BairdBrain

A Basic Economics Lesson About the Minimum Wage

2017-03-28T23:37:00.001-07:00

We are treated to ongoing discussions and demands of increases in the minimum wage about every year. Some people never stop talking about it and politicians LOVE to use this as both a demonstration of their deep compassion for the poor and a distraction from the realities of their character and intentions.

Those who don't understand free market economics are always ready prey for these purveyors of pooh, so I thought it might be a good idea to shed some light on this issue with a BASIC discussion of the economics of a government-imposed minimum wage.

Free Markets

We once lived in a Constitutional Republic where the federal government was restrained by a Constitution which granted it limited and enumerated powers. This means the State was not allowed to tinker in the every-day lives of its citizens. But the State has its ways of deceiving people and amassing power to itself over time. One of these methods is to keep people ignorant of the concept of a free market and injecting itself into our dealings with price controls under the pretense of compassion for the down-trodden.

In a free market, every individual has the right to engage in a trade with any other individual in such a manner that both parties agree to the transaction freely. This likewise applies to groups or organizations who wish to exchange goods, services, or money as they see fit.

If "Bob" makes a product that "Pete" likes, the two of them can discuss options for the transfer of the product from Bob to Pete. Bob provides a SUPPLY, and Pete has a DEMAND for the product. When Pete offers Bob something he values more than his product--money, for example--Bob will exchange his product for the PRICE Pete is willing to pay.

When we expand Bob and Pete's situation to lots of people, we can see how Bob and others like him would want to make a LOT of units of their products when there are a lot of people willing to pay a high price for it. Pete and others will be more eager to buy more units of the products if the price is lower. This relationship is shown on this graph that we've all likely seen at some point:

Price is on the vertical axis of this graph and quantity on the horizontal axis refers to the number of products being exchanged at a given price.

To recap, notice how people--the Bobs, in this case--will naturally want to supply more products when the price is higher (the SUPPLY curve). People--the Petes, in this case--will naturally want to purchase more of the Bobs' stuff at a lower price (the DEMAND curve).

But things work best where the two curves intersect--Equilibrium. That is the point where Bob and other producers can generate just the number of products at the price people demand the same amount of those products. We also call this the "Market Price."

No, this typically is never easily or perfectly achieved in an economy but, left to itself--when people are left alone to make their own choices about what they will buy and from whom, this equilibrium can be nearly achieved.

What about Minimum Wage?!

I know. I promised to talk about the Minimum Wage. Here it is. When it comes to jobs, the product we are selling--or SUPPLYing-- is our labor. The units we're talking about are hours worked or jobs performed--the quantity of labor provided, and the price would be the wage or salary.

So, using Bob and Pete again as our example, we would say Bob is willing to trade his time, talents and a portion of his limited time on earth (say, one hour) for $5.00. Pete has work that has to be done that he is willing to pay $5.00 for. He and Bob agree that for every hour of Bob's time spent working for Pete, he will receive $5.00. (Yes, they could also agree to a "premium" for hours spent in excess of a certain amount--overtime, so to speak--but I said I would keep this simple for now.)

Expanding this to more people again, we can see that people will want to supply more of their time to jobs at a higher price, and people in search of labor will want to hire more people as their price--or wage/salary--is lower.

People will naturally gravitate toward the equilibrium, left to themselves. Now, suppose the equilibrium point is at $5.00 per hour for a particular position. (It is a task that requires little training or skill and just about anyone can do it. People who fit that description will accept the task for $5.00 per hour.)

But what happens when the State--the government--comes with its big heart full of compassion for the poor, unskilled labor provider in this picture?

Notice the line across the image here. That would represent a government-imposed minimum wage.

That price for Bob's labor is higher than the equilibrium point. It crosses the Demand curve and the Supply curve at different points of quantity. This means that those who need hours of work performed can't afford as much at this imposed price, so they will cut back on hiring or find cheaper methods of production to replace the workers whose hours they cannot afford to buy.

It also means that those with time to offer in labor will rush to get the remaining work. For example, someone with more skill, training and education who would qualify for work that pays more will gladly accept the less demanding labor in the unskilled position at this higher wage/salary and push the more unskilled workers aside to take the remaining work at this price level.

The result is, of course, less employment for the target of the government's compassion.

So, here's the really evil aspect of this on-going discussion. The politician is fueled and empowered by the public perception of existing problems and the perception that the politician has solutions.

As the statist, Rahm Emanuel, was quoted as saying when B. Hussein first began his reign of terror: "Never let a crisis go to waste." This is the mantra of the statist politician. When the public is kept in a perceived state of crisis, they are more willing to accept the interventions and machinations of the State in their behalf. In a crisis, people willingly--even eagerly--surrender their liberties for the promise of greater security.

What greater individual crisis can you imagine than financial ruin that comes from under- or unemployment?

When Bob is faced with this situation--he's healthy, strong, able, and willing to work. But the job he's qualified for doesn't pay enough to meet his bills. He's approached by the compassionate politician with grand promises of earning a "living wage" through a government-imposed minimum wage. Sounds great to Bob. He'll make more money, right?

Wrong. He'll likely lose the only job he's currently qualified for because of what is described above. Then, in his heightened state of crisis he becomes even more susceptible to the maneuverings of the politician. Crisis increased, the politician wins, Bob loses.

But wait. There's more! When you spread the effects of the government tinkering with wages across the entire economy, everyone pays a price. The Equilibrium is disrupted across all industries and a false pricing level is put in place for almost all workers in it. More skilled workers are drawn into jobs requiring less skill for higher pay, lower skilled workers are pushed into still lower-skill work or our of the work force entirely and a disruptive inefficiency is introduced into the entire system. Large numbers of people are over-compensated for the real value of the labor performed and skill levels of the employees are mismatched to the jobs and tasks performed.

The effects this massive inefficiency ripple throughout the economy and it is impossible to measure the full impact.

Now, this applies to every instance where the State intervenes to establish pricing controls of any kind on the economy. The politicians create havoc, a crisis is perceived, the people become more malleable, and the power of the State expands at the expense of the people.

The solution is a simple concept to understand. Remove the heavy hand of the State from the picture and allow the market to find the equilibrium point for each job. Allow people the liberty to innovate and grow to increase their own value in that free marketplace and everyone benefits.

THIS is the genius of the free market that has benefited the entire world. As Walter Williams pointed out (paraphrasing): "[For the entire history of the world until the United States and free markets were introduced, the only way to acquire wealth was to rob, plunder, invade, and kill other people. When the United States and free markets were introduced, people were enabled--for the first time--to achieve vast wealth by serving other people.]"

In a FREE market, the value of labor is limited only by the ambition and drive of the laborer. When the State determines the price of anything--including our labor--it is destructive to us all, and an attack on liberty.

Pillars of Liberty

2017-03-26T16:27:00.002-07:00

As the first post to resurrect this blog, I want to lay a foundation for all that I hope to discuss and cover here.

I have spent many years in law enforcement and was tutored by the best in the business. I have also spent considerable time and energy in study, thought, and even prayer to learn the things most vital to know about our diminishing Republic.

And, while I maintain the right to continued education and enlightenment, I want to begin with what I call the Pillars of Liberty and the basis of almost all upcoming political commentary you will see here.

TRUTH

First, is the simple declaration of the Savior that the "truth shall make you free." It's a simple statement, but far-reaching and comprehensive.

AGENCY

Second, Bruce R. McConkie, a brilliant legal and religious thinker set forth this list of requirements for the operation of "agency," or the ability to exercise our liberty in a spiritual or religious sense:

"Four great principles must be in force if there is to be agency: 1. Laws must exist, laws ordained by an Omnipotent power, laws which can be obeyed or disobeyed; 2. Opposites must exist — good and evil, virtue and vice, right and wrong — that is, there must be an opposition, one force pulling one way and another pulling the other; 3. A knowledge of good and evil must be had by those who are to enjoy the agency, that is, they must know the difference between the opposites; and 4. An unfettered power of choice must prevail." (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd edition (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1966), p. 26.)

I feel that this directly applies to our political and societal situation as well:

1.) Laws must exist, laws ordained by Constitutional Authority derived from the consent of the governed;
2.) Opposition must exist--diverse ideas and free and open debate pulling in whatever direction they may.
3.) Knowledge must exist--TRUTH must be in the knowledge, requiring honest study, sincere interrogation and inspection of claims in the news, educational materials, etc.
4.) An unfettered power of choice must exist, meaning integrity of election processes and laws, TOTAL removal of all forms of coercion at the ballot box and absolute preservation of the Bill of Rights in every respect--including protecting the right of any individual to be wrong!

It is both part of my religious faith and my political philosophy that, ultimately, there have been, are, and always will be two choices before us in our lives: liberty or bondage. Now, whether you believe in God or not, whether you share my faith or not, I hope to demonstrate in future posts that there are tendencies and forces in our universe that tend toward one or the other.

Our Founders, religious men, struck off the most remarkable political notions and documents in the history of mankind and, I believe, the above principles are at the heart of the system they gave us and entirely relevant to every debate we face today.

Check back often to see how.

Wyoming Statists and the Present Battle for our Future

2014-01-14T14:43:00.000-08:00

I initially posted the following on Facebook as an on-the-spot rant about the present crisis in Wyoming's decline in our battle with the wave of statism. I decided, with some encouragement, to post it here, as well, to make it more accessible and easily shared.

I would note, for emphasis, that the battle now on-going in the ouster of the duly elected Cindy Hill from her position to facilitate the rise of Common Core and related statist policies in Wyoming, is the present front-line of the overall war in our once great Republic against statism and abject tyranny. While it appears, to many, to be an obscure skirmish, I contend it will prove to be a major turning point in the destiny of the State of Wyoming and its effects will be felt for generations and will extend far beyond our borders.

The movement within our legislature to advance the statist agenda is truly disturbing and I urge everyone who visits this blog, and reads this post to to seriously scrutinize candidates for any office for tendencies or inclinations toward statist meddling and hold them strictly accountable.

I want to note, also, that I allude in this post to a story I heard years ago about a man visiting the Louvre in Paris. After glancing at the vast array of art pieces, he sneered to a security guard standing near by, "Not a thing here worth seeing. Not one."

The guard smiled and said, "Sir, these pieces are no longer on trial. We are."

Now, while Mrs. Hill's fight is surely far from over, and the overall fight to restore and preserve Liberty are even farther from being over, my point is this: Mrs. Hill's proving time has passed. She has demonstrated very clearly who she is. She has weathered the most vicious and pernicious attacks and remains unbowed. She is no longer on trial at this point, as I see it. Nor are the fundamental truths and principles she is clinging to in this struggle. She stands where she stands, as do those eternal principles upon which our nation was founded. They are no longer on trial. We are.

So, here's the original post, w/ some edits to improve flow and remove some typos:

_________________________

Listened to Cindy Hill, today on the radio. Some thoughts:

Cindy Hill has been the one traveling the State of Wyoming, meeting and talking with anyone who will listen. She has been open, direct, and honest and fielded every question asked of her. Conversely, those in Cheyenne who have robbed the voters of their direct voice in the education of Wyoming kids, operate in the shadows, attacking through whispered accusations, innuendo, and outright lies. Their "hearings" this past week were pure theater and a waste of time and money.

As this discussion has evolved, it has become increasingly clear that, at the heart of the attack on her, is the attachment of Wyoming politicians to federal dollars and the attendant increase of federal influence and outright control of our affairs. Common Core is directly opposed to her stance for local control in schools. Her opposition to measures to implement this travesty in our state, while not recognized by her at the time for what it was, is at the heart of the current witch hunt.

Moreover, she hit the nail on the head in a comment I read from her in the Lovell Chronicle this week. [Paraphrasing], we have evolved into a society more concerned with regulating the minutiae of daily life than LIVING that life. The State is increasingly intrusive into every aspect of our lives. The same people who used to shriek at us pro-lifers, "Stay out of my bedroom/womb!" now demand that we obey their harebrained notions about every other aspect of our lives!

Wyoming is not exempt from this stupidity. Statists are statists are statists. It doesn't matter what level of government in which they are found. They universally share--to varying degrees--the belief that an individual is fundamentally incapable of self-rule and making decisions in pursuit of his/her own interests. Further, they all believe that they are uniquely qualified, by virtue of their position, big heart, whatever, to make those decisions for those individuals. The reason doesn't matter. The issue doesn't matter. The truth is, this notion is directly contrary to the principles of our founding and, indeed, Natural Law and the will of Nature's God, who honors and protects individual agency.

While the individual politicians involved have varying degrees of good and bad in their characters--as do we all--their buy-in to the temptations of statism to any degree is wrong. It is a surrender to the worst in human character and vulnerabilities-- a greed for power, illegitimate gain, and usurpation over and exploitation of others.

All of that said, Cindy Hill's fight in this battle is one that deserves our respect and support. Regardless

Cindy Hill is no longer on trial.
We are.

of the outcome, I believe that Mrs. Hill is better for her tortuous experience. Regardless of the opinions of anyone else, she has engaged in a fight worth fighting and the effects of this fight will be farther reaching than we can now comprehend. And the heroism of her efforts and the decency of her character are on full display. And, I believe, her courage and determination is recorded where it counts most. This fight is not about Cindy Hill. It never really was. It is precisely about you and about me. Her courage and commitment is not the issue. Your courage and mine is. Your commitment and mine to the principles of individual liberty is.

It is very easy to sit back and criticize and opine about those in the arena for this or that. We can cry and demand better leaders with greater commitment to the ideals of our founding. But if we, the people of this State, abandon her to the statist wolves among us in this fight, why would ANYONE be willing to step into this arena in the future to preserve, protect, and defend our natural and Constitutional rights as individuals?

It is dead wrong to allow this travesty to continue and I urge you to scrutinize those who support this expensive, vindictive, cynical and deceptive usurpation and hold them FULLY accountable on Election Day. NO statist should be trusted with the power they crave so much.

And, for the record, I would support Mrs. Hill for ANY office over any one of her opponents at this point, solely based on what I've seen of both sides in this particular fight. There is NO ONE presently serving in any office at any level who has demonstrated and displayed this degree of commitment, courage, endurance or individual strength as she has.

While it's likely there are matters about which she and I would undoubtedly disagree, I at least know the most important fact about her of all: She is an honest and a true patriot, committed to doing her dead-level best to do what is right.

Now, do we engage and defeat the entrenched statist thugs in our own State? Or do we allow them to pick off and destroy every one of us who is committed to liberty, one at a time? Do we follow a course of courage or cowardice? It remains to be seen.

The Front End of Tyranny

2013-10-03T09:51:00.001-07:00

The lines between tyranny and liberty are being ever more clearly drawn each day. The present political storms are both divisive and illuminating.

On the one hand is the very clear philosophy that there should be a ruling class of "experts" who are above and beyond all question of those who should be ruled. On the other, is the notion held by our Founders that the individual is sovereign, capable of self-rule, with inherent, inviolable individual rights and an idea that a "public servant" is just that--a servant. The tyrants label the latter, "anarchists," and those in favor of the Founding principles label the former, "tyrants." As the divide widens, the mutual respect amid frank candor is clearly eroding--actually accelerating the division. Masks are coming off and the statist utopians are increasingly brazen in their declarations of intent to rule and increasingly expressing a willingness to use whatever means necessary to subjugate dissenters.

The observation ascribed to Thomas Jefferson that, "When government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny," is true. When any individual who is duly elected by the people to serve in positions of authority is derisive of any individual, and seeks to promote the ascendancy of the State over the rights of individuals, as is the tendency of human nature, they are displaying a bent toward tyranny and should be removed from office.

At the heart of the Founding Principles of federalism is the concept that local and limited government is best and the expansion of distant governments inevitably leads to arrogance of the governors, their contempt for the governed and, ultimately, tyranny.

In our State, we are faced with the forcible removal of a duly elected official, Cindy Hill, because she disrupted the flow of ever more power to the State and Federal governments in the VERY important arena of education. While she was not a vocal opponent of the insidious Common Core Curriculum being foisted on our kids by the government, she was an avowed advocate of local influence and control of education.

Common Core is top-down indoctrination, data-basing, and manipulation by the federal government on an epic scale and is just one aspect of the growing arrogance of government. It is an overt expression of the arrogance that claims superior expertise among the ruling class.

But worse, it shows an additional measure of that arrogance in dictating to local schools and parents that they have no right to opt out of information being gathered on their children, data-based, and shared throughout government and crony corporations. Further, the indoctrination and psychological manipulation is downright frightening.

Those of us who have expressed valid concerns both in the unconstitutional removal of our sitting State Superintendent of Public Instruction and about Common Core in our state have been met with dismissive contempt, similar to that expressed toward us by Mr. Obama and his statist minions.

Disagreement is fine and is a vital part of the vision of our Founders. But sneering dismissal is the rule of the day--no explanation, no coherent defense of reason or deliberation, just an attitude of "sit down and shut up. We know what's best." This type of behavior hastens the aforementioned widening divide among us. And, as I mentioned, it is our tendency, when passionate about our beliefs. We all, myself included, need to check ourselves in our debates. But this necessity is magnified when one is elected to serve.

An example: This is an e-mail to a constituent from one of our State Representatives--
_________
Representative Harvey [mailto:Elaine.Harvey@WYOLEG.GOV]
Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2013 9:05 AM
To: [NAME REMOVED TO PRESERVE PRIVACY]
Subject: Re: Wyoming Education

[NAME REMOVED TO PROTECT PRIVACY]
Perhaps I could find some credibility in your letter if it affected your family in any way. Your children are homeschooled. I also do not consider 15 form letters this morning credible. If you are that bothered by it, read the article and write your own thoughts.
Baaaaaa
Representative Harvey

Sent from my iPhone
________

I should note that I've personally received similarly dismissive notes, comments and e-mails from other local politicians--some much worse in their expressions of contempt for me, personally, and content. This is just one case in point.

Note that this Representative demands of the person being addressed, apparently, more time and effort writing an e-mail than she offers in return. She sneers at the "form letters" being sent. We've all seen sites that offer such "form letters" to assist people in contacting representatives about matters that concern them.

Yes, they're form letters, but they also help people to keep thoughts brief, concise and to the point at hand on issues of concern. The fact that a person takes the time to send those letters SHOULD indicate that person's genuine concern for a given issue. They are NOT irrelevant, nor are they less "credible" because of their format. Moreover, this representative likely took less time to bang out this sneering response on her iPhone than she demands of the person she's writing to.

I would note, as well, that my inbox is deluged with "form letter" responses from representatives and senators I've written to.

Additionally, the comment that the person being addressed was not expressing his/her "own thoughts" is equally contemptuous, belittling, and dismissive. Because the writer used a "form letter" does not mean that he/she was not expressing his/her own thoughts. But can we also assume that this representative really wants those thoughts from this response? Is she thoughtfully assigning homework in demanding that he/she "read the article?" Or is the intent, here, to make her "ear" less accessible by creating a false requirement to be heard? In other words, the attitude expressed here seems to be, "Go study things out, write me a demonstrable piece of exclusive research, prove that you, personally, are involved in the issue, --if you meet a standard I'm unwilling to meet--and then maybe I'll tell you 'No' in a more respectable way. Until then, you're not worth of my time."
I know that's inferring a lot, but I would direct you to the closing line: "Baaaaaa."

"Baaaaaa?!"

I leave it to the reader to decide if this communication depicts an attitude of a servant addressing a citizen or of a ruler castigating a subject. I would suggest that there's no "fear" of the people in this letter, nor in the dozens I've received in response to valid expressions of concern about a variety of issues.

This if the front end of tyranny.

Pursuit of Terror--excerpt

2012-05-31T09:27:00.002-07:00

I continue to labor on my first-ever book idea. I have a rough draft of about 1/3 of it completed with the entire thing done in my head. So, I thought I'd post an excerpt here and see what, if any feedback I could generate.

I'm also open to publishing ideas--format, self vs. the chance of finding a publisher willing to look at a first effort, etc.

Feel free to offer your thoughts!

____________

____________

...from Chapter 2

Two pairs of flash-bangs went off almost simultaneously, filling the building first with blinding white light and noise and then a choking mixture of dust and smoke. Those inside didn’t notice the smoke because the shock of the bangs had literally made the structure and their bodies shudder to the core, as if an unseen fist had reached inside each man, striking his heart and spine. The large room was thrown into confusion. Some were vaguely aware of shafts of light piercing the haze and dancing around. Men were shouting.

At the sound of the bangs coming from across the road, Willie’s body tensed and flung itself away from the vehicle without a conscious thought. He spun, looking wildly both for the source of the noise and a suitable place to hide. Now his ears were ringing and he could feel the icy rush of adrenaline coursing through his body, his heart in his throat. He could hear voices, shouting voices, men shouting. Who were they and what was happening? What were they saying? His gaze swept left toward the rear of the vehicle he’d been inspecting and he froze. In the darkness, his eyes seized upon a man coming at him silently, but quickly. Willie tried to scream, but all he could get out was a barely audible squeak.

Joaquin Perez, one of the spindly Mexican nationals who had been loading an SUV near the entrance had simply sat down when the flash-bangs went off. Still confused, he struggled to his feet in an effort to get out. He was met, however, with a dull thump in his chest and he fell to the ground again. Suddenly, he felt the rough tread of a boot on his back and neck. The ground was illuminated immediately around him and he felt gloved hands roughly pull his arms behind his back. Suddenly, his hands were restrained in hard, flat bands. Just as suddenly, he was alone in the darkness and confusion.

The entry teams, two teams each consisting of two dozen men, moved smoothly around the large room, using the lights affixed to the fore ends of their weapons sporadically, to check nooks and crannies that could conceal a man and to maintain the confusion and panic of those they sought. They moved swiftly as well, maintaining a steady cadence of shouts to keep the targets disoriented and off-balance. “Get down! Get down!” Those who failed to get the message were, like Joaquin, given brusque assistance in complying.

Curt Harris was third through the door and was moving with his group. He was now second behind Jason Dean, each man having alternately gone left and right upon entry. He swept his weapon light under vehicles and in between as he moved. Occasionally, his light would reveal an ashen face, eyes wide with terror staring back at him.

“Suspect!” he shouted. “Get Down NOW! Don’t move!” as the man crumpled to the ground, teammates moved around him to secure him. They moved on.

_______

_______

Remembering...

2012-05-28T12:02:00.000-07:00

Today, is Memorial Day, 2012. While I've been away from this blog for far too long, it is an appropriately reflective time to begin anew. While I would never seek to diminish the honor of those who have served in any capacity, of course, it's Memorial Day--the time to reflect on those who didn't make it back--a time to shift our gaze from the Blue Stars to the Gold.

That said, I recall the comment of "Hoot," as portrayed by Eric Bana in the film, Blackhawk Down, "...it's about the man next to you. And that's it. That's all it is." I have come to believe, for reasons that I will keep private, that this is true. It's about individuals as much as--if not more than--love of country, liberty, etc. While informed patriotism is likely what got our heroes into their respective roles, I believe it is a love of individuals--the faces in their minds--that motivate(d) their gallantry.

Today, one of our County Commissioners, Jerry Ewen, spoke at our local ceremonies and made the observation that today many likely have names and faces of individuals in their minds as they reflect with gratitude upon their sacrifices. Fittingly, he recited those that were in his mind from his honorable service in Vietnam. It is in that spirit that I offer this tribute to my Uncle, Callis C. Gwynn, my mother's brother.

Memorial photo of Callis C. Gwynn, KIA April 14, 1945

On April 14, 1945 Callis Gwynn was a relatively new sailor aboard the USS Sigsbee, DD-502, under the command of Gordon Chung Hoon. The Sigsbee was in a picket formation within 50 miles of the coast of Okinawa when she came under attack just before 2 pm.

The USS Hunt was grazed just previously by a single-engine fighter kamikaze attempt. Bogeys were reported at about 4 miles out and closing. As gunners scanned for the aircraft, they observed a single Japanese plane closing off the starboard bow. It was believed to be a "ZEKE"and was approaching at about 025 degrees, about 100 feet off the deck and closing at over 200 knots. Cmdr. Chung Hoon ordered left full rudder and emergency flank speed, which brought the guns at mid-ships to bear. While all guns within view of the approaching plane were firing, it seemed to have little effect.

My mother was contacted a few years ago by one of Cal's shipmates, who related to her some of what he saw that day. He was manning one of the guns at mid-ships and, of course, had vivid memories of that approaching Japanese plane. He related to her that the plane was flying directly at him and he was firing desperately to stop it from hitting him and the ship--they all were. He said that about 50-100 yards away from the ship, the plane suddenly veered toward the rear of the Sigsbee, striking the guns manned by Cal and others on the fantail of the ship. He said that he remembers looking at Cal's guns as the plane struck. He said that Cal never flinched, never stopped firing and showed no hint of any inclination to abandon his post. He was, of course, killed along with 21 others.

We call them heroes and we gather annually to speak of valor and gallantry in action. We rightly ascribe great honor to these valiant men who laid their lives upon the "altar of freedom." We talk of their devotion to their country and to freedom, all of which is true and right. But I have come to believe that in that moment of supreme sacrifice, their minds are not likely on those vague though noble things. I believe that they are most concerned with those men at their side.

So on days like today, tears of love and gratitude are appropriate. And it is perhaps likewise appropriate that we shed a few tears of sorrow that must be deprived of their ennobling influence and virtue. Perhaps through reflecting and remembering, though, we can add a little of that nobility, bit by bit, to our own lives. We can strive to emulate their examples and pass on some sense of what their sacrifice means to our children that it might not be in vain. May we take such opportunities as this to resolve within ourselves that we will live in such a way as to honor them and their sacrifices.

Just Win, Baby!

2011-10-08T17:36:00.000-07:00

I feel an overwhelming compulsion to share some thoughts on the passing of the owner of my beloved Raiders, not because we were close personal friends, but because of what he represents.

I am now ashamed to admit that I have, in recent years, thoughtlessly and crassly joked about his passing being necessary for the improvement of the team. But I now realize that underlying the jokes was the tacit knowledge that he would never truly die. While I couldn't always articulate why, I've always known that Al Davis was a force in the NFL and the driving force at the heart and soul of the Raiders organization. But now, confronted with the reality of his mortality, we have the opportunity to examine and reflect upon the nature of that force and what it means.

As fans, we grumble and complain when the team is suffering. We second-guess decisions to fire coaches, trade players, etc. We get caught up in the myopia of this season, this week's game, the decision to go for it on 4th down instead of taking the easy 3. And yes, we can get heartless, shamefully so, in our appraisals of coaches and owners--even joking that the owner is senile and that his demise might be advantageous to the team!

Thankfully, life provides us opportunities to realize how foolish such notions are in the larger scheme, to reflect, to repent and, in the case of Mr. Davis, to realize that he is the Team!

And now, I find myself holding back tears for the passing of a man I have never met, but whose life and work has brought me so much joy, happiness, frustration, anguish, delight, satisfaction, and, most importantly, inspiration.

It is significant, I think, that in the midst of an era of rank mediocrity and incompetence among our leaders, from the local scene to the national--when we are being told to define our standards down to a "new normal" of "No, we can't"-- that we suddenly are confronted with the passing and the attendant reflection upon lives that stand in stark contrast to what we're being sold.

Steve Jobs' passing and the sudden realizations of what he accomplished starting out in his garage and the impact he's had on all of us has been sobering.

Likewise, if we examine the accomplishments of Al Davis over the course of his life, while not so universal as Mr. Jobs', they are jaw-dropping! And they have been driven by his adherence to two simple phrases: "Commitment to Excellence," and "Just win, Baby!"

Mr. Davis developed, over the course of his life, certain reputations--renegade, rebel, scoundrel, stubborn. But there is always a reality beneath the surface or the reputation. And it usually reveals itself to some degree with death. Suddenly, it becomes clear why nine players chose him to present them at the Hall of Fame; why so many, even years after the termination of their Raider careers still call him "Mr. Davis;" why fellow owners in the league and former players are reduced to tears today as they speak of him. He was a loyal friend, a compassionate and caring mentor and coach, a devoted husband and a man who had the vision to see potential in men who were otherwise rejected and cast aside. He was a man who believed in second chances and redemption and would risk his reputation to extend those chances to players in need to help them achieve excellence and "just win."

In this regard, Mr. Davis is very much like one of the key mentors in my own life and in my law enforcement career. He was able to see in me things I didn't see myself. He believed in me and gave me opportunity to strive for excellence in my field. His vision, generosity and loyalty stand even brighter in contrast to his small, vindictive successor.

Now, as I mentioned, Al Davis (and, of course, Steve Jobs) has closed the story of his life, but in the span of that life he has established a presence, a force that will endure. His influence continues to reverberate throughout our culture, whether recognized or not.

And we can take from his life, his story and example some salient truths. It is the individual, committed to achieving his personal best--to the pursuit of the ideals that drive his passion and fervor--that makes a mark on history, society and culture for generations to come. It is the individual driven to achieve excellence and to win, who makes the small, daily decisions and amasses a stockpile of small, daily actions--those that seem inconsequential on their face--that serve to change the world we live in. It is the individual, with uncompromising commitment to lofty ideals that moves our world.

Never, ... NEVER do we hear in the stories of greatness that inspiration was gained from watching a lot of TV or from a government program, or even from a quiet determination to never make waves and to go along with the crowd, current fads or fashions or the demands of political correctness. Greatness comes from adherence to high principles and a determination to subordinate all other concerns to those principles and ideals and an unwavering pursuit of individual excellence. Interestingly, such stories of greatness always include a broad sphere of blessed lives surrounding the "hero."

Never are these great figures great because government compelled their compassion, nor drove their vision. In fact, as I've alluded to earlier, their greatness stands out in blindingly stark contrast to the march toward mediocrity our nation is experiencing as the colossally ignorant call the cadence!

It has been truly said that history is merely the biography of great men [and women]. The life ... the lives and accomplishments of Al Davis and Steve Jobs certainly bear this out.

Compassion and Compromise--Some Thoughts

2011-09-29T04:10:00.000-07:00

In recent weeks, Rush Limbaugh has had some absolutely brilliant monologues regarding compromise. Typically, we are led to believe that compromise is a noble, desirable event and the natural implication is that compromise is the goal in every confrontation. This simply cannot be true.

As Rush so astutely observed, "Compromise is not a core believe. It is a tactic." Compromise is a frequent result, but it should come after a long and hard-fought battle over core beliefs. It should never be the goal and the outset of debate and discussion in our political system. The Founders envisioned a society with many competing interests and ideas, vigorously arguing for their point of view. The more debate and argument, the less likelihood that one group would rise to unassailable power. This notion should give the lie to the demands for immediate and thoughtless compromise as the desired ideal at the onset of any debate.

In our present political scene, we have conservatives--desperately clinging to the ideals of our founding as described and set forth in our founding documents--and liberals seeking to chip away at all aspects of our society and institutions. Within this scene, we can see that any compromise by conservatives is a victory for liberals. Any ceding of principles is a win for the progressive statists.

Now, that said, I return to the question of our individual civic duties. Years ago, I began a career in law enforcement and determined to the best of my ability and understanding at the time that I would treat everyone the same--regardless of their position in the community, their last name, etc. I did so with some inkling of the social costs that would be incurred. I knew that I would likely be vilified, slandered and harshly criticized. I had no idea, however, how brutal reality would be. But I have never regretted that commitment and my efforts to live up to that high ideal, despite periodic failures and errors.

I now find myself engaged in a battle of principle--striving to communicate and drive the pursuit of high ideals precisely because I now know that striving for excellence is the path of real happiness and contentment. As one observed, "Our lifestyle should be comforting, not comfortable."

My commitment has led me to engage my opponents and to demand that they cease dishonorable practices and behaviors. I have engaged politicians locally, in the State and nationally, with varying degrees of success. I have admittedly been clumsy in many instances and ineffective in communicating. However, when I see something blatantly wrong, I feel duty-bound to engage and exert every effort to stop it.

Well meaning friends and family have counseled me to stop, to compromise, to "move on," and a variety of other sheep-like solutions. But I have made a commitment and a practice over the last decade and more to be a sheepdog--to confront wrong-doing and stand on the line and declare to those who would harm the flock, "You will not cross this line; not on my watch."

Now, it is a difficult task to assert bad acts without the implication of hatred or anger directed at the bad actor--indeed, it may be impossible. Hence a war of words and emotions is likely to erupt and feelings are bound to be hurt. But we have been warned that our Republic depends upon a populace committed to virtue and the pursuit of lofty ideals.

It was John Adams who averred: "We have no government armed in power capable of contending in human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."

So the question then becomes, when, where, why and with whom do we compromise? Where is the time and place for it? Should Moses have compromised with Pharaoh? Should Christ have compromised with the Sanhedrin and Pilate? Should the Founders have compromised with King George? Should we have compromised with Hitler? When and where is the place to compromise our individual honor and integrity--our commitment to our core beliefs? When do we countenance evil actions and say, for the sake of compromise that, "It's all good."?

Bill Bennett declared, "Honor never grows old, and honor rejoices the heart of age. It does so because honor is, finally, about defending those noble and worthy things that deserve defending, even if it comes at a high cost. In our time, that may mean social disapproval, public scorn, hardship, persecution, or as always, even death itself. The question remains: What is worth defending? What is worth dying for? What is worth living for?" (William J. Bennett, In a lecture to the United States Naval Academy, November 24, 1997, emphasis added.)

Where is the line? What does it take for us to say, "No more. This line you will not cross!"? Charles Peguy correctly observed, "Freedom is a system based on courage." I take that to mean that my freedom requires and demands courage on my part--that I stand for what I believe in my pursuit of excellence; that you have an equal duty to pursue your absolute best and stand firm in the principles you hold precious to that pursuit--that you and I are bound by duty to oppose everything from overtly evil acts to acts of rank mediocrity, especially in positions of power in our government. We have that perpetual duty.

Sadly, those with the will and courage to oppose the powerfully corrupt are most often called upon to stand alone. As Mark Twain said, "In the beginning of a change the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot."

While there is certainly a cost to engagement, as I can personally attest, there is a far greater, crushing cost of cowardice in the face of corruption. And sadly, our cowardice is not a personal anonymous shame. It is a cruel slap in the face of those who have gone before, willingly sacrificing their "[lives, fortunes and sacred honor.]"

We need to be aware of the efforts of the unscrupulous to declare themselves to be full of virtue, particularly when they are lacking any clearly observable evidence of the same.

For example, "compassion," in my recent experience, has been used as a blanket excuse and cover for cowardice, corruption, and incompetence. We cannot be deterred. There is no lack of compassion in the pursuit of lofty ideals.

I am reminded of a scene in the movie, 300, a fictional depiction of the true story of the 300 Spartans who stood against the massive Persian Army and successfully preserved the Greek experiment in Democracy that had such a powerful position in our founders' bank of political thought.

The Spartan king, Leonidas, was approached by a deformed and twisted Ephialtes, who asked to take part in the coming battle with the Persians. Leonidas explained that the Spartan method of fighting required that Ephialtes be able to stand tall, with his shield interlocking with that of the man beside him. This formed the phalanx that was the essence of Spartan combat success. Ephialtes was bitterly disappointed and turned traitor to the Spartans.

The treasonous Ephialtes, in submitting to Xerxes, the Persian king, was assured of the king's "compassion." He was told, "Leonidas demands that you stand. All I ask, is that you kneel."

Beware the compassionate would-be tyrant that demands loyalty to him above all else, including true principles.

Again, Rush observes, "...the single word that has been used to create the most damage in this country is compassion..."

It is this twisted version of "compassion" that leads to catastrophic compromise of principle and truth. We must be vigilant and never compromise ourselves to our knees before a tyrant.

"Let the American youth never forget," said Justice Joseph Story, "that they possess a noble inheritance, bought by the toils, and sufferings, and blood of their ancestors; and capacity, if wisely improved, and faithfully guarded, of transmitting to their latest posterity all the substantial blessings of life, the peaceful enjoyment of liberty, property, religion, and independence."

John Stuart Mill declared: "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature, and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." Wars of words can likewise be ugly, but the same principle applies.

Finally, Daniel Webster correctly declared, "God grants liberty only to those who love it, and are always ready to guard and defend it."

I will close with yet another call to act; not in violence or hatred, but with sincere conviction and willingness to extend ourselves in a worthy cause. We need not be perfect to engage, only willing! We need to be willing to demand high standards of those we elect regardless of office. We need to rid ourselves of the tendency for shoulder-shrugging acquiescence to circumstance. We need to strive daily for individual excellence and demand it of those who would make themselves our masters.

_________________________

"FAR BETTER IT IS TO DARE MIGHTY THINGS, TO WIN GLORIOUS TRIUMPHS, EVEN THOUGH CHECKERED BY FAILURE, THAN TO TAKE RANK WITH THOSE POOR SPIRITS WHO NEITHER ENJOY NOR SUFFER MUCH, BECAUSE THEY LIVE IN THE GRAY TWILIGHT THAT KNOWS NEITHER VICTORY NOR DEFEAT...

"IT IS NOT THE CRITIC WHO COUNTS, NOR THE MAN WHO POINTS OUT WHERE THE STRONG MAN STUMBLED, OR WHERE A DOER OF DEEDS COULD HAVE DONE THEM BETTER......

"THE CREDIT BELONGS TO THE MAN IN THE ARENA WHOSE FACE IS MARRED BY DUST AND SWEAT AND BLOOD, WHO STRIVES VALIANTLY, WHO ERRS, AND WHO COMES UP SHORT AGAIN AND AGAIN, WHO KNOWS THE GREAT ENTHUSIASMS, THE GREAT DEVOTIONS, AND SPENDS HIMSELF IN A WORTHY CAUSE.

THE MAN WHO AT BEST KNOWS THE TRIUMPH OF HIGH ACHIEVEMENT AND WHO AT WORST, IF HE FAILS, FAILS WHILE DARING GREATLY, SO THAT HIS PLACE WILL NEVER BE WITH THOSE COLD TIMID SOULS WHO NEVER KNEW VICTORY OR DEFEAT."

~Theodore Roosevelt~

More on Sheep, Sheepdogs and Wolves

2011-09-24T04:21:00.000-07:00

Nearly two years ago, I wrote of Sheep, Sheepdogs and Wolves as discussed by legendary law enforcement and military trainer, Lt. Col. Dave Grossman (Ret.). It's time to revisit the subject. First, some review. Lt. Col. Grossman said:

One Vietnam veteran, an old retired colonel, once said this to me:

"Most of the people in our society are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by accident." This is true. Remember, the murder rate is six per 100,000 per year, and the aggravated assault rate is four per 1,000 per year. What this means is that the vast majority of Americans are not inclined to hurt one another. Some estimates say that two million Americans are victims of violent crimes every year, a tragic, staggering number, perhaps an all-time record rate of violent crime. But there are almost 300 million Americans, which means that the odds of being a victim of violent crime is considerably less than one in a hundred on any given year. Furthermore, since many violent crimes are committed by repeat offenders, the actual number of violent citizens is considerably less than two million.

Thus there is a paradox, and we must grasp both ends of the situation: We may well be in the most violent times in history, but violence is still remarkably rare. This is because most citizens are kind, decent people who are not capable of hurting each other, except by accident or under extreme provocation. They are sheep.

I mean nothing negative by calling them sheep. ... For now, though, they need warriors to protect them from the predators.

"Then there are the wolves," the old war veteran said, "and the wolves feed on the sheep without mercy." Do you believe there are wolves out there who will feed on the flock without mercy? You better believe it. There are evil men in this world and they are capable of evil deeds. The moment you forget that or pretend it is not so, you become a sheep. There is no safety in denial.

"Then there are sheepdogs," he went on, "and I'm a sheepdog. I live to protect the flock and confront the wolf."

If you have no capacity for violence then you are a healthy productive citizen, a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath, a wolf. But what if you have a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your fellow citizens? What do you have then? A sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero's path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed."

This is at once a recognizable and easily understood analogy. The comparison of people to sheep is common and in most cases, as this one, there is nothing negative meant in the analogy. Biblical comparisons to sheep imply that it was the sheep for whom the Good Shepherd so willingly--even eagerly--sacrificed His life. In fact, as I discussed this with Col. Grossman, I suggested the possibility that in order for a sheepdog to be at his/her best, they should be among those who clearly hear and understand the voice of the Shepherd.

However, carry the comparison far enough there are some potentially negative characteristics that can carry over [This notion was expressed rather forcefully by a cattle rancher friend of mine, some years ago...I'll skip the details, for now...]. An obvious example is mentioned above: denial. It is the default condition of sheep and, while it does not lessen the value, it tends to demoralize and even endanger those who employ it as a coping mechanism in our society.

I was talking with a colleague who stated that he/she would never have anything to do with organized religion because of the many instances--in several different churches--where serious, abusive and violent crimes had gone unreported and unpunished because well-meaning pastors, priests and leaders had urged victims and involved parties to keep it within their church families and attempt to rescue the offender(s) through faith, etc. As I reflected on this, the thought struck me that it isn't so much a weakness of the religions involved or organized religion as a whole, but is more a manifestation of this strategy of denial among those in the "flock."

Something that is true and observable is that the sheep really aren't comfortable with the sheepdogs. They look a lot like a wolf--with all those teeth and everything--they are always keeping the sheep within the boundaries, barking at times and being scary, out at night howling at the moon, etc. But when the real wolf is approaching, you will see the sheep line up behind the one, lonely sheepdog. Again, it's not because they are bad, weak, evil or anything of the sort. They simply are not prepared to enter that toxic, destructive realm of violence and combat and, indeed, shouldn't have to with the sheepdog on watch! In fact, they generally don't even want to contemplate that it exists, let alone accept that it exists in close proximity or among themselves or prepare and confront it when it shows itself.

So, when something heinous occurs in their midst--be it a small community, church, neighborhood, etc.-- they are more than happy to allow the pastor or minister to "handle it" and to declare the problem solved and go back to "normal" life. The sheep are willing to let the wolf devour the neighbor, you see, rather than confront and stop him NOT because of cowardice or ill will, but because of a faulty coping strategy of denial. The denial comforts and smooths the violence and the pain that comes with contemplation and comprehension. It salves that nagging sense of duty that demands action and whispers to the conscience that "there's nothing I can do."

[NOTE: I have observed that a hallmark, in many cases, of this sheep-like denial, is caught in phrases like, "He's a really good guy," "She's really very nice," or some variation. Absent some concrete evidence of virtue--and even in the glaring face of rank offenses-- those unwilling to confront evil or point out that naked emperor out of fear of reprisal or disapproval/unpopularity salve their conscience with such vague pronouncements. I recall doing this as an LDS missionary in Texas when asked by my President how a troubled companion of mine was doing. I replied, "He's a good guy," (and he was!). President Huntsman said, very forcefully, "Elder, there are going to be a lot of good guys in hell. It doesn't mean anything to be a 'good guy.' How's he doing?" I then had to answer honestly that the man was still struggling to meet the demands of his position.]

Another example that I have seen first-hand is this. Talk to a random citizen about the value of fire alarms and fire extinguishers in their child's school--in fact, suggest the possibility of removing those devices from schools and ceasing regular fire drills-- and watch the reaction. They will likely be shocked at such a foolish suggestion and may even suggest you're out of your mind because those things are vital to the safety and protection of their kids.

Next, suggest to that person that it would be wise to have an armed presence in that same school--someone trained and authorized to carry a firearm and to use that firearm in certain narrowly-defined circumstances to protect the kids in the school. I would suggest that there's about a 95% chance you'll get an equally stunned reaction and more suggestions that you need mental health intervention.

Yet consider that in the last 100 years there have been NO deaths or injuries of children in American schools as a result of fire. Zero. Nada. But in the past 50 years, there have been literally thousands of kids injured or killed by violence in our schools. Mathematically, we can accurately say that the injuries and deaths of kids by violence is infinitely more likely than injury or death by fire. Yet most people will demand fire protection and drills to keep the kids safe while balking at the idea of armed security or police (don't even mention secretly arming teachers)!

So, what's my point? Today there are a couple of points that I derive from all of this.

We have been warned about "wolves in sheep's clothing," but what of the wolves in "sheepdog" clothing? What of sheep in sheepdog clothing? What about wolves or sheep, bearing sheepdog clothing seeking to usurp the role of the Shepherd? What, then, is our duty?
The roles of sheep and sheepdogs are not static. Each of us moves along a continuum between the two at different times. Doubt it? Observe a mild-mannered and gentle mother when she perceives a threat to one of her children. Note that in one school shooting incident the shooter was stopped, disarmed and held by unarmed teachers.
Can we benefit from some self-evaluation and introspection--examining who, what, when, where we retreat into a strategy of denial? Is it fear? Is it confusion? Is it laziness? Is it the perception of opposing opinions held by friends and relatives--the fear of being isolated, alone and unpopular? Do we apply the "good guy/nice lady" salve or some other cliche rather than speak truth--even clumsily? If so, is this a warning sign of a tendency toward denial?
Are there times when we are legitimately to act as a shepherd in our community? If so, and we are seeking to emulate THE Shepherd, do we understand and accept how dirty and gritty and grimy that job is likely to be? Do we fully understand the commitment involved? Is that what causes us to balk and shirk duty?

I will not attempt to supply answers here. But I do hope that each who reads this will seriously contemplate their own answers. We live in difficult and increasingly desperate times. Our world is in frantic need of sheepdogs--particularly those who hear the voice of the Shepherd--who are willing to risk comfort, wealth, reputation or convenience; willing to lay their "[lives, fortunes and sacred honor]" upon the "altar of freedom." Will you stand among them? Will you stand alone, if necessary? Will I?

I do not know.

Perhaps most importantly, if you believe in such a day of reckoning, will you... will I... will any of us be able to stand and face those men and women who have gone before, sacrificing all at that day? Will we be willing to look them in the eye and say to them--to Him-- that, "It was just too hard?"

Time will tell...

Remembering...

2011-09-11T02:47:00.000-07:00

It was two years ago that the idea for this blog was born and it was in the remembrance of what has gone before, particularly on this day of days.

Two years ago today, I had the privilege of walking through the National Law Enforcement Memorial almost alone. It was a cool, overcast day with some light, occasional sprinkles--fitting, it seemed for the day.

I had missed the formal memorial services that surely took place, but the wreaths, roses, cards, patches and memorabilia that remained hinted at what had happened. The rain likely was mixed with tears and the clouds surely mirrored the mood of many, now done with another year's services and returned to their lives.

As I roamed the Memorial, I came across a small card with the names of those officers who had sacrificed their lives in the service of their citizens that fateful day. I couldn't help but be carried back in time to the morning of September 11, 2001 when our world was forever turned on its head by a cowardly act of unspeakable horror.

I've already related how I met a lone NYPD officer, paying his respects to a fallen friend or friends in a previous post. I won't retell it here. But my thoughts today will be with him and his colleagues of NYPD, as well as the selfless men and women of the FDNY and all those who will harbor a pointed and particular ache on this day.

But, as in my last post, my thoughts are turned today, as they are every anniversary, to the question of what, then, do we do?

Fittingly, earlier the same day I was at the Lincoln Memorial where I read his immortal words:

"...It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom..." (Abraham Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address)

How do we best remember and honor the fallen? I won't attempt an answer here, but I encourage any who read this to use the moment(s) of silence that come this day to reflect upon this question: How do I make my life a fitting memorial to those who have so sacrificed?


"I see America, not in the setting sun of a black night of despair ahead of us, I see America in the crimson light of a rising sun fresh from the burning, creative hand of God. I see great days ahead, great days possible to men and women of will and vision." Carl Sandburg

________________

The naked earth is warm with spring,
And with green grass and bursting trees
Leans to the sun's gaze glorying,
And quivers in the sunny breeze;

And life is colour and warmth and light,
And a striving evermore for these;
And he is dead who will not fight;
And who dies fighting has increase.

The fighting man shall from the sun
Take warmth, and life from the glowing earth;
Speed with the light-foot winds to run,
And with the trees to newer birth;
And find, when fighting shall be done,
Great rest, and fullness after dearth.

All the bright company of Heaven
Hold him in their high comradeship,
The Dog-Star, and the Sisters Seven,
Orion's Belt and sworded hip.

The woodland trees that stand together,
They stand to him each one a friend;
They gently speak in the windy weather;
They guide to valley and ridge's end.

The kestrel hovering by day,
And the little owls that call by night,
Bid him be swift and keen as they,
As keen of ear, as swift of sight.

The blackbird sings to him, "Brother, brother,
If this be the last song you shall sing,
Sing well, for you may not sing another;
Brother, sing."

In dreary, doubtful, waiting hours,
Before the brazen frenzy starts,
The horses show him nobler powers;
O patient eyes, courageous hearts!

And when the burning moment breaks,
And all things else are out of mind,
And only joy of battle takes
Him by the throat, and makes him blind,
Through joy and blindness he shall know,
Not caring much to know, that still
Nor lead nor steel shall reach him, so
That it be not the Destined Will.

The thundering line of battle stands,
And in the air death moans and sings;
But Day shall clasp him with strong hands,
And Night shall fold him in soft wings.

~Julian Grenfell, Into Battle

What, Then, Is Duty?

2011-09-08T16:35:00.000-07:00

In the last few years we've seen some historic shifts in the political landscape of the United States. Beginning with Obama's rise to power, through the long-standing deeply corrupt political machinery of DC and the thuggery of the Chicago elites, followed by a counter-swell of genuine grass-roots opposition to his Marxist agenda in the TEA Party.

The TEA Party, however, is not an organized machine like the existing political parties and it has thus far defied definition. The American left, in both parties, has worked to target the TEA Party for ridicule, and hatred, most recently by the thug, Hoffa, declaring war on them. But it is ineffective because the TEA Party consists of the very people they are working to turn against the TEA Party. So, essentially, they are telling me to be suspicious of me! to avoid association with me!

It's stupid. It's surreal. It's politics today. But I am now plagued with a different phenomenon on the political scene. Many of us are openly displeased with the overspending and reckless taxation in DC. But a manifestation of the reluctance of people to eject their own congressmen and senators from office--choosing, instead, to blame those other states--is our refusal to scrutinize our local politicians and their activities.

We have been inundated with videos of "town hall" meetings where courageous individuals stand before a US Senator or Congressperson and "speak truth to power." I agree, such actions are gutsy and brave and much needed in our time to reverse the downward slide of government toward tyranny. But what about our local pols? Are they really as full of virtue and goodness as we seem to assume? Is it that, because they are literally our neighbors, we know more about them and are more willing to accept their shortcomings or errors in judgment or even a "little corruption" if it benefits us?

I learned a long time ago that, as much as "all politics is local," all real political power is local. We view the Supreme Court, for example, as the "highest court in all the land," and are in awe of those justices who sit on high handing down their rulings on this case and that and we call them "powerful." Yet consider the near absolute power of the local judge who, possibly in ignorance of Supreme Court rulings, determines a case on his/her own, ruling as he/she sees fit, right or wrong and that's the end of it. Disputes of the ruling seldom, if ever, will be challenged in a higher court.

It is in the local arena where politics really touches our lives. It is locally that we are more frequently impacted by the application of political power. It is, for example, in mayoral races where people run specifically because they don't like the Chief of Police or their neighbor's dog crapping in their yard! Once they win office and attack those few issues, they are left adrift in confusion as to how to carry on the more routine work of government. All too frequently, they are then taken in hand my a more slimy, "experienced" politician who helps them decide on this issue or that and all too often that clueless new mayor or councilperson goes along, blissfully unaware of the damage being done.

It is in this arena, I believe, that a renewal of political engagement by the people is most desperately needed. It is in this arena, where the "rubber meets the road" most profoundly--where the power of government and the State is in constant friction with the individual rights and liberties of free citizens. It is here that the seeds of tyranny are planted and permitted to sprout and spread. And spread they do, because it is from the base of local politics that the corrupt launch their state and national careers!

How can we demand honor, integrity and accountability in Washington when we countenance corruption, abuse of power, cowardice and incompetence at home? I am reminded of the words of CS Lewis: " We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and then bid the gelding be fruitful." How can we make such chestless men without being such ourselves? If we set ourselves on a course of compromise with corruption when and where, then, do we find a line that we will not cross? I would suggest, that it is impossible to find that line, once we've allowed ourselves to be overrun by corruption.

I'm clearly not talking about perfection. Surely we can all understand the difference between an attitude of "I've striven for an ideal and failed, but I will never stop trying because excellence is found in pursuit of perfection," and "Nobody's perfect, so why try? Let's party!"

I believe that, whether acknowledged or not, there is a war that rages in the hearts and souls of every man, woman and child. It extends beyond politics, but it is manifest in our political machinations. It is the on-going war of good versus evil in all of us. And any compromise with evil leads only to more compromise and ultimately, to destruction. Corrupt politicians have come to extol the virtues of compromise precisely because it allows them to pursue their own corruption unabated. But, as Rush Limbaugh presciently observed yesterday, "Moderation [compromise] is a tactic. It's not a set of principles. It is a tactic that says, 'Regardless of the situation, regardless of events, my first impulse is to find a different way around.'" (Rush Limbaugh Program)

I recall the story of the 82nd Airborne as related to me by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman (Ret.). In the winter of 1944, the German army launched a surprise offensive that caught the allies off-guard. The 82nd was called out of reserve and marched day and night for several days into the Ardennes Forest to meet the onslaught. They were tasked with the mission of halting the German offensive. They were under-equipped, did not have proper winter clothing and rations of food and ammo were short. But they reached their appointed positions and dug in.

On one occasion, a fleeing US tank was rumbling down a forest road in retreat--30 tons of armored death running headlong from what some believed was an overwhelming German advance. A lone airborne trooper stepped from his foxhole into the road and raised his arm to stop the fleeing tank. He was half-starved, had several days' growth of beard and a rifle slung over his shoulder.

The hatch opened and a tanker's head emerged. The airborne trooper says, "Hey, buddy! You lookin' for a safe place?"

"Yeah!" came the reply.

"Well, then get behind me. I'm the 82nd Airborne and this is as far as the bastards are gonna get!"

With that thought in mind, let me share another observation of Col. Grossman's regarding the movie, Saving Private Ryan. Most, if not all of us have seen that movie.

Recall that the unit selected to accompany Captain Miller in search of Private James Ryan was killed, one by one, during their search in the days immediately following the D-Day invasion. At the conclusion, during a pitched battle, Captain Miller himself was mortally wounded and remember his last words to Private Ryan: "Earn this! EARN IT!"

What's the significance? Captain Miller is every warrior and patriot down through the ages who has sacrificed their "lives, fortunes and sacred honor," to secure for us the liberties we've enjoyed. Private Ryan, of course, represents each of us--the recipients of those countless, willing sacrifices, from Thermopylae, to Bunker Hill, to Antietam to Bull Run, to the Bulge, to Saipan and Iwo Jima, to Soyang and Saigon, to Kandahar and Baghdad and, of course, Calvary--who now must listen and hear the whispers of all those who willingly gave: Earn this! EARN IT!

So, the question remains, what is our individual duty when we see even the beginnings of corruption in our political leaders? We surely can't demand perfection, so where is that line we will not cross, nor permit them to cross? Do we accept the creeping corruption with a shoulder-shrug and acknowledgment of human imperfection? Do we shrink when personally attacked and vilified by the powerful? Do we permit the "honorables" who aren't to dismiss us with a wave of the hand and declaration that we are "hateful" because we don't accept the party line, or because we possess the "audacity" to question them, their competence or their motives? Can we stand before our Maker and those valiant souls who went before, paving the road to our liberty with their blood and tears if we cower before those who would make themselves our masters--those who demand that we compromise bit by bit until we no longer recognize our Republic?

It is my conviction that our Founders intended for the myriad factions that exist in a free society to vigorously and loudly advocate for their respective positions--that in that struggle lay the path to liberty. They did not intend for us to find some amorphous "unity" in apathy toward corruption and dishonor in high places. They wanted us to argue our positions endlessly--to persuade and debate--not to bury our heads in the daily pursuit of personal ease and comfort. Compromise is a is a periodic tactical [very short-term] necessity, but compromise is not a core belief nor an objective! The war over core principles must continue and efforts at persuasion must endure. Otherwise, all is lost.

It's NOT Earmarks, Stupid!

2010-11-16T19:16:00.000-08:00

The earth shifted early this month and the lame-stream media is frantically working to put a blank face on it all. At the same time, they are putting their entire energy to promote "compromise" among the winners. Part of the left's strategy has been and remains simply burying the opposition in so much junk that they grow fatigued and give in.


Lest one assume I am advocating the literal sacking of Washington and the burning of the Capitol, this image is meant to be only a metaphor of what is transpiring and what lies ahead.

Already, aside from the drumbeat of compromise, is the effort to distract. We are already becoming bogged down in stupid discussions over earmarks, ie bribes, in legislation. This is NOT the driving issue behind the most sweeping Republican electoral victory in recent history. If it was, John McCain would be sitting in the White House right now. Yeah, earmarks are bad and have to go. But how about the structure of socialism that has been carefully crafted within our own government over the span of decades?! How about that?!

How about rooting out and eliminating corruption in government? How about that?

How about STOPPING the demise of our economy and our plummet into what Ronald Reagan aptly described as "a thousand years of darkness?" How about that?!!

The clowns in the media should be stupid. It's what we expect and it's what they are. They were born to be sheep. The American people have given the Republicans the reigns again, not because of some deep affection for the party, but because they are desperately seeking someone to step up and LEAD us back to the fundamental principles that established this country and made it great before the progressives began chipping away at it over 100 years ago. We did NOT send these people to their new jobs to compromise with those who are hell bent on destroying our nation, our liberty, our individuality and our sovereignty!

We awakened, as a nation, to the reality that there are grave threats to our liberty right here on our own soil, among our neighbors and friends, and deeply entrenched within our own government. We voted how we voted to begin the lawful process of stopping and reversing the march to socialism in America.

The times we are in are absolutely critical. It is not a time for compromise. It is not a time for "tweaking" programs. It's time for dramatic reversal of the leftists' agenda and dramatic, purposeful steps to restore our constitutional republic.

There is little time that need be wasted. A bill should be drafted immediately to repeal in its entirety, the travesty we call "Obamacare." There is NOTHING redeemable in that piece of trash and it MUST be trashed completely. I know B. Hussein won't sign it. But Congress should commit now to have that bill on his desk every week and force him to veto it every week and explain himself to the American people in the process.

Likewise, the "czars" of this administration should be subpoenaed, one at a time, to the Hill to explain under oath, what they are doing with our money and in our name. They must be compelled to explain under oath their treasonous efforts to undermine our constitution and our individual liberties.

I agree with Glenn Beck that Congressional pay should be immediately reduced to match the pay and benefits of the real "public servants" in this nation, our country's warriors. Find an average, say, $25,000.00/year with some travel and office supply moneys thrown in to maintain an office in their districts. Allow them to travel to DC on standby in a military aircraft if they choose, just like our military is allowed. I would be willing to bet there would be fewer junkets if they had to ride in the back of a C-130 with the luggage!

They need to be honest with the American people and explain in graphic detail how the federal government has been LYING to us for decades about Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. The American people need to be looked in the eye and told, "We are sorry. We lied to you from the outset and there is NO MONEY in these 'systems.' They were established as a front to redistribute your wealth to those we saw fit to give it to. There never was any 'trust fund,' and never any intention of benefiting you in any way. It was just another tax and we spent all the money and more. There is no money left. We will attempt to make good on our commitment to anyone 56 or older. Everyone else needs to stiffen their spine and take care of their own retirement. It's how America has done it in the past and it is the surest way to secure your individual liberty."

Finally, they need to eliminate all further expenditures related to the TARP or Porkulus bills or any further bailouts. GM needs to be returned to private sector ownership and union power must be broken.

Americans were never meant to be part of some "collective" or progressive "hive." We were meant to carry on the traditions of rugged individualism where innovation thrives and self-determination allows every man, woman and child to pursue their dreams to the fullest extent of which they are capable. The stupidity voiced by Joe Biden, that America's progress has been the result of government programs must be openly and bluntly refuted as idiotic, because that's exactly what it is. The government is and always has been a giant parasite on the backs of the people under it. It is nothing more nor less than a necessary evil that should always be regarded with suspicion and should NEVER be a money tree for bureaucrats and lackeys.

It MUST be returned to its proper role and returned to subjection to the legitimate restraints of the Constitution, and this must happen immediately. Any delays, any distractions from this aim, any negotiation or compromise will doom us and our children to slavery and servitude for generations. We must not allow ourselves to be the generation who sacrificed nothing and allowed the liberties bought and paid for by the blood of patriots and martyrs to slip quietly away without even a whimper of opposition.

The fight for freedom now falls to us. The battlefield is something we never would have imagined, but the enemy is literally upon us and has been for some time. It is time to rouse ourselves and join the battle with tirelessness and determination. This election, a sweeping and historic victory must not be the end, but the beginning of true restoration of our founding principles and true individual liberty for all.

Meeting the Enemy

2010-06-14T11:21:00.000-07:00

The attacks of the left, while not likely deliberate in the case of every individual leftist, have as consequences some insidious results. Among them are the twin sins of extreme dereliction of duty--even cowardice-- and apathy. While Marxist theory does not create those undesirable traits in any of us, they both feed upon them and feed them in all of us.

Cowardice

Today I was reading the story of David and Goliath in the Old Testament. It seems relevant to and typical of this point.

Goliath was a man who, according to some accounts, stood over 10 feet tall. He enhanced his enormous size with a lifetime of combat training, the best, biggest and best-crafted (technologically superior) weaponry available at the time. But in his core--in his heart--he was an empty shell because of his reliance on those things that elevated his pride to the point of mocking the sacred--all that the Israelites held dear.

His size, his equipment and his loud taunts made him formidable, indeed. Yet one man, small of frame, lacking armor, sophisticated weaponry and decidedly lacking in training and combat experience (with some notable exceptions) walked confidently onto the field firm in his faith and reliance on all that the giant mocked and derided.

There were some brief comments exchanged between the two, but David did not waste time in banter. He put a stone in his sling, drilled Goliath between the eyes and it was over. Those in the Israelite army that focused on the armor, the size, the taunts, the spear, the sword...they hid in shame from their obvious duty. They revealed their lack of understanding of and their commitment to the principles that impelled David onto the battle field.

They failed in their duty and put cowardice on display. Yet, no doubt, many of them were happy to take part in the victory celebrations, as if they had contributed in some way!

Today, those of us who hold the principles of our Founders dear in our hearts--those of us who continue to have faith in the principles of self-rule and self-government--we are mocked on every hand by the myopic leftists, who use their control of the media to make conservatives feel isolated, alone, and afraid. They have sadly succeeded to some degree in silencing dissent over their leading our nation in a headlong descent into slavery and despotism.

Too many of us have been intimidated by their slick PR campaigns, their shrewd use of the technology at hand, their ludicrous claims of intellectual and moral superiority, their mocking derision of the bedrock principles. Too many of us have been cowed into silence or worse, into acquiescence to their agenda. Too many have been deflected from the demands of duty when, in reality, relatively simple statements of truth and faith in enduring principles--including an abiding faith in God--are all that are required to deliver the fatal blow to the false ideology of the leftists. The truth, you see, strikes them "between the eyes," and truly sets the faithful free!

Apathy

The second prong of this insidious attack is on our own morals and engagement with one another. Over time, as the socialist influences in government have expanded and offered increasing "entitlements" to the idle, we have been likewise severed from our duty to one another. With so much of our money being siphoned off to the government to buy the votes of our friends and neighbors we are increasingly disinclined to step outside ourselves to meet the needs of the truly needy among us.

The confiscatory taxation demands that we work harder and longer hours to make up for the loss--keeping us focused on the "rat race" rather than taking time to look around and find opportunities to help out. Worse, even if we want to, our ability to make a living is hampered by intrusive government regulation and excessive taxation to the point that many are not able to afford to help their neighbors if they want to!

Don't believe me? Ask your dentist sometime about what would happen to him/her if a van full of homeless people were brought to the office for basic care, say, once quarterly. The government won't even allow it! Remember the recent fiasco involving the woman who was going to be required to get licensed as a day care facility because she typically drove several neighborhood kids to school?! How on earth can we expect one another to navigate increasing piles of government red tape and confiscatory taxation to render a helping hand to a friend or neighbor in need?! So, the presumption that it's all being taken care of by the government sets in. We cease looking up from the grindstone, we cease to be engaged with our neighbors and cease to be available when needed. We cease to care and we cease to respond. We become apathetic under the false assumption that our taxes are being used as promised.

In both cases, the answer is the same. Stand up. Engage the enemies of cowardice and complacency with principles of truth and liberty. Employ the enduring principles of our founding--our Christian founding-- and put to silence those who "mock honor and are surprised to find traitors in our midst; [who] castrate and bid the gelding be fruitful." (CS Lewis, The Abolition of Man.) Refuse to be intimidated and refuse to ignore the needs of others.

It's D-Day

2010-06-05T18:58:00.000-07:00

On June 6, 1944, 160,000 allied troops landed on a 5-mile stretch of the French coastline marking the beginning of the end of WWII. Those soldiers, representing the courage and fortitude of an entire generation of people from a variety of nations and backgrounds who loved liberty, came not to conquer, but to liberate. They arrived to set the feet of the enslaved nations of Europe back on the path of freedom--to rescue them from tyranny and to place back into their hands the gift of self-determination, the opportunity to pursue their own dreams according to the dictates of their own consciences.

But, as it has been said, "Freedom is a system based on courage." It is a precious gift--one that we cannot simply acknowledge with some expression of gratitude and set it aside and ignore it ever after. It requires, indeed it demands our care and attention. It demands our service, our own toil and sacrifice to keep it shining brightly that we may pass it on to others undimmed.

It is likewise eternally under attack by those who are inherently evil, those who desire power over the lives of others and to lay claim to the fruits of their labors. It is also weakened by the lazy and cowardly who, while not necessarily seeking its destruction, can't be bothered to exert any effort in its preservation. They are likewise disinclined to reject the proffer of the wealth of others in exchange for doing nothing.

So it is that I usually express some hope at this time of year that we will never forget the bravery of those who fought on D-Day and beyond--the toil and sacrifices of the generation that bravely fought to rid the world of tyranny and oppression. But the world has already largely forgotten not only those people and those times, but more importantly, the principles that guided them in their struggle.

We have allowed the enemy that they soundly defeated then, to occupy the halls of our government here and now. Fascists, Marxists, socialists--enemies of liberty one and all-- now occupy our institutions of higher education, the media and all levels of government. It falls now to us to uphold the legacy of the "Greatest Generation." Let us finish the work they so nobly began and rid ourselves--once and for all-- of these tyrants and usurpers!!

We CANNOT allow this nation that they sacrificed their all to defend to quietly slip into the shadow of despotism without a fight! It seems to me that the following may echo the sentiments of our fathers who served and triumphed before us:

"Yea, as one generation passeth to another there shall be bloodsheds, and great visitations among them; wherefore, my sons, I would that ye would remember; yea, I would that ye would hearken unto my words.
"O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe.
"Awake! and arise from the dust, and hear the words of a trembling parent, whose limbs ye must soon lay down in the cold and silent grave
....
"And now that my soul might have joy in you, and that my heart might leave this world with gladness because of you, that I might not be brought down with grief and sorrow to the grave, arise from the dust, my sons, and be men, and be determined in one mind and in one heart, united in all things, that ye may not come down into captivity;" (2 Ne. 1:12-14, 21.)

We must find a way to restore the nobility of soul and character that were so commonplace a few decades ago. We have been divided along a variety of lines except those that should rightly divide us. We have allowed ourselves to be divided by lines of race, religion, political party, etc. The only lines that should divide us is that between liberty and tyranny. America has been a bastion for liberty and the gem of liberty has been handed to us gleaming brightly by hands that have been soiled, cut, bruised and scarred by labor and war. It has been set ever so gently into our soft, uncalloused hands by our fathers and it has become tarnished almost beyond recognition.

Those who now glut themselves on the labor of a once free nation are an affront to the principles of our founders and our fathers. The time is upon us to unite as free people and, under the framework provided us by our founders, rid ourselves of all those who make themselves kings and lords over us. I am convinced that the unchangeable Being that was found to be an ally of those brave souls who landed on the French beaches those long years ago is likewise allied with those who love liberty here and now. With such an Ally, we cannot fail. But we must prove worthy of His company.

O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause. it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

~ The Star-spangled Banner

Welcome Home, Dad!...and Thank You!

2010-05-20T21:24:00.000-07:00

Today, my dad returned from a whirlwind trip to our nation's capital as part of the 2010 Honor Flight Wyoming. The Honor Flight organization has gathered donations sufficient to provide an all-expense paid trip to WWII veterans to see the WWII Memorial in Washington, DC as well as other memorials relevant to "the greatest generation." In talking with Dad today, it sounds like he had a fantastic experience and my gratitude to all who contributed to this trip is inexpressible.

He got emotional as he described the crowds of cheering on-lookers that greeted them at every stop--people of all ages, shouting "Thank you!" waving signs, giving them pats on the back, shaking their hands, offering hugs and thank you cards--treating them as they have long deserved to be treated for the lives of selfless service they have led.

Let me offer a brief synopsis of their trip, as he described it. On Monday, he and three other veterans from our area were driven to Cheyenne by the nephew of one of his comrades, who is a colonel in the US Air Force (or, perhaps the Air National Guard). They went with the understanding they would have to pay for their hotel stay in Cheyenne, but found the balance due at the end of their stay to be "$0.00."

On Tuesday morning, they boarded a chartered flight from FE Warren Air Force Base, walking a gauntlet of the first of several adoring crowds. They landed in DC to a similar scene, with cheering people on both sides of the path from the plane to the terminal. A similar scene greeted them at their hotel. While they were en route, and on arrival, there was always someone to carry their bags, help with every chore or task, fetch every glass of water or snack and provide for all their needs. Additionally, family members were asked to secretly write letters of gratitude for their service and the goodness of their lives. About midway through their flight, "Mail Call!" was announced and the letters were distributed. Dad said that reading through the letters from his children was the most emotional moment of the trip and described the difficulty of reading them all through his tear-filled eyes.

The following morning at 5:00 am, they arose for breakfast. That's 3:00 am here, in Wyoming, by the way. They boarded buses and, escorted by police and "government suburbans w/ Flags on the hoods," they were whisked through the traffic of downtown Washington, DC. They visited the WWII Memorial, where they were greeted warmly by Senators John Barrasso and Mike Enzi and Representative Cynthia Lummis, all of Wyoming. They were treated to a ceremony featuring the Wyoming Governor...some Democrat... I'm kidding. Governor Dave Freudenthal spoke at the ceremony and a wreath was placed at the Wyoming pillar at the Memorial. Again, the group was cheered by onlookers and passing tour groups of grade school children.

They took time to visit the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, the Iwo Jima Memorial and other sites related to their experiences. After a long day of touring, they boarded the plane again for their return to Cheyenne. Arriving after 10 pm local time, they were surprised to yet again see a crowd of cheering "fans" to greet them as they deplaned. One more night in a Cheyenne hotel and they were driven home again with some T-shirts, new hats covered in memorial pins and a lifetime of memories mixed with the emotional ride they'd just experienced.

As Dad related the story to me, he became noticeably emotional as he began to describe the feeling that he'd been transported back in time--not because of the trip with old comrades and the memories evoked by the memorials, but because of the generosity and deferential treatment they received on the trip! "It was like being back in those days," he said, "when people respected and honored the soldiers. They'd let you on the bus or train first, they'd thank you for your service, buy you a drink or even lunch." Sadly, there was no such treatment on the return home, and he jokingly mentioned that he'd have to get used to "just being me, again."

Let me fill you in on my dad's experience "in those days." He was a kid that went by the name of "Babe" in high school, graduating from his tiny school with a handful of others. Their yearbook--more of a pamphlet, actually--says, "Babe has already received his greetings from the President," referring to his being drafted into WWII prior to graduation. After graduation, he boarded a train in nearby Lovell, bound for Killeen Texas and Camp Hood for Basic Training. While there, in the first place outside of his home area he'd ever been in his life, he was informed bluntly that he would be part of an early wave of invaders on the mainland of Japan. He was also told that, due to the reluctance of the Japanese to surrender, he would likely be killed. Therefore, he was to turn in a last letter home and a will to his sergeant that would be sent to his family when the job was done. His story is not so unique among his peers. Literally hundreds of thousands of them did the same thing, faced the same stark reality and they accepted it!

He told me recently--haltingly because of the overwhelming emotion he felt in the telling--of how he was given a couple of weeks of leave to go home before being shipped out. He had no means of reliable transportation home, just what he could arrange between buses and trains at random times. He said that he had written his parents that he would be coming, but had no idea what day, let alone what time. He managed to make connection after connection until finally he was on a bus due to go through tiny Cowley, Wyoming at a very late hour-- after midnight by his recollection. His home, a log cabin, was on the main highway that passed through town and he fought unsuccessfully to hold back the tears as he described his arrival.

The bus drove a short distance past his house, stopping about a block-and-a-half north of it. He got off, expecting to surprise his family in the morning, but when he walked through the door, there was his angel mother waiting up for him! He choked out, "She had no idea when I'd be home, I thought, but she was there. I never forgot that."

He returned to his duty and to meet whatever fate had in store to be rescued by the announcement of "some new kind of bomb they dropped that ended the war." With a sizable commitment to the Army still in place, he was sent to Alaska where, at the age of 18, he was put in charge of planning meals for thousands of men, requesting the needed supplies, seeing that they were used correctly and efficiently and that they were delivered on schedule every meal, every day. It wasn't glamorous work, but it was an unbelievable amount of responsibility for an 18-year-old and he accepted it!

He returned home and married my mother in 1950. He joined the National Guard with the assurance that he'd done his active duty time and would never again be called upon to serve in that way. Nevertheless, his marriage to Mom included a brief honeymoon before he boarded a ship bound for Korea.

As my brother once pointed out, when his first son was born, Dad was facing an onslaught of 500,000 Chinese in a place he would have difficulty remembering 50 years later. Yet his unit earned a citation for their performance during those days.

Dad described how the Chinese would attack, many of them without weapons. They would scream during the night in an effort to instill fear and then rush the American positions en masse. He described how the machine gunners would "mow them down" with .50 caliber fire and how they "poured" barrages of artillery onto their attackers.

He saw the horrors of war up close and personal in Korea, but he got to serve with his beloved brother and friend, Mel, or "Bud" as he was called. (The two were very close all their lives and Dad had suffered greatly with the worry for Bud when he had been captured by the Germans in the Battle of the Bulge.) Dad came home and "unloaded" all he had seen and experienced on Mom in late night talks and then never brought it up again, she said. He would entertain the kids with the more light-hearted and humorous stories of military life, but he kept the more difficult things quiet.

For example, he kept quiet about his supposition that, given what he last saw of Korea when he left, that all he'd done had been worthless--a waste of time, money and lives. As he rode the train south from the front to Pusan, all he saw was destruction and waste. It wasn't until the 90's, as I recall, that he realized the value of what had been done in keeping the people of South Korea free! He ached over that for decades, but he accepted it as part and parcel of his service to his country... and theirs.

But as he's gotten older, the stories have begun to come out again, sometimes in feelings of regret for his attitudes at the time, but mostly feelings of deep humility, love and gratitude for what he's seen, accomplished and experienced--most importantly for those he's shared it all with! He has remained from then until now a loving father, and a sterling example of a gentle warrior--fiercely loyal to his country and the founding principles he so ably defended, and unfailingly generous and loving to those who know him best. And sadly, he is one of an ever-diminishing generation who toiled and sacrificed to provide something better for their children only to have to watch a sizable portion of those children turn viciously on those sacrifices and the nation and the freedoms they defended. It breaks his heart to see an incompetent like B. Hussein Obama systematically dismantle the foundations of this country in an overt effort to establish a Marxist regime in its place. But he has left a legacy of patriotism, faith and devotion to correct, enduring principles in his family and we will defend the precious prize he and those he served with left for us.

My dad loves and actively serves his Heavenly Father. My dad loves his country and the principles embodied in the Constitution. My dad understands that the Constitution was divinely inspired--that it is a "heavenly banner." My dad loves his family enough both to teach and exemplify all the above. My dad is not wrong and has long been worthy of the honor he's just been paid by those wonderful people he's been with for the last few days. My dad is my hero and always will be.

"Well, There You Go Again!"

2010-04-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

As has become typical of B. Hussein Obama, he has gone behind enemy lines on the new front of his War on Liberty to demand surrender. And, as is likewise typical, he is not making the demand based on clarity, honesty or the power of his ideas. He is doing it through deception, double-speak and outright lies. He did not announce today that he believes Socialism is superior to Capitalism and then outline clear reasons why for us to consider. Instead, he proclaimed his belief "in the power of the Free Market!"

Further, he declared that the financial reform measures making their way through what has become the bloated bowel of Congress, will protect tax-payers from being on the hook to bail out large corporations in the event of another crisis. He didn't mention some key problems with this plan.

Beyond the fact that the bill grants enormous unchecked power to the Executive Branch and flies in the face of the Constitution; beyond the fact that it gives government enormous control over picking the winners and losers in the economy; beyond the fact that this plan is clearly the next brick in his effort to rebuild the wall that Reagan tore down, he is being deceptive in his use of the term, "tax-payer."

Who are the taxpayers? When we hear B. Hussein say his plan to take money from large corporations to put into a bailout fund for future crises won't cost tax-payers a single penny, we are meant to presume that each of us will not have to worry anymore about such things. But let's remember the definition of tax-payer, on its face, is "one who pays taxes."

We are rapidly approaching, as part of the grand plan of B. Hussein to destroy the Free Market, a time when half of the US population does not pay any taxes! Therefore, in reality, B. Hussein should be excluding them from his assurances of the coming Utopia.

Here's the rundown: 86% of the taxes in this country are paid by 25% of the population. This is up from 84% of the tax burden these people paid in 2000.

The top 50% of earners in this country pay 97% of all federal taxes. The top 1% of earners in the US carry a whopping 39% of the tax burden of the nation! This is up from 2% of the load they paid in 2000!

So, with a clear definition of who the "tax-payers" are, let's consider B. Hussein's comments. Let's say Wells Fargo goes under and deemed "too big to fail" by B. Hussein (let's not even speculate how that determination will be made w/o any oversight whatsoever). The B. Hussein Slush Fund can be accessed to "prevent panic" in the economy. The Slush Fund consists of money paid up front to the government, i.e. taxes, by the financial sector, i.e. the real tax-payers. Sounds costly to me.

Anyway, Wells Fargo would then be dissolved and the investments/deposits of investors will allegedly be paid off. Panic will be averted, peace will prevail, and B. Hussein gets to spend the Slush Fund on whomever he deems worthy to take the money from the Slush Fund (funded by the tax-payers) to redistribute wealth.

Let's not get into the fact that the government spent TWENTY TRILLION DOLLARS in the present crisis. Obama claims that "much of that has been paid back." Paid back to whom?! Did the top 50% of earners in the country receive refund checks in the mail for what it cost them?! How about the tax-payers who invested in GM, were declared "greedy" by B. Hussein and commanded from the White House to accept pennies on the dollar for their investments as he passed ownership to the unions who contributed so helpfully to his campaign.

Likewise, we need not delve into the ominous implications of unchecked regulatory authority granted to the B. Hussein regime by this bill to declare literally any legitimate business activity illegitimate by virtue of having made an eeeeevil profit!

B. Hussein's methods never really change. They are the result of a lifetime under the tutelage of Saul Alinsky and other radical leftists and the agenda remains clearly the same--the undermining of individual liberty and of the founding principles of the United States of America.

And it must be stopped.

Oh! The Profanity!!!

2010-03-21T22:03:00.000-07:00

"And he beheld Satan; and he had a great chain in his hand, and it veiled the whole face of the earth with darkness; and he looked up and laughed, and his angels rejoiced." --Moses 7:26

It has been truly said that freedom is a system based upon courage. Tonight we have been compelled to view the fruits of stomach-turning cowardice in its march to overthrow "the last, best hope" of freedom and liberty in the world!

The truth of Edmund Burke's observation that "There is no safety for honest men except by believing all possible evil of evil men," is likewise on display. Recent weeks of underhanded thuggery have culminated in 219 individuals voting to condemn billions, now living and yet unborn in, a once free nation to abject slavery to an emerging statist regime. But who can blame them? At stake for each individual politician were the perks of power--the nicer offices at the Capitol Building, the cushy committee seats, the adulation of the statist media and, of course, the perpetual childish delusions of a would-be dictator!

So, the statists chose, on the Sabbath Day, to cast aside the honor, the sacrifice and the blood of our founders and those who have fought, bled and died for liberty in subsequent generations--valiant souls who pledged and all too often sacrificed their "lives, [their] fortunes and [their] sacred honor--and enacted institutional cowardice and national shame. They have profaned this Sabbath day by advancing their abortion-on-demand agenda--an agenda that, ironically, will culminate in abortion at the demand of government bureaucrats--and the ascendancy of the State over God in America.

Moreover, that detestable smirking simp, Nancy Pelosi, profaned the names and memory of the Founders, claiming their "vision" was being realized by this despotic government seizure of 1/6 of the nation's economy! We the people have received a stinging and derisive slap in the face by those who have transformed the title and the notion of "public servant" into a cynical cliche. And this was done while, at once, the Constitution of the United States was willfully ignored and cast aside.

Yes, in a single day, we have seen the principles the institutions the ideals and the vision that Americans have held most dear for generations vilely profaned.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,... But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security." (The Declaration of Independence)

The arrogance at work is beyond comprehension. This cannot and must not stand. The people of this nation must awaken to a sense of their duty and renew their individual and collective commitment to liberty and the founding vision of this nation. Everything that America was, is and will yet be now hangs in the balance. We absolutely must unite to stop this advancing tyranny and beg for God's intervention in our behalf. And, we must keep this day alive and burning in our hearts and minds in November and make Election Day a day of reckoning for the traitors and usurpers in DC!

"THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated."

Been Awhile...

2010-03-03T09:49:00.000-08:00

I apologize for taking so long between posts! It's been a bit overwhelming trying to select a topic with so much going on, lately.

I wasn't able to stomach the "Healthcare Summit," but did catch the tail end featuring B. Hussein droning on incoherently, including his "race to the bottom" analogy. That one lowered my IQ by about 15 points, I think, and it hasn't been easy recovering it!

But today I'm struck by the broader view of the scene before me as I watch this culture war heat up. It seems clear to me--and I've said as much-- that the statists have read the tea leaves and determined that this was their time to strike and seize control of the United States, discard the Constitution and establish a new socialist state in its place.

While I don't subscribe to one grand conspiracy to accomplish this, it seems rather obvious that those who favor statism have long infested the education system, the media and government for decades.

A sizable portion of the statist agenda--and one that is beginning to crumble before our eyes--is their anti-religious religion. Ann Coulter laid out the tenets of this false faith expertly in her book, Godless. I don't pretend to have all the answers here, nor do I plan to make a full discussion of this point.

But there is a clear premise of hostility to religion in the bulk of the statist agenda, even though there are so many instances where that agenda is contradictory (for example, why are self-proclaimed darwinists so devoted to preventing the "survival of the fittest" in nature, in schools, in business, etc.?), they press on with their fundamental belief that any religion is superior to Christianity and no religion is best.

Absent a belief in an involved and personal God, what prevents our falling victim to the "Crisis of the Day?" Man becomes the ultimate cause of all the problems in the earth and, therefore, the solution. If only man can be sufficiently regulated by government, then all the evils and problems of the world can be eradicated.

Moreover, if there is no God, then His rules certainly don't apply! There is no morality beyond that which can be contrived by the statists--and those are typically knee-jerk reactions to situations. Without a divine heritage, man is nothing more than a common animal, but one with vast power to affect the function of the earth and its infinitely complex interactions, all of which combine to sustain life.

I could go on and on, but even this is not my point today. What has been refreshing to me is the resurgence and reawakening of religious faith that I am seeing. Similar to the rising tide of opposition to the erosion of other liberties, the attacks on religious liberty are awakening people of faith to stand firm against the onslaught of secular drivel.

This is, I think, one of the most positive sides of the rising opposition to the statists' agenda. A return to moral fundamentals must, I think, precede the return to Constitutional principle. John Adams observed, "We have no government armed with the power capable of contending with human passions which are unbridled by morality and true religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

That is the essence of self-government--to be bridled by our own moral and religious faiths. It is a sure path to tyranny and servitude to jettison those supports. Hence, I think, the continuous flow of amoral sludge from Hollywood and the media.

As the "Progressive" [statist] agenda "progresses," everything else that matters must be in full decline. Our culture and our societal decline feed the argument for increasing government power. The opposite--the path chosen by our founders was self rule and self rule cannot be achieved absent a clear and consistent moral code available to each individual. And religion is "indispensable support" to instilling that code in each citizen.

George Washington declared:

“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and

Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity...And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”

Yet we live in a society where morality (and the principles that carried our parents through the Great Depression and two world wars and helped them to build the prosperity that allowed the coddled and over-privileged statists to thrive despite their moral and intellectual bankruptcy) is routinely mocked and derided in the pop culture. We have lived to realize the warning of CS Lewis, "In a sort of ghastly simplicity, we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the gelding be fruitful." (CS Lewis, The Abolition of Man.)

Thus, I am greatly heartened by what I'm seeing among the faithful and pray it continues to grow!

A Tale of Two Visions

2010-02-16T15:24:00.000-08:00

Today's headlines yield some interesting fodder for comparison between the leftists now running the country and reality. We have on display some stark contrasts in views that are, I believe, at the core of the "conservative v. progressive" argument.

There is a consistency, at least, in the left's view of the Office of the Presidency. In George W. Bush, they saw a puppet at the mercy of his handlers and nefarious staff members who were consistently pulling his strings and putting words into his mouth.

With Obama, they seem to presume the same thing. Leslie Gelb, a New York Times columnist and government official penned an article for "The Daily Beast," calling upon the Obama Administration to "shake up" the staff!

In the progressives' world, when the Dear Leader fails, it is obviously not his fault. Rather, it is the fault of those beneath him who are failing to properly serve the Dear Leader.

In their world, the cure for the Detroit Lions would be to "shake up" the team. Fire the Quarterback and Defensive Captains! Promote the Center to Quarterback and move the running backs to the defensive side because they are failing as presently constituted to bring the right results to their leaders!

Unfortunately, in reality, the organization takes on the characteristics of the leader and therefore, failure is the direct responsibility of that leader. I have personally witnessed this first-hand over and over.

In the NFL, it's the coach that typically leaves an organization to bring about desired Hope & Change and the shake-ups start from the top down. We see and hear the clamor for the same thing in the country today. "We the People" have rejected the socialist agenda of this gaggle of Chicago thugs and we have clearly demanded specific changes.

Last writing, I pointed out that 63% of the American people are fed up with Congress and would like to see the bulk of its members replaced. Considering that Congress has done nothing in the past year but carry the Obama Administration's water on government seizure of health care, continued threats to enact destructive legislation to combat fictional "climate change," spend our money on fantasy "stimulus" plans and tax us into oblivion, this makes sense.

Yet the progressives see it differently. These people just need more talking to in their view. 63% of us are just wrong. We have to change, not the agenda!

The obvious question for Mr. Gelb and indeed the entire Democrat establishment in Washington is, if Obama's key people should be fired, why spare anyone who shares their views, including B. Hussein who hired them all in the first place?

As John C. Maxwell, one of my favorite leadership authors noted, "Leadership ability is always the lid on personal and organizational effectiveness. ... That's why in times of trouble, organizations naturally look for new leadership." (Maxwell, John C.. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2007, p. 7.)

Now, contrast this response of "blame the ignorant underlings or faceless masses" with the leadership on display in New Jersey. (You can watch the video here or read the transcript here.) Governor Chris Christie, rather than point fingers of blame and whine about what he inherited, has taken decisive action to repair the damage done by decades of progressive governance in New Jersey.
While Obama panders and whines and abdicates his agenda to Congress (and allows them to take the blame), Governor Christie is speaking the hard truth to his state and in so doing bringing real hope and real change to people like myself in far-away Wyoming!

I know from talking and associating with those millions of people from across the nation and across ideological positions that we as a country are ready to endure what we must to set our nation back on track again. Most of us are willing to endure depression-like conditions to free our children and their children from the crushing debt of our irresponsible elected officials. We want a return to limited, constitutional government that is responsive and responsible to the people.

I applaud the early indications of real leadership on display in Governor Christie. I am certain he'll make his share of mistakes and endure withering opposition from the political establishment on both sides of the party aisle. But what he is undertaking resonates with the people of this country and is at the heart of the real hope and change we seek.

If the Democrats in Washington had a shred of decency, they would scrap their plans of totalitarian rule and embrace this commitment to real and lasting change--change back to Constitutional restraints-- or resign immediately and make room for someone with the spine to do it.

So, I say, God bless New Jersey and God bless the United States of America! Let's roll!

Barack to Republicans: SURRENDER!

2010-02-10T09:39:00.001-08:00

After being handed a string of significant defeats, drive-by media ignorance notwithstanding, Barack Obama has made yet another gamble to snatch his socialist dream of controlling the US health care industry from the jaws of crushing defeat. He has at once declared his refusal to scrap the travesty of a "health care bill" and demanded that Congressional Republicans come and help him pass it.

Nevermind that the bulk of the people in this country are adamantly opposed to it. Nevermind the Republicans are stringing together significant gains in recent and meaningful races. Nevermind the abject failure of the administration to accomplish anything significant over the past year. Nevermind the sustained unemployment of the American people amid reckless taxation and spending and the rapidly expanding debt. Nevermind that B. Hussein Obama is increasingly viewed as "Carter on steroids!"

In his defense, the Republicans have made monumentally moronic decisions in the recent past. So perhaps he is calculating the likelihood that the Republicans can once again snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. But I feel the calculation is in error, if that is indeed the case.

The Republicans have seen the massive groundswell of common American people--of all ethnic backgrounds, from all parties, from all walks of life--who have united in their opposition to the unchecked expansion of government power and B. Hussein's mad dash for socialism in America. While they may lack spines individually, they are presently more frightened of the people than they are of the media and B. Hussein--a winning formula, in my opinion.

But the Republicans are well aware that 63% of the American people are eager to see the bulk of Congress sent packing. And they understand that their career longevity depends on aligning themselves with those people than following B. Hussein down the road to infamy.

Conversely, B. Hussein and the media elites operate under the assumption that those 63% of the people are idiots and that they can, indeed should be ignored. But just in case, B. Hussein has threatened to take the podium daily until his government take over of our health care has passed. If only he would commit to similarly torturing the detainees at Club G'itmo!

In the midst of all this, B. Hussein has invited the Republicans to meet with him to discuss the plan as it exists to nationalize 1/6 of our economy and take control of the people in an unprecedented way. He has stated he'll surrender small portions of the plan, but is staunchly refusing to scrap the entire misguided bill. He has enjoyed a supermajority in Congress for the entire year and has been unable to convince Congress to pass this travesty in that time. He still has the majority and now wants us to believe it's the Republicans who are stopping it.

Amazingly and tellingly, he is reported to have commented that the difference between the ridiculed and failed efforts of the Clintons to enact national health care and his own is that, "now, you've got me!"

As his approval numbers plummet, and as reality closes in around him, he has taken the only logical step that remains: To demand that the opposition surrender. Why? Because, "now, [we've got B. Hussein Obama!]"

I wonder if Custer tried that. I guess we'll never know.

Thank You, Barry!

2010-02-04T11:40:00.000-08:00

There has been a palpable shift in the country and, though it has come at tremendous national and individual cost, we should all take a moment to take stock and express our gratitude for what we've seen.

In the build-up to the 2008 election, we witnessed a carefully manipulative progressive media working to define the parameters of the debate. We learned that B. Hussein Obama was to be considered a "Messiah"-like character-above reproach and that anyone who dared to identify his background, his beliefs, his philosophies, his friends and allies, his middle name--indeed, to tell the truth about him in any way was to be considered racist and beneath contempt.

We were given the candidate, McCain, carefully selected and prepared in his progressive leanings through his years in the US Senate. In the process, we were told repeatedly by progressives in the Republican Party that "the era of Reagan is over," and by default and definition that the progressive agenda being pushed within both parties was to be accepted and embraced. Those of us who bristled at the prospect of a Democrat and Democrat-Light two party system were identified as extremists, "tea baggers," etc. [is it just me, or has anyone else been puzzled by the singular irony of being identified as a "wacko" based solely on one's devotion to and reverence for the United States Constitution?]

And then, figuring that the smoke screen was sufficiently thick and the US people sufficiently subdued, the progressives set about their work to destroy our individual liberties. And they continue today, but we should thank Barry and the Boys for placing on clear display the principles and beliefs that drive them and their contempt for our Constitution, our traditions, and the principles upon which they are founded!

As disaster has been heaped on disaster by this gaggle of statist clowns, we've had living object lessons on liberalism, statism and progressivism. Moreover, their affection for extreme leftist views--the thugs and dictators of the world--and their desire to push us toward a similar totalitarianism and tyranny have likewise been exposed.

As icing on the cake, we've been given Scott Brown, who campaigned on unapologetic and overt conservatism, declaring Reaganesque principles, and seized the "people's seat" from over 4 decades of liberal usurpation. His win added contrast to the the bland answers of the progressives that have been tried and failed throughout history. The contrast of the bright lights of successful conservatism has left the progressives scurrying for cover like the cockroaches they are.

As they did when their icons were exposed and defeated in WWII and the Cold War, they are again going under cover, lying about their true intentions and working to spin themselves as "middle-right" to conceal their extreme leftist agenda.

While the pillars of liberalism and progressivism are crumbling before our very eyes (global warming exposed as a hoax, the persistent lies and schemes, the happy face on the enduring recession, the list of government intrusions with its attendant failures, the failure of the welfare, nanny state policies in living color, the exposure of the media as propagandists etc.), and the persistent efforts to conceal the truth from the American people, we've been handed a tremendous gift and opportunity to seize control of our country and return it to the principles and ideals of her founding.

In summary, the left is being exposed for the whiny, childish, incompetent brats they are, attempting to re-write the rules to create their insane world where truth is a lie and vice versa. And, we've been given just the right doses of reality to counter them and to cause their carefully crafted house of cards to crumble before our eyes. I, personally having spent many hours on my knees on behalf of our Republic, can discern the hand of Providence in the unfolding events of the day.

Yet their determination to retain power through increased repetition of their lies and at a higher volume is evident and a considerable fight yet remains before us. And we must remember that the most dangerous moments are those that immediately follow actual or apparent victory.

But we can take heart that the truth really does set us free and "We, the People" are not alone in this fight.

No Time to Falter!

2010-01-23T19:53:00.000-08:00

True to form, B. Hussein Obama has received yet another whoopin' from the American people and fled to a hand-picked adoring crowd for some much needed campaign style ego stroking. When about 1-2 million fellow citizens and I descended on the Capitol, B. Hussein likewise packed up the teleprompters and fled to Minnesota to absorb some calculated adulation from a few dozen of his closest pals.

The very serious downside to his laughable obsession with crowds of brainless nitwits chanting his name is that he gets all pumped up and more determined to foist one of his statist brain farts on the rest of us. Also true to form, he declared his intent to press forward with his socialist agenda in the health care industry and identified his next target for nationalizing private industry: banking. He is already well underway in nationalizing student loans (something I'm intimately familiar with) and has signaled his determination to take the whole thing. It's to be expected, as it was outlined by one of his Marxist idols, Saul Alinsky.

But again, I am positive and hopeful like never before. The election of Scott Brown was a monumental indication that the American people have awakened and are determined to make their collective voice heard despite the willful deafness of the political elite in DC.

The statists will pursue their agenda relentlessly, no doubt. But they do so at their own political peril and due to their own persistent ignorance of the character of the people of this nation. Regardless of their concerted decades-long efforts to dumb down the populace--to diminish the founders and the Constitution in the minds of the people and to erect in their place a pseudo-intellectualism and laughably blind faith in one fraudulent "science" after another--the American people continue to demonstrate that they have LIBERTY in their very blood.

In the two terms of "W," we were regaled repeatedly with reports of polls (an interesting phenomenon in itself in our time, where news agencies take a poll and then report on that poll as if it's news!) of his declining popularity. But we never got the straight story on why it declined.

While I'm no pollster and have admittedly not taken the time to dig into every poll in the last ten years, I noted some interesting things in those polls. We were always shown the polls of the declining approval of the War on Terror and told it was a general displeasure w/ George W. Bush and the War. However, those approval numbers rose starkly whenever we killed or captured a "High-Value Target," or kicked some trash in some way.

Likewise, we were told the American people were repudiating the conservative policies of "W." and even Reagan (!) as Bush's popularity sank to the 30's and 20's. Yet my displeasure with him (and that of countless friends with whom I conversed in DC on 9-12-09) was centered on his efforts to placate the statists on the left with an irresponsible drug expenditure, and other Progressive policies that were decidedly NOT Reaganesque!

Now, we see Scott Brown unashamedly campaigning as a conservative--NOT a McCain, Democrat Light "conservative." And he won. Come to think of it, Reagan won Massachuesetts in his landslide victory over Mondull.

Tellingly, the "media" in their first press conference w/ Brown repeatedly attempted to push him into their camp, asking if he's gotten any advice from McCain on "how to be a Maverik" (AKA spineless simp), how he plans to "reach across the aisle" to "work with Democrats" to help them carry out their agenda which was loudly and clearly repudiated by his election!!! It's unreal, but it's also an indicator of their determination to co-opt Brown or to attempt his destruction if he doesn't play along.

I have no great hopes in Brown, alone. His election is merely another in a long line of demonstrations of the determination of the American people to preserve this nation in LIBERTY for future generations. And again, the statists continue to ignore the growing volume of our voices at their peril! They can hide in their "whited sepulchres" in DC and tell each other we don't really mean it. But if they continue their efforts to enslave us and our children, they will rapidly discover first hand what King George experienced and felt! They may even get a taste of "Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne's" experience in the wilds of New England!

At any rate, and happily, this generation of Americans seems equal to the fight. A genuine and prolonged fight remains before us, to be sure. But I feel confident that the friends of liberty and freedom will prevail in our time. And hopefully, our children and their children will regard us kindly for our defeat of tyranny that has taken root within our shores. But regardless of their feelings toward us, they will be FREE to think and feel what they wish then and there through our victory here and now.

Let's Roll!

2010-01-20T21:59:00.000-08:00

The stunning election of Scott Brown in Massachusetts has left conservatives, including myself, giddy with the possibilities of the coming mid-term elections. This most recent conservative victory is certainly a spin-proof indicator of fantastic things to come in November!

I should note, however, that Obama maniacs are still attempting the spin, including B. Hussein himself! Obama indicated today that Brown's election is yet another indicator of the electorate's frustration with... wait for it... George W. Bush!! Wow.

Anyway, this week's special election completes a trifecta of failure for B. Hussein. He threw in his teleprompter-fueled golden-tongue oratory in support of democratic candidates in both Virginia and New Jersey races--both losses for his party--and now behind the hapless Martha Coakley in Massachusetts--epic fail. (And that's not counting his buffoonery in Copenhagen attempting to get the Olympics in Chicago.)

Today, Ann Coulter correctly observed:

"American politics has consisted of Republicans controlling Washington for eight to 14 years -- either from the White House or Capitol Hill -- thus allowing Americans to forget what it was they didn't like about Democrats, whom they then carelessly vote back in. The Democrats immediately remind Americans what they didn't like about Democrats, and their power is revoked at the voters' first possible opportunity.

"Obama has cut the remembering-what-we-don't-like-about-Democrats stage of this process down from two to four years to about 10 months. Folks, I'm convinced that if we all work really hard, we can get it down to three months."

But this goes far beyond even the more or less "normal" swing of political trends between parties. This race, like a volatile Yellowstone geyser, is an indicator of the growing foundational pressure from the frustrated American people. We have been dismayed by the overt refusal of elected polticians to listen to our voices. With the growing fervor of Tea Parties across the nation, we have been asking ourselves "How stupid are these people?!" Likewise, we've been asking collectively with each new rally, "Can you hear us now?!" And up until now, the answer has been a resounding, "Huh? Did you hear something? Me neither."

Now, the statist Dems are running for the tall grass and the feckless Republican Party--the erstwhile home of conservatism--has an historic opportunity draped heavily across its figurative face. It remains to be seen if it will notice.

People across the nation are abandoning party loyalty and indeed, Brown was propelled to victory by significant independent support and even some democratic defections. Keep in mind, Democrats outnumber Republicans by a ratio of 3 to 1 in Massachusetts! The right-wing crazies attending the TEA Parties across America have been screaming, "We don't care what your party affiliation is. It's about AMERICA, Stupid!! We want our country back!" The country has been again crying out for liberty, for freedom, for openly and unashamed conservative principles!

While moronic Progressives in the Republican Party have been trying to convince us that the "era of Reagan is over," the people have been literally begging for a new Reagan in our time! Keep in mind, that Reagan carried Massachusetts in his landslide victories and he left little doubt about his conservative leanings!

Brown, a relative rookie in the Massachusetts political scene, openly campaigned on conservative ideas--ideas shouted repeatedly to deaf pols across the land by those eeeevil "tea-baggers." And he took the Senate seat occupied by the bloat Teddy "Dude, Where's My Car?" Kennedy for FORTY-SIX YEARS.

If--and that's a BIG "IF"-- the Republicans can successfully read the tea leaves in this race, they can seize the opportunity to make 2010 the year that makes 1994 look like a minor shift in Congress. As B. Hussein "doubles down" on his statist agenda--announcing plans for nationalizing the student loan industry today--asking Congressional Dems to settle into their "political Jonestown," the Republicans could--emphasize could--initiate a second "Contract With America" on the order of the Gingrich Revolution. This one would be easy. They could just attend the next TEA Party and jot down what's written on a sign or two and, voila!--earth-shattering victory in 2010.

Of course, the B. Hussein apologists, progressives and statists in the Party will first have to be silenced and sent back home to the Democrats. But whatever they do, and whatever happens from here, all of us eeeevil right-wing mobocrats can take this week's Massachusetts stunner as proof positive that our voices are beginning to shake the walls of power in DC. We've only just begun and a significant fight lies before us. But we can take courage in this victory. We are certainly NOT alone and the naysaying of the left is increasingly being exposed as lies and deceit centered on de-moralizing and destroying our resolve.

But we are AMERICANS. We've got resolve to spare! And we've just taken the initiative. We can't let it go. Let's roll!!!

Too Good to Pass!

2010-01-19T18:36:00.000-08:00

This evening, Martha Coakley conceded defeat to Republican, Scott Brown for the Senate seat vacated by the late Teddy "Dude, Where's My Car?" Kennedy! This is beyond monumental and even the statist Dems can't misread this one, though they're already hard at work trying to.

Kennedy has held that seat for a colossal 42 years in the US Senate before becoming a good statist in August of last year. Today's special election hinged on the unpopular "system" being rapidly established by B. Hussein Obama to "fundamentally change America" into just another workers' paradise.

Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska, after securing the sweetheart deal in the Senate "Health Care Bill" returned home to be boo-ed from a pizza parlor and to watch his approval numbers drop by over 30 points! But, the left cries, this isn't about Obama and his "Health Care" plan. No, it's not. It's about a rejection of statism. It's about even the liberals of Massachusetts recognizing that the "Health Care Bill" isn't about health care and it's not about insurance. It's about establishing a socialist regime in the United States and dooming the world to darkness and servitude to a political elite.

But America can today thank God and the people of Massachusetts for today declaring, "Not now! Not on our watch!"

Even though I just posted a new rant, this was just too good to pass--as good, I think, as the B. Hussein Obama agenda is bad! Massachusetts has started the new revolution rolling. Let's keep it going, America! Don't forget, it's not about party. It's about FREEDOM!!!

For all intents and purposes, Obama and the rest of the Dems show no signs of catching on. They seem determined to, as Democrat Pat Goddell said, commit to a "political Jonestown" in forcing the Obama statist agenda down our throats in the face of losses in New Jersey, Virginia and now, Massachusetts! Bring it on, you statist scum! The American people have kicked your trash in the past and we're ready to do it again!

De-valuing Government vs. American Value

2010-01-17T19:33:00.000-08:00

Something that seems to be entirely missing from the understanding of many Americans, (particularly those who are regularly duped into voting for bloated, "progressive" government and the statist agenda) is the concept of value in the economy.

Value is measured in many ways. We attach a number by stating value in dollars or in ounces of gold or silver. Some state value in terms of food. One definition I've read of value is, "the importance or preciousness of something."

As consumers, we attach value to various things by what we are willing to pay for those things. For example, some of us are willing to pay $2.50 for a gallon of gasoline, or $40.00 for a tank of gasoline. Others may switch to walking or riding a bike when the price exceeds $2.25 per gallon. They value the gasoline and the possession of the cash differently. So, price indicates value but does not define it. Value is defined by our individual preferences, needs and wants.

When we think about this, it seems fairly obvious. What seems to escape many people is the absolute fact that everything the government touches, loses value. The loss moves in every direction from the point of government contact. This is because the government is entirely inept and inefficient in meddling in the lives of citizens. In fact, we've seen gross inefficiency even in those activities for which governments are uniquely qualified, like defense (remember the $800.00 hammers and crazy costs for toilets in the Pentagon?).

The reason that government is such a drain on value throughout the economy is that it produces nothing! The only things that government can do are to impose regulations and restrictions or impose taxes. In every such instance, value is drained from the economy.

Initially, I had launched into a detailed description of how this happens, but I don't want to be responsible for boring you into a coma. In short, we can see in dramatic fashion everywhere a product is exchanged, how government extracts value from that transaction.

Every time we exchange our labor for a sum of cash, the government takes a portion of that cash, de-valuing both our labor and the cash paid for it by the employer.

Every time we pump a tank of gas at the station, we have arrived at a point where more money goes to government than to the company that actually took on the astronomical costs of compliance with mind-numbing government regulation, limits on production capacity and actual production of the fuel! In some states, government takes more than twice what the company gets in profit for its products. Think of it! If you or I were to go to our neighbor and, at the point of a gun, take the money he had earned for his labor, we would be properly jailed. Not so with our benevolent politicians.

In fact, they make the process so easy and so painless for us. They offer to simply withhold money from each paycheck to simplify that process. Over time, we've come to view our income in terms of net rather than gross. Likewise, at the pump, we grumble about the "price of gas" without noticing the the ridiculous taxes included in that price!

Consider for a moment how differently we'd view those taxes if, on each payday, we were required to go to a desk at the bank and write a check for our taxes prior to depositing our pay. What if after every gasoline purchase, we were required to write a separate check for the taxes? In some cases, that would mean the price of gas at the pump would be around $25.00 and the taxes would be about $20.00! If we had to write one check to "Big Oil, Inc." and one to the US government (and, in most cases, one to our respective state government), would we be more engaged and informed as to where and how that money was being spent? Would we be a little more inclined to hold our representatives accountable for their behaviors with our money?

But here's where we find ourselves. We are blind to the astronomical impact of government intrusion on our formerly free-market economy--an impact that is increasingly untenable. At every point of government contact and extraction of value, the loss of value reaches in every direction. It impacts the producers and consumers--the buyers and sellers. Sadly, the value is horrendously diminished by the government's gross inefficiency in spending it, even!

So, when statists are in control and move the government toward excessive growth and increasing intrusion into our lives, there is a corresponding loss of value from the economy and it is significant in our time.

But statists are always ready with the easy lie to comfort us and tell us all is well, even when we can clearly see it is not! For the past several years we've been assured that when taxes were cut and unemployment was under 4% that we were in a "deep recession." At the same time, we were assured by the likes of Barney Frank and Chris Dodd that Fannie and Freddy were in great shape! Now, that the economy is hurtling down the road to oblivion, with unemployment holding steady at over 10%, we're being assured that the recovery has been underway for some time! We should trust the Statist-in-Chief and his gaggle of communists, socialists and fascists in the administration.

When times get tough, fire up the teleprompter! Give the people "soaring oratory" to assuage their pain. Tell the people to tighten their belts while we [the government] spend like money is water! Nationalize and ration health care, while maintaining a totally unreal health care establishment for the political elite in DC. Raise taxes on the American people who actually produce, and guarantee elaborate and lavish benefits for life for the most useless and value-less politicians in the world's history with those taxes! When companies have been run aground through similarly lavish benefit packages for increasingly useless union workers, seize their stocks from legitimate and lawful investors and donate them to the unions, then artificially inflate their value through a disproportionate injection of tax dollars.

These are the "answers" and "solutions" to present problems being offered by our statist overseers to date.

The good news, of course, is that the American people are awakening again. Having forgotten the abysmal policies of Jimmy Carter and getting Carter-Cubed in B. Hussein Obama, we're catching on again, that the founders and their ideas aren't so out-dated after all! Liberty works! Freedom works! Individuals pursuing their dreams works! Smaller, less intrusive government... well... doesn't harm as much.

Rabbi Harold Kushner observed:

"There is a part of us, especially in times of stress, that wants to be cuddled and taken care of, to be told, 'There's nothing to worry about; I'll take care of everything for you.' ...There is a part of us that wants somebody else to step in and do all the hard things that we are supposed to do, relieving us of responsibility....

"...Erich Fromm, after fleeing from Nazi Germany to the United States, tried to understand how a cultured, educated people like the Germans could have let a man like Hitler come to power. In his book Escape from Freedom, he suggests an answer. Sometimes, he says, the problems of life become so overwhelming that we despair of ever solving them. Should someone come along and say in a loud, confident voice, 'Follow me without question, do everything I tell you to, and I will lead you out of this,' many of us would find that a very tempting offer. When life becomes difficult, we want someone to say to us, 'Don't worry your little head about it. Let me do it for you, and all I want in return is your gratitude and total obedience.'" (Harold S. Kushner, When All You've Ever Wanted Is Not Enough (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1986), pp. 128-129.)

Hence the dictum of Rahm Emanuel, "Never let a crisis go to waste."

But Americans have proven very different through its history. We've traditionally been the ones to throw off such assurances and demand that we handle our problems (and frequently, the world's) on our own.

But the warning is a valid one. If we cave to the negative messages of the statists, if we buy into the notion that we can't do it without their intervention, if we despair in whatever "crisis" they cook up or inflict upon us, all is lost.

But, again, I firmly believe that the resilience of the American spirit and the American people will win the day.

The statists, at their core, are cowards. They view the world through the lens of cowardice and they falsely presume that everyone else is as cowardly as they are. They are wrong, of course.

And while it took so little for them to give in to the lure of statist philosophies and false assurances, America--AMERICANS-- have successfully resisted that siren song and will continue to do so, I believe, for the foreseeable future. The greatest and most enduring store of value in the world is the resilience, the determination, the innovation and the sheer grit of the American people. And that store can never be fully destroyed by the best or worst efforts of the statist, absent our consent.

Real hope and real change are in the air again! Once again, as Ronaldus Magnus observed, "It's morning in America!"