Poly Ticks

(Hat tip to JR for the punny title to my post!)

The last time I wrote a post, I had this blog briefly shut down because some sort of robot thing pegged it as a spam blog since I had so many links including several to the same site. I asked the powers that be to review. They did and promptly released my blog from blog jail. No harm, no foul.

Actually, that probably was a good thing to happen because I knew I was overusing links. What I was trying to do, of course, was document my ideas and facts and also link you to articles explaining the viewpoint better than I could. Now I think what I will attempt is to explain myself without resort to links. The links in my sidebar are frequent sources for me, but you can always ask me about anything you read here.

My big thing this week is the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. She has made racist and sexist statements (that a Latina woman would probably make better decisions in court than a white male who hasn't had the rich experiences she would have had). If a white male had said the opposite, he would have been hung out to dry, so I do not see any reason to let her off the hook for such ideas. She has also said that judges make policy. Judges are to do nothing but uphold the law by applying it to the cases before them in a fair and impartial manner.

There are also problems with her gun control opinions and her recent ruling in Ricci v. DeStefano against the firefighters whose promotion test results were thrown out solely because of the race of those who passed (all white except for 1 Hispanic). She also has a very high percentage (60%) of her rulings overturned. That can't be good.

I could list several other difficulties with her nomination, but those are the most important ones I've come across so far.

The oath a Supreme Court Justice must take is as follows: 'I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as (title) under the Constitution and laws of the United States. So help me God.'

Somehow, I believe that Sonia Sotomayor is incapable of being true to that oath.

Some of the Issues America Faces

"Liberal Fantasyland" by Randall Hoven

"Cracks in the Facade" by Victor Davis Hanson

"The Next Europe Trip: Will Obama Apologize for WWII?" by John Rosenthal

"Obama's 'Public' Health Plan Will Bankrupt the Nation" by Lawrence Kudlow

"'Empathy' Versus Law" by Thomas Sowell (Part 2, Part 3, Part 4)

There are, of course, many additional issues. We all need to get serious about informing ourselves and thinking things through. If we don't, we will lose America as we know it.

An Assortment of Things to Consider

With so much going on in our world today, it is hard to focus on any one thing. We do our best to keep track, but we can feel that things are spinning out of control. I have gathered a few articles that may let you think a little more deeply about some of today's concerns.

"Offshore Oil Drilling: An Environmental Bonanza" by Humberto Fontova

"Why the Law is Foreign to Ginsburg" by Selwyn Duke

"Koh Fails the Democracy Test" by John Fonte

"Nine Questions the Left Needs to Answer About Torture" by Dennis Prager

"Survival Optional" by Thomas Sowell

"Soros Show Trials" by Matthew Vadum

"Presidential Poison" from the Wall Street Journal opinion page

Those articles cover a range of issues, yet don't touch on them all. You can read one viewpoint in the mainstream media (see "Media Sharks No More" by Jed Babbin), but you may not be aware that there are other ways of looking at these issues, and what I try to do is let you be aware of those other ways.

More Shenanigans and Some Alternatives

I was appalled to read this article this morning at the DC Republican Examiner. It's called "Impeachment Time: Obama Grants Eminent Domain Rights to China to Secure Debt". This was, as the article states, confirmed by sources at the US Embassy in Beijing, although we don't know the position of said sources. More confirmation is needed, but if this is true, it is very bad for America. Updated to add: This eminent domain rights story may not be true. You can read an updated blogpost at Atlas Shrugs here.

Additional information onObama's plans for America can be found at Larry Kudlow's CNBC Blog in a post titled "Obama Declares War on Investors, Entrepreneurs, Businesses, and More". President Obama is going against common sense and economic reality in his handling of the economic crisis, which would be better resolved by him doing nothing than what he is doing. Even better, though, would be tax cuts. That would truly get the economy moving again. I've noticed that Obama and the Democrats repeatedly say that the Republicans are just being obstructionist and need to offer alternatives. This is a lie because the Republicans have repeatedly offered alternatives, like tax cuts and targeted infrastructure projects, but have been ignored. Who are the real obstructionists?

Three other articles you should read and consider:

"Obama the Rhetorical Magician" by Rich Lowry

"The Politics of Fear" by Jonah Goldberg

"If Obama Turns America into Europe..." by Claudia Rosett

There are places to learn about an alternative way to Obama's vision of America. I provide the following websites for your perusal.

The Basics Project, particularly the Constitutional Literacy page

The American Conservative Union Foundation

The Patriot Post

The Heritage Foundation

Republican National Committee (the Platform is here)

There are various pages within these websites that discuss issues, provide historical documents, or give the platforms. See what you think.

More of the Same

In all of the hoopla over the so-called stimulus bill, has anyone noticed that Congress is getting ready to vote on another half-trillion dollar spending bill? I didn't think so. Here is an article about it from Human Events titled "Another Huge Spending Bill Planned for Next Week" by Connie Hair. Republican House leaders are requesting, apparently in vain, that the bill be posted online immediately so that the American people can see what is in it. And presumably so that members of the House can also see what's in it. Didn't President Obama promise openess and transparency? Where is it?

Other evidence of the lack of transparency in this government is listed in Alan Caruba's "It Smells Like Facism" on his Warning Signs blog. He mentions HR-45 which is a Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009, an expectation that the EPA will regulate carbon dioxide, and a proposal to reintroduce the so-called Fairness Doctrine. This is all being done relatively quietly. Why?

Here's an article about another example from the D.C.Examiner titled "The RAT Hiding Deep Inside the Stimulus Bill" by Byron York. It discusses serious changes in the way "allegations of fraud and corruption are investigated — or not investigated — throughout the federal government." Hmmm. Then there is the healthcare item hidden in the "stimulus" bill. You can read about it at The American Spectator in "The Hidden Healthcare Horror" by Lawrence A. Hunter and at Bloomberg in "Ruin Your Health with the Obama Stimulus Plan" by Betsy McCaughey.

The above is just the tip of the iceberg. You can read the stimulus bill itself here. It's searchable text.

There are more issues that we aren't hearing enough about. Why aren't some investigative reporters in the mainstream media (MSM) digging into this: "RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTION OF PRESIDENT HUSSEIN: 'A $550 Billion Electronic Run on the Banks' "? I'd like to see some evidence one way or the other about this. Go to the "News" section of Thought You Should Know for more news articles on various topics that you won't hear much, if anything, about in the MSM.

Thankfully, some of the American citizens are beginning to wake up to the attempt to expand federal government's interference in our lives and to shrink our freedom. One example is CNBC's Rick Santelli and his famous rant in the Chicago pit. See also Lawrence Kudlow's article "Subsidize Bad Behavior?" at GOPUSA. You should be able to watch Mr. Santelli's video in the right sidebar. If not, see it here. Other evidence that Americans are starting to be fed up with the Fed's attempted takeover can be found at Michelle Malkin's blog. See "Rebel Yell: Taxpayers Revolt Against Gimme-Mania" and "Tea Party U.S.A.: The Movement Grows". These are not heartless, selfish people, although I am sure some will attempt to portray them that way. These are people who understand the Constitution and freedom and reject the Obama government's attempts to violate both. Private charity is the way to go to help those who need help. It is wrong, wrong, wrong to legislate away our choices in any matter.

There are those, including Obama, who would use Republican errors in the past of continuing government's unnecessary spending as an excuse for their own spending. What's that old saying? "Two wrongs don't make a right." American needs to pull itself together and get back to the Constitution. You will greatly miss your freedom when it is gone. Read "Want 'Hope and Change'? Buy a Goat" by Oleg Atbashian at Pajamas Media. I hope you will follow the above links and give some thought to what they are saying.

Edited to Add: See this JB Williams piece at Capitol Hill Coffee House titled "Obama's Failing Economic Recovery Plan". (hat tip JR)

My Opinions

I am still pondering all the implications of an Obama presidency, coupled with a Democrat majority in Congress. I try to be optimistic and think that things won't be so bad and we'll get through this and be a stronger country for it. It is, however, very difficult to hold on to that viewpoint for very long.

Although Obama, assisted by the mainstream media, tried to keep the American people in the dark as to his real plans for America, enough information slipped out to cause serious concerns for those who care about our country and its Constitution. One issue is Obama's association with radical leftists. Whether we are talking about William Ayers or Rev. Jeremiah Wright or the others whose names you've seen here and there, we are talking about people who hate America and all she stands for. And we're going to let these people run the country?! Where are Obama's more moderate friends? Did he not have any? Let's face it--friends and associates and allies shape one's outlook a great deal.

Another issue is economics. Obama is definitely a taxer and a spender. He has plans for spending a trillion dollars of our (the taxpayers) money on various programs that have as their ultimate objective redistributing wealth. What Obama doesn't understand is that when there are wealthy people, those people invest, start businesses, and otherwise use their money to strengthen the economy and create jobs for others. The left doesn't seem to understand the difference between equality of opportunity and equality of outcome. The former is good and right and lets everyone have a chance. The latter is bad and wrong and punishes success while rewarding failure (often brought about by laziness). This applies in all issues, not just economic ones.

There are also issues of life. Obama is one of the most radical supporters of abortion in existence. He not only supports early-term abortion, but also late-term abortion, partial-birth abortion, and allowing babies who survive abortion to die alone without any care at all.

President Ronald Reagan said that government isn't the solution, but rather the problem. Yet Obama supports big government to an extent not before seen. He thinks government should rule every aspect of our lives--what we eat, the media available to us, how our children will be educated and at what age, our religious lives (or lack thereof), what transportation we can use, what products we can purchase (are they "green" enough?), etc.

Another issue is energy. Obama has sent signals that he wants to reinstitute bans on drilling, building coal plants and nuclear plants, and other necessary items that will allow America to become energy independent (at least as much as possible) and keep energy available while the various other energy sources (wind, solar, etc.) are developed and experimented with to see if they can become viable (they are not viable now) replacements for fossil fuels.

There are national security issues. Obama thinks he can talk our enemies into being our friends. He seems very concerned with dismantling our military as much as possible. Common sense says that a strong military is the best advocate for peace, but Obama would take that away from us. He wants to prevent our military personnel from being able to do their jobs fully and freely--something that is necessary for success. There has also been talk of his wanting to create some sort of civilian force, ostensibly to do community service, but how long before they would become enforcers of politically correct behavior in ordinary citizens? Obama wants them to be as well-funded as the military is now. What will that mean?

Obama seems to have some dreamy idea of utopia. This is not grounded in reality. If he studied history and economics, he would soon see the massive failures that ideas like his have inflicted on people in the past. Obama also seems to have the idea that once he is inaugurated, he will be the absolute ruler, that everyone will do whatever he wants them to do. If they don't, he thinks he will be justified in suppressing them and silencing their voices. He has already tried this during the campaign.

At his inauguration, Obama will take an oath to protect and defend the Constitution. He has already taken this oath when he has been sworn in to the public offices he has held to this point. He has done nothing to show me that he has any intention of taking this oath seriously. He has, in fact, stated that he wants to break free of the restraints put on us by the Founders in the Constitution. This is not the type of person who should be President (or a Senator, for that matter).

This all sounds extreme, but it is not my opinions that are extreme. It is Obama who is extreme.

So how did this man get elected? I suppose his charisma had something to do with it, although as the campaign progressed and he had to do interviews and not just give teleprompted speeches, it became clear that he was not a particularly good speaker without a prepared text and no interruptions for questions or comments. Frankly, I think a good part of the problem has come from education--from the public schools to colleges and universities. These sources of education have steadily drifted to the left, embracing baseless self-esteem and teaching tolerance of all things leftist--socialism, Marxism, communism, secularism, multiculturalism, and any other -ism you can think of (as long as it is a leftist -ism). Now we have a population who doesn't know much accurate history or civics and has had it drummed into their minds that there is nothing wrong with those leftist -isms. So when anyone tried to warn of Obama's socialist tendencies, they were greeted with a collective yawn and a "So what?"

The left has also been waging a battle for a long time now to eliminate religion from the public square. When religion goes, so do morals and common sense and the realization that there is right and wrong, good and evil. Everything is relative, according to these secular leftists. They have also been fighting free speech, defined by them as anything said that doesn't agree with their views. They are all for free speech and tolerance as long as it supports leftist views. If it disagrees, it has to go. For one example, take Prop 8 in California. It passed and its opponents are acting in very ugly ways. They are also being quite dramatic in discussing their pain at the defeat of Prop 8, but let one person try to inject a little reason into the conversation and the left shouts them down and accuses them of bigotry and hate. If Prop 8 had been defeated, you'd better believe the left would be gloating and would be quite hateful toward anyone who expressed even a little sorrow at its defeat. Yet said leftists don't even seem to be aware of their hypocrisy--they are too busy denouncing those who disagree with them to stop and consider their own viewpoints and those of others and think about whether they might be wrong. Nor can they seem to understand that some things are just plain wrong, no matter how sugar-coated they might be. Those on the left do not seem capable of debating the actual issues. They seem only capable of shouting down the opposition with name-calling.

For too long now, America has been dumbed down. Even those whose values and beliefs are conservative are gullible to the leftist propaganda. Many do not have the discipline or even the interest in educating themselves to correct what they learned in school or see in the mainstream media. Many have just bought into whatever they have been told. To be fair, I believe a lot of ordinary citizens who buy into leftist propaganda are well-meaning people who want to be fair and compassionate toward others. I just think that they aren't thinking the issues through and seeing the problems that will arise down the road.

The whole situation we are in makes me sad and a little frightened. Yes, we have survived many hard times before, but it hasn't been easy, and we were a stronger people then. Are we strong enough now to understand what is right and what is wrong and to fight for the right? Certainly, there are individuals who are strong enough, but are we, collectively, strong enough? I hope so, but I'm not sure. It just seems that there are many people who either don't think at all or at least don't think for themselves--they just buy into whatever the intellectual elite says they must think. This is so ironic because one thing leftists accuse conservatives of is marching in lockstep with their leaders. Yet it is leftists who are the real conformists. It is leftists who would squelch freedom and liberty.

Conservatives are not perfect. Still, conservatives recognize that there is such a thing as good and evil, right and wrong. They recognize that equality of opportunity is not the same thing as equality of outcome. The former can and should be supported, the latter should not be. Conservatives tend to be interested in thinking through the issues. Conservatives tend to be more mature in their outlook on life, recognizing that good needs to be fought for, defended, even sacrificed for. They recognize that life is not easy and it is not about getting whatever we want to satisfy our selfish desires. It is about caring for and about others and being of service and allowing others to be free, as well as themselves. Conservatives are not afraid of change. They just believe in considering the changes carefully and don't get caught up in thinking that change for its own sake is a good thing.

I have not linked to articles supporting my opinions in this post. I have been doing that repeatedly in previous posts. This post is just to express my concerns and the concerns of many other Americans as we face some potentially disasterous changes in our way of life, and to give my readers some things to consider.

Last Minute Thoughts

Three days to go before election day on 4 November. I hope and pray that everyone who intends to vote is studying the issues and the candidates, local and state as well as national.

While I disagree with John McCain on some issues (for example, global warming), I am certain that he will be a better president for America than Barack Obama. Senator McCain is a known man of character and courage. He is far more knowledgeable about foreign affairs and other important issues than Barack Obama. We can count on him to not make foolish diplomatic errors that could prove disasterous not only for ourselves, but for other countries around the world.

Senator Obama is secretive and evasive and a known ally of socialist/Marxist/communist people and organizations. He has lately been lowering the taxable ceiling from $250,000 to $120,000 annual income in various speeches by himself and his supporters. His planned expenditures total several trillion dollars. The only way he can pay for all that is to tax more and more people. Too often, the words "redistribute wealth" make people think of taking money from millionaires and billionaires and distributing it to the poor. There aren't enough millionaires and billionaires to pay for all of that, so much of the middle class will find their incomes taxed to the max. What people aren't thinking about, either, is the fact that it is the people with the most money who invest and start businesses and give to charity (usually--the Bidens and the Obamas haven't been all that generous with their own money). It is the wealthier citizens who do things that create jobs and other opportunities, which is far more helpful to people than just giving them some dollars.

There are also countless questions about Senator Obama's honesty. Why won't he prove that he is a naturalized citizen and therefore eligible for the office of President? Why won't he release his donor lists? Why won't he get specific about his plans for America? And what about the known instances of him and his campaign trying to intimidate to silence those who disagree with him? He's tried that in Missouri and in Pennsylvania, at least. What about ACORN's voter registration fraud being investigated in a dozen states?

Another thing about Obama that would be funny if it weren't so serious for our country is his lack of accomplishments. And yet his campaign dares to claim that Governor Sarah Palin isn't qualified! That is laughable. She has far more serious, executive experience than he has. She is far more ready for higher office than he is. Then, too, there is the race issue. It is Obama's campaign and not McCain's that has been playing the race card by labeling everything as racist.

America was founded on freedom and must remain that way. Why are we strong? Because we have had the freedom to work our way up from wherever we start to wherever we want to be. We have had the incentive to create and invent and improve life for all. We have had the freedom to create a strong military. That will all disappear if Obama's wealth redistribution, reduction in military, and other socialist policies are put into practice.

When it comes to healthcare, the more the government interferes, the more it costs. Let the free market capitalism reign. We will see competition driving prices downward. It's the same with education. Let there be competition among public and private schools. Let people have vouchers so that they can choose the best schools for their children. Competition will improve the quality of education faster than any government program.

And let's talk military. Senator Barney Frank wants to cut the military by 25%. If we do not have a strong military run by men of character who know what is at stake, we will never have world peace. Other countries will see no reason to hold back on their attacks, including here in the United States, if our military is weakened. Preparation for war is the best incentive for peace.

The last thing our wonderful country needs is to be run by liberal Democrats such as Barack Obama, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi. They want to cripple our economy by preventing our use of our own energy deposits, by going along with extreme environmentalists, and by taxing and spending. We all know it was liberal policies by Democrats and a refusal to heed warnings made by conservative Republicans that caused our current financial problems. That is just a sample of what we can look forward to if we elect those who ignore the Constitution or reinterpret it to suit their own agendas. Make no mistake about it--it will not be the elite liberals whose wealth is redistributed. They will exempt themselves from the policies they wish to inflict on the people of the United States.

The problems we have in America today were caused largely by the socialists policies of FDR and LBJ and others who have had the foolish notion that the government can manage our money and our lives better than we can. Government has its essential uses, but interfering in the free market and in people's lives are not among those uses. The more we get government out of our lives, the better and stronger America will be. A free people is far more generous than a forced people, who cannot afford to be charitable because all their money is going to a bloated government who uses much of that money just to pay for administering programs, never mind actually helping people.

As much as possible, government should be small and should be local, where the people can keep a closer eye on what is being done and can put a quick stop to waste and fraud. There have certainly been Republicans who have bought into the tax and spend and big government foolishness. They can be voted out of office, too, if they show no signs of mending their ways.

There is a lot at stake for America these days. Think about freedom and liberty. Reread the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America. Think seriously about the lessons of history. And whatever happens on Tuesday, think seriously about keeping a close eye on government and contacting your representatives at both state and national levels and letting them know how you expect them to govern on your behalf.

And may God continue to bless America.

17 Days Until November 4

We have 17 days to live through before the 4 November election. I suspect we will all be immensely relieved to have it over with! It does get tiresome to hear about the election and the candidates 24/7, but this is incredibly important for our country, so try to hang in there with it.

I have a number of articles that I really believe you should read and give serious thought to. There is a lot at stake in this election. First up are three articles about what kind of America we would be facing if Senator Obama is elected. These are from Townhall.

"Socialism! There, I Said It!" by David Limbaugh

"Do You Know the Real Barack Obama?" by Carol Platt Liebau

"Time to Use the 'C' Word" by Laura Hollis

These columns discuss information we've heard bits and pieces about, but have we put the pieces together to understand what Obama is all about and what electing him as President would mean for our freedom?

Since the mainstream media isn't what you could call objective or unbiased, you should counter what you hear from it with some information about McCain from his website. You can click on issues and then choose an issue of interest to read his positions. There are 21 issues listed. You may not agree with everything on each issue, but think also about who is more likely to maintain the liberty and freedom that is America--McCain or Obama.

From Jewish World Review comes Thomas Sowell's column titled "Record versus Rhetoric". He talks about Sarah Palin quite a bit, but also mentions McCain, Obama, and Biden. As usual, Dr. Sowell makes some great points.

Since race is often mentioned in this campaign (mostly by Obama and the Democrats, by the way), please read Charles Krauthammer's column titled "Who's Playing the Race Card?". Think about what he is writing. This column is also found at Jewish World Review. Many of these columns/articles I link to can be found at more than one website.

Pajamas Media has a piece on race and one on violent tendencies among Obama's and McCain's supporters. "PC Effect, not Bradley Effect, May Haunt Obama" by Bernard Chapin. "Obama Supporter Assaults Female McCain Volunteer in New York" by Oleg Atbashian. There are also a couple of other good articles from the same website that I'd want to highlight: "Gore's Dangerous Call for Environmental Civil Disobedience" by Gal Luft and "Obama Sells Out Education to the Revolution" by Mary Grabar. In fact, there are a lot of articles at Pajamas Media that I believe you would enjoy reading. Same with the other websites I link to. You get a different perspective from the MSM with facts to back these perspectives.

From National Review Online, you can read Michelle Malkin's column called "The Left Declares War on Joe the Plumber". At the same website, please read Kathryn Jean Lopez's article titled "The Justice Lets Us Walk Away With a Warning". This is an especially important article about the Constitution and its importance.

I know that I link to a lot of articles without a lot of commentary, but it's because these writers make their points so much more effectively than I could, and they've already done the research! What my point is, however, is that to elect Barack Obama as President of the United States would open the door to socialism, even communism. Not overnight, but steadily moving in that direction. I do not wear a tinfoil hat or see black helicopters everywhere I look. What I do see is that Obama allies with and supports terrorists and America haters. He is closely tied with ACORN who is being investigated for voter registration fraud in several states. He has ties with William Ayers and Bernadette Dohrn. He sat in Rev. Jeremiah Wright's church for 20 years listening to anti-American, black liberation theology sermons. There are a number of other radicals he and his wife have been allied with. If a white Republican had allied with neo-Nazis or the Ku Klux Klan or any of a number of extremist groups of that nature, do you think he would have been nominated for the Presidency? No. He'd have been run out of the race early on. So why is Obama still in the running? And while we're at it, why doesn't Obama answer questions? He either beats around the bush, changes the subject, or denies these documented alliances. Is someone this dishonest, evasive, and radical someone that we want as the President of the United States of America? No. A thousand times no. And there are other issues on which Obama's positions are dangerous--abortion, healthcare, redistributing wealth through raising taxes, etc., etc., etc. And while you're thinking about these things, think about what the chances are that you will somehow get something for nothing or be a part of the ruling elite. In all honesty, your chances are nil.

John McCain disappoints me with his acceptance of government interferance in the finance sector, but he is pro-life, strong on military, strong on the 2nd amendment, and any number of other reasonable pro-American positions. He also had the good sense to choose Sarah Palin as his running mate, a strong conservative woman with sympathy and empathy and a mind of her own, who has more executive experience than any of the other candidates.

While you are contemplating your votes for 4 November, carefully consider who you vote for to put in Congress--either the House or the Senate. Try to find the most honest, pro-American, pro-Constitution, pro-the people representatives you can find. The best thing for America is small government plus capitalism plus freedom and liberty for all. Think about it.

Edited to add:

I have an article about global warming linked above ("Gore's Dangerous Call for Environmental Civil Disobedience"), but I've run across two more that I think you should read. This is one area that I disagree with John McCain about. At American Thinker there is "An Open Letter from the Viscount Monckton of Brenchly to Senator John McCain about Climate Science and Policy". This is long, but a very good read, with lots to think about. I've linked to the first page--there are 3 more.

The other piece is the Saturday, 18 October post at Warning Signs, Alan Caruba's blog. The post's title is "With 'Friends' Like These" by Alan Caruba.

We have a lot of different issues that we need to keep an eye on all at once. Good luck to us, I say!

Do You Know What Your Government is Doing?

We are overwhelmed with information these days, so it is not surprising that we don't always know what is going on, especially if we think government and politics is boring and don't pay attention to those areas of our lives.

Actually, the more you learn about government and politics, the more interesting it gets. The thing to remember, though, is that what our government does and doesn't do affects our lives and our futures and it should be a priority to know what is going on and to educate ourselves about the Constitution and how government is supposed to work, as compared to how it does work.

One good place to study our nation's documents is at The Patriot Post. They have a section called "Historic Documents" which has links to documents throughout history that have influenced our nation, and current documents as well. While you're there, look through the archives and read essays and their newsletters (Monday Brief, Wednesday Chronicle, and Friday Digest). You'll learn a lot and be entertained at the same time.

Now, back to our current government. Make use of The U.S. Government's Official Web Portal. You can do all sorts of things there. There is a lot of material on the whole government site, so take some time to explore it occasionally and learn what's there. You can visit sites of the various congressional committees and find out what they are doing and have done. You can email committees or you can find out who your senators and representatives are and email them. Look on the right side of the screen at the home page and you'll see a box labeled "Government Agencies". For our purposes today, click on "Federal Government". You will find a link for A-Z agencies and also the three branches of government. Click on "Legislative Branch". Here you will find links to the Senate and the House of Represenatives, as well as agencies that support Congress (like the GAO). This is where you can find out what committees there are and who's on them and what they are working on.

What this is all leading up to--although I want everyone to educate themselves about the government generally--is a couple of things that either have been voted on or will be voted on that I think shows our congress neglecting the best interests of the American people.

First up, on 13 May 2008, the Senate rejected the McConnell Amendment to the Flood Insurance Bill, which contains the American Energy Production Act (Is that convoluted enough for you?). Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM), ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, had this to say:

“Today, the Senate missed an important opportunity to end the cycle of dependence on foreign oil. The McConnell/Domenici amendment the Senate rejected today would have produced up to 24 billion barrels of American oil, enough to supply our nation with no foreign imports for five years.

“Some around here may wonder why Congress has such low approval ratings. This is why. Americans are being forced to pay higher and higher prices at the pump, with no relief in sight. Adopting this amendment would have given us a path forward, and send a strong signal to the world’s oil markets that America was willing to fully develop its own energy resources. I strongly support all of our efforts to reduce consumption and develop renewable energy, but we cannot rely on those alone to solve our problems.

“I am pleased, however, that the Senate did adopt an amendment to suspend filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). Although this amendment won’t have a dramatic effect on gas prices, it does reflect the fact that when oil now costs over $120 dollars a barrel, we need to begin doing things differently. I wish more of my colleagues had recognized that fact with regard to increasing domestic production.”

Over at the US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works page, Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK), on his minority page, gave more detail about this Senate vote:

Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, today voiced disappointment with Senate Democrats for their failure to vote in favor of common-sense legislation that would bring down the price of energy and increase American jobs. Senate Democrats defeated the McConnell amendment 4720 to S. 2284, the Flood Insurance bill, down party lines by a vote of 42-56.

Senator Inhofe specifically said:

“Today’s vote on energy legislation represents a stark contrast between Republicans and Democrats,” Senator Inhofe said. “Rather than raise taxes, block production, increase regulations, and call for investigations, the Republicans offered common-sense legislation that works to bring down the price of gas at the pump and the cost of energy in our homes. The Republican approach brings down prices by increasing access to domestic supplies, expanding the nation’s refinery capacity, and promoting market-based alternatives for our energy future. Importantly, the bill includes key provisions from my Gas Petroleum Refiner Improvement & Community Empowerment Act of 2007 (Gas PRICE Act), legislation that is designed to improve the permitting process for the expansion of existing and construction of new refineries. Unfortunately, no matter how high energy costs soar, too many Democrats and liberal special interest allies continue to block any meaningful measures to help alleviate the pain of high energy costs on American families.

“There should be no surprise that Congress is back again looking for ways to address skyrocketing energy costs. Just four months ago I voted against a Democrat energy bill specifically because I believed it failed Oklahoma and the nation by doing nothing to address rising energy costs. Absent from their ‘energy’ bill were domestic energy resources – such as oil, natural gas, nuclear and clean coal technologies – that are essential to securing an American energy supply that is stable, diverse, and affordable. Today Republicans offered an amendment that would increase domestic energy supplies and once again Democrats voted no.”

There is much more detail on the page.

How many of you even knew such a vote was going on?

Another item on the Senate agenda is described in the 18 April 2008 blog entry on The Inhofe EPW Press Blog. A couple of statements from the blog entry are:

Sen. Inhofe: “Recent hearings in both the Senate and House on the Clean Water Restoration Act made clear the tremendous opposition to the bill by landowners, cattleman, and local governments. Both Committees heard repeatedly in testimony that clean water is critical for our well being; however, this bill does not lead to cleaner water and is nothing more than a federal land grab attempt. If Congress is to amend the Clean Water Act, any changes must provide clarity and reduce lawsuits. This bill does neither. It will not curtail litigation, but rather increase it, as stakeholders seek legal clarity on what exactly are the outer limits of Congressional authority. We should not propose, let alone pass legislative language that increases uncertainty, burdens local governments, and challenges the sanctity of private property rights.”

Rep. Mica: “There is significant nationwide opposition to this unprecedented and historic federal jurisdiction grab, made clear by the lengthy Transportation Committee hearing on Mr. Oberstar’s bill. Multiple witnesses testified to the confusion, costs, delays, and endless litigation that will result should this overreaching bill become law. The responsible regulatory agencies also voiced their concerns with the bill, and testified that they are gaining significant experience with their recent guidance and believe that such a heavy-handed legislative approach is unwarranted. H.R. 2421 and its companion bill in the Senate could lead to the regulation of virtually every wet area in the country, with dramatic impacts on American agri-business, manufacturing, housing, and other businesses, as well as state, local, and individual water and land use rights. With our economy already in troubled waters, this legislation could push American jobs overseas and put another nail in our economic coffin."

Again, how many of you knew of the existence of this bill, which seeks to give control of all US waters and all activities tied to such waters to Congress? Do you realize that all activities, public and private, are tied to US waters in some way? Do you realize what a power grab this is?

I know we can't all be aware of everything all the time, but it should certainly be a priority to keep an eye on what the federal government is doing, and also our state and local governments. You can find links to the state, local, and tribal governments in the same box where we clicked on federal government above. These websites provide names, addresses, and telephone numbers, as well as ways to email your representatives at all levels. If people will just remind our elected officials who they work for (we, the people), it might help prevent some catastrophes.

Do you have ideas on how to keep track of what the government is doing, or on effective ways to let the representatives know of your concerns?

About the Constitution

At Townhall.com Dr. Walter E. Williams has an excellent column titled "Political Loathsomeness" that has some thought-provoking comments about how well we Americans follow our Constitution.

It's very clear to me that politicians and judges have stretched the meaning of the Constitution out of all recognition. All the handouts and all the bureaucracy are so far from being authorized by the Constitution that it is ridiculous that we citizens have allowed this to happen. Now, of course, so many people get some sort of a handout (paid for by other people's hard-earned money) that they don't want government largesse to stop. As Dr. Williams says:

Most of what Congress is constitutionally authorized to spend for is listed in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution and includes: coining money, establish Post Offices, to support Armies and a few other activities. Today's federal budget is over $3 trillion dollars. I challenge anyone to find specific constitutional authority for at least $2 trillion of it. That includes Social Security, Medicare, farm and business handouts, education, prescription drugs and a host of other federal expenditures. Americans who have become accustomed to living at the expense of another American would not want Congress to obey the Constitution, especially if it left out their favorite handout.

He also says:

At one time there were presidents who respected the Constitution. Grover Cleveland vetoed hundreds of spending measures during his two-term presidency, often saying, "I can find no warrant for such an appropriation in the Constitution." Then there was Franklin Pierce who said, after vetoing an appropriation to assist the mentally ill, "I cannot find any authority in the Constitution for public charity," adding, "To approve such spending would be contrary to the letter and the spirit of the Constitution and subversive to the whole theory upon which the Union of these States is founded."

Do you suppose we will ever again have a president or congressmen or judges who have such respect for the Constitution? I would certainly like to think so. A lot of it is up to the citizens of the United States of America. We vote. We contact our elected officials frequently. We educate our children (the schools aren't doing it) about the Constitution and what government is supposed to be.

Comments?

About the Constitution

A lot of Americans seem to misunderstand what the Constitution says. Some call it a "living" document, meaning that they can interpret it in any way they wish. Not so. Dr. Walter Williams has written a column titled "Congressional Constitutional Contempt" in which he explains some of the main ideas that are actually in the Constitution. The column can be found at Jewish World Review.

To start with, Dr. Williams tells us the oath that members of Congress take when they enter office.

Here's the oath of office administered to members of the House and Senate: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me G-d." A similar oath is sworn to by the president and federal judges.

It is quite specific about supporting and defending the Constitution. He also tells us about the efforts of Rep. Shadegg (R-AZ) to enforce this oath.

In each new Congress since 1995, Rep. John Shadegg, R-Ariz., has introduced the Enumerated Powers Act (HR 1359). The Act, which has yet to be enacted into law, reads: "Each Act of Congress shall contain a concise and definite statement of the constitutional authority relied upon for the enactment of each portion of that Act. The failure to comply with this section shall give rise to a point of order in either House of Congress. The availability of this point of order does not affect any other available relief."

Simply put, if enacted, the Enumerated Powers Act would require Congress to specify the basis of authority in the U.S. Constitution for the enactment of laws and other congressional actions. HR 1359 has 28 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives.

When Shadegg introduced the Enumerated Powers Act, he explained that the Constitution gives the federal government great, but limited, powers. Its framers granted Congress, as the central mechanism for protecting liberty, specific rather than general powers. The Constitution gives Congress 18 specific enumerated powers, spelled out mostly in Article 1, Section 8. The framers reinforced that enumeration by the 10th Amendment, which reads: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved for the States respectively, or to the people."

I have to wonder why this Act has never become law. It is perfectly consistent with what Congress should be doing. After giving some quotes from our founding fathers regarding their intentions and how these intentions fit with what Rep. Shadegg is trying to do, Dr. Williams says:

Congressmen, openly refusing to live up to their oath of office, exhibit their deep contempt for our Constitution. The question I've not been able to answer satisfactorily is whether that contempt simply mirrors a similar contempt held by most of the American people. I'm sure that if founders such as James Madison, John Adams or Thomas Jefferson were campaigning for the 2008 presidential elections, expressing their vision of the federal government's role, today's Americans would run them out of town on a rail. Does that hostility reflect constitutional ignorance whereby the average American thinks the Constitution authorizes Congress to do anything upon which they can get a majority vote or anything that's a good idea? Or, are Americans contemptuous of the constitutional limitations placed on the federal government?

If only Americans would actually study the Constitution and know what it says, they could elect public officials who would truly support and defend the Constitution. The improvement in America and the preservation of her liberties would be great.

If you do not have a copy of the Constitution, you can read it here at Patriot Post. And on their Historic Documents page, you can read the amendments to the Constitution and other historic documents. Very important reading.