The possibility of High Speed Rail in Colorado…

I read the “High Speed Rail Feasibility Study; Executive Summary” and believe it was thorough and offered a great argument for Colorado citizens to consider. There are always major concerns with a project of this size and scope but these were the three major concerns I would want addressed:

• Federal involvement
• Funding
• Passenger Commitment

As I read the price tag I understand the instinct to involve federal dollars but why should New Yorkers pay for our high speed rail? Why would the federal government be involved beyond any right of way issues concerning federal land? There is no constitutional authority or responsibility of the federal government to support this project. If we are going to determine this is the right thing to do, then we in Colorado should do it. If we can’t figure out a way to pay for it, we should not do it.

Funding $21 Billion dollars is not an easy task but it is a 5 phase approach. The first phase (DIA to Denver to Colorado Springs) is approximately a $3.3 billion investment. It is also the most travelled route, and according to the study, will start generating operating revenue upon completion. This could be used toward reducing the need for debt for the additional 4 phases. Funding should be through the issuance of state bonds and a bidding process for operating the rail by a private entity should include payment back to the bond holders and a “dividend” to the tax payers of Colorado into a fund (preferably a private education fund) determined by the people through the legislature. If this is a viable and profitable project, the bonds would be paid back by the revenue collected from operations. We should have private corporations bid for the operations and include the amount of “dividend” they would be willing to pay for the contract to operate the railway corporation. The process would need to be designed to open up the operation of the railway to competitive bids every 5 years. Otherwise it could become a temptation for unscrupulous politicians and corrupt contractors. If private companies believe it can turn a profit, are willing to put their money where their mouth is, and the right safeguards are put in place, I could be convinced to ask the taxpayers to be collateral for the project.

The feasibility study makes the assumption that passengers will utilize the system at the necessary volume to support the investment; at 35₵ a mile. The fares are reasonable but not cheap. The service and convenience will need to be top notch to maintain passenger commitment to utilize the railway. We all know that people are fickle, and in order to meet financial projections the railway will have to operate with a strong profit incentive. We cannot expect a government bureaucracy to run anything of this magnitude efficiently. We can’t create another post office scenario. We need “stock” holders running the railway with an incentive to make money. Once the bonds have been paid back, the private corporation would need to be Colorado based and pay a continuing “dividend” to the taxpayers of Colorado. I don’t have details of the financial arrangement, but any framework needs to include ownership by the private sector with a commitment to the citizens of Colorado. The ownership, as in a stock held company needs to be able to make a profit and pay dividends. In the feasibility it must also be proven that private companies believe it is worth the effort to be involved with this project.

I believe in the free market system and would prefer a private company invest in the project because they believed it was a viably profitable enterprise. But I understand that taking on a project like this is a huge risk in the private sector. With the amount of land acquisition and regulation whirling around this project I would never put my personal money into it without certain guarantees.

A project of this size and scope is an opportunity and a risk for the state. That is why it needs free enterprise incentives tied to the operation and ongoing maintenance of the system. If the citizens of Colorado supported this measure at the conceptual level, I would work to create the details necessary to enable the public to benefit from the private sectors ingenuity and efficiency.

I know we could live very nicely not having high speed rail in Colorado as well. I love my car and the freedom it provides but I drive to DIA enough to know if I could get there in the same time, in comfort, have a drink in the bar car, and do some work on my laptop, for a comparable price to driving, without a subsidy from the tax payer, I could be convinced. It is worthy of consideration at the state level but the deals off if we need to include the federal government.

“Blind Side”d - by Government…

I watched Blind Side last night with my family on video, and I thought it was a well done film. It is one of the better films I have seen lately. Having grown up in my formative years in the Bronx NY, I was very familiar with the housing projects, and the sad conditions created by this government “solution” to provide housing for the poor.

My heart was touched while I was watching the movie as I had flashbacks to similar scenes, with different faces, but the same miserable conditions I witnessed as a High School kid 35 years ago. The original intention of the projects was to provide “affordable” housing for the poor, but instead of helping the community, it created an atmosphere where the accepted life style was government welfare, section eight subsidies, food stamps, teenage pregnancy, HS drop outs, drug dealers, and the false impression that this was the way the rest of the world lived.

The community has been separated from the hope and opportunity that life offers. The kids in these projects, just like “Big Mike” in the movie, live in a world that offers no hope, and life is a day to day struggle for survival. “Big Mike’s” life was changed by being around people that knew a better way of life and valued education; a private education. If there was a clear morale to the story it was education is the key to success in life.

As a person who attended the same public schools that the people in the projects did, I understand that public education is far inferior to a private education in these communities at risk. Sending kids from the projects into public schools with more kids from the projects perpetuates the cycle of acceptance, and provides no examples of hope that these kids need. It can’t be fixed by busing these kids to different schools and forcing other schools to accept them as we did in the sixties, it’s about allowing the development of schools in these communities unburdened by the same government bureaucrats that have been running the programs that have created the mess.

Forcing teachers to teach in these schools as the Secretary of Education is considering is not the answer either. The SOE Arne Duncan talks about choices but he believes that education is a “civil rights” issue. This is the wrong approach, and adding more government, forced on people through legal battles will only inhibit the creative solutions that are needed to really fix the problem of education. The problems in education are targeted and don’t need blanket approaches. But the solution has to go beyond public schools, and needs to focus on a change of culture. This happens not through government but through individuals that care about their communities.

The inner city is a disgrace, and the common denominator is government programs. The cradle to grave approach of government has devastated the minority communities of this country. The government is the problem. Every “solution” adds to the misery. As we see in Blind Side, Big Mike found success when people around him believed he could do it, and helped him help himself. He was not surrounded by a culture of government; he was surrounded by compassion and success.

We need to get government out of the lives of people so they can make their way in this world, and have the opportunity to succeed. We can’t provide success but we can provide the compassion needed to help all of the “Big Mike’s” of the world. We can be compassionate by getting them away from the government culture that is holding them back…

Fidel Castro hails Obama…

Fidel Castro hailed Obama on finally passing healthcare reform. He released a statement which included this comment, “It is really incredible that 234 years after the Declaration of Independence ... the government of that country has approved medical attention for the majority of its citizens, something that Cuba was able to do half a century ago."

My thought is: Let’s compare the success and the wealth of Americans compared to Cubans. Here’s the choice; you can move to Cuba or stay in America; enough said. This socialist dictator has created the grandest squalor for a people that had such great opportunity until his revolution 51 years ago. We are the greatest nation in this world because of our Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

The scary thing is our current president wants to do what Castro has done to Cuba. When Castro applauds we must take notice. Think about it…

Healthcare today, dictatorship tomorrow…

“Control the People”; not in Colorado…

The evidence is mounting to validate the claims many of us have known about Obama and his administration that this is a war against American values, the American Dream, America’s economic system of capitalism, the individual American citizen, and our constitution. That is why the 2010 elections of not only our federal representatives are critical; every race for Governor in 2010 is an opportunity to build a constitutional wall against this assault on our values.

Today we have the video of Democratic Representative Dingell stating this healthcare bill is designed to “Control the people”, and we have Secretary Sebelius of HHS saying, they are going to reduce the profits of drug companies by statute which has always been “part of the strategy” of the healthcare bill. We have the administration as part of the HCR Bill taking away the private market availability to get a student loan, which few people are talking about, as part of the strategy to nationalize our economy away from the private sector.

Anyone that believes that limiting profit or profit motive, nationalizing industry, and controlling the people is the right direction, is about to realize how Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico, Columbia, Russia, and Chinese governments treat their people. We are treading dangerously on realizing a government not of the people but a government thrust on the people.

I know people don’t want to think this can happen in America but it is; right under your nose. The stink you smell are rotten politicians stealing your freedom while they feed you crap about taking care of you.

The 2010 campaign for Governor of Colorado isn’t simply about conservative and liberal ideas, free market VS. Government’s role & responsibilities, public VS. Private education; it is about stopping the federal takeover of our lives. We need to reinforce the battle field by utilizing the Tenth Amendment and standing up against this unconstitutional federal government.

We can no longer stand by and complain about unfunded mandates and dictates, and regulation, and high taxation, we must stop it. Governor Ritter is not supporting our AG Suthers constitutional lawsuit against the federal healthcare takeover. It is a good thing for Colorado that he has chosen to not run again. We need to support the AG in his effort to stand up for our sovereignty as a state.

As Governor I will be the Obama administrations worst nightmare; a man of the people that understands the constitution, willing to use the constitution to stop the federal government, and will continually drum beat the need to reset the roles of government with the will of the people. Don’t listen to the people that discount the power of the constitution. The constitution with an energized constituency is the exact remedy for taking back our country, our dreams, our economic system, our state and individual rights…

Independent Thinkers Needed…

Thomas Jefferson was the epitome of independent thinking and was a political genius. His genius was his true understanding of human nature. Jefferson knew how groups of people that fomented mob mentality were a danger to individual liberty. He was a man of faith but knew how allowing the men of cloth to dominate political affairs was dangerous for individual liberty. He could separate his religious beliefs from civic principle. He knew morality was the foundation of our republic and that by keeping faith separate from government it would allow faith to flourish which in his mind would preserve the foundation of our representative republic and principles.

Jefferson believed that party politics was a natural outcome of any political argument or election, but he believed the inherent problem with parties was the undermining principle of group over individual. He was a thinker on every subject and I often wonder what he would have said about today’s two party system. Probably the same things he said in his day; "I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever, in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else, where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all." --Thomas Jefferson to Francis Hopkinson, 1789.

I value his words and I share with you my reason for actively running unaffiliated from any party. It is not because I disagree with every issue being represented by party politics, it is because I like to think about issues and make choices that are not influenced by how they impact a political party, but how an issue impacts individual citizens. I believe there are more people that think like me but are addicted to the “machine” that has fueled party politics. That machine is mostly a fundraising mechanism. There are so many good people in the party system but I believe we are better served when we serve individual liberty over party unity. I am not alone and the numbers support my argument.

There are 1,078,896 Colorado residents that have chosen to be unaffiliated voters. Compared to people that have chosen the Democratic Party, 1,058,785 and 1,048,669 in the Republican Party. The Unaffiliated voter group is bigger than either party. These statistics from the Secretary of State’s office tell a story that must be told. We need to ask ourselves as voters why we continue to invest our votes in a party when we have chosen not to associate with that same party organization. This year I am doing my part to represent the unaffiliated voter; the largest group of voters in Colorado.

This is NOT a third party movement; it is a movement to elect candidates that are not tied to the special interests of either party. In the traditions of one of the greatest political thinkers of all time, Thomas Jefferson, I am reaching out to individual voters of every party to stand as Coloradans against the tyranny of an out of control federal government. We must rally around our founding principles and stop the division fueled by our party system.

The federal government has recently shown what they think of our rights and the constitution by shoving through the Healthcare bill against the will of the people. The next Governor is the best line of defense to reaffirm our constitution and to stop the federal government’s trampling of our rights. They are governing as if they have dictatorial power, and have unrestrained rights to force you into any program they choose. They can do this because of the way the party system has created the rules in congress; parties matter more than individual representatives. The constitution gives the congress the authority to set the rules of how the congress operates. The rules favor party politics over individual district representation. We have given the parties too much power at the federal level. They have the power to change it but they will not. That would mean that we would actually have true debate about ideas and issues instead of party line votes. That would mean we would have to elect thinkers to congress instead of party loyalists.

At the state level we don’t need political parties to elect good candidates. We only need voters willing to do their homework about what their choices are for candidates. You do have more than two choices in the 2010 election. I hope you think for yourself and do your homework…

Nullification is only part of the solution…

Hats off to the Attorney General of Virginia who has vowed to challenge the Healthcare Reform Bill on constitutional grounds the minute it is signed into law by the President. There are also 36 States that have hinted at nullification of the bill at the state level. But that is only part of the solution.

“Nullification is a legal theory that a U.S. State has the right to nullify, or invalidate, any federal law which that state has deemed unconstitutional. The theory is based on a view that the sovereign States formed the Union, and as creators of the compact hold final authority regarding the limits of the power of the central government.”

“Under this, the compact theory, the States and not the Federal Bench are the ultimate interpreters of the extent of the national Government's power. A more extreme assertion of state sovereignty than nullification is the related action of secession, by which a state terminates its political affiliation with the Union.”

The dilemma with nullification is if a state deems Healthcare unconstitutional, the federal government is still going to tax the states to pay for the program. That is why in my platform as Governor we are taking the next step to truly reign in the central government’s power by cutting off the funding that allows the federal government to expand its power.

The Sixteenth Amendment was ratified February 3rd, 1913. It “allows the Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states or basing it on Census results.” It reads, “The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.” But all taxation to fund the federal government still must be for constitutionally authorized purposes.

The real solution to holding the federal government to its constitutional requirements is not only nullification, but a limit on what the federal government is allowed to tax the individual tax payers of the states. We have taken as a given, that no matter what the federal government decides to tax us, we must pay it. If the federal government chooses to tax us at 90% of our income will we allow it? Does the Sixteenth Amendment allow the federal government to ignore its constitutional limitation as stated in Article 1 section 8? Of course not, otherwise we have no constitutional limitations. But that is how the federal government acts today.

It is the role of the Governors and State Legislators to not only nullify healthcare but to limit the amount of taxation that can be imposed on the citizens of their states. The federal programs that are nullified must also include the provision that no additional taxation may be derived from the state for the purpose of the program. Otherwise the states are in the dilemma of paying for a program that the citizens of the state are being forced to pay for.

We need a constitutional convention among the states, not to change it, but to enforce it, and reset the power where it was intended to be; in the United States not in Washington DC…

Socializing Your 401-K…

As if the healthcare takeover isn’t enough for this administration, they have plans for everything from Cap & Trade (stop energy production) to Eminent Domain takeovers in our state (stop energy production), to the takeover of your 401-K account. That’s right, the hard earned money you have accumulated through sacrifice and hard work is the next target for this group. How else do you think they are going to fend off bankruptcy? The idea was floated back in 2008 but it is again under assault.

As you watch this administration bully through healthcare, they will use the same techniques to bully representatives to socialize your 401-K. What does “socializing” your 401-K mean? It means taking your private account that is in your name in a private fund and putting it in the Social Security “trust” fund. The key word is trust. There is no “Trust Fund” and you can’t trust the government to do the right thing with your money.

There are trillions of dollars in the market that is made up of your 401-K savings. Are you willing to give that money to the federal government? If you don’t vote for the right people in 2010 you may not have a choice.

As Governor I will fight for our constitutional rights and fight to limit the federal ability to socialize your 401-K. Is there any other candidate talking about this issue? Why not? Because too many polticians and state level legislators have given up the fight against our federal government. I believe the fight has only just begun…

216 Traitors to the American Cause…

The American Dream is not about “free” government healthcare, welfare, food stamps, bailouts, corporate tax breaks, green tax breaks, regulations or fairness, it’s about individual freedom and limited government involvement in our lives. Our country was built on merit not handouts. Tomorrow there are 216 representatives in congress who are about to break the law by passing a bill in an unconstitutional manner and today they are witnessing the wrath of an angry coalition of patriotic Americans. The government is trying to dictate and mandate a healthcare bill they say is about “fairness” but it will steal your freedom, and that is not a price America is willing to pay.

Busloads of people are arriving in DC ready to play a role any one of our founders would be proud of. Samuel Adams often had to lead a group just like the Tea Party movement to show up at the houses of British representatives and run them out of town. He did it a number of times when British representatives over stepped their bounds. He was one of the greatest agitators for revolution in the cause of freedom in American history. We are seeing his spirit today in DC, and I know exactly what he would say; God Bless them!

Many commentators are very cautious not to say this could cause civil unrest. I will tell you, if this doesn’t cause civil unrest we can say goodbye to our country. We are seeing the first step to civil unrest through these protests. This will culminate in the 2010 elections. If the grievances are still not addressed by our representatives after the election, the only choice the American people will have is the same one that founded this great nation; civil unrest leading to a revolution. It is in our blood, it is in our history, it is in our founding documents, and our founders would expect nothing less. We must be willing to pledge our lives and fortunes for our freedom and country just as our founders did.

Today’s protest is bigger than the impact of the healthcare bill; it is a protest to show our government the American people are willing to take the action necessary to defend our freedom. We are not sheep. This is a government of the people, and we are showing the political class who is in charge.

As Governor of the state of Colorado, I will be reaffirming the Tenth Amendment and challenging the Sixteenth to bring back the correct balance between the state and the federal government. It will take the same will we are seeing today in DC protesting against healthcare. If we don’t fix the root cause of this problem then the healthcare fight is just the beginning. If we reaffirm the constitution by electing Tenth Amendment Governors, healthcare will be the final fight before the constitution is put back to its rightful place, and the American Dream will once again be the driving force in a chaotic world…

No Need to Impeach Obama we have the Constitution; A Plan for the Counter Revolution…

This is a great article in the Washington Times by Jeffrey Kuhner. Here is an excerpt:

“The Slaughter Solution is a poisoned chalice. By drinking from it, the Democrats would not only commit political suicide. They would guarantee that any bill signed by Mr. Obama is illegitimate, illegal and blatantly unconstitutional. It would be worse than a strategic blunder; it would be a crime - a moral crime against the American people and a direct abrogation of the Constitution and our very democracy…“

“It would open Mr. Obama, as well as key congressional leaders such as Mrs. Pelosi, to impeachment.”

I totally agree with Mr. Kuhner that this is a criminal act against our constitution, but to continue to look to our federal representatives and the entrenched bureaucracy, lobbyists, and dependents on government largesse to reform itself is not realistic. The Governors of our United States must determine our commitment to the Union. I believe we have the greatest country and people in the world. This country was a gift from God as created by our founders, for us to nurture and steward, and has been an inspiration for the rest of the world. But we have people in charge that are revolting against our values, and have not been protecting our constitution as they have sworn, but have intentionally taken action to destroy our nation and constitution as we know it.

Here is what we need to do as “we the people.” Through our Governors and Legislatures:

• Declare our Independence by utilizing the original document which has hauntingly become so relevant again.

• Reaffirm our commitment to the constitution as a people and fifty states.

• Re-establish our bill of rights and the Tenth Amendment power we hold as states and a people.
• Call a convention of all 50 Governors to audit and nullify all unconstitutional activities of the federal government.

• Recall our representatives from Congress and have new elections.

• Establish new representatives to take the place of the current representatives serving that will uphold the constitution which will nullify Obama’s power.

Under the guise of healthcare reform, we have been overtaken by the enemies within and the devious human nature our founders warned us of at the establishment of our republic. Greed, self interest, corruption, and tyranny are in play. Who do we expect to fix this?

We don’t need to impeach Obama, we need to nullify his revolution against our constitutional republic by using the greatest weapon we hold; our US Constitution…

Can we reset our federal government and start over?

I am talking about more than just healthcare when I say we need a “reset”. I am thinking more in the vein of; if we had to start from scratch, what government services would we need to support liberty and the free market system? We have the founding documents, and I would suggest as a country we read and debate what the enumerated powers of the federal government are, and implement them accordingly. The congress, the courts, and the executive would all get the go ahead. The Federal Reserve would be a debate we would need to have again because we have seen what happens when too much power is with too few people, trying to regulate and manipulate a free market. We would quickly come to the conclusion the military was an enumerated power, and from there most other issues become debatable.

The states would become the power players in this debate because after reviewing the constitution, I believe the biggest ah! Ha! moment to come out of a review of the constitution by the people would be the intention and power of the Tenth Amendment. People would again realize why so many of us support the Tenth Amendment, and why it keeps the federal government in check when adhered to by the state’s legislatures and governors.

Would we recreate a welfare state as implemented by FDR? Would we recreate a department of agriculture, education, commerce, and health and human services? Would we rehire the two million federal employees? Would we be able to conduct our lives without the USDA, FCC, FDA, AMTRACK, FHA, FCIC, FDIC, FERC, FICE, FLRA, FMC, FMS, FSIS, FAS, FS, DHS, BEA, BIA, BLM, BPD, BTS, CDC, CISB, USCERT, CBO, CPSC, CPB, and could we consolidate some of the DOD agencies like, DARPA, DCAA, DTRA, DSS, and the, DOE, DED, HHS, HUD, DOL, DOT, DNI, DEPO, EPA, EEOC, FAA, FEMA, GSA, USGS, GAO, GPO, IRS, IBB, ITA,NIST, NIH, OSHA, OMB, ONDCP, OSTI, OC, PWBA, PDR, PDPA, RFERL, RSA, RISC, SSA, SEC, SBA, USPS, VOA, to name just a few of the agencies “managed” by the current federal government. Basically would we reduce the current federal jobs program?

The light bulbs will go off in so many American’s heads when they start considering what they’re paying for and what they’re receiving. With a realization that the Tenth Amendment places the accountability and responsibility with the states, people will not be willing to recreate this bureaucracy all over again. By adhering to the Tenth Amendment and add in a Twenty Eighth Amendment to read; all federal legislation must be justified by referencing the enumerated power in the constitution that gives the federal government the right to create it. If the State’s are not satisfied with the reference, nullification of federal law would be the remedy to force a challenge of the law.

The closer government is to the people the more control the people have, the better our states and nation will be. The debate would be healthy if we rallied around our constitution as Americans. We need a rallying cry because we are being divided by the activities of both political parties. Right now in the healthcare debate the republicans are standing tall because the proposal is so radical. But don’t be fooled, if this was a more “moderate” proposal the republicans would be negotiating away our constitutional rights. There is no power in the constitution that can be referenced to have federal bureaucrats anywhere near our healthcare.

Let’s make the rallying cry a reset of our principles to the founding documents that have made this country so great; The Declaration of Independence and The U.S. Constitution…

Unaffiliated Voters; You have a chance for the Governor’s seat - and the support of Thomas Jefferson...

I have a website with information regarding my positions, published 3 books, over 400 Blog posts, video and podcasts explaining my principles and thought process. I try to write every day on issues that impact the state and country at this Blog. I do not rely on slogans and sound bites because I am a thinker, and believe each issue and topic needs thoughtful analysis. I answer e-mail requests for clarification on positions and I do not pander. If you don’t like my positions there are other choices in the race. I will only serve for four years. At the end of four years I hope to endorse another candidate like myself who is unaffiliated and holds similar values.

Don’t fall for the fear argument from Republicans: Don’t fear that voting for someone besides a Democrat or Republican is a wasted vote. The state registered voters are divided in this way:

• Democrats: 800,648
• Republicans: 832,170
• Unaffiliated: 716,801
• Other: 13,159

The unaffiliated voter, who has no interest in party politics, is a significant number. That is who I represent. The Republicans argue that my candidacy could divide the vote and cause a democrat to win. I believe when you look at the numbers that argument falls flat. I believe voters that are unaffiliated have spoken with their feet and have left both parties because they are not happy with having two choices for any elected position. I start with a base of 716,801 that I need to win over. They don’t need to be convinced to vote against their party, they don’t have one. I only need to convince a small number of Republicans and Democrats to vote for me and I have a chance. That is the battle ground. Why should an unaffiliated candidate defer to the Republican Party, and not fight for the 716, 801 unaffiliated voters in this election? The Republicans have not maintained the trust of the voters and they need a choice.

The tactic is to convince you that if you don’t vote for a republican you will be electing a democrat. That does not hold water. You only have to understand the numbers to realize that the unaffiliated voter is the fastest growing voting block and it is time they start voting to support their own commitment to breaking party control. My candidacy has a great chance if unaffiliated voters pay attention.

I urge you to spread the word to get people engaged in the fight. It is time to send an unaffiliated candidate to the state house to represent a significant number of Colorado citizens.

My favorite founder and greatest political thinker, Thomas Jefferson wrote much about about political parties and here are two quotes:

"I can scarcely contemplate a more incalculable evil than the breaking of the Union into two or more parts." Thomas Jefferson to George Washington 1792

"I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever, in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else, where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all." Thomas Jefferson to Francis Hopkinson, 1789

TABOR; A Formula for decline?

The exact same arguments made in this obviously left leaning Blog, are the reasons TABOR is a good thing for Colorado. This sentence says it all, “TABOR pits state programs and services against each other for survival each year and virtually rules out any new initiatives to address unmet or emerging needs.”

The idea that the state has to decide on the priorities for tax payer funds, and God forbid reduce other programs in this process, is exactly what business and the private sector has to deal with every day. And the idea that the state can’t get the funding for “unmet” needs is a lie. All TABOR does is force politicians to ask the tax payer for the funding. It only takes away the blank check that government has become so used to in their daily operations.

Can you imagine how difficult TABOR must be for those politicians that believe in expanding the role of government? It must be so hard! I know it poses a dilemma for the political class that believes it is entitled to your money; having to ask the people that pay the bills to be part of the process. The nerve of the tax payer.

TABOR has not impeded economic growth in the state; it has only impeded government growth. The numbers tell the story. Since 1992 when TABOR was adopted the government coffers have grown, and grown, and grown. People have flocked to this state to escape the high taxes of California and other east coast cities because TABOR puts a check on government growth. To suggest that this formula is impeding any economic activity is to not understand economic activity. Every dollar taken from the private sector and given to the government impedes economic activity. It is simply a transfer of tax payer money from the tax payer that produces it to a handpicked member of a political faction. How is that increasing economic growth?

There are problems as suggested in this piece with the funding of K-12 education and Medicaid but the problems are again tied to government. Medicaid is being pushed down through the federal government, and K-12 inefficiency is a product of government controlling the education system. Both are broken and must be reformed.

The education “problems” are all tied to the funding. So we are 48th in ranking regarding pupil funding, average funding dropped by $600 relative to the national average, and teacher salaries have not kept pace with the nation. I have news for everyone that believes money is the problem; it isn’t. It is the fact we expect a political bureaucracy to efficiently educate our kids. If you believe this you are never going to vote for me. And I will not waste my time explaining why education, the most important gift we give to our kids, should be a personal family responsibility and state assistance should be tied to the family to choose their education. More flexible education programs should be embraced and encouraged so parents have more choice and teachers have more freedom to teach without the heavy hand of political correctness looking over their shoulder. To give up our kid’s success to bureaucrats is our first mistake. My kids are in the Colorado public system but with two motivated and educated parents helping guide the way.

“The failure to regain services and the quality of life during the suspension reflects the difficulty of generating enough annual revenue to improve services in the aftermath of so many years of revenue starvation. There would have to be very robust and sustained revenue growth to allow the state to go beyond maintaining its current, low level of services and begin to recoup lost ground.”

In the end TABOR is about values. Do we value our individual founding principles or do we value giving up those values to government bureaucrats. I will keep my freedom and personal accountability for the success of my family thank you. As we are seeing on the federal level, government greed can never be satisfied. Not only are they ruining the lives of our children in the inner cities by shackling them to government education and programs, they continue to perpetuate the myth that government is compassionate. Government programs if measured honestly are criminal. Look at the generational dependence and poverty tied to the people utilizing government programs.

Government has simple functions that should be adhered to like maintaining roads and infrastructure, security through police and fire services, support for truly needy members of our community, not those that have been convinced to count on these programs, and a sound legal system. Government is a framework to encourage and support people in the quest for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Government can’t give happiness to some by taking away from others. That is what TABOR stops these government advocates from doing. If government bureaucrats want something they must ask. Simple. And if funding is reduced due to the formula, make the necessary adjustments to programs or make the case for the value of supporting these programs with additional funding by asking the tax payer to increase the revenue. It’s really simple for those of us that aren’t addicted to government for our livelihood.

We don’t make our living taking other people’s money under the guise of government. TABOR gives us a fighting chance for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It’s that simple.

Criminals are running this country…

Extortion, bribes, “rules” changes to usurp the constitution, and defamation of character is the Modus Operandi of our current congress. Every day we hear a new scheme being calculated or pursued to pass an illegal bill. That’s right it is an illegal bill. To make citizens of the United States buy something with the threat of force and imprisonment has taken us to the final step; taking back our government.

I have been arguing here that the only way to stop these criminals is to elect Governors across the country that will end this criminal activity. Return the power back to the people and the states through constitutional government. We are facing a mob in DC that is using criminal tactics to pass bills that have no constitutional standing. These politicians are rubbing our nose in their power, ignoring our clear direction to stop this madness, so I ask what are we to do?

Thomas Jefferson believed we would have to revolt and revise our government often. He knew that human nature was such that people like the ones in congress would always end up in charge. No matter how strong the system of checks and balances was, people would always work the system in their favor. He was a genius. But we don’t have the backbone to do what the founders of this nation were willing to do. But we also have more power than the founders had at the time of our founding revolution.

We have the tools to organize quickly, and we have seen the power of the grass roots movements like the Tea Party and 9/12 organizations. We have access to transportation, information, and have the ability to stop this if we can think like Americans and not leave this up to the politicians.

This congress is sticking an ice pick in our eye while invading our privacy, our property, and our economic prosperity. And while we get angry they continue on their march to take the hill. What are we going to do? When will we say enough is enough? When we will force the change necessary to end this threat we face from our own government. Will we wait until they have destroyed our healthcare? Will we wait until they destroy our financial health through bankruptcy? Will we wait until we are all standing in food lines for our next meals?

This election is not just another election where we can afford to put the same party, different name back in charge. We need to be bold and try a revolutionary idea like voting for the person and not the party. We need you to run. We need to stop playing the games that our political system has created to keep themselves in power. We need to wake up to the criminal activity we have going on all around us in the political world, and do what we need to do to rid us of this madness.

We need to be loud, consistent, and willing to go outside the boundaries in electing the next generation of politicians. We need to look beyond the current “family”. The late William F Buckley Jr, a brilliant conservative once said, “I'd rather entrust the government of the United States to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone directory than to the faculty of Harvard University.”

I totally agree with his assessment but I would also add along with Harvard University the current politicians and political parties… Let’s take back the hill…

Social Justice?

What is social justice? What is economic justice? I know what criminal justice is; I think. But I hear these terms and my antenna goes up, especially when I look at the type of groups that are promoting it. They are definitely not the same groups promoting constitutional justice or individual justice.

The term seems so benign and that is what makes it so effective for the groups using the term. Social is simply society, and justice is something we all want, right? Wrong! The people and groups promoting social justice are the same people that believe in collectivism, communes, socialism, and what they really have in mind is the end of capitalism. Social justice is the antithesis of capitalism.

It is the belief that everyone deserves the same even if they have done nothing to earn it. It is the same people supporting the current administration in Washington, government healthcare, the takeover of private property by the government, environmentalists, many church groups, and too many people that don’t understand basic human nature. Social justice, economic justice, socialism, communism, fascism, all have a common goal to control your life and destroy individual freedom and property rights.

Think about a country where there was no right to private property. Think of a country where no matter how hard you worked you could only earn up to a government decided wage, and everything else was taken away to give to others. Think about a country where the government tells you what healthcare you must purchase, what car you can drive, how warm you can keep your home. Even if you believe that any of these things are commendable, who do you trust to decide these things? Therein lies the problem. There goes your freedom. There goes our constitution. There goes our country.

For some this may be attractive, in America we should know better. We have a few centuries of data and results that counter the social justice, economic justice arguments. We know that private property is the foundation of freedom. We know that taxation and redistribution kill’s incentive. We know that it is morally reprehensible to take from one person to give to another against their will. Most of us call that stealing. We know that competition creates efficiency and ingenuity which has fueled our ability to be compassionate and a beacon for the people shackled into socially justified nations.

So when you hear someone say social justice, ask them what they mean by that? You may find they are just ignorant of the implications of such policy. Or you may find a person with a devious motive to steal your right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Don’t be fooled. There is nothing benign about social justice…

McInnis Vs Hickenlooper; where is Dan Maes?

Are the 9/12 and Tea Party movement going to take this as a done deal?

Politico has chosen your two candidates Colorado. It’s funny how politics work. For those of you that are fed up with the process, don’t fret, this is the MO of the big media players. I don’t know if it is going to work again in this election cycle but what I do know is they will ignore you too. I am used to it as a candidate, but as an activist in one of these liberty based grass roots organizations, doesn’t it tick you off? To be discarded; like trash on the side of the road.

I am the unaffiliated candidate petitioning onto the ballot so I expect to be ignored, but if I am Dan Maes, I’m steaming about this outright disregard for the last year spent on the campaign trail. I am sure he will respond.

What is it going to take to get these political pundits to wake up? The voters need to take this forgone conclusion they are trying to create and flush it down the toilet. Don’t let these pundits cast the race on their terms. This process will continue for the next eight months and you should be telling these pundits who you want to be your choices for Governor of Colorado. It may end up being the two in this current poll, but it should be your choice, not theirs.

The 9/12 and Tea Party movements developed because of the arrogance and elitist attitude of our political class, and lack of response from our elected officials. These pundits can’t help themselves, but you can. Nothing ticks off an elitist than someone like me or you getting in their way. I say let’s tick them off.

We have a long way to go in this race and Dan Maes is still in the race for the Republican nod, and I hope to be on the general ballot with your help. Let’s show the political power players who really has the power…

A question for those that plan to support the GOP candidates in 2010…

I became an unaffiliated candidate because like many of the tea party and 9/12 activists, I am frustrated with what seems to me to be a lack of common sense governance and the abandonment of principles of our elected officials. After more than 15 years in the GOP I became convinced that the party was more interested in elections, not the constitution. I had to ask myself; what is so hard to understand about the US Constitution, and not spending more than you make? Even under republican control, the federal government kept growing and I kept wondering; what is the GOP’s idea of limited constitutional government? I came to the conclusion they believe in big government, just not as big as the democrats. I don’t believe the Republican Party is the same as the Democratic Party, I only believe that they are not capable of fixing a system that works quite well for them. When the democrats screw up or go overboard as they are right now, they are there to “save” the day. But looking at where we continue to go, no matter which party controls power, is a direction further and further from our constitution and founding principles. They talk a great game and there are some very eloquent candidates but I look at results. And the results are clear which is why people are paying such close attention.

There are only two parties responsible for the mess we are in; the Democratic and Republican Parties. No other parties or candidates have even been given a chance. Maybe this time it will be different. Maybe this time instead of hoping for a different result we try someone not in the party. The principles seem simple but seem to have been forgotten by the parties.

Here are some easy to understand principles I believe in but the GOP seems to have forgotten:

• The United States federal government was created by the states to manage a few limited tasks that were better suited to be centralized like defense and foreign affairs, not the other way around. The federal government gets its authority from we the people as so eloquently stated in the Tenth Amendment “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”, not the other way around.

• When we send representatives to Washington, just because one party has one more member than the other party, they should not control every agenda item to be debated in congress. The parties have created those rules, the parties can change them. The congress is supposed to be made up of American representatives not Republicans and Democrats fighting amongst themselves for power.

• Almost every state in the union has a provision in their constitution that requires a balanced budget every year. That is good fiscal policy. The states need to demand the same of the federal government or they will not support the federal government. The states can constitutionally stop their support of an out of control and unresponsive federal government. Just read and learn your constitution.

• Giving hard earned tax dollars to unions or big business is bad policy. If the GOP is a party of limited government, how come the government keeps growing leaps and bounds under their leadership?

What are the principles of government? To give special groups special favors because they vote? Take tax dollars from producers and give it to party supporters? Control people’s lives so they don’t have to make decisions? I know these are not our founding principles but they seem to be our current principles.

What is the goal of the GOP? We know the democrats want a cradle to grave government but I thought the GOP wanted limited government. But I have to ask; limited in what context? Compared to the democrats limited means they still want a huge bureaucracy running your life; it will be better because their people will be republican appointees. Does the GOP believe in our founding principles so clearly laid out in the constitution? Do we trust them?

I believe that big government destroys individual opportunity just like our founders believed. I believe that a return to the original intent of the constitution, although difficult, is what we must do, and every state governor must do everything in their constitutional powers to stop the federal government from destroying our children’s future. I believe that the Declaration of Independence is as valid today as it was when Thomas Jefferson penned it. I believe government today has become a business that is competing with the same industries it is supposed to serve. I believe we owe our children a future without the debt caused by our government’s selfish and greedy behavior. It is not a sacrifice to stop taking money from some to give to others; it is our moral and constitutional obligation.

The GOP is focused on winning the election in 2010. Why?

Why Republicans Have a Problem in 2010…

An excerpt from a great post at Town Hall by Armstrong Williams:

“This sounds to me like the same shenanigans Republicans pulled when they ran the show in Washington earlier this decade. I worry it signals they haven't learned their lesson: that good governing requires making hard choices and telling people "No" some of the time. And I also worry that Republicans actually buy into the idea that government spending, as long as it's done right, is good for the economy.”

This is one of the problems with being tied to a party. When the individual decisions are made by politicians the entire party is blamed. It works the other way as well. When the party takes a stand on an issue all individual party members are painted with the same brush.

Tonight in Colorado Springs two Republican candidates face off for the fight for their party’s nomination. They are two individuals that will govern differently if elected but they will be painted with the same brush by their opponents. They will also be expected by the party to tow the line when it comes to policy at the state house. We are a country that was built on individual liberty and spirit so why do any of these politicians need to belong to a party?

My question to the party supporters out there, who by the way are a minority of people eligible to vote; Why do we need a party candidate in the Governor’s seat? Why can’t a candidate with no affiliation execute that role effectively? My guess is the party supporters have no good answer for that question. The answers I have heard is party politicians have “experience”. Really? How has that “experience” been working for us as a country?

In the meantime we watch the political parties paint each other with broad brushes, make policy decisions to protect the party, and the citizens of Colorado and our country get shafted again with candidates that are shackled by party politics. I am confident the leadership I will provide will take into consideration one party; the individual citizen of Colorado.

It is time that we elect an individual not connected to the “power” players and the special interests that have given us the current mess we are in. We can do better. As suggested by Armstrong Williams; the Republicans will revert to the same old shenanigans once they have secured your vote. How do we know that? Just look at their records and our balance sheet…

Governor Ritter and the left slapped down by Amazon; A fight for the American soul…

There seems to be a constant assault against individual accountability for the collective. Every story has an underlying premise that the government has a role in everything we do. Whether it is taking care of our health, the food we eat, the cars we drive, the stores we shop in, the way we speak, government has something to say about it. And in many cases they are passing laws to influence our personal behavior. It is unhealthy and un-American.

The president attacks profit as if profits are immoral. I have news for the president, if there are no profits there are no jobs. That is how our system works, and if he thinks we are all going to go to work for the good of the “collective” he is wrong. All you have to do is look inside your soul or read your history books. The world is littered with collective experiments that have failed.

Governor Bill Ritter issued a statement that he was disappointed in Amazon’s decision to stop doing business with associate partners in Colorado after he imposed a tax on doing business in our state. Amazon wrote:

“There is a right way for Colorado to pursue its revenue goals, but this new law is a wrong way. As we repeatedly communicated to Colorado legislators, including those who sponsored and supported the new law, we are not opposed to collecting sales tax within a constitutionally-permissible system applied even-handedly. The US Supreme Court has defined what would be constitutional, and if Colorado would repeal the current law or follow the constitutional approach to collection, we would welcome the opportunity to reinstate Colorado-based Associates."

This is not a surprise for those of us in the business world. This is how it works. Amazon is not in business to balance the budget of Colorado, they are in it for the profits of their shareholders. Many of the shareholders are people with 401K’s that have invested for the profits to fund their retirements. If there is a better and cheaper way to do business, business will pursue it. By trying to take money from business at every corner we are losing the soul of American entrepreneurship.

We need to remember why we are the wealthiest, most compassionate nation in the world; because we have created wealth by nurturing the soul of individuals. When we succeed as individuals through hard work we are more likely to share our wealth with others. We hate and despise when people take from us without our permission. Most of us believe that is stealing. The government has an insatiable appetite for our individual wealth and there is no end in sight. When will enough be enough?

For Governor Ritter and the left, there can never be enough because they are convinced that the collective is more worthy than the individual. They are wrong and that is why in 2010 there will be a reset of principles in this state and the nation. The American people paying the bills want their labor to be protected from an out of control feeding frenzy from all levels of government. And they will get that by choosing the right candidates.

Candidates with an American soul…

I love teachers and learning; not bureaucrats…

Teaching is a calling and the people that do it well are a special breed. So why do we shackle them by creating schools through a government bureaucracy? Why do we expect teachers to be able to teach under such oppressing circumstances? Why do we trust our most precious gift to our children, learning, to two establishments that have nothing to do with education; unions and government?

Unions teach our kids that we believe mediocrity is more important than merit, and government encumbers the teaching process with rules that focus on so many things unnecessary to an effective education. Education is a passion we must teach our children to embrace. We do that by teaching kids to love learning. We need teachers to be able to be creative in the process of teaching. Teachers need to be set free to do the things that get kids interested in learning. And they don’t need bureaucrats second guessing them. Parents do that quite nicely, thank you.

Public schools in the cities of our country are a disgrace as so many things the government bureaucracy controls. It is not a teacher problem; it is a bureaucratic and control problem. We need to address it or we will watch generations of children continue to be left out of the American Dream.

Education is not simply a building, books, or classes. It is the key to a successful life. Why would any sane nation leave such an important responsibility to the government and unions? Teachers will be paid according to results and have nothing to fear being separated from a union structure that keeps the focus off the children, and on the work rules that impede flexibility and creativity. People are willing to pay for a quality service. But as long as teaching is tied to government and unions, it will be mediocre, and generations of children remain at risk.

I want to support our teachers and great educational practices. In my opinion that means allowing teachers and schools to be creative in the way they teach our kids. That means providing a smart and simple funding process and getting unions and bureaucracy out of the classroom. That’s the type of education I can get passionate about. Education reform is critical to the future of every child and family in this state and country. The only way to improve it is to get government and unions out of it, and parents and teachers back in control of it…

Ten Things Governors Can Do to Stop the Federal Government…

1) Read the Declaration of Independence, US Constitution and particularly the Tenth Amendment. Then read “The Real Thomas Jefferson” or “Samuel Adams A – Life.” If you don’t walk away from reading these books and documents and scratching your head wondering what happened to our republic, you are probably a progressive liberal and you won’t get elected anyway. Governors should walk away with a renewed passion to take back state control from the federal government with a renewed confidence.

2) Pass state constitutional amendments to challenge the Sixteenth Amendment. In Colorado I would like to see individual and corporate federal income taxes limited to 15%. Other states may want a different number. The sixteenth allows for direct taxation of income but a limit will challenge the ability of the federal government to borrow and spend beyond their constitutional authority. We need to challenge the federal government’s ability to take wealth at their discretion from our state.

3) Start the repeal process of the Seventeenth Amendment which will return the selection of federal senators back to the state legislatures. This will reverse the power out of Washington and away from the lobbyists back to the state government where accountability belongs. Lobbyists will have to convince 50 state legislative bodies that their ideas are good instead of centralized access in DC. No government structure is perfect but the closer it is to the people the easier it is for the people to change.

4) Audit all federal programs and determine their constitutionality and nullify all laws that are impacting the state budget that are determined unconstitutional.

5) Align all state wages, benefits, and pensions with the private sector in those states and strike federal employment regulations from the books.

6) Refocus the National Governors Association to work on a reform process to bring back all state responsibilities to the state like education, healthcare for the elderly and social programs. Hold federal government accountable for securing our borders and eliminate sanctuary cities. Take back the power vested in the states by the constitution.

7) Support a US constitutional amendment to limit terms of the US house and senate.

8) Support a US constitutional amendment to require a federal balanced budget.

9) Support a US constitutional amendment to open the Federal Reserve to congressional scrutiny.

10) Stop looking to the federal government for the mess that the states are in. Admit that our problems are not because we don’t have enough government; but that we have created too much government and pledge to reset our founding principles and sell it to our constituents.

This is a beginning to the process of real reform. The 50 governors need to reset the authority based on the constitution. The governors are the most powerful political leaders in the country; purposely protected in the constitution, but only if the governor’s exercise their rightful powers. We need to pledge we will no longer send money to the federal government for unconstitutional uses. We will no longer comply with federal extortion. We will fulfill our obligations and responsibilities to the people.

We have this as our weapon; “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

Let the return to a prosperous and lawful United States begin…

The enemy has landed and has taken the beach head…

We had better wake up. The goal of the current federal administration is to crush our government under the weight of debt. They are orchestrating the greatest coop ever in political history. They know by financially destroying our form of government people will be more likely to disregard our founding principles to end the crisis that will be created by their actions.

Have you wondered why our politicians keep borrowing and spending even when 70% of the American people believe it is a bad idea? Have you asked yourself why the president is talking about fiscal responsibility but continues to add programs and debt to the budget? When Senator Bunning argued that an extension of unemployment benefits must be paid for before he would vote for it, he was maligned by both parties. Did you wonder why? If we can’t even talk about such a minimal change to our fiscal policy without such disdain for the person proposing it, we have lost the beach head.

We need to elevate our defenses and take back our government. We have anti-American soldiers in this administration and they are being supported by anti American groups to take our country down. When the next stock market crash happens, banks start failing, unemployment skyrockets to 25%, and people are wondering how we are going to get out of this; where do you think people will turn? Where have they been turning for the past 50 years? Government.

And the first thing they will say is; “it is with a heavy heart that we must in this time of crisis abandon our constitution, free markets, and the citizens will have to band together to help us get the American people through this crisis.” The day you here that from our government is the day the muskets must be polished. It will be the day the American Dream dies. It is not far away unless we take back our government from both political parties.

We don’t need a third party, we need like minded American patriots banding together like the tea party and 9/12 patriots to fight back to regain our constitutional government. This may sound farfetched to some but not to people that follow politics as close as you and I do. We know how people react in crisis and panic. Anarchy is created and people loot and act like animals. It doesn’t take much to stir up from below the surface, it is basic human nature. Just look at any police action in the inner cities, just look at Haiti, just look at what happens when a storm comes through and damages the local Wal-Mart, looting and chaos pursue.

I believe the next Governors of the great states of the United States must end our reliance on the federal government and reaffirm the tenth amendment and bring back control to the people of the states. The connection to the federal government is unhealthy and will be the end of the union if we allow the continued path of the federal government to be - out of control spending and borrowing, and the takeover of our private sector as they have done in the financial and car industries, and are attempting in the healthcare industry.

Call me a fool but as long as you call me Governor I will rest better knowing my administration will end this unhealthy and unsustainable path of federal dependence, by reaffirming the founding principles and constitutional government of this great state and union…

Thomas Jefferson: No radical and nobody’s fool:

“That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness”

“The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.”

“When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”

Entitled to what?

I get angry every time I hear the word entitlement. I have to ask; how am I entitled to anything but my own labor? We have this unhealthy attitude in America that seems to be growing that just because we want it, we should get it. We have politicians feeding this selfish sentiment, and the funny thing is they call us selfish for wanting to keep the money we earn to raise our families. If you want to depend on a government program for your life and family, you will be limited to what a politician can take from others. I suggest you count on yourself. It is a better bet and it the way a moral society works. Teach a person to fish…

I know I am entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I am entitled to speak my mind about my government. I am entitled to constitutional rights because I am an American citizen. But am I entitled to half of Bill Gate’s Microsoft fortune? If not, why not? What makes that different from any social program? What is the purpose of government? Is it to provide the means necessary for each of us to live? Or is it there to provide a set of rules to allow individuals to prosper. In America it was always the latter. We need to get back to taking care of ourselves and our neighbors without government programs. Look at what we have done for Haiti as an example. People are compassionate, government is soulless.

Government programs that were designed to help people through a hard time have become a means of subsistence and that is ruining our country and people. It is not compassionate to get people onto government programs, it is criminal. The American dream is an individual pursuit of excellence. The government has nothing that helps individuals achieve excellence. Government programs are the quick sand into a miserable life.

We are not entitled to other people’s labor unless the people paying agree to support the program as a social contract with their fellow citizen. The current administration and many before it have broken any contract we may have had by taking beyond the agreed upon terms. So now we have an angry citizenry and an entitled class of people dependent on politicians taking at will from the productive citizens. And the productive citizens are saying they are entitled to stop this madness. And believe me; the corporate welfare must end as well.

Today we have a government acting entitled to our money. When is enough, enough? When will we be entitled to keep our money so we can maintain our way of life? If others believe they are entitled to a better life I say; you are entitled to your opinion and opportunity; nothing more…

Gun Rights are not different…

The second amendment is just as important and holds the same stature as the first through tenth amendments. I might even argue more so but they are all important. Listening to a representative this morning from the Brady organization on Fox News, he stated that the second amendment was different and needed to be treated so. He cited statistics like; people that live in households with guns are 5 times more likely to have a gun incident than families with no guns in the house, 3 times more likely to commit suicide by a gun than houses without a gun. All irrelevant to the argument of gun rights.

It is like saying people that drive a car to work are 5 times more likely to have a car accident than people that take the bus to work. Let’s take away the cars? It is irrelevant and takes the focus off the real issue. Guns are our last line of defense to an out of control government. It is the safety valve when the political class decides we the people are no longer going to tell them what to do.

The second amendment was and is as relevant today to keep our government in check as it was at our founding. As long as politicians are facing an armed citizenry they will continue to walk carefully around our rights. Once they have taken away our guns they will stomp on all other rights. Guns don’t kill freedom, politicians do.

The facts are clear; when a criminal has to decide to rob the household with the gun or the household without the gun; the choice is clear. Places that have a large number of households with guns are safer places to live. If NYC and Detroit, and LA had right to carry laws, the crime stats would plummet. Well maybe in the beginning there would be a lot more dead criminals laying at the door steps of armed law abiding citizens. But it wouldn’t be long before the criminals would move on to where the laws disarmed law abiding citizens. That’s a fact…

We will never give up our rights to guns. Go ahead; make our day!

Emergency, Temporary, Crisis, Government…

The headline reads “American reliance on government at all time high.” It scares me to death that people are looking to government for help, and I don’t think most Americans understand how dangerous and undermining this is to our future. Government has been the key player in most of the economic crisis we face today by using extortion practices on the private sector to lend money to anyone wanting money. The private financial institutions that went along with this financial scam put on by Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, and the quasi governmental mortgage giant Freddie and Fannie are to blame as well, but it is not a free market crisis, it is the manipulation of the free market by government that caused the fundamental economic problem. Politicians trying to provide mortgages to their constituents that couldn’t pay, and mortgages without money down being underwritten by the government, are the cause of the housing meltdown. Politicians removed the risk of the private sector’s bad behavior by underwriting bad loans instead of allowing market forces to punish companies accordingly. That was not a free market crisis; it was government intervention that caused the crisis.

Government has a self interest in creating crisis that only the government can “fix”. Name one crisis government has ever fixed? Are the children in the public schools of every major city in this country passing and learning information needed to be successful? Or are they being fed and kept like animals in cages? Did Medicaid fix healthcare for the poor or create a bigger crisis in the private sector? Did Social Security fix poverty in retirement or create a dependency on government that threatens to bankrupt all Americans including the elderly? Did government fix the energy crisis or create greater dependence on foreign sources of oil and energy? Did government fix illegal immigration by closing the border or did they exacerbate the issue by rewarding illegal behavior through amnesty and sanctuary laws? I could go on and on.

And the real secret is the people in politics want you dependent on the government as well. If the government was limited to its constitutional role what would that do to the influence and power of private lobbyists, individual politicians, and the political parties that are dependent on government crisis? Follow the money and you will determine that government is the crisis we must fix. We fix it by reducing its size and scope to the limitations set forth in the constitution.

We keep electing and hiring people to manage our crisis that make their living and thrive on crisis, what is their incentive to end crisis? We need to hire people that want to end crisis, not perpetuate or profit from it. We need to elect people that want to eliminate crisis by limiting government. Only then will the crisis subside, the chaos return to calm, and the solution become permanent…