Saturday, September 19, 2009

Reflections on the Liberty Rally

I have been energized and encouraged by the reemergence of the conservative movement as exemplified by Tea Parties and Town Hall protest. It seems the movement is growing by leaps and bounds and new organizations and websites are popping up all over the place. The 9/12 march on Washington may have been the largest march in over forty years. There is an energy in the air.

I share the same concerns as others in this grass roots uprising and feel a part of it. I am concerned about the government takeover of much of the financial sector, the auto industry and the attempt to nationalize health care; and, the ballooning national debt; and, the rule by Congressional unconfirmed “Czars”; and, the attempt to move the census bureau to the white house; and, the attempt to abolish the secrete ballot in unionization decisions; and, the attempt to gain power to commandeer the Internet and attempt to curtail free speech on talk radio.

Last night I attended a “liberty rally” in Nashville. I was looking forward to it and was pleased the Liberty Tour was making a stop in Nashville. If not for being out of town today to attend a wedding, I would be partaking in some of the workshops being put on by the organizations sponsoring the Liberty Tour.

I enjoyed the rally but at the same time felt a little unease. Dr. Bob Basso, who portrays Thomas Paine in numerous YouTube videos and personal appearances across the country was the primary spokesman for this event and preformed or spoke for about 45 minutes. He entered the hall from the back and made his way through the crowd in a path cleared for him by security. He was dressed in a revolutionary era custom and the revolutionary era melody of flute and drum music accompanied his move to the stage. He was entertaining. He interwove revolutionary war events and history with current events and issues.

I agreed with most of what he had to say. I cheered also. I also want to throw the bums out. I want to reduce the size of government, etc. etc. I want to “take my country back.” However, I have reservations about some of Basso’s performance. Near the beginning of his performance, Basso said something to this effect: “I have been called a community organiser and to a certain extend I guess I am but,” and here he paused and reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper and held it up and said, “I am a community organiser with a birth certificate.” The audience cheered. Pardon me; I am not going there.

Later in his performance, he nearly advocated secession and resistance to paying taxes. Some of the people in this nation tried that secession thing about a hundred and forty years ago and it didn’t work out so well that time. I am not joining a call for secession. As far as not paying taxes, I am not sure how you do that with payroll deduction in place and anyway I don’t want to see the inside of a jail cell. That is too extreme for me.

I accept that sometimes rhetoric is overblown and excessive. I realize that any popular movement is going to have its extremist fringe. The labor movement, the antiwar movement, and civil rights movement had Communist party members active in those movements. The environmentalist movement has those who spike trees in order to injure loggers and they have people who sit fires to Hummers. The extreme does not define the movement. I accept that in any movement there are those who will push the envelope. I also realize that those who are critics of the movement will seize on the worst examples of excess and attempt to discredit the movement.

I left the event early, not out of disgust but because it was 7:30 and I had not had dinner. I left with mixed feelings. On the one hand, I was pleased to see a large turnout to oppose what is happening in this country. I was pleased to be in the company of like-minded people. On the other hand, I thought maybe they are not “like-minded people"; maybe they are too extreme for my taste. I was also disappointed because I feel that if the extremism is not curtailed the movement will be discredited.

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Friday, September 18, 2009

Signs of an Angry Mob

Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob

Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob
Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob
Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob
Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob
Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob
Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob
Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob
Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob
Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob
Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob
Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob
Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob
Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob
Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob
Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob
Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob
Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob
Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob

Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob
Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob

Tea Party Signs, Angry Mob

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Thursday, September 17, 2009

A guy goes into a bar....

A guy goes into a bar and there is a robot bartender. The robot says, "What will you have?" The guy says "Martini." The robot brings back the best martini ever and says to the man, "What's your IQ?" The guy says, "168." The robot then proceeds to talk about physics, space exploration and medical technology.

The guy leaves, but he is curious, so he goes back into the bar. The robot bartender says, "What will you have?" The guy says, "Martini". Again, the robot makes a great martini, gives it to the man and says, "What's your IQ?" The guy says, "100." The robot then starts to talk
about NASCAR, Budweiser and John Deere tractors.

The guy leaves, but finds it very interesting, so he thinks he will try it one more time. He goes back into the bar. The robot says, "What will you have?" The guy says, "Martini", and the robot brings him another great martini. The robot then says, "What's your IQ?" The guy says, "Uh, about 50."

The robot leans in real close and says, "So... you people still happy you voted for Obama?"

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Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Video: Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) Calls For Bipartisanship

On Health Care:

"I would tell the President that it would truly be my hope, that on the issue of health care, that we would come together and work in a bipartisan manner for the good of the country and for the future of our children and precious grandchildren. Let us reduce, actually reduce, what the federal government is spending and begin to get our fiscal house in order."


Blackburn Soundbite #1: 9-12 Crowd Calls For Reduced Spending

"I think that this crowd is absolutely fantastic. I mean, a million people that bring a message to Washington that you spend too much, that you need to get your fiscal house in order, that we are tired of government having first right of refusal to our paychecks. I think this is fantastic."

Balckburn Soundbite 2: Asks People To Know What Is In The Bills

"I like to say that we are the party of know, K.N.O.W. Know what is in all of these bills."


Comment: I love Marsha Blackburn! She is smart, and principled and it doesn't hurt that she is so damn charming and cute. I would like to see Corker run for President and Marsha run for Corker's senate seat. After, eight years of a Corker Presidency, Marsha for President!

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Nashville Liberty Rally

American Liberty Tour
Tennessee Patriots,
The time is here! The American Liberty Alliance and the American Liberty Tour will be in Nashville for the Nashville Liberty Rally this Friday evening.

Come hear Joe the Plumber, Nashville's own Ken Marrero, Eric Odom of TaxDayTeaParty.com, Corie Whalen of the Boston tea Party, Erick Erickson of RedState.com, Caleb Howe of RedState.com, Adam Bitely of NetRightNation.com and many more!

The rally is scheduled to kick off at 6:00 PM on Friday evening,

at the following address: Nashville Municipal Auditorium
417 Fourth Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37201

ALSO!!!!!Don't forget to register online for the RootsHQ Conference happening in Nashville this Saturday. All Tennessee Residents get in for just $10 bucks.To get the discount, just use code "liberty" when you choose the regular registration.
Visit RootsHQ2009.com for more details and online registration.

Register/RSVP for the Activist Training and Liberty Rally Happening in Your Area
Among other topics, the Activist Training Program provides information on:
How to FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) state and local government bodies.
How to build a coalition for a cause.
How legislative and executive bodies work.
How to utilize new media.
Much, much more! REGISTER ONLINE FOR TRAINING
The American Liberty Rally in your area can be found on our RSVP here.
Make sure you RSVP online so we know you're coming!
RSVP FOR YOUR LOCAL LIBERTY RALLY

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Why not a President Corker?

By A.C. Kleinheider, The City Paper, Sept. 13, 2009

A little over a week ago a news organization finally asked Sen. Bob Corker straight up what many had been wondering: Are you thinking about running for President in 2012? As is oft the case with these things, the denial was vague with plenty of wiggle-room. His office is not working on it. His wife would be surprised if he ran — and so on. (link)

Comment: Run Bob, Run!

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Tuesday, September 15, 2009

The ObamaCare Comic Book

ObamaCare,Health Care

ObamaCare,Health Care

ObamaCare,Health Care, tort reform
ObamaCare,Health Care
ObamaCare,Health Care
ObamaCare,Health Care
ObamaCare,Health Care, Barack Obama

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Monday, September 14, 2009

ObamaCare Practitioners Revive Discarded Treatment

Please look at the medical devise below. Do you know what it is?

I am not making this up. This devise was used to perform a popular medical procedure from about 1745 until 1811. To read more about it, see Wikipedia's entry Tobacco Smoke Enema.

Tobacco Smoke Enema
This Old Tool has been reintroduced in Washington D.C. by the Obama Administration. Are you starting to feel it yet?

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Obama and the Cult of Personality

by Steven Cohen, Daily Grind, Sept. 14, 2009

While historians continue to be divided among the factual and the apocryphal, at the conclusion of the American Revolution, so the legend goes, George Washington was confronted by a movement within the Continental Army to declare him king. According to the story, a major proponent of the plan was Col. Lewis Nicola, a Frenchman who had fought under Washington alongside the colonists. The proposal was supported by a group of influential Army officers who evidently had little understanding of the man who had just led them to victory.

When Nicola put forth the idea for Washington's consideration, he received an immediate response laced with scorn and revulsion: "Let me conjure you then, if you have any regard for your country, concern for yourself or for posterity, or respect for me, to banish these thoughts from your mind and never communicate, as from yourself or any one else, a sentiment of like nature."

Thus did the nation's most revered Founding Father set the country on a democratic course that would explicitly reject the cult of personality. The ensuing centuries would produce dozens of American statesmen and scoundrels with unique qualities and defects that would capture the country's attention and occasionally even its collective imagination, from presidents like Jackson, Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, JFK and Reagan, to demagogues like Huey Long and Joseph McCarthy. But unlike Argentina's enthrallment with Juan and Eva Peron as well as numerous other examples in South America, Europe and the Far East, America has never succumbed to the cult of personality by surrendering its liberties to any movement based on a pledge of unquestioned devotion and loyalty to the will of a single individual.

Perhaps for the first time in our history since Washington, the nation's present leader has come to power through the cult of personality, except this time he appears to welcome and encourage the movement surrounding him rather than reject it, as Washington did, in the interests of democracy. Barack Obama ran a campaign largely based on personal charisma as well as the promise of "change." As with most personality cults, he found a receptive audience among a restive electorate generally dissatisfied, if not disgusted, with the outgoing administration on many counts, including already out-of-control government spending and two wars that appeared to be going nowhere. The economy had already begun to crumble under the weight of a growing financial crisis. These were nearly perfect conditions for candidate Obama to seemingly parachute into the fray out of nowhere, armed with a studied "cool" demeanor, a genuine gift for eloquence, and a powerful ally in the news media that followed him with an unprecedented fawning obsequiousness that gave him a free pass on crucial issues such as legislative experience, personal judgment, and character.

Thus it is actually less remarkable than it seems that a very junior and untested politician, distinguished by nothing other than the most liberal voting record in the Senate during his very brief tenure, managed to get elected, tripping up a battle-hardened, doggedly determined Hillary Clinton in the primaries, and rocketing past a passé and enervated John McCain in the general election. It was a campaign run with a paucity of substance, relying instead on vague slogans and promises, fueled largely by the candidate's personal charm and verbal genius. A news media awash in moral rectitude over the county's ability to depart from its racist history and elect its first black president sealed the deal.

Encouraged by a huge victory based on an attractive but empty message, it should be no surprise that Mr. Obama, in his first six months, has embarked on a course apparently unencumbered by political comity, legal niceties, or fundamental fairness. That accounts for a number of unprecedented administration moves including ramming through vast expenditures of money for "stimulus" and bank bailouts; sinking tens of billions of taxpayer dollars into failing car companies largely as a political payback to unions; waving aside traditional bankruptcy principles and contract law, thereby impoverishing secured bondholders, again for the purpose of delivering to the unions; attempting to rush through a thousand-page healthcare "reform" monstrosity that runs contrary to the wishes of millions of Americans who do not want the government meddling in their personal health choices; endorsing the demonization of citizens who appear at public meetings to exercise their right to disagree with the mammoth expansion of government influence; enabling a thoroughly politicized Department of Justice to conduct a witch hunt among public servants who acted to protect the country during a time of maximum distress and vulnerability, thereby exposing America to future terrorists attacks and bloodshed; and conducting a foreign policy based on apologizing for American's supposed transgressions while "reaching out" to dictators, despots, and murderers in a blatant effort to appease them.

Having pulled off much of this extra-legal program nearly unimpeded, and thus convinced of the force of his personality and will, the president has proceeded to surround himself with a shadow government largely outside the purview of Congress or the public at large. This shadow government consists of literally several dozen appropriately-dubbed czars and czarinas who allegedly perform "duties" already amply covered by the various cabinet-level departments of government. They consist of a widely varied assortment, from bona fide experienced officials like Dennis Ross, a long-time Mideast diplomat, to numerous blatant political contribution paybacks, as well as ultra left-wing venom-spewers like "green jobs" czar Van Jones, a dedicated and openly-avowed racial instigator and socialist. It is, indeed, an eclectic collection, immune from congressional vetting and confirmation, and largely out of the public's sight.

In other countries and cultures, "strongmen" surround themselves with such individuals. Libya's Moammar Gadhafi and Venezuela's Hugo Chavez come to mind, both of whom are high on the list of Obama's "reach out and express contrition" list. And one should not forget the ousted president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya, on whose behalf the Obama administration is pressuring the legal institutions of Honduras, which have acted according to that country's constitution and the wishes of its people, to welcome this power-hungry despot back with open arms.

The conventional wisdom, even among a media throng that remains large supportive of the president and his now patently socialist agenda, is that the administration's radical legislative initiative might unravel as the result of the significant public turbulence over the healthcare bill and its "public option." That view is somewhat simplistic and omits an important component of the present American public/Obama administration dynamic. Healthcare, of course, is a critically substantive issue in which the vast majority of Americans have an acute interest. Substance, of course, was never the strong suit of the Obama operation, either in its candidacy phase or in its present administrative form. That the public should become disenchanted with genuine policy positions, then, whether they involve healthcare, the economy, taxes, deficit spending, or the general role of government, is hardly shocking. It may simply be a case of voters beginning to discover that the governing agenda of the candidate they elected does not align with their own interests and values.

The far more telling event that perhaps represents a growing rift between the president and his fellow citizens occurred just this week, and it was an episode that had nothing to do with legislative initiatives or public policies to which voters might object. Instead, it was an effort by the president that seemed to strike a nerve among a populace imbued with a historical rejection of the cult of personality. Thus, what has normally been an almost controversy-free tradition of a president addressing school children on their fall return has turned into the latest White House misadventure. Parents have raised objections all over the country, and many, if not most, local school boards are making attendance optional. The strongest objections, of course, are in largely Republican strongholds, where many districts have decided to not air his message at all. But an ambivalent, if not unreceptive response, is taking place nationally.

It is testimony to the growing general distrust of the president—on a personal rather than political basis—that many parents have viewed his speech as an effort to indoctrinate children with his radical thinking. The president did not help his case by suggesting to teachers that they formulate lesson plans in which students would be assigned to write letters to themselves on what they can do to "help the president." This only added fuel to the fire of parents' suspicions that the speech was nothing more than a thinly-veiled effort to gently nudge children into the cult of Obama. One parent on a nationally-televised news program asked why she should give access to her school-aged child to "someone I don't trust."

Putting aside all of the partisan conflicts and controversy over a host of legislative issues, the American public—on its own and away from Congress—is beginning to display a decided distrust of a politician who based his candidacy—and now his presidency—on a personality cult.

Comment: I agree and have expressed similar views. The adoration that many have for President Obama is indeed frightening.

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Sunday, September 13, 2009

Was Joe Wilson Right? Will illegal Immigrants be covered under Obamacare?

I am as adamantly opposed to the current proposals for "reforming" health care as anyone, but the truth does matter. Like a lot of issues surrounding the proposed health care reform, the answer to the question of whether or not it covers illegal immigrants is not absolutely clear, but the preponderance of evidence indicates that the proposals for health care reform would not cover illegal immigrants in any significant number. This from FactCheck.org:

The House bill (the only bill to be formally introduced in its entirety)specifically says that no federal money would be spent on giving illegal immigrants health coverage:
"H.R. 3200: Sec 246 — NO FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS

Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on
behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States."

The Christian Science Monitor has this to say: "Obama was correct in asserting that illegal immigrants would be barred from receiving subsidized health benefits by language included in all proposed Democratic reform bills. A recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report that looked at this issue noted, for instance, that to be eligible for help under the House health reform bill, “individuals must be lawfully present in a state in the United States.”

Does that settle it? No, not quite. According to Politfact.com: "the bill does not include a mechanism for verifying citizenship. So illegal immigrants would have the chance to purchase insurance in the public option.." This assumes the final bill provides a public option.

So, would some illegal immigrant get subsidized health care? Probably. Very many? Probably not.

One thing that opponents of the proposed health care reform should keep in mind is that now there are laws on the books that require hospitals to treat ill people who arrive at the hospital, regardless of immigration status. That would not change under the current proposals. Providing health care at emergency rooms is not a very efficient means of delivering health care. We who pay taxes and who pay insurance premiums now pay for that service for those without insurance who get their health care at emergency rooms.

I have talked to nurses and others knowledgeable people who complain about the large number of illegal immigrants clogging emergency rooms. I know that it is a problem. I, however, would not support laws that would turn away a severely ill or injured person regardless of immigration status.

Another thing to keep in mind is that many illegal immigrants currently have private insurance. Many illegal immigrants have credit cards, own homes, pay taxes, and otherwise participate in the American economy. Nothing under the proposed laws would prohibit them from continuing to have private insurance.

I work for a non-profit organization that is next door to a public health clinic and a WIC (women, infants and children) store. The organization I work for also offers English as a Second Language classes and has other connections with providers of services to immigrants. I know for a fact that pregnant illegal immigrant women who qualify get free pre-natal care and WIC vouchers with which they purchase food. After the child is born, the child is an American citizens. The child then gets free medical care if the family qualifies and the family continues to get WIC vouchers to purchase food for the child. One may not like it, but that is what is in place now.

The issue of "anchor babies" and the issue of illegal immigration are serious issues. I support securing our borders and stopping the flow of illegal immigrants into this country. However, I also think that we need comprehensive immigration reform as was proposed by former President George W. Bush. The issue of what to do with the twelve to twenty million illegal immigrants in this county is a separate issue from the issue of health care reform.

On balance it looks like Obama is right and Joe Wilson is wrong. From all I can discover, the concern that health care reform would cover large number of immigrants is unfounded. There are plenty of reasons to oppose Obamacare; the immigration issue is not one of them.

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Joe Wilson, the Heckler

Sherry at Lipstick Election posted an insightful article today on the Joe Wilson incident. Sherry says she has known Joe Wilson for 39 years and used to regularly play cards with him. She is surprised by his behaviour. Below is an excerpt from her post:

The Joe Wilson I knew then and now is not the congressman I saw yell out during the president’s speech to Congress on Wednesday night.

Joe is one of the most non-confrontational people I’ve ever known. He is friendly, polite, easy-going and generally not argumentative. He has always been one to stand firmly for his principles without being belligerent.
Follow the link to read the balance of Sherry's post and my comment. I agree with Sherry that Wilson's yelling out "You lie" during the President's address was inappropriate. He has apologised, the President accepted his apology and that should end it. I hope the Democrats do try to censure him however. It they do, it will backfire.

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