coming up with a bill that is an acceptable compromise to everyone. The only problem I see with this is that they are missing the message of "We The People". While our career politicians banter back and forth trying to find the right combination of key items that will get the appropriate buy-in from their colleagues, the public movement against big government is growing.

I watch as the parade of reform ideas passes by on the television news (more like commentary). I get frustrated at the left side of the ruling class with their Socialist and Fascist ideas for government run everything and complete control over our lives. As bad as that is, I have come to expect Socialist ideas from Socialists. What really puts me over the edge are those that affiliate themselves with the "conservative movement" on the right. Made up almost exclusively of Republicans their ideas irritate me more than anything else. I want to start pacing the floor, yelling like a mad man at a piece of electronic equipment, venting my frustration at the density of their skulls! I want to make a George H. W. Bush statement... "Read My Lips"!

The problem is not the healthcare reform. The problem is not the TARP legislation. The problem is not the government takeover of private business. The problem is all of it! What we want is to be left alone. What we want is a return of the founding father's ideas of a smaller, less intrusive central government. What we want is the opportunity to make our own decisions about what schools our children go to, what car (or truck) we drive, what insurance plan (if any) we have. You see the problem is not the few items contained in the healthcare proposals, the problem is the proposals period! It is not your job to fix most of what you spend your time and our money on. If you wanted to do anything at all to help healthcare in the U.S., you could start with Tort reform, limiting your greedy, cash hungry, ambulance-chasing buddies in the legal profession. I wonder if saving physicians $80-250k per year in malpractice insurance might help lower the cost of basic healthcare?

Is there anyone at all in D.C. that will stand up for the principles on which this country was founded? If you are out there, please stand up and be heard. I know of a few million people that will support you.

Look Who's Protesting Now!

Much like many of you, I have been watching the news and commentators on the various networks and the response to the town hall meetings that some of our elected representatives have been sponsoring lately. I must admit I am encouraged by what I have seen. First of all, just to see people showing up at these meetings is a positive thing. It seems throughout most of my life the only folks that have really taken the time to get involved in the process have been members of some fringe or special interest group, a group that generally doesn't seem to represent anyone that I know and certainly not the mainstream of middle America. Now I am seeing many getting involved that, by their own admission, have never really taken an interest in politics or activism of any type before. This is, in my opinion, a step in the right direction regardless of their political affiliation or ideas. There needs to be involvement by "The People" or the form of self government that we live under (a republic, not a democracy for those of you that went to public school like me) fails to function as it should.

Poor voter turn-out at election time has always puzzled me. I remember the first election that I was able to vote in and how excited I was at the opportunity to finally have a voice and take part in the choosing of leaders that would shape the future of this great country. I also remember so many of my friends that didn't care one way or the other and did not vote. These were the same people that I heard over the next several years complaining about one politician or another and how the country was not being run as they thought it should. It made no sense to me. I do not understand apathy when it comes to something as important as free elections, a luxury that most of the world will never experience, so when I see a greater percentage of the population engaging in the debate and becoming active in the political process I naturally think this is a positive thing.

So why are so many on the left upset over this resurgence of interest in the process? Why is the media so quick to try and portray these people as terrorists, thugs, mobsters and a threat to freedom? Some have even gone so far as to compare the growing movement of citizens against government run health care to the Brown Shirts of the National Socialist Party of Germany (Nazi's). Aren't these the same people that have always been in support of the protests of the past? Where are the great, open-minded liberals that have always encouraged the freedom of speech and protest (right to peaceably assemble) for the minority and fringe environmental, gay rights, animal rights and other groups? Why are they so disturbed over the sight of "The People" exercising their right to make their voice heard? Do they not understand, or do they understand much more than they are letting on?

I believe that the reaction from the left and so-called 'moderates' in both parties is an indication that someone is on the right track. I think they are reacting out of a fear that they are losing their power and privilege. The elite of society that have guided this country farther and farther down a path that leads away from our Constitution, individual rights and limited government are seeing the threat of 'a great awakening' of the freedom that is deep in the DNA of the American people. I hope and pray that this is the case.

Contemplating Confounding Conclusions of the Common Man

What a world we live in! Knowledge is expanding at an exponential rate in all areas. Technology is making available to us electronic devices we only dreamed of, or saw on Star Trek. We are able to do more with less natural resources than just a few years ago. Automobile emissions have been reduced by nearly 98% since 1975. One laptop computer contains more computing power than what was available to most businesses just 25 years ago. The discoveries of man have been astounding, and yet when we look at the world today politically very little has changed since the beginning of time.

Never before has the manipulation and disinformation of the general public been more obvious. In centuries past there were very few educated and even fewer with access to any kind of information that would dispute or question the policies of those in power. Today, however, in free countries around the world we have access to information that can bring in to question the information (or propaganda) that we are being given by our media and elected officials. What continues to amaze me is how many in our global society continue to follow the curriculum that is hand-fed to them without even questioning... like sheep (no wonder the Bible uses illustrations of sheep and the shepherd so much) blindly trusting and following where their leader says to go.

Now, with what I am about to say next please don't label me as a extremist, gun-toting, Bible-thumping, hate-monger set on destroying the planet. That seems to be the tactic most often used by leftists to destroy anyone that disagrees with their agenda. Instead, consider for a moment the possibility that some of what we are being told about the economy, gun control, terrorism, climate change, etc. could be wrong. What if actions we are taking are not making things better, but worse? Is there anything wrong with analyzing the facts (and not those force-fed to us by the media) and at least questioning our policies? In the current political arena this seems to be treated as heresy and a attack on well-known and established truths. This is not at all the case.

Why are we so determined to give up freedom and liberties that we have had for more than 200 years based on unproven theories? Why does the media never question the fact that states and communities with a larger number of concealed handgun permit holders experience less violent crime than those that demand an unarmed population (read More Guns, Less Crime by John Lott) ? Why do they never mention the fact that over 700 international scientists dispute the claims of man-made global warming (from the website of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, hardly a bastion of conservative thinkers)? Why do we continue down the road of less freedom, less choice, less individual responsibility when it is costing us jobs, safety, freedom of speech and expression? When did common sense become so un-common? When will we wake up and rise up to a higher level of personal responsibility and throw off the chains of government control? I fear that if it is not soon... it will never be.

Are We Still Talkin' About This?

I can't believe that we are still following a course of action based upon claims of some scientists that may not even be true. Since the election last year it seemed to me that some of the supposed global warming science was not as prevalent in the media as it had been through the George W years. I thought, this is a good thing... there is no conclusive scientific evidence behind all this and it will just quietly fade away and we can move on to another supposed crisis. I guess I was wrong. Just this past week I have been hearing more about the insanity that passes for our actions to 'save the planet' from a man-made mess.

Don't get me wrong, I believe that we should do all we can to be wise and develop alternative sources of energy while seeking ways to reduce the amount of harmful waste we produce. What puzzles me is how so much of what is touted as a good alternative energy source is either unwise or not feasible. Burning up crops to replace petroleum products... that's just brilliant! Especially when it takes more energy to produce fuel from corn than is yielded when it is used. Or how about wind power. How many of the people that try to push this government subsidized alternative on us refuse to have any of the giant windmills anywhere near where they live? (If it is such a good alternative, how come it needs to be subsidized?) It is almost beyond my comprehension that some people actually believe that some of these insane actions will actually make any difference in our climate. I have heard (and I cannot recall the source) that some politicians want to outlaw the incandescent light bulb in favor of those little fluorescent bulbs that are hard on your eyes and are hazardous to dispose of. Now that's a bright idea!

What I see most of all with all the environmental hype is hypocrisy and deceit. Why is it that all the big name politicians in support of all this 'green' technology use more energy than any of us. The high priest of environmental ecstacy, the inventor of the internet, Mr. Al Gore is making literally millions on this false doctrine while leaving a huge carbon footprint with his excessive lifestyle. Supposedly he 'off-sets' his carbon footprint by buying carbon credits from developing nations. What a scam that is. Who really thinks that if I give my money away to others (so they can build a huge military machine, as with Red China) for imaginary feel good credits that I have helped to save the poor, failing climate of the earth? Sounds to me like a brilliant idea for the Chinese and Indians to suck money out of the capitalist system of America while making us feel good about it!

With all the scientist that have come out lately refuting the junk science behind global warming can we please move on to another imaginary crisis? If you are going to take all our money away from us and socialize everything (including our home thermostats), can you not find a more creative way to do it?

Charitable Giving - Big Government Style

Okay, I'll admit it. I really, really don't get this. Can someone clue me in please? We were just recently subjected to months of campaigning (or lying, depending on how you look at it) by two politicians, neither of which should even have been running for the top office in this country. During this time I heard so much from a man (that I never believed for a minute) about change and creating a caring culture. A place where we, as Americans, take care of each other and level the playing field so everyone can achieve the American Dream. A culture that supports and encourages those that have traditionally not had access to the prosperity promised by this great country.

Now our beloved President has come out in favor of reducing the tax reduction that we can receive for charitable giving. Is this not completely opposite of what you would do if you really cared about helping others and creating a caring culture? It seems to me that if a person wanted to encourage the citizens of this country to give and help those less fortunate, maybe one way to do this would be to increase the tax savings available for charitable giving. Perhaps if it were more advantageous for people to give to worthy causes that help the poor and needy in our communities, we would actually see an improvement in the conditions of the less fortunate among us. I would think that this would promote more help with education, job training, and life skills and provide more opportunities for those with limited access to economic prosperity.

Why then would the head of the Executive Branch of the government take action in direct opposition to this? The answer, as with most of what we have seen so far is that he, and it would seem most of his political party, have Socialist tendencies. They want more of the money currently headed to charities to go to their big government so they can dictate to you exactly how much you will give, and where and how that money is spent. They believe that this same government that has yet to institute a successful program, should be in charge of every program... public or private. They see this as a way to control behavior and to ensure their long-term power by distributing money only to 'charities' that adhere to their value system and help to advance their cause. A government that controls all the money has significant control of the population. By controlling charitable contributions they also control to some extent our freedom of speech, as they already do with religious organizations. Any organization that does not support their socialist, liberal agenda would obviously not be eligible for funding... that certainly makes their world a better place!

As with every area of life, the less government intrusion allowed the better it is for the people. Taxes are no exception. Taxation should not be used as a tool to shape the behavior of the populace according to some arbitrary set of values dictated by politicians. It is time for serious tax reform and a major down-sizing of our government. This is the answer to stimulating the economy and providing opportunity for those that have been victimized by the failure of the war on poverty.

Limiting Compensation

Lately I have been amazed at all the talk about limiting executive compensation. I understand the frustration that some people have expressed over companies that are mis-managed and now have been unwisely bailed out by the federal government, giving large salaries and bonuses to their execs. I also understand the politics of class warfare that so many in D.C. have exhibited expertise in. They always play one class, one race or one sex against the other... seems they use a divide-and-conquer strategy to take more power away from "We the People". They are so eager to limit the income and opportunity that is available to others while making sure that the sky is the limit for the income and excess that they enjoy. I have even heard of some of the brilliant Hollywood crowd getting in on this act.

Aside from the fact that I think this is the worst idea possible in a supposedly capitalist society, maybe we should take a look at their ideas, and even make this a universal application of limiting income. First of all, maybe we should limit income to, say $75,000 annually for anyone in an elected office for the state or federal governments. This would make sure that they are much more in touch with the middle-class that they all say they want to represent. Oh, and of course we would need to eliminate any form of contributions for the maintenance of multiple households, use of any government vehicles or any government paid expenses other than the normal office expenses... you know, things like stamps, stick pens, staples and printer paper. They could all be enrolled in the wonderful Social Security Program and be provided with a modest private provider group health plan similar to what would be provided at a comparable paying private sector job.

Then we could move on to the sports industry. Oh, God forbid we mess with these celebrity superstars! Since a corporate executive has quite a bit of responsibility for the salary that they would be paid under this plan, we must adjust the athletes salaries accordingly. Maybe $100,000 a year would be fair for the best of the best... after all they probably do work more than our elected officials! With the remainder of the multi-million dollar salary that is paid to way too many of these, we could provide free benefits to all the illegal aliens that politicians love so much.

Next would have to be Hollywood! These folks are always so outspoken on how the rest of us should live while they indulge themselves like a divine aristocracy too good for the common folks in fly-over country. How about, in addition to a salary cap of $50,000 per movie, we also hold them accountable for the results of their effort. We need to be fair about this, so perhaps if they make a movie that is a blockbuster at the theaters they get to be eligible for a small additional bonus of say, $1,000 per $1,000,000 of box office revenues. That sounds fair! Oh, but on the flip side is the condition that they loose money if the movie gets poor reviews! We can appoint a 3 person panel to review all films and all starring actors/actresses lose $2,500 for each bad review. That limits them to just $7,500 of risk if they put out a really bad movie... of which there are plenty. This makes it fair for everyone!

Writing this has got me so optimistic about the possibilities that are available when we allow the government to decide how much someone in a free-market society gets paid! I need to come up with something really special for those who just want to save the planet like Al Gore... they are so nice, I am sure they will want to give it all away, except of course for what is needed to maintain their eco-friendly, all natural, mud and straw huts! This is going to be so much fun!

We The People

Maybe it's just me, but in the event that it is not... is anyone else sick and tired of hearing about the Economic Stimulus plans, plans to bail out Wall Street, Detroit, the health-care system, small business, etc? I hear something everyday about how the wonderful, benevolent officials we the sheeple have elected are going to bestow economic prosperity on us and fix the economy. Are they really that stupid, or do they just think that we are that stupid? We wasted around $800 Billion on a first plan that did nothing... we wasted more on a larger (understand more earmarks and special interest) plan that was going to get things going... it continues still and there is no end in sight. Now nearly $2 Trillion later, things are the same or maybe worse.

Now I hear our beloved and anointed President saying that we need to spend more to open up lending to small business. Hello!!! Anyone paying any attention? Isn't borrowing and credit what got us into this mess to begin with? Are we going to borrow our way out of it? That's a brilliant idea! How about this for a revolutionary idea... quit taxing everyone into oblivion to pay for more stupid stimulus plans! Want to start the economy? Put more money into the hands of those who actually work and create jobs and wealth in this great country and stop the hand-outs, bail-outs, and give-away programs. Stop paying for condoms and abortions with our tax dollars! Stop pouring money into the false science of Global Warming! Stop the graft and corruption in the District of Corruption and allow the people of this land to take care of themselves, their families and each other!

Now I know that there are some idiots among us that don't have a clue how to earn, spend, or save money. Fine, let them suffer the consequences of their decisions... that is called learning! Quit over regulating the financial and auto industries, telling them what to do, how and when to do it... then blaming them when it doesn't work and bailing them out with our tax dollars and more pitiful oversight and regulation from the people that have ruined everything they have touched! Mr President, Congress, our elected officials at every level... YOU ARE NOT THE ANSWER, YOU OBVIOUSLY DO NOT HAVE THE ANSWER, YOU WILL NEVER FIND THE ANSWER UNLESS WE THE PEOPLE SHOW IT TO YOU!

The American people have always been hard working, ingenious, and productive people and still are today. If "you the government" will leave "We The People" alone we can make this economy work as it should and make smart decisions that will reward the producers and penalize the non-contributing parasites. Stop giving trophies to all the teams in Little League and start rewarding the winners for their hard work and perseverance. Give the also-rans in life something to shoot for. Let this nation full of generous and able people take care of their families and neighbors. Get out of our way and worry about National Defense like you are supposed to. Quit telling me to wear a seat-belt, where or if I can smoke, if I can have a firearm and forcing me to pay into a failed, pitiful supplemental retirement system that you politicians have bankrupted! We make this country run, not you. Get over it!

How Fair is "Fairness"?

Why is it that those who claim to be the largest proponents of freedom and personal choice (i.e. liberals) oppose any freedoms that are not granted by the state? Last time I checked we have a country founded on the belief that our rights and freedoms are granted by God, not the Federal Government. Our right to freely and openly oppose our government or express our dissenting opinion is what makes America different, and may I say, better than any other country. In their quest for a liberal Utopia the political left in this country is on a crusade to silence opposition. One of the most obvious examples is their efforts to silence "hate speech". While I don't endorse any speech that is born out of hatred and meant to demean and devalue those of another race or religion, in America we have a right to express dissent and opposition to any person, organization or government institution.

The left in this country continually defends the right of individuals to use any type of crude , obscene or sexually explicit language in the public arena. This is touted as 'freedom of speech'. I would argue that all citizens have the right to any type of language in private, but are required by the laws of decency to eliminate this from public use. The Constitution provides, through the Bill of Rights, free speech in the form of economic, political and religious ideology, basically the type of speech that is most valuable and on the top of the list for liberals to ban. We may very soon be experiencing the reinstatement of the 'Fairness Doctrine' that will take us a long way towards government control of any dissenting point of view via radio. Liberals that spout off about freedom of choice and free speech are working hard to silence talk radio, the only media dominated by conservative political and religious thought. They cannot compete in a free market on the basis of their liberal agenda, and so the only course of action for them is to silence freedom's number one outlet.

Lately this has become an all-out war on Rush Limbaugh. Regardless of what you think about Rush, Sean Hannity, or Glenn Beck, if they are allowed to succeed in silencing conservative political speech on the radio, how long before they move to silence the internet news and bloggers? Or how about the churches that speak out on issues of morality? How long before any anti-abortion speech or the teaching that homosexuality is sin is condemned? Will the left continue to tolerate the homeschooling crowd that is bypassing their state indoctrination program? How soon will we find any speech opposing the liberal, socialist agenda outlawed as 'hate speech'? I am convinced that day is coming, and possibly much sooner than most of us think. Will entertainment addicted America ever wake up? I pray to God that we do.

Crazy Times

Maybe it's just me... I have always been a little different. My wife has often told me that I am just too extreme! I need to quit being so radical about things. Maybe she's right, I don't want to come off sounding like some wacko razor-wire, compound-livin', bomb-shelter-building, government conspiracy, Republic of Texas nut case. Yet, at the same time, I cannot sit by and just watch some of the crazy things that are going on without commenting. I feel that many like me are no longer heard in our representative republic and it is getting extremely frustrating.

I recently viewed a excerpt from a CNBC broadcast in which the usual talking heads were discussing the economy and the stimulus bills. If you have not seen this, you need to. In this excerpt Rick Santelli starts to actually tell it like it is (can you imagine, on CNBC) and of course is treated like a extremist radical by the elitist news people. You can watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEZB4taSEoA

I have not seen anyone on any mainstream news outlet get it more right than this guy. Of course Hannity, Rush and Glenn Beck have been saying things like this for years... but this was a shot right into the numb-minded, propaganda believing audience of CNBC. Hope someone out there wakes up. I could not agree more with what was said. We have an establishment of elitist career politicians, educators and media pundits that are so out of touch with reality and what I hope is the silent majority of main-stream America that it is no longer even a little bit funny. These people walk around in their rich, elitist, socialist dream world without a clue about what the average middle-class American stands for or believes.

I am beginning to think that for the next presidential election we need to support Tommy. You know, the deaf, dumb and blind kid from Soho? I figure that he could not possibly more detached from what is happening in the real world outside D.C. (District of Corruption) than the idiots we have there now. These people are destroying America and running rough-shod over the Constitution and our rights. Do they not understand they are taxing us into oblivion? Are they really so stupid as to believe that government spending can solve anything besides lining the pockets of themselves and their friends. Taking from the producers in society to give to those that refuse to produce will not stimulate anything except a economic collapse.

Maybe I am a little extreme... but then again, I was raised to believe in a country founded by men of extreme faith and belief. A country that valued freedom above all else. A country that was founded to provide the opportunity (not the guarantee) for all people to work hard, usually against the odds, and to achieve something for themselves and their families. Guess that is a little extreme!

Life Just Isn't Fair

The old saying is true. Life isn't fair. I think most people's idea of fair is a level playing field, equal opportunity, a chance for everyone to be or do what they most want in life. This will never happen. One man is born with an IQ of 136 while another has a intelligence quotient of only 86. One woman is born with extraordinary athletic ability while another is born crippled and unable to walk. Many people are born in America where opportunity abounds, while others are born in war-torn areas of Africa suffering abuse and persecution. Life just isn't fair.

So, where does that leave us? Should we abandon our efforts to help those that are disadvantaged? No. I do not believe that we can in good conscience abandon our efforts to help our fellow man, however, we must also realize that penalizing those with more opportunity is never the way to improve the situation. We must help those that will help themselves rise up to the highest attainable level their skills allow. We must not legislate penalties into our system to punish or slow down the achievers in society. We must be a society that teaches a mindset of running to win the prize... and if you fail, you get up, learn what you can from the experience, train more and run again.

The agenda we have allowed in our schools teaches cooperation and scorns competition. Teach the children to work together for the better of everyone. Take from those with an abundance and give to those in poverty. Sounds like a good idea doesn't it comrade? Don't compete, don't question, just cooperate. The problem is that they are being taught not to question or oppose liberal ideas. It appears that our students, from elementary through the universities, are being indoctrinated into the way of thinking that will make them fit best into a socialist society. The same people that during the decades of the 60's and 70's taught our young to question everything (because we were much more conservative) are now teaching them to question nothing. This is a huge failure on the part of our educational system. The most important thing we can teach our citizens is the history of this great nation, the documents that established it (i.e., the Constitution with it's Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence), and the ability to think for themselves.

Our young people need to realize that life is not fair. If you want to succeed you will have to compete. They need to be taught that overcoming an obstacle is a healthy learning experience that ought to be embraced for the reward that it offers on the other side. Dependence on one's self, family and God needs to replace dependence on the nanny state. We must teach them that cooperation and competition are not polar opposites. We all must cooperate with others to achieve common goals while we compete individually to be the best we can be. Life is not fair and you may not achieve the same success as someone else, but if you pursue excellence in all you do, live to use your unique talent to help others, and learn to mature from a state of dependency to healthy interdependence, you will achieve your own success.

Imprisoned by your Freedom?

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.(Gal. 5:1)

My religious background is a patchwork of various Christian denominations, each slightly different, yet all claiming the same major doctrinal tenets. I attended a Presbyterian church from the age of birth to somewhere around the middle of my grade school years. The next church for our family was a Congregational church where we stayed through the remainder my grade school years and into my freshman year of high school. At age 14 we switched again to a Nazarene church which I attended with my family until, at age 20, I decided to attend a Church of God (out of Anderson, IN) where there were more young people near my age. Somewhere during this denominational journey I made a decision to become a Christian and accept Jesus as savior, although I did so more out of a compulsion to avoid the fiery pit of hell than a clear understanding of what I was really getting into.

In 1985 I was married and began a journey through a few more versions of the Christian church, again with the same basic doctrine (belief in the Trinity, that Christ died for our sins and was raised, etc.) but variations on minor points and practices. Our new family stayed in the Church of God, the denominational affiliation of our college, and we were active in the local congregation for several more years. Upon moving to Texas in 1990, I began attending a Nazarene church again for a short time, then on to a Baptist church where we stayed until moving again around 3 years later. Our next move took us into the crazy world of the Charismatic believers. The freedom from ritual along with the contemporary music drew us in to this church home until we again moved. Since that time in 1993 we have moved several more times, but stayed in non-denominational, charismatic churches.

I tell you all of this denominational history to give you a limited idea of my background in the Christian faith and so you can understand why, to some degree, I have questioned so much of the teaching I have heard. I guess in some ways it has been beneficial to my spiritual development to have such a varied background, since this has allowed me the freedom to search out truths for myself. I know many people that have spent most of their years in one particular denomination and as a result have trouble with questioning their denominational training. They feel almost as though it is sinful to consider that what they have been taught may not be the full truth. Feelings of guilt overcome them if they question the fullness of their experience and start to wonder if maybe God has something more for them. This indoctrination leads to a type of enslavement that Charismatics would label as Legalism or Religiousness. I believe that this type of 'religion' and following ritual, rules and traditions for the sake of conformity is what Christ came to set His people free from.

As of late however, I have seen another form of enslavement that some non-denominational, inter-denominational or charismatic believers seem to be falling in to. It is an enslavement to their supposed new found freedom from legalism or a religious spirit. While it is true that as a believer in Christ, we are free from the strict legalism of the old covenant and the practice of dead rituals, it is also true that we can easily become captivated by our obsession with trying to appear non-religious. We must remember that to follow Christ in a non-religious manner is to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, not to be preoccupied with engagement in worldly activities that will signal to others that we are free. This type of pseudo-freedom actually has another name... bondage. We can be deceived so easily by our flesh into thinking that we should participate in things that will offend the religious legalists to show them what freedom looks like. This is not freedom!

Christ Jesus died on the cross for us so that we may truly be free to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in every area of our lives. True freedom will allow us to make decisions and involve ourselves in activities that bring glory to Him without purposely offending our brothers and sisters that may have differing doctrinal beliefs. We must remember that while all things are permissible, not all things are beneficial. We are reminded in the New Testament that we are to be considerate of those that may be caused to stumble because of our exercise of freedom. While we will not allow ourselves to be resubmitted to the bondage the Holy Spirit has led us out of, we must also take seriously our responsibility to the body of Christ and to avoid pride and arrogance which will lead us into bondage of another sort. I urge you all (as I remind my self) to examine yourself daily and to follow in humble submission to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the only true way to the freedom God has for each of us.

Bail Out? Maybe that's exactly what we should do...

The talk everywhere you turn for the past several months has been about government bail-outs and the need for economic stimulus. I have heard many of the arguments for, and to a lesser degree, the arguments against these actions. I know many are confused on what needs to be done, torn between giving ailing businesses and industry sectors help and leaving the market place to itself to correct the problems over time. For most of our politicians I think the question boils down to how much should the government be involved and what kind of return will they get when elections roll around again. The question I would like to ask is 'what caused these problems and when did it become the governments job to interfere in the marketplace?'.

If you dig past the surface of 'smoke and mirrors' that the politicians in congress are throwing up you find that most of the problems we have faced go back decades into the past. A great deal of government interference (as opposed to involvement as some suggest) began with the policies of FDR and his Big Government approach to solving economic issues. Many scholars now point to his administration's policies as a key factor in extending the economic depression by up to seven years. This is where the modern big government liberalism started. President Johnson put us into the welfare crisis that we have today by allowing people to live off the success of others instead of working to achieve something for themselves. Nixon gave us the out-of-control, over regulating EPA to assuage the environmentalist radicals that demanded federal intervention in the pollution problems we faced. I could go on about many more federal agencies (such as the NHTSA, OSHA, etc.) and regulations that interfere with our daily lives and override the idea our founding fathers had of each state's right to regulate themselves.

If you look into the current crisis in mortgage lending the problem is not corporate C.E.O.'s with large salaries and 'golden parachutes'. Have some of these people been overpaid and given outrageous severance deals over the years? Yes. Is it the business of anyone other than the board of directors and shareholders to change this? No. The real problem that hit the mortgage industry so hard was a meddling government that required loans to be made to people that were bad credit risks and could not afford the homes they were purchasing.

The same is true of the ailing American auto industry. The people that know how to make and sell automobiles work for Ford, GM and Chrysler.... they do not hold seats in the Senate, House or any other post in the government. The C.A.F.E. standards that have been applied to the automakers along with the outrageous burden of the overpaid employees of 'Big Labor' have combined to cripple our domestic manufacturers ability to compete. If rising fuel prices cause the public to demand vehicles with better mileage, then competition will drive the manufacturers to meet that need without government interference. The market dictates who succeeds and who fails based upon a sellers ability to meet the buyers wants and desires.

This is where the problem for most politicians and radical liberals originates. They see themselves as better educated and wiser than the public. They spend all of their time talking about freedom of choice (aren't these the 'pro-choice' people?) yet they want to eliminate our freedom of choice in so many areas. They want you to drive the car that they approve of (in spite of their continuance to drive large SUV's and fuel inefficient sedans) instead of the car you would like to buy. They want our children to attend public schools and have a government mandated curriculum, and appropriate indoctrination, instead of allowing us to make a choice of where our dollars and our children attend school. These individuals who have proven that they cannot manage anything (how's the future of Social Security looking, or the federal budget deficit) want to take control of our financial institutions, the auto industry, health care, the petroleum producers, regulate the thermostats in our homes and now even dictate whether television broadcasts are analog or digital (and use our money to provide converters for those that cannot afford to miss Oprah or The View).

I for one think that it is time for a massive, all inclusive bail-out. The federal government needs to bail-out of the free market, the affairs of the free states, and our supposedly free lives. Our nations founders did not risk their lives, the lives of their families, their fortunes and all that they had to be ruled by a government that sought to control their money, education, purchasing decisions and tax them into oblivion. God help us to start the return to reason in government and restore our freedoms to their intended state.

Where Do We Go From Here?

I don't know about you, but I was in a real funk on Nov. 5th. This election was not the first time that I have been disappointed in the results (ie: Clinton's 2 terms), but for some reason I was effected to a much greater degree. I was not a strong believer in John McCain as the right man for the job. In fact I was unsure of my vote until he selected Sarah Palin as a running mate. Somehow though, I knew there was more riding on this election than any previous in my lifetime. Perhaps part of my reaction was due to the obvious negligence of the mainstream media in letting the American people know just exactly who Barak Hussein Obama is.

Let me back up just a bit and tell you something you may find extremely weird, troublesome, nutty, etc (pick your own word). I was very anxious for this election. I found myself counting the days when we were still weeks away from the voting. I voted early here in Texas and was really looking forward to spending the election day evening with friends and watching the returns come in. Then a strange thing happened. As I finished work for the day (which was early on Tuesday) I started to feel a heaviness in my heart about the evening. As I walked up to the front door of my home, I noticed that the American flag we had out had somehow become completely wrapped around itself and the pole. Ordinarily I would probably of thought nothing about it, except that it had never happened before. But on this day I heard a voice (not audibly) say that for the next four years the flag (which I somehow knew was representative of our freedom) would be bound up and not allowed to fly freely.

If you knew me, you would know that this was a pretty weird thing for me to experience. As I thought about it I felt strongly that many of our rights (free speech, right to bear arms, etc.) would be challenged and perhaps even restricted in the years to come. I tried to shake this off and told myself that it was silly, since the polls had not even closed yet and surely the McCain-Palin ticket would win. I just couldn't shake the feeling of dread and/or doom that I felt the rest of the night. By around 9:00 CST I knew it was over. Depression set in!

Having some time to think about this and process it some (my brain works on stuff SLOWLY) I have arrived at what I think is the Lord's will in all of this. We are told in the Bible that God is Omnipotent and His purposes will be accomplished. So where does that put us as Christians that may feel a man has been elected that supports some agendas we know go against God's will, and others that are at the very least contrary to the Constitution? We must rest and be at peace with God's sovereignty and know that He will work things for our ultimate good.

We must also be vigilant and watch closely for any party or politician that may go against the principles of the Constitution and our founding fathers. If and when these issues arise we must not be silent, as the German people were in the 1930's, but we must protest and petition to be heard. Beyond this we must also, and more importantly, pray for our leaders... even those we don't like. We must pray that God's will is done and pray that He would give insight and wisdom to those governing our country. I am not proud of the fact that I did not do this when Mr. Clinton was in office because I so strongly opposed the man and his lack of integrity, honesty and morals... but let us learn our lesson and do our part this time around. We must be a light and a blessing to all and truly learn to selflessly pursue God's will over our own social or political agenda.

Peace is the Answer... or is it?

I was raised during the 60's and 70's, a time when changes were coming... and not all of them good. There was a lot of unrest with young people born in the 40's and 50's that were disenchanted with a war they didn't understand and the politicians that were trying hard to lose it. For the first time ever television was showing the horrors of war to the public and they didn't like it. Suddenly peace was the answer to all our problems. If we could just leave the rest of the world, and mankind as a whole, to do whatever makes them happy all would be better off. We just needed to talk, listen and understand each other and everyone would act reasonably and avoid war.

If you believe that man is basically good and desires nothing but the best for everyone, I guess the peace movement all makes sense. After all, if our enemies are basically just good people then there must be a reason why they are behaving in a violent or threatening manner. That reason must be America. Our system of capitalism, freedom, religion and foreign policy must force our enemies to action. We must be the catalyst that makes them behave in such a manner and hate, attack and kill others.

Of course the only problem with this logic is the premise that man is good. The truth is that man is inherently evil and selfish. We are all born with a rebellious nature that is concerned only about ourselves and our pleasure. Unfortunately history is full of people that demonstrated this time and time again. How can we believe that other governments will always be peaceful and benevolent when we see hate and crime everyday? No amount of rationalization will convince a leader bent on destruction of peoples of another class, race or religious belief to behave in a civilized manner. Sometimes nations must be disciplined and punished just as individuals are in most societies.

Peace is certainly an admirable goal and one we strive toward constantly, however, peace at all costs is not worth the price that must be paid. Peace is valuable, but not more valuable than justice. Life is valuable, but not more valuable than principle. I would suggest that without justice and principle, peace is not worth anything except to those that fear death more than their loss of freedom or basic human rights. No, peace is not necessarily the answer. The answer is found in a people that pursue righteousness and are willing to stand up for the rights of others regardless of the price that must be paid. If it means trading our lives for the lives and rights of those less fortunate, then so be it.

You Owe Me!

What ever happened to the old America? You know, the one most of us grew up in during the 20th century. I am old enough to have experienced a little of it, yet young enough to still remember. Many of you know what I am talking about but for those of you that don't or are too young and missed out, let me share with you a little about what it used to be like in America. When most of us were proud of our country (despite it's flaws) and not just because our spouse was running for president.

I was raised by parents that were born in the mid-1920's, between two of the largest, most destructive and deadly wars that man has ever known. My father entered WWII by enlisting in the Navy, lying about his age at the time so he could go to war. The second world war pulled us out of a depression with massive defense spending on military items of every description. This was a time when our existence as a country was threatened and countries around the world were falling to fascist regimes. Even then, with the obvious evil perpetrated by the Nazi Party, there were those here in America that strongly opposed any involvement in a war that was none of our business.

It was during these times, I believe, that my father's character and life principles were developed. He learned that some things were more valuable than your physical comfort, finances and life. These were defining principles that led him through life's journey and helped him to make the right choices, even when it was perhaps the hardest choice to make. Although I tried hard at times to escape this influence and choose a path of less resistance and more temporal pleasures, these principles were passed on to me and have become the foundation for my adult life. I thank God that this is the strong foundation that was built for me, and many others, by a hard-working, patriotic generation of Americans.

America has been a place where individuals have been limited only by themselves. Our system of free enterprise and individual freedoms, guaranteed by the Constitution, has provided the best environment ever known to man for reaching dreams, goals and visions. A person lacking the funds for a secondary education can visit free public libraries and educate themselves on a multitude of subjects. Those born in poor economic conditions can work and save to start their own small business. The idea of America has always been (if you don't believe it, read the writings of the founding fathers) a weak central government that does not interfere with the lives of those it was created to serve.

What has me confused is how we have arrived at where we are as a nation today. The politics of class envy is taught to our young at supposed institutions of higher learning. Those in power use the selfish desires of the populace to further their own agenda. Why do some of us feel that it is our inherent right to be given things we did not work for? It is like a demented Robin Hood story with a theme of take from the rich to give to the poor. We have politicians that tell us everyone has the right to a nice home, two cars, free secondary education, free childcare, free healthcare and HD Television. When did our right to pursue happiness translate into the right to have what we have not earned?

I fear that America has fallen asleep. We are missing the conservative moral values and principles that used to guide us to work at being the best and most productive members of society. We are quickly turning into a hedonistic society where the pursuit of comfort and pleasure is replacing what was once a desire to exercise discipline, self-control and to achieve. We have forgotten that adversity is what develops character and motivates us to work for the betterment of ourselves and others. Our educators have been negligent to teach our history, as it really happened, and to remind us of the great men that have been grown from the poorest of conditions.

If America is to survive and once again be that shining light of freedom and God's grace that all the world looks to, we must examine ourselves. We must get back to the foundation of truth and freedom that was laid for us nearly 250 years ago. We can no longer be consumed by self-interests, but must work for what is best for our country. This is the greatest country on the face of the earth and we alone can make it better. We must adopt policies that encourage our citizens to be productive, hard-working and caring. If we don't shake off our complacency soon, I am afraid it will be too late and we will fade from our former greatness into mediocrity and forced servant hood to the state.

Government Intervention - Remedy or the Reason?

The current financial crisis in America is 'exhibit A' in the deliberation over whether or not government should be involved in the market place. Our government has grown from a weak central government charged mainly with defense of our homeland and our individual rights, into a ugly, inefficient behemoth trying to control all areas of our lives. At the turn of the century (20th) our federal government operated on a budget of close to $1 million. Now it siphons off more than two trillion from a productive economy in an effort to control everyone and everything while seeking to eliminate poverty, a task which even Jesus indicated cannot be done ("For you always have the poor with you", Matt 26:11).

Government dabbling in social engineering has created a huge welfare society that destroys families and keeps the poor and uneducated subservient to Uncle Sam. Do I think that we should simply ignore the poor and less fortunate in our society? No, this would be unethical and go against the commandments of my religion. Do I think that the government should be burdened with redistribution of wealth to those unable or unwilling to take care of themselves? Again my answer would be no. Prior to the intervention of Big Government in our lives the poor and less fortunate were ministered to by the churches and other non-profit organizations, and they did so with very little overhead and much volunteer help.

If the folks in Washington, D.C. really want to help the poor why don't they create a tax policy that offers more of a benefit to those that donate to charity? The American people have traditionally been a very giving people, if we capitalize on this by making it mutually beneficial to both the giver and the recipient we can meet these needs without unnecessary interference from Washington. I believe most reputable charities operate more efficiently than the government (remember the wonderful success of Social Security and Medicare not to mention $150 toilet seats and such), and it also take away some of the control the politicians have over our lives. Isn't this after all, one reason so many fled the old world for the new over the past 400 years?