During The Hyatus

Okay, it's been a few months since posting. Since the last time, I hit "publish" on here, a. the GOP has retaken the United States Senate, b. I've gotten married, c. the current administration in the White House continues giving us more reasons to doubt their competence in running our nation. And, the current administration still thinks they can run our nation...into the ground. Check out the last few articles on http//www.townhall.com from Victor Davis Hanson, and you'll learn how the Obama administration is doing everything it can to change the face, landscape and mindset of America. Of course, for us who have watched the nightly news or listened to conservative talk radio, this is no shocker. Now, the question remains, in this 114th Congress, what do we do about it? Conservative blogger and activist, Sean Noble, makes the case for small victories in a recent article on Townhall.com. He compares taking back our liberties to ridding ourselves of financial debt. He refers to Dave Ramsey's debt snowball. As a family pays off small debts, car loans or medical bills first, they measure their progress as they begin attacking larger bills. Borrowing Dave Ramsey's phrase, "the debt snowball," Noble shows how Congress needs to start small--say, repealing the medical device tax--before repealing and replacing the whole of ObamaCare. That's not bad advice. It gives, particularly, the freshmen members of the Legislative Branch confidence as they propose ideas, contribute to committee decisions and communicate with senior members. Of course, Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) bucked the trend by giving the REpublican response to Pres. Obama's state of the union address this January. One may also object that, if conservatives take this incremental/snowball approach, then liberal members will see the big votes coming and prepare their latest stall tactics. The objection may be true. Even so, getting the snowball rolling also builds momentum. The more our representatives see the progress, the more they will want to do more to restore our liberties. The more they speak on behalf of their constituents, the longer we'll elect them to office. The more our voices raise on talkshows, on the telephone and in other media sources, the more our representatives will do well to listen. The snowball will build, keep rolling and--welcome to November 2016--the GOP will retake the White House as well.

SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND SCHOOL AGAIN?

Nearly ten weeks back in school, and look what we have here! Yes, another school rubbing the First Amendment right to the establishment and practice of religion in the mud. This time the Christian Club at Ward Melville High in New York was denied their right to assemble for the second year in a row. TOD STARNS’ newsletter of October 6 told the backstory and the current status. At least in 2013, the school district tried saving face when district Superintendent, Cheryl Pedisich told WCBS TV that the school had, in effect, overreacted out of misunderstanding. This year, Pedisich responded to the club’s leader with the excuse that the school couldn’t fund its existence unless twenty or more students attended meetings. How lame! Other clubs dealing with ceramics, fishing, and gay-straight relations draw smaller crowds. If this weren’t such a repeat performance of other districts each year, this case might have some precedent to set. Yet, two things stand in the way of considering Ms. Pedisich’s response appropriate. First, the First Amendment of the United States Constitution protects such establishment and practice. Second, this year’s cover-up excuse puts lipstick on a fattening pig. In the name of tolerance and diversity, more and more public schools are denying the right of students to assemble for religious reasons on school grounds. Tolerance! To permit thevariety of activities and clubs relating to social issues is a true mark of good citizenship. Yet, to deny people the right to discuss issues relating to the Christian faith takes back with the second hand what the district handed out with the first. What the district really fears, and wants to avoid, are lawsuits from other religious organizations catering to Muslims, atheists, devotees to Wicca or other brands of paganism, etc. The almighty dollar, not diversity rises to the forefront of school administrators minds. Compliance with a society that rejects much of its Christian heritage is leading this and other school systems to reach the long arm of dictates into students’ freedoms. Now, does one act of disrespect and dishonesty deserve another? NO. While Acts 5:29 calls us Christians to obey God rather than men when civic affairs clash with Christian teaching, the verse doesn’t tell us to take a militaristic pose. In fact, Rom. 13:1-7 urges us to submit to the governing authorities. This means using available legal means possible to accomplish the desired, Constitutionally-granted freedoms. Hence, when the club’s president received push-back from the school district this year, he returned to the Liberty Institute who had threatened to sue during the previous fall. Legal representation takes the matter to the courts which have the duty to interpret the law and uphold its precedent. In the meantime, who knows where the members of Students United for Faith will meet? One can only assume Liberty Institute will move quickly so that the club can use school property. Another angle worth pursuing is networking with organizations who have a nationwide, public and private school presence—most notably the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. (FCA) While some suits and complaints have raised against their meeting in schools, their case has withstood such opposition. Let’s hope the Students United in Faith will work through the appointed channels and attain the status in their school and community the United States Constitution permits them.

PETITION PLAINLY SPEAKS: PROTECT OUR BORDERS, MR. PRESIDENT.

Is there any border Pres. Obama and his administration desire to protect? As he seeks to grant amnesty to hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens coming across our southern borders and into our Gulf ports, he refuses to close air and shipping passage between the United States and countries who have experienced the greatest human devastation by the ebola virus. Maybe, the President wants to take the Statue of Liberty’s open-armed plea in a literalistic manner. We’ll take your diseased…and declare them eligible for free healthcare while they wait in long lines. We’ll take the refugees—a good thing in moderation—and give them free drivers’ licenses before issuing them green cards. We’ll take the down-trodden…and put them on some social welfare roll, provided they only make a maximal amount of money per year. White House Correspondent, Neil Munro notes in his article in THE DAILY CALLER, October 3, 2014, that American citizens have posted a petition at the White House urging the FAA to block flights to and from countries where the ebola virus has spread, killing over 3,300 people. The petition reads in part: “Have the FAA ban all incoming and outgoing flights to Ebola-stricken countries until the ebola outbreak is contained….” The American public is scared. Why? The administration has not kept its word on preventing the ebola virus from reaching our shores. The petition continues and concludes: “”We do not want any more Ebola-infected individuals bringing the epidemic to our shores. The longer we allow people to enter our country from Ebola-stricken areas, the higher the chance another person infected with Ebola will arrive here, putting ALL of our citizens at risk.” “Please tell the FAA to ban ALL incoming flights from any/all Ebola-stricken regions,” the petition concludes.” So, there you have it. The nation’s citizens, whom the President has sworn under oath to defend, are calling the current administration to fulfill its moral, ethical and vocational responsibilities. It’s time to make our voices heard at www.whitehouse.gov and let freedom ring!

A GREAT DIRECTION

This morning at redstate.com, Erick Erickson includes RNC Chairman Reince Priebus’ eleven principles for American renewal—also explained at www.GOPPrinciples.com . We’ve got a great impetus to follow these principles in our voting, decision-making, and (in the case of lawmakers) legislating. So, what do we make of these? *** “1: Our constitution should be preserved, valued and honored.” It goes without saying that everyone keep this in mind. aFter all, the current administration taking up space at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue has forgotten to do so. From his apology tour to his dismissal of the State Department’s shenanigans about Benghazi to his making decisions where only Congress is permitted to act, Pres. Obama has proven his hope to change our American way of life and do away with the American dream. “2: We need to start growing America’s economy instead of Washington’s economy so that working Americans see better wages and more opportunity.” And how long has the XL Pipeline been under discussion? How often have the numbers of people dropping out of the workforce grown while those applying for unemployment benefits and searching for jobs decreased? How many more consequences of the not-so-Affordable Care Act do we need to see in the private sector’s business taxes and regulations before we tell its instigator to leave town? “3: We need to pass a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution, make government more efficient, and leave the next generation with opportunity, not debt.” How long have we conservatives been raising our voices in support of this? On his daily radio talkshow, Sean Hannity has promoted the penny plan for reducing our debt over the next few years—lest we become a vassal state to China. And, if one wants to check out our United States Constitution’s fifth amendment’s ways for adding new amendments, one sees more than one way to skin a cat. Mark Levin discusses the alternative in case Washington bureaucrats ignore the voice of the American people and continue to spend us into oblivion like Greece. THE LIBERTY AMENDMENTS shows you how three fourths of the States’ legislatures can vote for adding a new amendment and how those same three fourths can then require Washington to do what every responsible family does—balance the budget! “4: We need to start over with real healthcare reform that puts patients and their doctors in charge, not unelected bureaucrats in Washington.” It doesn’t take a genius to know that we pay way more at the doctor’s office than we should or through the mail for surgeries. Yet, the answer is not ObamaCare. Rather than making healthcare more affordable, the not-so-Affordable Care Act promotes socialism, the redistribution of benefits to those whom the centralized powers that be determine eligible while everyone else pays out the nose for its maintenance. Real healthcare allows for free interprise, doctors and patients to have as much time in the office together as necessary. Bust up the HMO’s so that the insurance companies can simply do their job of providing help through our various places of employment. Low-cost insurance options will, inevitably, result from the competition created by supply and demand. If the medical system is left to the hands of responsible doctors, people of every economic strata, and as few bureaucrats as possible, opportunity wil let the best medical care in the world flourish as we know it can. “5: Our veterans have earned our respect and gratitude, and no veteran should have to wait in line for months or years just to see a doctor.” This goes without saying much. Why should soldiers returning from war have to fill out reams of paperwork just to be eligible for psychological treatment, ongoing restoration of their physical bodies, or their rehabilitation that could lead to gainful employment? Our troops deserve to be treated with honor after fighting on behalf of our country, no matter what the circumstances they faced abroad. “6: Keeping America safe and strong requires a strong military, growing the economy, energy independence, and secure borders.” And this requires calling a spaid a spaid. When our administration deems a conflict important enough for our involvement, serving our national interests, the American people deserve to know America will go all out for victory. Terrorism is still terrorism, not just workplace violence. Illegal means illegal when immigrants haven’t taken the proper steps to come across our borders to stay. Sex trafficking still violates the lives of thousands—both men and women—who get exchanged for drug momney or pimps get rich off the various schemes driven by prostitution. No, we aren’t technically in the Cold War of the 1950s-1980s. Yet, Russia and China still raise their militaristic heads hoping to conquer lands worldwide. Radical Islamists really do mean harm to us, whom they call the white Satan and infidels. What happened to the days when we considered democracy and free enterprise to be the best solutions for everyone? What happened to our considering life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as inalienable rights for all—from womb to tomb? With a conservative legislature and executive branch of government, they can still lie ahead of us. “7: Every child should have an equal opportunity to get a great education; no parent should be forced to send their child to a failing school.” Great! Then, close the Department of Education and let States handle their own standards for academic performance. Maybe, Arne Duncan can return to the classroom instead of leading our nation’s kids from behind. Open school choice to every district nationwide so that parents can determine which schools their children attend. That, more than anything, will encourage failing schools to become better equipped financially, technologically, and structurally. Common Core’s best place is in File 13, replaced by programs appropriate for students, teaching American exceptionalism instead of the defeatist propaganda which our administration has desired to import from the United Nations. “8: The best anti-poverty program is a strong family and a good job, so our focus should be on getting people out of poverty by lifting up all people and helping them find work.” In other words, reduce business taxes so that companies can hire Americans. If some want to outsource, give the outsourced workers incentive to prosper, advance and earn based on their merit, not by minimum wage government fiat. Rather than having the goal of remaining in a call ceneter for life or at a restaurant’s check-out window, employees will see such beneficial services as starting points, not ends to themselves. “9: Our country should value the traditions of family, life, religious liberty, and hard work.” At first glance, I’d say: See above. It goes without saying that religious liberty means freedom of the establishment and free exercise of religion with as little government intrusion as possible. As is, the Christian religion receives the brunt of educational, political and popular disdain. In the name of recognizing some lesser known or previously misunderstood religions, lawmakers and social engineers have done everything possible to portray Christianity as the oppressor, the bully. Instead of recognizing the entirety of Muslim teachings, politicians have resorted to pacifying them in the public square in the name of tolerance. All the while, radical Islamists manipulate officials, slaughter freedom-loving reporters and dignitaries. fAce it, folks…Religious, verbal and spoken liberty will breed a harder working American public who takes pride in American ideals again instead of apologizing for them. “10: We should make America energy independent by encouraging investment in domestic energy, lowering prices, and creating jobs at home.” Imagine every State being as prosperous and job friendly as North Dakota and Texas. Were we to permit the full construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline and allow for expanded drilling off our country’s shores, we would reduce our dependence on nations who despise us. Taking an all-of-the-above approach to energy generation will, in turn, provide for a least-cost alternative to demanding fruitless mandates for going green. Using fossil fuels and opening up Federally controlled lands will give entrepreneurs the freedom to use the natural resources available. Imagine our gas prices…They’ll decrease instead of rise. The unemployment rate will truly go down as will the percentage of people dropping from the workforce. Technology will enable people with various handicaps to work in an ever-expanding array of occupations. “11: We need an immigration system that secures our borders, upholds the law, and boosts our economy.” As stated earlier, if someone enters the United States to stay through improper channels, they are illegally hear. If their visa runs out, they do well to renew it. We welcome legal immigrants coming to the best nation on earth. If here legally, immigrants of every race, gender, ethnic background and ability can find the happiness and dreams fulfilled. Chairman Reince Priebus concludes: “Of course, these principles are not everything, and other Republican leaders have put forward their positive agendas. The important part is that we want Americans to have a clearer understanding of exactly what Republicans stand for—and how Republicans will be fighting for them if they elect our party into office.”

UTILITARIANS AND NEPUTISM

Talk about shifty!--a great topic to get us started on our journey through current events! TALKING POINTS MEMO reported last evening that the chief of staff to Gov. McAuliffe (D-VA) tried keeping resigned democrat State Senator Phillip Puckett in his position by offering his daughter a government job. You can read the account and links to the WASHINGTON POST news from June here. http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/mcauliffe-aide-phillip-puckett-job-daughter-medicaid#bookmark-modal Of course, this stuff goes on more than we’d like to believe. It’s a polite and even in-house bribe with human capital. Why? Democrats still salivate with hope that bending and twisting the State’s Medicaid policies will make conditions better for ObamaCare’s influence. Really? People have to stoop that low to gain one solitary seat in the VA legislature so they can keep the current administration’s favorite project from the past six years in place? As it turns out, the ploy flopped and reports out of the McAuliffe office point the blame at each other. Gov. McAuliffe says its chief of staff, Paul Reagan, acted alone. Others point to the head man himself as instigating the plot to keep the State Senate in the hands of the Democrats. Now, the result? The VA Senate resides in the hands of the State Republican Party. Good luck passing the needed reparations to the State’s Medicaid system so that it complies with the not-so-Affordable Care Act otherwise known as ObamaCare.