Shortcut to Important News

Try following me on Twitter (@FairKaye) to see the articles I find both important and informative. This is a crucial time for all patriotic Americans to stay involved and instructed in the real news of the day, not the current propaganda.

Today's Tweets and ReTweets:
# A crime against us all - Dust bowl, California-style at Power Line

# Wouldn’t “criminal fraud on historic scale” more accurately describe Democrats’ role in housing debacle?

# thomgough Puerto Rican people have rejected statehood three times since 1991! Besides a power grab why else would congress be trying to do this again? 5:33 PM Apr 28th via TweetDeck Retweeted by you and 7 others

# Why isn't abortion THE primary social justice issue among Catholics?

# Send your Repub. Senators a pair of balls since they don't have any of their own regarding >finance reform.

# Steve_Simon The charge of dereliction of duty against Obama needs to be made over & over until it sticks. Immigration... #teaparty Retweeted by you and 5 others

# Kris Kobach re: AZ law: "It's more about the politics of 2010 than it is about this particular law."

Stop It Already

I do not trust any legislation coming from our current crop of Congressional Clowns. I wish we could entice them all to just stay home until after the November elections. Tacitus was right: "The more corrupt the state, the more it legislates." Gaius Cornelius Tacitus (Roman Senator and Historian, AD100)

Call Your Senators Today

Our dear friend, Harry Reid, is trying to push through a vote on the travesty of a banking reform bill today. It's been quickly cobbled together by the same people who caused the problems in the first place.
1. This bill establishes a continuing slush fund for future bailouts or other shenanigans.
2. It increases the power of union blocks through so called empowerment of shareholders.
3.It establishes a new bureaucracy that will over regulate businesses and dampen the economy and kill even more jobs.

A more complete discussion of the bill is at National Review Online today.

Apology

Sorry for the lack of posting lately. Allergy season has been a bear here in Atlanta this year. We had rain on Saturday to get the pollen count down, but it didn't come soon enough to prevent a wicked sinus infection.

Dems, Big Government, Trust

Pew Research, an organization that usually favors Democrats, has published a new poll showing the low level of trust between the American people and their government. Inadvertently, their chart reveals that the level of trust and satisfaction with government goes down when we have Democratic administrations: Carter, Clinton, and Obama. It's an interesting phenomenon since Democrats generally favor federal government solutions to every problem. So, why is the party continuing to speed toward massive government take over of auto industry, banking industry, health care, etc.?

Environmentalists VS Reality

Nate Beeler's cartoon in the Washington Examiner today points out the basic flaw in the extreme environmentalists and global warmers premises. -- They ignore the possibility of God.

New Source of News and Entertainment

Kelsey Grammer is one of the lead backers of The RightNetwork, a new media outlet for conservative news and views. It will begin sometime this summer and be available on demand online, on mobile phones, and on-demand cable. Check out website and see trailers for some of the first shows they will air. Join them on Facebook and Twitter to offer your encouragement.

Rev Up Your Engines Updated

Monday reading for concerned American citizens:

1. A cheery way to brighten your Monday morning would be to read the clever "Why I Vote Democratic" at Brutally Honest.

2.This administration and its public relations agents, a.k. mass media, apparently have no clue when it comes to economics. Every single report comes with a variation of the word "unexpected." In last Friday's dump of unpleasant news, Geithner says economy growing faster than expected. In light of the fact most people have not yet discerned any real growth, one wonders exactly what they were expecting.

3. Finally, some real coverage of the beating of 2 young Republicans in New Orleans after the Southern Republican Leadership Conference. The girl is still in the hospital after surgery to repair broken leg; the boy had a broken jaw. PowerLine links the attack to Democratic party. Big Government gives details of the attack and the injuries suffered. Mass media is too busy claiming that Tea Partiers are neo Klan members to notice that only real violence has come from Democrats in Pittsburg, St. Louis, and New Orleans.

4. The Catholic Church gets support from an unlikely source - a Jewish businessman in Cleveland. Refreshing to see that someone outside of the Church recognizes the recent attacks on Catholics and the Pope are based on prejudice, not facts. There have been point by point refutations of the instances when outright lies were told and when relevant facts were omitted on these stories dealing with decades old stories. But this man puts it all in perspective and looks at the big picture instead.

Next Year???

You Can Always Spot a Texan

When you notice a framed picture of bluebonnets in his home or office. You can always tell how homesick he is by counting how many such pictures he owns. Count me as very homesick.
And yes, I also get homesick for New Mexico, the land of my birth and early childhood.

Tax Day Tea Parties

No wonder Americans are upset with BIG government and high taxes. This year they will pay more in taxes than for housing, clothing, and shelter put together. Support your local group no matter how much the media is trying to disparage them.

In 1913, Federal taxes were 1% of income and the average family paid $12.97 in taxes. Today, a fairly low estimate of Federal taxes is 18.56% and the average family pays $6,922.50 on April 15, or an increase of 53,414%.

Yet Another Scandal

The German DGC magazine recently issued a full report about the Gold Cartel in Washington/Wall Street/London that has artificially kept the price of gold and silver low -- a story our media earnestly avoids. Use the link above to download the article, then pass it on to your friends.

I've been following the story since September 2009 and this is the first big revelation outside of GATA (Gold Anti Trust Action Committee) itself. Although gold has topped its 1980 high of $850, it has not kept up with inflation. Had that happened, it would be $2,275.99 today.

Grrrrrrr!

No explanation necessary!

The Chicago Way

From Phil Kerpen at Fox News.

FOXNews.com - Obama's Secret Power Grabs

FOXNews.com - Obama's Secret Power Grabs

Posted using ShareThis

Crush It!

Gary Vaynerchuk's book, Crush It!, discusses using the new media to reach audiences and accomplish goals. He has become something of a superstar since elevating his father retail wine business from excellent to unbelievable by starting a video blog, The Wine Library.

At a recent conference of specialists in the new media, he claimed the following points as necessary for success in any field of endeavor:
1. Love your family first.
2. Work super hard.
3. Live your passion (your mission in life).

Now I'm Really Suspicious

According to CNN, the Polish plane that crashed last night had just been thoroughly refurbished in 2009. The company that did the repairs even included 6 years worth of extra spare parts when doing their jobs. And the insult added to injury is that Putin put himself in charge of the investigation of the accident.

The people on board were on their way to a memorial service for the 22,000 members of the Polish army killed by the Soviets.

Not mentioned in the news story or any other one I've read, but in a comment below it is the following from Desert Voice:

A drama like this the world has not seen! Poland is left without the entire Command of the Army! The Commander-in Chief, Gen. Franciszek Gągor, is dead, The Commander of the Infantry, Gen. Tadeusz Buk, is dead, the Commander of the Navy, Vice-Admiral Andrzej Karweta, is dead, the Commander of the Special Forces, Gen. Włodzimierz Potasiński, is dead, the Chief of the Field Operations of the Army, Gen. Bronisław Kwiatkowski, is dead, the Commander of the Air Force, Gen. Andrzej Błasik, is dead, the Vice-Minister of National Defense, Stanisław Komorowski, is dead, even the Chaplain of the Army, Bishop Gen. Tadeusz Płoski, is dead. In one moment, the whole Poland was deprived of the entire Command of the Armed Forces! Such thing has never been seen in the world! But the People and the Madonna of Częstochowa remain, ready to defend Poland! Long Live Poland!

Please pray for the brave people of Poland.

Taxpayers and Other Suckers

Every person who has just filed their tax return, is working or their tax return, or who plans to file an extension needs to read Mark Steyn's editorial comment in Investor's Business Daily today. He concludes with "A relatively tiny group of people is writing the check for the entire global order. What proportion of them would need to figure out the game's no longer worth it to bring the whole system crashing down?"

But read it all, then send a copy to each of your Congressional Clowns. It's time they all heard us say that we're angry as h__l and we're not going to take it anymore.

US Government Breaks Its Own Laws

American Thinker has another winner today in Government Is The Biggest Lawbreaker. By all means read it, talk about it, and start doing something about it.

Ever since Enron, I've daydreamed about describing some of the ways our federal government blithely breaks the same laws it forces down our throats every year. For example, no business would ever be allowed to operate with the slovenly reporting and accounting procedures that Congress routinely uses. Social Security is openly acknowledged to be a giant Ponzi scheme that makes Bernie Madoff look like a choir boy. And that's before we get around to the multitudinous laws that apply to taxpayers, but not law makers or the crony capitalism that makes a mockery of a free economic system.

From The Mouth of Babes . . .

And the pages of the New Orleans Picayune come these words of wisdom.

The Rape of America

The Rape of America is up on American Thinker today and it's also listed as a "must read" on Lucianne.com. I heartily concur. Robin of Berkeley has penned another article with great insight into our culture.

If you're a regular at American Thinker, you remember that Robin is a psychotherapist and former atheist who found God. In the process of that discovery, she realized that many of the liberal tenets she previously held did not agree with her new faith or her understanding of human nature. She writes anonymously from Berkeley, and all of her articles are worth reading, sharing, and saving.

Great Cartoon from Last Week

Here's a great cartoon from last week about the Democrats' next legislative moves, just in case you missed it.

Fashion Statement for Summer

Hugh Hewitt is selling OIIOHH tee shirts for summer wear. I expect there will be a run on them soon. BTW, the initials stand for Obama Is In Over His Head, and he just proved it yet again with the senseless new nuclear treaty with Russia.

USA or Zimbabwe?

From Dr. Martin A. Weiss at Uncommon Wisdom:

FACT #1: The official national debt now stands at $12.68 trillion — an amount equal to about 88.5% of all the goods and services our economy produces in an entire year.

FACT #2: Contingent obligations for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, veterans, and pensions now stand at an additional $108 trillion over and above the "official" national debt.

FACT #3: State, county and local governments are nearly $3 trillion in debt. Many can't pay and will ultimately demand that Washington assume responsibility for that debt as well.

FACT #4: Total federal, state and local government indebtedness now stands at a mind-blowing $123.6 trillion.

FACT #5: Last year, Washington added $1.4 trillion to the debt. In this fiscal year, the Obama administration will add another $1.6 trillion!

FACT #6: In addition to funding the current trillion-dollar-plus deficits, the U.S. Treasury must borrow MORE each year to replace bills, notes and bonds that are maturing.

FACT #7: This record-shattering borrowing by the Treasury has resulted in a Mt. Everest of Treasury obligations being dumped onto the market, which naturally depresses bond prices and drives interest rates higher.

FACT #8: In a desperate attempt to keep interest rates low, the Bernanke Federal Reserve has created $1.25 trillion out of thin air to buy mortgage-backed securities ... another $300 billion to buy U.S. Treasuries ... and yet another $170.6 billion to buy other government bonds — a total of nearly $1.7 trillion in all.

FACT #9: From September 10, 2008 to March 10 of this year, Bernanke increased the nation's monetary base from $850 billion to $2.1 trillion — a 250% increase in just 18 months.

FACT #10: Despite this massive money-printing, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note has STILL risen by more than one-fifth — from 3.2% to 3.86% — since December.

FACT #11: Because of this massive money-printing, the U.S. dollar has lost nearly 10% of its value in the past 12 months alone.

The Clowns in Washington have to STOP THE SPENDING!

Happy Easter!

....We were enslaved to the basic principles of the world.
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of woman, born under the law,
to redeem those under law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"
So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
Galatians 4:3b - 7

Lent 2010, Holy Saturday

But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. John 12:23-24

Jesus' death has born much fruit in the last two thousand years. As we wait for Easter to celebrate His resurrection, we can contemplate the far reaches of the Christian world view that produced Western Civilization at its best, the lives of Christians who have influenced us, and the personal growth we've experienced because of Jesus death. May we also be inspired to lay down our own narrow proclivities and open our lives to bearing more and better fruit now that we have a better understanding of God's outrageous love for us.

Lent 2010, Good Friday

But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. I Corinthians 1:23-25

Today we commemorate humanity at its very worst when we committed the worst sin possible -- Deicide. And yet we call it Good Friday because it dramatically illustrates God's love for us crazy, silly, vengeful, selfish human beings.

I imagine that the followers of Christ went to bed that Friday night wondering about their own sanity for following a charismatic rabbi for three years only to watch his eventual execution with common criminals. They had waited since Thursday night for some Angelic cavalry to ride in to the rescue, but no miracles occurred. There was no way on earth that any of them could begin to comprehend the goodness of that day or the victory that was won by His death. Likewise many times in each of our lives we go to bed thinking that all is lost and that God is far away. Yet God remains in control, and His love always brings about good, no matter how hopeless the situation appears to be.

Cell Phones and Health Care Reform

Read Ann Coulter this morning to get a new, funny, accurate look at the Health Care Reform Bill recently passed. You'll love her comparison of a 3-foot-long, 26-pound, ugly green $4,000 cell phone to the health care insurance we will soon have to buy.

Lent 2010, Maundy Thursday

Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Exodus 12:8

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat;this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many." Mark 14:22-24

God instituted both the Old and the New Covenants with memorial meals for His people. In the Old as a lamb was slain, its blood marked atonement for that family, and the flesh was eaten, unleavened bread was served, and four ceremonial cups of wine were drunk during the Passover meal. For the New Covenant, Jesus and His disciples were eating this same feast when Jesus blessed the unleavened bread and the wine and declared that they became His body and blood (and He later became the lamb slain for our sins) and that His followers were to eat this same meal (Eucharist) regularly in the future.

We want Christianity (the New Covenant) to be a matter of mental assent as we argue over theological matters and search the scriptures to back up our points. But God wants it to be part of our being, down to the cellular level. So He has us actually consume the elements that purchased our forgiveness for us that we might grow into little Christs, or Christians.

Lent 2010, Day 37

(Jesus) rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. John 13:4-5

Jesus lovingly washed Judas' feet just before he went out to complete the betrayal that would lead to Jesus' crucifixion. It's hard to imagine such love. Who today would volunteer to do such a humble task for a person who would sell him out for a mere $607.50? (30 silver coins at today's price)

Apparently Judas couldn't imagine it either because he committed suicide rather than ask for forgiveness. But God's mercy is deeper than man's deepest sins. Lent reminds everyone to make things right with the One who loves him most while there is still time.

You've Got to See These Pictures!

Pictures of two presidents visiting troops at Bagram Air Force Base published by the Los Angeles Times. No comment necessary.

Lent 2010, Day 36

Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times. John 13:36-38

Holy Week reminds us all that even the good guys, the elite group who had been tutored and trained for three years by God Himself, weren't so very trustworthy. One sells Him out for the price of a slave. Most desert once the authorities arrested Jesus. And Peter, the one Jesus chose to lead the others, ended up denying he ever knew Him. Sadly, we all have to admit that even with 2,000+ years of experience, today's followers commit similar cowardly acts. But, the love of God can overcome our failures, if only we allow Him into our lives.

David and Goliath Again?

Both Pelosi and Rangel face opposition in their quest for eternal power in the House of Representative.

The Rev. Michael Faulkner, a political novice, is running against Charlie Rangel who has had so little opposition in the past that he usually donated his campaign money to other Democrats as insurance that no one would investigate his corruption and tax evasion. Read more about Faulkner at "Charlie Rangel Faces His Scott Brown."

Nancy Pelosi's challenger, John Dennis, faces unbelievable odds since San Fran Nan usually wins with 70% of the vote. But he is undaunted as he campaigns online and in person to stop Pelosi's steamroller of money, media support, and patronage. If you really want to send her a message, I suggest you send money to Dennis' campaign. His website is JohnDennis2010.

Lent 2010, Day 35

And as he rode along, the people spread clothes on the road in front of him. When Jesus was starting down the Mount of Olives, his large crowd of disciples were happy and praised God because of all the miracles they had seen. They shouted,"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" Luke 19:36-38A

Yesterday's Palm Sunday services began by retelling Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. However, by Wednesday of Holy Week, his own disciple bargains to betray Him and by Friday, the crowd demands His crucifixion. The obvious lesson for all, believers and non-believers alike, is to distrust both popularity and derision because the crowd is and always has been fickle. In the end, nothing really matters except approval from the Creator of the Universe.

Just Which Side Incites Violence?

Domine, da mihi hanc aquam!: Reality-check on anti-Obama rhetoric

Check out this post to get an exact number of times the left has recently incited violence toward conservatives, their ideas, or their leaders. For example, Fr. Powell, OP lists 626,000 suggestions published online to assassinate Bush. Yet, the mass media now cries "foul" because Sarah Palin used the visual of gun sights with cross hairs on a map that showed the 20 Congressional Districts she is targeting (another violent word) for change in the November elections. Once again, they've moved from blatant hypocrisy to embarrassing stupidity.

Lent 2010, Day 34

The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him;
the cords of his sin hold him fast.
He will die for lack of discipline,
led astray by his own great folly.

Proverbs 5:22-23

Today we look at discipline once more just before the onset of Holy Week. Again we value the wisdom inherent in a Holy observance of Lent: to avoid being led astray by our own foolishness. Self help books currently offer secular versions of improving one's habits and attitudes, but Christians have had the Church to teach, lead, and guide us into happier, more fruitful lifestyles every spring for the last 2000+ years.

Lent 2010, Day 33

. . . he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. Mark 8:34b-35

To deny oneself and pick up a cross every day of one's life sounds like a steep price to pay for anything. On the other hand, to become an adopted child of the God of Creation is surely worth any sacrifice we make. Lent helps us rethink our puny sacrifices in the light of rewards too wonderful for our imagination, much less our description.

About Yesterday's Post . . .

Andrew Breitbart has written about several instances that prove my point yesterday about Democrat faux martyrs. Read it to refute the hue and cry from the mass media regarding Tea Party violence. It amazes me that the Republicans are the party of Lincoln and civil rights legislation, yet Blacks almost universally fear them as racists. Then they embrace all Democrats who instituted the Jim Crow laws and opposed civil rights laws at every turn.

The Men in White Hats

Progressive politicians, aided by a sycophant mass media, have pushed through innumerable laws that expand the federal government to the detriment of We The People with a simple three step process.

First they put on a white hat and conceal their malicious lust for power with slogans and sound bites proclaiming their desire to "help" the poor and oppressed.

The second step is to portray all opponents as heartless vampires who cripple children just for the sport of it.

The third step is to find a way to become a martyr for the cause. Not a dead martyr of course, but to be someone who suffers visibly "for righteousness sake."

The Obamacare proponents are now out in full force becoming faux martyrs. The alleged taunts by the Tea Party protesters on Sunday and the alleged threats to Congressional Clowns have topped the news and television talk shows since the passage of the bill.

Interestingly enough, little mention has been made of Sunday's champagne party or Tuesday's lobster dinner served in the Senate cloakroom to celebrate the Democrat victory. (BTW, they only had lobster to honor the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, not because they were extravagant!)

They, themselves (the mass media) threatened Bart Stupid Stupak when they feared he night vote no. But after he caved with a yes vote, they began to castigate Pro Life groups who "might" resort to violence against him.

At the exact same time, Ann Coulter, who has to hire a body guard at her own expense, had to cancel a speaking engagement in Canada because 2,000 real, not alleged, protesters showed up wielding clubs and rocks to protest her existence. But that martyrdom has been ignored.

Lent 2010, Day 32

He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly. Luke 1:51-52

With the limited vision we have here on earth, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by political or military power, especially when it is arrayed against us. But the Bible reminds everyone that despite appearances, the real authority belongs to the Lord. The seemingly dominant can be brought down in a day and the apparently helpless given extraordinary power. Remember the fall of Communist Russia and the rise of Lech Walesa. This same passage that deals with the Incarnation also quotes the Angel Gabriel, "For with God nothing will be impossible." (Luke 1:37)

PS: Sorry I missed Days 27 and 31. Sometimes "the world is too much with us." (Wordsworth)

Exploring the Unmentionables

Today's article at Canada Free Press, Lawfare, Voluntary Surrender, and Right Wing Extremists, asks some questions that many Americans have only mentioned quietly, for fear of being called a crazy kook. Its author, Jim O'Neill, puts together a few known facts about Michelle and Barack Obama, such as neither of them is allowed to practice law despite degrees from Harvard Law School and a long list of unanswered questions about the current White House residents.

Read it for the background information and because we all need to know the truth instead of being shushed up for having questions.

PS Neither Jim O'Neill nor I look for reasons to impeach; we just know there are no solutions without understanding reality.

Lent 2010, Day 30

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. I John 5:20-21

Truth is a precious commodity that we need to prize above all else. Our first need usually involves being wholly truthful to ourselves, then completely truthful with others. If we fail there, and we will fail unless we rely on God, we will succumb to idolatry, addictions, and mental illness. Pray to be more open and more honest with yourself and with God during this Lent.

No Rest for The Weary Again

According to former Senator Rick Santorum, the Democrats reassured wavering Congressional Clowns who fear the voters' wrath in November by promising to bring up a massive immigration reform bill immediately. Plans are already underway for "spontaneous" demonstrations in D.C. this week. They expect to ram that through easily and provide additional voters before the next election, thus saving the seats of those who might lose their next election otherwise.

And by 2012, they will have the results of the 2010 census to work with, providing additional gerrymandered districts that favor Democrat candidates.

They also think that now they were successful with this unpopular legislation, it will be easier to keep pushing through additional laws to change America. Last night Rep. Louise Slaughter crowed, "There's nothing we can't tackle now."

Those who love freedom now must say with *John Paul Jones, "I have not yet begun to fight."

*On September 23, 1779, Jones fought one of the bloodiest engagements in naval history. Jones struggled with the 44-gun Royal Navy frigate Serapis, and although his own vessel was burning and sinking, Jones would not accept the British demand for surrender, replying, “I have not yet begun to fight.” More than three hours later, Serapis surrendered and Jones took command.

Lent 2010, Day 29

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9

Do not allow yourself to be downhearted about yourself, your family, or your country. Continue to do what is right, to pray, to seek God's wisdom. Work to bring the kingdom of God into your own sphere of influence whatever situation you happen to be in now. Weariness and discouragement interfere with making good decisions.

From The Trenches

I've seen this physician's letter a couple of times and now I'm posting it in case some of you have not seen it.

"I have been a doctor for 19 years. 4 years in the Army and 15 years in private practice. I belong to a doctor owned group of approx 350 doctors in a multi-specialty practice. We employ 4000 people. In addition to being touted as one of the very best clinics in the nation (Acclaim Award winners) we have donated over a million dollars to the local city in grants, scholarships and charity. Regularly voted as top places to work by our employees. US health care at its very best. I am very proud of what we do and we provide tremendous care and value to our patients.

"We seek to maintain a 3-5% profit margin annually. We operate in the very precarious business model of enormous volume, low margin. As any business owner knows, this is high-risk-low-margin of error model. Consequently any small changes to cash flow vectors, mandates widespread internal policy and practice corrections. Tiny changes = massive consequences.

"As many people may know, Medicare and Medicaid, the current government paid ‘insurer’ – pays approximately 70% of the cost of care. ie its more expensive for doctors to care for these patients than we get reimbursed for. Say you are a contractor. Imagine the government mandating a significant number of your jobs whereby your out of pocket costs are ~ 30% + greater than your income. That is Medicare and Medicaid. In perspective, our group alone, year 2008 lost ~$12 million caring for our government patients. This is despite taking over 1 1/2 years to help move our fee-for-service traditional Medicare patients over to Medicare Advantage plans, which are privatized versions of Medicare that reimburse better…still not covering costs…but lessen our losses significantly.

"Many people ask, why do private health insurance premiums continue to escalate? The liberals want you to believe its a combination of profiteering and waste. When in fact its due mainly to two other processes. The first is obvious: every year it costs more to care for patients and premiums are trying to keep up with this rising cost. But secondly, and less often discussed, is that every year private delivery systems lose more and more money caring for our government patients. Someone has to make up for these losses in order for your hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, pharmacies, group practices to remain solvent and profitable. Every year these delivery systems open their books to the private health care insurers – and the insurers must – they must in order for the entire system at large to stay functional, increase the amount they pay out to cover these losses. If they don't, both the delivery systems and the insurers die. So to keep the boat afloat, the payouts by private insurers MUST increase to subsidize the ever increasing losses doctors incur by taking care of our government patients. So, in a way, you could say that your increasing premiums are a tax that you are paying to cover the losses that are Medicare and Medicaid. It’s a clear and inarguable private subsidization of government cost. Enough said on that.

"So to really feel the consequence and full impact of Obamacare, one must simply see the economic dominoes. Most people can see how this bill will rapidly reduce private insurance plans and rapidly expand government plan patients. And take whatever number that is being reported, and multiply that by 3. That has been the experience in both Mass and Hawaii. Both government plans were overwhelmed with the enrollees as they significantly underestimated the government migration.

"OK, so now- how can anyone not see the obvious outcome? Government patients = significant loss of profitability. Initially the private insurers will do their best to continue to subsidize this loss, and there will be a huge escalation of premiums. But within a few months this will be unsustainable. Its a cycle that cannot be stopped. Higher premiums = higher recidivism to government plans = higher premiums etc. Within months, every single hospital, every single doctor office, clinic, nursing home, pharmacy – every delivery system reliant on private insurers will no longer be profitable. ie they will go bankrupt. These will most certainly be the headlines to come: Hospital XYZ shockingly announces bankruptcy; Hospitals can no longer remain open; Clinics across the country file for bankruptcy; Loss of Pharmacy access shocks the Nation; Doctors going bankrupt en masse creating health care delivery and access to care crises; Where can you go to get care?; Loss of access reported Nationwide

"Yes a crises. A crises of access due to widespread business failure. You will not be able to get care for as long as it takes for the government to devise their emergency bailout package and as long as it takes for those insufficient dollars to try and get those doors back open again. But it will be too late, and it will be too expensive. There is absolutely no way that our government can capitalize our entire health care system. Try as they might, only a percentage of what we have now will ultimately survive. And those that do survive will be a shell of what they once were. The conditions will be frightening, and the consequences will be dire. The degree of disarray will be unimaginable and the underlap in access to care will be gaping.

"I will not expand this discussion to predict what this means to our economy at large because I am not an economist. But anyone can be close to predicting what I am suggesting. Factors such as loss of work hours due to illnesses not treated, pressure on all the other private business models; let alone the out and out loss of enormous capital via the bankruptcy of this entire health care industry can clearly be the death nail to our country and imo is a clear and present threat to our very sovereignty. This can make the housing collapse look like a speed bump. This will be massive and rapid and lethal and complete.

"I am not certain why this very obvious outcome has not been openly discussed more often – ie the rapid and massive bankruptcy of all of your health care providers and their delivery systems. But this is the inevitable outcome should this bill ever become law and implemented."

It seems obvious to anyone who thinks about the current proposals and the ones the Democrats have dismissed out of hand, that this is NOT about health care. It is about control. Providing health care is both a cover for the real motivation and a means of increasing Big Brother's personal control of the population.

Obama Funds ACORN Anyway

The Obama administration has quietly restored federal funding to ACORN. From Big Government, "In a March 16 memo Office of Management and Budget (OMB) director Peter Orszag quietly ordered federal agencies to resume funding the group whose employees were caught on hidden camera videos last year condoning a variety of crimes including child prostitution and tax evasion."

The information was released March 19 in the usual Friday night dump of information the administration doesn't want anyone to notice.

Lent 2010, Day 28

Now, therefore,” says the LORD, “ Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm. who knows if He will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him. . . Joel 2:12-14

The US is in a particularly vulnerable situation during this Lent. Give up the cream in your coffee or between meal snacks and pray for your country this weekend especially. As Tennyson said, "More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of." Prayer is spiritual dynamite, not a wistful last resort.

San Fran Nan's Early Years

Nancy Pelosi wasn't a multimillionaire when first elected to Congress. Go to The Culture of Pelosi to discover a few highlights of the way she maneuvered her way to wealth. One interesting item is her virtual ownership of the prestigious Presidio.

St. Patrick's Day

Many thanks to The Anchoress for her inspiring and comforting post on St. Patrick.

St Patrick’s Breastplate & Lent
Wednesday, March 17, 2010, 9:59 AM
The_Anchoress
Reposted from 2007

It is not what thou art, nor what thou hast been, that God looks upon with his merciful eyes, but what thou wouldst be.
– The Cloud of Unknowing.

Keep before your own eyes that which you would wish to be. Don’t be distracted by what other people are, but keep focused as much as possible, on your own soul. We all have regrets. We all wish we’d not done some things in our lives (many things, in my case). We all have things we hate about ourselves.

But we were all born for a purpose and with a potentiality. Think of the person you want to be – keep that person before your eyes – that’s the person God sees, even when you feel submerged in your sins, and irretreivable.

Maybe, even, ask Jesus to stand between you and all you have been, to stand between you and all you would be. Surrounded by Christ, things can only get better. I learned that from a police officer who told me he prayed, whenever he entered a dangerously unstable situation, such as a domestic dispute, that Jesus would stand between him and those to whom he was responding, that Christ would stand between each family member and their worst instincts. It was a powerful witness to me.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,
the strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One, and One in Three.
By Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word;
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is fo Christ the Lord.
– from St. Patrick’s Breastplate.

Lent 2010, Day 25

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

Lent helps us to lay aside those things in our life that interfere with our running the race of faith. Building spiritual self discipline begins with physical self discipline, but goes far beyond mere fitness. Let us run that race now with joy as we imitate Jesus Christ.

Deem

If the US House "deems" the Senate bill passed by having members vote on another bill (the reconciliation one), can we citizens "deem" our taxes paid by paying our credit card bills? According to the online dictionary, deem means to regard or consider in a specified way. Examples: the event was deemed a great success or the strike was deemed to be illegal. If the political class can deem, why can't the taxpaying class deem?

BTW, the House Whip (the one who keeps tallies on who is for/against/undecided on bills) just said the the vote may not be held until Easter.

Hmmmm. Those nationwide protests must finally be making an imprint. Keep praying.

Pelosi's Plans

In a memo to Democrat bloggers, Nancy Pelosi wrote:

"My biggest fight has been between those who wanted to do something incremental and those who wanted to do something comprehensive," Pelosi said, according to an account by Washington Post reform advocate Ezra Klein. "We won that fight, and once we kick through this door, there'll be more legislation to follow."

So Princess Nancy has even more "goodies" to foist off on the poor slubs who have to pay for it - American taxpayers.

In the meantime, she has warned all Democrat Congressional Clowns to be especially nice to the Tea Party activists who are storming Capitol Hill again today. She encouraged them to politely explain how wonderful the new health care reform package really is and how misguided its opponents really are.

Pray that our Constitutional Republic will be saved from enemies within and without.

Lent 2010, Day 24

Know that the LORD, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Psalm 100:3

All of us were planned babies, whether our parents called us accidents or not. God arranged for our births from the beginning of time because of His love for us. Whatever our limitations: physical, mental, emotional, or financial, He has great plans for each person. And what about those who are so limited that they can do is lie in bed and drool? Their lack of communication with us or lack of abilities that we can measure do not preclude a rich, silent relationship with God that may be more exciting than the rest of us can even imagine.

The third stanza in the hymn "The Love of God" was found scrawled on the walls in an insane asylum over a thousand years ago. It was first used in a poem written by a Jewish rabbi and adapted to the Christian hymn in 1917.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

Lent 2010, Day 23

[Even] now I rejoice in the midst of my sufferings on your behalf. And in my own person I am making up whatever is still lacking and remains to be completed on our part of Christ's afflictions, for the sake of His body, which is the church. Colossians 1:24 Amplified Bible

Tired of giving up dessert or whatever for Lent? Offer even that tiny suffering up to the Lord in prayer. St. Paul used all of his sufferings, not just fasting, as part of his prayer for the Christians of his day. Today pray for your country and all American Christians that faith will be renewed and restored. Pray for your Congressional Clowns to get/stay on the right track. Pray for God to bless the USA.

Stop Spending!!!!

We're drowning in red ink with no end in sight, yet the Congressional Clowns continue to pass stimulus bills and other entitlements as if we all had high paying jobs and loved sending money to the IRS.

The chart above shows the growth OF US debt in TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS since 2001.

Big Laws vs Little Laws

"When you break the big laws, you do not get freedom; you do not even get anarchy. You get the small laws." - G.K. Chesterton, Daily News, 7/29/1905

1. After 2012, U.S. citizens will no longer choose the type of light bulbs they buy and use. Only the florescent bulbs will be available.

2. Not content to merely outlaw the use of trans fats by restaurateurs, N.Y. Legislators are now crafting a law to prevent them from using any salt when preparing food for public consumption. This is after they prohibited the sale of pate foie gras.

3. Every state has passed adult seat belt and baby car seat laws to save lives. These laws were promoted by the same people who insist on killing babies in the womb and who openly support euthanasia.

4. Daylight savings time laws force us to change our sleep/wake patterns twice a year despite the fact that the rate of heart attacks increases 6% to 10% the first three days after the spring time change. More Americans disapprove than approve it, but it's the law in all but two states.

5. Federal BATF agents recently confiscated a shipment of toy pellet guns made of pot metal because they claimed the guns could be modified to work as machine guns. The fact that the pellets are plastic and pot metal would disintegrate before firing bullets seems to be irrelevant to the case.

6. Officials in two states have barred Christians from holding Bible studies/prayer meetings in their own homes, even though no complaints had been lodged about noise or parking problems.

7. Most Democrat Congressional Clowns are working as hard as they can to put 157 new agencies between every patient and his physician to decide when, how, and if the patient will be treated and the physician paid. There is no mention of the additional costs of the new agencies and the personnel to work in them.

8. Each spring brings a new group of lawsuits over what may or may not be said at graduation services, even by the students. Already most public schools no longer allow even a moment of silent meditation, much less a prayer, during the school day or at sporting events. Under the guise of anti discrimination laws, university level Christian organizations are being threatened with expulsion unless they agree to allow atheists to hold elected office in the group.

9. Federal regulators have developed thousands of pages of rules to "save" the environment which encroach on personal liberty even when dealing with private, not public, property. Recently they officially declared carbon dioxide (which we exhale with every breath and which plants need to survive) a menace to the environment as they prepare the Cap and Trade bill to further limit personal freedom and injure our hopes of economic recovery.

10. Other draconian environmental laws either hinder or stop Americans from engaging in ordinary production and sale of legal substances that everyone needs - oil, gas, and coal. They ignore the fact that we have so much oil that in some areas, it seeps up out of the ground and ruins the pristine beaches. So American consumers pay Muslim countries exorbitant prices for their oil while would-be American producers sit around unemployed.

G. K. Chesterton wrote the quotation above regarding government encroaching on the freedoms of ordinary citizens one hundred and five years ago. He was concerned with the growing tendency to ignore the Ten Commandments (The Big Laws) and the Judeo-Christian heritage of Western Civilization, while governments established more and more regulations that encroached into everyone's daily life. Since then the small laws have continued to grow in number and scope to such a degree that most young people have no concept of individual liberty Americans enjoyed one hundred years ago.

The New Suicide Bomber

Hat tip to Powerline for introducing the latest suicide bomber craze, "Obama Akbar" to us.

Lent 2010, Day 22

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. Proverbs 21:2

Since the Lord knows us better than we know ourselves, verses similar to this one appear 5 or 6 times in the Bible as warnings against depending on ourselves and our own ideas too much. Both we and our worst enemies believe that we/they are doing "the right thing." But, when conflicts arise, we each have to admit to mistakes.

God gave us the Ten Commandments as ultimate tests of right and wrong. In lesser arenas of human affairs, we have to depend on asking for Divine guidance to make wise decisions. We still fool ourselves sometimes, but as we stumble, fall, repent, and try again, we gradually grow closer to God's ideal. That's because God wants to have a close relationship with us; He really does not want to be a mere observer. Lent encourages us to develop our relationship with The Man Upstairs as we pray, fast, and give alms.

The world has gone mad today And good's bad today, And black's white today, And day's night today.

As I said last May, Cole Porter's "Anything Goes" is more relevant today than when he wrote it. In The American Spectator, Mark Hyman lists a few of the anomolies that drive us crazy such as:

The Internal Revenue Service -- placed in the hands of a Treasury Secretary who is a bona fide tax cheat -- implements tax policy written by a House Ways and Means Chairman who is also a tax cheat.

Hundreds of billions of dollars are spent purchasing foreign oil while domestic oil fields lie fallow.

Government employees are among the most handsomely compensated in America even though the public sector is the most dysfunctional and inefficient component of our economy.

Please read the whole article, then send it to all of your friends and family.

Lent 2010, Day 21

These are the feasts of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times. On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the LORD’s Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it. But you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD for seven days. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it.’” Leviticus 23:4-7

We all need reminders. God instituted the feast in the Old Testament to remind His people of their miraculous deliverance from slavery. In preparation for the feast, Jews thoroughly cleaned their houses to get rid of all dirt and leaven (symbols of sin) and the priests slayed perfect lambs to expiate the people's sin.

Because Jesus Christ was crucified on Passover, Christians adopted some of the Jewish customs as they celebrated the most important day for all people on Earth -- Easter. For centuries, Christians have done spring cleaning before Easter. Lent itself began as a period of spiritual spring cleaning to help people get rid of the cobwebs and dust bunnies in their souls to better appreciate their deliverance from the slavery of sin through Christ.

Lent 2010, Day 20

“Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’" Deuteronomy 4:5-6

To participate fully in Lent* is to become wiser. For if we do, we emerge on Easter morning with a fuller understanding of ourselves, our purpose in life, and how to make daily decisions. The God who created us knows what will work and what doesn't. Following Him, as best you can, is like listening to the best coach in the world. You will become more successful as a person, a member of your family, and a citizen in your country. Pursuing holiness is not a form of self-flagellation, but the road map to happiness.

*Lenten practices commonly mean increased prayer (strengthening our understanding of God), increased alms giving (opening our eyes in new ways to the needs of people around us), and increased fasting (building self discipline).

Take Back America!

And this time it's easy - just refuse to answer the questions that are not *Constitutional whether they are asked in person or in a mail-out. Remember that in the United States, no government agent has the right to ask you anything without specific permission, such as the Constitution, a court order or a search warrant.

Watch this video clip to find out more about the Census and protecting your precious privacy.
*They have no right to ask for your race, but I still hope all of my readers, their friends, and their families will check the "Other" box and fill in AMERICAN in the spaces provided. It's time we all stood together to stop this contrived division of our country. Most of us are immigrants or descendants of immigrants who CHOSE to become Americans.

King's X

Apparently Rep. Louise Slaughter (who supports Obamacare because she knows someone wearing her dead sister's dentures) believes she can pull the childhood trick of claiming "King's X" to bend/change the rules in the middle of the game. She's writing a new rule for our Congressional Clowns to pass the Senate version of the Health Care Bill in the House without voting on it. They will "deem" it to be passed once they've written in the changes they want. You can read the gory details at National Review Online.

My Race Is American

Today I got the letter from the Census Bureau that they were going to send me the actual census form next week. I really don't know which is the most stupid waste of my taxpayer money:
a) Money spent on a Superbowl Ad about the Census
b) Money spent on numerous radio ads every day about the Census
c) Money spent on a letter telling me I was going to get a letter about the Census

I believe most questions on the form are none of Big Brother's business and I plan to ignore those. But I certainly will tell them my race -- I am an American. That means when I get to the question of race, I will check "Other" then spell out AMERICAN in the little boxes. I hope you'll join me in this. We are Americans. We are not Irish-Americans, Anglo-Saxon Americans, Hispanic-Americans or African-Americans. And it galls me when they keep trying to divide us, put us in little boxes, and then treat us differently because who our daddies happened to be. For more information, please read "Sending A Message with The Census."

The census is supposed to count the people in each state in order apportion the number of representatives sent to Congress. Period. There is no need to entertain dawdling bureaucrats with details such as whether we have a mortgage or not.

Lent 2010, Day 19

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:7-9

The key to peace is walking in the light of Jesus. It's a simple solution, but difficult at times to execute, because it's easier to walk in our own light. That's another reason we need Lent every year to encourage us to face unpleasant truths, confess our sins, and get back into the true Truth.

Psychotherapists tell us that facing the truth about ourselves is so difficult that many patients give up and continue to blame others for their own problems. But Jesus freely offers the grace of confession and forgiveness to anyone who wants to walk in His light and live in reality and peace.

Lent 2010, Day 18

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2

Here St. Paul asks Christians to present themselves, their lives, and their activities daily as an offering to God. That's more than putting your mouth where your money is; that's putting your life on the line for your beliefs even when it mostly means carpooling and grocery shopping. Many Catholics do this with a daily prayer that offers "our prayers, works, joys, and sufferings" to God to use as He desires.

In this process, of course, we gradually morph into the successful, happy person God had in mind when He created us. Our big nemesis is the pervasive culture we live in. We fight it by our willingness to obey God rather than Madison Avenue, Hollywood, political parties, or peer pressure.

One Eye and Half-Sense*

Every single American has complained frequently and vehemently about the lack of efficiency and the increased costs inherent in any large organization whether public or private. However, these problems metastasize in government organizations, like the Post Office, Social Security Administration, the Veterans' Administration, and the IRS.

Therefore, every single American ought to be vehemently against any proposed Health Care Bill. There is absolutely no way on God's green earth that adding bureaucrats between you and your physician is going to make it cheaper, better, or more available to more people.

No matter which sales pitch is used to favor the current proposals, it's obviously a cover-up of the real intent - taking away personal freedom and extending the power of the federal government.

If you're interested in reading more about specific proposals in the Senate bill, then please read "Guess Who's Coming to Your House?" in today's American Thinker. You'll learn new ways to be frightened about the Senate Bill which has already passed. And you should be even more inspired to call/write/email Congressional Clowns in the House protesting it.

*The title of this blog comes from my political activist grandmother who, thankfully, died before the era of politically correct speech. She used it to illustrate obvious truths that others were unwilling to understand, as in, "Well, anyone with one eye and half sense ought can see . . ." I hope that being practically one eyed myself because of ocular melanoma, you'll forgive my lapse back into the old ways of speaking.

Lent 2010, Day 17

Then they believed His words;
They sang His praise.
They soon forgot His works;
They did not wait for His counsel,
But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness,
And tested God in the desert.
And He gave them their request,
But sent leanness into their soul. Psalm 106:12-15

How easily we all forget the big picture because of the crises that pop up every day. Lent offers Christians a period to re-establish their relationship with God and a new view of the big picture. This is the time for each of us to remember how God has worked in our lives. This is the time to make habitual prayer a cornerstone of every day, not just a fall-back position in times of desperate need. This is the time to receive the graces He sends us "anew every morning."

Neuropsychology in Liberals and Conservatives

If you've ever wondered what alternative universe some politicians inhabit, you will enjoy this article in American Thinker today. In in Ms. Tyler explains, "The neurons of the human prefrontal cortex are the only objects in the known universe that are functionally altered by exposure to abstract concepts such as God, truth, freedom, and justice." Read it to find out how different people answer the important questions in life, and why we need to train our children to honor God and seek the Truth at all costs.

Lent 2010, Day 16

And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. Then Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him. Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel. And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and drove them back as far as below Beth Car. I Samuel 7:9-11

Here the Lord God sent confusion to the enemies of the people of God in answer to earnest prayer. It is one of many examples in the Old Testament. There are enough modern day instances of the same benevolent intervention in the affairs of men when Satanic attacks to let us know that God is still active and protective of the people who try to follow Him.

Lent is a good time to engage in that earnest prayer for our country, for our churches, for our families, and for ourselves. May godliness stand in simple, stark contrast to the confusion of evil attitudes and actions because we prayed earnestly.

Townhall Comes through Again

The cartoon from Townhall.com translates for all of us the meaning of Obama's speeches on his health care reform, since he is having such a hard time explaining it to us dummies. We've heard numerous talks, press conferences, and media events, but he still thinks we haven't caught on to his meaning.

Lent 2010, Day 15

..."Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 14:14b

Esther's uncle said these words to her as he called upon her to fast, pray, and then take action to save her people. The truth is that we all have come to live at this time and in this place by the will of the Lord Almighty. And, especially this Lent, we need to fast, pray, and take action to save the people of our country. We Americans need to change our culture and our country. Only then can we receive the blessings that God wishes to shower down upon us.

Hmmmm!

On Tuesday, Rep. Massa, D-NY announced that he would not vote for Obama's healthcare bill. On Wednesday, he decided not to seek re-election, despite being a first term Congressman, because an anonymous assistant accused him of improper sexual advances.

Is it coincidence? Or is it The Chicago Way?

ACORN Again

Like many who had hoped that exposing the rampant corruption in the ACORN offices on the national news would result in criminal prosecutions, I am disappointed that nothing has happened. The District Attorney in Brooklyn rubbed salt in my wounds when he found no evidence of criminality despite the videotapes showing Brooklyn officers showing O'Keefe and Giles how to avoid taxes, employ underage, illegal aliens in a prostitution ring, and qualify for a federally backed mortgage. Ann Coulter cleverly dissects his ruling in Subprime Mortgage Crisis in Whorehouses.

Lent 2010, Day 14

This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.
Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“ The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
Lamentations 3:21-24

These remarkable words immediately follow twenty verses of Jeremiah's complaints against God. He was so good at it that he inspired our word 'jeremiad' to indicate grievances of Biblical proportions. But even in the midst of depression, he found that God's compassion never fails and we all can revel in new mercies every single day.

Give Bunning A Gold Medal

He deserves one for trying to bring a little bit of honesty and common sense to the Senate floor by opposing a bill to extend government benefits without showing where in the current budget the money would come from, meaning it will expand our current debt. The opposition stepped up their personal attacks and resorted to bomb threats at his office in Kentucky before he relented and quit his one man campaign to stop the spending and obey the Pay Go law passed just two weeks ago. Of course the media attackers painted him as someone who hated the poor unemployed instead of examining the policies that put so many people on unemployment for such a long time.

Although his stand appeals to the public and would have garnered additional voters for the Republican party, the entrenched RINO's in the Senate refused to voice any support for his principled stand. In the end, only 18 others voted with him:
Alexander, TN
Barrasso. WY
Bennett, UT
Burr, NC
Coburn, OK
Corker, TN
Cornyn, TX
Crapo, ID
DeMint, SC
Ensign, NV
Enzi, WY
Gregg, NH
Hatch, UT
Johanns, NE
McConnell, KY
Risch, ID
Sessions, AL
Thune, SD

This is not the first time Bunning has stood for sanity: a)In 2008, he was the lone dissenter in the massive mortgage bill, b)he voted against TARP, c)he has severely questioned Ben Bernanke when other committee members rolled over like eager puppies, d) he voted against the massive bailout for the UAW and GM, and e) he voted against the GIVE/SERVE program that wastes money and inhibits personal freedom.

I'm just sorry that he plans to retire, although I don't blame him.

Lent 2010, the real Day 13

Strive to live in peace with everybody and pursue that consecration and holiness without which no one will [ever] see the Lord. Exercise foresight and be on the watch to look [after one another], to see that no one falls back from and fails to secure God's grace (His unmerited favor and spiritual blessing), in order that no root of resentment (rancor, bitterness, or hatred) shoots forth and causes trouble and bitter torment, and the many become contaminated and defiled by it-- That no one may become guilty of sexual vice, or become a profane (godless and sacrilegious) person as Esau did, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. Hebrews 12:14-16

These verses encourage us to hold on to that which is really good in the midst of all the traumas and the messy situations that creep into our lives and ruin our plans for greatness.

Yesterday as I drove through snow to say good-by to a friend dying of cancer, I became aware yet again of the need to concentrate on the important things in life: looking out for loved ones, avoiding bitterness, and seeking God's grace. These are the lessons of Lent that prepare us for life and, more importantly, for death. Ask not "for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee."

Personal note: I got mixed up last week on my numbering of the days of Lent. This really is Day 13. I'll correct the previous titles later and try to pay better attention to details in the meantime. ;-)

Lent 2010, Day 13

For I do not understand my own actions [I am baffled, bewildered]. I do not practice or accomplish what I wish, but I do the very thing that I loathe [which my moral instinct condemns]. Romans 7:15 Amplified Bible

And how are your Lenten disciplines going? If you've messed up a few times already, you have a lot in common with St. Paul. As far as I'm concerned, this is one of the most reassuring verses in the Bible.

Too many times we try to hide our failures and refuse to admit them even to ourselves. Or we may get really down and decide not to even try any more because we've failed so often, so easily, and so deeply. Sometimes we massage our wounded egos by looking for others who've fallen more spectacularly or deeper than we have.

True humility and redemption lies in letting God into our lives and cooperating with Him. If we fail, we get up and go at it again, just like the toddler learning to walk.

Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. Hebrews 12:2b Amplified Bible

Demand These Important Changes

The Congressional Clowns have developed a feudal system of elites vs. peasants that Americans once thought to be impossible. Yet, it is so entrenched now, they consider taxpayers as their slaves instead of their bosses. To reverse that malignant system, several important laws must pass in 2011.

#1. We must stop Congress from making any law that does not apply to them as well as their constituents. The ones that are already on the books need to be repealed. Health care is the first one to come to mind because the law they're ramming down our throats would not affect their "Cadillac" health care at all. However, their retirement plans are also completely out of line. They've exempted themselves from Social Security, but insist all others pay into the system even if Congress spends the money immediately instead of setting it aside as once promised. Some people are already proposing this as a 28th Amendment to the Constitution.

#2. Members of Congress should NEVER be allowed to have automatic pay raises. Each and every increase should be discussed and voted publicly. Last year when many taxpayers lost jobs and when Social Security recipients were told they would have to pay more for medicare, but would not receive a cost of living adjustment (loss for most individuals is $800 per year), our public "servants" quietly received raises of $5,300 and $4,700. Again next year they will receive new raises automatically.

#3. We must once again forbid the unionization of government employees. Most bureaucrats receive higher salaries than their counterparts in the private sector. And their princely retirement plans are bankrupting the governments that employ them. Take a look at New Jersey where Gov. Christi recently gave this example, ”One state retiree, 49 years old, paid, over the course of his entire career, a total of $124,000 towards his retirement pension and health benefits. What will we pay him? — $3.3 million in pension payments over his life and nearly $500,000 for health care benefits — a total of $3.8 million on a $120,000 investment. Is that fair?”

Quote of the Day

From Queen Nancy comes, "Bipartisanship is a two-way street. A bill can be bipartisan without bipartisan votes. Republicans have left their imprint."

Her logic, or lack thereof, makes one wonder what alternative universe she inhabits.

Lent 2010, Day 12

Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but [only] one receives the prize? So run [your race] that you may lay hold [of the prize] and make it yours. Now every athlete who goes into training conducts himself temperately and restricts himself in all things. They do it to win a wreath that will soon wither, but we [do it to receive a crown of eternal blessedness] that cannot wither. Therefore I do not run uncertainly (without definite aim). I do not box like one beating the air and striking without an adversary. But [like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit]. I Corinthians 9:24-27 Amplified Bible

As the Winter Olympics wind down, we learn of new athletes and their struggles for medals. We cheer their victories and feel sorrow for those who didn't quite make it to the winners circle.

No doubt, St. Paul was thinking along similar lines when he penned the verses above. In those days, the winner received a crown of laurel leaves, today the prize is a gold medal and, possibly, money from advertising contracts. But even the best Olympic prize pales in comparison to the gift of God's grace.

Beware!

Every day for the last two years, I have received emails and newsletters from numerous sources regarding the precarious financial position we citizens of the United States are in. The mildest warnings made my hair stand on end while the more trenchant made me wonder if there is any hope at all. Even John McCain, RINO, now says, "President Obama is leading an extreme left-wing crusade to bankrupt America." "Coruptocrats" have made selfish, stupid, and even criminal decisions that robbed all of us.

The mass media continues to babble about recovery, but serious sources keep saying "unsustainable." This chart from the Committee for Economic Development predicts that our debt will reach 60% of GDP by the end of this year.

Now is the time to get your own financial house in order, remembering that cash is king during recessions and depressions. Now is the time to demand that your Congressional Clowns STOP SPENDING immediately. Now is the time to pray for your country.

Lent 2010, Day 11

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. James 4:7-10

Here St. James neatly sums up the whole point of Lent in his thoroughly practical guide for Christians. This is the time for self-examination, for repentance, for confession of sins, and for new starts. The disciplines of Lent do not mean that happiness is bad, but rather, getting rid of our personal baggage allows us to experience more happiness ourselves and to bring more happiness to others.

Once a dear friend and therapist explained to me that holding on to grievances and petty sins was like carrying a heavy tow sack everywhere I went. It was tiring. It kept me from doing all that I wanted to do. It altered my vision of reality. Like many others, I had experienced needless tragedy because of another's selfishness. But only by letting go and giving that tow sack to God would I be healed.

Lent is the time each year that the Church reminds us to get rid of our tow sacks, to work on our own weaknesses, and draw near to God. Then we will be lifted up by God.

How Stupid Does He Think We Are?

At yesterday's "Summit" Harry Reid assured nervous Americans that the Republicans were the only ones who had mentioned reconciliation as a method for passing Obama's health care proposal. He not only chastised Lamar Alexander for his request that Democrats take the reconciliation process off the table, he insisted that Alexander was entitled to his own beliefs, "but not his own facts."

Some of us distinctly remember that it was just last week that he chastised Republicans for opposing the possibility, by telling them to "stop crying over reconciliation."

Way back in the Bush administration, both the media and the Democrats called it the nuclear option. That was when it was to be used just to approve of judicial appointments. Now that it's a take-over of 17% of the economy, it goes by the innocent sounding term, "reconciliation."

So Much for Insurance Profits

Lamar Alexander: "Now, some say we need to rein in the insurance companies -- maybe we do -- but I think it's important to note that if we took all the profits of the insurance companies, the health insurance companies entirely away, every single penny of it, we could pay for two days of the health insurance of Americans, that would leave 363 days with costs that are too high."

It's hard to see how Obama can continue to demonize the insurance industry as a major factor in rising health care costs after yesterday's "Summit on Health Care." Of course, he and the Democrats are fast becoming experts at ignoring the obvious.

They studiously avoid mentioning the impact of trial lawyers and frivolous lawsuits on costs. Even more important, they avoid even considering the impact of the stupid laws and regulations they themselves have burdened the American people with since WWII. They even disregard common sense reality that adding layers of bureaucracy not only increases costs, it also decreases effectiveness.

Obviously, saving money on healthcare to benefit the citizens of the United States is not their goal. Like the faux concern for the environment, it's a method of gaining additional control.

Lent 2010, Day 10

I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up, and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O LORD my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me. O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave; you have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Psalm 30:1-3

No one knows how many incidents in our lives come about as a result of prayer, either our own or someone else's prayer for us. Even when everything goes wrong, we often discover later that it all worked out better for us than if we had gotten our way in the beginning. Just as the horrible crucifixion on Good Friday worked out for the good of all humanity, so our own tragedies can become victories and healing points in our lives and the lives of those whom we love. We always have reasons to praise and extol the Lord.

Hat Tip to PowerLine

Thanks to PowerLine for this great cartoon illustrating the current situation in the Healthcare debate. Pray that the Republicans continue to be uncooperative!

Lent 2010, Day 9

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matthew 6:14-15

Lenten introspection brings nearly everyone face to face with his own unforgiving attitude. We assure ourselves that he/she/they don't deserve it. And we're probably correct. They often are undeserving fools and miscreants, who won't even admit they're wrong. We try to ignore that twinge that comes up every time we think of those who have hurt us.

But always, we are reminded that we, too, are unworthy. And so we swallow our pain and our pride, and will to forgive again, to forgive forever, and to finally let go and forget it.

Jesus knows our difficulties. That's why He added the explanation above just in case His followers tried to ignore the part of the Lord's prayer that says, "and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."

Conflict of Interest

The show trial that's going on in Congress over Toyota's safety engineering is a definite conflict of interest. Number one, it's unfair competition when the owner of General Motors undermines the major competition.

Number two, the relentlessness of the stories in the media indicate that Congress is catering to the UAW, not to real concerns for safety. Toyota workers have repeatedly refused to join the union which is so desperate for members that they're backing Card Check.

And then there is the sad spectacle of using questionable "experts" to denigrate Toyota. Joan Claybrook is the Carter appointee who forced automakers to install air bags despite vehement warnings that the technology was not yet developed enough. As a result, 65 deaths, mostly infants and children, occurred because of exploding air bags. Clarence Ditlow is notorious for approving the use of rocket igniters to "prove" on NBC that GM pick-ups were unsafe. These two are favorite anti-business expert witnesses. It's time the public remembered their names and protested their testimony.

On the international front, humiliating the head of the world's largest auto manufacturer on television before members of Congress is poor diplomacy. It's bad enough when the hypocritical Congressional Clowns self-righteously attack American CEO's. It's another thing altogether to do it to someone from a culture where saving face is so important that suicide is preferable to public indignity.

After this week we can hardly expect any other foreign companies to build plants in the US and give jobs to our countrymen.