Editorials:
Beyond Traffic Cameras
Author: Thomas R. Cuba
January 07, 2011There has been a good deal of debate recently about the City of St. Petersburg's plans to install traffic cameras. The opponents are screaming "Invasion of Privacy!" The City is trying to prevent accidents in the best, if inept, way they know how. Opponents make some real valid points: That "Cameras ticket the car, not the driver" is probably the best. The expense is another valid criticism. Cries of "Big Brother" while scary, are ill placed because in public a photograph is perfectly legal. I don't like the thought of being photographed wherever I walk, but the street is a public place.
The City makes a good point in citing the safety of both other drivers and pedestrians. But then the whole thing gets stupid. The City wants to stop T-bone crashes and the opponents state that cars braking for red lights will cause more rear end collisions. Neither side is talking about the fact that it is selfish behavior and bad driving that brings all this about. The opponents fail to mention that the rear end crashes are caused because drivers speed and follow too closely. The city fails to mention that T-bone crashes are caused by their inability to make people stop running red lights using the standard-issue patrol officer. Here's the real problem: People drive like idiots and the City can't control it. Let's move beyond the issue on the surface and think like conservatives. We believe in the Rule of Law over the Rule of a Monarch.
The law sets a speed limit. The law gives us guidance on how much room to leave between us and the car ahead. The law says stop for a yellow light unless it is impossible to do so. Do we drive that way? If we did, would the rear end collisions be an argument we might want to abandon? While many of us may not like the speed limits, as conservatives, we are bound to change the law, then our speed: Ignoring the law is the way of the Anarchist. Let's face it. Principles are principles and we don't get our moral code from Morrison's.
My suggestion on the cameras? Take the money and hire more officers, but make the fine for running a red light about $500.00. The incentive is there. But officers, unlike traffic cameras, are mobile and can set up on a new corner each day. You can even give the officer a camera if you want.
Letter To The Editor
No Tax For Track
Author: Nancy Davis
Feburary 28, 2011
I read the article ”Pinellas takes deep look at its transit options” on February 10, 2011. Karen Seel was quoted as saying the reason that Hillsborough County defeated their countywide proposal for light rail was due to the lack of information. I disagree.
I hope that Pinellas County also defeats the rail proposal. It is not needed, and will add unnecessary taxes to us taxpayers. We have sufficient bus and auto transportation, and these are much less expensive than rail transportation.
We need to ask why President Barak Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are pushing a national rail system. Vice President Biden has said that $8 million dollars in seed money has been allocated. The total expense could total $100 billion dollars. Can we afford it? Who would profit from this? Obviously the transit unions, drivers, and those contractors who would build the rails.
Has any light rail system been successful as promoted? The light rail in Portland, Ore., was praised, but few ride it. It runs 18-20 hours a day and only 20-25 people ride it daily. The Baltimore light rail was allocated $18 billion, and expected the ridership to make it worthwhile. But the cars are usually empty, says Randal O’Toole in his book GRID LOCK.
Let the Pinellas County 25-member task force know that you do not want this now or in the future. Go to www. notaxfortracks.com for more information.
Seminole Beacon
Author: Steven D. Lange
Executive Director
Patriots' Ink
The Agenda 21 Petition below can be used by simply copying and pasting the petition into a text editor such as Microsoft Word and or an editor of your choice and changing the title to your city and or state officials. We ask that all of America become familiar with the United Nations Agenda 21 which is implemented by ICLEI, an international organization promoting global governance within our communities under the guise of Sustainable Communities, Smart Growth, Transportation and Land use plans that “we the people” have had no vote or knowledge of . Copy and Past the form and get signatures. Send the form to everyone you know. Use this Petition form to learn who ICLEI is and what Agenda 21 is intended to do and then share what you have learned. If you value your Freedoms you will!
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Remove ICLEI – Restore the Republic!
PETITION TO THE MAYORS, CITY COUNCILS AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WITHIN PINELLAS COUNTY FLORIDA
Whereas: under your leadership, this community is imposing the policies of Sustainable Development, and
Whereas: under your leadership, this community is paying dues to an international organization called “ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability,” for the express purpose of creating and imposing Sustainable Development programs based in large part on the theory of global warming, and
Whereas: ICLEI works in secret, violating transparency of government and the public’s right to know, and
Whereas: it is the duty of every elected representative to provide full disclosure and open discussion and debate on policies that affect private property rights, community development, water use and restrictions, restrictions on auto use and parking, open space restrictions, building codes and restrictions, restrictions on types of materials to be used in building, taxes designed to restrict development and auto use, and many more policies that have a damaging effect on the rights of citizens and the economy of the community, and
Whereas: Sustainable Development, based on the unproven and disputed theory of Global Warming, is the driving force behind these policies now being imposed on all the citizens of this community, created, discussed and decided in private meetings rather than before the full community, with ICLEI as the guiding force, now.
Therefore, I the undersigned citizen of the community demand:
That all citizens be allowed to openly discuss and debate these Sustainable Development restrictions on our economy, our property and our way of life, and
That there be a full disclosure to the citizens of this community concerning the financial association with ICLEI and its involvement with these Sustainable Development policies, and finally,
That such contact with ICLEI be immediately terminated and the community have no further dealings with this international organization.
Signed:____________________ Date___________________
Printed: ___________________
Address: ___________________
CART BEFORE THE HORSE!
Author: Hanson Hamilton
January 24, 2011We have a “republican” form of government under which we live because our founding fathers took it upon themselves to give us the best system in the world for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That system has been corrupted almost beyond recognition.
A very large percentage of the world’s population enjoys the Judeo-Christian belief system. Even the Muslim religion claims to stem from Christianity.In that belief system, God offered TEN COMMANDMENTS for living and getting along with each other. All of human life on Earth was to be governed by TEN very simple rules to live by. Govern: According to Webster’s, “the continuous exercise of authority over, and the performance of, functions for a political unit”.
Back in the day, governance was for the purpose of making smooth the road ahead for the people within any geo-political unit, to legislate for the protection of those same people. We honored many of our elders by elevating them to the high offices of government as an expression of our esteem for them.
At some point in our history, our elected officials and their employees turned against us and determined that “governing” meant throwing a very heavy, wet blanket of regulation over the entire population, resulting in much control of the citizenry.
At various points, “mistakes” were discovered in the rules being promulgated. Thus began “special interests” for whom holes in those blankets were made so that “they” could flourish, while keeping the rest of the people contained within that suffocating blanket of legislation.
And, now, ALL new legislation is a continuous array of large blankets specifically created for the purpose of killing originality, ingenuity and energy. Thus, when any segment or group of our society cries out loudly enough, or can raise sufficient re-election funding for any elected official, that group can purchase a “Get out of Jail” card - a special interest piece of legislation on behalf of a very small group of individuals, very often resulting in re-election campaign funds changing hands, exempting that small group from the burdens of that legislation for themselves only, in order to break free from that hugely burdensome blanket of legislation .
GO FIND our new, citizen legislators for the 2012 elections!!!!
Poitical Urban Legands
Author: Walter Steinheimer
January 16, 2011Lately, people hear or make statements which on the surface seem true. But if we take time to examine the statement being made, is it really true? Once we scratch the surface, does the premise being conveyed stand up under further examination? One major topic which comes to mind: do we still make things here in the United States anymore?
Take this raw data as a sample – since 2001, the US has lost approximately 42,400 factories. As of the first quarter of 2001 there were 398,837 factories operating in the US, where, as of the first quarter of 2009, that figure had dropped to 356,433 – actual decline of 42,404 facilities. What was the cause of this? Have all the jobs gone to China? Or Japan for that matter? Does the US still make ANYTHING?
What is lost in these talking points is that throughout our history, various whole categories of job skills have peaked and waned and disappeared. Think about the days when the ice man used to deliver ice to your home. Or the milkman who delivered your milk. Or the street vendor who pushed his cart around and came to sharpen your knives and scissors. As a kid, this writer remembers when the milkman put quarts of fresh milk in a special insulated box in the early morning on my childhood’s house doorstep. Nowadays, most of us get our milk from the supermarket, or the 7-11, rather than having it delivered by the milkman.
Professor Walter Williams talks about this in his recent column: (http://townhall.com/columnists/WalterEWilliams/2011/01/05/true_or_false)
He cites statistics from an article written by Dr. Mark Perry in The American (12/23/2009) titled “Manufacturing’s Death Greatly Exaggerated”. We learn that for the year 2008, the Federal Reserve estimated the GDP generated by the manufacturing sector in the US totaled $3.7 trillion – placing the US manufacturing sector on par with the entire GDP of Germany for fourth place overall in the world.
US manufacturing job sector employment peaked at 19.5 million in 1979. Since then, Professor Williams points out that the manufacturing workforce has shrunk by 40%, and will continue to shrink. Have all these jobs gone overseas? No. Because of automation, the US worker is three times more productive as in 1980 and twice as productive as in 2000, and this accounts for a major portion of the job losses rather than imports our outsourcing.
Again, reading through our country’s history, the US has always experienced labor shifts. In 1790, 90% of the workforce was engaged in agriculture. By 1900 only 41% of the workforce was employed in agriculture. By 2008, less than 3% of Americans were employed in agriculture. Consider the shift from those who worked in farming who have gone on to work in manufacturing building cars, refrigerators, air conditioners, TVs, washers, dryers, computers, things that were not even dreamed of back in 1790. More recently, look at the telecommunications industry. In 1970, the telecommunications industry employed 421,000 workers in good paying jobs as long distance operators, handling 9.8 billion calls annually. Today, this same industry employs fewer than 60,000 operators, and yet more than 100 billion long-distance calls are being made annually. That’s a job loss factor of 85% and yet the volume of calls being made has increased ten-fold. Again, technology accounts for these job losses, thus making the cost of long distance calls a fraction of what they once were.
Again, for those who follow history, these cycles of job creation and extinction are what economic historian Joseph Schumpeter called “creative destruction.” Yes, the adjustments can be painful (read GM), but to stand in its way would make all of us poorer in the long run…..Thank you to Walter Williams for another logical, common sense, and insightful viewpoint on this issue.
And don’t even get me started on global warming…….a political urban myths, used by those who seek to advance their hidden agendas.
Shooting in Arizona
Author: JoAnn The Plumber
January 10, 2011It's now been less than 48 hours since the massacre in Tucson, with details, not opinion, coming out about the shooter. Gabrielle Gibbons, the assassination target, is in critical condition after being shot in the head. She has survived brain surgery and is responding to minimal commands. Six others are dead.
An "altar" with a human skull and dried oranges has been found in Loughner's backyard, underneath a camouflage tent. Former classmates have spoken out about being certain they would be his victims in class and his professor feared him so much that he would not turn his back on him to write on the blackboard. He was finally expelled after 5 attempts to remove him from the school.
It took very little time for the sheriff of the county to accuse right wing talk show rhetoric as the cause of this disturbed young man's actions. He admitted it was his opinion, not facts in the case that caused him to accuse radio talk show hosts. Krugman, of the NYTimes, has accused Limbaugh and Beck of inciting this type of action. How hard is it to use facts, both in police investigation as well in news reporting?
Now lawmakers are attempting to stifle our First Amendment Rights by restricting what they term as "hate speech" against talk show hosts. Lawmakers on both sides have been threatened for years, offices have been vandalized, and Glenn Beck has had a security detail for him and his family for years. Mental instability is not restricted to one political spectrum. To attempt to abridge our free speech rights for rhetoric, not incitement, is an attempt to silence and shut down our freedoms from the highest political levels. And to do this without facts is an abomination.
Beyond Traffic Cameras
Author: Thomas R. Cuba
January 07, 2011There has been a good deal of debate recently about the City of St. Petersburg's plans to install traffic cameras. The opponents are screaming "Invasion of Privacy!" The City is trying to prevent accidents in the best, if inept, way they know how. Opponents make some real valid points: That "Cameras ticket the car, not the driver" is probably the best. The expense is another valid criticism. Cries of "Big Brother" while scary, are ill placed because in public a photograph is perfectly legal. I don't like the thought of being photographed wherever I walk, but the street is a public place.
The City makes a good point in citing the safety of both other drivers and pedestrians. But then the whole thing gets stupid. The City wants to stop T-bone crashes and the opponents state that cars braking for red lights will cause more rear end collisions. Neither side is talking about the fact that it is selfish behavior and bad driving that brings all this about. The opponents fail to mention that the rear end crashes are caused because drivers speed and follow too closely. The city fails to mention that T-bone crashes are caused by their inability to make people stop running red lights using the standard-issue patrol officer. Here's the real problem: People drive like idiots and the City can't control it. Let's move beyond the issue on the surface and think like conservatives. We believe in the Rule of Law over the Rule of a Monarch.
The law sets a speed limit. The law gives us guidance on how much room to leave between us and the car ahead. The law says stop for a yellow light unless it is impossible to do so. Do we drive that way? If we did, would the rear end collisions be an argument we might want to abandon? While many of us may not like the speed limits, as conservatives, we are bound to change the law, then our speed: Ignoring the law is the way of the Anarchist. Let's face it. Principles are principles and we don't get our moral code from Morrison's. My suggestion on the cameras? Take the money and hire more officers, but make the fine for running a red light about $500.00. The incentive is there. But officers, unlike traffic cameras, are mobile and can set up on a new corner each day. You can even give the officer a camera if you want.
Christmas, The Glory Story
Author: PI Chaplain Glenn Pav
December 12, 2010God, the Father, sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to the earth. Jesus, never ceasing to be God, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, and grew up in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. He remained sinless throughout his earthly life in order to die on the cross for all mankind's sins.
This truly is a Glory Story because Jesus Christ provided the only way man could get to heaven or have a relationship with a holy God because He alone is sinless.
The Glory of Jesus' birth began in a Shepherd's field where Angels praised God for his physical birth in Bethlehem. The Glory was shone first to common people, shepherds, not dignitaries. The Glory of God prevailed throughout Jesus' life through his miracles and many life-changing events for all to believe. This Glory Story is the same for us today.
The word Christmas originated as a compound meaning "Christ's Mass. Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus to the Virgin Mary as a fulfillment of the Old Testament's Messianic prophecy. Yes, this is the Glory Story.
And you, my friend, can invite Christ into your heart right now by acknowledging you are a sinner, by believing Christ died for your sins, and by confessing this to God and to others at this Christmas time. Then you, too, will have a Glory Story to share at Christmas. May God Bless you with a very Blessed Christmas, and may God bless the U.S.A.
Letter To The Editor
Author: John Sipos
I know it's really easy to get carried away with conspiratorial speculations. Fact or fiction or some point between the two, I do not know — but do read the linked article in WorldNetDaily. What is clear, enemies within, both Democrat and Republican, are determined to take down our borders, destroy our Constitutional liberties, and integrate us into an international socialist global governance structure. Internationalists started pointing us in this direction nearly one hundred years back.
If this Congress does not take a hard stand in favor of restoring CONSTITUTIONAL ORDER, protecting borders, language, culture; reeducating Constitutional officers at every city, county, state, and national level (in that order), particularly sheriffs and sworn military officers — future generations of Americans are doomed to live lives of third world squalor and poverty; the poverty having already arrived on our doorstep. With poverty comes slavery, the people living under the morality and spirit corrupting dictatorial boot of ruling elite ilk.Read the attached article, weighing this with your own inside sources, and candidly determine for yourself what is true. Then gather around you those political forces necessary to defeat, to defund all activities within our government and other parasite entities living off the funny money treasury. Please. I do hope, if, with your leadership, we can survive this lame duck session of Congress determined to reduce all of us to dead ducks, then in the new year I will have little cause to be pestering you with daily emails.
This is quite likely your last term in Congress and I and other observers are expecting that your son will then be stepping up to the plate. Whether he succeeds in your footsteps or not, the person who follows must be dedicated to saving our Republic. Today, yes, there is other daily stuff for you to do. But you must give top most priority to — protecting and defending the Constitution against enemies foreign and domestic, our national sovereignty. Please. Thank you.
http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=240621
John Sipos
St. Petersburg, FL
PATRIOTS!
Author: Hanson Hamilton
November 2, 2010 was “yesterday”. August 2012 is tomorrow, not 20 months from now.
We as tea partiers, 912ers and patriots have absolutely NO TIME to lose. We must now reach out and seek, find and locate those citizens who will make the best representatives for We, the People in all our “Halls of Congress” from City Commission through School Boards and County Commissions all the way to the US Presidency.
Too many of us are still sitting at our computers forwarding angry messages to one another. The issues contained in those messages are yesterday’s news. We have already learned that they did not get the November 2nd message in Washington, NOR EVEN in our local governments!! The news for today is where will we seek and find the candidates for the 2012 elections.
We must all begin to understand that we do NOT have a two-party system in this country – it is not stated in the Constitution – UNLESS we allow or desire such a system. Every election day we have a number of EMPTY seats in our elective offices which We, the People - not a political party - must fill.
There are automatic “term limits” on ALL our elective offices. There is nothing in the Constitution which refers to incumbents, holdovers, or automatic ownership in any way. Many of our elective offices even have two year “term limits”. It is up to We, the People to find and support the candidates we feel will best represent us on every election day, thereby creating our own automatic term limits.
I implore each of you to look around at the people with whom you associate. Do you know someone who you feel would make a good “citizen representative” for ANY of your political district elective offices?
NOW is the time. Name recognition is a very important factor in election successes. We found out it cannot be done in a nine month period. We have 20 months!! Seek out and encourage citizens to consider candidacy NOW and let’s get those signs out!!!
The tea party message is perfect – less government and reduced taxation! At this moment that message is only getting to “the choir” and is not on the street where all the citizens can see it. We must start NOW for both name and message recognition!!
I admonish everyone NOT to sit on the sidelines any longer, but start NOW to seek out and support the best person to represent you in all your geo-political district elective offices!!!
Hamilton Hanson
Letter To The Editor
Author: Bruce Christofi
Dear Governor Crist,
I am concerned that there is interest in creating a law or regulation that covers all the state in one broad sweep for grey or brown water quality.
In Florida, with so many different ground water conditions, I believe it is best to allow for local control and regulation. If any legislation is enacted it should be outcome legislation, when the results are standardized or guided, and not the process. In north central Florida the ground water table is significantly below, and along the coastline is the other extreme.
I originally lived in RI, and witnessed first hand how broad standards without recognizing local conditions can hamper the original attempt to improve quality. I personally approached the RI ISDS, the department responsibility for septic system standards, and submitted a variance to standards. Although it was not received, about 2 years later the RI regulation was modified in reaction to significant input from citizens to consider local conditions, which developers and home owners alike cheered for a new reasonableness
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Bruce Christofi
14769 Sugar Cane Way
Clearwater
‘Independent voter and thinker’
DID THEY HEAR US?
Author: Walter Steinheimer
December 15, 2010We, as conservatives, rejoiced at the massive turnover in the House of Representatives coming out of the 2010 elections as the Republicans took 63 seats. And as we took this as a clarion call that perhaps THIS TIME they heard the voters, I am starting to wonder just what they DID HEAR (if anything).
I present three examples which might raise some concerns:
- Locally, here in Pinellas County, we are told that the Board of County Commissioners is populated with conservatives - mostly. Susan Latvala claimed the conservative mantle while she ran for re-election, as did Norm Roche. Karen Seel, the chair, is somehow viewed as one, as is Neil Brickfield. Ken Welsh is a liberal – he makes no bones about that. John Moroni is very community orientated. Nancy Bostock is rock solid.
- One would think the PBCC would lean towards conservatism, but then reality sets in. The PBCC voted to extend the 4th cent on the Pinellas Tourism Tax until 2021, leaving the door open to potential funding foundation for a new stadium.
- This little package also included a $2.5 million grant to the Dali Museum, coupling this little gift with a matching grant from the city of St. Petersburg gives the Dali Museum, which for all intents and purposes is a PRIVATE entity, gets a nice round $5 million from Pinellas taxpayers. We are picking winners here, just like in Washington.
The fetish for light rail and high speed rail continues: Washington dashes $1.25 billion as downpayment for construction of a high-speed rail project connecting Tampa and Orlando.
The proposed $2.6 billion project picked up another $342 million from DC when Ohio and Wisconsin said ‘no thanks’ to their high speed rail projects, and (along with) $280 million more from the state.
- Now this project is fully funded. State Senator Paula Dockery, when running as a candidate for governor, told supporters of her opposition to light rail hooking up Jacksonville and Lakeland, claiming the cost of $62 million per mile was simply too high.
- Now she advises our Governor-Elect Rick Scott that the Tampa-Orlando project is a good idea. What makes this project a good idea and the one she opposed a bad one? Only she knows.
- But meanwhile, Washington, using money it doesn’t have, continues to impose its bad ideas onto the states and nary a peep from any Republican. During the Senate race here, Marco Rubio opposed the Tampa-Orlando high speed rail project.
- The bill which includes a two-year extension of the current Bush tax rates is now so bloated with pork, it passes with a vote of 83 – 15 in favor. All but 5 Republican voted for it – despite provisions which include continuance of 45 cent/gallon ethanol subsidies, extension of unemployment insurance, tax breaks for wind/solar power, tax preferences for NASCAR, subsidies for Virgin Island and Puerto Rican rum producers – this is demonstrating fiscal prudence which is needed to lower our overall debt?
Okay, to those who say this is the lame duck Congress, and that we need to do this to prevent taxpayer chaos which could ensue if rates aren’t stabilized before January 1, I would say that it brings to mind the infamous quote of Rahm Emmanuel “never let a crisis go to waste.” Under this cover, the Congress takes advantage of a situation where something has to be done, so let’s lard it up with all kinds of legislative goodies over and above the true purpose of simply stabilizing tax rates.
And what we are left with again is a legislation which highlights – once again – what Washington is good at. Note – the five Republicans who voted NAY were Tom Coburn, Jim DeMint, Jeff Sessions, John Ensign, George Voinovich…
- And breaking news – we have 1,924 page spending bill valued at $1.1trillion – legislation to keep the government running thru FY2011…..without which the government will shut down if not passed before Saturday.
Until the above trends are turned around, and locally we have a lot of work to do to keep these RINOs in check, but on the national level, if the 112th Congress turns out to be just as self-absorbed as the 111th Congress, what then? The quick answer is they must not have heard us…..
IS THIS TAX DEAL GOOD FOR US?
Author: Walter Steinheimer
December 8, 2010
So far, here is what is being proposed as the bi-partisan tax deal hammered out between the Democrats and the Republicans.
- Current existing tax rates will be extended for another 2 years, until 2012. Estimated loss of revenue from this extension, according to a December 3 study of the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service is put at $314.9 billion.
- Employees will be given a 2% break on their payroll taxes for 2011. Cost of this one year program will be $120 billion – source, The White House.
- Unemployment insurance benefits will be extended for another 13 months. The cost for this extension is put at $56 billion – source, The White House.
- Death tax will be reinstated next year at a rate of 35% with a $5million threshold.
- Business will be allowed to fully expense equipment purchases next year. These write-offs would be retroactive to September 30, 2010.
- The preliminary agreement provides for a 2-year extension of the research and development tax credit and other tax incentives to support business expansion.
Missing in this conversation is any talk of spending reductions. And meanwhile, the government has been kept operational via a series of continuing resolutions since the FY2010 budget expired on September 30. Is this any way to run a railroad?
As a small business advisor, I venture a guess that given the current tax structure was not made permanent, it does not bode well for those who wish to hire new staff, and thus make any substantial inroads into the unemployment problem.
As these tax rates are good for only the next 2 years, and given the uncertainty still swirling around the health care package, small business is unlikely to engage in aggressive hiring given they only have a two-year window to work with.
Washington has once again tied its fortunes to the upcoming 2012 election cycle, and Obama has vowed to fight any further extension come 2012 in order to appease his base (they’re rather angry right now).
And another detail to be defined is whether the 2% payroll tax holiday is a true temporary tax reduction, or rather a means to put more cash in workers’ paychecks temporarily only to have either the employer or the employee settle up the 2% shortfall when they file their 2011 tax returns (recall the stimulus checks everyone was given? They were considered taxable income.).
Without any meaningful spending cuts, this deal is not good for the long term financial health of the country as it merely loads another $500 billion of debt onto our heirs. This money will most likely be funded from the Chinese, so that we may continue to shop and purchase their goods in our stores.
For now, it looks like we conservatives will have to continue to grin and bear it as our so-called allies in the Republican party took the easy way out again. And what makes this even more amusing is that the White House comes out looking like the true tax cutter given the 2% payroll tax holiday was their idea.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
Walter Steinheimer
December 1, 2010Okay, the 2010 elections are behind us. 60+ Democrats were kicked off their Federal Congressional seats and to the curb, talk less of the 680 who were kicked to the curb from their statehouse seats, along with 10 governors all across the land.
Now what – where do we go from here? Let's take stock:
- Obamacare – Incoming House Majority Leader, Eric Cantor, is rumored as saying there are some provisions of Obamacare he would like to see retained – not a good sign. Especially the notion of coverage for pre-existing conditions. So here we already have some backpedaling.
- Extension of the Bush tax rates – what is missing from the media blather is the fact that if no action is taken by the Senate, we will all be subject to a tax increase. Why are the Republicans not pressing this point? Again, they are dancing around in another vain and ill-advised attempt to placate the Democrats for fear of being cast as supporters of the wealthy? Again, using Obama’s favorite phrase “We won.” Thomas Sowell penned some recent work on “Can Republicans Talk?”. Read his columns at Townhall.com.
- Debt commission – several scenarios of the recommendations to be presented from Obama’s debt commission will suggest the imposition of a national VAT tax (6.5%) or some other form of tax increases (i.e., the gasoline tax). Some reductions in government spending will be suggested, but given what occurred during the last election cycle, any talk of any tax, new or increased, misses the point. The point being, the federal government has a huge spending problem.
- Drilling in the Gulf – today, the Obama administration announced an ongoing ban on drilling in the eastern Gulf. Can you say ‘Hugo Chavez’?
- Excessive, expansive, intrusive government – the TSA can now grope you, scan you - as part of the price one pays to fly. Food safety needed major upgrading, so now the FDA has expanded its scope of regulation as a result of S510. Just because the government has the power to impose ever increasing rules and regulations doesn’t mean that they should – but they did, with the help of 15 Republican Senators. And, now they are looking to impose some form of regulation on the Internet.
- Government picking winners – whether it was GM or The Dali Museum, seems that government can’t help but be generous with other people’s money.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. The attack to-do-list is extensive, and there will be no respite from this work for the foreseeable future. What is needed is for more like minded folks to get up, strap on their helmets and get into the game. As in business, it’s a numbers game. The more knowledgeable and dedicated folks we have, the stronger we are, and the better our chances are of getting the country back on its Constitutional rails.
Let’s get to work!
JoAnn On Education
Author: JoAnn the Plumber
Our children are being graduated without a decent education. Why would our politicians encourage this? It all comes down to money from the federal government. The more children in class, the more money issued to "educate" those children. And the ultimate losers are the children, thrust into the world without basic skills.
My sister, with a master's degree in English Education, quit teaching in 1980, after being told to pass a 19 year old student who refused to come to class, let alone do the work. As a 19 year old senior, he could not graduate without passing his English course. He was unable to read on a 9th grade level, yet he was graduated and thrust into the working (?) world. This was in order to have a higher graduation percentage than there should have been. The school system lost a truly great teacher, and at the same time, put a young man into the world ill-equipped to work at anything other than the most menial job.
Where is the winner?
Righting the R.I.G.H.T. (Part 2)
Author: Patriots' Ink Chaplain Rev. Glenn Pav
R: Reformation
The Protestant Reformation of the 16th century began as a movement of individuals, both laymen and clergy, whose faith and witness inspired thousands to restore sound, biblical Christianity to the people of all nations, based upon the truth of the Gospel according to God's Holy Word. Today, the gift of this godly heritage is being challenged by many factors and may not survive intact beyond this generation. Today, we need a spiritual revival of the soul and a political reformation of the mind.
I: Integrity
Political corruption, moral decay, patriotic disloyalty, and open dishonesty run rampant in our country today. The Leftists from the Presidency to the media unabashedly use harsh criticism based on lies to demean the character of the constitutional conservatives. Character assassination is the norm of the day. Overt acts of bribery and theft are left unpunished. Our President's sarcasm is disingenuous and unprecedented. This is intolerable. Integrity must rule the day or trust in God and country is not possible.
Click here to read the entire article
What is a Conservative Republican and Why choose to be One?
Author: Debra K. Caso
Choices are American. Individualism is American. Independence is American. Freedom is a Natural Right granted from God as written in our Constitution and defended by law in our Republican form of government.
Since the time of Reagan, and earlier, the party has changed dramatically. From a Conservative Republican platform, one that inspires personal responsibility has developed into what is now a Socialist Democracy. As Conservatives, we want to think, work and achieve in pursuit of property and happiness to whatever extent we can.
Republican leaders like Lindsey Graham, John McCain , choices backed by the party, believe the party should be more inclusive and have sold their oath to the highest bidders and stolen the voice of the people. These are not representatives of the people, they are self serving, arrogant and bought and paid for career politicians who have forgotten the only treasure they were sent to protect is the God given freedom of the people from a Federal government that has been tyrannical for more years than they have been in Congress.
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A Disaster is a Disaster
Author: Hanson Hamilton
Seems George H. W. Bush had a time of it with Katrina in New Orleans. I, too, felt that he was a disaster in that disaster.
Now comes Barack H. Obama with a disaster of potentially worse magnitude, and guess what? He cannot manage the disaster either!!!
So, now we know that it is not only the head honcho who is the disaster, but the corrupted government they oversee (and very badly at that). We can all blame as many individual Presidents as we want for the shambles of our government(s) all up and down the line.
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Patriot's Quote
"Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company."
George Washington
God's Word
"Some Pharisees asked Jesus when the Kingdom of God would come. His answer was, 'The Kingdom of God does not come in such a way as to be seen. No one will say look here it is or there it is; because the Kingdom of God is within you."
Luke 17:20-21
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