More Stuff to Contemplate about a Government Running Amok

I would have liked to write a post on something other than politics and the economy. However, America is in such serious trouble now that President Obama and the liberal Democrats are in charge, that the people of this country need to stand up and tell them to stop. In his inaugral address, President Obama said it was time to set aside childish things, but he and his cohorts are behaving like children turned loose in a candy store. They are stuffing the so-called stimulus package with their wish lists of social spending instead of anything that will stimulate the economy. What they need to do is scrap this bill and cut taxes. Permanently. That will, as shown by past experience, increase revenues and stimulate the economy to a great extent.

Here are some articles to read that will help you understand what is going on in our government today:

"Shelve the Stimulus" by Lawrence Kudlow

"Help! The Government is Trying to 'Do Something'" by Bobby Eberle

"Unclogging the Liberal Pipeline" by Michael Reagan

"What are They Buying?" by Thomas Sowell

"There is No Santa" by Walter Williams

You could do not better than to read everything you can find by Thomas Sowell and Walter Williams. These men know whereof they speak, whether it is about economics or politics or anything else they turn their hands to. They have common sense, good character, and integrity, to mention just a few of the reasons I admire them both so much.

As you read the above articles, notice what the money is going for and how long it will take to get any of it done. We are supposed to be panicked and stampeded into rushing this bill through--a bill that will do nothing to stimulate the economy, which is supposed to be what it is for.

Email your Congresspersons and Senators today and encourage them to put a stop to this foolishness. All they need to do is cut taxes.

Some Things to Consider

There are so many situations these days that need our attention. We are just 3 days away from the Obama presidency, which will last at least 4 years. What is that going to be like? Here is one take from Pajamas Media. In an article called "Questioning Obama's Patriotism", Bernard Chapin discusses some of what we can look forward to. He writes:

In the president-elect’s vision, we only will become a great nation if we alter ourselves into becoming another nation, one that precisely matches Obama’s desires and expectations.

and

In the hopes of clarification, let me state with absolute certainty that the reason we should question the political left’s patriotism is that they are not patriotic.

On a plethora of policies, from immigration to missile defense, the Democratic stance suggests that they do not have a dog in the fight when it comes to America’s national security. Were they not so embarrassed by our history, along with the unfashionable folks who inhabit our non-urban enclaves, they might well think differently.

and concludes with

Promoting coat-and-tie radicals like Hillary Clinton and Leon Panetta to the heights of power no doubt will intensify Obama’s prestige among foreign leaders. There’s nothing that foreign intelligence services appreciate more than the placement of total patsies as the overseers of America’s autonomy.

They probably did not think their prospects for aggressive action could improve any more than they had on November 4, but now will be pleased that Christmas — or what may soon become known as “Western Incineration Day” — is coming a second time this year. It will be interesting to see how long it takes for the definition of “traitor” to be exchanged with “patriot” in the politically correct dictionaries found on American university campuses.

In between these quotes, Mr. Chapin discusses some of Obama's choices for cabinet positions and what these might mean for the future of our country and its citizens.

Another situation that should be of grave concern to all is media bias. Most people, if they pay any attention to the news at all, turn to the Mainstream Media (MSM) for their information. This is not a wise choice, as we saw during the campaign for the presidency--the MSM were so strongly "in the tank" for Obama that the public did not get nearly enough information about Obama. The public also did not get good information about John McCain and Sarah Palin. At American Thinker there is an article about the media. It is "The Artifical Reality of the Matrix Media" by Selwyn Duke. Mr. Duke begins by writing:

A common defense of error today is to say, with due indignation, "I have a right to my opinion!" Legally this is true, given that our First Amendment is extant. But as G.K. Chesterton once said, "Having the right to do something is not at all the same as being right in doing it." There is no moral right to an immoral opinion -- nor to one bred of emotionalism unconstrained by reason -- nor to a deceitful one.

Mr. Duke then discusses some examples of misinformation put out by the MSM and concludes with this:

Yet, where does the real blame lie? Some may say that since the media deny us the information necessary to render good decisions, it's not fair to claim that people get the government they deserve. But it must be remembered that people get the media they deserve, too. After all, there is a reason why a celebrity gossip piece might get ten times the readership of incisive social commentary. If people want sweet lies and stories about Paris Hilton, bread and circuses, there will always be "journalists" willing to provide them. It's just as with politicians, only here people vote for demagogues by clicking a mouse, pressing the remote or buying a paper.

So journalism isn't dead -- not any more than the readership, anyway. It's just that those practicing the authentic variety are seldom elected to high office.

Throughout the article, he makes some good points. Do you think we get the media we deserve? Certainly it seems to me that many people are uninformed and don't care that they are uninformed. Worrisome.

One very obvious recent example is the MSM coverage of the Israeli-Gaza conflict. To watch/read MSM reports, one would get the idea that Israel suddenly attacked an innocent, peaceful group of people for no reason. Nothing could be further from the truth. At National Review Online you can read "Camera-Ready Victims" by Mona Charen for a different viewpoint from that portrayed in the MSM. At American Thinker is an article titled "The Cancer Known as Anti-Semitism" by Lauri B. Regan and, for interesting thoughts as to why anti-semitism exists, take a look at "Hating the Jews" by Kyle-Anne Shiver. These articles will give you something to consider.

It seems to me that what this country needs are more people willing to write and publish the truth and even more people willing to seek out the truth and learn what reality is.

The economy is on everyone's mind, of course. At Human Events you can read an article outlining what would probably do the most good in restoring the economy--reducing taxes. It's titled "What Works" by J. D. Foster and William W. Beach.

There are numerous subjects that require our attention and many articles in the above linked news organizations and others that can help us sort out what is true and what would be the best solutions. I hope we will continue to take an interest in what is going on in our country and in the world and to seriously consider what sources of information we seek out and what biases we ourselves might be harboring that would slow our acknowledgment of the truth.

What to Do, What to Do?

As a conservative, I'm very concerned about the upcoming term of a liberal president supported by a liberal congress. With so many issues on the table--the economy, energy, health care, etc.--it is easy to worry that we're about to be led down a primrose path to the left. So what can those of us concerned about the loss of liberty, property rights, religious freedom, and other precious freedoms we have enjoyed here in the USA do? I ran across an article at American Spectator with some ideas. It's titled "What Conservatives Must Now Do" and is written by Peter Ferrara.

Mr. Ferrara discusses grassroots organizations that can then grow and strengthen our nation, getting us back to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" and following the Constitution instead of wandering off into the wilderness. Mr. Ferrara writes:

First and most important is to build up mighty, grassroots networks across the country. This is something that conservatives must do, not Republicans, who need to work on their own grassroots party network. Conservatives have become too good lately in lecturing Republicans on what they must do. We need to lead by building a powerful political movement, and the Republicans will then naturally follow.

The radical, liberal-left agenda is tailor made for generating grassroots firestorms in opposition. Included in that agenda is national legislation to remove all state restrictions on abortion, all parental notification, waiting periods, informed consent, and partial birth abortion restrictions. Instead we are slated for taxpayer funding for abortion on demand. Another beaut is national legislation to remove all state protections of gun rights, such as conceal and carry permits. Then there is the federal takeover of health care, the federal shutdown of proven, reliable energy production, global warming regulation to shut down what is left of the economy, the "fairness" doctrine to shut down talk radio, and national legislation to take away workers' rights to a secret ballot election to determine whether they will be forced into a union in their workplace. That last item also includes forcing union contracts on businesses, small, medium and large, in place of the current system of free negotiation.

After this partial list of what we have to work on, he goes on to describe what a grassroots organization might look like and what it could accomplish. I like that a lot of the focus is on informing Americans on the issues. It seems to me that there are far too many people who have the idea that they are entitled to have everything provided for them and done for them, and it blinds them to the serious losses they would face if the government attempted that--loss of freedoms of all types, loss of property rights, loss of choices (where to live, where to work, how to worship), and loss of quality in what is provided.

Many people don't understand insurance, for example, whether we are talking about health insurance, property insurance, or any other type of insurance. Let's take health insurance for an example. From what I hear people saying, they think that in exchange for a small monthly premium, all their health expenses should be paid by the insurance company, right down to the aspirin they had to take when they woke up with a headache. That is assuredly not what insurance is for. Insurance is to protect people against large losses (expenses) such as surgery, long term therapy, major illnesses such as cancer, and so forth. People are expected to cover the small expenses themselves--the bottle of aspirin, the deductible on the insurance, etc.--because those are affordable and can be worked into the family budget. Compare it to auto insurance--you don't expect auto insurance to pay for gas and oil changes. The auto insurance is to pay for the large expense of repairing your vehicle after an accident. If you don't understand what insurance is for, it is your responsibility to learn. It is not the government's responsibility to step in and pay/force the insurer to pay for every tiny expense. If we turn our responsibility over to the government, we are no longer free to make choices and, with government's poor record of managing anything, we can expect to have poor quality health care, if we can get it at all.

With all the concern over the economy, health, energy, and the many other issues facing us, I am hopeful that people will be more inclined to learn all they can about these issues and decide what they can support and what they cannot, thinking things through to their logical conclusions.

I am also hopeful that people will re-evaluate their own lifestyles and do everything they can to promote prosperity in their own families. Go back to budgeting and saving. Go back to home-cooked meals with healthier ingredients. Go back to reading books and watching movies at home instead of going out for expensive entertainment. Have family game night or take the family to the park to play. Stop living beyond our means. If you have a lot of changes to make, make them gradually, if you must. Talk to your family and enlist their support. Look on such changes as an opportunity and an adventure, not a deprivation. It's a great time to regroup and begin living a more sensible life.

Even when there is a lot of upheaval going on in the world, we can avoid making ourselves ill and depressed with worry. Look for the good. Appreciate what you have. Seek out the good in life and look for ways you can improve your life. It's the beginning of a new year. Make it a good one!