For better or for worse
America
Our America
Be happy, joyful and forever grateful, for we live in the greatest nation in the world.
We have been truly blessed. We are a nation of hand me down immigrants, strong men and women of good character, wisdom, Christian values and common sense.
The early settlers gave birth to our nation. They were the forefathers who gave us the Constitution, an operational manual for our nation"s success and protection. This is our firm ground on which to stand!
The world stood in awe, as we formed a government unlike any other. A government that believed that the common citizens were in control. They believed that the citizens were equal and have rights and freedoms. They believed that “we the people” were above governments and kings and tyrants. They believed that these rights and freedoms were God given and infinite!!!!!
Let us never take for granted the words contained in the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. Our freedoms are the envy of the world. Millions of people continue to arrive on our shores, so that they too can be a part of the American dream.
We the people
The average American citizen has strived to do the right thing. We do our best to lead the world to do the same. We offer love, friendship and kindness to all who would accept.
We never demand or force our thoughts on others. We lead by example. When disaster strikes anywhere in the world, we are the first on the scene with help, with compassion, with love and with our fortunes, and we ask for nothing in return.
Why is this so? First of all, we are a very diverse nation with people waiting sometimes years to become a part of our nation. It is a difficult, but respected process and these future citizens understand fully their present and their future. They realize the importance of their decision. Those who endure and succeed in their dream will not treat lightly those freedows that they now share.
We the compassionate
Now there are surely other countries with wealth and the ability to help when disasters strike. Many countries do step forward, but not generally with the same compassion or consistency as does the U.S.A. Throughout our history peoples of the world have counted on us for aid, help and comfort. After World War II, America helped rebuild the cities of Germany and Japan. These bitter enemies who were responsible for death and destruction beyond imagination, found that America could forgive. This forgiveness and compassion is certainly one of mankind"s greatest acts.
How, you might ask, could we as a people after enduring this awful war, muster up any humanity for these countries. Why is this so? The answer may be as simple as this. God has destined us to be his soldiers. We are called upon and we answer. We as a people, could not do otherwise. It is not within us.
America could loose God"s favor if we ever forget who we are and what is expected of us. There is no lock on our blessed status. When people and nations do bad things, when life is no longer of value, when we forget our morals and our convictions and when we choose evil over good, He may indeed terminate the contract.
When people take paths that are contrary to our honored and sacred traditions, we as a society will pay the price. Remember “the story of the frog who will leap out of boiling water, but will stay still in tepid water and allow the water to be brought to a boil.”
We can not hide behind complacency. We cannot accept the directions of those who would lead us down another path. We must always be the soldiers that throughout history have corrected the wrongs and kept our ship on course.
We are free to choose. The Father does not stand over our shoulders when we make a decision. There is a sense within all of us to do the right thing. We know right from wrong! We may hear a voice, we may have a common sense moment or we may follow the natural laws laid down, but if you listen closely, you will hear, you will know!
Our future
There are some people, even here in America who would paint us as a nation of hate and prejudice. They are what we would call, “the hate America crowd.” It is their goal to put our country down and to spread their twisted agenda. There seems to be an endless quantity of “want to be” tyrants, always with different names and faces, but always selling the same old used garbage. And always there are those who will listen and follow.
Don"t you find it to be illogical and ignorant that some people would try to change or destroy such a perfect and happy universe? Have they not looked into the history books to see the failures of those who choose evil? Does the “stupid gene” need to pop up so often?
The Bible, and especially the Old Testament, speaks of the cycles of wars and hate and failure. Bad people and bad decisions seem to haunt us. The good people, the vast majority, need to be always aware of this reoccurring evil. It is our duty to stand against those who would lead us down these dark paths!
Our forefathers spoke of America as an experiment and the one shared vision was of a limited government. They warned that government, though necessary, should be confined. Thomas Paine wrote, “Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness.”
Our constant slithering towards Socialism and away from personal responsibility would be abhorrent to our forefathers and should be to us as well. As a people who love our country, we must remain diligent and not go asleep at the wheel. Ask the questions ; Are we following the Constitution? Are we doing the right thing? What would our forefathers say? What would mom and dad say? Is common sense being used?
I believe we will choose wisely because slavery is not an option. We are strong. We do not accept losing. We are a people who aspire to be better. We want to be the guys riding the white horse. We like to have happy ending to our movies. We want to be considered the good guys!
If we can muster up another generation of countryman who are knowledgeable of our history, strong of character and wisely vigilant, we will again uphold this wonderful republic. We will again win the battle!
The Declaration, The Constitution and The Bill of Rights are joined at the hip!
The firm ground on which we stand was first given legitimacy on July 4th 1776. The signing of the Declaration of Independence took place in Philadelphia by representatives of the thirteen states. One sentence in this document that immediately stands out and defines us a nation is that: “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.” This explains all of the goodness that we are. Don"t ever let anyone treat these words lightly.
Then the great founding fathers moved to form the framework of our government. They signed The Constitution of the United States of America on September 17th 1787. This is the foundation and source of all legal authority. It is as perfect today as it was the day it was written!
Condensed articles and amendments
Article #1. Deals with the legislative branch, the house and senate. congressmen and senators.
Article #2. Forms the executive branch and the president.
Article #3. Adopts the judicial branch. The supreme court.
Article #4. Deals with the states.
Article #5. The amendment process.
Article #6. The legal status of the constitution.
Article #7. Ratification.
1st Amendment. Right of speech, religion, press and assembly.
2nd Amendment. Right to bear arms.
3rd _ 4th Amendments. Allows private property ownership and guards against
government intrusion, search and seizure.
5th Amendment. Guarantees due process of law.
6th _ 7th _ 8th Amendments. Rights of the accused to counsel and trial by jury.
Protection also prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.
9th Amendment. All other rights not mentioned in first
Eight amendments.
10th Amendment. Protects states rights. Respectfully to the people.
Our Natural Rights
Government does not give us Natural Rights. Natural rights were given to us by God!
These are not to be compared with “man"s laws.” These rights and regulations can be created or taken away by local, state or federal government. We are refering to the big stuff that is universal and infinite to all free men and women. Some of our natural rights are listed below:
• The right of self government
• The right to bear arms for protection
• The right to own property
• The right to make personal choice
• The right of free conscience
• The right to choose a mate or a profession
• The right to free association, assembly or petition
• The right to free press and to speak freely
• The right to privacy
• The right to enjoy the fruits of your labor
These are some of the Natural Rights that our original founders invisioned when they spoke of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
It was Marcus Cicero, a Roman philosopher and statesman who incouraged his
government to follow the Natural Laws. He wrote that, “The laws of nature and our universe, are too precise and organized, too rational and purposeful to be of man"s doing.”
Our founding fathers based the United States Constitution on natural law. They saw in Cicero"s writings, the ideals that would best serve a free people. This new vision of a land governed by common people was a new light shown around the world.
Our natural duties
The Natural Laws and rights are the gifts to us, but the flip side envolves the rules that we must follow. Darn! Just when I thought I was getting something for nothing. Yes, we have duties to preform. These natural duties are requests given to us from our Creator.
The most “common sense” of our duties are the Ten Commandments. You remember those 10 rules for civility that are being removed from public places as we speak. This is our manual to live by and which we will be judged upon. These written obligations, when not conformed to, may also be of public legal concern. Killing, stealing and all that bad stuff is is frowned upon with the police. All of God"s laws and most of man"s laws, just makes good common sense!
Our duties are not that difficult to follow, as they are basic and involve good judgment, Ah! That pesky common sense and good judgment thing again!
Always ask yourself the question,” Is it the right thing to do?”
These guidelines for a society to live by, help you with that question.
• You have a duty to honor God.
• You have a duty to love, honor and obey.
• You have a duty not to kill, except in self defense.
• You have a duty to be honest and considerate.
• You have a duty to refrain from stealing of another.
• You have a duty to be considerate of others.
• You have a duty to be law abiding and supportive.
• You have a duty to be of civic responsibility.
• You have a duty to support morality and public standards.
• You have a duty to perpetuate life through marriage.
• You have a duty to the integrity of the family structure.
These are some of the requirements that will insure peace and tranquility. They help us to be human!
The Presidency.
The head of state.
The leader of our country may be considered the face of America. This person is elected to be an image of our people and our country.
Presidents will be the measure of our strength, our values and our humanity. They must show humble power and careful consideration. They must be wise and always show thoughtful judgment. The President must firstly have a loving devotion to the United States of America. All decisions made must be from “love of country.” All decisions made must be within the framework of the Constitution.
Our presidents have had in common character, strength, wisdom, being well spoken, formal or informal education, formidable leadership qualities, firmness, knowing right from wrong and following the right path.
Generally, our presidents lead us in a direction that most Americans would agree upon.
They nearly always have done the right thing when the cards are on the table. It has always seemed to me that our great American presidents and leaders have been put in the right place at the right time, either by coincidence, or by the grace of God.
Abraham Lincoln was perhaps the only man of his time who could have led us through the Civil War. He held our country together and redeemed our future. Lincoln"s Emancipation Proclamation decree, freed the slaves and put our country on sound footing. His Gettysburg Address speech, from his heart, showed a passion for our country and its people. This poor of upbringing, plain talking, humble leader put the glue in our fabric, and is considered one of our greatest presidents.
George Washington, a framer and soldier with no formal education, led us to victory in the Revolutionary War and went on to be our first president. During his presidency, he accepted no pay and turned down another term, as he believed that we needed not another king. It was Washington"s wisdom, common sense and honesty that we see in his writings. He was quoted as saying, “Government is not reason, it is not eloquent. It is force, like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a forceful master.” This wise and humble man is deservedly called the father of our country!
Franklin Roosevelt was the right leader in the right place at the right time when, in 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and we were drawn into the war. Roosevelt"s radio speech and his prayer united the American people like no one else could have done. He remained strong, steadfast and consistant throughout the war. There was never a question of who was in charge!
Ronald Reagan was most notable for halting communism in the world. His words, “Mr.
Gorbachev, tear down this wall,” was the President of the United States requesting that the President of the Soviet Union back off for the good of humanity. This was the beginning of the U.S.S.R. implosion. For the first time in many years, East Germany was united with West Germany. The cold war was over! President Reagan proved to be a strong and wise leader, always the first to cheer us on. He believed in America. He believed that a free people allowed to choose, will always choose freedom!
Dwight D. Eisenhower and Harry Truman were leaders who stepped forward to make difficult decisions when it was demanded of them. And both men had the backbone, the wisdom, and the confidence to act and with no regrets. The results of their decisions ended World War Two. The lives of millions hinged on these two leaders. How many of us could have taken the weight that they had upon on their shoulders?
If there is one value that I would ask for in a president, it would be that they love this country and would give of their life to preserve it!!!
The government machine.
A positive view.
The Federal Government is the perfect tool for getting the really big things done. Think of all of the wars and the armies we created to save and protect our country. Many times we have been called upon by friendly nations to fend off an enemy. Our involvement usually leaves the world a better place. Our military is the greatest fighting machine in the world and it must remain so to protect others as well as ourselves.
The government can also take a bow for creating the Internal Revenue Service, a necessary function that takes money from citizens and transfers it to the government to pay for defense and multitudes of other not as necessary functions.
The “IRS” has established a system that follows every citizen in the United States and watches them from birth to death, to ensure that a portion of their earned money is taken from them to operate the government"s financial needs. This department was designed and programmed as a national collection agency. It is nearly perfect and perpetual. It achieves it"s goal with few disruptions and zero flexibility. Outside interference is not desired as this would disrupt the system. Though this may seem cold, this government department works perfectly by design. Nothing can stop this machine, except, of course, the bankruptcy of the citizens.
The government also designed departments to watch commerce, provide safety, watch dog our schools, provide transportation, print money and a few thousand more essential and non-essential functions. In most cases they provide what was asked of them. No matter what we ask of the government, they will usually respond and all that they need in return is that they receive the power and the money necessary to carry out their duties. To date and upon our request, the government controls nearly every phase of our lives.
Central government is our nanny and will continue to carry out all of their missions until the bank goes bust.
Free Enterprise and the government
Capitalism is an economic system started and operated by private energies. Its success or failure is determined by competition in a free market. The freedom to do so is called Free Enterprise. Most jobs in the United States are created in this atmosphere where minimum government control is involved. Think individual freedom, ideas and hard work.
America"s greatness is due to the success of Capitalism!
The government"s heavy hand into free enterprise is like trying to mix oil and water. It just never works. The privately owned businesses in America are based on the freedom to exist without government intervention. Success or failure is theirs to bare. Capitalism is the engine that drives America. Free Enterprise is the fuel.
Government ventures are the opposite of free enterprise in that they use public money to achieve a goal. Success is welcomed and failure is unlikely, since cost adjustments can be made and additional infusions of public money is available. Generally we accept consistent, but mediocre results.
Remember that government cannot create wealth. It can only transfer wealth! Every economic downturn is an opportunity for the Progressives and the Socialists to offer government as the new solution. Citizens be aware of the ages old and unrelenting urge to move our country towards Socialism.
Common sense should tell us that most responsibilities turned over to government will guarantee the following;
• Loss of individual freedoms and responsibilities.
• Higher costs and decreased efficiency.
• We the people, lose control.
• A larger and more powerful government.
• Mixed results at best. Harmful results are common.
• Powerful governments will spin out of control and lead to central and absolute authority.
• Government is naturally inefficient. If government was efficient, citizens would be issued refund checks!
• Lastly and the most damning is that government stifles man"s creativity, his energy, his productivity, thoughtfulness, compassion and common sense.
Things the government does well.
And not so much.
We discussed earlier the really big things that a national government does well. At the top of the list is the military. They provide for our country"s protection. We could not exist without them. The feds built our interstate highway and transportation systems. They have been valuable watch dogs in interstate movement, foods, medicines, and other goods. Our justice system and our health care systems are second to none. There are other services provided by the government including the Departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, Economy, Education, Housing, Trade, Commerce, Defense, Energy, Homeland Security, Labor, Interior, Drug Enforcement and the list goes on and on. There are perhaps 600 departments and agencies.
Some federal agencies you may not know.
• “Office of Government Ethics.” A contradiction in terms!
• “Architect of the Capitol.” Wasn"t that completed?
• “Amtrak.” That"s a big money maker!
• “Bureau of the Census.”
• “Census Bureau.” This one must watch the other!
• “Federal Inter•Agency Committee for the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds.”
• “Federal Inter•Agency for Alternative Dispute Resolution Working Group.” Really!
• “National Aids Policy.”
• “Office of Thrift Supervision.” That must be a thrifty group!
• “Railroad Retirement Board”
• “Refugee Resettlement” They must be busy!
• “Stennis Center for Public Service.” What might they do?
• “Transportation Command”
• “U.S. Mint.” Working overtime to produce paper.
• “The White House.” Set up to redecorate every 4 years.
• “Smellcare” • “Healthcare” •“Welfare” • “We pay care.”
• “Public Dollar Housing.”
• “Board to Create Special Packages.” This must be true?
• “Committee To See Who Needs Stimulating.” Get in line!
• “Group To See to it That Everybody Has Everything.” Ditto!
• “National Office of Mandatory Safety for all. Why not?
• “Board of Happiness.” Smile, we"ll take good care of you!
Government
How big is too big?
The answer to the question; how big is too big, may, in part, lie in the previous list (real and unreal) of governmental agencies. Centralized government control by definition is loss of control. Common sense should tell us that these massive departments should be watched closely. When there are questions of legitimacy, inefficiency, inflexibility, incompetence or corruption, warning flags should go up.
Control of these departments and agencies is the responsibility of our congressional representatives. This is like the proverbial “fox watching over the hen house.” Without someone watching over them, they just simply get bigger and more out of control.
Government spending will continue as long as citizens allow it.
Big, incompetent, failing and harmful.
The Department of Education. They fail to educate our students. Billions of dollars are spent and the testing results show that American students do not pass muster. Privatize this demon and get government out of the schools.
A growing government. Their philosophy is threatening capitalism and especially small business and the American dream. When big daddy sticks his nose into business, he will break it!
Federal control over states. Local problems are moved to the federal government by choice or by dictate. Local control is then lost. The simple becomes complex. Example: Abortion was a local problem. It is now a national problem. States need to take back responsibilities. Most everything is better done on the local stage.
Congress. Nearly everything that they do seems to cause harm. Perhaps we should reward them when they do nothing and penalize them when they pass new laws! We need part time volunteers to serve, one term and out. They need to be reminded that they work for us, the American people.
The Environmental Protection Agency. This group has done great harm to our country.
Stop the madness. End this department now. Send these whack jobs back home!
Anti-American groups. If they are in any way supported by the government, it must stop.
Groups like Acorn and the ACLU are but two organizations that may fall into this category. Be watchful of innocent names and sweet sounding agendas. Why don"t we hear the word, traitor, used more often?
Foreign $ Aid. Giving away money to countries seems to create enemies, not friends. In the United Nations, they consistently vote against America and its interests. I"m not saying that we do not offer help. I am saying no more blank checks. There are hundreds of countries receiving billions of dollars a year. Let"s find out who our friends are!
The United Nations. End our membership. End our funding. Encourage the remaining members to find new digs. Sell the building.
My disclaimer
These are a few common sense ideas that may never be implemented. I have some others, but why ruin a perfectly good day? I am so glad that I"m protected by the First amendment. This personal rambling has allowed me to let off some steam. My apologies to those offended, and now it"s back to my side of the cave.
We the decision makers
Is it our decision to ride in the back seat and let the government drive? Or do we choose to be the driver, as we successfully have done as a free people, through free enterprise and capitalism.
Too many people however, have been lazy and/or complacent and have allowed the government, no, asked the government to take more control our lives. We as Americans love our country and we need to take it back! For too long we have sat back and watched complacently, perhaps a bit naïve and a bit lazy, because we wanted someone else to do the hard lifting. We elect and then we forget! We have believed that these leaders shared our values and will fight for them. Well, it"s time to wake up because things aren"t going as planned and the last time I checked the Constitution, “We the people” are still in charge.
We need to wake up, stand up and maybe kick some butt! It starts with you. It starts with town meeting environments. Get together and talk. Elect people who will represent you and throw out those who do not. Character and honesty and values still matter, and there are tons of people who fit the bill! America"s fate is in your hands!
Ask the questions. Do our elected leaders,
• Promote general welfare?
• Follow the constitution?
• Follow what is morally right?
• Pass the common sense test?
• Believe in small government and the free market system?
• Know our wishes when they vote to spend our tax money?
• Know the ramifications of their vote?
• Vote as they said they would?
• Have a record of making good decisions?
• Know well our history?
• Show humility as well as courage?
• Know to whom they work for?
• Pledge allegiance to our flag with a tear in their eye?
Government speak.
Language of the bureaucrats.
For many generations bureaucrats have developed words and phrases not generally used by “John Q. Public.” This micro- lingo may have, early on, been used to set government bureaucrats apart from others. It could have been due to their generally lower pay scale and/or it may have been caused by a perception that government employees did not measure up to their private employee counterparts.
Therefore, “special use words and phrases” may have been first used to set bureaucrats apart and give the perception that they were more intelligent than others. This would also give them the feeling that they were “special” and offer a small measure of power. After all, “the Internal Revenue Service,” does sound better than “the tax collectors.”
Listed below is a partial bureaucrat phrase list.
They would include the following: Ad hoc, amnesty, appeasement, arbitrary, astro-turf, amend, assembly, advance, billion dollar and trillion dollar thresholds, the blame game, burden of responsibility, big oil, big tobacco, big banks, blue collar, bamboozle, co-op, comprehensive, collective, censor, let"s be candid, contingent, continuance, concession, condone, conscribe, reach a consensus, czars, carbon reduction, convene, conspiracy theory, constituent, double down, defer, the doves and the hawks, definitive, denude, demitasse, demonize, denounce, diffuse, discriminate, discretionary, disburse, diversify, dysfunctional, extreme right, the elite, elective, equal rights for all, collective rights, minority rights, excise, exempt, exploratory, fly over country, fact finder, fairness doctrine, fuzzy math, fabricate, gravitas, green jobs, glo