The New (Old) Declaration of Independence

"But what do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments, of their duties and obligations... This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution."

--John Adams, letter to H. Niles, 13 February 1818

The American Revolution was as much a state of mind as it was a military conflict. This revolutionary attitude was conveyed quite succinctly in The Declaration of Independence as grievances against the Crown were addressed. The authors were quite clear and left nothing to chance as this historic document was written. With a few subtle edits, this document could be sent to Washington today, and be as relevant as it was 233 years ago. What if......?

“When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”

“Political bonds” should read “political bondage”. As our Federal system decides, by executive authority to seize private entities on the basis of “Recovery”, we climb higher and higher on the slippery slope.

“....That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.”

I’ll keep this portion verbatim. The right of each sovereign state to determine its own destiny is all but gone.

“He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.”

The Supreme Court has morphed into the last word as an extension of the Oval Office. The Court is nothing more than an expediter of political agendas as opposed to an unbiased interpreter of the U.S. Constitution. This body will continue to siphon away the rights and guarantees as succinctly outlined in the aforementioned document.

“For imposing taxes on us without our consent...”

Just look at your phone bill, or cable bill, or liquor, cigarettes, gasoline, electricity, pay stub, etc. “Our consent” falls into the hands of our elected officials, which, in theory, are the basis of a “Republic”. The Founders didn’t count on lobbyists to line the pockets of our congressional representatives.

“For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments...”

This is a big one. The very basis and foundation of our form of government has been usurped by power and greed, with very little emphasis on what is best for the masses. While on the surface, our system functions in its original form, but we must only have to scratch the surface to reveal the cancerous underbelly of the system which doesn’t reflect the original intentions of the Founders.

“He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare is undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.”

Substitute “Indian savages” with “ACORN”.

“A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”

Our current resident of the White House, who has been referred to as “The Messiah”, has no business sitting in the chair that oversees the free world, because tyrants and egomaniacs care nothing about freedom, and free people get in the way of personal agendas (see Supreme Court).

“We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.”

I’ll keep the “United States of America”. This great moniker has been replaced by the “United Socialist States of America” (see the Late, Great U.S.S.A. posted below). We’ll replace “British Crown” and “Great Britain” with “U.S.S.A.” I’ll keep the balance of the above summary as is.

Article I, Section 10 would consider this an act of treason, unless each state acted independently, for Section 10 forbids any alliance or confederation between states. We’ll take our chances. The system is broken, and one little act of perceived treason shouldn’t keep us awake at night. After all, Jefferson Davis and his associates got a pass after the War Between the States.

Not to digress, but the fact that is has been done before, and despite the 700,000 or so deaths recorded during this conflict does little to assure me that it couldn’t happen again. This would be the worst of all scenarios, because war as a tool for conflict resolution really has not worked since WWII.

There are those who believe the issue of states rights became a dead issue after of the U.S. Civil War. While the abolition of slavery was absolutely the right and moral thing to do, the whole concept of state sovereignty was only hidden from public view.

As the libertarian philosophy experiences increased exposure, the ranks of the Democratic Party and the GOP have dropped. “Independents” comprise a larger portion of the voting populace than either of the two main parties. Let’s take that enormous body of “undecideds”, give them a bonafide and qualified reason to support a new/old political philosophy which is all about personal freedom through personal responsibility so I don’t have to send the edited version of the Declaration. We, as a body, can declare our Independence through the ballot box. Last time, we got what we asked for. There is still time to take it back.

‘What if politicians were all good guys
Oh Lord don’t we wish they were
We would not be so dependent
On courts of laws that make us all feel like defendants sometimes
If we want freedom we’ve got to amend it
On our way down
There’s nobody left to crown”.

-Richie Havens from Nobody Left to Crown

Christian Nation? Uh, No.

"In politics, as in religion, it is equally absurd to aim at making proselytes by fire and sword. Heresies in either can rarely be cured by persecution." --Alexander Hamilton
"If you cannot control the heart, you cannot control behavior...Religion deals with the heart."-Thomas Jefferson

To put in proper context, Messrs. Hamilton and Jefferson were referring to what may be described as dangerous “ideologies”, generated by emotion and passion that would be detrimental to the formation, evolution, and preservation of a republic. The Church of England was formed for the sole purpose of allowing divorce, as opposed to Catholicism, which forbade it. Martin Luther, through the Edict of Worms, suggested that there was a better way to practice faith than what the Pope had to offer. What followed became known as the “dark ages”, and for good reason.

To put a number on deaths attributed to religious conflicts is difficult at best, but up to and including the end of the 18th century, it is estimated that nearly 24,000,000 deaths were a direct result from ideological differences with respect to faith. This includes the (10) Crusades, The Thirty Years War, the French Wars of Religion, etc. I use the European conflicts because I believe the founders used this history as a basis for the U.S. Constitution.

The common thread, whether it be “divine approval” to slaughter as many Muslims as possible during the Crusades, or making a date with 72 virgins through Islamic martyrdom, is religious fanaticism, or “my God is better than your God”. As Mr. Hamilton alluded to in his writings; this doesn’t work. Converts are not generally made “by fire and sword”. Religious doctrine tends to make widows and orphans, and at the end of the day, “my God is STILL better than your God”.
Genocide is certainly not limited to religion. World War II produced anywhere from 40-70 million deaths, mostly due to differences in geographical boundaries and ethnic hatred. Add Cambodia, Stalin’s Soviet Union, Amin’s Uganda, Rwanda, Vietnam, et al, and the number rise into the 100+ million range.

(More on that at another time.) The history of martyrdom reaches around the globe, but the focus will be on European history, because that is primarily the piece of history that the founders were interested in.

The Catholic Church, during the thousand years or so prior to the birth of our nation, controlled Europe with an iron fist. The church controlled the land, the money, dictated state policy, and provided the Crusaders with “divine protection” during the march to annihilate the Islamic warriors. This was the main goal, but as a sidebar, the crusaders did their best to persecute and slaughter pagan Slavs, Jews, Russian and Greek Orthodox Christians, Mongols, Cathars, Hussites, Waldensians, Old Prussians, and political enemies of the popes. Crusaders were granted “divine immunity” for “past discretion’s”. History remains divided on whether or not this was a “noble” cause, or simply one of aggression and barbarism. This author believes the latter.

The Thirty Years War was largely fought in the Germanic states, and was, for the most part, a battle between Catholics and Protestants. Nearly 30% of the Germanic population was lost, and 50% of the male population. The region was devastated, and, as a result the region was carved up into political and religious states.

The founders took note. The Church of England was oppressive and prejudicial, outlawing virtually any faith outside of the Church of England. The New World, long before the U.S. Constitution, became of refuge for Jews, Huguenots, and any other faith that was being persecuted in the Old Country.

As the First Amendment says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”

Pretty clear, and for good reason. The founders envisioned a country free from the religious conflict that paralyzed Europe and others for the better part of a thousand years. While the founders were largely men of faith, (the debate continues whether or not they were Deists), and used the phrases “The Creator”, and “God Almighty”. Nowhere within the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, or the Federalist Papers is there a mention of Jesus Christ, Mohammed, Buddha, the Hindu Gods, Moses, Martin Luther, or Jim Jones. As painful as this may sound to Christians, The United States of America is NOT a Christian nation. That our country was founded on “Judeo-Christian” values will be debated forever. But what should not be controversial is the notion that the usage of “God” in founding documents, currency, government buildings, etc., is one based on cultural values taken from the Old Testament, and was not intended to be perceived as theological in nature. This, taken with hundreds of years of English Common Law, the historical nature of religious conflicts, and the concept of personal freedom and self-government was what inspired these great men to establish a secular government, leaving the masses to worship as they pleased. To refer to the USA as a “Christian nation” is at least revisionist, and at best a slap in the collective faces of Madison, Jefferson, Hamilton and company.

I offer no apologies to the religious right, for they are the one group that would take the very basis of the U.S. Constitution, twist it and distort it for political influence and accentuate agenda items that have nothing to do with politics and the Federal government. Abortion and gay marriage come to mind when I think of the religious right. These are just two of many, many issues that should be, must be handled at the state level.

Faith and Religion are two, entirely different matters. Faith was a personal feeling the founders understood. Religion was a cancer that has caused the deaths of countless millions. The founders knew this to be true.

On the dogmas of religion, as distinguished from moral principles, all mankind, from the beginning of the world to this day, have been quarreling, fighting, burning and torturing one another, for abstractions unintelligible to themselves and to all others, and absolutely beyond the comprehension of the human mind." --- Thomas Jefferson 1816

A person’s faith is their own. A person’s lack of faith is also their own. There is not a place in public life for religion. There is room for faith, not religion. As long as we bang our drums and exploit religious issues in political arena, we will stagnate and quite possibly regress as a nation. I think we have begun that dark journey. The Libertarians understand that. Students of history that have their eyes open understand that. We, as a nation, have to understand that. Worship as you please, but allow others not to. The founders would be proud.

Specter's Folly

“Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one; for when we suffer or are exposed to the same miseries by a government, which we might expect in a country without government, our calamity is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer.“ Paine, Thomas Common Sense-1776

After the infiltration of a Nikita Khrushchev speech by the Israeli Mossad, and the information obtained was digested by the world, the American Communist Party imploded, sending out shrapnel in heavy direction. The New Left was organized as a direct result, and, my friends, after nearly fifty years of tireless protests, canvassing, filling our universities with Marxist professors, and paying off their constituents in the form of welfare, they may be able to declare victory. The defection of one Arlen Specter from the GOP to the party of Stalin has completed the trifecta in American Politics.

The White House is occupied by one of its own, by virtue of the immense wisdom of the electorate, the House of Representatives is listing farther and farther to the left, almost to the point of capsizing, and the U.S. Senate has obtained the Holy Grail of protocol, The Filibuster-Proof majority. Al Franken’s seat is being kept warm by Ms. Pelosi via a huge bag of ACORNs, and his victory in Minnesota is a given. This political party has been tireless, focused, and united.

The GOP, by contrast, has been anything but. The RNC abandoned Gingrich’s Contract with America, fired Haley Barbour (or asked him to quit), who at that time was the architect primarily responsible for gaining majorities of both houses of congress for the first time on forty years. That proved to be the apex of the GOP, the top of the bell curve, and ever since that day have been flying on fumes.

The Iraq debacle is a microcosm of GOP strategy; limited vision, reactionary and fluid strategy, rules of engagement determined by non-military officials, and no plan for withdrawal of troops. Sound like Vietnam?

The Left jumped on mistake after mistake, and have a clear mandate to govern accordingly. Yes, I said mandate. We, as Americans, ultimately get what we ask for and deserve.

I attended a Tea Party “protest” in Cincinnati, and was witness to the attendance of Comrade Obama’s paid leg breakers. It cold have been a Crips reunion. The sad thing is, these thugs are paid for with taxpayer dollars, yet another example of our esteemed elected officials in Washington seizing control of another segment of society.

We can realistically equate current events with the tobacco conspiracy. Once smoking was eliminated from domestic flights, Katy bar the door, the end result was inevitable. The health factor means nothing if people choose to smoke. You would think that the Feds would have learned from the time of Prohibition that Americans don’t respond well to edicts originating in Washington.

But, Joyce, you are all over the place on this one. Not really. I have pointed out events that are grossly mismanaged, and are part of a much larger agenda that has been in place since the early sixties. It could be argued that this agenda has its origins in the days of the New Deal. We are experiencing increased control by a central government and the steady and rapid decline of state sovereignty. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck.....?

The Republicans have thrown principle out the window for the security of elect ability, not unlike Senator Specter of Pennsylvania. We now have one, big, happy family in D.C., with Republicans masquerading as Democrats, and Democrats wearing the cloaks of conservatives.

“The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.”- Thomas Jefferson, letter to E. Carrington May 27, 1788

Our president should be indicted for treason and abuse of power by using the U.S. Constitution as toilet paper, seizing banks, automakers, and soon, the privately owned healthcare system. The ball is rolling, and it may be impossible to stop.

“The pump don’t work ‘cause the vandals took the handles.”

Bob Dylan-Subterranean Homesick Blues

Regulatory Extortion

"To take from one, because it is thought his own industry and that of his fathers has acquired too much, in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers, have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, the guarantee to everyone the free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it."

--Thomas Jefferson, letter to Joseph Milligan, 6 April 1816

Thomas Jefferson was most certainly not born with the gift of prophecy. I’m fairly sure he did not consult an ancient seer residing in some cave far up in the Blue Ridge mountains. He did not read tea leaves, depend on Tarot cards, or employ an astrologer to assist him in day to day decisions.

Jefferson was born with the gift of forward thinking based on personal experience and more importantly, the historical significance derived from the decisions and policies of our predecessors. He may have been referring to what had already transpired during the young and brief history of our nation.

Alexander Hamilton feared anarchy, and as a result took a very liberal view of the U.S. Constitution, most notably granting broad powers to the Federal government. Jefferson, on the other hand, felt that the Constitution’s 10^th amendment was very clear, granting powers not specified to the states. This disagreement led to the formation of the two-party system which we know so well today. Hamilton, Adams, John Jay, et el, were “loose constructionists”. There political philosophy dictated more power to the central government for the “Greater Good”; hence the party was called the Federalists.

Jefferson couldn’t have disagreed more with this thinking. The U.S. Constitution was written with the express purpose of granting the central government with a very limited roll in governing, while allowing each sovereign state to decide what would be more advantageous for them. Jefferson’s party was called the Democratic Republicans.

Jefferson could see very clearly what would and could happen if the Feds were granted expansive powers to usurp the rights of each sovereign state. Fast forward to modern America, and we have the Feds doing exactly what Jefferson feared. For example, The Uniform Drinking Age Act (1984) gave each state a five year window to change their laws to the minimum age of 21. If not, interstate highway funding would be cut off. Another example is to pay off states with a highway slush fund that lowered the legal alcohol blood limit to .08.

How about the “Tobacco Settlement”? The Feds blackmailed the tobacco companies through regulatory extortion by “allowing” them to stay in business if they paid a few hundred millions dollars to lawyers, plaintiffs, federal, state and local governments.

The Mother of All Shakedowns may be the Community Reinvestment Act, in which the Feds mandated private banks to loan mortgage money to those who had no intention of repaying it. For those banks who declined to participate, the Feds would regulate them out of business. The CRA has brought us to this point in history where we all face an uncertain future, largely because of our leaders in Washington using political muscle and employing figurative leg breakers to apply pressure to those in private industry who really didn’t want to play the game. Did I mention Microsoft?

There are many more examples of Federal Blackmail, but I think you get the point. Jefferson saw this as a possibility 200 years ago, when Hamilton wanted to start a national bank. Since then, the two party system has morphed into essentially one enormous political machine where right is wrong and wrong is right. We live in a country where 65% of the citizenry believe our current administration is on the right track. We live in a society that would allow for the redistribution of wealth, “because it’s the right thing to do”, where the clever and industrious are punished, where those who go to work everyday to provide for family are penalized. Complacency is the rule, so long as we are “provided for”.

It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds. – Samuel Adams

The United Socialist States of America (USSA)

In a higher phase of communist society... only then can the narrow horizon of bourgeois right be fully left behind and society inscribe on its banners: from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.-Karl Marx

During the early part of the 20^th century, the Communist Party USA, specifically post World War I boasted a membership of over 60,000 Americans, eclipsing its rival, The Socialist Party of America’s 40,000. They were credited with laying the foundation of labor unions, whereas, on the surface appeared as a positive step in dealing with the exploitation of the working class. By the 1950’s membership was estimated at 200,000.

With the start of the Cold War, the Red Scare, and McCarthyism, the party began to break apart with members leaving the party, going underground, or creating splinter groups that ranged from Democratic Socialist to card carrying anarchists. In 1962, the Mossad infiltrated a speech given by Nikita Khrushchev, where he spoke of Gulags, purges, and other grim topics that were, up until this point in history, a well kept secret.

Upon this revelation, the Communist Party USA imploded, and for all intent and purpose all but disappeared. This vacuum became the basis for the New Left, an offshoot of the CPUSA. The disillusionment and disintegration of the party was fueled by the fact that there really was no “utopia”, as Marx had prescribed in his writings. The Soviet Union, prior to 1962, was the model by which the CPUSA had hoped to build here in the USA. They didn’t count on the fact that with all power residing with a central government, those that disagree usually disappear. They completely disavowed the notion that freedom is an inherent trait granted by birth; freedom to decide, freedom to move, freedom to succeed or fail, freedom to exercise the unlimited potential of the human spirit.

“Men fight for freedom, then they begin to accumulate laws to take it away from themselves.”

This quote is prophetic as we, as Americans, have begun the process by which we will forfeit our freedoms in search of that very same “utopia” which eluded the American Communists. As D.H. Lawrence so eloquently predicted in 1922:

“Men fight for liberty and win it with hard knocks. Their children, brought up easy, let it slip away again, poor fools. And their grandchildren are once more slaves.”

Samuel Adams implored his fellow countrymen to make a choice:

“If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.”

He is, in essence, saying that freedom is not free, that with liberty comes great responsibility, and that the only currency that can be used to “purchase” freedom is sweat and blood. As Jefferson conveyed in a letter to William Stephen’s Smith in 1787:

“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.”

We are faced with the very decisions the Founders had to deal with 235 years ago. The Communists are waking up. They see the gulf between our Republic and their Utopia narrowing. Socialism is defined as a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism. The fact that our Federal government is in taking control of private industry under the guise of “recovery” would preclude that the transition is well under way. The TEA party movement is a great start, but like other grass roots movements, my hope is this will grow into a groundswell of activism, so we don’t repeat history, which so often happens when we don’t learn from our mistakes and forget about the blood that has been spilled to create and maintain the greatest system ever implemented in the history of man.

“So long as the people do not care to exercise their freedom, those who wish to tyrannize will do so; for tyrants are active and ardent, and will devote themselves in the name of any number of gods, religious and otherwise, to put shackles upon sleeping men.”-Voltaire

Let us awake from our slumber.

Tea Party Pooper

"Nevertheless, to the persecution and tyranny of his cruel ministry we will not tamely submit -- appealing to Heaven for the justice of our cause, we determine to die or be free." -- Joseph Warren, 1775

Dr. Joseph Warren was not only a physician, but a soldier during our struggle for independence. History has remembered him as an “original patriot”, twice delivering public commemorations of the Boston Massacre while British troops watched on.
He was one of many that had the vision, passion, courage, and intestinal fortitude that would take a theory, an idea, and turn it into the foundation that would become the greatest nation in the history of the world. A British musket ball would take his life at Bunker Hill in 1775.
At this period in history, these ideas had to be conveyed to those that would listen, through the press or oration. You had better believe the conspirators in the back rooms of taverns chose these individuals very carefully. These individuals who would deliver the message, as well as sell its content had to be very savvy in public speaking. They were also charged with articulating a passion that was believable. Dr. Warren was one of these patriots with the right stuff.
I attended the Tea Party protest on April 15th on Fountain Square in Cincinnati, Ohio, anticipating a high energy and quite possibly an historic moment. There were thousands in attendance. Anti-tax signs were everywhere. Several groups of anti-protesters were there as well. There seemed to be a subdued energy that was waiting to erupt. It was a glorious moment.....up until the time the scheduled speakers took the stage and, well, spoke.
I don’t mean to diminish the efforts of the organizer. To put this together in seven weeks is astonishing. But an enormous opportunity was lost in the high pitched, monotone voice that delivered a message that reminded me of a John McCain campaign speech. Flat, zero passion, devoid of any vocal inflections to excite or incite. The content of the speech lacked imagination, and left me feeling empty and very disappointed. In today’s world, a little theater goes a long way.
Look what it did for a mid-western senator with no experience in anything.
We, as “new” patriots have a very, very long road ahead of us.

“Our country is in danger, but not to be despaired of. Our enemies are numerous and powerful; but we have many friends, determining to be free, and heaven and earth will aid the resolution.” -- Joseph Warren, 1775

The Meaning of "Patriot"

My 18 year old son, who is a senior in high school, knows everything about everything. As he read my latest post “The Death of a Republic”, he looked at me and said, “Dad, your usage of the word ‘Patriot’ can be construed as offensive.” “Why is that”, I asked with a tad bit of sarcasm. His reply: “A patriot can be defined as one who practices blind loyalty to his country or cause without seeking the truth.” “What truth are you referring to?”
“Dad, here is an example: why do young men and women march off to die in a conflict that they know nothing about and quite possibly could be meaningless with respect to our own national security? In a traditional sense, these people are called ‘Patriots’”. Point scored.
I replied “You know there is an alternate definition, according to Noah Webster. ‘A person who regards himself or herself as a defender of individual rights, against presumed interference by the federal government’. Counterpoint. Tie ballgame.
“Dad, you used the phrase ‘...drenched with the blood of patriots...’ Clearly you were referring to those individuals that practiced blind servitude to their beloved country.” No points awarded. Invalid argument.
“Son, I was not. In fact, I was using a literary phrase based on the SECOND definition as I so eloquently spelled out for you. The ‘patriots’ in the context of my post referred to the original patriots. These men were driven by the passion to restore individual and collective rights that were being infringed on by the king of England. The monarchy, at that time in history, could be compared to our current federal government. So, if a=b and b=c, a=c. Right?” Righteous points awarded.
“So you are saying that the founders were the true patriots and once the United States of America became a reality, the term ‘patriot’ became obsolete.” Good response, tie score.
“I wouldn’t say obsolete. At that time in history, a large majority of the populace was giddy with the newfound independence from Great Britain, and as a result, the term “patriot” took on a different meaning based on the context of the day. So, yeah, I guess you have a point.” Still a tie.
“So, Dad, logic prevails, and my argument IS valid. The definition of ‘patriot’ has been reduced to an emotional response to a flag or a song or some sort of pledge. Your definition no longer applies. I’m right, you’re wrong. Na-na-na-na-na.”
“Son, we are talking about the evolution or devolution of a word, depending on your perspective. We are talking about the value of a tag, or more importantly, the lack of value in current context. I’m telling you this: the definition of ‘patriot’ as I have described, applies more today than ever. I consider myself a patriot because of my distrust and disdain with our federal government. The comparison between then and today is clear. We are in a battle to regain our country. We are in the midst of a philosophical war, where not all U.S. citizens are patriots, but all patriots are U.S. citizens. We are ‘patriots’, not because of blind loyalty to our country, but the polar opposite: total and complete disgust with what has transpired over the last 40 years or so that has bastardized a concept that was great and good.” Checkmate.
“So, Dad, you know ‘patriot’ also refers to a missile system.............”
"Good night, son".

The Death of a Republic

Obituary (March 2009)-The United States of America: 1776-2009. Beloved home to 300,000,000 Americans, devoted country to veterans of foreign wars, loving nation remembered as a home of the free, land of the brave. The USA will be remembered as a grand experiment using the philosophies of the Romans, John Locke, and patriots who pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor in order to form a more perfect union. The USA was preceded in death by Common Sense, Patriotism, Self Reliance, Personal Responsibility, Free Markets, Fair and Equal Taxation, and the American Family. Beloved father of the democratic republic, manifest destiny, freedom to worship, freedom of movement, free markets, and free trade.

Dear brother to the allied forces, NATO, and the United Nations. Loving protector and liberator of the oppressed, the disenfranchised, the enslaved, and the victims of natural and unnatural disasters.

Cherished benefactor of the nations’ poor, unfortunate, unemployed, underemployed, and the wretched masses of discontent. The late, great USA is survived by twin sisters Political Correctness and Expediency, False Piety, Situational Tolerance, Big Brother, Misplaced Priorities, Republicrats, Righteous Lobbyists, Government Schools, Government Owned Banks and Corporations, and Influential Corruption. The USA left an indelible mark on history as a free nation that failed to learn from its own mistakes, and as a result, died a horrible death at the hands of its own people, which are drenched in the blood of patriots, living and dead. (Survivors may wash their hands in the Federal restroom, and may their conscience be free and clear.)

Mourners may view the deceased via satellite uplink. Login to www.1984.gov. The place of burial is to be determined. The bill is held up in committee and no decision is expected until after the summer recess. Memorial donations may be made out to the US Treasury. All contributions are appreciated and are due by April 15^th.

Tyrants and Republicrats

Enough already. It’s time for us as American citizens to take off the blinders, look around, and accept the fact that our political system is broken. The two party system quite simply is not. It is one, gigantic albatross, and from this point forward shall be know as the Republicrats. There, I’ve said it. For those who abhor the notion of a multi-party system, you all can get some sleep.
The new system will still be two party; the Republicrats who will govern from the left or right or middle depending on what will get them elected, and the Libertarian Party, who will campaign on the good, common sense platform that is derived not from societal/political evolution/expediency, but from the U.S. Constitution as it was written as well as private and public prose from that period known as the birth of our nation.

The U.S. Constitution was intentionally written full of ambiguity because the authors believed that we, as the general populace, could and would decide
what is best for us. The founders vested the power to interpret the Constitution on the Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court was to rule against of the wishes of society, the ruling would be irrelevant because the American people would not follow the law. We, as a society have survived and progressed because of (or in spite of) the ideal of self rule and the ability to be flexible based on the progression of society. Am I being contradictory? Not really.
At the time the Constitution was written, women were non-entities, slavery was alive and well, and the illiterate were not allowed to vote. Last time I checked, black slaves are free, women and the public at large can vote, regardless of education or pedigree. While the Constitution is not a “living” document, the will of the people can and should allow for these types of reformations to take place. I think this is what the founders had in mind.

“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.”

What don’t we understand about this simple truth? I just want to be left alone to experience the result of this statement so my children don’t have to experience the next.

“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”

The World of Green is Weird

The world of green is a world of weirdness. How peculiar are the ideals and philosophies of this fringe group of activists? Is it only me who finds it odd that only a few months ago, we were swimming in the sewer of “Global Warming”, only to discover that it is really “Climate Change”?
I’m guessing one reason is the severity of this winter in terms of temperature and snowfall. It would sound a tad ludicrous to bang the drum of “Global Warming” when one cannot leave his house because of a foot of snow. Maybe the new term is based on the fact that Al Gore couldn’t make it to an “End of the World as we know it” seminar because of 3 inches of ice on the roads.
“Climate Change” works because it is a catchall term that describes, well, any climatic change. In the 1970’s we were warned of a “mini-ice age” that was imminent. In the 1990’s, then Vice President Gore said, no, the world was experiencing a “warming trend” due to greenhouse gases. Drastically reduce emissions from fossil fuels and all will be well.
Not so fast, says Paleontologist Dr. Eduardo Tonni, of the Committee for Scientific Research in Buenos Aires. “The [global warming] scaremongering has its justification in the fact that it is something that generates funds.” Yikes.
Many dissenting scientists will gladly testify that “climate change” is a natural cycle that has NOTHING to do with greenhouse gases, cow flatulence, or gas guzzling SUV’s. We have no more control over climatic changes than we do to prevent volcanic eruptions.
What now? Do we tell Mr. Gore to return his Nobel prize? Should I buy down parkas or a closet full of shorts and tee shirts? Will ELF zealots start sacrificing virgins in the town square?