Wishful Thinking

Does anyone really believe the Federal Government in the capital city of Washington D.C. will ever reform itself? I have to hold back the laughter, anger, and frustration I feel toward the people elected to represent us at the federal level. Everything is upside down.

The country is being drained of all of its greatness at break-neck speed, and many of us feel powerless to stop it. Conservative Americans complain that the federal government has gotten too big, and liberal Americans complain that we spend too much on the military and “tax breaks for the rich” (whoever they are) but nothing will change if we wait for the same people that are benefitting from a big government to take any steps to reduce their influence.

Elections come and go at the federal level and nothing changes. In contrast, elections happen at the state and local level and a lot changes. State budgets are getting balanced (thanks to conservatives), businesses are growing, and energy is being harvested all in spite of an out of control central government intent on destroying everything good in its path. The state level changes happen because the people have more control of holding local politicians accountable. The further away government is from the people the smaller and more limited it needs to be.

The only solution to changing the federal government is to invoke the constitutional rights of the states. The states are the dominant power structure in the constitution. The federal government is given the authority it has by the states and the people. It is time to wean the federal government off of the power it has become addicted to at the state level by a collection of Governors around the country.

Similar to a drug addict, it is foolish to think the drug addict (federal government) should be given the keys to the pharmacy (printing press/borrowing authority) and expect the drug addiction to diminish. The only effective remedy is a full blown intervention of an outside source to ensure that the addict has a chance to succeed. Any other effort to limit the federal government’s destruction of our future is wishful thinking…

This is How to Fix the IRS

What is the Internal Revenue Service’s function? They are the federal agency empowered to collect taxes from the American people. They are empowered to the extent that you are guilty of any charge they make until proven innocent. The constitution grants us the right to innocence and puts the burden of proof on the government when it comes to every other facet of law. How is it that a government agency can be allowed to undermine our constitutional rights?

First, congress should pass a law that puts the burden of proof on the IRS and not the other way around. If the IRS believes we owe more tax than we paid, let them prove it. Why should it be our burden to manage their responsibilities? Especially when the tax code is a million lines of regulations. We have to go to work and make a living. We don’t have time to do their job as well. What are we paying them for? Let them cite the law and where we are wrong, and if we disagree let them provide additional proof we have done something wrong. Let them obtain a warrant and then conduct an audit. If they are wrong then we should be reimbursed for any fees, lost wages, and time we have spent defending their claim.

The IRS is the equivalent of the loan shark in organized crime. In reality they are empowered to destroy people’s lives and livelihoods. They can show up with goons and make American’s lives miserable. They can garnish wages, freeze bank accounts, and take the receivables in your business. This is too much power for any agency in our government. And it is about to get worse as the IRS takes on the new role as enforcer of healthcare. If healthy, young, or not convinced of the need for health insurance, the IRS goons are going to be the arm twisting agency to force you to purchase a product against your will.

So there is a much easier way to deal with this out of control agency filled with America hating bureaucrats.  Implement a flat tax at the federal level like every state in the union. If you make 0 - $50,000 a year you pay 10% of your W2 income. If you make $50,000 a year to $10,000,000,000,000 you pay 10% of your W2 or Corporate income. That’s right 10% for everyone. That is fair and that is justice.

The federal government is bloated and out of control. Ten percent of the country’s income is more than enough to provide for the constitutional requirements.

The recent scandals are the result of a federal government too big and being run by people that are too casual with the concept of law and order. Let’s send the 115,000 employees of the IRS packing. Instead of harassing the business people of the United States, let them try to get a job at one of those establishments…

Is Social Media Undermining the Right to Privacy?

Too many people post too much stuff about their comings and goings, where they are eating, what they are buying or feeling at every hour of the day. I am not going to comment on the way people choose to share their lives because I engage in social media sites as well, but my concern is the message it sends to kids.

The right to privacy is a constitutional, God, given right that we should cherish. We should be able to live our lives without interference from anyone including and especially government agencies and bureaucrats. The right to privacy is as important as the right to free speech which is greatly improved with the advent of social media. Social media has given a voice to so many more Americans, and it has broken the “log jam” of newspaper editors that used to control the flow of information. But what about protecting our privacy?

In Utah, as we speak, a new DOD data center that is being built in the name of security is going to be capable of watching and spying on every American citizen without their knowledge. In the name of keeping people safe, the federal government is preparing to make our lives less safe and endangering our right to privacy. We will be less safe from the prospect of an over reaching and controlling government. I want to allow the government to track terrorists but at what cost? What information will we allow them to gather on us? And from where we will allow them to gather information on law abiding citizens?

So here is my fear. As kids spew their lives on every social network without an ounce of consideration, how likely will they be willing to protect the rights of privacy and our other constitutional rights? Their willingness to share their information may cloud their judgment on constitutional limits. It will be easier for the younger generation to shrug off as unimportant the ability and reality of government agencies tracking our every move. They are so accustomed to being tracked by friends, why not the government? And not only government, corporations and advocacy groups as well.

Between the lack of civics and history in the public school curriculum, the acceptance of information dumping on social networks, and the ability of federal government to track our every move, what will become of privacy? What will become of our nation? What will become of our Constitution? What will become of our liberty?

America is Dying

90 Million Americans Not Working.

In March 80,000, 600,000, and 80,000 are the three important numbers to know. 80K were added to the disability roles, 600,000 left the workforce completely discouraged, and 80K jobs were created. The real unemployment number is 15% but the reported number is 7.6%.

America is on an unsustainable path. 90 million Americans are not working. We have an employment participation rate back to 1979 levels of 63.3%.

This is so much bigger than Obama. It is time to think about our country again. The bigger this welfare state gets the faster we will spiral into chaos. There is no economic recovery for 90 million Americans.

I find it hard to believe that anyone can support the path we are on. If there are people that still think that pumping money into the economy, expanding the role of the federal government, and raising taxes on workers is good policy they are too far gone to convince otherwise.

The economy is in survival mode and there are always a few bright spots in any economy but simply take an inventory of the American economy in total, and a very sad story appears to any open eyes and minds.

I don’t give a hoot about political parties and politicians. I want every federal representative who has been in Washington more than 2 terms removed and replaced. DC is broken and they are breaking America…

America is dying…

Government Subsidies

The federal government has been subsidizing industries for many years and they are often the target for elimination but rarely are the critics successful but why? Let’s look at the industry that is the biggest target for eliminated subsidies; big oil.

The three major categories that big oil receives subsidies for are the strategic oil reserve, farm equipment subsidies, and low income fuel assistance programs, totaling 2.5 billion a year. Oil companies are subsidized by the federal government to put aside a specific amount of oil into the Strategic Oil Reserve to ensure in the case of a crisis our government has access to a large enough inventory to manage a crisis. Farming subsidies are probably the oldest of all federal subsidies. As part of that subsidy, oil companies receive just under a billion dollars to supply farmer’s fuel at a reasonable price. The Low Income Fuel subsidy that helps low income families heat their house in the winter represents about $500 million a year.   

So when we talk about subsidies for “Big Oil”, these are the three biggest subsidies the oil companies receive. The average person hears subsidies to big oil and they believe it is simply money that goes in the pocket of big oil companies but the pockets it is going into is DOD (government), Farmers, and Low income citizens. That is why these programs survive. If they were truly just tax breaks going into the executives of big oil they would have been stopped long ago. Most people don’t have the attention span to listen to the entire argument so it is easy for politics to be injected into the arguments. So “Big Oil” remains the bad guy “screwing” the tax payer but are they?

I am against federal government subsidies. The venture capital market is the best avenue for investment in promising technology, products, drugs, etc… If an idea or product is viable it will attract private capital. The “renewable energy” business is the perfect example of why I am against federal subsidies. My biggest concern is the federal government picking winners and losers. What expertise do these bureaucrats have to make that decision compared to private capital? If windmills (which is an ancient and ineffective technology) are a viable energy source- why wouldn’t it attract private capital? Because private capital looks at all of the factors including longevity and ROI which they have determined not to risk their own capital. So why risk the tax payer’s capital? What does the country have to gain? Sustainable energy? Really, if that was the case why then not invest private capital?

The companies most likely to get federal subsidies are companies that donate to political candidates. It gives them access and unfair advantage. It is also important to remember that it is easy to spend other people’s money when the people’s money you are spending is not aware of how it’s being used. Private capital ventures have to guarantee a return or they will not attract new investors.

The market is the best mechanism to flush out future products and industries. Subsidies are attractive to politicians because it gives them power to control. That is not why we have a federal government. The founders knew that the federal government’s role was to ensure foreigners did not attack us, and that commerce was consistently practiced between the states. The constitution was the law and the courts were the referees. Everything else was up to the states and people. We need to move closer to the founding intent…

Under Attack

Why does it seem the federal government is attacking the people they work for? Is it because they are?

Whether it’s our constitutional rights, the ability to start a business, or the decision to select a doctor, our freedoms and choices are being destroyed by the federal government. We seem to have elected a group of people that have never had to work a day in their lives and they seem to think that money can be produced out of thin air. We are being represented by anti-capitalist, over educated, and common sense deficient but definitely self-interested politicians.

There isn’t an area of our lives that politicians at the federal level don’t feel compelled to intrude on even when the constitution is absolutely clear on their responsibilities. But it isn’t the constitution’s fault for the betrayal that has been conducted on its tenets. It is us, the citizen that is allowing this attack on our rights.

The constitution can only protect us if we are willing to protect it. We do that by electing people that are truly committed to its founding intent. Taking an oath is not enough. The oath has become meaningless words spewed by politicians that have no idea why it was created never mind ever reading it. We have two parties that have lost their way and have forgotten who is actually in charge; the people.

The regulatory bodies created at the federal level are passing laws without the people’s consent. The EPA is stopping business at an alarming rate under the guise of protecting the environment. Their true intent is to destroy capitalism. There are too many agencies and every one of them must be trimmed or eliminated. Many of these agencies are acting unconstitutionally. Many are engaging in campaigns to destroy our economic opportunities and the future of the greatest economic system in the world. And our response to these attacks?

Our healthcare system is being attacked by the bureaucracy of the Affordable Care Act. How can you operate under the oppression of 21,000 pages of loosely defined regulations deigned to command and control private people and businesses in the healthcare industry? The reason we have seen rising costs is the introduction of the federal government into the fabric of what was once a completely private industry. Healthcare cannot be a right because it requires someone else to provide it. Think about that. A right is inherent in our being human like freedom. The freedom to speak is a right, the freedom to protect ourselves is a right, and the freedom to conduct commerce between each other is a right. We need to discern rights, wants, and unconstitutional dictates. The freedom to live our lives without government intrusion is a right. Every one of our rights will remain under attack as long as we allow the federal government (and all government) to grow.

Every day we make choices. Every day those choices are under attack. What we eat, what we buy, how we raise our children, what faith we believe in, are all under attack by government. They are under attack because government is too big and growing. The way we stop the attack is to defund and limit the federal government. The constitution is our weapon to dismantle this ever growing campaign to infringe on our rights. It is up to us to take back the responsibility we have allowed the federal government to take from us.

The Constitution Packs a ONE TWO Punch!

There is a reason the First Amendment of the Constitution is followed by the Second Amendment of the Constitution; brilliance! Our founders knew that human behavior was predictable based on past history, and that is why they developed a document to limit the behavior of well-intentioned but often mis-guided individuals to control American’s lives. And if they refused to live by the constitution the, people had the capacity to enforce or at least defend themselves against the most aggressive of them. The one two punch of the constitution!

The Middle East is in chaos and there is a pre-text that it is because we here in the west have this thing called a first amendment right to criticize people, things, and government without retribution. It works real well when your pursuit is freedom! Well freedom in the Islamic world is secondary to their religious beliefs. They cut off people’s heads for insulting their religious figures. So to say they have a propensity toward freedom is a lie. To say they have a propensity to chop people’s heads off is the truth.

There is a culture clash between Islam and America that cannot be overcome. You see Islam is not simply a religion, it is Muslim’s culture, religion, laws, and political system all rolled into one. There is no separation of religious beliefs and civil law in Islam. You have to respect and abide by Islam or you die. Simple fact but not easy to implement in a country like America. Why? Because of the Second Amendment!

The terrorist radicals of the Middle East can rant and rave about our disrespect of their religion but you see we don’t have to listen to them. We have a constitution that allows us to say and believe what we want to. So if someone wants to believe in Islam they can but don’t expect to be able to implement the laws of Islam here. And if you try, I suspect the millions and millions of gun owners in this country will protect their right to not believe with their other right to bear the necessary arms to protect the First Amendment right; Brilliant! Can you say ONE – TWO punch!

This country is under assault from every angle including inside the current White House. Apologizing for our right to free speech is despicable. You don’t have to support every word or video that is spoken or created but you do have to support the right to do it here in America if you are a sworn defender of the constitution which every federal elected official is. The apologists of our constitutional rights have no place in our government.

So while the Middle East burns we shine in our defense of the greatest document ever created: our US Constitution! No apology necessary only thanks please!

I Just Don’t Get It

How can anyone support this current president? When I look at what is happening to our country because of the policies of this president, increased debt and deficit, the assault on freedom, the demonization of the private sector, crony capitalism, governing by executive order, and the lies. So many lies that it makes your head spin; I can’t get my head around it!

Still people that should be smarter than that support this president. I just don’t get it. I wish people could just step back from the us and them for a moment and be pure American. I wish people would just read the Constitution and Declaration of Independence and compare what is happening today in contrast to the intent of our founders and reasons for our unparalleled wealth. I think people that support Obama are emotional, feel good people that have some sort of guilt complex. There is no other answer.

The “war on woman” issue is a big hoax. Free birth control, abortions, and mammograms, really? Think about it guys and gals, the Federal Government has no place in our personal lives. In a free nation we must insist that our federal government reduce their footprint, not expand it. Obamacare is an attack on freedom in so many ways. Your grandmother needs a hip at 92, otherwise healthy, will be denied that hip once a federal healthcare program is in place. It will become a game of numbers. If the taxpayer is paying for healthcare it will be rationed because it will be an inefficient monopoly with limited funds and therefore will be rationed or it will bankrupt us. We need to pay for our own care so we can control it.

There is absolutely no evidence of government success. Every story about government is about corruption, cronyism, fraud, abuse, inefficiency, and still people question the private sector and capitalism? There are some stories of private abuse but the market takes care of abuse by choosing another company and putting them out of business. Can you choose another government agency? Of course not it is a monopoly staffed by some of the most incompetent crony hires. Not all but many people that work in large federal agencies are counting the days until their lavish pensions kick in. We need to put these people out of their misery by reducing federal agencies. It is the compassionate thing to do. Give those people the opportunity to bring meaning back to their life.

The black community has been devastated by government programs. The education system has been devastated by government incompetence. The economy has been destroyed by federal regulation, debt, and taxes. When will we learn that if we reduce the federal government by 50% those savings will translate into economic activity that can result in new ideas and businesses that can lead to full employment again? We need to count on the individual again.

Why do people put faith in government? The government has not been the reason for our success. Every time a president reduces government regulation, taxes, and cost, the country thrives. We have wealth because of the private sector not roads and bridges. Please, roads and bridges? Come on folks think about it?

If you are going to vote for Barrack Obama you have lost all credibility. You have failed. Your education was meaningless, you critical thinking skills are nil, and you have failed your children if you have them. I am sorry but your emotion is not an argument against the facts.

Mayor Bloomberg: Shut Up! Please...

I personally don’t care what the Mayor of NYC my hometown has to say about guns or any other matter as a matter of fact. The ego on this man is typical of every dictator of the past. Mayor Bloomberg seems to think he knows best.

The beauty of this great republic is if you don’t like what the Mayor does in his city you can move to a state or another city that you do agree with the Mayor. The credibility of the Mayor of NY is limited in the arena of gun control. Bloomberg’s city is like most inner cities that have the strictest gun control laws but still have the highest rates of crime according to every statistic available. Gun laws take guns from the law abiding citizens yielding them helpless against criminals and limited to waiting for 911 to respond.

If you look at Bloomberg’s record here is what you find: the highest poverty rates, lowest scores on aptitude tests, highest crime rates, and many undesirable neighborhoods. All this and he wants to play on the national stage? He believes more control over the people’s lives is the answer to everything. The problem is he is the problem.

If the Mayor wants to control his city then he can propose what he wants and let the people of the city of NY decide what they are willing to accept. As far as the rest of us are concerned all I can say is shut up. I would never move to NYC if I had all of the money in the world. I believe in freedom and our constitution. Something Bloomberg has no respect for as exemplified by his never ending meddling in the affairs of - we the people…

Definitions that Deceive…

The fight for a free and prosperous nation means understanding the words and meanings used to secure your vote. It is also important to look at the results and consequences of implementing policies that are often sold using deceptive labels.

“Community” is the term often used by the left as a tool to support big government. “We are stronger together than we are separate” is one of the many variations of the mantra they use to equate a good quality with a big government fix. Communities can be a source of good but only in the sense that the community is organically created and not contrived. For example, a church community is a community made up of people voluntarily coming together to worship and support people of need through the programs they create- like donating time, food, and shelter in a crisis.

The “global community” on the other hand is a very dangerous community to accept or become a part of. This fictitious community is used to garner good feeling about friendliness and holding hands and common causes we share. The most common use of “global community” is the extreme environmentalist groups that are really a conglomerate of groups that hate capitalism and freedom. The major problem with this “community” is there are no mutual common goals any of us share. We may think the world wants clean air and water for example but all you have to do is visit China, Russia, North Korea, Cuba, and you understand this is not true. Most non capitalist countries are the most egregious polluters in the world. The governments that are the most dictorial and not democratic are the biggest polluters in the world, and we are lead to believe we all share a common future. We don’t. So when people try to sell an idea by playing to your sense of “global community” there is no such community. As a famous politician once said, “all politics is local.” This same concept should be applied to “communities” as well.

Any government supported “community’ is compulsory and is a danger to our freedom and prosperity. The healthcare debacle that was just deemed constitutional is being argued that it is good for Americans because it takes care of the poor, minority, uninsured, place the group here “community.” The problem is it destroys the individual. Government “communities” impose their will, rules and regulations on every individual, and we can’t escape the government community. So in reality it is not a community but a prison.

“Fairness” is another term often leveraged by the big government types to implement more government agencies to decide what is fair for everyone. So, what is fair for everyone? Should we all make the same amount of money no matter what our job is? What is a fair wage? Is it fair that some people live in a bigger home? Own a boat? Own a business? What is a fair? And most important who decides?

“The “rich” should be made to pay their fair share.” What is the fair share? Who decides what is rich? Is $30K, $50K, $75K, $100K, etc… rich? For someone making minimum wage $75K may seem rich but who are they to decide? You see it all becomes arbitrary and someone must decide the rules. Is that the government “community”? Is it fair to tax a man more because he works harder and becomes more successful? If we continue to tax success will we get more or less of it?

It can all seem fair as long as you are not targeted by the “fairness community.” That is why the constitution, capitalism, and the free markets are so effective. The constitution protects the individual from oppressive government. Capitalism rewards individuals who work hard and success is subject to the laws of the market. The market is colorblind, gender blind, sexuality blind, and has no interest in your title, resume, or past accomplishments. It is a mechanism that holds the individual or company accountable to their customers every day. There is no government bureaucrat picking winners and losers based on politics. Hard work, merit, reputation, and quality drive success. You can’t legislate success no matter how much you want to help others. Individuals must choose to be successful, communities can’t impose it.

Community and fairness can sound really good but they don’t work in the context of government. What is so hard to understand?     

The Constitution’s Last Stand…

It may be the only way to save our constitution from the Washington DC elite. It seems the constitution is no longer the law of the land. It has been breached by the President, Legislature, and the Supreme Court. So what is the next battlefield to protect the principles that made this nation great? The Tenth Amendment is now the line in the sand that must be fortified with the state governors and the citizens of those states.

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.”

The federal government has over stepped its bounds and it is time to bring in the reinforcements. Governor Jindal, Governor Walker, and Governor Scott, are on the right track by stating they will not comply with the Obamacare Medicaid mandates but that is only the first step. There are 18 other Governors that are considering the same actions toward Medicaid but it is time to expand the scope of services that need to be nullified. Learn more about Nullification here at the Tenth Amendment Center.

The states need to reaffirm their role defined in the constitution as a protection against an over reaching central authority. If the citizens of the states want to fix the federal government they must participate in electing state representatives that understand the 10^th amendment and are willing to challenge every federal mandate and start nullifying them.

Governors should start opening up the medical and healthcare insurance industries by eliminating mandates for coverage. They should open up the insurance market to include plans that simply cover catastrophic care and make it easier for doctors to practice medicine instead of spending their time administering insurance plans. Doctors should post a price list for services like preventative checkups and referrals. There are so many market ideas to be unleashed if the mandates are lifted and government is moved out of the market of healthcare.

States can set up a couple of simple rules for coverage. If you are an insurer and want to operate in the state you must accept a percentage of “high risk” patients in order to operate. People with pre-existing conditions would be distributed to health insurance companies that operate within the state. The entrepreneurial spirit and markets will create downward pricing pressures and doctors will have to compete for patients. In the end the market becomes more responsive to the patient, and the doctor gets paid a fair market wage not a wage determined by an insurance company or government bureaucrat.

Healthcare would be a start but education would be next. Allowing private sector and home school operations to expand using the tax dollars that would be saved by reducing the amount of federal tax dollars sent to DC for “education.” The Governors could determine how much they would allow the federal government to tax their citizens based on the constitutional responsibilities of the federal government. That would mean that the federal government would submit a budget to the states for defense and diplomacy and the states would pay their apportioned share.

Basically what we need are state representatives and governors with the fortitude to protect and defend the constitution. Is it radical? Only if you believe holding the federal government accountable to its constitutional limits is radical. It is only common sense and may be our last stand…

Federal Government Orders Colorado Ski Resorts Closed

It is general knowledge that skiing has become a very treacherous activity including numerous deaths over the years. It can no longer be tolerated that the expenses incurred by the Federal Government and the financial pressure skiing adds to the already limited healthcare resources of the Obamacare system, that something must be done immediately to curb the financial hardship. So it is with a heavy heart HHS is closing down all ski resorts in Colorado.

There have been numerous inquiries into the recent HHS panel’s review of the boating industry. The facts are still being reviewed and the restrictions remain in place until a final order is issued. Those restrictions include all 50 states and cover recreational boating only. They cover both boats and jet skis. Commercial fishing boats for the time being are exempt. These restrictions include absolutely no water skiing, knee boarding, tubing or boating in excess of 5 MPH. Fines include the confiscation of all watercraft and up to $1000.00 fines on each individual in the watercraft.

The decision to ban off road vehicles and skidoo’s remains in effect. HHS believes they have saved numerous lives and reduced the cost of healthcare injuries by .0002%. This represents a significant reduction in real dollars. Any persons caught using a snowmobile or driving off road vehicles will be subject to 30 days in prison and fines of up to $5000.00 per person. Those fines will be used to support the recent 3% salary increases of HHS personnel. They have been forced to work overtime due to the hiring freezes put in place to allow the hiring of new doctors who must be shipped in from India since no Americans are applying to medical school. The recent decline in American students choosing medical school is being reviewed by a special panel of bureaucrats and the results will be communicated at the annual convention in the Spring of next year.

HHS wishes to thank all of its employees for all of their hard work during these difficult times. All of these new regulations have really increased the workload of this agency of over 20,000 employees.

In other news; American businesses have closed up shop and moved to Singapore and New Zealand. This has put additional pressure on the treasury that will need to print additional dollars to make up for all of the lost productivity due to the 1% leaving…

Laugh now because soon we will all be crying.

What was the Founder’s greatest fear?

I enjoy reading about the founding of our nation. I have read many books, articles, and often re-read sections of the Constitution when I have questions. When I go back and read the founding documents whether it is the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, or the Federalist Papers, the common thread throughout is the dis-trust of centralized authority.

I believe we have lost interest and the understanding of how this great nation was founded, why, and how it has become the most prosperous nation on the earth. The fact that we have stopped teaching the principles of self-governance and instead spend time learning dates and specific events as students, has resulted in the loss of the most important part of our founding; the context in which the documents were created.

Context is often overlooked but an extremely important aspect of learning history. Unless the context is clear about an event, it is hard to understand the true intentions of the people involved in the event. How can you make a judgment about someone’s actions if you don’t have all the facts about what lead to those actions? It is not only true in history but every day events. For example: if you were to learn someone killed another person by shooting them with their handgun, could you convict them on that fact? Unless you know that the murdered person was an armed robber and entered the house with the intent of killing the inhabitants and robbing them of their possessions, you would have incomplete context.

The context of our founding must be understood to apply the constitution correctly. Our founder’s greatest fear was a central authority with the power to dictate and impose on the freedom of the individual. They had just fought a revolution and risked their life, possessions, and sacred honor in the pursuit of freedom and self-governance. They saw central authority as evil and believed that men involved in the free pursuit of their dreams, engaging in economic activity between each other, were the best arbiters of happiness.

To understand the constitution is to understand the time, the reason, and the vision of why it was created. It was created to limit the central government’s power and protect the individual and state’s rights to operate and pursue happiness. Even the context of “happiness” needs to be reviewed. Happiness at the time of our founding was a much simpler concept. It was pursuing a trade, taking care of your family, and living in freedom from government rule. After all this was the first experiment in self-rule without a class structure.

The constitution is not “living or breathing” it is a solid set of laws limiting central authority (Federal Government).  What we have seen in the healthcare ruling that was ruled on by the SCOTUS is a disregard of the context and intention of the Constitution. It is no more complex than that. We have lawyers that debate over what the word is, is, but to any common soul like myself that studies human nature, the founding, and believes that individuals, not bureaucrats in some far off concrete building are better judges of their own fate, suffered  a great blow to liberty and self-rule.

The people that are cheering this decision will come to realize if it is fully implemented that they have given up their freedom and will be told how to live by some central authority bureaucrat. Healthcare is not free or a right, it is an economic pact between two individual parties. Being free to decide your own fate is a right protected by the Constitution and that right was just trampled by the Supreme Court of the United States…

The Supreme Court Could Deem the Constitution Insignificant

I don’t believe this President is a “Constitutional Lawyer” based on his recent public criticism of the Supreme Court’s potential decision in the healthcare case. He has either forgotten his lessons or he thinks the country is that stupid. There is also the theory from the “conspiracy” types that he has been tipped off by one of his two recent Supreme Court appointees, Sotomayor, and Kagan that the court is leaning toward the unconstitutionality of the law. I do not wish to believe that but anything is possible with this administration.

President Obama has stated that an unconstitutional ruling is equal to “judicial activism.” This is not the truth. Judicial activism is when the court creates legislation from the bench. If the court determines that there is no authority in the constitution for the Congress to mandate the purchase of healthcare and strikes it down, the Congress can simply re-structure and pass a new law without the mandate. That is simply the role the Supreme Court plays in the process.

President Obama has also said this law was passed with “overwhelming” support of the Congress. If I recall correctly, not a single Republican in the House voted for it, and maybe 1 Republican in the Senate. Seventy percent of the country wants the law repealed. The President seems to be setting the stage that no matter which way this goes it will be the deciding issue of the November election.

If the healthcare law is determined to be unconstitutional, the left with help from the President will make the argument those conservatives, Republicans, and the Supreme Court need to be replaced with people that support helping the “least capable” among us. They will invoke class warfare about how republicans want to help Wall Street not Main Street blah blah blah… If the law is deemed constitutional it is the end of the Republic as we know it and it is time to invoke the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — 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. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.”

Healthcare will become the intrusive power to which the federal government will have no bounds into the control of our lives. I have little confidence that even a change of political parties in November, Republicans will have the guts to repeal the law. The Tea Party will have to organize to reset the government to its original intent.

This President has forgotten that the three branches of government are independent and separate for a reason. Just because this President thinks something is a good idea doesn’t make it so or make it constitutional. As a constitutional student he has failed. Or he has a mission to destroy our founding principles. If he is threatening the Supreme Court my reply would be: The Supreme Court should show this president they can’t be intimidated because they are on equal footing according the constitution. A constitution in peril of being deemed insignificant by the justices of that same Supreme Court…

The Supreme Court is Invalidating the Founder’s Intent

No matter what decision the Supreme Court reaches regarding Obamacare, the SCOTUS is and has been acting unconstitutionally for decades since FDR. The US Constitution is clear on the role of the court as are the Federal Papers and the many correspondences between the founders about its role simply as arbiter not legislator. Legislation and law were intended to be introduced and voted on in the House first and foremost. The Constitution is clear about who holds the law making responsibility. There is no alternative including interpretations of laws by the SCOTUS. They were only meant to validate or invalidate a laws legitimacy based on the founder’s intent.

Let’s start with the intent. The intended purpose of the Constitution was to limit Federal Power. The clearest and easiest evidence to understand and to support that is the Tenth Amendment. Why else would the founders/states have insisted on this addition if the intent was not to limit central power? The US Constitution would not have been ratified without the guarantee of the Bill of Rights which includes the 10^th Amendment. The Bill of Rights in total underlines the distrust the states and the people had for this newly formed central government. Today it is painfully apparent how little the power of the Tenth Amendment has been utilized in the fight to curb centralized programs, but it has seen a renewed commitment to make it relevant again.

The SCOTUS was intended by the founders to simply be the referee to ensure the legislature was only passing laws that met the limits and protections within the constitution. Madison believed the role would be utilized on a very limited basis and in the federal papers he insists the concern about precedence was unwarranted. He suggested that every case that came before the SCOTUS would be looked at from the perspective of the original intent and not subsequent cases. How wrong he was. The precedence of the SCOTUS has been used to rewrite original intent to mean whatever the court wanted it to mean. This has been seen with the Commerce Clause. Its intent was to make trade regular between the states so there was a “uniform” set of laws guiding how the states traded. The coastal states could have easily introduced additional tariffs and taxes to the other states due to their proximity and importance in the delivery of foreign goods. It was not intended to be used as a way for the federal government to force the states to comply with its wishes simply because they participated in commerce. It was more efficient to have one representative dealing with foreign governments and trade agreements so the states would not have 13 different sets of rules that could be used to divide and create mischief by foreign governments especially France and England.

There have been a number of torturous interpretations based on precedent and ideology that have slowly but surely undermined our freedoms and decisions as a people. The suggestion that if we buy something or make something that is considered “commerce” that that becomes a reasonable opportunity for the federal government to regulate it and tax it to pay for the regulation is a warped view of the constitution. There is no requirement of the SCOTUS to consider any previous cases. That is what they need to do in the Obamacare case. They need to read and look at the original intent of our constitution.

That is where the crux of my argument lies. We now have a completely politicized process that does not fundamentally begin with a review of the constitution; it begins from the ideological views of the justices. As a conservative I pray the more conservative judges begin with the constitution in this healthcare case. But no one person can argue that every decision of late that the SCOTUS has ruled on is based in politics. Yes they occasionally reference the constitution but too often reference precedence. Completely opposite of what Madison argued would be the case.

The growth and intrusiveness of the Federal Government is being refereed by a party (SCOTUS) that has a self interest in the growth of that same government. If President Obama gets to choose two or more justices for the Supreme Court does anyone believe it will be a legitimate institution to protect our founding document? We will have reached the point of a nine person dictatorship if the SCOTUS becomes all powerful in the making and determining our future laws and original intent of the Constitution.

The states and the Governors of those states along with the legislatures need to take up the cause of liberty and limited federal power. They can do that by nullifying the laws they disagree with and believe are unconstitutional. Nullification is a legitimate course of action found within the constitution. We can’t rely on the Supreme Court for much longer because it is already politicized but if this president gets a few more picks it will no longer be on the side of the people and the states.

It is time for the states and the people to read, understand, and protect the US Constitution. It is the greatest weapon in the fight for liberty. Much more reliable than any SCOTUS.   

No Voter ID: Do Democrats Want to Vote for You?

Since when does asking someone for a photo ID represent an attempt at discrimination? When you ask the bartender for a drink at the airport they ask for your ID. When you choose to use a check at any grocery or retail store you are most likely going to be asked for a photo ID. In almost every aspect of life there is an expectation that we have an ID to validate we are who we say we are.

The Attorney General of the United States is suing a numberof states to stop them from implementing voter ID laws. He says it is a form of disenfranchisement and discrimination against minorities and people likely to vote for Democrats. Hmmm! Why would having a photo ID impact voters that lean democratic? Could it be that dead people have a hard time showing ID? Could it be that democrats tend to vote multiple times and if a photo ID is implemented it could put a damper on that practice?

In every state you can get a government issued photo ID at no charge. It takes a bit of initiative from the person that needs the ID but is it too much to ask a voter to do? In a representative republic, making the effort to vote is one of our responsibilities. And to be honest I don’t think a person unwilling to make the effort to get an ID should be able to vote. If you don’t think it’s that important to make the effort to get a photo ID to vote, you are probably not informed of the issues and I would rather you didn’t vote. I know that sounds strange to some but maintaining freedom and our constitution is a responsibility that must be taken seriously.

The future of our republic is on the line and we need to make sure that the integrity of our elections is intact. We can’t afford to allow dead people, illegal people, or people too lazy to get the credentials necessary to vote to undermine our country. Everyone that is legally eligible to vote has the ability to do so if they just make the effort. The next step will be democrats wanting to vote for people. Don’t laugh its coming…

Misplaced Faith

Why do so many Americans place faith in the Federal Government? It seems that whether it’s a person that buys a mortgage with lousy terms and loses their home, a fee on an ATM card, a recall on a car, or some tainted food product, the first response by the media and many Americans is “what is the federal government going to do about it?”

The Federal Government is the greatest source of failure in this country. There is no market holding it accountable. It is the consummate monopoly and still people put their faith in it. Look at the Post Office; it is bleeding billions of tax payer subsidies for inefficient processes and management. Look at Welfare, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Food Stamps, the EPA, FDA, Department of Education, all bleeding tax dollars through corrupt bureaucracies and mismanagement.

The private sector market is not perfect but it is regulated in the most effective manner known to man, the competitive process. If a private sector organization fails they are punished by losing customers and profits. Competitors come in and replace them therefore righting the wrong that was done by that organization. It happens every day, almost unconsciously as consumers make choices to buy or not buy products.

GM was bailed out by the Federal Government and everyone praises the fact that they saved the company. The argument is that if the feds didn’t bail out GM the company would not exist today. There is nothing further than the truth. The company would have simply gone into bankruptcy court, restructured all of its contracts, including the unsustainable union contracts, re-organized its car lines, eliminated the cars that only sell a few hundred a month (green cars) and come out a better more efficient company. The best thing is we the tax payer would have paid $0 in the process. It has been happening in the airline industry for years. Mis managed companies are forced by the market to become better companies or close their doors forever. That is the market process.

Some people get hurt in the process but that is why the system works so well. The winners and losers are rewarded or punished based on their ability to perform for the consumer resources they hope to attract. Because the Federal Government injected itself into the GM debacle, the company still has contracts that are weighing down their long term success and many consumers, myself included, will never buy another GM product due to their relationship with the feds. That is the market at work and unless the Federal Government buys every car company I will always choose a non- government company every time.

Every time we ask the Federal Government to do anything the cost to us is freedom. The Federal Governments most efficient process is to limit freedom. They limit our choices by interjecting regulations that keep competitors out of industries. They increase the cost of doing business which stifles new business growth and they mandate what companies must provide and what consumers must buy. And yet we keep asking the Federal Government to do more. The US Constitution was created to limit the encroachment by the Federal Government against the freedom of every individual in this country, yet we turn a blind eye to the greatest document against tyrannical government ever. Why?

Freedom’s Line in the Sand

We often make political arguments way too complex. The latest assault on religious institutions is just a symptom of the bigger problem of an unconstitutional president in the White House. He passed Obamacare for a couple of fundamental reasons; expand federal government; control the behavior of Americans; and to limit our freedom.

We need to look at every change this administration is making as an assault on every American’s liberty. We are in a fight to save this country and Obamacare is the foundation of our enemies attack. By using healthcare as a foundation to intrude in our lives, this administration positions every argument to steal our freedom as a benefit to our lives. The government now has an argument to get involved anywhere they choose based on the argument it is good for our health.

In the fight against obesity, the federal government can say since they are paying for healthcare they have a say in what we eat. In the fight against cancer, the federal government can outlaw foods, manufacturing processes, technology etc… in order to prevent cancer. In the fight to protect drivers from accidents, the federal government can outlaw any behavior in a car that distracts drivers and may cause accidents. The intentions are all noble in their mind. But where has freedom gone in the argument?

This country is built on individual liberty. If we had these asinine laws at the founding of our country we would never have survived or have been born as a nation. We are free to choose and we must accept the consequences. We can’t prevent every ill in society. We must be free to determine our lives pursuits without the intervention of faceless bureaucrats. If someone dies because they jump off a 10 story building the answer isn’t to stop building 10 story buildings. If someone dies because they have drank themselves to death, the answer isn’t to ban alcohol from everyone because of one individual.

We have allowed these liberal doo gooders’ noses under the tent of freedom and you see what we get. They can’t help themselves to continually look for ways to “help” us. NO THANK YOU! The founders knew this and it is why we have a constitution whose sole purpose is to LIMIT the federal government. The purpose was not to protect us from ourselves but to protect us from these do gooder liberals and tyrants. Often the same ilk. We don’t need a nanny watching over us. Take some damn responsibility people. They are stealing our freedom.

So I applaud the Catholic Bishops in standing up against this assault on religious liberty but it is even bigger than that. It is the essence of America we are fighting for. Liberty in all aspects of our lives not just religious liberty. We have already given up too much ground. The line in the sand has been drawn with Obamacare and it must be repealed in total. Otherwise we will be fighting against the Obamas of the world for the rest of our lives. We can’t allow this to stand. For God’s sake man do it for the children!

If They Can’t Create a Budget - How Can They Lead?

 Creating a budget for the federal government is not only the law; it is how any organization measures their operation. The budget is a financial road map that allows management to understand where they are succeeding and failing. In the federal government it is simply a measurement of how badly they are failing at managing the operations of the government.

The democratic Senate refuses to pass a budget which indicates their interest in “fixing” the debt and deficits we face. The only way to fix our financial problems is to create a budget and stick to it. We need to reduce spending and eliminate programs and a budget is where we put our ideas to paper. The democratic Senate obviously has no ideas to reduce our debt and deficit. I am not sure they believe our financial woes are a problem, which makes the democratic Senate a problem for Americans.

Our Federal Government is driving our country to ruin. We go to work every day with our heads in the sand hoping the situation will change. But change doesn’t happen magically. It takes hard work and the ability to create a budget and sticking to it. When do we think our representatives are going to address this impending crisis? Are they waiting for a crisis to impose even more restrictive tax and regulatory policy? This will in turn make the crisis even worse which will mean drastic action will have to be taken and the Constitution be damned? Is this the plan?

What is it going to take to remove these incompetent representatives? Most Americans, 71% are not even paying attention to the presidential race. I would bet it is 90% who are not paying attention to the House and Senate races. The same number that is paying attention to the way our representatives are failing in their duties I am afraid…

Can We Agree on Freedom?

Democrats and Republicans are more polarized than ever. I sometimes think it is simply, if I say black, you say white. We are no longer thinking through the results of who we elect. I have a question for all Americans of every political stripe: Is freedom still important to you?

If the answer is yes as I expect, we have our first point of agreement.

Individual freedom requires individual accountability, and the willingness to allow for failure as well as success. Can we agree that people are better off when they are accountable for their own actions including getting and education that results in a job? Can we agree that if an individual chooses not to work that the result should be they are not rewarded for not working? Can we agree that if an individual succeeds that we should celebrate that success and not punish them by limiting their ability to create even more success?

Freedom includes the opportunity for individuals to conduct business between each other with limited action by the government. The government action is in the law. The law is the guideline but should definitely play only one role: make the playing field level. Not the outcomes but the opportunity. Can we agree that when business invests in people and capital that they should be able to decide who they hire and how much they pay them? Can we agree that it is in businesses best interest to pay people the wage that gets them the best people? Can we agree that the market is the best mechanism to control businesses behavior? If a business is polluting or pillaging the consumer, the consumer will punish the business by going to a competitor. The more government inflicts its “solutions” the less free a market becomes? Can we agree that when businesses thrive and hire people it is good for everyone even if the owner (s) get rich?

Can we agree that when individuals go to work every day, the paycheck they earn is theirs? Can we agree that no American has a right to someone else’s private property? Can we agree that private property is a good thing that supports individual freedom?

Can we agree that politicians work for the people? Can we agree that free speech and religious freedom are fundamental to our individual freedom and we need politicians that support and defend the constitution? Can we agree freedom is protected by having a military that is ready to defend it from foreign enemies?

Can we agree that churches and private charities should be free to take care of the poor and that they are much better at it than the government? Can we agree that giving people a choice of where they go to school is a choice that will result in more freedom of opportunity?

Can we agree that the bigger the government gets the less freedom we have as individuals?