Socialism taxes the productivity of achievers, and funds the idleness of the slothful.
Socialism robs from the entrepreneur, and rewards those who feel "entitled."
Socialism plays the business owner against his laborers -- not for the workers good, but to increase governments power.
Socialism substitutes mandatory government redistribution for heartfelt and Godly charity.
Socialism is antithetical to both Scripture, and to the Constitution -- it replaces the heart of a cheerful giver with the imposition of Government confiscation, and it is centered around a government of men rather than the goodness of God.
Socialism is a form of idolatry, implementing the biases of certain classes of men, against other classes of men -- with the criteria of thier judgments based on wealth and economic condition, rather than on righteousness and faith.
Socialism robs the poor man of incentive and initiative, and it robs the rich man of opportunities to create more wealth -- for himself and those who work for him.
Socialism has never worked anywhere it's been tried; Capitalism -- when tempered by the principles and prayers of the Godly -- has never failed anywhere it's been tried.
Choose wisely, as this choice may be your last.
JDW
copyright 2008, all rights reserved
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Barack Obama is a Marxist
There is no way to deny it. In a 2001 interview with a Chicago radio station, he speaks repeatedly of "redistributing wealth," and clearly posits the idea that not only did the Civil Rights movement fail, but the Founders who wrote the Constitution failed. Listen to the short interview excerpts...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iivL4c_3pck
What say you?
I'll have plenty more to say later....
JDW
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iivL4c_3pck
What say you?
I'll have plenty more to say later....
JDW
Friday, October 24, 2008
The First 100 Days.... Obama's Agenda Should He Be Elected...
Men like Barack Obama don't do things without planning ahead. He is a "community organizer" after all. BHO has been working on becoming President perhaps longer than Bill Clinton did. He's read Marx, he's studied FDR, he's listened to Wright and Farrakhan for 20 years. IF he's elected, he won't enter office clueless. He will, of necessity, have to strike while the iron's hot. He'll have to accomplish much before anyone "important" catches on and starts to raise the alarm. He'll have a plan -- something like the one below:
First, rescind ALL laws and regulations restricting the abortion industry -- because he promised to do so as his first executive order.
Second, propose and have Congress pass the "Fairness Doctrine." Bye-bye Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Conservative talk radio, and even The O'Reilly Factor and other news commentator shows.
Third, pass sweeping regulations, fees, fines and taxes on the internet, including empowering the FCC to begin "monitoring" websites for "hate speech," and leveling fines and injunctions on posters and webhosts for "offensive" posts and comments.
Fourth, begin introducing anti-gun legislation meant to gut the 2nd Amendment bit by bit -- including "assualt weapons bans," "military ammunition bans," "weapons and ammunitions taxes," mandatory weapons registration with the government, manditory limits on weapons purchases (no more than 1 a month -- 14 day waiting period), overrule and declare illegal all concealed carry laws and permits, mandatory confiscation of firearms from criminals, including those fined or cited for "hate speech"...The ultimate goal, to ban all weapons within the term -- or terms -- of an Obama administration.
Fifth, "nationalize" 401K's, converting them to the Social Security system, offering a gauranteed 3% return on funds to all retirees (401K funds's will no longer "belong" to the individual, but will be owned by the Government and used to prop up ailing Social Security program now -- don't WORRY about the future).
Introduce socialized medicine plan -- single payer, government-run. Urge Congress to force this -- and all the previous components -- through within the first 100 days.
Increase taxes. All taxes. Payroll. FICA. Income. Everything.
And, if there is still time, have Congress introduce legisation to rescind the "Defense of Marriage Act," making the legalization of "Gay Marriage" by states binding on all other states via the "interstate commerce clause" of the Constitution as it is interpreted by liberal, activist judges. This can certainly be passed in the second 100 days. This will inevitably lead to the challenge of discriminatory religious practices among traditional churches, which will lead to lawsuits, criminal cases and regulatory fines over the next 4-8 years, depriving churches of tax-exempt status if they violate the "human rights" of homosexuals.
If worse comes to worst, and there is "civil unrest" or active resistance (American sheep are too fat and lazy for that, right?), or should there be a major terroist incident -- we'll just declare martial law, suspend the Constitution, and stay in power "until we fix the problem."
***********
I'm just speculating out loud....
JDW
First, rescind ALL laws and regulations restricting the abortion industry -- because he promised to do so as his first executive order.
Second, propose and have Congress pass the "Fairness Doctrine." Bye-bye Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, Conservative talk radio, and even The O'Reilly Factor and other news commentator shows.
Third, pass sweeping regulations, fees, fines and taxes on the internet, including empowering the FCC to begin "monitoring" websites for "hate speech," and leveling fines and injunctions on posters and webhosts for "offensive" posts and comments.
Fourth, begin introducing anti-gun legislation meant to gut the 2nd Amendment bit by bit -- including "assualt weapons bans," "military ammunition bans," "weapons and ammunitions taxes," mandatory weapons registration with the government, manditory limits on weapons purchases (no more than 1 a month -- 14 day waiting period), overrule and declare illegal all concealed carry laws and permits, mandatory confiscation of firearms from criminals, including those fined or cited for "hate speech"...The ultimate goal, to ban all weapons within the term -- or terms -- of an Obama administration.
Fifth, "nationalize" 401K's, converting them to the Social Security system, offering a gauranteed 3% return on funds to all retirees (401K funds's will no longer "belong" to the individual, but will be owned by the Government and used to prop up ailing Social Security program now -- don't WORRY about the future).
Introduce socialized medicine plan -- single payer, government-run. Urge Congress to force this -- and all the previous components -- through within the first 100 days.
Increase taxes. All taxes. Payroll. FICA. Income. Everything.
And, if there is still time, have Congress introduce legisation to rescind the "Defense of Marriage Act," making the legalization of "Gay Marriage" by states binding on all other states via the "interstate commerce clause" of the Constitution as it is interpreted by liberal, activist judges. This can certainly be passed in the second 100 days. This will inevitably lead to the challenge of discriminatory religious practices among traditional churches, which will lead to lawsuits, criminal cases and regulatory fines over the next 4-8 years, depriving churches of tax-exempt status if they violate the "human rights" of homosexuals.
If worse comes to worst, and there is "civil unrest" or active resistance (American sheep are too fat and lazy for that, right?), or should there be a major terroist incident -- we'll just declare martial law, suspend the Constitution, and stay in power "until we fix the problem."
***********
I'm just speculating out loud....
JDW
If Obama Should Win….
Best Case Scenario: Obama doesn't get a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, so his grand plan is muted from the beginning. He fails to get the "Fairness Doctrine" reinstituted and is not permitted to regulate (and/or tax) the internet, thus, Freedom of Speech survives, and opposition to socialized medicine, welfare state entitlements and abject military retreat rise steadily. He also fails to replace wholesale the judiciary, and though he names 2 SCOTUS justices, cannot replace every Federal judge with his hand-picked Liberal judicial activists. In two years, the Republicans regain 5 Senate and 28 House seats, and Obama's approval rating falls to 13%. The US is fortunate that there are no terrorist attacks during Obama’s term. The next 2 years Obama is unable to accomplish anything of significance, and in 2012, the Conservative Republican ticket of Palin/Jindal are elected by a landslide, and the Republicans regain Senate control 51-49, and regain the house by 5 seats.
Worst Case Scenario: Obama is elected by a landslide, and the Senate secures a filibuster-proof majority, 60-40. The House shifts more than 30 seats to Democrats, giving them an unstoppable machine to implement their agenda.
They pass the Fairness Doctrine, and in short order, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck are a thing of the past.
They regulate and tax the internet, and "hate speech" legislation allows the FCC to "monitor" certain websites and fine (or perhaps prosecute) those who post objectionable materials online (goodbye FreeRepublic, NewsMax, WorldNetDaily).
Handgun and other weapons bans are passed by Congress, signed by the President and permitted by the courts, as are new "user fees" and taxes, driving up the price of weapons so that Americans generally cannot afford them, or are not allowed to possess them. Even then, much of the ammunition is deemed illegal or is too expensive to buy (though the Black Market flourishes).
Due to the exorbitant spending and careless handling, the already weak and stressed economy finally collapses, and the Fed prints dollars unendingly leading to hyper-inflation, high unemployment, and another spike in foreclosures and bankruptcies.
With OPEC boycotting oil and Iran sealing the Persian Gulf, due to Israel's attack on their nuclear facilities, and Obama's unwillingness to deploy military force against them, oil prices go out of sight, and gas, at $7 a gallon is too expensive to buy.
These several crises create supply shortages of food and gas, which leads to civil unrest, riots and looting in a number of cities in the US. Finally, President Obama activates the National Guard in Washington and other major cities. In Washington, a protest of hundreds of thousands against the government leads to riots, and conflict between National Guardsmen and Police, and the many angry protestors. Some die, many are arrested, and several blocks of DC are burnt down.
A month before the first midterm election (2010) for Barack Obama, Los Angeles, California is the site of the first major terrorist attack since 9/11. Al Qaeda terrorists based in Phoenix, Arizona and Dearborn, Michigan, manages to construct a "dirty bomb" and detonate it in the heart of LA. Thousands die as a result of the radiation, and tens of thousands more are seriously sickened. Several square miles of downtown Los Angeles are deemed uninhabitable for the foreseeable future. As a result of the panic and unrest, President Obama declares martial law; "temporarily" suspends the Constitution and "delays" the elections, nationalizes most state law enforcement agencies, and puts in place strict curfews and regulations. Those found armed on the street after curfew are shot on sight, or imprisoned without trial. Welcome to the United Socialist States of America....
JDW
copyright 2008, All Rights Reserved
Worst Case Scenario: Obama is elected by a landslide, and the Senate secures a filibuster-proof majority, 60-40. The House shifts more than 30 seats to Democrats, giving them an unstoppable machine to implement their agenda.
They pass the Fairness Doctrine, and in short order, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck are a thing of the past.
They regulate and tax the internet, and "hate speech" legislation allows the FCC to "monitor" certain websites and fine (or perhaps prosecute) those who post objectionable materials online (goodbye FreeRepublic, NewsMax, WorldNetDaily).
Handgun and other weapons bans are passed by Congress, signed by the President and permitted by the courts, as are new "user fees" and taxes, driving up the price of weapons so that Americans generally cannot afford them, or are not allowed to possess them. Even then, much of the ammunition is deemed illegal or is too expensive to buy (though the Black Market flourishes).
Due to the exorbitant spending and careless handling, the already weak and stressed economy finally collapses, and the Fed prints dollars unendingly leading to hyper-inflation, high unemployment, and another spike in foreclosures and bankruptcies.
With OPEC boycotting oil and Iran sealing the Persian Gulf, due to Israel's attack on their nuclear facilities, and Obama's unwillingness to deploy military force against them, oil prices go out of sight, and gas, at $7 a gallon is too expensive to buy.
These several crises create supply shortages of food and gas, which leads to civil unrest, riots and looting in a number of cities in the US. Finally, President Obama activates the National Guard in Washington and other major cities. In Washington, a protest of hundreds of thousands against the government leads to riots, and conflict between National Guardsmen and Police, and the many angry protestors. Some die, many are arrested, and several blocks of DC are burnt down.
A month before the first midterm election (2010) for Barack Obama, Los Angeles, California is the site of the first major terrorist attack since 9/11. Al Qaeda terrorists based in Phoenix, Arizona and Dearborn, Michigan, manages to construct a "dirty bomb" and detonate it in the heart of LA. Thousands die as a result of the radiation, and tens of thousands more are seriously sickened. Several square miles of downtown Los Angeles are deemed uninhabitable for the foreseeable future. As a result of the panic and unrest, President Obama declares martial law; "temporarily" suspends the Constitution and "delays" the elections, nationalizes most state law enforcement agencies, and puts in place strict curfews and regulations. Those found armed on the street after curfew are shot on sight, or imprisoned without trial. Welcome to the United Socialist States of America....
JDW
copyright 2008, All Rights Reserved
Monday, October 20, 2008
Biden to Supporters -- The Justification for the Rise of Liberofascism
Excerpts from a speech by Senator Joe Biden (my title, the "Gird your Loins" speech), VP Nominee for Barack Obama and the Democrat Party (10/19/2008):
"Mark my words, it will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We're about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here if you don't remember anything else I said. Watch, we're gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy....
"I can give you at least four or five scenarios from where it might originate, and he's gonna need help. And the kind of help he's gonna need is, he's gonna need you - not financially to help him - we're gonna need you to use your influence, your influence within the community, to stand with him. Because it's not gonna be apparent initially, it's not gonna be apparent that we're right....
"Gird your loins,we're gonna win with your help, God willing, we're gonna win, but this is not gonna be an easy ride. This president, the next president, is gonna be left with the most significant task. It's like cleaning the Augean stables, man. This is more than just, this is more than – think about it, literally, think about it – this is more than just a capital crisis, this is more than just markets. This is a systemic problem we have with this economy....
"I've forgotten more about foreign policy than most of my colleagues know, so I'm not being falsely humble with you. I think I can be value added, but this guy has it. This guy has it. But he's gonna need your help. Because I promise you, you all are gonna be sitting here a year from now going, 'Oh my God, why are they there in the polls? Why is the polling so down? Why is this thing so tough?' We're gonna have to make some incredibly tough decisions in the first two years. So I'm asking you now, I'm asking you now, be prepared to stick with us. Remember the faith you had at this point because you're going to have to reinforce us....
"There are gonna be a lot of you who want to go, 'Whoa, wait a minute, yo, whoa, whoa, I don't know about that decision.' Because if you think the decision is sound when they're made, which I believe you will when they're made, they're not likely to be as popular as they are sound. Because if they're popular, they're probably not sound....
"You literally can see what these kids are up against, our kids in that region [Afghanistan & Pakistan]. The place is crawling with al Qaeda. And it's real. We do not have the military capacity, nor have we ever, quite frankly, in the last 20 years, to dictate outcomes," he cautioned. "It's so much more important than that. It's so much more complicated than that. And Barack gets it....
"I probably shouldn't have said all this because it dawned on me that the press is here....
"All kidding aside, these guys have left us in a God-awful place. We have the ability to straighten it out. It's gonna take a little bit of time, so I ask you to stay with us. Stay with us."
I think most people across the nation are missing the points of Joe Biden’s warning here. This isn’t about just some “international crisis” he knows — GAURANTEES — is coming. Neither is it just about our the supposed “systemic” failure of our economic system.
What Biden is not so subtly telegraphing is the groundwork and justification for the “change” he and Great Leader Obama have promised — the abandonment of capitalism and the Republic for socialism and one party rule.
The crisis — or crises — that are already upon us or just now appearing on the horizon will give Barack Obama and the Democrat party all the “reason” they need to solidify their power, enact new rules and regulations and and take from American citizens the rights they have taken for granted away from them. And it will all be the Conservative’s fault, of course.
And of course, many of the moves Obama will make will be unpopular — but his ACORN pals and community organizer friends WILL support him and give him cover, no matter what. It’s the recipe for Liberofascism to rule in the United States.
In my next post, I'll give you three or four things Barack Obama will do in his first 100 days, if he should win the election....
JDW
"Mark my words, it will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We're about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here if you don't remember anything else I said. Watch, we're gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy....
"I can give you at least four or five scenarios from where it might originate, and he's gonna need help. And the kind of help he's gonna need is, he's gonna need you - not financially to help him - we're gonna need you to use your influence, your influence within the community, to stand with him. Because it's not gonna be apparent initially, it's not gonna be apparent that we're right....
"Gird your loins,we're gonna win with your help, God willing, we're gonna win, but this is not gonna be an easy ride. This president, the next president, is gonna be left with the most significant task. It's like cleaning the Augean stables, man. This is more than just, this is more than – think about it, literally, think about it – this is more than just a capital crisis, this is more than just markets. This is a systemic problem we have with this economy....
"I've forgotten more about foreign policy than most of my colleagues know, so I'm not being falsely humble with you. I think I can be value added, but this guy has it. This guy has it. But he's gonna need your help. Because I promise you, you all are gonna be sitting here a year from now going, 'Oh my God, why are they there in the polls? Why is the polling so down? Why is this thing so tough?' We're gonna have to make some incredibly tough decisions in the first two years. So I'm asking you now, I'm asking you now, be prepared to stick with us. Remember the faith you had at this point because you're going to have to reinforce us....
"There are gonna be a lot of you who want to go, 'Whoa, wait a minute, yo, whoa, whoa, I don't know about that decision.' Because if you think the decision is sound when they're made, which I believe you will when they're made, they're not likely to be as popular as they are sound. Because if they're popular, they're probably not sound....
"You literally can see what these kids are up against, our kids in that region [Afghanistan & Pakistan]. The place is crawling with al Qaeda. And it's real. We do not have the military capacity, nor have we ever, quite frankly, in the last 20 years, to dictate outcomes," he cautioned. "It's so much more important than that. It's so much more complicated than that. And Barack gets it....
"I probably shouldn't have said all this because it dawned on me that the press is here....
"All kidding aside, these guys have left us in a God-awful place. We have the ability to straighten it out. It's gonna take a little bit of time, so I ask you to stay with us. Stay with us."
I think most people across the nation are missing the points of Joe Biden’s warning here. This isn’t about just some “international crisis” he knows — GAURANTEES — is coming. Neither is it just about our the supposed “systemic” failure of our economic system.
What Biden is not so subtly telegraphing is the groundwork and justification for the “change” he and Great Leader Obama have promised — the abandonment of capitalism and the Republic for socialism and one party rule.
The crisis — or crises — that are already upon us or just now appearing on the horizon will give Barack Obama and the Democrat party all the “reason” they need to solidify their power, enact new rules and regulations and and take from American citizens the rights they have taken for granted away from them. And it will all be the Conservative’s fault, of course.
And of course, many of the moves Obama will make will be unpopular — but his ACORN pals and community organizer friends WILL support him and give him cover, no matter what. It’s the recipe for Liberofascism to rule in the United States.
In my next post, I'll give you three or four things Barack Obama will do in his first 100 days, if he should win the election....
JDW
Friday, October 17, 2008
A Liberal Supermajority -- Get ready for 'change' we haven't seen since 1965, or 1933.
NOTE: This is an article I found today, and it says best what we ought to expect from an Obama administration with a filibuster-proof Democrat Congress. It should scare every American. read on, please...
Wall Street Journal - October 17, 2008
If the current polls hold, Barack Obama will win the White House on November 4 and Democrats will consolidate their Congressional majorities, probably with a filibuster-proof Senate or very close to it. Without the ability to filibuster, the Senate would become like the House, able to pass whatever the majority wants.
Though we doubt most Americans realize it, this would be one of the most profound political and ideological shifts in U.S. history. Liberals would dominate the entire government in a way they haven't since 1965, or 1933. In other words, the election would mark the restoration of the activist government that fell out of public favor in the 1970s. If the U.S. really is entering a period of unchecked left-wing ascendancy, Americans at least ought to understand what they will be getting, especially with the media cheering it all on.
The nearby table shows the major bills that passed the House this year or last before being stopped by the Senate minority. Keep in mind that the most important power of the filibuster is to shape legislation, not merely to block it. The threat of 41 committed Senators can cause the House to modify its desires even before legislation comes to a vote. Without that restraining power, all of the following have very good chances of becoming law in 2009 or 2010.
- Medicare for all. When HillaryCare cratered in 1994, the Democrats concluded they had overreached, so they carved up the old agenda into smaller incremental steps, such as Schip for children. A strongly Democratic Congress is now likely to lay the final flagstones on the path to government-run health insurance from cradle to grave.
Mr. Obama wants to build a public insurance program, modeled after Medicare and open to everyone of any income. According to the Lewin Group, the gold standard of health policy analysis, the Obama plan would shift between 32 million and 52 million from private coverage to the huge new entitlement. Like Medicare or the Canadian system, this would never be repealed.
The commitments would start slow, so as not to cause immediate alarm. But as U.S. health-care spending flowed into the default government options, taxes would have to rise or services would be rationed, or both. Single payer is the inevitable next step, as Mr. Obama has already said is his ultimate ideal.
- The business climate. "We have some harsh decisions to make," Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned recently, speaking about retribution for the financial panic. Look for a replay of the Pecora hearings of the 1930s, with Henry Waxman, John Conyers and Ed Markey sponsoring ritual hangings to further their agenda to control more of the private economy. The financial industry will get an overhaul in any case, but telecom, biotech and drug makers, among many others, can expect to be investigated and face new, more onerous rules. See the "Issues and Legislation" tab on Mr. Waxman's Web site for a not-so-brief target list.
The danger is that Democrats could cause the economic downturn to last longer than it otherwise will by enacting regulatory overkill like Sarbanes-Oxley. Something more punitive is likely as well, for instance a windfall profits tax on oil, and maybe other industries.
- Union supremacy. One program certain to be given right of way is "card check." Unions have been in decline for decades, now claiming only 7.4% of the private-sector work force, so Big Labor wants to trash the secret-ballot elections that have been in place since the 1930s. The "Employee Free Choice Act" would convert workplaces into union shops merely by gathering signatures from a majority of employees, which means organizers could strongarm those who opposed such a petition.
The bill also imposes a compulsory arbitration regime that results in an automatic two-year union "contract" after 130 days of failed negotiation. The point is to force businesses to recognize a union whether the workers support it or not. This would be the biggest pro-union shift in the balance of labor-management power since the Wagner Act of 1935.
- Taxes. Taxes will rise substantially, the only question being how high. Mr. Obama would raise the top income, dividend and capital-gains rates for "the rich," substantially increasing the cost of new investment in the U.S. More radically, he wants to lift or eliminate the cap on income subject to payroll taxes that fund Medicare and Social Security. This would convert what was meant to be a pension insurance program into an overt income redistribution program. It would also impose a probably unrepealable increase in marginal tax rates, and a permanent shift upward in the federal tax share of GDP.
- The green revolution. A tax-and-regulation scheme in the name of climate change is a top left-wing priority. Cap and trade would hand Congress trillions of dollars in new spending from the auction of carbon credits, which it would use to pick winners and losers in the energy business and across the economy. Huge chunks of GDP and millions of jobs would be at the mercy of Congress and a vast new global-warming bureaucracy. Without the GOP votes to help stage a filibuster, Senators from carbon-intensive states would have less ability to temper coastal liberals who answer to the green elites.
- Free speech and voting rights. A liberal supermajority would move quickly to impose procedural advantages that could cement Democratic rule for years to come. One early effort would be national, election-day voter registration. This is a long-time goal of Acorn and others on the "community organizer" left and would make it far easier to stack the voter rolls. The District of Columbia would also get votes in Congress -- Democratic, naturally.
Felons may also get the right to vote nationwide, while the Fairness Doctrine is likely to be reimposed either by Congress or the Obama FCC. A major goal of the supermajority left would be to shut down talk radio and other voices of political opposition.
- Special-interest potpourri. Look for the watering down of No Child Left Behind testing standards, as a favor to the National Education Association. The tort bar's ship would also come in, including limits on arbitration to settle disputes and watering down the 1995 law limiting strike suits. New causes of legal action would be sprinkled throughout most legislation. The anti-antiterror lobby would be rewarded with the end of Guantanamo and military commissions, which probably means trying terrorists in civilian courts. Google and MoveOn.org would get "net neutrality" rules, subjecting the Internet to intrusive regulation for the first time.
It's always possible that events -- such as a recession -- would temper some of these ambitions. Republicans also feared the worst in 1993 when Democrats ran the entire government, but it didn't turn out that way. On the other hand, Bob Dole then had 43 GOP Senators to support a filibuster, and the entire Democratic Party has since moved sharply to the left. Mr. Obama's agenda is far more liberal than Bill Clinton's was in 1992, and the Southern Democrats who killed Al Gore's BTU tax and modified liberal ambitions are long gone.
In both 1933 and 1965, liberal majorities imposed vast expansions of government that have never been repealed, and the current financial panic may give today's left another pretext to return to those heydays of welfare-state liberalism. Americans voting for "change" should know they may get far more than they ever imagined.
Wall Street Journal - October 17, 2008
If the current polls hold, Barack Obama will win the White House on November 4 and Democrats will consolidate their Congressional majorities, probably with a filibuster-proof Senate or very close to it. Without the ability to filibuster, the Senate would become like the House, able to pass whatever the majority wants.
Though we doubt most Americans realize it, this would be one of the most profound political and ideological shifts in U.S. history. Liberals would dominate the entire government in a way they haven't since 1965, or 1933. In other words, the election would mark the restoration of the activist government that fell out of public favor in the 1970s. If the U.S. really is entering a period of unchecked left-wing ascendancy, Americans at least ought to understand what they will be getting, especially with the media cheering it all on.
The nearby table shows the major bills that passed the House this year or last before being stopped by the Senate minority. Keep in mind that the most important power of the filibuster is to shape legislation, not merely to block it. The threat of 41 committed Senators can cause the House to modify its desires even before legislation comes to a vote. Without that restraining power, all of the following have very good chances of becoming law in 2009 or 2010.
- Medicare for all. When HillaryCare cratered in 1994, the Democrats concluded they had overreached, so they carved up the old agenda into smaller incremental steps, such as Schip for children. A strongly Democratic Congress is now likely to lay the final flagstones on the path to government-run health insurance from cradle to grave.
Mr. Obama wants to build a public insurance program, modeled after Medicare and open to everyone of any income. According to the Lewin Group, the gold standard of health policy analysis, the Obama plan would shift between 32 million and 52 million from private coverage to the huge new entitlement. Like Medicare or the Canadian system, this would never be repealed.
The commitments would start slow, so as not to cause immediate alarm. But as U.S. health-care spending flowed into the default government options, taxes would have to rise or services would be rationed, or both. Single payer is the inevitable next step, as Mr. Obama has already said is his ultimate ideal.
- The business climate. "We have some harsh decisions to make," Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned recently, speaking about retribution for the financial panic. Look for a replay of the Pecora hearings of the 1930s, with Henry Waxman, John Conyers and Ed Markey sponsoring ritual hangings to further their agenda to control more of the private economy. The financial industry will get an overhaul in any case, but telecom, biotech and drug makers, among many others, can expect to be investigated and face new, more onerous rules. See the "Issues and Legislation" tab on Mr. Waxman's Web site for a not-so-brief target list.
The danger is that Democrats could cause the economic downturn to last longer than it otherwise will by enacting regulatory overkill like Sarbanes-Oxley. Something more punitive is likely as well, for instance a windfall profits tax on oil, and maybe other industries.
- Union supremacy. One program certain to be given right of way is "card check." Unions have been in decline for decades, now claiming only 7.4% of the private-sector work force, so Big Labor wants to trash the secret-ballot elections that have been in place since the 1930s. The "Employee Free Choice Act" would convert workplaces into union shops merely by gathering signatures from a majority of employees, which means organizers could strongarm those who opposed such a petition.
The bill also imposes a compulsory arbitration regime that results in an automatic two-year union "contract" after 130 days of failed negotiation. The point is to force businesses to recognize a union whether the workers support it or not. This would be the biggest pro-union shift in the balance of labor-management power since the Wagner Act of 1935.
- Taxes. Taxes will rise substantially, the only question being how high. Mr. Obama would raise the top income, dividend and capital-gains rates for "the rich," substantially increasing the cost of new investment in the U.S. More radically, he wants to lift or eliminate the cap on income subject to payroll taxes that fund Medicare and Social Security. This would convert what was meant to be a pension insurance program into an overt income redistribution program. It would also impose a probably unrepealable increase in marginal tax rates, and a permanent shift upward in the federal tax share of GDP.
- The green revolution. A tax-and-regulation scheme in the name of climate change is a top left-wing priority. Cap and trade would hand Congress trillions of dollars in new spending from the auction of carbon credits, which it would use to pick winners and losers in the energy business and across the economy. Huge chunks of GDP and millions of jobs would be at the mercy of Congress and a vast new global-warming bureaucracy. Without the GOP votes to help stage a filibuster, Senators from carbon-intensive states would have less ability to temper coastal liberals who answer to the green elites.
- Free speech and voting rights. A liberal supermajority would move quickly to impose procedural advantages that could cement Democratic rule for years to come. One early effort would be national, election-day voter registration. This is a long-time goal of Acorn and others on the "community organizer" left and would make it far easier to stack the voter rolls. The District of Columbia would also get votes in Congress -- Democratic, naturally.
Felons may also get the right to vote nationwide, while the Fairness Doctrine is likely to be reimposed either by Congress or the Obama FCC. A major goal of the supermajority left would be to shut down talk radio and other voices of political opposition.
- Special-interest potpourri. Look for the watering down of No Child Left Behind testing standards, as a favor to the National Education Association. The tort bar's ship would also come in, including limits on arbitration to settle disputes and watering down the 1995 law limiting strike suits. New causes of legal action would be sprinkled throughout most legislation. The anti-antiterror lobby would be rewarded with the end of Guantanamo and military commissions, which probably means trying terrorists in civilian courts. Google and MoveOn.org would get "net neutrality" rules, subjecting the Internet to intrusive regulation for the first time.
It's always possible that events -- such as a recession -- would temper some of these ambitions. Republicans also feared the worst in 1993 when Democrats ran the entire government, but it didn't turn out that way. On the other hand, Bob Dole then had 43 GOP Senators to support a filibuster, and the entire Democratic Party has since moved sharply to the left. Mr. Obama's agenda is far more liberal than Bill Clinton's was in 1992, and the Southern Democrats who killed Al Gore's BTU tax and modified liberal ambitions are long gone.
In both 1933 and 1965, liberal majorities imposed vast expansions of government that have never been repealed, and the current financial panic may give today's left another pretext to return to those heydays of welfare-state liberalism. Americans voting for "change" should know they may get far more than they ever imagined.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Hope, Change, Believe....The Troubling Trend of the Popular Messiah
I remember, some 15 years ago, the first time I heard Bill Clinton lie. I mean, he'd certainly lied during his first campaign for the President -- but I sadly expect that from all politicians. But the first time he lied AS President came just a couple of weeks after his inauguration.
Clinton bit his lower lip, claimed he'd "never worked harder on anything in his life," but that instead of the tax cut he'd promised during the campaign, he'd have to increase taxes. I was incredulous. I laughed in disbelief. But the response of most Americans was to adore Clinton, to swoon over his "honesty," to give him the benefit of the doubt.
For the next eight years, I listened as Bill Clinton lied. He lied about tax cuts, he lied about universal healthcare coverage, lied about Whitewater, lied about sex with a young White House intern, lied on the witness stand in a sworn deposition (that's called perjury -- it's a High Crime and/or misdemeanor), and encouraged the intern to lie under oath as well (that's subborning perjury -- also a High Crime)... All this, and the majority of the American people supported him. After he was impeached, they RALLIED to him.
The Senate was unable to do their Constitutional duty and convict him, and Bill Clinton remained in the White House, despite his guilt, an illegitimate, impeached criminal -- more popular than the day he was first elected. Even when the majority of the American people saw that Bill Clinton was lying, STILL they believed him, or at least went along with him.
So, it does not surprise me that now, not a decade later, many Americans are treating Barack Obama as the new Messiah. Considering all the novelties of an Obama candidacy: his race, his marxist ideology, his association with radicals and terrorists, his ability to speak dynamically without actually saying anything, and his charisma, he is a natural for the role of the Socialist wonderboy.
Consider, if you will, some of the praises heaped upon the "anointed one." Loius Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam, has actually identified Barrack Obama as "The Messiah": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dV_VRrMDU0
And, even these school children have gotten in on the Obama coronation, singing of the glories of change and hope, and "yes we can!": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LsrtppY2Dc
There are even militant youth corps and drill teams paying homage to His Holiness Obama: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSvBCBnulLs
Obama, for his part, isn't helping any with the "rhetoric, when he suggests a "Civilian National Security Force" that is stronger than the standing military: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt2yGzHfy7s I wonder if it occurred to Barack before he called for a formation of this "Civilian National Security Force" how similar this force would be to the brownshirt of Adolf Hitler's imfamous "Waffen SS?"
Now, being somewhat a student of history, when I saw these clips, the first thoughts that came to mind were of the Maoist parties in Communist China. Young people wear their oilve uniforms with that little red star, and they read Mao's words in their little red books... The drill team is reminiscent of the Hitler youth of 1930's Germany, who sang, chanted and marched of the greatness of Adolf Hitler, vowing to build a greater Germany for the Nazi's master race. And the quasi-Islamic Farrakhan's declaration of Obama as Messiah -- well, it speaks for itself.
I won't belabor the point. These images are disturbing. They are very troubling. With the uncertain and indeed desparate economic conditions Washington has created for our nation, and the hunger of so many to find a "leader," a deliverer, and the promises he's made without any details on how they will be met... The stage is set in the United States for such a "Messiah" to arise. By the time he arrives in office, our economy will be virtually nationalized, most of our financial system Socialized.
The old and very accurate addage is "if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything." Barack Obama may just be naive, putty in the hands of malevolent handlers. Or, he may be the one running the whole show. But all signs point to his election on November 4th -- Acorn is doing yeoman's work for him, having flooded the system with fraudulent ballots in a dozen states. He's from Chicago -- he got it honest.
The question: If Obama IS elected, what will the people of "flyover country" do? As mad as the Liberals were over a 2000 Bush victory, imagine the rage when in 2008 Barack Obama is empowered not only by winning the Presidency, but also by likely gaining a veto-proof Congressional majority? Do we really want one who is worshipped as "Messiah" to have that kind of power in our nation?
That's beyond dangerous. That's tempting fate in an almost too tantalizing way for fate to resist...
JDW
Clinton bit his lower lip, claimed he'd "never worked harder on anything in his life," but that instead of the tax cut he'd promised during the campaign, he'd have to increase taxes. I was incredulous. I laughed in disbelief. But the response of most Americans was to adore Clinton, to swoon over his "honesty," to give him the benefit of the doubt.
For the next eight years, I listened as Bill Clinton lied. He lied about tax cuts, he lied about universal healthcare coverage, lied about Whitewater, lied about sex with a young White House intern, lied on the witness stand in a sworn deposition (that's called perjury -- it's a High Crime and/or misdemeanor), and encouraged the intern to lie under oath as well (that's subborning perjury -- also a High Crime)... All this, and the majority of the American people supported him. After he was impeached, they RALLIED to him.
The Senate was unable to do their Constitutional duty and convict him, and Bill Clinton remained in the White House, despite his guilt, an illegitimate, impeached criminal -- more popular than the day he was first elected. Even when the majority of the American people saw that Bill Clinton was lying, STILL they believed him, or at least went along with him.
So, it does not surprise me that now, not a decade later, many Americans are treating Barack Obama as the new Messiah. Considering all the novelties of an Obama candidacy: his race, his marxist ideology, his association with radicals and terrorists, his ability to speak dynamically without actually saying anything, and his charisma, he is a natural for the role of the Socialist wonderboy.
Consider, if you will, some of the praises heaped upon the "anointed one." Loius Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam, has actually identified Barrack Obama as "The Messiah": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dV_VRrMDU0
And, even these school children have gotten in on the Obama coronation, singing of the glories of change and hope, and "yes we can!": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LsrtppY2Dc
There are even militant youth corps and drill teams paying homage to His Holiness Obama: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSvBCBnulLs
Obama, for his part, isn't helping any with the "rhetoric, when he suggests a "Civilian National Security Force" that is stronger than the standing military: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt2yGzHfy7s I wonder if it occurred to Barack before he called for a formation of this "Civilian National Security Force" how similar this force would be to the brownshirt of Adolf Hitler's imfamous "Waffen SS?"
Now, being somewhat a student of history, when I saw these clips, the first thoughts that came to mind were of the Maoist parties in Communist China. Young people wear their oilve uniforms with that little red star, and they read Mao's words in their little red books... The drill team is reminiscent of the Hitler youth of 1930's Germany, who sang, chanted and marched of the greatness of Adolf Hitler, vowing to build a greater Germany for the Nazi's master race. And the quasi-Islamic Farrakhan's declaration of Obama as Messiah -- well, it speaks for itself.
I won't belabor the point. These images are disturbing. They are very troubling. With the uncertain and indeed desparate economic conditions Washington has created for our nation, and the hunger of so many to find a "leader," a deliverer, and the promises he's made without any details on how they will be met... The stage is set in the United States for such a "Messiah" to arise. By the time he arrives in office, our economy will be virtually nationalized, most of our financial system Socialized.
The old and very accurate addage is "if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything." Barack Obama may just be naive, putty in the hands of malevolent handlers. Or, he may be the one running the whole show. But all signs point to his election on November 4th -- Acorn is doing yeoman's work for him, having flooded the system with fraudulent ballots in a dozen states. He's from Chicago -- he got it honest.
The question: If Obama IS elected, what will the people of "flyover country" do? As mad as the Liberals were over a 2000 Bush victory, imagine the rage when in 2008 Barack Obama is empowered not only by winning the Presidency, but also by likely gaining a veto-proof Congressional majority? Do we really want one who is worshipped as "Messiah" to have that kind of power in our nation?
That's beyond dangerous. That's tempting fate in an almost too tantalizing way for fate to resist...
JDW
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Quotes Worth Noting -- Reagan on the Revolution
"Ours was the first revolution in the history of mankind that truly reversed the course of government, and with three little words: 'We the people.' 'We the people' tell the government what to do, it doesn't tell us. 'We the people' are the driver, the government is the car. And we decide where it should go, and by what route, and how fast. Almost all the world's constitutions are documents in which governments tell the people what their privileges are. Our Constitution is a document in which 'We the people' tell the government what it is allowed to do. 'We the people' are free. This belief has been the underlying basis for everything I've tried to do these past eight years."
-President Ronald Reagan, 1988
-President Ronald Reagan, 1988
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Why I'm Voting Democrat
I'm voting Democrat because I believe the government will do a better job of spending the money I earn than I would.
I'm voting Democrat because freedom of speech is fine as long as nobody is offended by it.
I'm voting Democrat because when we pull out of Iraq I trust that the bad guys will stop what they're doing because they now think we're good people.
I'm voting Democrat because I believe that people who can't tell us if it will rain on Friday can tell us that the polar ice caps will melt away in ten years if I don't start driving a Prius.
I'm voting Democrat because I'm not concerned about the slaughter of millions of babies so long as we keep all death row inmates alive.
I'm voting Democrat because I believe that business should not be allowed to make profits for themselves. They need to break even and give the rest away to the government for redistribution as the Democrats see fit.
I'm voting Democrat because I believe three or four pointy headed elitist liberals need to rewrite the Constitution every few days to suit some fringe kooks who would never get their agendas past the voters.
I'm voting Democrat because I believe that when the terrorists don't have to hide from us over there, they'll come over here, and I don't want to have any guns in the house to shoot them with. I will have a no preconditional discussion with them.
I'm voting Democrat because I believe oil companies' profits of 4% on a gallon of gas are obscene but the government taxing the same gallon of gas at 15% isn't.
I'm voting Democrat because I love the fact that I can now marry whatever I want. I've decided to marry one of my dogs. Don't get excited – I’m not gay. My Golden is a bitch.
I really wonder why anyone would ever vote Republican.
"The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it." - Ronald Reagan
__________
Now, no one really seriously thought I wrote this, did you? Saw it at www.FreeRepublic.com... Loved it. Too true...
JDW
I'm voting Democrat because freedom of speech is fine as long as nobody is offended by it.
I'm voting Democrat because when we pull out of Iraq I trust that the bad guys will stop what they're doing because they now think we're good people.
I'm voting Democrat because I believe that people who can't tell us if it will rain on Friday can tell us that the polar ice caps will melt away in ten years if I don't start driving a Prius.
I'm voting Democrat because I'm not concerned about the slaughter of millions of babies so long as we keep all death row inmates alive.
I'm voting Democrat because I believe that business should not be allowed to make profits for themselves. They need to break even and give the rest away to the government for redistribution as the Democrats see fit.
I'm voting Democrat because I believe three or four pointy headed elitist liberals need to rewrite the Constitution every few days to suit some fringe kooks who would never get their agendas past the voters.
I'm voting Democrat because I believe that when the terrorists don't have to hide from us over there, they'll come over here, and I don't want to have any guns in the house to shoot them with. I will have a no preconditional discussion with them.
I'm voting Democrat because I believe oil companies' profits of 4% on a gallon of gas are obscene but the government taxing the same gallon of gas at 15% isn't.
I'm voting Democrat because I love the fact that I can now marry whatever I want. I've decided to marry one of my dogs. Don't get excited – I’m not gay. My Golden is a bitch.
I really wonder why anyone would ever vote Republican.
"The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it." - Ronald Reagan
__________
Now, no one really seriously thought I wrote this, did you? Saw it at www.FreeRepublic.com... Loved it. Too true...
JDW
You Say You Want a Revolution: Thoughts on Revolution in Light of Current Government Treachery
When we "throw around" terms like "revolution" we have to understand the gravity of their meanings. "Revolution" is not a word to be used lightly -- because "revolution" inevitably becomes violent, particularly when an increasingly tyrannical and "entitled" central government has for so long run roughshod over the People and the Law [Constitution] itself. A "revolution" in the real sense would NOT be pretty, neat, or amicable, and even the mention of that term could in current circumstances draw unwanted attention from Federal "law enforcement."
Okay, do I sound too "conspiritorial?" Well, that's because I am. Big Government is too big, has access to too much technology, and wants all that power (& money) to RULE us, not to SERVE us. My view is that a "revolution" is not going to be planned, or organized, or even foreseen. Sure, there will be small groups of "tax protesters" here and there, and maybe the ocassional "gun rights" fanatics or "religious zealots" who dare speak out for their faith, and even some so-called "militias" that will cause trouble... But they will immediately be labelled "racistsexisthomophobes," "hate groups," "cults" and so forth, and the Feds will take them out in short order.
No, it's going to take something major -- REALLY major -- to be the catalyst of a real "revolution." If the economy actually DID crash -- THAT might do it. If there was a nuclear strike on American soil, that would probably provoke it. Something heavy like that, and "We the People" would simply lose it. We would have a collective "psychotic break," and we would take it out on anything remotely related to "the government." Marches/riots on Washington, resistance to Federal authority and "law enforcement" by individuals, communities, political and/or religious groups -- maybe even cities or States... Martial Law would lead to gun confiscation and shootouts/battles, the National Guard would be called out... Would they fire on the American People? Would the regular Military? Would the people be able to bring themselves to fire on our military...? And what of the future of the "Union?" If it ever came to this kind of "revolution," there would be no more Union. Look at the Red and Blue map. The South, Southwest and Rocky Mountain States are far more Conservative in general, the West Coast and of course New England and the upper MidWest are way more Liberal.... The sections would divide -- they couldn't live together anymore in a "Union."...
When the word "revolution" is mentioned, the implications are immense, the effects staggering, and the results NOT peaceful or positive (at least not in the short run). And though it may in light of this sound strange to say, I think "revolution" is something the American People had better start contemplating, considering, thinking over, praying over. I say that NOT to advocate violence or support some ill-conceived coup d'etat, but to prepare the People for what appears to be the inevitable, if the Washington government should stay on its current path.
On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry arose to address the Virginia House of Burgesses in St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia, regarding the encroachment of the British forces on Virginia and other Colonial cities. The Burgesses were being asked to field troops, should it become necessary, to resist the British militarily. Most believed the idea foolish, however, and any kind of "rebellion" or "revolution" in the far distant future, if ever. Among Henry's comments, delivered dramatically and with force on that day, he said:
"This is no time for ceremony. The questing before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery...
Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings....
I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House....
I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us: they can be meant for no other....
Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne! In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope....
Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power.... It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace-- but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"
Less than one month later, on April 19th, 1775, the British in Boston marched on the nearby towns of Lexington & Concord to confiscate the arms and gunpowder of the "citizen's militia" [aka "Minutemen"], and being warned by Paul Revere among others, the Militia met the British Army on the town greens. And the "Revolution" indeed had begun. Patrick Henry's words were prophetic. The war would not end for almost eight bloody years. Most of the men who later signed the Declaration of Independence lost everything in the struggle for liberty.
"Revolution" should be considered -- but the American People are far from the mindset of Patrick Henry, even if the storms of circumstance gathering about them leave them little time to ready themselves. It is time now for prayer. The time for action may come. But it is not yet. And if we pray and fast now, perhaps God will turn aside this storm which will otherwise surely come...
JDW
Copyright, All Rights Reserved
Okay, do I sound too "conspiritorial?" Well, that's because I am. Big Government is too big, has access to too much technology, and wants all that power (& money) to RULE us, not to SERVE us. My view is that a "revolution" is not going to be planned, or organized, or even foreseen. Sure, there will be small groups of "tax protesters" here and there, and maybe the ocassional "gun rights" fanatics or "religious zealots" who dare speak out for their faith, and even some so-called "militias" that will cause trouble... But they will immediately be labelled "racistsexisthomophobes," "hate groups," "cults" and so forth, and the Feds will take them out in short order.
No, it's going to take something major -- REALLY major -- to be the catalyst of a real "revolution." If the economy actually DID crash -- THAT might do it. If there was a nuclear strike on American soil, that would probably provoke it. Something heavy like that, and "We the People" would simply lose it. We would have a collective "psychotic break," and we would take it out on anything remotely related to "the government." Marches/riots on Washington, resistance to Federal authority and "law enforcement" by individuals, communities, political and/or religious groups -- maybe even cities or States... Martial Law would lead to gun confiscation and shootouts/battles, the National Guard would be called out... Would they fire on the American People? Would the regular Military? Would the people be able to bring themselves to fire on our military...? And what of the future of the "Union?" If it ever came to this kind of "revolution," there would be no more Union. Look at the Red and Blue map. The South, Southwest and Rocky Mountain States are far more Conservative in general, the West Coast and of course New England and the upper MidWest are way more Liberal.... The sections would divide -- they couldn't live together anymore in a "Union."...
When the word "revolution" is mentioned, the implications are immense, the effects staggering, and the results NOT peaceful or positive (at least not in the short run). And though it may in light of this sound strange to say, I think "revolution" is something the American People had better start contemplating, considering, thinking over, praying over. I say that NOT to advocate violence or support some ill-conceived coup d'etat, but to prepare the People for what appears to be the inevitable, if the Washington government should stay on its current path.
On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry arose to address the Virginia House of Burgesses in St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia, regarding the encroachment of the British forces on Virginia and other Colonial cities. The Burgesses were being asked to field troops, should it become necessary, to resist the British militarily. Most believed the idea foolish, however, and any kind of "rebellion" or "revolution" in the far distant future, if ever. Among Henry's comments, delivered dramatically and with force on that day, he said:
"This is no time for ceremony. The questing before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery...
Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings....
I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House....
I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us: they can be meant for no other....
Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne! In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope....
Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power.... It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace-- but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"
Less than one month later, on April 19th, 1775, the British in Boston marched on the nearby towns of Lexington & Concord to confiscate the arms and gunpowder of the "citizen's militia" [aka "Minutemen"], and being warned by Paul Revere among others, the Militia met the British Army on the town greens. And the "Revolution" indeed had begun. Patrick Henry's words were prophetic. The war would not end for almost eight bloody years. Most of the men who later signed the Declaration of Independence lost everything in the struggle for liberty.
"Revolution" should be considered -- but the American People are far from the mindset of Patrick Henry, even if the storms of circumstance gathering about them leave them little time to ready themselves. It is time now for prayer. The time for action may come. But it is not yet. And if we pray and fast now, perhaps God will turn aside this storm which will otherwise surely come...
JDW
Copyright, All Rights Reserved
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