Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Chutzpah!

Read this article in the Weekly Standard to discover even more evil to fear in the Senate Healthcare Bill -- Harry Reid has inserted a provision that he says will prevent future Congresses from repealing it. Go here to read the details.

I wonder if any part of it is constitutional. Of course, getting a liberal court to admit that it isn't would probably require a divine miracle of the highest order. And we thought we had a government of, by, and for the people, not the political elite.

Monday, December 21, 2009

They HAVE to Go!

There are no words, not even profane ones, that adequately describe the digust and revulsion I feel about the senators who just voted to ruin our entire healthcare system and in the process to destroy many freedoms that we take for granted. In the name of "saving the economy" they have loaded the unconstitutional bill with pork (to buy the senators' votes) and mandates that the CBO estimates to cost us an additional $2,500,000,000,000. And remember that Congressional Budget Office projections ALWAYS are low; Medicare expenses quickly exceeded their original estimate by a factor of 19.

Our politicians had already put us and our children into debt, now our unborn grandchildren and great grandchildren will be born owing money to our government or to the Chinese. And the stalwart American people will suffer and die sooner because healthcare will be rationed and innovation will wither away under bureacratic control.

The following list of senators are Democrats from conservative states who voted for the bill. We must see to it through encouragement and donations to conservative candidates who can oppose them and by votes if we live in their states, that they lose their seats in the next election.

In 2010, target:
Arkansas - Senator Lincoln
North Dakota - Senator Dorgan

In 2012, target:
Missouri - Senator McCaskill
Montana - Senator Tester
Nebraska - Senator Nelson
North Dakota - Senator Conrad
West Virginia - Senator Byrd

In 2014, target:
Alaska - Senator Begich
Arkansas - Senator Pryor
Louisiana - Senator Landrieu
Montana - Senator Baucus
South Dakota - Senator Johnson
West Virginia - Senator Rockefeller

In the meantime, we must work against ACORN and all of its affiliates, or we'll never have honest elections again.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Thanks to Townhall.com


We have the following cartoon.

Friday, December 4, 2009

Beware!!!

History's most notorious Georgian-turned-Russian, the politically astute Joseph Stalin once remarked, "The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything." The lesson has not been lost on the increasingly notorious Hungarian-cum-American George Soros.

Read the whole article at American Spectator.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Life Interferes with Blog

Both the usual pre-Christmas rush and unusual family obligations are conspiring to limit my blogging for the rest of the year. I'll be back when my time is my own again. Meanwhile, please get your news from the Internet, not from the main stream media, if you want to know the truth.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Pro-Lifers Are Winning!

"Because there's a Democratic majority in Congress and the president is pro-choice, it sometimes gets lost how truly numerically challenged we are."...Nancy Keenan, the current director of NARAL. See New York Magazine for the whole article, written by a Pro Abortion advocate worrying about the fate for their movement.

Obama Needs Our Help

Somebody must get word to him about the leaked emails from the Climate Research group in England. He must not be aware of the biggest world wide scandal in recent history. Surely, if he knew that the global warming "science" is standing on shaky ground, if not directly on thin air, he would make an announcement and call off his trip to Copenhagen, wouldn't he?

Here are a few suggestions for articles to email to him from the bountiful list available on the Internet:

Sweetness and Light has numerous articles on the scandal including "Even the NY Times Begins to See the CRU Hoax."

UK Telegraph has "East Anglia Does U-Turn in Climate-Change Row."

Clive Crook wrote an excellent article in The Atlantic: “The stink of intellectual corruption is overpowering.”

Wall Street Journal: If you can’t trust scientists…

Christopher Booker (UK): Worst Scientific Scandal of our Generation

Monday, November 30, 2009

Advent I

Advent contradicts almost every established practice in our increasingly secular society. Ipso facto, it must be a good and important tradition.

Instead of planning parties and buying gifts, Christians are asked to examine their consciences and clean up their lives so nothing will inhibit or prohibit their relationship to the Lord of Life.

The Christian Church celebrates the weeks before Christmas by reminding people that Jesus is coming again. He came unexpectedly despite earnest study and calculations by the most learned rabbi's in Judea two thousand years ago (except for Simeon) and He will come unexpectedly again, either at our death or at the end of the world.

Advent reminds us to prepare the way in our hearts for His coming because Jesus Himself asked: But how much of that kind of persistent faith will the Son of Man find on the earth when he returns? Luke 18:8b

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The Jig's Up on Global Warming

As people have suspected for years, the whole global warming scam really is a scam and now we have proof from the perpetrators themselves. Al Gore has refused all invitations to debate, because there is nothing there except specious claims and plans for controlling masses of people. Today's Internet is full of stories about the emails between some scientists as they connive to keep the truth from coming out. However, Fox News is the only television outlet that has dared to publish any information about the scandal. Instead, the Main Stream Media continues to act as if nothing happened with new scare stories, blaming such things as increased prostitution in the Philippines on global warming.

If you're interested in reading more, here are a few links.
Sweetness and Light: One of The Scandals Behind The CRU Emails
Drudge Report: Climategate, The Final Nail in The Coffin, and others
American Thinker:ClimateGate Uncovered, Climate Fraud and Environmental Agenda, Emails May Spur Lawsuit, Acorning the Climate Change Movement,
World Net Daily: Senator Demands Probe

Monday, November 23, 2009

Apple to The Rescue

I will be moving files from this MacBook Pro to a new one provided by Apple tomorrow instead of blogging. This laptop is six months past the extended warranty, but they're still replacing it for me. Needless to say, they now have at least one more very loyal customer.

ACORN Again


Although our Congressional Clowns, or rather Congressional Prostitutes, love to investigate and preen before television cameras, they seem to be singularly uninterested in finding out more about ACORN. Eric Holder, US Attorney General, also seems extremely uninformed about their activities. Fortunately, Andrew Breitbart and his Big Government website, continues to unearth details about the ACORN operations.

This time, they collected reams of paper work dumped after the California Attorney General announced his intentions of investigating their activities in that state. Breitbart's group has announced they will begin releasing the damning documents bit by bit until something definitive is done. Thank you, Mr. Breitbart.

Of course, ACORN's California chief, Mr. Lagstein, has bravely stated, “…the attorney general is a political animal, but certainly every bit of the communication we have had with them has suggested that the fault will be found with the people that did the video and not the people with ACORN.”

Hmmmmmm.

If My People

I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. Daniel 7:12-14
Yesterday was the feast of The Lord Jesus Christ the King in the Catholic Church and Daniel 7:13-14 was the first reading. After being depressed for months about the direction our country is taking, it was good to be reminded that Jesus is the victor over all evil. In fact, in John 18:37b He tells Pontius Pilate, "To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice."

Pray that we and all our fellow citizens would again prize the truth above politics, above personal embarrassment, above our favorite secret sins, and above unearned gains of every variety.

Another Call for Moral Clarity

Moral clarity and its relationship to political correctness are the subject of Bill Bennett's column, "Whitewashing Reality," at National Review Online.

The money quote is: There is a rot that spreads outside of Washington into the larger culture. It begins with a confusion of terms, and by not calling things by their proper names, it begins with a disassembling of the moral categories. . . . And so we are reminded again of the notion that the chief purpose of education is to know when a man is talking rot. Because, if unchecked, the rot will settle, it will metastasize.

But you really need to read the whole thing.

No Longer Called Congressional Clowns

After Saturday's historic vote by the Senate and Mary Landrieu's boast about being bought for $300,000,000, I think we should change their name to Congressional Prostitutes.

No wonder our national debt is so high. The leadership in both parties has been buying votes for decades instead of letting bills stand or fall on their own merits. After all, it's easy to spend other people's money.

What worse, is the their constituents mistakenly believe their very own Prostitutes are bringing bacon home. The reality is they're just adding to the people's tax burden for generations to come, often for projects that are questionable at best.

It's time for everyone, politicians and voters alike, to straighten up and become honest. It's time we all developed moral clarity in every aspect of our lives.

Persistent Vegetative State???

The Daily Mail in the UK carries Rom Houben's story today. Several neurological experts declared Houben to be in a "persistent vegetative state" for 23 years, but he was conscious the entire time, merely paralyzed after an automobile wreck and unable to communicate.

As medical science advances, evidence of poor diagnoses when people are comatose will continue to mount up. Hopefully, it will also stop the growing move toward euthanasia for such patients.

As a patient who has twice awakened during surgery, I can attest to the fact that it is possible to hear and understand every word spoken, but remain unable to talk. I can hardly imagine the pain of going through that for 23 years.

But even worse, consider the consequences if a "death panel" in faraway Washington, were deciding whether or not to keep patients like Ron alive.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Same Song, Second Verse

Inspired by the "beloved" Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid intends to hold a rare Saturday session of the Senate and vote on his version of health care reform tomorrow night. If it worked for her, maybe it will work for him.

This vote is one of the most important ones ever held. *If it passes, the federal government will take over the health care industry whether the American people want it or not. Whatever else you have to do this week-end, please take the time to notify your Senators of your feelings in no uncertain terms. Put their name into a search engine, and you will discover their Washington address and phone numbers, their state offices and phone numbers, and their email addresses. Even if you've already mentioned it, please remind them of your distaste for this crude attempt to solve a real problem.

The proof that it is a VERY BAD bill is that the Congressional Clowns insist on exempting themselves from its provisions.

Also, try to contact the following senators who are being promised all sorts of goodies if they will just vote yes tomorrow evening. One provision of the bill has been written so that Louisiana will receive $100,000,000 if the Landrieu votes "correctly." Even if you are not from their states, you are a citizen whose life will be impacted by their vote, so don't let a snippy intern refuse to register your complaint. If you are a member of Facebook, write on their wall. If not, then phone, fax, or email. But do something to protect yourself and your family.

1. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana landrieu@landrieu.senate.gov
Washinton Voice: (202)224-5824 Fax:(202) 224-9735
New Orleans Voice: (504) 589-2427 Fax:(504) 589-4023
Baton Rouge Voice: (225) 389-0395 Fax:(225) 389-0660
Shreveport Voice: (318) 676-3085 Fax:(318) 676-3100
Lake Charles Voice: (337) 436-6650 Fax:(337) 439-3762

2. Ben Nelson of Nebraska
Washington: Tel: 1-202-224-6551 Fax: 1-202-228-0012
Omaha Tel: (402) 391-3411 Fax: (402) 391-4725
Lincoln Tel: (402) 441-4600 Fax: (402) 476-8753
Scottsbluff Tel: (308) 631-7614
Kearney Tel: (308) 293-5818
South Sioux City Tel: (402) 209-3595

3. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas
Washington: Phone: (202)224-4843 Fax: (202)228-1371
Little Rock Office Phone: (501) 375-2993 or toll free 1-800-352-9364
Fax: (501) 375-7064
Dumas Phone: (870)382-1023 Fax: (870)382-1026
Jonesboro Phone: (870) 910-6896 Fax: (870)910-6898
Fayetteville Phone: (479) 251-1224 Fax: (479)251-1410
Texarkana Phone: (870) 774-3106 Fax: (870) 774-7627

4. Evan Byah of Indiana
Washington: Phone (202) 224-5623 Fax (202) 228-1377
Indianapolis: Phone (317) 554-0750 Fax (317) 554-0760
Hammond: Phone (219) 852-2763 Fax (219) 852-2787
Evansville: Phone (812) 465-6500 Fax: (812) 465-6503
Ft. Wayne: Phone (260) 426-3151 Fax: (260) 420-0060

*It is true that the Senate require two votes to pass a bill. However, if this test vote passes with 60 votes, the momentum will highly favor passage of the bill with the second vote.

Holder's Conflict of Interests

I had intended to write about Eric Holder's former law firm, Covington & Burling, representing numerous detainees at Gitmo and the obvious conflicts of interest with his current position as Attorney General, but never got around to it. Yesterday The Washington Examiner bravely covers his refusal to recuse himself or provide complete information when asked by the Senate Judiciary Committee. I am not certain whether that exchange was before or after he made a fool of himself testifying that he had not considered precedent or consequences before making the decision to try KSM in New York City.

Michelle Malkin covers the complete background story today, so read the details there.

If My People

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. Isaiah 58:6-9a
Notice that those of us who fast and pray are also asked to avoid burdening others with demands and expectations, to break our own bad habits, to give food, clothing, and shelter to the poor, and to keep family relationships close to our hearts. Then Lord promises to answer our calls for help. Let us fast and pray for the United States.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Who's in Charge Here?

When the Obama administration began, I kept comparing the thought processes and decisions to college sophomore midnight bull sessions. The topics covered were about on the same level as kids who think they know it all and that they're the first ones to grapple with life's problems in a serious way.

However, the decision to give KSM and other terrorists criminal trials in US courts reduces my estimation of the current officials down to the level of 10 year olds taking over the birthday party while their parents are out of the room preparing refreshments. The ensuing chaos, clowning, and excess inevitably lead to party goers getting hurt.

There are many things wrong with the decision to treat terrorists as common criminals and others have covered them well: J.R. Dunn and Rick Moran are two notable examples.

However, the most stupid action is that both Obama and Holder have already pronounced the prisoners guilty and sure to be sentenced to death. That would reduce our vaunted, impartial justice system to the level of the worst show trials that Russia ever held.

How can they be convicted if pronounced guilty by the President of the US while traveling abroad and his attorney general while testifying before the Senate? Even a third rate trial lawyer could get it declared a mistrial before it even begins.

If My People

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16b
I can do fervent. It's easy to be fervent in prayer as the problems mount up higher and higher. I can even work on the "effectual" part as I model my prayer after the prayer the Lord Jesus taught His followers along with other examples in the Bible. It's the righteous person part that gives me pause.

I keep remembering the Pharisees, the church leaders and good people of that day, who did all the right things even to tithing the herbs in their gardens. Yet they received condemnation because although they knew much about God, but they didn't recognize Him when He was in their midst living out the principles of God in front of their eyes.

Dear Lord, help us all to know and love You more fully so that our fervent prayers would be effective. And please protect our country from all enemies, both within and without.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

A Head Start on Health Care

The Progressives tipped their hand this week regarding the future quality of health care when they made the grand pronouncement that women should not have routine mammograms until after the age of fifty. Their soothing sales talk assured the public that earlier mammograms merely lead to a lot of unneccessary biopsies and anxiety. Postponing the tests will still result in discovery of 81% of the breast cancers.

Are those other 19% of women with breast cancer not worthy of treatment?

Currently one woman in eight will have breast cancer, many of them in their thirties and forties. Early detection saved my life with breast cancer, ocular melanoma, colon cancer, and breast cancer metastasis to the lung. And I personally can add innumerable cancer patients to the same list where early detection saved lives.

Postponing mammograms will save the bureaucrats some time and effort and it will surely cut health care costs, but it will kill a lot of women before their time. It has nothing to do with real reform in the area of health care.

Good News and Bad News

I have not quit my infamous blogging career - I've just been hindered by a sick computer and a sick body.

The bad news is my trusty laptop needed a new optical drive on Saturday and then another new one on Sunday. Then the Apple card quit working properly to allow access to the Internet.

The good news is after two days of repair work, the good folks at Apple agreed to give me a new MacBook Pro despite the fact that the guarantee expired months ago because this old one has caused so much trouble. I'm to limp along for a couple more weeks until the new one arrives. Then we'll trade the old tired one for a brand new one for free. Yeah for Apple!

Now, if I could just trade in this old body for a new one...... Or just get to feeling a little bit better. But then again, I'm lucky to be alive and vertical most of the time.

Friday, November 13, 2009

The Most Scurrilous Clowns

This is a list of the fifteen most corrupt Congressional Clowns according to a left leaning watchdog group. I am not privy to the criteria they employed in forming the list, but I can think of several they ignored. At any rate, the frightening thing is the depth of corruption and the lack of shame or censure either by their colleagues or by the mass media.
One on the list plans to run for governor of Georgia and I can personally testify to his ethical challenges.

Another Way to Stop Corruption

Of course, it would put a lot of IRS employees out of work, but think how it would help everyday people to have a simple, fair tax code. On top of that, it would encourage recovery from the economic malaise that threatens to overwhelm us. Watch this video to see how countries all over the world are benefiting from a flat tax rate.

His Crotch or His Country?


According to yet another picture, Obama still favors his crotch more than the country he presides over.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Our New Pledge*

"I pledge allegiance to Americaʼs debt, and to the Chinese government that lends us money. And to the interest, for which we pay, compoundable, with higher taxes and lower pay until the day we die." *from The Daily Bail.

American tax payers daily need to pay more than $500 million just to cover the interest on our debt, most of which is owed to foreign governments. Obamas first budget deficit is greater than ALL of the Bush deficits combined.

Thank A Veteran

Yesterday a veteran responded to the query "How can we average Americans ever thank you for your service?"

His reply: "Work to improve your family, your neighborhood, your town, and your state. Make our sacrifice worthwhile by improving the nation we are defending. "

So those our marching orders as citizens are to use our energies, talents, and influence to make things better because we were there. From gracious small talk with the check-out clerk to patience with the elderly to compassionate tough love with the recalcitrant to informed political activity to implacable personal honesty, let us continue to thank our American veterans until the next Veterans' Day.

If My People

In the morning, fill us with your love; we shall exult and rejoice all our days. Give us joy to balance our affliction for the years when we knew misfortune. Psalm 90:14-15
Psalms, or The Psalter, has been the prayer book for faith filled people for over 3,000 years. Turn to it daily to find the prayer to express your need or your mood. It helps you articulate to God the longings in your heart that are so deep you can hardly find words for them. These prayers help you keep your sanity, for no matter how desperate the circumstances, they bring you back to the omnipotence of God. As I have said before, don't spend a lot of time telling God how big your problems are, instead tell your problems how big your God is.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

More from Uncle Sparky

This is a story sent to my uncle by one of his friends.

"As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day, pushing my cart of groceries towards my car, I saw an old man with the hood of his car up and a lady sitting inside the car, with the door open.

The old man was looking at the engine. I put my groceries away in my car and continued to watch the old gentleman from about twenty five feet away.

I saw a young man in his early twenties with a grocery bag in his arm, walking towards the old man. The old gentleman saw him coming too and took a few steps towards him.* ** I saw the old gentleman point to his open hood and say something. The young man put his grocery bag into what looked like a brand new Cadillac Escalade and then turn back to the old man and I heard him yell at the old gentleman saying,'You shouldn't even be allowed to drive a car at your age.' And then with a wave of his hand, he got in his car and peeled rubber out of the parking lot.

I saw the old gentleman pull out his handkerchief and mop his brow as he went back to his car and again looked at the engine.

He then went to his wife and spoke with her and appeared to tell her it would be okay. I had seen enough and I approached the old man. He saw me coming and stood straight and as I got near him I said, 'Looks like you're having a problem.'

He smiled sheepishly and quietly nodded his head. I looked under the hood myself and knew that whatever the problem was, it was beyond me. Looking around I saw a gas station up the road and told the old man that I would be right back... I drove to the station and went inside and saw three attendants working on cars. I approached one of them and related the problem the old man had with his car and offered to pay them if they could follow me back down and help him.

The old man had pushed the heavy car under the shade of a tree and appeared to be comforting his wife. When he saw us he straightened up and thanked me for my help. As the mechanics diagnosed the problem (overheated engine) I spoke with the old gentleman.

When I shook hands with him earlier, he had noticed my Marine Corps ring and had commented about it, telling me that he had been a Marine too. I nodded and asked the usual question, 'What outfit did you serve with?'

He had mentioned that he served with the First Marine Division at Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal. He had hit all the big ones and retired from the Corps after the war was over.

As we talked we heard the car engine come on and saw the mechanics lower the hood. They came over to us as the old man reached for his wallet, but was stopped by me and I told him I would just put the bill on my AAA card.

He still reached for the wallet and handed me a card that I assumed had his name and address on it and I stuck it in my pocket. We all shook hands all around again and I said my goodbye's to his wife.

I then told the two mechanics that I would follow them back up to the station. Once at the station I told them that they had interrupted their own jobs to come along with me and help the old man. I said I wanted to pay for the help, but they refused to charge me.

One of them pulled out a card from his pocket looking exactly like the card the old man had given to me. Both of the men told me then, that they were Marine Corps Reserves. Once again we shook hands all aroundand as I was leaving, one of them told me I should look at the card the old man had given to me. I said I would and drove off.

For some reason I had gone about two blocks when I pulled over and took the card out of my pocket and looked at it for a long, long time. The name of the old gentleman was on the card in golden leaf and under his name.......'Congressional Medal of Honor Society.'

I sat there motionless looking at the card and reading it over and over. I looked up from the card and smiled to no one but myself and marveled that on this day, four Marines had all come together, because one of us needed help. He was an old man all right, but it felt Good to have stood next to greatness and courage and an honor to have been in his presence. Remember, OLD men like him gave you FREEDOM for America."

*Thanks to those who served...and those who supported them. These WWII vets are now dying at about 1,000 a day.

Remember, Freedom isn't Free, thousands have paid the price so you can enjoy what you have today.

Another True Story

The following is from another email from a friend of my Uncle Sparky.

This reminds me of what happened to myself some years ago. I was on the way to K.C. on the turn pike . Needed some gas and as I was about to pay for it there was a bit of a ruckus in the back of the shop. An old man had brought in a flat tire (it was the spare) and the guy in the shop had tore it up with out checking to see if it needed to be fixed. It didn't need any thing but some air. The old man was fuming, you could tell by his clothes he didn't have a lot of worldly goods. He didn't want to pay the charge, which was $5.00. Remember , this was almost twenty years ago that was a lot of money back then. Now it would be ten or fifteen.

The old guy was telling the young guy he didn't think the younger man under stood what was the right thing to do and on and on, really chewing him out about young people didn't care about what was right ect and ect. I intervened, payed the bill, helped the old man load the tire in my trunk telling him I would take him back to his car where he had the flat. It was ten miles back to the old man's car. I wish it had been fifty for he had a story to tell. He was a full blooded NAVAJO who had received the Medal of Honor for his time in ww2. As his story came out I drove slower and slower for he was so interesting, for you see he was a member of the CODE TALKERS. The code talkers had a unwritten language of extreme complexity. It has no alphabet or symbols, and is spoken
only on the Navajo lands of the American Southwest. He said they served from 1942 to 1945 and the Japanese never were able to break the code.

This year, for the first time, the Navajo Code Talkers are taking part in the New York Veteran's Day parade. You can read more about them here.

Nothing Is Free

This came from my Uncle Sparky who served in WWII and the Korean Conflict. . .

Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock, did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks from her classroom.

When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks.

'Ms. Cothren, where're our desks?'

She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earned the right to sit at a desk.'

They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.'

'No,' she said.

'Maybe it's our behavior.'

She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior.'

And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom.

By early afternoon television news crews had started gathering in Ms.Cothren's classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room.

The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the desk-less classroom, Martha Cothren said, 'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.'

At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it.

Twenty-seven U.S. Veterans, all in uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall.

By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.

Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you... They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens... They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it.'


By the way, this is a true story. Today, thank every serviceman and veteran that you know for their service to you and to our country.

If My People

Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me. Psalm 144:1-2
While our ultimate safety comes from the hand of God, today let us give pray for those who have done the Lord's work in protecting us and our country. We bless those who have fallen while defending liberty and we thank all those who serve or who have served in our armed forces.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Shamelessly Stolen from Townhall.com

Watch Out for HR 875

And on yet another front, HR 875 was introduced last spring to protect consumers in the area of food safety. Like most bills, it is deceptively worded and presented. But some of the (hopefully) unintended consequences would be to restrict all food producers, including back yard gardeners growing tomatoes for the summer. Penalties for nonconformists include confiscation of land and the details sound like it was written by giant Agri-Business lobbyists. Read more about it here, here, and here. Beware because it's coming up for voting before Thanksgiving.

I think it's time that a "Time Out" be declared in both the House and the Senate. We just don't need reams of legislation passed every session to satisfy legislative egos or to develop new nanny state regulations. And the naughty children who are our current Congressional Clowns need to stand in the corner contemplating their sins for a few months.

Remember Kenneth Gladney? (Finished blog post)

Gladney was the 130 pound diabetic and leukemia patient who was attacked by SEIU thugs at Russ Carnahan's townhall last August. The attack occured just after Obama encouraged his followers to "punch back twice as hard." Kenneth Gladney recounts his version of the evening here.


Big Government
has the police report that confirms the facts about the unprovoked attack. Now, we're all waiting with baited breath to see if there will be an indictment or if the case is dismissed just like the case against thugs who "patrolled" the Philadelphia voting booth in 2008.

The Left and Terrorism

J.R. Dunn has a great essay at The American Thinker about the erroneous worldview of the left in America. I highly recommend it for all readers to understand the scope of the problems we face today in America and to begin correction before the country is destroyed.

He opens with the assertion that the "Jihadis will return" and closes with the following paragraphs.

There is a difference between dissent and desertion, criticism and undermining. That difference has been lost amid a fog of relativism in the past few decades. But behind that fog, the hard stone of reality remains. It's no longer a game. People are going to die because of the actions taken by this country's leftists. Recognizing the differences lost in the relativistic fog has become a matter of life and death.

The terror conflict is a two-front war. It always has been, as reluctant as we are to admit it. The time to open the second front is coming.

If My People

The Lord opens the eyes of the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the [uncompromisingly] righteous (those upright in heart and in right standing with Him). Psalm 146:8 Amp. Bible
Pray that the Lord will open blind eyes of the politically correct that refuse to see truth because it does not fit their preconceived notions. Pray for all Americans to see their countrymen with eyes of love that is compassionate, tough, and truthful. Pray for the vision to see your own flaws that you might receive the grace to begin correcting them. And thank God that He is more patient and loving with us all than we are with ourselves.

Monday, November 9, 2009

If My People

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Isaiah 5:20-21
Beware of politically correct speech because it lacks moral clarity. Pray that our country will turn against its perversions because it destroys the good while excusing the evil. Only the truth will ever set us free.

Friday, November 6, 2009

If My People

Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Matthew 7:9-11
Sometimes we feel like our Father has given us a stone, or even a serpent. We stand there with heavy hearts explaining to Him how much it resembles a stone.
But rest assured, it is bread, no matter what it looks like at that moment. Even our worst disappointments at least bring good with them and often turn out better that what we requested in the first place. With 20-20 hindsight we can thank God that He didn't answer the way we expected. And occasionally, we have to wait until heaven to get the whole picture and really understand that it was bread and not a stone or a serpent. But, every time we ask for bread, our Father gives it to us.

Blog Posting to Be Light

Or, more probably, non-existent, while I visit with my daughter and grandchildren this week-end. There's much to discuss, but family always comes first.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

If My People

See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." Deuteronomy 4:5-6
Too many people think of Biblical standards as being out-dated, overly restrictive, or applicable only to individuals. However, nations built on Judeo-Christian principles have prospered both financially and intellectually while also providing personal freedom since Moses led the ragtag band of ex slaves out of Egypt into the Promised Land.

Even today, as social scientists have verified, those who try to apply Biblical principles to their own lives turn out to be happier and more productive than the nihilists or the hedonists. While avoiding manipulation or coercion, Christians need to show our decadent culture the rewards of godly lives. Are we causing our neighbors to say that we are "wise and understanding people?"

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

If My People

Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them. Nehemiah 8:10-12
Today's reading reminds us that there is a rhythm in a Godly life -- a time for fasting and a time for celebrating. We have been fasting and praying for our country about 40 days, but now is the time to stop that emphasis and spend our time praising God and thanking Him for answered prayer.

In the verse above Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites comforted the people who had been fasting and repenting of their sins with great sadness. They insisted that everyone should now eat the best parts of the meat and even to send portions to those who had not participated in their acts of penance and prayer. God is so gracious that He sends blessings to everyone if only a small portion of people pray and seek His face. God is not a stingy curmudgeon. He loves us all. And our prayers do more good for more people than we can imagine.

What Have We Become?

Some of us have been fretting over the growth of crime and the abuse of children for years. Everytime we mentioned our concerns, we were reminded that such things have always existed and it's only because of the mass media that we think it happens more often now. References to the unlocked doors of our childhood, the freedom to play all over town without parents nervously hovering nearby, and the keys left in the ignition so they wouldn't be lost, have been generally ignored.

Today, Robin of Berkeley has a great article that explores the collapsing social mores in The Sociopathic Epidemic with the insight of a psychotherapist. Take time to read about the intertwining modern prophets of the 20th Century: Ayn Rand (novelist), Freidrich Hayek (economist), and Jules Feiffer, (cartoonist). You will be enriched and enlightened.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Banksters?

Most Americans have opposed the TARP program under Bush and the subsequent big spending bills that were passed under Obama. Somehow, without knowing the details, we've had this gut feeling that we were being hoodwinked. At first we only worried about the secrecy surrounding the problem, the bills, and about the distribution of the money.

Later we began to read investment newsletters and financial blogs that spoke of the perpetrators (primarily Paulson, Bernanke, and Geithner) as participants in a massive fraud program that paid off their buddies at the big banks, especially Goldman Sachs, while bleeding the taxpayers.

I didn't know any real details until I saw this article last week at Bloomberg.com, New York Fed’s Secret Choice to Pay for Swaps Hits Taxpayers. I suggest you read it to at least discover Stephen Friedman's conflicts of interest as board member of Goldman Sachs and former chairman of the board of the NY Federal Reserve and his personal profit of $5,400,000 on the Goldman Sachs stocks he bought in a, ahem, timely manner.

On a similar note, but easier to digest, is this video from MSNBC: "Banks Have Taken Over The Government And Made Taxpayers Slaves To Bank-Run Gambling Casinos"

If My People

On the way where I shall walk they have hidden a snare to entrap me. Look on my right and see: there is no one who takes my part. I have no means of escape, not one who cares for my soul.

I cry to you, O Lord. I have said: "You are my refuge, all I have left in the land of the living. Listen, then, to my cry for I am in the depths of distress. Rescue me from those who pursue me for they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of this prison and then I shall praise your name." Psalm 142:3B-7A
Individually, none of us has a lot of power on election day. We may have little or nothing to contribute financially to worthy office seekers; lack of time and energy usually constricts our ability to work in the campaign office; each person has only have one vote. But we do have prayer, the spiritual nuclear weapon of all time. Let us fervently pray for every precinct -- that there would be no voter fraud or intimidation. May everyone vote according to the will of God. And may every vote be counted honestly.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Chart of The Day


Here is a handy chart from Michelle Malkin about some of the less savory organizations that participated in Obama'a ascension to the presidency and that are now raking in tax dollars through grants. Take note because these names appear repeatedly in news stories, but their association with Obama, ACORN and SEIU is always ignored or whitewashed. Do not be fooled.

In the center is the Tides Foundation which funnels money to all of them. Many donors who want to avoid negative publicity, contribute to the Tides Foundation with the stipulation that it be given to their favorite organization. Tides acts as a trusted accountant, carefully keeping the books and keeping the secrets.

If My People

Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. Acts 14:23
If the great Paul and Barnabas needed to fast and pray before selecting church leaders, then we 21st Century Christians certainly should do the same when voting for political leaders in the US. We do not want a church run by the state or a state run by a church, but we do need leaders who will make wise decisions for all, not just for their own personal gain. Since none of us know what is really in the heart of any person other than ourselves and since we have no control over vote counting procedures, we must rely on Divine help. Pray today and tomorrow for elections at every level. We must start the job of turning our ship of state around to a better direction.

Time to Reboot

Ever so often, even my fabulous MacBook needs to be rebooted just to set everything straight again. And my fabulous country needs a reboot too.

We have become so used to dishonest politicians and shady deals, that we've forgotten what it was like before politics became a career path to accumulating great wealth, before tax cheats continued to hold their office despite exposure, and before our public servants rammed budget breaking bills through the legislative process without even reading them. We have forgotten what the standards of conduct for politicians should be.

Just 57 years ago we had a president who was basically honest, no matter what his other faults were. From now on we must change our thinking and our culture to demand a similar attitude in those we elect to serve us.

The following is from an email my favorite uncle, a WWII veteran, sent me.

Harry Truman: Harry Truman was a different kind of President. He probably made as many, or more important decisions regarding our nation's history as any of the other 32 Presidents preceding him. However, a measure of his greatness may rest on what he did after he left the White House.

The only asset he had when he died was the house he lived in, which was in Independence Missouri. His wife had inherited the house from her mother and father and other than their years in the White House, they lived their entire lives there.

When he retired from office in 1952, his income was a U.S. Army pension reported to have been $13,507.72 a year. Congress, noting that he was paying for his stamps and personally licking them, granted him an 'allowance' and, later, a retroactive pension of $25,000 per year.

After President Eisenhower was inaugurated, Harry and Bess drove home to Missouri by themselves. There was no Secret Service following them.

When offered corporate positions at large salaries, he declined, stating, "You don't want me. You want the office of the President, and that doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the American people and it's not for sale."

Even later, on May 6, 1971, when Congress was preparing to award him the Medal of Honor on his 87th birthday, he refused to accept it, writing, "I don't consider that I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise."

As president he paid for all of his own travel expenses and food.

Modern politicians have found a new level of success in cashing in on the Presidency, resulting in untold wealth. Today, many in Congress also have found a way to become quite wealthy while enjoying the fruits of their offices. Political offices are now for sale. (sic. Illinois )

Good old Harry Truman was correct when he observed, "My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whore house or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference!

How The Mighty Have Fallen!


Considering that the Main Stream Media continue to act as a branch of Obama's public relations committee, this chart from Rasmussen Polls is amazing.

Friday, October 30, 2009

The Hypocrisy Astounds and Abounds

Yesterday's press conference with Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer was not only an invitation only event, it required invitees to RSVP to be sure that no outsiders attended. Press conferences, by definition, are usually open to all comers. But this one, held on the steps of Congress, again by definition an area open to all citizens, was limited to those who agree with Pelosi and Hoyer.

In fact, protesters were walled off by a fence and some were arrested at "the people's House" because they begged to differ. So much for caring about the little people.

Pelosi claimed that this historic legislation, ". . .is fiscally sound, will not add one dime to the deficit, as it expands coverage, implements key insurance reforms and promotes prevention and wellness across the health system."

Even the perennially incorrect (on the low side) CBO has estimated that it will cost $1,055,000,000,000. And the key insurance reforms mean that sooner or later it will be government run health care. Promoting prevention covers up the fact that rationing is inevitable. Can she point to any government run health care or insurance system, like the Veterans' Hospitals, Medicare, or Medicaid that is not already bankrupt? How can this 1990 page monstrosity be any different?

Then to cap it all off, Steny Hoyer, said, "But befitting the importance of this legislation, the process of putting it together has been deliberative, transparent and open; the most deliberative, transparent and open process I have seen for any bill in my 29-year career."

Of course the Democrats have carefully excluded Republican suggestions and amendments. In fact, hardly anyone has even heard of the six healthcare reform bills the Republicans have offered.

Someone please remind me of how this press conference differed from one held by a totalitarian ruling elite.

We Have Noted Your Complaints

And by them you have become the enemy to the current administration. Obama's latest villain is, believe it or not, Edmunds. His White House.gov blog has an article that accuses the publication of doing its research on Mars because it questioned the efficacy of the much heralded Cash for Clunkers program.

They especially disliked the claim that essentially, the program cost the American taxpayers $24,000 for every car sold above and beyond the usual car sales for the time period. Fortunately, Edmunds responded here.

I say, beware of an administration that responds immediately and drastically to political "enemies," but dithers when it comes to international enemies who attacked us without provocation and killed many innocent citizens.

Dismantling America, Part II

Dr. Sowell, who should have been our first black president, writes again about the real problems the US faces because of the missteps of the Obama administration. Read his first article by scrolling down the page, then read his latest column at Townhall. You will learn, among other things, why so many people defend the Won despite his obvious and egregious errors.

If My People, XXXVIII

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! Luke 13:34
How terribly sad to read that the God who created us and our universe loves us so much He wants to hug us and shield us from harm. Yet we are unwilling! We push Him away, fearing His love. Or perhaps, we are so arrogant that we think we do God a favor by engaging in pious acts such as praying or going to church and He should be quite content with our leftover love. Pray for the wisdom to daily return in grateful affection to the One who loves us most. Only then will we find the happiness we so desperately seek.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

I Was So Very Wrong!

I have been patiently waiting for the Congressional Hearings or the criminal trials for ACORN to be announced since they have been publicly exposed giving advice on avoiding taxes, getting fraudulent loans for houses, and smuggling Salvadorian 13 year olds into the country for prostitution.

But instead, Maxine Waters proposed an amendment that gave 5 slots in the Consumer Financial Protection Agency to representatives of "consumer protection, fair lending and civil rights, representatives of depository institutions that primarily serve underserved communities, or representatives of communities that have been significantly impacted by higher-priced mortgages." Which definition sounds a lot like 5 people from ACORN or one of its subsidiaries.

The amendment was adopted by Barney Frank's House Financial Services Committee.

To read the details go Mark Tapscott's article at The Washington Examiner.

If My People, XXXVII

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live. Deuteronomy 30:19
We individually, as a family, and as a nation are always blessed when we choose life. Although at times it appears to our darkened minds that death couched in such modern sounding terms as abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, etc. is the rational or practical thing to do, it always, always creates more harm than good. Pray that Americans would become more aware that life is a gift from God to be treasured at all costs.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Thomas Sowell : Dismantling America

No one could ever accuse Dr. Sowell of wearing a tinfoil hat. So when he writes articles like this, you need to pay attention. Please read it and pass it along. It was published this morning on Townhall's website.

Just one year ago, would you have believed that an unelected government official, not even a Cabinet member confirmed by the Senate but simply one of the many "czars" appointed by the President, could arbitrarily cut the pay of executives in private businesses by 50 percent or 90 percent?

Did you think that another "czar" would be talking about restricting talk radio? That there would be plans afloat to subsidize newspapers-- that is, to create a situation where some newspapers' survival would depend on the government liking what they publish?

Did you imagine that anyone would even be talking about having a panel of so-called "experts" deciding who could and could not get life-saving medical treatments?

Scary as that is from a medical standpoint, it is also chilling from the standpoint of freedom. If you have a mother who needs a heart operation or a child with some dire medical condition, how free would you feel to speak out against an administration that has the power to make life and death decisions about your loved ones?

Does any of this sound like America?

How about a federal agency giving school children material to enlist them on the side of the president? Merely being assigned to sing his praises in class is apparently not enough.

How much of America would be left if the federal government continued on this path? President Obama has already floated the idea of a national police force, something we have done without for more than two centuries.

We already have local police forces all across the country and military forces for national defense, as well as the FBI for federal crimes and the National Guard for local emergencies. What would be the role of a national police force created by Barack Obama, with all its leaders appointed by him? It would seem more like the brown shirts of dictators than like anything American.

How far the President will go depends of course on how much resistance he meets. But the direction in which he is trying to go tells us more than all his rhetoric or media spin.

Barack Obama has not only said that he is out to "change the United States of America," the people he has been associated with for years have expressed in words and deeds their hostility to the values, the principles and the people of this country.

Jeremiah Wright said it with words: "God damn America!" Bill Ayers said it with bombs that he planted. Community activist goons have said it with their contempt for the rights of other people.

Among the people appointed as czars by President Obama have been people who have praised enemy dictators like Mao, who have seen the public schools as places to promote sexual practices contrary to the values of most Americans, to a captive audience of children.

Those who say that the Obama administration should have investigated those people more thoroughly before appointing them are missing the point completely. Why should we assume that Barack Obama didn't know what such people were like, when he has been associating with precisely these kinds of people for decades before he reached the White House?

Nothing is more consistent with his lifelong patterns than putting such people in government-- people who reject American values, resent Americans in general and successful Americans in particular, as well as resenting America's influence in the world.

Any miscalculation on his part would be in not thinking that others would discover what these stealth appointees were like. Had it not been for the Fox News Channel, these stealth appointees might have remained unexposed for what they are. Fox News is now high on the administration's enemies list.

Nothing so epitomizes President Obama's own contempt for American values and traditions like trying to ram two bills through Congress in his first year-- each bill more than a thousand pages long-- too fast for either of them to be read, much less discussed. That he succeeded only the first time says that some people are starting to wake up. Whether enough people will wake up in time to keep America from being dismantled, piece by piece, is another question-- and the biggest question for this generation.



Thomas Sowell : Dismantling America - Townhall.com

If My People, XXXVI

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. I Timothy 2:1-2
Only when the general populace is allowed to live peaceably without interference by regulations or excessive taxation will creativity and innovation flourish, as the US witnessed during the Twentieth Century. Those conditions also allow the good news of God's mercy to spread easily, enriching all people: those in authority and those under authority. Pray that our political leaders will again allow Americans to live in the freedom that is our heritage.

Shamelessly Stolen Cartoon


I stole this from Lucianne.com this morning. It was just way too good not to share. I hope there is no legal challenge if you give full attribution and link to that site.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Just in Case You Missed It Last Time


I posted this great explanation of the debt and deficit earlier, but it's so good, it's worth repeating. Also it amplifies this morning's post. Embed and send to your friends and neighbors who need the fiscal education.

The Dollar Is Falling!



And our leaders are encouraging it because it preserves their power momentarily. Just look at the chart above left. We've already heard about this year's new trillion dollar plus deficit; it's 3.5 times the unconscionable debt we had under Bush in 2008. And which debt Obama strongly attacked when he was just a candidate; however, when he gained power, he suddenly forgot the danger. When added to recent deficits, the sum totals $11.8 trillion.

Because nothing drastic has happened yet, and because the Obama administration has been so terribly busy trying to change our country, most Americans have become numb to the implication of the facts before them.

However, other countries have not been so complacent. They are shifting out of dollar denominated investments and debts because they clearly see the (almost) inevitable decline in the dollar's value.

Perhaps they are paying attention to our unfunded debt such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Veteran's Benefits, and government pensions. These are not even listed on the balance sheet, but they amount to almost $104,000,000,000,000 in the foreseeable future.

If Obama passes a Health Care Reform bill, inevitably more will be added to the deficit.

And yet our leaders loudly whistle past the graveyard while they busily print more money to pay back our debts with less valuable dollars. No wonder there is a growing demand for a new international currency.

Ancient Rome, the Byzantine Empire, and Post WWI Germany all tried to use the same method when national obligations became too great to ever pay back.* After all inflation is a silent tax and many hardly even notice when politicians do it. But inevitably, it leads to the ruin of the country. In the fourth century AD, the Roman denarius fell to 1/50 of its value in a mere 13 years. The Bezant took longer, but by the 14th century it had virtually ceased to exist despite the fact it had once been the international currency. The Reich mark plunged from 4.2 to the dollar before WWI to 1,000,000 to the dollar by August 1923.

The chart below illustrates the dollar's loss of value in recent years -- 36% when compared to other currencies and a whopping 75% compared to gold. Without a drastic change in Washington, the dollar will decline even more precipitously.

*One economic writer, Larry Edelson, believes that if the US government started paying off its debts at the rate of $100,000,000 every single day, it would take 3,446 years before the debt is paid off. The statistics above came from the Uncommon Wisdom website.

If My People, XXXV

It is because of the Lord's mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness. The Lord is my portion or share, says my living being (my inner self); therefore will I hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him. The Lord is good to those who wait hopefully and expectantly for Him, to those who seek Him [inquire of and for Him and require Him by right of necessity and on the authority of God's word]. Lamentations 3:21-24 Amplified Bible
If you ever feel overwhelmed with problems, read Jeremiah and Lamentations. In those two books you get the story of a faithful follower of God who experienced unbelievable persecution and some of his prayers to God about it. The Cliff notes version is the first half of the third chapter of Lamentations. In spite of a lifetime of hardship and being misunderstood, he exclaims that God's mercies are new every morning and that He is faithful at all times.

Take courage. God is faithful even when everyone else persecutes you. Each morning He lavishes new graces to get you through the problems of that day. Praise and thank Him for His tender compassion.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Is This The Care We Want?

The Obama Administration has been quite eager to take over the Health Care System. They also jumped at the chance to declare the Swine Flu a national emergency and insist that everyone get vaccinated against it.

So, the delivery of the vaccine was promised in September, then October, and now November. HHS Secretary has been out in the media simultaneously urging compliance and explaining why compliance was impossible.

They failed their first test. Do we dare trust this system with our heart attacks, cancer treatments, premature babies, and other medical emergencies? When will the bureacrats allow the time, money, and creativity for continuing the medical innovations that now place the US at the forefront of medical care in the world?

We need to scrap all attempts to take over health care by the government and substitute no cost, free market type solutions.

If My People, XXXIV

After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:
"Give thanks to the LORD,
for his love endures forever."
As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 2 Chronicles 20:21-22
This is one of my favorite stories because I get so tickled thinking about a battle plan that sends the choir out in front of the actual warriors. It also illustrates the truth that we too easily substitute fretting for praying. Prayer is not a recitation of the problem since God already knows more about the problem than we do. It is reactivating and realigning our relationship with God. Our own level of faith, trust, obedience, and love is renewed as we praise God and acknowledge that He is the giver of all good gifts.

Continue to pray for our country and its leaders.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Yes, Nancy, We're Serious

When Cybercast News Service asked Nancy Pelosi whether the health care bills in the House were in line with the Constitution, she was incredulous. "Are you serious? Are you serious?" she asked rhetorically before going on to the next reporter.

Her press secretary, Nadeam Elshami, later told CNS that asking the Speaker of the House where the Constitution authorized Congress to force American to buy health insurance was "not a serious question." Later she sent an email press release that argued it was part and parcel of the Commerce clause, according to Cybercast.

Many conservatives beg to differ. For example, Judge Andrew Napolitano wrote about the Constitutional questions recently in the Wall Street Journal. Others have joined in the fray, wondering how on earth the US Constitution can force any citizen to buy any thing.

So, the question remains for you, Speaker Pelosi. Where does the Constitution authorize Congress to create a health care bill? And how exactly, do you interpret the Commerce clause to create that authority out of thin air? As someone who has sworn to protect the Constitution and the country from enemies at home and abroad, surely you can give a cogent answer instead of denigrating the innocent question and hapless questioner.

If My People, XXXI

Destroy [their schemes], O Lord, confuse their tongues, for I have seen violence and strife in the city. Day and night they go about on its walls; iniquity and mischief are in its midst. Violence and ruin are within it; fraud and guile do not depart from its streets and marketplaces. Psalm 55:9-11
We pray today that those who would incite physical, financial, or spiritual ruin in our dear country would be confused. Pray for their plans to be destroyed. Pray for an end to the fraud and guile exhibited openly, but without rebuke. And pray that each one of us would be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

If My People, XXX

Then said Jesus, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."
And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. Luke 23: 34-35

Pray today for the grace to forgive, the most difficult part of the Christian life. Mother Angelica of EWTN pointed out some time ago that we haven't forgiven until, like Jesus, we make excuses for those who hurt us, even when they don't desire or deserve it. When we do, the fog in our own head clears, our own personalities heal, and we give the other person/people a chance to change for the better. Let us not imprison our enemies in their misguided deeds. Set them free to experience God's love also.

The Recession Is Over?

Then why have Google searches for "collapse of the dollar" and "price of gold" doubled since 2008?

How's Our Banking System Now?

Now that we have far fewer but far bigger banks than just one year ago, are we better off? Not according to the Inspector General of the TARP Fund, Neil Barofsky. He says, "I think we may be in a far more dangerous place today than we were a year ago."

He monitors several bailout-related programs and has launched about three dozen investigations since December 2008. He has said since last July that he intended to demand transparency from everyone, including the US Treasury.

According to The Huffington Post, Barofsky claims:

1. Hundreds of banks can track their use of the TARP money, no matter what the U.S. Treasury claims.
2. The TARP rescue, intended to increase lending by banks, has failed in that respect.
3. The U.S. financial system is shakier than ever.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

If My People, XXVIX

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:12
The United States is suffering from a lack of truth. Daily there are public examples of liars "getting away with it" because no one has the courage to speak out against their lies. We are afraid to express our real thoughts for fear of being politically incorrect. We accept fraud and corruption because we don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Our journalists have become public relations flacks because they can't handle truth and keep their jobs. And, worst of all, we have begun to lie to ourselves (i.e. rationalize) about our own actions. Please pray for the truth to reign in your personal life and pray for your countrymen to face and embrace the truth at all levels.

The New United States of Goldman Sachs

If you're not angry about the role Goldman Sachs is playing in our country, then you just don't know all the facts yet. On Monday, we covered the "magical" 2009 third quarter earnings for GS of $3,400,000,000 after they had received $70,000,000,000 from the taxpayers just a year ago.

Amazingly, no one has demanded anything be done about this "windfall" profit. There have been no screaming headlines or news specials about making a record $3.4 billion in one quarter. Their executives are not hounded by protestors around their homes nor do they face sarcastic reporters yelling questions as they try to leave their offices.

Today, we discovered that the government and Goldman Sachs have been too close for comfort at least since the Bush administration. His Treasury Secretary, Hank Paulson, held a secret meeting with the board of Goldman Sachs in a Moscow hotel in 2008 between the demise of Bear Stearns and the fall of Lehman Brothers (former competitor with GS). It was supposed to be a purely social occasion for the former Goldman Sachs CEO. But he ended up telling his old friends all about his upcoming big speech and the gathering storm at Treasury -- quite a conflict of interest. For the whole story of the meeting, see the Business Insider article below.
This week Adam Storch, VP of Goldman Sachs Business Intelligence Group, was named the SEC as the Chief Operating Officer for enforcement. So we began researching other Obama administration executives with ties to Goldman Sachs. The list so far includes:

* Pete Coneway, Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein

* Diana Farrell, Deputy director of Obama's National Economic Council

* Michael Froman, Obama adviser and former assistant to Robert Rubin

* Jason Furman, Obama Campaign Economic Policy Director

* Tim Geithner, Current Treasury Secretary

* Gary Gensler, Chairman of Commodity Futures Trading Commission

* Bob Hormats, Under Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Agricultural Affairs

* James A Johnson, Fannie Mae

* Reuben Jeffery III, Undersecretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Agriculture

* Neel Kashkari, Treasury official in charge of TARP

* James C Langdon Jr., Treasury, US Mint, Department of Public Debt

* Philip D Murphy, Ambassador to Germany-Designate

* Mark Patterson, Chief of Staff to Tim Geithner

* Karthik Ramanathan, Acting Assistant Secretary for Financial Markets

* Robert E Rubin, Former Treasury Secretary, Transition Advisory Board

* Faryar Shirzad, Global Head of Government Affairs

* Robert K Steel, Under Secretary of Treasury

* Larry Summers, Director of the National Economic Council

* John Whitehead, Advisor

* Robert Zoellick, US Trade Representative and World Bank president

Why isn't someone calling for a thorough investigation of the penetration of Goldman Sachs into Obama's administration, especially at Treasury? What about the Federal Reserve? Is it not unfair for this privileged bank to be making record profits without repaying their creditors (the US taxpayers)? This does not sound like free market capitalism to me.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

The Scariest Jobs Chart Ever

The Scariest Jobs Chart Ever

(Posted using ShareThis)

Please click on the job chart link to see for yourself an unemployment chart from last July. It is frightening to see how bad the job situation was then and terrifying to know that it's worse now. And the only good news/spin the mass media can give is that the decline last month was not as bad as expected - whatever that means.

Good News!

After years of innuendo and rumor, the Vatican has announced:
“In this Apostolic Constitution the Holy Father has introduced a canonical structure that provides for such corporate reunion by establishing Personal Ordinariates which will allow former Anglicans to enter full communion with the Catholic Church while preserving elements of the distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony.”
More details will emerge in time, but this long awaited announcement will encourage thousands of Episcopalians in the US and Anglicans in England and Africa to become Roman Catholics.

The Anchoress, Atonement Online, and Standing On My Head have more information. The last two blogs are written by former priests in the Anglican communion who have become Catholic priests.

If My People, XXVIII

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matt.28:19-20

The straggly band of nobodies to whom Jesus spoke were hardly a publicist's dream team. They had no cell phones, YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter. Both overland and sea travel were expensive, slow, and dangerous. Yet within one generation, they had begun to transform the Middle East and within 300 years converted the Roman Empire.

How do you get new members when your group is outlawed, so you can't even announce the next meeting or advertise a big rally? Simple. You live a life so full of love that people on the street stop and ask, "What is your secret?" and "Why are you so happy?"

The rancor, divisiveness, crime, and political unrest in our country will only heal when its people are healed spiritually. How is your life going? Has anyone stopped you lately to ask how can you be so loving? Pray for your neighbors and pray to be asked.

Monday, October 19, 2009

We All Knew The Bailout Was Wrong, Wrong, Wrong

Now we know a little more about what happened to OUR MONEY. Just one year ago, Goldman Sachs was bankrupt, but after being given $70,000,000,000 of taxpayer money, they made the biggest profit ever during the third quarter. In fact, their earnings were $3,400,000,000 for three months. Let's demand our money back with interest! Goldman Sachs deserves honest profits, but not on the backs of our children and grandchildren.


Please embed this video clip and send it to everyone on your email list. Nothing will happen until Washington hears more outrage from the voters.

Obama Continues to Vote Present

After proclaiming last March that he had perfected a plan for Afghanistan, Obama is now making his chosen Commanding General, McChrystal, wait while he confers with endless non military advisors and devises a new plan. Meanwhile the rest of the world, especially our enemies, discern that he is much more comfortable making speeches than making decisions and that he is reluctant to fight to win. And after getting the Nobel Peace Prize, he may even be trying to find a way to save face while quitting the fight altogether.

If My People, XXVII

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?" John 18:10-11
Most of us react to problems and enemies just like Peter did. We attack them directly, we try to destroy them, and we attempt to move them away. It's easy to imagine some of the thoughts going through Peter's mind, as the events of the night played out after His arrest. By the time, the servant girl tempted him to deny Jesus, he was probably wondering if he had lost his mind or if Jesus had somehow led him astray.

And we tend to harbor similar doubts when trouble overtakes us.

Yet after 2000 years of Christendom, we know that the kingdom of God is about achieving larger goals than we can even imagine. And so we pray with renewed faith for our enemies and for our country. And again we ask God to use each one of us to bring about the results that He wants, done in the way He wants.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Now We Know

Now we know why Charles Rangel continues to hold his position in the House of Representatives and why all the revelations of his wrong doing have produced no censure by his colleagues in Congress. As Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, apparently he has certified that HR3200 has met the requirements to become part of the "budget reconciliation process." That means the House can easily pass their version of Obamacare with only 51% majority.

Will You Sell Your Vote for $250?

President Obama thinks that most Senior Citizens will happily support and vote for him now that he's rushed to give them an unexpected $250 each because they won't get a cost of living adjustment in Social Security this year or next. Apparently he also believes $250 will make them eager to give up the possibility of any serious medical care during their senior years even though Seniors have been the most forceful opponents of Obamacare in recent weeks.

Surely, no one will fall for such blatant pandering.

And speaking of cost of living adjustments, isn't it interesting that officially there has been no increase in the cost of living for Social Security recipients. Yet, there has been such an increase in the cost of living for Medicare that all users will have larger medicare payments deducted from their S.S. checks. Washington accounting procedures are so interesting, especially when they bend the law that says Social Security recipients will never receive smaller monthly allocations.

Such machinations prove that Social Security was a bad program from the beginning and it will only get worse as it gets closer to bankruptcy.

If My People, XXV

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.
Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:17-22
No matter how worrysome the political news is, God remains our bulwark and refuge from evil. Continue to pray for our country in this time of political unrest that God will bless America and that we will deserve His blessing.

Friday, October 16, 2009

If My People, XXIV

In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace. Luke 1:78, 79
Catholics read this every day as the concluding passage of morning prayer and every morning, I revel in the term "tender compassion." How marvelous to be reminded as the day begins that God Himself has more than compassion for us; He has tender compassion. And certainly, all of us here on earth in the church militant dwell in the midst of spiritual darkness and need guidance to find peace personally, with our family, and in our country. Please continue to pray for our country.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Everybody Is Cheering

After all the Dow topped $10,000 yesterday. But what does it mean? With Treasury printing presses running at top speed, it doesn’t carry the same financial euphoria it used to.

For example, ten years ago the Dow was $11,497 and it would have taken 40.6 ounces of gold to equal that value. But yesterday’s Dow would only require 9.44 ounces of gold to “buy” that amount.

Inflation has plagued the US all through the 20th Century and threatens to become worse in the 21st because our Federal government insists on spending more money than we can reasonably pay back. Like the Banana Republics we recently disdained, we keep printing more fiat money to avoid raising taxes and to hide the growing reluctance of other countries to buy our treasuries.

"By a continuous process of inflation, governments can confiscate, secretly and unobserved, an important part of the wealth of their citizens. By this method, they not only confiscate, but they confiscate arbitrarily; and while the process impoverishes many, it actually enriches some. The process engages all of the hidden forces of economic law on the side of destruction, and does it in a manner that not one man in a million can diagnose."
- John Maynard Keynes, 1920

If My People, XXIII

What is impossible for human beings is possible for God. Luke 18:27


Sometimes, when things look really bad, we need to remind ourselves of God's power. As someone once told me, we should not tell God how big our problems are, instead we should tell our problems how big God is. Pray again for your family and your country. God is mightier than any adversary we face. He may not rescue us precisely the way we want to be rescued, but He will rescue us.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Why Did We Elect Obama?

Robin of Berkely has a thought provoking article about race relations and the Obama election at American Thinker this morning. A younger recovering liberal, she has had experiences and insights that I, an adult who didn't face forced school integration, had no knowledge of.

One quote from the article:
It wasn't the black or the white kids' fault. High minded liberals were culpable for hatching up grand plans without an iota of thought about how it would play out in real time: that if you create a nightmare situation for black children by removing them from their neighborhood and their friends, you traumatize them. And if you then turn them loose and give them carte blanche, some will be out for blood.
Forced busing ended years ago in most places. But over the decades, liberals have concocted new plans, and subjected later generations to fresh trauma.

Beware of All Health Care Bills

"The fact is, this proposal will never come before the Senate. But what we do know is that the bill written behind closed doors here in the Capitol will be another 1,000-page, trillion-dollar Washington takeover. We know it will slash a half-trillion dollars from seniors’ Medicare, add new taxes and raise premiums. That’s not reform.” said Mitch McConnell after the Health Care Reform vote by the Senate Finance committee yesterday.

The bottom line is that none of the five bills under consideration in the House and Senate will be good for Americans. None of them reform current problems. All of them will extend federal meddling in everyday affairs of individuals, all will kill the health insurance industry sooner or later, all will cost at least five times what the proponents are admitting now, and all will add a huge new layer of bureaucrats between the citizen and his physician. None of them will "save" money and none of them even pretends to cover all of the people currently uninsured.

So they're insisting we pay more money for less medical care, while they craft sections and paragraphs of legalese that will exempt them from having to abide by the law they're trying to cram down our throats.