Grayson compares foe to Taliban

A good article on Democratic "DIRTBAG" Alan Grayson.

Thank you Alex Isenstadt & POLITICO


By ALEX ISENSTADT

9/26/10 2:30 PM EDT Updated: 9/27/10 9:33 AM EDT

Florida Rep. Alan Grayson is taking his scorched-earth reelection campaign against GOP foe Dan Webster to new heights.

Two weeks after hammering Webster as a military draft dodger, Grayson is portraying his challenger in a new ad as “Taliban Dan Webster” – a religious fundamentalist opposed to women's rights who, over the span of his nearly three-decade career in the Florida state Senate and state House, opposed abortion even in cases of rape and incest. The spot even goes so far as to suggest that Webster believes women should be submissive to their husbands.

“Daniel Webster wants to impose his radical fundamentalism on us,” says an announcer in the 30-second ad, which says that Webster “wants to make divorce illegal,” that he “voted to deny abused women health care.”

The spot also claims that Wesbter “tried to prohibit alimony to an ‘adulterous wife’ but not an adulterous husband,’” and that he “wants to force women to stay in abusive marriages.”

The ad also features footage of Webster saying, “Wives, submit yourselves to your own husband.”

The spot concludes, “Taliban Dan Webster: Hands off our body – and our laws.”

Webster’s campaign did not respond to several requests for comment Sunday.

Andy Sere, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in an e-mail message: "Equating a respected statesman like Dan Webster with the terrorists who killed thousands of Americans is beyond low, even for Alan Grayson."

Grayson has put his $1.3 million war chest to use, hitting their airwaves heavily since Webster emerged as the victor in a crowded GOP primary in late August. Even before Grayson began accusing Webster of dodging the Vietnam draft, the Democrat had been airing spots slamming his opponent, a former state Senate majority leader, for using $32,000 of taxpayer funds on a spiral staircase for his office.

Grayson’s hard-hitting approach has come under scrutiny: Last week a Florida military veterans group complained that the Democrat was wrongly implying in one of his ads that the organization had endorsed the Democrat’s bid.

Webster, who has a little over $100,000 in his campaign bank account, has been far quieter on the airwaves in the race in Florida's 8th District. He began a mostly positive spot last week focusing on reducing the nation’s deficit.

More 2010 POLITICO

Top 10 Unfinished Business Left By Pelosi and Reid

Top notch article by Emily Miller from Human Events.
Nice work Emily.

Bob

by Emily Miller (more by this author)

Posted 09/29/2010 ET

Updated 09/29/2010 ET


The Democrats are so scared of losing control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections, that they are packing up and leaving D.C. to spend more time on the campaign trail.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced she is closing up shop on Thursday, but could skip town as early as Wednesday. Joining her on the cruise to nowhere, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-N.V.) announced the Senate will adjourn on Friday.

The American people have an absentee Congress, whose leaders choose politics over getting work done. Pelosi and Reid promised much would be accomplished this year, but ended with not even completing the major spending and tax legislation needed to help the faltering economy.

The top 10 most important pieces of legislation left unfinished by the do-nothing Congress, led by Relosi and Reid include:

1. Cut Taxes: Thanks to the congressional Democrats' inactino, every American will pay more taxes on January 1. Speaker Pelosi refuses to bring a vote to the House floor to extend the Bush tax cuts, which expire at the end of the year. Pelosi’s own party has turned against her, with many House Democrats pushing for a vote on tax rates before they face the voters in November. In the Senate, Majority Leader Reid is also denying a vote on extending the lower tax rates established in 2001 and 2003. Reid claims the tax rate extension legislation will be brought up during the lame-duck session after the election, assuming he's re-elected himself.

2. Create Jobs: President Obama’s $862 stimulus bill -- which was supposed to jumpstart the economy and create jobs -- has been an epic failure. Unemployment in the U.S. remains over 9% and unemployment claims went up again in August, proving that Obama’s “Summer of Recovery” was merely political rhetoric. To create jobs, the Congress must cut taxes and government mandates (like ObamaCare) on small businesses owners, who will then start hiring again. Even though Reid’s home state of Nevada has the highest unemployment rate in the country, he just squanders his leadership position.

3. Make A Budget: The congressional Democrats and President Obama have not passed a budget this year to determine government spending. The entire federal government has been running all year on the 2009 budget resolution. The inability of Pelosi and Reid to get enough votes to pass their budget is indicative of the unpopularity of their big-government spending policies. The U.S. economy is a mess, and the Democrats can’t even pass a budget to plan for spending.

4. Appropriations Bills: The Democratic-controlled Congress has not passed any of the 12 annual appropriations bills for fiscal 2011. Not. One. Instead, they have passed continuing resolutions, which are basically stop-gap measures to keep the government from shutting down while the bills are withering in committees.

5. Trade: The Chamber of Commerce is urging Congress to renew the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) before they expire at the end of the year. The chamber, which represents small businesses’ interests in Washington, wrote to members of Congress that “GSP boosts the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers and lowers the cost of consumer goods for American families. A chamber study found that moving GSP imports from the docks to the retail shelves supports tens of thousands of U.S. jobs.”

6. Stop the EPA: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to bypass Congress and dictate rules to curb carbon gas emission. Prominent Democratic Senators Jay Rockefeller (D.-W.Va.), Ben Nelson (D.-Neb.) and Byron Dorgan (D.-N.D.) co-sponsored a bill to stop the renegade EPA from regulating emissions from stationary sources. But their leader, Harry Reid, has not scheduled a floor vote on the bill.

7. Repeal ObamaCare's Tax Burden: Small businesses are suffering under the Obamacare mandate to file a 1099 tax form to any vendor paid over $600 in a year. Over 40 million small businesses are required to file these new tax reports for healthcare, which is ten times more than Congress planned for a tax credit to offset the extra cost. Despite bipartisan support for repealing this Obamacare tax burden on employers, both the House and Senate have dithered.

8. Secure Our Borders: Reid has made immigration reform a top priority of his leadership in the Senate and has accomplished nothing. Our borders are just as porous as ever and immigration bills have stalled in the Senate, despite Reid’s rhetoric.

9. Pork Spending Reform: Pelosi promised to “bring transparency and openness to the budget process and to the use of earmarks.” Reid asserted that “the days of unlimited and unaccountable congressionally directed spending are gone.” But the Democratic leaders have consistently passed legislation laden with pork-barrel spending to benefit their home districts.

10. Ethics Trials for Rangel and Waters: The House Ethics Committee this summer charged Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) with 13 ethical violations. Two weeks later, the committee charged Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) with three counts of ethical charges. Neither Rangel nor Waters ethics trials have been scheduled since he charges were announced. So, on Tuesday, all five Republican members of the committee called on the committee’s chairwoman Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) to schedule trials for Rangel and Waters before the November elections. While Lofgren has not found time to schedule ethical trials, she carved time out last week to invite comedian Steven Colbert to testify at a hearing on migrant workers.

The Democrats have put a "Gone fishin’" sign on the outside of the U.S. Capitol. American families, meanwhile, are struggling to make ends meet in this bad economy. At this point, the voters have to get rid of the do-nothing Democrats in November, and then let the Republicans do the hard work of governing our nation.

Miss Miller is a senior editor of HUMAN EVENTS. Previously, she served as the deputy press secretary at the State Department during the George W. Bush administration and the communications director to the House Majority Whip, Tom DeLay. Miller also served as an associate producer at ABC News and started her career at NBC News. Follow her on Twitter.

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Copyright © 2010HUMAN EVENTS. All Rights Reserved.

Illegal Immigration in Missouri - PLEASE READ !

Orginally posted in "The Ozark Sentinel". Editorial opinion by Nita Jane Ayres. 5/13/2010 Thanls Jane !

Bob Yeager


Posted by Bob Dennis on June 16, 2010 at 5:22pm

If the illegals in California saw the laws that have been passed in the ST of MO, what would they have done???

In 2007, Missouri placed on the ballot a proposed constitutional amendment designating English as the Official language of Missouri. Nearly 90% voting in favor! English became the official language for ALL governmental proceeding in Missouri. It also means no individual has the right to demand government services in a language OTHER than English.

In 2008 a measure was passed that requires our Highway Patrol and other law enforcement officials to verify the immigration status of any person arrested, and inform federal authorities if the person is found to be here illegally. It allows Missouri law enforcement offices to receive training to enforce federal immigration laws. The bill makes it clear that illegal immigrants will NOT have access to taxpayers benefits such as food stamps and health care through Missouri HealthNET.

In 2009 a measure was passed that ensures Missouri's public institutions of higher education do NOT award financial aid to individuals who are here illegally. The law also requires all post-secondary institutions of higher education to annually certify to the Missouri Dept. of Higher Education that they have NOT knowingly awarded financial aid to students who are unlawfully present in the United States.

So while arizona has made national news for its new law, it is important to remember Missouri has been proactive in addressing this growing problem.

Missouri has sent a clear message that illegal immigrants are NOT welcome in our state and they are certainly NOT welcome to receive public benefits at the cost of Missouri taxpayers!

Article in "The Ozarks Sentinel" Editorial Opinion - Nita Jane Ayres, May 13, 2010

IN GOD WE TRUST

HAVE YOU READ THE FOLLOWING OLDER POSTS ?

Samual Adams to America "I told you so." 9/26/2010

ROUND TWO : THE DEMOCRATS    9/22/2010

Thank You, "Pledge of Renewal."   9/20/2010

THE 535 PROJECT   4/2/2009

HELP WANTED ! ! !    3/22/2009

        

Democrats fear Midwestern meltdown

Great article, Is there a chink in the armor for the Democrats ?

Author : Maggie Haberman & Politico

Thanks, Bob

By: Maggie Haberman

September 26, 2010 07:24 AM EDT

Two years after President Barack Obama swept the Midwest, Democratic fortunes in the region are sagging, with the GOP poised to make big gains by scooping up disaffected independent voters in a wide swath of states hit by job losses, budget woes and political scandal. From Ohio to Iowa, there’s a yawning stretch of heartland states whose citizens voted for Obama and congressional Democrats in 2008, but who have lost patience waiting for an as-yet undelivered economic revival that was first promised in 2006, and then two years later. Now, they look set to stampede toward the out-of-power party.

“There's little doubt that the Midwest is the Democrats' toughest region this year,” Democratic pollster Tom Jensen of Public Policy Polling wrote on the firm’s website Friday, adding that the firm is also finding an enthusiasm gap of about 10 points down from what existed in 2008.

“If the election was today the party would almost certainly lose the Governorships it holds in Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. It's also more than likely at this point to lose the Senate seats it has in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Indiana, miss out on a once promising pick up opportunity in Ohio, and quite possibly lose their seat in Illinois as well. And there are too many House seats the party could lose in the region to count,” Jensen noted.

Top GOP pollster Glen Bolger of Public Opinion Strategies wrote in even harsher terms last week: “The Midwest is going to be a killing field for Democrats this year from western [Pennsylvania] through to the Plains, Republicans are going to sweep a LOT of Democrats right out of office.”

The states in question magnify what’s happening elsewhere in the country: dissatisfaction with Obama, unrest with Washington in general over major legislation that voters feel has merely piled onto the national debt, and the steady erosion of jobs.

“There’s two major factors. One is that there are a lot of swing voters, as well as a lot of Reagan Democrat voters, in the Midwest, and therefore I think the national mood hits harder,” said Saul Anuzis, the former Michigan Republican Party chairman. “And secondly you’re talking about record unemployment.”

But there’s also the enthusiasm gap, the flight of independent voters, unpopular Democratic governors in each state and Obama’s own sinking approval ratings, PPP found.

Anuzis said there had been very high expectations of Obama, and that the crash from such a high has been a bitter pill for voters to swallow.

Some states appear to suggest that 2008 was an anomaly—such as Indiana, which Obama carried despite losing 77 of its counties.

“I think states are reverting back to form. I think there's a lot of people in the middle who are not aligned with either party, who have been [ticked] off since 2006 and haven't stopped being [ticked] off,” said a Democratic strategist who is working on races in Illinois.

Bolger cited generic ballot data he’s just conducted showing the Democrats faring even worse in the Midwest than in the South. His numbers show Democrats getting 35 percent in that key region, compared to 39 percent in the South, which is a Republican stronghold.

In both regions, the generic Republican captures 47 percent.

Such brutal forecasts suggest an intense fight could be in the works for Obama and his party in 2012 to win back independents who are clearly still up for grabs, but seem set to teach the Democrats a lesson.

“The tea party movement and all these grassroots movements on both the right and the left are not going away,” Anuzis said. “There are much more independent voters, and they’re more likely to react and punish folks they think have [failed them].”

In every state in the region, the top of the ticket is struggling and the problems are rolling downhill. Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, who’s run an energetic reelection campaign and still trails former GOP Rep. John Kasich, isn’t even cracking 35 percent approval, according to PPP’s surveys.

Yet he’s at the top of the Midwestern gubernatorial heap, with most incumbents not even breaking the 30 percent mark.

“When Obama was elected, it was almost like he was the second coming of a political Jehovah, who was somehow going to deliver us into the promised land,” said Bill Ballenger, the pundit behind Inside Michigan Politics. “And more and more things have happened that have disillusioned people.”

That disillusionment is front and center in Illinois, the truest blue state of the crop. Its budget hole rivals California’s, and instead of making long-term structural revamps, the state has this year borrowed heavily and issued bonds.

At the same time, voters have watched the corruption trial of Democratic ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, and the hapless campaign of current Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, who’s got an anemic 23 percent approval rating in PPP’s recent survey and trails GOP nominee Bill Brady by double digits.

In the state’s other high-profile statewide race, despite help from the White House, Democrat Alexi Giannoulias is struggling in what should have been a far easier race to hold the president’s former Senate seat against GOP Rep. Mark Kirk—especially after revelations that the Republican exaggerated his military record.

Obama’s approval ratings are actually slightly better in Illinois than in other states—52 percent somewhat or strongly approve of his performance, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports survey. But elsewhere, including Ohio, Obama’s negative numbers top 50 percent.

In Ohio, Strickland failed to win the backing of the state chamber of commerce, which backed Kasich in its first-ever gubernatorial endorsement. He has tried going more the I-feel-your-pain route in his latest ad, using the word of the cycle—anger—but it’s not clear that it will be enough to turn the tide.

Strickland, though, is seen as a better bet than his lieutenant governor and ticket mate, Lee Fisher, the Democratic Senate nominee who is trailing by a wide margin to former GOP Rep. Rob Portman.

Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern insists the national trends are being misread in their state.

“The air is fresher in the Midwest,” Redfern told POLITICO. “I understand it’s the first term midterm, blah blah blah. I’m bullish on Ohio. God bless everybody who disagrees, but most of those people who disagree don’t live in Ohio.”

He said that looking at critical Hamilton County (Cincinnati), Democrats were seeing requests for absentee ballots that rivaled the number sought there in 2008, and that internal polls for both Republicans and Democrats show the race much closer.

But he added, “I hope I'm not wrong.”

In nearby Michigan, many Democrats privately concede the governor’s office is gone after two terms of Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who’s got a dismal 60 percent disapproval rating in the latest Rasmussen Reports poll.

Democratic Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero has failed, except on a few occasions, to get past 30 percent in the polls against Rick Snyder, the wealthy businessman who is the GOP nominee.

Democrats are still hoping they can portray Snyder, who has spent big on well-known Washington consultants, as similar to Dick DeVos, the unsuccessful GOP hopeful four years ago, and distance Bernero from the anti-establishment anger.

But Ballenger said it’s unlikely given Michigan’s budget problems, which he said are so bad that a new batch of well-received state-sponsored tourism ads had to be yanked because the government ran out of funds to pay for them. He noted that voters have some appreciation for the auto industry bailout, but would like carmakers in Michigan—now dubbed ‘Government Motors’ by some residents—to start standing on their own.

Indiana is yet another state where hits to the manufacturing base and concern about debt have reverberated. Rep. Brad Ellsworth, the Democratic nominee for retiring Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh’s seat, is way back in the polls and extremely low on campaign funds, leaving him unable to fight back against GOP rival Dan Coats’s attacks.

In Wisconsin, where both Sen. Russ Feingold and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett are trailing their Republican competitors in the Senate and gubernatorial races, the landscape is only slightly more promising.

Feingold, a liberal icon, took two politically wise votes against TARP and the financial regulation package. But he backed the stimulus bill, and Johnson’s personal and anti-government narrative also dovetails neatly with the tea party movement.

Bolger said that Democrat talk of stopping the wave is happy talk.

“It’s a lot better than starting drinking at 9 am,” he said. “In 2006 and 2008, that's what a lot of Republicans did - happy talk. It is healthier for you [but it] doesn’t make it true.”
© 2010 Capitol News Company, LLC

URGENT ! ! ! !...........PLEASE READ ! ! !

TIRED OF THE UNIONS KILLING THIS COUNTRY ? HERE'S A CHANCE FOR YOU TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

THANKS, BOB




Dear Concerned American,


After spending nearly $1 BILLION to install Barack Obama in the White House, the union bosses expect PAYBACK BEFORE the November elections!

Harry Reid has bowed to these demands and a vote to pass their Police and Firefighter Monopoly Bargaining Bill could come in the next 3 days.

If this bill passes, it will force public safety workers, such as your policemen and firefighters, under union boss control and would eventually spread to all public sector jobs.

That's why it's vital you sign the petition below DEMANDING your Senators OPPOSE Big Labor's Police and Firefighter Monopoly Bargaining Bill. When you sign your ZIP CODE, your petitions will be sent to the appropriate Senators right away.



Sincerely,



Mark Mix,

President, Right to Work Committee

Constituent's Petition to:

My U.S. Senators

I am writing to encourage you to oppose the draconian policies being pushed by Big Labor. These union bosses are seeking to subject workers to intimidation and strip them of their rights, all in an effort to increase their own power and influence.

It is vital that you oppose all legislation that strips workers of their rights, or expands the oppressive power of Big Labor.

Whereas: Police and firefighters are to "Serve and Protect" the citizens of their community and, therefore, should NOT be controlled by Big Labor; and

Whereas: Union boss control of police and firefighters will tend to drive out the best men and women who refuse to knuckle under to union militants' demands for illegal strikes, featherbedding, and forced dues; and

Whereas: The Police and Firefighter Monopoly Bargaining Bill could force our nation's police and firefighters under union boss control, and is just the first step towarforcing all state and local public employees under Big Labor's thumb; and

Whereas: Passage of this bill would override existing state and local laws and lead to skyrocketing budgets and higher taxes;

Therefore: As your constituent, I urge you in the strongest possible manner to oppose S. 3194, the Police and Firefighter Monopoly Bargaining Bill.

By submitting the information below, you authorize the National Right to Work Committee to deliver your petition to the Capitol Hill offices of your Senators.





First Name:* 

Last Name:*  

Email Address:* 

Zip:* 

EMAIL TO : mark.mix@righttoworkcommittee.org

The Hidden Rage of Barack Obama

Here is  an interesting article posted by Human Events (A highly recommended website.) The author is Dinesh D'Souza, really fine work !
Thanks,Bob

by Dinesh D'Souza (more by this author)

Posted 09/27/2010 ET

First of three-part series.

Even before his new book hit the shelves, the Left was already in a tizzy over Dinesh D’Souza’s look at the moral and intellectual foundation of Barack Obama’s ideology. Here is the first of three-parts excerpted from D’Souza’s The Roots of Obama’s Rage.

Barack Obama is a radiant figure on the world stage. He looks the way an American president should look, and he talks the way many in the world want the American president to talk. As a personality, he conveys dignity and calm; he seems to be what Aristotle called the great-souled man.

Obama is also a consequential president. Less than two years into his first term, he has revamped the Bush administration’s foreign policy: no more invasions, no more preemptive wars, plans for withdrawals both from Iraq and Afghanistan, a new approach for punishing terrorists, and in general a very different understanding of America’s role in the world. At the same time, Obama has transformed the relationship between American citizens and their government. He has passed the most significant raft of laws since the Great Society: the bank rescue plan, the auto industry bailout, the stimulus package, sweeping regulation of Wall Street, a complete remaking of the health care system.

So far, conservative opposition to Obama has been shrill, focusing on several familiar themes: Obama is not an American citizen; Obama is a pawn of radical extremists; Obama is an unscrupulous power-seeker; Obama is a Muslim; and Obama is a socialist. These javelins, however, have at best grazed Obama; they have not fully found their target. Was Obama born in America? The best evidence is that he was. He was born in Honolulu on August 4, 1961. His birth was mentioned in two local papers, the Honolulu Sunday Advertiser and the Star Bulletin. This makes him a “natural born” American, as the Constitution requires of a president. No evidence has been produced that Obama is anyone’s pawn. Sure, there are radical elements associated with him, but quite possibly they are his pawns. Obama is certainly ambitious, and like most presidents he seeks power, but power to do what? Power for what end?

I certainly don’t think that Obama is a closet Muslim extremist who seeks to destroy America from within. The charge of socialism, now furiously leveled against Obama, seems to bring us closer to the mark. Here is a president who has no business background and very few people with business experience around him; as he goes about slicing the economic pie, it is not clear that he has any idea how to make a pie. More troubling, Obama is a president who spends the taxpayer’s money with shameless promiscuity. Still, the charge of socialism isn’t quite right. Even if it could account for Obama’s economic policy, it certainly could not explain his foreign policy.

To grasp Obama’s story, we have to put aside the multicultural mantras and the conservative boilerplate and enter Obama’s world. Imagine a little boy growing up in the sunbathed beauty of Hawaii, soaking in the culture, hearing about how the innocent natives were crushed and overrun by horrible invaders and profiteers. Imagine a slightly older child on a bicycle on the crowded streets of Indonesia, learning from his stepfather the harsh code of a developing country, shaped out of the history of European colonialism. Now imagine a young man undertaking a journey to Kenya, for many people a journey to nowhere, but for him a journey to his own past, where through inner soul-searching and conversations with relatives he discovers who his father really was, and what he must do to make good on the dead man’s unfulfilled dreams. This is Barack Obama. But for him these aren’t imaginings; they are memories. These memories are formed out of the indelible ink of experience, and they have by his own account marked the man. By attentively examining his experience as he tells it himself, and as elaborated by others who have researched his background, we can understand Obama in a way that he has not been understood before.

He is his father’s son, and his dreams are derived from his father’s aspirations and failures. Everyone who knows Obama well says this about him. Obama of course makes the same point in his title Dreams from My Father and his whole book is an elaboration of how he internalized his father’s dreams and goals. Obama calls his memoir “the record of a personal, interior journey” a boy’s search for his father and through that search a workable meaning for his life as a black American. And again, “It was into my father’s image, the black man, son of Africa, that I’d packed all the attributes I sought in myself.”

Who was Barack Obama Sr.? First and foremost, he was an anti- colonialist. This Obama was an economist, and as an economist he was influenced by socialism, but he was never a doctrinaire socialist; rather, his quasi-socialism sprang from and was integrated into an anti-colonial outlook that was shared by many of his generation, not only in Africa but also in Asia and South America.

I am not suggesting that Obama has a comprehensive knowledge of anti-colonialism. I admit that Obama must occasionally and pragmatically bend to the realities of a given situation or to the exigencies of politics. Still, Obama’s anti-colonialism is deeply felt, and it suffuses his writings and speeches. In fact, it is the moral and intellectual foundation of his ideology. In a sense, I am saying nothing more than what Obama himself says: that his father’s dream has become his dream. It is a dream that, as president, he is imposing with a vengeance on America and the world.

Adapted from The Roots of Obama’s Rage by Dinesh D’Souza (Regnery, 2010.) Which is available in stores and on Amazon today.

Dinesh D'Souza is the president of King's College in New York City. He is a former White House domestic policy analyst and research scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. His best-selling books include Illiberal Education, The End of Racism, What's So Great About America, and his latest, The Roots of Obama's Rage.

Copyright © 2010HUMAN EVENTS. All Rights Reserved.

Sam Adams to America : "I told you so."

This post was obtained from ZIONICA .com , Author unknown.

Thanks,Bob


Posted on September 24, 2010

At a conference last spring I sat on the speakers’ panel for Q&A from the audience. Unscripted Q&A is one of my favorite moments at conferences—you never know what’s coming, exactly. During what followed someone asked (paraphrasing), “At what point did things go wrong in America?” He certainly had in mind the slide into tyranny we have experienced since our beloved founders.

My response, I think, shocked some. Since we had just been discussing the issue of Lincoln and States’ rights in passing, the anticipated answer was “The Civil War.” I went back even further to the first great advance of tyranny: “The Constitutional Convention.”

Share and Enjoy:

Source: http://americanvision.org/3532/sam-adams-to-america-i-told-you-so/

Setting the Record Straight: Misconceptions about the fair TAX

Posted by earthsheltergal on 07/24/10 11:18 AM



This article was posted by Pat  & Shirley Miketinac on
the Website Campaign for Liberty....Great work !

Thnx,Bob


When you ask most folks what they know about the Fair Tax, if they know anything at all, they'll be happy to tell you that it's a national sales tax capping our taxes at 23%. They expect that when they will go to a check-out line, they'll take an additional 23 cents out of their pockets to pay for a $1.00 item. Their eyes light up with joy when they tell you how it repeals the 16th Amendment, abolishing income tax and the IRS. They believe there will be no more audits. They believe We the People will be in control of the spending in Congress.

None, I repeat, none of the above notions are true. These are only wisps of facts which all bear closer scrutiny. If you visit the Fair Tax website, there is a link to the actual seventy-plus page bill. I highly recommend that you read it. They also have Fundamentals, a Thumbnail Sketch, FAQ and other documents where they present their explanations. These documents need to be reconciled and verified with the actual bill. The following is our search for the truth.

At a Weeki Wachee Swampfest a few years back, in Hernando County, Florida, a personable group of folks had a booth emblazoned with FAIR TAX. Thinking this sounded like a great idea, my husband and I ambled over, read brochures, and waited our turn to ask some questions. Sounded good. What's not to like? We get rid of the IRS and income tax. We get a 23% sales tax instead. Business will flourish, because they will be exempt from embedded taxes (20%), which they would naturally pass along to the consumer.

Sounds too good to be true? Well it is. I heard what I wanted to hear. We are all so desperate to lower our tax burden and get some control of the rampant spending, that we deceive ourselves. Machiavelli noted that

"Men are so simple, and so subject to present necessities that he who seeks to deceive will always find someone, who will allow himself to be deceived."

No responsible citizen should back a piece of legislation without reading it and getting all the facts straight. Haven't we criticized our Congressmen for that very thing? Most folks who support the bill have not read it. And that doesn't mean just the book! You may find discrepancies with the way the actual bill is portrayed in other literature. Now's the time. Read it! In talking to people who have read the Fair Tax book, here are some of their common misconceptions.

Misconception #1 That the Fair Tax will be a 23% sales tax at the register

Misconception #2 That the Fair Tax will be permanently capped at 23%

Misconception #3 That "Revenue Neutral" is a "fair" tax

Misconception #4 That businesses, services and corporations will automatically pass along savings to We the People and that they are supportive of the Fair Tax

Misconception #5 That the Fair Tax Bill abolishes the IRS and repeals the 16th amendment

Misconception #6 That under the Fair Tax, we will have fewer taxes, less paperwork and no IRS-style persecution

Misconception #7 That under the Fair Tax, everyone with a valid Social Security card, will get their own personal prebate check

Misconception #1 That the Fair Tax will be a 23% sales tax at the register

The actual Fair Tax at the register will be 30% of the item price. That's right, 30%. If the item is taxable under state sales tax, then you will pay about 37% at the register. They tell you so on their own Fair Tax website, but we don't always listen. Page one and two of the Fair Tax Thumbnail Sketch, state that the sales tax is charged just like state sales tax. "The amount you pay to fund the government is totally visible." It will be on your register receipt. On page two, under revenue neutrality, they tell you that the Fair Tax will be-

"about 30 percent at the cash register when they elect to buy new goods or services for their own personal consumption."

Under the FAQ section, it also confirms this:

"What is the rate of the sales tax at the retail counter? " (answer) "30%"

The actual Fair Tax is 30%. They add this to the cost of the item first, to create the gross amount. The Fair Tax is 23% of the gross. Confusing? I should say so. More simplistically, under the Fair Tax, if you go to a dollar store to buy a $1.00 bag of chips, and dig 23 cents out of your pocket, you'll be 7 cents short. The actual tax at the register will be 30 %, so you'll need $1.30. (Note that all food which formerly was not taxed will now be taxed.) If you purchase a $100 prescription, you will owe the pharmacy $130. If you purchase a $25,000 new car, the Fair Tax paid to the sales department will be $7,500. The state sales tax will be about $1,750 for a total of $34,250. Just to confuse the issue further, what if the state gets the bright idea to tax on the gross or simply increase the sales tax, because their revenue may be down thanks to the supposed falling prices? Then it could cost $34,775.

In the fairtax.org "Fundamentals" example, the tax on a new $230,000 house will be $69,000. I'm no mathematician, but $69,000 is 30% of $230,000. If you add the tax to the price, you get $299,000, and the tax is 23% of that total, tax inclusive. The fact remains that the tax amount is 30% of the price of the house. Lenders that we called were totally unaware of the Fair Tax and would not take a stand as to including it in the mortgage. If they won't, this and any tax on a large ticket item, like a car , will have to be paid up front, out of pocket, And even though you'll have more pretax dollars on hand, that amount varies significantly with your income. If you're wealthy enough to have the cash on hand, fine, but if not, you may have to save up a lot of monthly "prebates", but that's another misconception for later.

We have spent so much time on these examples, because even people who have read The Fair Tax book cling stubbornly to this misconception. At a recent conservative political meeting, teeming with knowledgeable people, we could not find a single one who was aware that the Fair Tax was actually 30% of the retail price at the register and not 23%. Many of these people had even read the book!

Another consideration, is what this may do to the already faltering new home and auto market. If you can purchase a nearly identical used home minus that $69,000 in taxes, why buy a new one? Are you confident the price of a new home will fall enough to make the tax worthwhile? If you can buy a year-old used car for $7,500 less in taxes, why not? This would be a boon for the used market, but will it help our manufacturing and construction base in America enough?

The rates are spelled out in Chapter 1, Section 101 of the bill, under Imposition of Tax.


(b) Rate

(1) For 2011, 23% of gross payments for the taxable property or service...

(2) For years after 2011, the rate will be the combined tax rate percentages as defined in paragraph 3 of gross payments for the taxable property or service.

That rate is the combination of General Revenue, Old -age, Survivors and Disability and Hospital Insurance Rates (all set by the federal government) which is currently 30.2% as listed in Misconception #2. If they follow the same formula, does this mean that in the second year, we start at 43% at the register? As those rates change, so will the total tax.

Misconception #2 That the Fair Tax will be permanently
capped at 23%

Now it should be more clear, that that 23% is really 30% at the register. But, it only starts at 30%. There is no cap on the Fair Tax, after the first year, so in that regard, it is no better at limiting big government spending than the income and payroll taxes. By their own examples on fairtax.org, they tell you that government funding and the Fair Tax is based on three factors:

1. The General Revenue Rate (currently 14.91%)

2. The Old-age, Survivors and Disability Rate (currently 12.4%)

3. The Hospital Insurance Rate (currently 2.9%)

which adds up to 30.2%. These are the numbers that the second and subsequent year taxes will be based on, comparable to current income and payroll tax rates. Your employer currently pays half of #2 and #3. As these rates increase, so will your "Fair Tax", just like with income and payroll taxes. In the Frequently Asked Questions on fairtax.org, they tell you that...

"If the government gets larger, higher taxes will be required."

When in the past century have you ever heard of the Federal government getting smaller, especially now in the current financial crisis in which we are embroiled? In essence, we would be giving the Federal government, who determines those three factors, carte blanche to write their own tax ticket, with our approval. Granted, they control those factors now anyway, but the point being, that we're still not getting at the vital issue of slowing and reducing the out-of-control spending in Washington. Repeat, there is no cap on the Fair Tax. The Federal government, through the now bankrupt Social Security Administration and the Congress, will still determine what We the People pay, and pay and pay. The whole idea should be to stop spending, not fuel it. There's a roaring inferno of spending going on in Washington right now and all we would be doing is providing a broader base of taxes to throw more fuel on the fire.

Another anomaly, is the revenue allocation of the tax haul in the first year. Notice the three government funding factors above. General Revenue is about half of the tax rate. However,

in Chapter 9, Section 904, c , Revenue Allocation for 2011 is:

(1) 64.83% to General Revenue

(2) 27.43% to Old-age, Survivors, Disability Insurance Trust

(3) 7.74% to Hospital Insurance and Federal Supplementary Insurance

What's wrong with this picture? Prior to this time, general revenue was only half of the total. Now it's two-thirds. How did this change occur? Is it because the tax base is so broad with most all goods and services being taxed, that we can afford to throw more fuel on the spending spree in Washington, or is it something else? Is there some other source of funding in the works for Social Security? The following is a question under the Frequently Asked Questions: "How does the Fair Tax affect Social Security reform?" An example states that "if a mandatory private savings program is implemented where people must save ten percent of their income and Social Security benefits are curtailed..." If this occurs, is this why you'll still need the 16th amendment to coexist with the Fair Tax ? Then more money could be placed in the general revenue, because We the People could once again be funding Social Security through new income taxes and in addition, paying a large national sales tax. Much of this paragraph is conjecture, but it shows how little we really understand about where this could lead.

Misconception #3 That "Revenue Neutral" is an acceptable tax

According to the Fair Tax handouts, the Fair Tax "Raises the same amount of revenue for the federal government (revenue neutral)." Why would we want to give the Federal government the same amount plus the power to raise it anytime? Isn't excessive spending the problem? This does not put We the People in control, as is suggested. To misquote Shakespeare, "A tax by any other name would still be a burden."

But Congressman Ron Paul does have an alternative plan. He has always been in favor of abolishing the income tax through repeal of the 16th amendment. But where he differs from the Fair Tax, is that he doesn't want to replace it with a revenue-neutral national sales tax. He wants to, get this............... have no income tax at all and no replacement tax. He says that the Federal government raises 40% of taxes through income, and would still have a whopping 60% on a host of other taxes. It would be comparable to our 1997 budget. Isn't that what we really want? Don't we really want to stop the insane spending? So when Fair Tax promoters shrug their shoulders and say "what else can we do? ", tell them about Ron Paul's plan.

We believe we need to put Ron Paul in the Presidency, and elect a supportive conservative Congress to get things done. Thomas Jefferson faced a similar dilemma when he took office in 1801. Alexander Hamilton and the Federalists had taxed the American people far worse than the British. There were taxes on whiskey, snuff, sugar, carriages, land, slaves... just to name a few. Much of these exorbitant taxes levied, wound up in speculators and congressmen's pockets by the terrible scam perpetrated on holders of government I.O.U.s. These taxes were also to finance Hamilton's huge, empire-building army. But that's another tale in history. The important thing is that Jefferson, among other things, promised to remove all these exorbitant taxes. With the help of a libertarian-minded Congress, he did just that, returning us to fiscal sanity and a constitutionally sound import tax only. History could repeat itself if only we dare to believe!

If we're going to fight, let's fight for something really worth winning. Do you think Samuel Adams would have settled for a replacement tax? Now Mr. Adams, you don't like that nasty old Board of Customs Commission and the Writs of Assistance they use to collect taxes. So we'll trade that in for a revenue neutral tax on food, clothing, building materials, your horse, hay for your horse, your new house, and any other goods you can name, all your services like the blacksmith, the cobbler, your housekeeper, just to name a few. We'll send a single prebate to your domicile monthly, by pony express. If you don't fill out your "Qualified Family" form correctly, or forward your share of sales taxes collected from the family brewery, we'll send out the Problem Resolution Officer armed with warrantless Taxpayer Assistance Orders to enforce it. You may be audited and do jail time. Oh, and by the way, we'll still continue to tax you at whatever rate the British government needs, in case it gets bigger. What do you think he would say? It was the principle of the thing and it was the taxes. We need to think out of the box. We need to dare to dream like our Founding Fathers. Let's get it right!

Misconception #4 That businesses, services and corporations, will automatically pass along savings to We the People and that they are supportive of the Fair Tax

Embedded taxes. Mysterious, magical, embedded taxes. Do you know what they are, how much they are or how much they would affect sales prices? No one does. Since businesses pay no income taxes or compliance costs under the Fair Tax, the theory goes that retail prices will be approximately 20% lower because of business and corporate savings ( according to Dr. Dale Jorgenson of Harvard University, Fair Tax Thumbnail Sketch, page 1, who, by the way, does not support the Fair Tax). We don't know when you last had to deal with a "bean counter", but their job is to squeeze every penny from an existing business and express it to corporate headquarters. A few years ago, CEO salaries were on average forty times that of a worker. Now their salaries are up to five hundred times or more than that of an average worker. They're constantly looking for new sources of revenue to fuel their bonuses too. Have corporations and businesses, banks and insurance companies, suddenly become magnanimous and caring? All you're assured of under the Fair tax is how much you'll have to pay, but you have no guarantee at all that prices will come down. All we would have are nebulous promises from some of the same folks who got us into this financial fiasco in the first place.

Remember, there are no guarantees of this much touted savings. Business takes little risk under the Fair Tax, but the same cannot be said for We the People. To truly protect the consumer, a new section needs to be added to the Fair Tax bill. Let's call it section 1001. The subject would be a guarantee of lowered prices to the consumer by removal of the embedded taxes from the price of goods and services. All businesses and corporations would be required to file a plan to show these reductions to become a "Qualified Company". If they do not comply, there would be appropriate penalties by law. Just add it to the Fair Tax Bill Section 504, which contains a host of other penalties, fines and jail time. Section 602(a),states that the Sales Tax Administering Authority may levy and seize property, garnish wages or salary and file liens to collect taxes. You just thought the IRS was gone. It may have just changed its name to STAA, the Sales Tax Administering Authority. Section 501(d) encourages you to inform on businesses, family and neighbors. Section 501(h) offers you a cash reward for doing so. So if you have domestic help, such as a nanny, a caregiver, or a maid in your household, you become a qualified employer. If you fail to file a monthly report with a 30% payment (out of your pocket, not the worker's) your neighbor or relative may turn you in for the reward. Who knows with these economic hard times, I expect some intrepid entrepreneurs will make a business of it. Section 507(a) gives summons power to STAA, and (b) gives examination and audit power to examine business books, papers, records or other data. How many of these powers are Constitutional?

In an e-mail from Mark Gupton, Florida Fair Tax Managing Director, he states that:

"...big business has not become interested enough to help advance the plan. When both the national Chamber of Commerce and The National Retail Federation oppose FT, it becomes a difficult hurdle. By the way, even Dr. Jorgenson is not a proponent of FT. He has his own idea, but, as usual, he does not have legislation nor a grassroots organization nor any educational program to promote his plan...."

So are We the People, such as the Tea Party movement, and other political groups, being used as the mechanism to recharge this stalled bill? If so, we demand to have the truth, the whole truth. If business isn't cooperating, what makes anyone think they'll cooperate after it's passage? We have no assurance that competition would keep prices lower after embedded taxes are removed, or that business won't find other uses for their new-found windfall.

Maybe big business isn't interested because of the additional bureaucracy involved. Large businesses and services would have the extra burden of maintaining a mandatory separate bank account and must post a sizeable bond ($100,000), to ensure payment to the government. They must also send in separate reports and payments weekly. Small businesses and qualified employers must make monthly reports and payments. If you barter, you must turn in fair market value. States must send the taxes to the federal government every five days or face stiff penalties. Big Brother is still watching you.

Misconception #5 That the Fair Tax Bill abolishes the IRS and repeals the 16th amendment

Most people think the Fair Tax Bill abolishes the IRS and repeals the 16th amendment. Their website introduction actually says "Makes taxation of income unconstitutional by repealing the 16th amendment". In reality, only a constitutional amendment can repeal the 16th, and that effort would be launched concurrently but separately from the Fair Tax Bill. One is not dependent on the other. The government will get seven years to try to repeal the 16th, at which time if they are not successful, the Fair Tax will sunset. On the FAQ section at fairtax.org, it clearly states:

"Is there any provision in the Fair Tax bill to prevent both an income tax and a sales tax?" "The short answer is that there is no provision in the Fair Tax bill (HR25) that would prevent having a national sales tax and an income tax."

Is there a precedent in our history for this? Absolutely! Have you ever wondered how in the world the 16th amendment ever passed in the first place? In 1913, a big public relations campaign worked to convince the American people that tariffs (import taxes) were benefiting big business and hurting the consumer at the register because they had to pay more for imported goods. A tax on incomes, they argued, would force the rich to pay their fair share. From Ron Paul's Revolution a Manifesto, "And that's just how the income tax was pitched to the people: tax relief for you, in the form of lower tariffs, and a tax increase for the rich." People were told not to worry because it's only a 1% tax and only the richest of the rich will ever pay it. You know the rest of that government tale. But you would think the Federal government would have kept its promise not to reinstate import taxes. By the 1920's they were raised again anyway, so the people got the worst of both worlds. We need to learn from history or we're doomed to repeat it.

When you hear candidates questioning The Fair Tax, don't be so hasty to criticize. Maybe they have reason to be cautious. Maybe they've studied their history and know that we've been fooled before. Maybe they've actually scrutinized the Fair Tax bill for themselves.

Remember, there is nothing in the Fair tax Bill itself forcing the repeal of the 16th amendment. And our government has proven time and time again, that they have a way of legislating around it. Many folks would be far more comfortable having the 16th abolished first, or at least concurrently with the initial date of the Fair Tax.

Parts of the IRS code will still be in existence too. After all, the Fair Tax makes reference to many parts of it. It will only repeal certain portions of the tax code. The IRS would still be around for a few years to collect back taxes and tidy up business, then we'll have only STAA, the Sales Tax Administering Authority to administer the remaining portions of the IRS code.

Misconception # 6 Under the Fair Tax, we will have fewer taxes, less paperwork and no IRS-style persecution

Under the Fair Tax, it will be difficult to find anything except businesses, non-profit organizations, investments, and estates that won't be taxed. You'll pay 30% additional at the counter on food, clothing, prescriptions, car repairs, home insurance, health insurance, college tuition, safety deposit boxes, brokerage fees, lawyer services, doctors fees, dental bills, barber services, lawn services, domestic services (which you have to file and pay the 30% yourself), airline tickets, bus tickets, cruises, lottery tickets and gaming, federal and state government purchases, gasoline, boarding stables, feed stores, charter boat tours, attraction tickets, telephone bills, electric bills, internet services, ............. And just about any other good or service you can imagine. We would encourage each "Qualified Family" to investigate their own circumstances and expenditures against current income tax payments to get a clearer picture.

Many folks with businesses small and large, will become first-time tax collectors. That always involves bureaucracy. We may just be trading one type of paperwork for another type of paperwork. Also, every "Qualified Family" who would like to receive this prebate, must fill out the paperwork. There are seven items, including names, social security numbers, the name of the person or persons in the household to whom the prebate should be paid, certification of lawful residence, that no members are incarcerated, and certification that all family members are listed, with an address. There are no details as to what will be required for certification. We suppose STAA will decide later. All qualified family members over 21 must sign this filing. What happens to our legal voting age, armed services children between 18 to 21years of age? Have they lost their rights under this filing?

A Qualified Family in Chapter 3, Section 301(a) is defined : "For purposes of this chapter the term Qualified Family shall mean 1 or more family members sharing a common residence. All family members sharing a common residence shall be considered as part of 1 qualified family."

Section 301(b) further sets family size determination to be (A) an individual (B) the individual's spouse ( c) all lineal ancestors and descendents of said individuals and individual's spouse ( so children, grandparents on both sides are okay) (D) all legally adopted children (E) all children under legal guardianship. That's it! No one else is legal in this Qualified Family, who all must live under one roof. This appears to brand a lot of human beings as unqualified, who would have been eligible for their annual income tax refund (see more at #7 prebate misconception) Also, there will be, according to Section 603, Problem Resolution Offices established with their concurrent bureaucracy of Problem Resolution Officers appointed by the state governor or the President, to go out and enforce all the sections in the bill. They will be armed with "Taxpayer Assistance Orders" to give them power to operate. This seems to be a misnomer, as the orders will assist the Sales Tax Administering Authority more than the taxpayer. They will have authority to investigate complaints, initiate action or cease actions (such as liens, garnishment of wages, fines, audits...) Maybe all the IRS agents who lost their jobs will apply for these positions. They sound similar in duties. The Taxpayer Assistance Orders are eerily similar to the Writs of Assistance issued by the British government during the pre-Revolutionary War period that so enraged the colonists. Before these Writs, British customs agents had to legally acquire a warrant for their searches or seizures. The Writs of Assistance made no such requirement. That's the main reason that the Fourth Amendment was a part of the Bill of Rights; to protect us against unwarranted searches and seizures. These Taxpayer Assistance Orders may violate the Constitution by allowing searches and seizures of American citizens and their property without a warrant issued by an independent court upon a finding of probable cause.

Misconception #7 That under the Fair Tax, everyone with a valid Social Security card will get their own prebate check

On the website, they'll tell you that each person with a valid Social Security card will get a prebate check. The Fair Tax bill itself does not say this. What it says is that each Qualified Family will get a single check which must be shared by qualified persons in the household. For instance, if mother lives with you, and works, she will add a small fraction to that check, but will not get a check of her own other than what the designated head of household is required to give. As a matter of fact, the bill actually states that it "shall be divided evenly". How is this "Fair", when different family members contribute different wages and may or may not even help with expenses?

What happens to single unmarrieds living together under the same roof? What happens when they've moved in with Mom and Dad? What happens to four single guys or gals who work together but share an apartment for expenses? What happens to same sex relationships? What happens to aged aunts and uncles or cousins? What happens to friends? None of these people are part of the Qualified Family. How do they get a prebate? We don't know. Do you? Does anyone?

By Section 304(d) the Social Security Administration shall provide a monthly sales tax rebate to the duly qualified family. Note that it says a check, not a check for each person. Some comments on the website might lead you to believe that each social security card holder will receive a monthly prebate check. We can't find that language anywhere in the actual bill. All that is promised is the one check that Section 304 says "shall be divided evenly between or among those persons designated." But remember, even if you're working and 18 years old, you don't get to sign the form, so your prebate stays in the discretion of the designated individual. But if you're a married son and daughter-in-law 21 years or older, living with parents (which happens a lot in these stressed economic times), you are supposed to get an equal share of the single rebate, with your parents, whether you're employed, down on your luck or just a bum, as long as you are a qualified family member. Now we suppose this would apply to your blood relative, but what happens to your daughter-in-law (or your son's girlfriend) who lives with you too, receives a paycheck, pays the 30% at the register, but is not a qualified family member. We can't find where this person and many others will get anything at all.

Can't you just see the sparks flying? Did the people who wrote the Fair Tax bill all live in fairy-tale perfect family situations? There are too many gray areas and unprotected rights the way the bill is currently written. Also, it's a monthly prebate. Poor folks who have large bills due in one particular month like insurance payments or car repairs, could find themselves short of cash to pay those extra taxes. Don't count your prebate before it's hatched.

There are far more gray areas than we can address in this simple format, but this rough draft is a start. We will continue to try to get answers and make them fit the definitions and regulations set out in the actual Fair Tax bill. Remember, it is our responsibility to investigate for ourselves and get the answers before making decisions on something this important. This initiative has been around since 1995 and still hasn't gotten very far. We wonder if maybe that's because some people and businesses have been investigating and couldn't reconcile the facts either?

Remember, there are other plans out there that may be far more "Fair" than the Fair Tax. We really like Ron Paul's plan which also reduces spending. We wonder what Dr. Jorgensen's plan is? What plan could you dream of that would be more fair?

Pat and Shirley Miketinac

July 24, 2010

11 Reasons Why The Federal Reserve Is Bad.

I found this article on a webpage known as Economic Collapse, I could not Identify the Author, which I always  like to give credit to because they did all the hard work.
Whoever wrote it ....Good Work !

Bob



Millions of Americans are waking up to the fact that the Federal Reserve is bad, but very few of them can coherently explain why this is true. For decades, an unelected, privately-owned central bank has controlled America's currency, run our economy and has driven the U.S. government to the brink of bankruptcy. It operates in great secrecy, it has never been subjected to a comprehensive audit and yet the actions it takes have an impact on every single American. It is an institution designed to drain wealth from the U.S. government (and ultimately from the American people) and transfer it to the ultra-wealthy. Have you ever wondered why a sovereign nation such as the United States has to borrow United States dollars from anyone? Have you ever wondered why a sovereign nation such as the United States does not even issue its own currency? Have you ever wondered why we allow a group of unelected private bankers to run our economy?

Those are some very important questions. Hopefully what you are about to read will open the eyes of many. The truth is that our financial system is centrally-controlled and centrally-managed by a group of banking oligarchs who have constructed an ever-expanding debt spiral which has been efficiently designed to slowly transfer all wealth into their hands.

The following are 11 reasons why the Federal Reserve is not good for the United States....

1 - The Federal Reserve was created as a way to enslave the U.S. government with debt. The truth is that the U.S. government only goes into debt if it chooses to. Theoretically, one day that U.S. government could simply decide to print as many U.S. dollars as it wants and pay off all government debts. But under the current system that is not allowed. You see, today the U.S. government does not issue any money. The Federal Reserve issues all money. That is why they are called "Federal Reserve notes".

Under the current regime, whenever the U.S. government wants more currency to be created it has to go into more debt.

In a previous article entitled "It Is Now Mathematically Impossible To Pay Off The U.S. National Debt" I explained how this insidious system works....

If you will pull a dollar bill out and take a look at it, you will notice that it says "Federal Reserve Note" at the top.

It belongs to the Federal Reserve.

The U.S. government cannot simply go out and create new money whenever it wants under our current system.

Instead, it must get it from the Federal Reserve.

So, when the U.S. government needs to borrow more money (which happens a lot these days) it goes over to the Federal Reserve and asks them for some more green pieces of paper called Federal Reserve Notes.

The Federal Reserve swaps these green pieces of paper for pink pieces of paper called U.S. Treasury bonds. The Federal Reserve either sells these U.S. Treasury bonds or they keep the bonds for themselves (which happens a lot these days).

So that is how the U.S. government gets more green pieces of paper called "U.S. dollars" to put into circulation. But by doing so, they get themselves into even more debt which they will owe even more interest on.

So every time the U.S. government does this, the national debt gets even bigger and the interest on that debt gets even bigger.

Now, apologists for the Federal Reserve system are quick to point out that the Federal Reserve does not make much of a profit. Once a "statutory dividend" of 6% is paid to member banks and a capital account surplus is "maintained", the rest of the profits of the Federal Reserve go back to the U.S. Treasury.

Problem solved, right?

Wrong.

The point is not how much of a profit the Federal Reserve makes or does not make.

The point is that the Federal Reserve is a tool for creating U.S. government debt which slowly drains our national wealth and which ends up greatly enriching the global elite.

As of July 1st, the U.S. government had spent $355 billion so far in 2010 on interest payments to the holders of the national debt.

Have you ever wondered who gets all that money?

The truth is that the wealthiest individuals around the globe have been getting very rich for a very long time off of government debt.

2 - The Federal Reserve creates money out of thin air. In a previous article, I noted how this fact comes out in congressional hearings and yet the American people just don't seem to get too upset about it....

During a recent Joint Economic Committee hearing on Capital Hill, U.S. Representative Ron Paul directly confronted Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke about this 1.3 trillion dollars. As Ron Paul described how this 1.3 trillion was just created out of thin air, all Bernanke could do was nod his head. Why? Because it was the truth.

3- The huge predator megabanks that now dominate the U.S. banking system use the Federal Reserve as a tool to make money. One of the ways they do this is called the U.S. Treasury carry trade. What happens is that the Federal Reserve lends huge amounts of money to the megabanks for next to nothing, and then these megabanks use all that cash to buy U.S. government debt. This little "trick" helped enable four of the biggest U.S. banks (Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Citigroup) to have a "perfect quarter" with zero days of trading losses during the first quarter of 2010. Wouldn't you like to have a perfect batting average?

4 - The Federal Reserve devalues our currency. Since the Federal Reserve was created in 1913, the U.S. dollar has lost 96 percent of its purchasing power. The truth is that just a two percent inflation rate will wipe out half of your purchasing power within a single generation. In the chart below, you can clearly see that the beginning of the rapid rise of inflation in the United States coincided with the creation of the Federal Reserve....

5 - The Federal Reserve manipulates the U.S. economy by setting national interest rates. By keeping rates high or low, the Federal Reserve has the power to create economic growth or to destroy it. The have the power to inflate massive bubbles and to pop them. Most Americans give way too much credit and blame to presidents like Bush or Obama for how the economy is doing. The truth is that they really don't have that much control over the economy compared to the Federal Reserve.

6 - The Federal Reserve also controls the national money supply. They can pump trillions into the economy or pull trillions out without being accountable to anyone. This can have disastrous consequences. For example, after the U.S. stock market crash of 1929, the Federal Reserve continued to contract the money supply. Many analysts believe that this was one of the key things that precipitated the Great Depression.

7- The Federal Reserve is not part of the U.S. government. The truth is that the Federal Reserve is about as "federal" as Federal Express is. In defending itself against a Bloomberg request for information under the Freedom of Information Act, the Federal Reserve objected by declaring that it was "not an agency" of the U.S. government and therefore it was not subject to the Freedom of Information Act. It is kind of funny how Fed officials are always talking about how important their "independence" is, but whenever anyone starts criticizing them for being private they start stressing their ties with the government.

8 - The Federal Reserve has become far, far too powerful. The reality is that those running the Federal Reserve are not elected and yet have an enormous amount of control. In fact, Ron Paul recently told MSNBC that he believes that the Federal Reserve is more powerful than Congress.....

"The regulations should be on the Federal Reserve. We should have transparency of the Federal Reserve. They can create trillions of dollars to bail out their friends, and we don’t even have any transparency of this. They’re more powerful than the Congress."

9- The Federal Reserve is dominated by Wall Street and the New York banks. The New York representative is the only permanent member of the Federal Open Market Committee, while other regional banks rotate in 2 and 3 year intervals. The former head of the New York Fed, Timothy Geithner, is now U.S. Treasury Secretary. The truth is that the Federal Reserve Bank of New York has always been the most important of the regional Fed banks by far, and in turn the Federal Reserve Bank of New York has always been dominated by Wall Street and the major New York banks.

10- Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke wants to completely eliminate minimum reserve requirements for banks. Fractional reserve banking has always been a way that the bankers have conned the public, but now Bernanke wants to get rid of the pretense of "reserves" altogether.

It is almost too bizarre to believe, but it is right there in black and white on the Federal Reserve's own website....

The Federal Reserve believes it is possible that, ultimately, its operating framework will allow the elimination of minimum reserve requirements, which impose costs and distortions on the banking system.

11 - The Federal Reserve is not accountable to anyone. The Federal Reserve has never undergone a true comprehensive audit since it was created back in 1913. Ron Paul’s proposal to audit the Federal Reserve, which had previously been co-sponsored by 320 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, ultimately failed by a vote of 229-198.

But shouldn't the American people be able to see what is going on inside the Federal Reserve?

Shouldn't we have some way to keep them accountable?

After all, they have an incredible amount of power over us, shouldn't we have at least a little bit of power over them?

Unfortunately, the truth is that they desperately do not want light to be shined on the elaborate "shell game" that they are running.

Have you ever wondered if it was just a coincidence that the personal income tax was implemented just about the same time that the Federal Reserve was created?

Why does the U.S. government have to tax us?

Why can't the U.S. government just print up all the money that it needs?

Well, the way that our Congress spends money that would probably create horrific hyperinflation, but that is the subject for another article.

The point is that the U.S. government should not have to get U.S. dollars from someone else.

If you take a few minutes to stop and think about it, an America where there is no Federal Reserve, no personal income tax and no IRS is not that hard to imagine.

If the U.S. government functioned just fine without all of them at one time, then why couldn't the U.S. government function just fine without all of them now?

The system we have now clearly is not working. The Federal Reserve was supposed to guarantee that our financial system would be perfectly stable, but in reality our financial system has become much more unstable.

It is time for different thinking. It is time for the U.S. government to take back control of our currency and of our economy. It is time to start electing some people with common sense to represent us in Washington.

So what do you think of the Federal Reserve? Feel free to leave a comment with your opinion....

Top 10 Failures of ObamaCare After Six Months

Today's Post was written by Emily Miller  at Human Events, which is an online news provider that I highly recommend.
Thank You Emily for the great reporting
Bob


by Emily Miller

09/22/2010

President Obama today is proudly touting the success of the biggest disaster of his presidency: ObamaCare.

The trillion-dollar, government takeover of our health care officially kicks in tomorrow, but it has already had a destructive impact on our economy and health care system.

Obama’s crowing about his health care debacle shows how totally out of touch he is with the American people. Polls show that 56 percent of likely voters believe that ObamaCare is bad for the United States and 71 percent think the health care law will hurt the economy.

The facts speak for themselves, here are the top ten failures of ObamaCare after only six months:

1. Premiums Have Gone Up: Obama promised that families will pay less for their healthcare premiums under his plan. Quite the opposite has happened. Insurance companies are making double-digit rate increases to consumer premiums in anticipation of the cost of new mandates by ObamaCare. The estimated premiums rate increase for consumers is between 1% and 9%, a direct impact from the new regulations.

2. You Can’t Keep Your Current Plan And Doctor: Businesses will be forced to change their employees’ healthcare plans in order to meet the new regulations. An estimated 69% of businesses will be forced to change their plans, forcing countless millions of Americans to change plans and doctors.

3. National Budget Deficit Is Worse: Sixty-one percent (61%) of all voters nationwide say the healthcare law will increase the federal deficit.

4. More Children Are Uninsured: Anthem Blue Cross, Aetna Inc. and other insurance agencies are dropping child-only policies, citing huge, unexpected costs from ObamaCare. An estimated half a million children in the United States will be affected by the policies.

5. Small Business Taxes Increased: Small businesses—the engine of the U.S. economy—are suffering from increased tax filing regulations and anticipated healthcare mandates. Over 40 million small businesses will be required to file new tax reports for health care. The tax credit for the regulations only covers one-tenth of these business’s losses.

6. Small Businesses Health Care Burden Increased: Almost half of all smaller employers are anticipating “significant increases in healthcare costs in the short term.” These business owners are likely to cut back on hiring and expansion because they fear a new healthcare burden.

7. More Government Spending: The Congressional Budget Office has already adjusted the cost for ObamaCare since it passed, adding another $115 billion to the taxpayer’s tab. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has adjusted upwards its cost prediction since the bill took effect from 6.1% per year to 6.3%. By 2019, U.S. spending on health care will reach $4.6 trillion.

8. Senior Citizens Suffer from Medicare Cuts: The Medicare Advantage program which covers nearly a quarter of seniors will cut plans from $3-$5,000 per beneficiary. Doctors are refusing to take seniors because Medicare only covers part of their bills.

9. Minorities Get Worse Health Care: ObamaCare forces 16 million Americans into Medicaid, a poorly performing welfare program. The President considers moving Hispanic and blacks into Medicaid an improvement in their healthcare. No one else does.

10. Democrats Losing Elections: Current polls show that 61% of likely voters want the bill repealed and the Tea Party movement has demonstrated America’s anger toward ObamaCare. The primaries this summer have shown that Americans are voting for members of congress who will repeal Obamacare.

At the White House Rose Garden bill signing six months ago, Vice President Joe Biden told the President that Obamacare is a “big f---ing deal.” Biden was correct. ObamaCare is a big f—ing deal; it is the death-knell of this liberal presidency.

Miss Miller is a senior editor of HUMAN EVENTS. Previously, she served as the deputy press secretary at the State Department during the George W. Bush administration and the communications director to the House Majority Whip, Tom DeLay. Miller also served as an associate producer at ABC News and started her career at NBC News. Follow her on Twitter.

ROUND TWO : THE DEMOCRATS

Yesterday I posted an article Gary DeMar, which I found quite fascinating considering I'm a Conservative. (Constitutional Conservative, not a Republican, there is a difference.)
Today is the Democrats turn, let's see what makes them tick.
P.S. thank you Gary DeMar & American Vision for your outstanding articles.

Bob


FIVE TRUTHS THAT LIBERALS HATE

By Gary DeMar
Published: June 30, 2010

1.   You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.

2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

4. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation.

5. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.


Author: Gary DeMar

Gary is a graduate of Western Michigan University (1973) and earned his M.Div. at Reformed Theological Seminary in 1979. Author of countless essays, news articles, and more than 27 book titles, he also hosts The Gary DeMar Show, and History Unwrapped—both broadcasted and podcasted. Gary has lived in the Atlanta area since 1979 with his wife, Carol. They have two married sons and are enjoying being grandparents to their grandsons, Calvin and Paul. Gary and Carol are members of Midway Presbyterian Church (PCA).





Gary has written 1057 articles.

ROUND ONE : THE REPUBLICANS

As many of well know, I am a very conservative guy.
So you are going to wonder ......Why on God's green earth is he tearing apart the Republicans. Simple. I found an article from a legitimate website that sent chills down my spine. Read on & please keep an open mind.
Thnx,
Bob
P.S. Thank You American Vision & Joel McDurmon for the very informative article.


Five Truths that Republicans Hate

By Joel McDurmon
Published: July 2, 2010

.On Wednesday Gary posted the list “Five Truths that Liberals Hate,” and it proved one of the most popular posts we’ve had in a while. While in total agreement with those ideals, and actually probably the most conservative guy at American Vision, I thought a little Tabasco for the Right was in order as well. So let’s hear it: five truths Republicans hate.

1. Most Republicans are as socialist as the Left. While not as socially liberal as the left—not advocating equality, gay rights, feminism, etc., etc.—Republicans have proven every bit as fiscally liberal with the exception of the last year or so when political convenience has changed their rhetoric. But try to get one to admit that social security and medicare are socialist programs along the lines of Obamacare, and they’ll dance and dodge all day! It was Bush II who created medicare prescription drug coverage at the cost of $550 billion, and only nine Senate republicans opposed.

2. Public schooling is a socialist institution, paid for like a social welfare scheme, where socialist teachers teach socialism to conservatives’ kids. It was designed as an anti-conservative institution and operates openly as an anti-conservative institution. Yet most conservative parents still mock homeschooling and refuse to put their kids in even a private school. Some Christians argue they’re salt and light—”we just need prayer back in schools!” The only prayer any kid should be praying in school is “Mom! Dad! Please! Get me out!”

3. There is no such thing as private property as long as property taxes and the threat of liens exist. Bad-mouthing Obama’s socialism rings hollow until you pressure your state, county, and municipal officials to abolish property taxes. Of course, you’d also have to argue against public schooling as well, for about 75% of property taxes go to pay for public schools.

4. There is nothing inherently or historically conservative about our national standing military. It was a Republican-led effort that ignored everything the American founders wrote about the dangers of standing armies and centralized the state militias into a national army, the outlawed state militias. Shortly after the Militia Act of 1903, in one ten year span before WWI, the military budget rose from $2 million to $53 million—a 2,650% budget increase. The whole program was carried out by Progressives which at that time dominated the Republican Party. These were men whom Republicans generally revere as well, Republicans: William McKinley, Teddy Roosevelt, William H. Taft, Elihu Root. Historically, big war has been carried out under progressive Democrats: Wilson got us into WW1, FDR WWII, Truman Korea, and Kennedy/Johnson Vietnam. Progressives love war inherently: it was one aspect that grew directly out of social Darwinism. Conservatives fight when necessary to protect their own land and freedom, except against property taxes, apparently.

5. Republicans were the original spend-and-tax, big-government Progressives, and remain so today. The same Republican men who nationalized the military, in order to fund their progressive ideals, created, promoted, and signed into law the Sixteenth amendment (national income tax) which had the side-effect of rendering the IRS a permanent institution. Taft got the act through Congress in 1909, the last state ratified it in 1913. The intervening presidential election was a contest of three men with the same ideals—Wilson, T. Roosevelt, and Taft—all of whom supported the national income tax. The same Republicans instituted the National Monetary Commission which developed the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, which Wilson also signed into law. In modern times, were it not for Obama, Bush II would reign as the spending and deficit king by quite a margin. The biggest spenders in recent decades were all the Republican presidents, including Reagan. Only Clinton in his first term rivaled them before Obama.

So there you have it. These are five truths that Republicans just have to hate! But thankfully, we have a God-given right to change our minds and become truly conservative. See my God versus Socialism for a look at where the Bible stands on such issues, and how the U.S. already has adopted seven of the ten planks of communism straight from Marx’s Manifesto.

in American History, Articles, Education, Ethics, Featured, Government, History, Law, Politicians, Politics and tagged Bush, elihu root, federal reserve, income tax, military, obama, private property, progressives, property tax, public schools, republicans, socialism, teddy roosevelt, theft, theodore roosevelt, wealth, woodrow wilson. Bookmark the permalink. Trackbacks are closed, but you can post a comment.

Author: Joel McDurmon

Joel McDurmon, M.Div., Reformed Episcopal Theological Seminary, is the Director of Research for American Vision. He has authored four books and also serves as a lecturer and regular contributor to the American Vision website. He joined American Vision's staff in the June of 2008. Joel and his wife and three sons live in Dallas, Georgia.

Joel has written 191 articles.

Thank You: "Pledge of Renewal"

I must apologize to all my loyal readers.

I caught a bad case of the flu today, so I'm doing a "Favorite RE-POST" today.Hope to wright a post for you tomorrow, 1.21.11.

                            "Pledge of Renewal"


"The power under the Constitution will always be in the people. It is entrusted for certain defined purposes, and for a certain limited period, to representatives of their own choosing; and whenever it is executed contrary to their interest, or not agreeable to their wishes, their servants can, and undoubtedly will, be recalled."

George Washington

Note: I obtained this piece of history from a page on FaceBook calld Pledge of Renewal. Look them up!


Yours in Liberty,

B0b Yeager
 

hmmmmmm.....

It's Sunday......(you knew that !} Not a big political news day, For you NASCAR fans & CHEVY fans, this was your day ! Clint Bowyer in the # 33 Cheerios Chevrolet, beat Denny Hamlin in his # 11 Toyota to win in New Hampshire. That's all I have, had to blog something.
It's my job, no really....it is.  LOL
Catch ya t'morrow
Bob

DEFINE A 2 PARTY POLITICAL SYSTEM

OK, I'm climbing on my soapbox...... it's time.
45 days until the 2010 Mid-term election (halfway between Presidential Elections.)
When I turned 18, I proudly registered to vote, Republican. I'd say 95 % of the time I voted Republican,
I believe one time I voted Democrat for Governor. long story...another day,another blog.
On 9/16/2010 I became a member of the Constitution Party,
Why ?
I am thoroughly convinced that their is only one political party in this country.
No.... I'm not drunk & no I didn't bump my head real bad.
Let me explain.......
There is one party with two branches.
Oh, they fight over things like kids on a playground, that's expected....it's part of the show.
They claim they have two sets of values, REALLY !!!! ?
BLUEDOGS : a Democrat that would love to be a Rebublican.
RINO : Republican In Name Only !!!
You get the point.
Back a few months ago, the GOP (Republicans) held up, on purpose, the Unemployment extension......no matter what your personal take is on unemployment is, a small portion of your paycheck goes into that fund. You might have lots of pride like me and not want to take it, but they took it from you.
The GOP held this up for seven weeks ! OK, That I would have expected from the Dems, Oh , wait their the same party, my bad.
When it comes to Lobbiest, earmarks, spending money.....
the Rebublicans crawled in bed with the Dems....ewl !
This past tuesday was the icing on the cake.
U.S. Senate hopeful Republican Christine O'Donnell From Delaware Beat her RINO Republican opponent, Mike Castle in the Delaware primary. Believe it or not ,and I couldn't believe it, The GOP was supporting the left wing liberal Mike Castle. ARE YOU KIDDING ME ! (One Party)
Their reasoning....Mr.Castle was more electable against his Uber-Left Marxist - Democratic oppoent Chris Coons.
The Elitest Republican establishment was basically selling their souls.
Oh, by the way , the Tea Party was supporting Christine O'Donnell. I think the GOP, or parts of it are afraid of the Tea Party.
well my friends, thats enough for today, todays blog is alot to absorb.
I'm glad I switched political partys, at least I know what they stand for.    http://www.constitutionparty.com/join.php

18 months....................

Seems like a lifetime.
Actually it was 18 months ago ,right after B.H.O. took office, I deceided to start my own political  blog.
I love politics....so why not.
I wrote two posts and a series of lifes challenges started to occupy my time and I let the keyboard alone for a while.
Then, I realized today was Constitution Day, that inspired me to start typing again.
When I looked back at my two older posts it occured to me that what I wrote about eighteen months ago, everyday average American citizens were out there doing. ( I won't give the secret away, you can go read them.)
What I am posting today, are not of my own writing. I must give the credit to Former U.S.Attorney General Edwin Meese from the Ronald Regan years. He is also a Distinguished Fellow from the Heritage Foundation.
This article gives some insight into what this great country of ours is in for if B.H.O. is allowed to lead the way he has been leading our country.
Please enjoy and leave me some feedback !

Thank you,

Bob Yeager

Constitution Day and the Perilous Future

On September 17, we celebrate the creation of our Constitution, one of the greatest governing documents ever conceived by the hand of man. This is the day we commemorate the birth of the United States as a nation, based on the rule of law and dedicated to the preservation of personal liberty, political freedom, economic opportunity, and the natural rights with which we are all endowed by our Creator.

But 223 years after the formal signing of the Constitution, our country stands at a dangerous crossroads, the likes of which we have never faced before, although it is one that was certainly feared by many of our Founders. James Madison and many of the other leaders of our country who were at the Constitutional Convention were all classically educated. They were better educated about history than many of our representatives in Washington today and they were well aware of what had happened to ancient democracies in Athens and Rome.

We are faced today with two different roads, one of which follows the path of liberty set by our Founders in the Constitution, and one of which diverges from that path and leads us down the road to tyranny. There are two different warring camps within our society, and the ongoing battle between those camps has been graphically illustrated in recent primary elections and by the vicious fight over the nationalization of our healthcare system.

On one side are those of us, including the members of the Tea Party movement, who work hard to support their families, who love their country, and who understand and revere a document that has stood firm for 223 years to guide us. These ordinary, everyday Americans rightly fear the unprecedented growth in the size and power of the federal government. They are angry over the unsustainable and uncontrollable growth of federal spending and the federal deficit that will inevitably lead to financial ruin. They are appalled over the contempt shown by so many in the other camp for our governing document, the Constitution.

The Heritage Foundation has distributed over 4 million copies of the Constitution, a number that shows the interest and dedication of so many Americans to preserving the liberty, freedom, and limits on the power of government that are ingrained in that charter.

That other camp is made up of politicians who recognize no limits on their power, their liberal activist allies in the judiciary, and members of the media, Hollywood, and academia, who have been stretching, bending, and chipping away at the Constitution for decades. They welcome a tyranny of elites who can govern however they see fit without being checked and limited by what they view as an "anachronistic" document and the parochial views of the American people. After all, they know what is best for all of us. They should control our lives and our economy.

Their contempt and disdain for the Constitution was vividly illustrated by Speaker Nancy Pelosi when she was asked "where specifically does the Constitution grant Congress the authority to enact an individual health insurance mandate?" Her now infamous answer was "Are you serious? Are you serious?" The very idea that Congressional power has limits never even occurred to her. Similarly, Cong. Pete Stark (D-CA) was asked "How can this [healthcare] law be Constitutional, but more importantly than that, if they can do this what can’t they?" Starks’s answer: "The federal government, yes, can do most anything in this country." The very idea that Congress only has the enumerated powers laid out in the Constitution is completely foreign to Stark. And too many in Washington have that exact same view.

This same camp of elitists uses class warfare to divide the American people and to expand the power of the federal government. They use entitlements as a bribe and have taken away the requirement for large numbers of Americans to pay taxes, making it easier to raise taxes and extract exorbitant amounts of money from the producers and entrepreneurs in our country who have, before today, given us the prosperity and quality of live that has made us the envy of the world.

We have not had one momentous event that has put us on the path to tyranny. Rather, we have had a long series of small steps by the courts, the executive branch, and Congress through legal decisions, regulations, and legislative enactments that have steadily diminished our liberty and freedom, and increased the power of government over our lives. My former boss, Ronald Reagan, correctly observed that a government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have. We are, unfortunately, increasingly on our way down that road.

We have a dedicated elite intent on destroying the Constitution and building a government so big and so powerful, that eventually we could be unable to resist and fight back against the inevitable loss of our freedoms. But fortunately, we are seeing the start of a revival amongst the American people, a recognition of the importance of preserving the Constitution and it’s wonderfully designed, interlocking provisions that were intended to protect our God-given rights and to prevent our government from becoming a tyranny.

There is a growing movement throughout America to reinvigorate the tree of liberty, a tree whose trunk is the Constitution, whose limbs are the Bill of Rights, and whose leaves are the new sons and daughters of liberty who embody the same spirit that infused our Founders. On Constitution Day, let Americans rededicate themselves to securing "the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity" by actively working to preserve the Constitution of the United States.

The author, Former Attorney General Edwin Meese, III is the Ronald Reagan Distinguished Fellow in Public Policy and Chairman of the Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at the Heritage Foundation.