Summer Hiatus

After a wonderful Summer Hiatus, I am ready to get back to blogging. A break from all the political drama is sometimes nice for the soul. I hope you all had a nice summer and are getting ready for November.

- Bonnie

Smoke & Mirrors

Chelsea King was a well rounded17-year old High School student in San Diego, California. Little did she know that a jog in a local park would end in her death. Amber DuBois was a 14-year old FFA (Future Farmers of America) member on her way to purchase a new lamb. She didn’t know that February 13, 2009 would be the day she was killed. The common denominator between Chelsea and Amber is their confessed rapist and killer John Gardner.

This wasn’t Gardner’s first offense. In 2000, Gardner plead guilty to punching a young girl in the face and fondling her. He served 5 years of a 6-year sentence and was released on parole in 2005. Gardner was on parole until 2008, but during that time violated his parole multiple times. Those violations included living too close to a school, suspected marijuana possession, and numerous failures to charge his ankle tracking devise. Any of the violations could have easily placed Gardner back in prison, but he was continually passed through the system.

Since pleading guilty to the rape and murder of both Dubois and King, politicians and Chelsea King’s family are sponsoring a new law named ‘Chelsea’s Law’, in hopes to keep this type of tragedy from happening to other young ladies.

My husband and I don’t have children yet, but want to one day. I can’t, and won’t begin to say that I understand what the Dubois and King families feel right now. If my daughter had been raped, beaten, and murdered – I'd probably be on trial for murder for killing the bastard myself.

Still, if my daughter had been murdered I wouldn’t want a bill named after her. Not because I wouldn’t want a strong piece of legislation to protect other young women, or because I wouldn’t want her memory to be alive and her name spoken for years to come. But why have a law enacted in her memory when so many other similar laws are named after their victims? We have Megan’s Law, Dru’s Law, Jessica’s Law, and Polly’s law just to name a few – but the system still failed Amber and Chelsea because these laws are rarely actually enforced.

This problem is prevalent throughout our legal system. Look at Arizona, the state finally had enough and adopted a state law to combat the failure of the Federal Government to enforce legal immigration laws. The federal law is clear on immigration, and many legal immigrants follow the federal immigration policy and come into the United States daily.

But, the Federal Government has turned a blind eye to the border issue with Mexico. Politicians campaign on border security only to do absolutely nothing. Border towns are being destroyed by Drug Cartels, and just recently a Rancher in AZ was gunned down on his own property.

Yet all politicians do is talk about writing a new, tougher piece of legislation. A piece of legislation that strengthens our Country while being fair to illegal immigrants -you know the illegals that have broken federal law. Maybe if I stop paying taxes the federal gov’t will give me a break, too. Oh, wait. I’m actually a legal citizen. Guess I should bend over and take another one for the team.

Let me make a public service announcement and inform the Senators and Congressmen of one thing. The American people lost our faith in you a long time ago. We see through your smoke and mirrors, and know that you are a group of people that create laws for the sake of creation – without any intention of enforcement. Maybe you should look into writing a law that keeps you in office without a vote in November – because your days are numbered and we are cleaning house!

The Two Point Plan

The healthcare bill is now the healthcare law, and over the next few months, as it's finally read and implemented, the 2700 pages of favors will revealed.

Since the signing of the law, corporations outside the Conservative movement have expressed concerns regarding increases in cost. Last week Rep. Waxman & Rep. Stupak sent official letters to the CEO & Presidents of John Deere, AT&T, Verizon, and Caterpillar. These letters were not invites to the next roundtable or a heads-up about a golf game, these letters were summons to the Hill.

Rep. Waxman and other liberals have accused these corporations of speaking out with political motives. But, any semi-business savvy individual understands why CAT, AT&T, John Deere, and other companies opened the dialogue around the tremendous costs surrounding the bill. On a quarterly basis all publicly traded companies are required to file SEC reports and within those reports are details surrounding the financial health of the corporation. Since the new healthcare law changes the tax structure surrounding Medicare subsidies, many corporations are incurring additional expenses within the 1st quarter. Yes, those costs are significant and will change the cost of healthcare plans companies offer to employees. As a result, consumers will see increases to the cost of goods and services offered by these companies. The CEOs of these large organizations answer to the shareholders, and will find a way to recoup this cost, plain and simple. This has nothing to do with politics. Publicly traded corporations complying with SEC requirements that are, the last time I checked, mandated by the same government summoning these companies to the Hill.

So what's next?

Let's face it, Americans have a short attention span, and Progressives believe that most Americans will forget about the socialist healthcare bill before the November elections. That's why the bill was pushed through; because, the Progressives needed time--time for Americans to forget. This explains why, during a recession, the Obama administration focused on Healthcare, not jobs.

Conservatives need to have a 2 Point Plan in order to combat this Progressive agenda.

Point 1: Don't forget about Healthcare. At every meeting, rally and with every correspondence remind Conservatives that this Healthcare law is one huge step toward socialism. Encourage open dialogue and don't allow the momentum to dwindle.

Point 2: Don't forget there is more to come. The healthcare law was step 1 in the Progressive agenda.

Next on the agenda is Immigration Reform which is simply, Amnesty. No one actually knows how many illegal immigrants are in America. Estimates run from 11 million to 30 million, neither number is reassuring. This is key to the Progressive movement. First, it secures a minimum of 11 million additions to the liberal voting base. Immigration reform is nothing but a numbers game for Progressives.

Following Immigration, watch out for either a National Sales Tax or implementation of VAT (value added tax). Either is needed to pay for the healthcare law and illegal immigration. In a thriving economy, both are a horrible idea. But in a struggling economy, both are suicide.

This is our time! The majority of Americans are frustrated, confused and looking for a sane voice. Let true Conservatism be that voice!

Sometimes we need to remember

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

-Emma Lazarus

Anonymous - Part 2

Anonymous said:

But....ok
Two things:
1) Wanting government regulated health insurance isn't socialism. Sorry, but it isn't. Perhaps you could make the argument with government OWNED health insurance, but not government regulated health insurance.
Also, you don't have to have health insurance. You have to pay a fee if you don't get it, but that fee is 1% of your income, which is probably less than it would cost you to get health insurance. Besides, are you really denying your work-given health insurance? The government also doesn't let you threaten the life of a President or yell fire in a crowded room -- is that Progressives taking away your freedom? The government makes you wear seatbelts -- are you complaining about that terrible loss of freedom?
2) Socialism is an economic movement. Communism is a system of government. You cannot replace democracy with socialism -- it's an impossibility. But that's just words.

I do appreciate your attempts to help this naive progressive understand, but I must confess I still don't understand your clarification. How is pushing through reform ending democracy? There are more Democrats than Republicans in the Congress. The Democrats passed their bill. Did they do it in the best way? No. Did they do it in a shady way? Yes. But in 2008 America voted in more Democrats than Republicans, and the Democrats are passing their agenda. In November, you get to fight this. This means Democracy is still working. 
I totally admire your passion, but simply am having trouble understanding your logic. 
Democrats aren't representing the values of Republicans, so they're ending Democracy? I honestly am having trouble understanding.

Yes, you are correct that Socialism is an economic and/or political theory and democracy is a type of government. I did not refer to the US Government as a Constitution-based federal republic with strong democratic traditions , which is how the CIA categorizes it, not because I want to mislead people or because I don't understand the type of government we have, but because most readers refer to the US as a "democracy", not a "Constitution-based federal republic with strong democratic traditions". Also, most people do not refer to the US as a "representative democracy" we simply say, "Democracy". Since a democracy is a government by the people with freedoms that are secured through the constitution - when I said, "Progressives really think that the battle is won, and that the democracy we flourish in is over." I was implying that under the current bill, which I feel is part of a Progressive agenda, the 'democracy' granted to us by the constitution is being threatened. I wasn't trying to say that we are going from a Democracy to Socialism in terms of form of government. Since the word 'Democracy' is thrown around freely, and since America is Capitalistic (some would argue that point and to what degree we are capitalistic, but that is another can of worms) I assumed, shame on me, that it was implied that I was referring to the replacement of capitalistic with socialistic economic measures.

Democracy, or a Constitution-based federal republic with strong democratic traditions (CBFRSDT, for short), didn't happen over night. Socialism won't happen over night either. It is also a process. Many Conservatives feel that this Healthcare Law is a huge step down that path. In 2007, Obama said,

It is my belief that not just politically but also economically, it’s better for us to start getting a system in place—a universal health care system—signed into law by the end of my first term as president and build off that system to further—to make it more rational—by the way, Canada did not start off immediately with a single-payer system. They had a similar transition step.

The Obama administration passed this bill because they needed a foundation to 'build off'. Clearly it didn't matter what was in the bill. Pelosi said,

we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it

I mean, really? This bill, I mean law, has nothing to do with improving healthcare or cutting cost! It was only a step.

If that isn't enough, the law does NOT cover children with pre-existing conditions. They all thought it did, but I guess that's what happens when not a damn soul reads the bill.

You mentioned that,

Wanting government regulated health insurance isn't socialism. Sorry, but it isn't. Perhaps you could make the argument with government OWNED health insurance, but not government regulated health insurance.

The government is setting up the exchanges that contain 4 tiered plans that the American public is mandated to PURCHASE, in order to meet the minimum coverage requirement. So you are purchasing healthcare coverage from the gov't, which makes it gov't owned, not gov't regulated. That sounds Socialistic to me.

Now to Car Insurance vs. Health Insurance. One, you don't have to drive a car. When you drive a car it is on a public street, and in order to drive you have to obtain a driver's license. If you don't want to drive, then don't - but guess what? If you decide not to drive, you aren't fined. You are FREE to make that choice. And that is the difference!

Any form of Nationalization is a step toward Socialism, and with this Healthcare Law the government is now controlling part of the distribution and production within the healthcare market. America has always been the country with a Capitalistic Free Market based economy, so why are we now going down the Nationalization/Socialist path?

It is just 2700 pages of favors!

Clarification

In response to my post 'The Reckoning', I received this Anonymous comment:

Anonymous said...
You really, honestly in your heart think that Progressives want to end democracy? This kind of hyperbolic rhetoric is terrifying. It no longer extends to policies or ideas, but is now becoming hateful against fellow American citizens who happen to have different ideas than you. Labeling half of the country as evil, freedom-hating socialists is hateful. Can you not make your point without making enemies?

First, to this person, I am not your enemy nor do I want to be your enemy. But on March 21st, 2010 a line was clearly drawn in the sand, not by Conservatives, but by the Liberal controlled Congress and Administration. That is simply a fact. Americans from every race, socioeconomic class, and age have pleaded for a year to be heard and respected. I could post videos of numerous Town Hall meetings, protests, letters, and emails of everyday Americans asking their Representatives to listen to them - only to be ignored. And if being ignored wasn't enough, those very 'Representatives' responded by telling the People that they know what's best for them. Then, adding insult to injury, the Speaker of the House was boasting and laughing on the House Floor before the final vote. The arrogance was sickening.

Let me clear up a few items before I go into what I think Healthcare reform means to true Conservatives.

To answer your first question, "You really, honestly in your heart think that Progressives want to end democracy?" My answer is, Yes. I'm actually surprised you don't. There is currently a book in circulation authored by Richard Creamer titled, "Listen to Your Mother, Stand Up Straight - How Progressives Can Win." A very interesting part of the book is the '10 point plan for the Progressive Agenda for Structural Change." Below are steps 1-3, and it must be a coincidence that all 3 pertain to Healthcare Reform.

1.“We must create a national consensus that health care is a right, not a commodity; and that government must guarantee that right.”
2.“We must create a national consensus that the health care system is in crisis.”
3.“Our messaging program over the next two years should focus heavily on reducing the credibility of the health insurance industry and focusing on the failure of private health insurance.”

I know, I know the next step in your argument is -'not all Progressives think this", but don't you? The Progressive agenda is designed to take America toward Socialism, plain and simple.

Now Healthcare Reform.

Conservatives do a poor job of articulating their position on Healthcare Reform. Yes, reform is needed. Most Americans do not think that Insurance Companies should exclude individuals with pre-existing conditions and no-one in the mist of a medical crisis should lose their coverage. But that doesn't take a 2700 page bill to change, nor does it require the Government take-over of 1/6 of the economy.

In order to reduce cost, you need competition--drop the state-to-state barriers and allow the American Public to be consumers. We will decide what is best for our situation. Healthcare is personal, and no two Americans are alike or need the same coverage. So, let us purchase what is best for our needs. De-regulate the barriers and watch the prices go down!

We ask Doctors to save us. We put our lives in their hands, yet we allow un-godly lawsuits to be filed against them. Why? If the Government wants to regulate an area - then place controls here. Funny how the government has no issue controlling the People, but refuses to consider placing controls around malpractice suits.

This is the first time in our history that the government is forcing the people to purchase something. The choice to be uninsured has been taken off the table. After BHO signs the bill into law, I no longer have the right as an American NOT to have Health Insurance. Yes, a right is being taken away from me.

As much as the Liberals want to say Healthcare is a right, it is also a right not to have it - CHOICE is the true right that is being taken away from the People. To date, nothing has kept Americans from obtaining some form of coverage. That is a key element that most Liberals fail to acknowledge. The avenues to be insured or to have an organization pay for you medical expenses are out there. For instance, the State of California offers Healthy Family or Medi-Cal to families that can't afford coverage, the elderly, and individuals that have lost their jobs. It's not just California that offers coverage; numerous states offer various types of coverage : Alabama, Tennessee ,, and New York - just to name a few. The coverage is there, but doesn't require Federal oversight to maintain. Isn't this really a state issue to begin with?

Not to mention the corruption and closed-door deals. Why should Americans in Wyoming be forced to pay additional taxes to fund the special deal in Louisiana or Florida? Why does Pennsylvania get money for an airport in a Healthcare bill? What does anything about student loans have to do healthcare? Nothing! But all that was part of this bill.

The argument isn't whether reform is needed, but how that reform is delivered!

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

That's right! Don't just blindly sustain some one's poverty - teach them, empower them to succeed and give them the skills to be more. Establishing an entitlement program does nothing but keep people poor. I argue that true compassion is teaching a man to fish not giving him the fish. No Conservative wants to see someone suffer or have less. In fact, according to ABC NEWS, Conservatives care a great deal for the poor:

It turns out that this idea that liberals give more…is a myth. Of the top 25 states where people give an above average percent of their income, 24 were red states in the last presidential election. Arthur Brooks, the author of "Who Really Cares," says that "when you look at the data, it turns out the conservatives give about 30 percent more." He adds, "And incidentally, conservative-headed families make slightly less money. And he says the differences in giving goes beyond money, pointing out that conservatives are 18 percent more likely to donate blood. He says this difference is not about politics, but about the different way conservatives and liberals view government. "You find that people who believe it's the government's job to make incomes more equal, are far less likely to give their money away," Brooks says. In fact, people who disagree with the statement, "The government has a basic responsibility to take care of the people who can't take care of themselves," are 27 percent more likely to give to charity.

Back to my point: it's not THAT healthcare reform is delivered, it's HOW it's delivered. The government should not provide 'product', but insure an environment in which the free market can thrive, allowing people to attain whatever 'product' they want by their own free will!

Conservatives deliver sustainable compassion!

The Reckoning

Each generation faces their own unique adversity. The Second Continental Congress convened on May 10th, 1775 in the mist of the American Revolution and crafted the document from which this country still lives, the Declaration of Independence. The Founding Fathers embodied the Patriot spirit that dwells in each American. Fast forward a few generations to World War II. The freedom of not only America, but the World, rested on the back of the United States. After the blow to Pearl Harbor, all Americans accepted the challenge and went to battle delivering the World from destruction. Most thought that the great battle of the current generation would be Terrorism, but the true battle is Progressivism.

Following September 11th, America was united! Never in my lifetime had I felt such Patriotism, but deep down I knew it would be short lived. Within two years of 9/11, the demons of our society began to creep in and take over media outlets and online blog realms. Conservatives put up little fight prior to Barack Hussein Obama's election in 2008. Maybe our faith in the system was gone or maybe our complacency took over, but either way, we lost the White House and Congress. BHO won the White House by capturing the hearts of the American Independent voter, and preaching "Hope & Change". Obama didn't campaign on any substance, but stood and spewed that he would change the current state of our Democracy, and today he has.

Today, March 21st, 2010, goes down in history, not because of Universal Healthcare, but because our Country just took one huge step away from our Liberty. The Progressives in this Country won this battle because Conservatives were asleep at the wheel.

I argue that March 21st, 2010, isn't a victory for Progressives, but a call to action for America! Fellow Patriots, this battle isn't over - it has just BEGUN! Let the Progressives think they have won, but know that this battle can't be decided with one vote.

Let "THE RECKONING" Begin!

Instead of ignoring our Founding Fathers' wisdom, let's reflect on the battle they won. During the debate on July 1st, 1776, Adams is quoted as saying,

"Objects of the most stupendous magnitude, measures in which the lives and liberties, born and unborn are most essentially interested, are now before us. We are in the very midst of revolution, the most complete, unexpected, and remarkable of any in the history of the world"

Progressives really think that the battle is won, and that the democracy we flourish in is over. Socialism would be an easy blow to deliver to those without freedom, but delivering it to the Republic won't happen until the last Patriot dies. If you feel defeated, broken, lost, discouraged - don't. That is what they want! Rise above, find your Rebel spirit!

Step one is to reach out. Stop being scared to be a Conservative! Tell your family members, co-workers, and neighbors how you feel and why you feel it. Go to TeaPartyConnect.com and find your local TeaParty and get involved, and be prepared for November.

Between March 21st and November a lot has to be accomplished. Those that voted in favor of this Socialist Bill will feel the wrath of the Republic. The very Constitution they hide behind will deliver their fate and the Republic we love will be reborn. It doesn't stop today, or in November. Never again will we become complacent and fail this Republic.

When you feel discouraged or without hope remember that many Patriots died for this very cause! Remember that the sovereignty of this nation lies on you. Each of you are the 'Atlas' of America carrying the weight on your shoulders, and that weight isn't to much to bear!

The State of the Union : A Retrospect

Let me summarize The State of the Union Address with one word, "Unbelievable." But this, my blog friends, is a critical examination of what can only be called the largest gathering of narcissists that blindly sit together to listen to their leader spew utter nonsense.

Obama opened with the statement,

"The state of our union is strong."

Really? How about this Obama: the state of our union is weak. Weak on Jobs, weak from a crushing debt, and weak because we are defenseless against terrorism. Why not tell the American people the truth? As a country we are weak and will become weaker with every step down this path.

At times I thought Obama provided glimmers of hope. Take nuclear power and off shore drilling.

"To create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, more incentives. That means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country. It means making tough decisions about opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development."

I agree. That's why President Bush visited the Tennessee Valley Nuclear Plant in my hometown of Athens, AL during his term. President Bush commended the facility for being under budget and for providing affordable energy. Yes, TVA produces safe affordable energy everyday at the facilities in AL and TN. So what's stopping us from building more Nuclear Plants. To date, Liberals have been the road block. My next thought was why aren't we drilling off shore? The utilization of US oil provided by US workers iscrucial for US security and long-term success. Obama almost sounded like a Conservative, but in the same breath Obama said,

"I am grateful to the House for passing such a bill last year. This year, I am eager to help advance the bipartisan effort in the Senate. I know there have been questions about whether we can afford such changes in a tough economy; and I know that there are those who disagree with the overwhelming scientific evidence on climate change. But even if you doubt the evidence, providing incentives for energy efficiency and clean energy are the right thing to do for our future – because the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy. And America must be that nation."

What? How was Obama not utterly embarrassed by the entire Climate Change debacle? First, the research is nothing but crap. Climate Change amounts to the US giving more money to 3rd world countries. This little Copenhagen venture cost the American taxpayer $1.1 million dollars. In total roughly 106 Government officials (Senators, Congressman, Aids, and Spouses) traveled to Copenhagen. Yet nothing was signed or decided on.

How about the comment,

"let’s also eliminate all capital gains taxes on small business investment; and provide a tax incentive for all businesses, large and small, to invest in new plants and equipment."

Another interesting idea from a Liberal leader, but how is that even an option when the sentence preceding this statement discusses spending $30 billion dollars of tax payer money, and, within moments, the discussion went to Healthcare reform funded by middle America and small businesses.

Besides feeling like one of the most arrogant, condescending people in the world just gave me a lecture, the speech lacked direction, consistency and overall substance with regards to a deliverable agenda. Obama mentioned nothing that is attainable. In 70 minutes Obama promised to give $30 billion to community banks, $10k to families for 4 year college plans, an extension on paying back student loans, free student loans to individuals that go into public service, healthcare reform (again), lifting the pan on gays in the military, a freeze on gov't spending, earmark reform, breaking ground on a high speed train, another jobs bill, ending all the wars, and a million other things that I missed because I was in utter shock.

All the promises came very easily to Obama. Let's face it, this isn't his first rodeo. Obama was elected on the slogan, "Hope & Change" and that is one thing he has delivered on. Still so many Americans are furious with the "Hope & Change" they have received because they really thought Obama was sincere and planned to govern from the middle. (INSERT LAUGH). The election of Obama will be recorded in American History as one huge lapse in judgment. Hopefully, historians will paint our current society as the divided populist it is - euphoric morons and sensible conservatives (I know wishful thinking).

The speech ended with a dramatic call to remember what America is, what ideals we represent, and an attempt to energize Americans to rise up with the Administration and Congress for the greater good. By the end of the speech, I felt like I had been asked to bend over, grab my ankles, squeal like a pig, and then role over and be caressed by my rapist. It was exhausting!