Let's get the country moving in the right direction

Take a look at my guest contribution to The 912 Project website.

Let's get the country moving in the right direction

On this one you have to pay attention to a deeper meaning. Hint: It helps to know who Emily Litella is.

Are you a Survivor?

Right now I'm reading The Survivors Club by Ben Sherwood. The book has instructions on how to go to The Survivors Club website to take a very well put-together test to determine your survivor profile.

I found my style to be that of a "Thinker" (imagine that) with my top three survivor tools being "ingenuity, intelligence, and adaptability." More on this later.

While reading further in the book today, I came across the story of a survivor, Brian Udell, who asa jet pilot was forced to eject from his F-15, travelling over 800 miles per hour, less than 1000 feet over the sea. To summarize his ordeal, he was severly injured, breaking both legs and one arm along with multiple other internal injuries.

Dr. Ken Kamler, who is vice president for education and scientific research for The Explorers Club of New York, and who studies such survivals, was asked about the factors that lead to Brian Udell's survival.

When asked about Udell's ordeal, Dr. Kamler's explained:

"...five out of six people on earth depend on civilization to stay alive. Without eye doctors and corrective lenses, many of us wouldn’t be able to see, let alone earn a living. Without supermarkets, we wouldn’t be able to feed ourselves. Without sewage systems and water treatment facilities, many of us would succumb to cholera and other diseases. “All of us are descendants of survivors,” he says. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here.” But with modern society protecting and sustaining most of us, he continues, “we don’t really know if we have that instinct for survival anymore.” Kamler believes in an interesting duality. On the one hand, we’re “far more fragile than we’d like to admit. If our protection breaks down, we die easily.” On the other hand, he says, he’s witnessed the “the body’s enormous capacity for survival.”

I began to wonder. If modern society has become the major mechanism that contributes to our ability to survive physically, does the evolution of a paternalistic government become our crutch to survive our loss of rights and freedom as well?

In other words, I hypothesize that the creeping growth of big national government, progressivism, political correctnes and a movement toward socialism, weakens us mentally and emotionally in our ability to survive on our own without big government.

Some of my friends and neighbors who are alarmed by this trend also seem to be frustrated by not knowing what to do. I don't know if this is just a coincidence or does it tend to support my hypothesis. This hypothesis, if true, scares me.

I thought back to the test. I'm a "Thinker". I have the tools to figure this out. This blog, the people I read and follow on Twitter and books and blogs that I read are providing me with a lot of new information. I think I've figured out that to reverse the movement toward socialism, the two key activities one can engage in are 1) learning and 2) sharing that learning with others.

Learn what you can about history. Learn what the politicians are doing. Listen to and learn from those you respect when they give you analysis and synthesis of current events. Then act.

Find others with whom you share the same alarm. Band together in informal neighborhood and local groups. Discuss and debate. These efforts will provide you a with a better understanding of what's happening. They will give you "talking points" to share with others and with your elected officials.

If you are good at explaining things in a logical way, become a speaker to groups of people who are in the early stages of this new awareness. Don't merely speak, but provide them at places they can go for self-education.

We cannot with this struggle with ignorant voters. Educate yourself, then share yourself with others.

Judge Andrew Napolitano on FOX News?

Apparently, FOX News has an opening for a new show. Judge Andrew Napolitano is being considered for the slot.

I enjoy listening to the Judge, as he is, of course, knowledgeable not only of the law but of the Constitution. I have listened to his radio talk show from time to time and it's very good. Of course, he appears from time to time on various FOX News shows as a guest. It's time for him to be on TV with a show of his own.

If you wish to make your veiws known to FOX News, email them at yourcomments@foxnews.com.

This should scare the complacency out of you!

For anyone who loves this country, I urge you to view the following document:
http://www.pushhamburger.com/morenews12.htm

This is from www.pushhamburger.com which is an awesome site and will help keep you abreast of what is happening to your country. I knew there was a problem, but NEVER imagined it went this deep already. The problem is our government is aiding and abetting those who want to take our liberty away from us. It sounds crazy, but honestly, the day of global governance will be here before the end of the current administration's term in office. It has nothing to do with party either. Both the republicans and the democrats are working in concert to destroy the country we were raised to believe in. I beg you, please, invest the half hour to read this. It's urgent. It starts out like this:

By Henry Lamb

This report attempts to consolidate four years of research, hundreds of documents, and thousands of pages of material into a brief, concise word picture of how the international community has been able to move society to the brink of global governance. We hope our efforts to achieve brevity have not sacrificed clarity. At the very best, this report is no more than an introduction to a process that has been underway for many years. We have provided extensive endnotes to encourage readers to expand their studies and form their own opinions. We are convinced that the form of government created by the U.S. Constitution is in serious danger of being overwhelmed by the new spirit of Globalisim that is, in fact, a well conceived, well executed agenda to achieve global governance. Global governance, as it is conceived, and as it is being implemented, cannot tolerate individual freedom or private property rights as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.The conflicting philosophies of governance are on a collision course. On the one side is a small handful of people who have recognized the erosion of Constitutional principles in recent years. On the other side is a tidal wave of UN organizations and agencies, reinforced by a multitude of non-government organizations, sweeping across the planet, flooding societies with the notion that problems can be solved only through remedies offered by and imposed through the massive UN system.We hope this report will be a starting point that will serve as a catalyst for a variety of responses that result in a reaffirmation of the values enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Ultimately, it is the values, beliefs, and attitudes that celebrate, protect, and promote individual freedom that can empower societies to overcome whatever problems that arise. These are the values that offer solutions to the world's problems. These are the values that America can share with the world. These are the values being eroded by the rise of global governance.We wish to acknowledge with deep appreciation the efforts of those who reviewed this report: Dr. Margaret Maxey; Dr. Michael Coffman; Floy Lilley, JD; Tom McDonnell, and Willy Peterson. Their work helped to improve both the accuracy and readability of this information. The content, however, along with any errors that may remain, are the sole responsibility of the author.

We hope this publication will be useful to all who cherish freedom

Thoughts on Citizenship Duties

Today, in a spare moment, I thought I would see how high this blog rates on Google. So I checked "Born Again Citizen" and found I came up number 10! Not bad I guess.

But while scanning down the list, I found the number three entry was titled "Confessions of a Born-Again Citizen" and came from the March 29, 1998 issue of the Los Angeles Times. The title piqued my curiousity, so I opened it to read. The article was written by a man, Jario Marin, who had just finished the naturalization process and was waiting anxiously for a notice of when his swearing-in ceremony was to be.

In Jario's case, "born again citizen" meant becoming a citizen of a new land. Through the naturalization process he became more aware of his lack of participation in his former country, and the possibilities of participation here in the United States.

"I used to take my citizenship for granted. Now I take it very seriously. I wonder why I did not vote in my country of birth or why I was not more involved in the political process."

As he progressed thru the classes Jario became aware that,

"The naturalization process makes us born-again citizens; we look around and see that we can be a mentor or a volunteer in a community organization or be involved in a neighborhood watch program. That is what makes an American a good citizen and it is curious to see myself this patriotic."

He continued,

"The greatest of the privileges we earn as new citizens is the right to vote and the confidence that our opinions can make a difference."

It then occurred to me that many natural-born Americans either never have had, or have forgotten the dutes that their citizenship conveys upon them. Just look at the area of voting. Statistics show that usually less than half of our citizens who are eligible to vote, actually vote. According to the United States Elections Project, since 1972 we have never had a Presidential election where more than 60% of those eligible to vote actually voted.

What causes that? Is it a lack of, in Jario's words, "....the confidence that our opinions can make a difference"?

I could go on with the similar questions concerning volunteerism, political activism, charity, and so forth, but I think you get the point.

I would like to suggest a national day be designated, maybe every two years just before Congressional elections, where American citizens can have their own re-affirmation ceremony. The day might be called "National Citizenship Day".

The ceremony should be community-based and have a speaker or two from the community speak briefly about or duties as citizens. Then, as a community, we would all recite aloud a pledge to affirm our duties and recommit ourselves, as American citizens, to our community, state, and nation. To make the gathering even more meaningful, tables could be set up for all sorts of community organizations. At the tables they would showcase their missions and allow people to learn about opportunities to be better citizens and to "sign up" for participation if they chose to do so.

What do you think? Do you have an idea for a better name for the day? Who can write a good pledge?

Just one last thought. Have you ever read the pledge that new citizens take at their swearing-in ceremony? It might surprise you. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oath_of_citizenship_(United_States).

New Blog Contributors

I'm pleased to announce that I have convinced my friends Bill and Desiree to be guest contributors to the blog. We often share the same ideas and stands on issues. Both of them make their livings by crafting words into meaningful publications. Please welcome them to the blog

There's More to Cap and Trade Than Global Warming

There's been lots of talk lately since "Dr. O" announced his new miracle drug, "Cap and Trade". Much of the criticism surrounds the cost of the drug. But, it's proponents extol its virtues and justify the cost by saying how it will help cure the epidemic that will ultimately lead to our extinction. The disease it treats, of course, is "global warming".

Oh wait, we can't call it that anymore. The media consultants to the envirnmentalists are now urging a re-branding of the movement. In an article in the May 1 New York Times, ecoAmerica, a nonprofit environmental marketing and messaging firm in Washington urges us now to:

"talk about 'our deteriorating atmosphere.' Drop discussions of carbon dioxide and bring up 'moving away from the dirty fuels of the past.' Don’t confuse people with cap and trade; use terms like 'cap and cash back' or 'pollution reduction refund.' "

Read the whole article.

So, now when we speak to our friends and neigbors, we must direct the conversation to "cap and cash back" or "refunds." Cash back? Really? You and I are getting cash back from the drug? Not likely. Like all drug companies, the cash goes back to the drug company, not to the afflicted patient. Likewise, the carbon dioxide cash back goes to Dr. O so that he can finance the development of new drugs! Pretty slick eh? After all, without the cash back scheme, we will just have to pay more for our "governmental premiums" (income taxes).

Even better, Dr. O has an orgainzed legion of drug "detail men" (the eco-Nazis) to sell the new drug for him for free, and keep the results of their sales (the cash back). This is a beautiful scheme for Dr. O because the detail men volunteer their time, rather than ask for a just compensation for their efforts.

But, down deep, Dr. O and the detail men know that his cash back drug is not really going to help the patient at all. The reason is, that 80 of the world's population is not only NOT going to buy the drug, they are busy making the disease worse by incubating more of it and spreading it to others.

Let me explain. Only 20 percent of the world's nations have the resources to control carbon emissions. This same 20 percent are the nations that also are taking the cash back drug (and washing it down with government Kool Aid). The other 80 percent (the "poor," undeveloped nations) cannot afford "clean" technologies. These countries have huge deposits of "dirty" fuels that they will burn because that's all they can afford. These poor, underdeveloped countries will emit more carbon dioxide, collectively, than the other 20% of the world's rich nations combined. By the way, included in the list of poor nations are China and India! Huh???

Having large reserves of cheap, dirty fuel and no mandate to adopt cap and trade taxes, puts them at a competitive advantage in the cost of producing goods. Hence, more jobs from the developed countries move to the poor countries, thereby raising their standard of living. Holy cow!!! The cash back drug has the side effect of wealth redistribution!!!

Think of it, one "drug" gives our politicians more money to further reengineer our society, to save our planet, and to redistribute our weatlth all at once. This is truly a miracle drug.

Copyright 2009, Chuck Schaeffer. All rights reserved.

Hooray for Judge Napalitano

Last Friday on Glen Beck's 9/12 Project TV program, Judge Andrew Napalitano uttered one of the most quotable quotes I have ever heard:

"When the people fear the government, that is tyranny. When the government fears the people, that's liberty."

He attributed this quote to Thomas Jefferson. Well said, Tom.

Today, 5/6/09, Glenn did a very good follow-up interview with Judge Naplitano on Glen's daily radio program. The judge discusses a constitutional convention to repeal the 16th amendment which concerns the income tax, and the concept of nullification. I had never heard of the concept and was fascinated to find out how certain states are using it. He also summarized the Dread Scott Decision, which is also the subject of the Judge's new book.

You can find a text transcript or hear the audio here. The audio runs about 14 minutes, and if you are a fast reader, you could read it somewhat faster.

Day One

Since Inaugruation Day 2009, the actions of Barack Obama's administration have served, in my mind, as a wake-up call to what has happend to our political system over the last hundred years or so.

Prior to Obama, the creep of the Progressive movement remained off my radar screen. But the financial rescues that were perpetrated on the taxpayers in the last days of the Bush administration, followed by the orgy of pork-laden spending in the first days of the Obama administration truly served as a wakeup call to me and many of my close friends.

Over the past one hundred days I have been consumed by reading and information gathering. Besides paying attention to what goes on in the financial industry, I have paid much closer attention to what's going on in the political "industry" in Washington DC.

To illustrate why I think that speaking out to educate my fellow citizens is necessary, let me quote from a recent Rasmussen Poll conducted in late April, 2009. In this poll 27% of Americans polled thought President Obama was either a moderate or a conservative. Four percent had no idea. But, his voting record, his appointments and his vision for the country positions him squarely as a liberal. Nearly 1/3 of Americans have no idea of the kind of leadership that is in power right now.

Hence, the realization of my calling starts here.