"You Are Being Watched!"

Every day I read the editorial and letters to the editor in our local newspaper: sometimes I agree; sometimes I don’t. There are times I would like to wring the neck of certain writers, or shake some common sense into them. Fortunately for me and for them, we are only connected by printed words, and not close physical contact, thus avoiding possible violence. Even though I have times of frustration when I read the opinions of those with whom I disagree, I’m glad I live in a country that allows diverse views which can be freely expressed without consequence.

In Hitler’s Germany and the old Soviet Union, most writers and speakers were very careful about expressing opinions that could be interpreted as “unfriendly” to the regimes in power. There were laws in place to “discourage” uncomplimentary words. A political opponent who was too vocal could easily find himself in prison, or worse. There was an ever watchful eye in NAZI Germany and Soviet Russia. In the novel “1984”, the slogan throughout the society was “Big Brother is Watching You”, and he was!

Our first amendment guarantees freedom of speech. This is our most valued right; that’s why it’s number ONE! We have newspapers and magazines of all types, periodicals which run the gamut of all subjects. Even certain aspects of pornography fall under the protection of the first amendment. We are not allowed to incite violence, but we are allowed to speak out against what we feel is unjust or illegal without fear of retribution.

As you are reading this, you know that I am primarily a political blogger, who is conservative by nature. I have strong opinions, most of which would probably offend our current President; I don’t care, it is my right to do this.

The National Operations Center is an arm of Homeland Security; it was established last November. This department now has the authority and written permission to collect and retain “personal information” from bloggers, journalists, newspaper reporters and basically anyone who voices an opinion to an audience. This puts all writers or commentators “under the thumb” of this agency. Joe Stalin or the Little Corporal would have loved this stuff; they liked keeping an eye on things!

This is a dangerous tool for any government; especially one that feels political opponents to be “obstructionists”. This will probably not be given too much press by media outlets, even though it threatens them as much as anyone else. It is strange that we have an administration that is more concerned about domestic speech than nuclear weapons from a crazed lunatic, or an invasion of illegal aliens from our southern border. I guess we know who “Big Brother” is watching!

"Third Grade Math?"

Have you ever been made to feel guilty about something? When you were a little kid, did you ever get caught doing something wrong and your siblings never let you forget it? Sometimes we can carry that guilt for years before it can be resolved. That sick feeling in the pit of one’s stomach can do some awful damage to a child, or even an adolescent. I remember as a child a salt and pepper shaker being broken by accident in our home. My Mom was devastated, as this was the only memento of her mother; my Dad later did his best to repair it. I don’t remember who the guilty party was, but I’m sure whoever it was carried that guilt around for quite a while, because it made Mom cry.

We have vilified entire races during time of war, casting an air of guilt on people who had nothing to do with that conflict. Japanese-Americans had an entire division in WWII who performed with great honor trying to take the shadow of guilt and blame away from their families.

No person alive today in the United States of America has owned a slave; no person alive today is responsible for the slavery of Civil War America.

I am not saying we don’t have our share of bigots and morons in America; they are plentiful, and they should be revealed for what they are whenever we find them. This being said, I don’t believe we should continue bearing the guilt of Civil War slavery as a nation, and passing it on to our children. History should be taught, and the reality of slavery should be told, along with the Civil Rights Act and the amazing strides America has made since the 1950s. We have seen Affirmative Action move not only the black population, but other minority groups ahead in the line for jobs and positions of authority.

I do have a complaint though: some parents in Georgia have a problem with their third graders math homework; it reeks of social guilt about slavery! This is a subject that should be covered in an American History class; not math! I will now quote one “math” problem: “Each tree has 56 oranges. If eight SLAVES pick them equally, then how much would each SLAVE pick?” I find this outrageous! Here is a question that is totally offensive: “If Frederick (a slave) got two beatings per day, how many beatings did he get in one week?” WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT?!

I believe this is about keeping guilt alive for generations, after the fact, as a means to continue division between people of all races and creeds. This is an agenda for conditioning a generation of children into believing a 200 year old wrong belongs to them; and IT DOESN’T! This is the type of idiocy we must eliminate from our school system. We should be teaching what America offers today, a chance to succeed, no matter who you are. The upcoming generation must understand they share NO GUILT, and all Americans can get a level “playing field” in our society. We must stress we are a nation of “equal rights”, not “preferred rights”, and the past cannot be changed; only the future can be altered.

"Vigorously Marching Backwards!"

My father grew up during the great depression. He was the youngest of three sons of Italian immigrant parents, and didn’t have what one would consider an opulent life. Even though he didn’t have much, he said he enjoyed his life because of the family he grew up in. Both he and my grandmother told me stories of living with very little, yet still having a good life because of the hope they had living in America. They always believed they would do better because of America’s promise.

My Dad often told me that he wanted me to do better than he had, as his father told him the same thing. We always want more success for our children than we have experienced.

Historically, America has had successive generations that “out succeeded” the previous generation. As an agrarian nation, we produced more than anywhere else in the world; we are the “world’s breadbasket” even today. When America moved into the world’s industrial market, we skyrocketed to the top, both in quality and profit. After the Civil War, there wasn’t a nation on earth that wanted to enter into a conflict with the United States as their enemy; we were a force to be reckoned with. Invention and ambition made America the envy of the world. We made it a point to see that our populous was receiving an education so we could remain “the greatest nation in the world”. Many young minds rose to the apex of their chosen field, be it business, medicine, law or politics, America bred success. I grew up in the early 50s and 60s, which I believe were some of America’s most trying years, yet there were still men and women who reached beyond the times and achieved great success. Even the generation that spawned the “hippies” was doing better than their parents, a real tribute to the American way of life.

We are now in an economy that is said to be in recovery, although we still have an 8.7% unemployment average nationwide, and a debt larger than all previous debt combined. Currently, a study has shown that our personal income fell 6.7% since this so-called recovery. I think this is more like remission than recovery, and this economy is still pretty sick. If you add the figures from the beginning of the “recovery” to date, our collective loss is 9.9%; higher than the Jimmy Carter disaster.

Three years ago, Barack Obama touted “Hope and Change” and then proceeded to blame every economic mistake he has made on George W. Bush. Every government program that has failed have been under Barack Obama; every tax dollar that was flushed away by SOLYNDRA was because of Barack Obama; every affordable used car that was taken away from the working poor because of “Cash for Clunkers” rest on the shoulders of Barack Obama. The generation that is growing up under Barack Obama will not do as well as the previous generation because he has done his best to cut the testicles off of the American dream, while advancing a leftist agenda that is failing right before our eyes. If this generation is falling back, then what can be expected from a society that continues to follow the philosophy of Barack Obama? Are you better off than you were three years ago!

"It Doesn't Take Columbo!"

I watch quite a few “cop shows”. When I grew up, my Mom’s favorite show was “Perry Mason”; you know, the lawyer who always managed to have the real criminal confess while “grilling him on the stand”. Today’s shows have become much more realistic. The new programs get into the intricacies of the law, all of the loop holes and legal tricks that perpetrators use to dodge judgment. It also shows how some criminals get their just desserts for their ill conceived plots. I watch “ME TV” on Sunday evenings which features “Columbo”, a show about a disheveled detective who is much smarter than he looks and he always manages to find the tiniest mistakes that the criminal makes, no matter how brilliant the crook thinks he is. It is always fun to see the expression on the bad guy’s face when Columbo closes the trap, telling the “master criminal” what he forgot to do, thus causing his downfall. It seems every criminal makes a mistake, no matter how careful or clever he may be.

Last week, I wrote about how Barack Obama is twisting our Constitution to advance his political agenda, and about a new law which can suspend a person’s rights to face their accuser and to have a speedy trial while being detained under the H.R.1540 bill. I believe if this law is challenged, it will be found to be unconstitutional. Passing this law was not a criminal act, they followed all the rules as they wrenched away some of your rights.

Last week, Barack Obama bypassed the Senate to install a head for the Consumer Protection Agency. Many Presidents make appointments like this. While Congress is in session, the President is required, by law, to get approval for such appointments. Only when the Senate is in recess can a President make such an appointment without approval; that is the law! Republican members of Congress are outraged by the arrogance of Barack Obama as he flaunts the law and makes another power grab for his office. Oddly, Nancy Pelosi, the House minority leader, says she is “glad and proud” of what Obama has done. I guess Ms. Pelosi doesn’t have much respect for the Constitution or the law either. There have been noises about impeachment and abuse of power bouncing around Capitol Hill since Mr. Obama has decided that the Constitution and Congress are unnecessary.

I don’t think we need Columbo to find the mistake which was made this time: Article 2, Section 2 of the Constitution requires presidential appointees to be confirmed by the Senate before they can take office, unless the Senate is in recess or if the appointments are to inferior offices that Congress has legally given the president power to control. THIS IS THE LAW AS IT IS WRITTEN! The Senate was in session when Barack Obama issued his “royal edict”; he broke the law! He is stealing our Constitution and America must stop him!

"Barack Obama; Constitution Killer!"

Adolph Hitler, Mao, Stalin; these men all did certain things that were very similar; they did their best to stifle dissent from all of their opposition. Labor camps and prison were some of the places that these tyrants sent political and ideological opponents. They used the arms of the government to imprison those too vocal to suit the wishes of those dictators.

In America, we have a Constitution designed to protect peaceful dissent. We have the “Bill of Rights”, the first 10 amendments to our Constitution. They were put in to protect the sanctity of individual rights.

This same document gives us separation of power in the government, so no branch can have undo authority and abuse the rights of the people. Legislative, Executive and Judicial; we all learned this in our grade school social studies class, each branch with different duties, none with ultimate authority. No branch of government should be allowed to dominate the other two; it’s all about “checks and balances”.

Over the last three years, we have seen several attempts to manipulate our Constitution, to twist meaning and pervert intent. We have heard of attempts to censor the INTERNET, not from pornography, but from political views that some in Congress deemed “dangerous”. Strangely, this was never brought up while the “Klan”, “American Communist Party” or the “New Black Panthers” poisoned the screen of countless computers: it only came with the rise of conservative blogs that have become a thorn in the side of the left. Can you say “1^st Amendment” rights?

A new bill was signed into law by President Barack Obama recently. It is called the National Defense Authorization Act, H.R. 1540. To put it mildly, this law “SCARES THE HELL OUT OF ME”. This law gives the president the authority to “detain U.S. citizens without official charge”. I know plenty of people I would like to toss in jail, but they all have the same rights I do; you know, that pesky Constitution!

This bill gives me visions of Gestapo or KGB agents kicking in doors and hauling off people to an unnamed detention center for unknown reasons, for an unknown length of time. NO PRESIDENT SHOULD HAVE THIS POWER! Now Barack Obama has it! This has been done under the cloak of terrorism, but it opens the door to political oppression by a partisan president. Can this be a tool for Barack Obama to use to suppress those who disagree with him? After all, he could conclude that anyone who disagrees with him may have “terrorist intentions”, and off to “re-education camp” they go! Mr. Obama didn’t bat an eye when he signed this into law. Perhaps he saw a great opportunity at the end of his pen!

"Obama; PART TWO"

What is the true philosophy of Barack Obama? Obama has called himself a friend of business, yet he champions over regulation in nearly every industry. He has said he believes in capitalism, yet he believes the government should control our health care system. He wants restraints on the use of our own natural resources at the price of driving fuel costs to record numbers. He has said he unites people, yet he continues to pit black against white; poor against rich and liberal against conservative in almost all of his speeches. He has openly admitted that he surrounded himself with radical council while a student, and was drawn to their viewpoints. He has asked for “forgiveness” from some who have cast aspersions and epithets against America. He has shaken hands with Hugo Chavez, as Chavez disparaged our nation. He said he wants to “even things out” in America; what does that mean? He has bypassed Congress with the appointments of “czars” who answer only to him.

These things say something very serious about our sitting President, something that is very disturbing. It reveals a man who is willing to say anything to achieve his ends at the cost of some of America’s most important safeguards to our rights.

Clement Atlee, Eugene Debs, Salvador Allende and George Orwell would all be very proud of Barack Obama. These are the names of some of the world’s most well known socialists, all who subscribe to the same type of ideals that our current President does. Barack Obama has appointed nearly thirty “czars” since he has been in office: men and women who hold positions of power, yet answer only to Barack Obama. This is something that reminds me of the acts of a “dictator”, not a President. He has supported the acts of the “OCCUPY” movement, in spite of the fact that there have been numerous arrests and even allegations of possible homicide from these miscreant protestors. As Karl Marx called them, they are “useful idiots”; perhaps Mr. Obama feels the same way as Marx did.

I believe underneath everything we see and hear, Barack Obama is a socialist who is dedicated to the reconstruction of the American way of life; even at the cost of our Constitution. Tomorrow, I will be writing about how Mr. Obama is attempting to “quiet” his opposition. To be continued…!

"Barack Obama; PART ONE!"

We are now in the New Year, 2012. What can we expect from our current president? There is an election coming in November, perhaps the most important election in American history to date. I wonder how equipped the American voter is for this election! In 2008, America wanted to make history by electing the first black man to hold the office of Chief Executive of the United States. It is unfortunate that all America did was to try to be “fashionable”, instead of “informed”!

We are eleven months from the next American choice and now we must question our ability as the electorate to exercise good judgment and knowledge in our upcoming choice.

What has happened over the course of the last thirty-six months with Barack Obama? Domestically, we have had unemployment ratings that average over 8%; we have had a health-care system shoved down America’s collective throat by a partisan Congress, even though over 70% of Americans said they didn’t want it; and its expected cost is adding to a debt that is over 14 trillion dollars, which continues to rise. Our southern border is a “screen door” with huge holes in it allowing murderers, rapists, gang members, thieves and terrorists to cross with relative ease. Except for a few dedicated law enforcement officials, border enforcement is only a rumor; and when citizens protest the administration’s casual attitude, they are portrayed as racists and alarmists. Even though there are numerous accounts of violent incursions from “illegals”, these incidents have been discounted by the Obama administration. Drug dealing criminal illegal aliens have put prices on the heads of law enforcement officials and this administration turns a “blind eye”, as most of those officials have been critical of Barack Obama.

The foreign policy of Mr. Obama is questionable, to say the very least. Apology to the Arab nations was Obama’s first priority when he entered office. Personally, I believe America had no reason to apologize for anything; we were the “offended party”. Mr. Obama has virtually castrated our Eastern European missile defense shield, yielding to a sly Vladimir Putin, who most certainly got the best of our inexperienced President.

Iran has given Mr. Obama the “finger” consistently, while Obama pretends it isn’t happening. Our only real friend in the Middle-East, Israel, has been practically deserted while it has been surrounded by “wolves” waiting to pounce. As governments have collapsed in the Middle-East, they are being infiltrated by organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood, who advocate the destruction of Israel, and members of Obama’s administration describe them as “moderates”

This is a very small synopsis of what has occurred during the last 36 months under Barack Obama. I didn’t want to write a book, so I am cutting some of this short, so my readers will have time to digest what I’ve stated. I will write more about Mr. Obama’s “accomplishments” over the next few days. I know it’s a lot to swallow in one bite, so like the movies say: “to be continued”!