CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL COMMENTARY
Pro-Constitution, Anti-Globalist, Anti-Socialist, Anti-Communist, and usually with an attempt at historical and economic context ************************13th Year ----- 2009-2021*****
Showing posts with label Nancy Pelosi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nancy Pelosi. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Democrats Upset over Trump's State of the Union Address

Be Eddie Howell

Perhaps one of the biggest stories coming out of President Trump’s State of the Union address is that although he struck a conciliatory tone and themes of American tradition, founding principles and patriotism, the Democrats in his Capitol audience looked like they had never heard of any of these things, and found the whole thing upsetting their stomachs. Yet the people who watched it on TV saw it favorably by 75%.

Paul Joseph Watson, in the following video, gives us a review of their reactions:


My comments:

1. He’s right.

2. Their responses in the chamber and in subsequent tweets reflect very faithfully the current communist line, as you can quickly tell by checking any Communist Party or socialist website. That’s because the so-called “progressives” in Congress are overwhelmingly socialist and many are closely connected to communist organizations. See Trevor Loudon’s book The Enemies Within: Communists, Socialists, and Progressives in the U.S. Congress for extensive documentation. Check out Loudon’s You Tube videos.

3. As Loudon pointed out, when a New Zealand leader was warning about communist subversion in that country a few years ago, the man was accused of seeing “communists under every bed.” His astute reply was that the communists are in the bed, and ordering breakfast.

4. Communist goals have not changed since Cold War days. They are not loyal to the U.S., and are partnering with Islamic jihadists to cause chaos in America, through, for example, Antifa and CAIR.

Thursday, December 7, 2017

Cold War Today: The Socialist and Communist Threat Continues

By Eddie Howell

Whittaker Chambers     Freebase/Public Domain
Communist espionage and influence in the U.S. Government were substantial as World War II was ending and the Cold War beginning, and was a continuous problem. The communist underground today is still there, functioning in various ways, such as cyber war. Also, with the number of communist-related members of Congress in sensitive committee positions, as documented in Trevor Loudon's book The Enemies Within: Communists, Socialists, and Progressives in the U.S. Congress [1], who can doubt that foreign communists have easy access to many of our supposed secrets? Communism shows its ugly head above ground also through the Communist Party USA (CPUSA), which strongly influences many “progressive” Democrats and manifests itself more directly through Black Lives Matter and Antifa, groups which should be designated as terrorist organizations, along with their pals the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is a companion organization to the CPUSA, and their functions overlap and complement each other, and, along with labor unions which are largely communist-controlled, virtually control the Democratic party. (284)  Despite its name, Antifa is a fascist group. It is a mistake to think that Communists and fascists are somehow opposites. They differ somewhat in structure, but they are essentially socialists. The historical friction between them has occurred mainly because they have competed, often violently, to recruit the same types of people to their organizations.

The goal of these organizations in America and other places is to bring down the United States as a sovereign nation, to work toward a communist society and eventual world government, and if and when necessary or opportune, to use force to accomplish this. Meanwhile, they work against Christianity and Judaism, support jihadist Islam, and support communist countries such as Cuba, China, Venezuela, and North Korea.

We should be under no illusions that socialism is materially different from communism. Once socialism takes hold, even in in a “free world” country, the government becomes increasingly tyrannical and coercive, the economy plummets, and traditional freedoms and customs are on their way out. This is the trend in Canada and Europe, among other places.

So, whether a country calls itself communist or socialist, the end result is communism. American socialists, such as the DSA (formerly the Socialist Party of America) and its associated organizations are Marxists, virtually indistinguishable from communists, with whom they are closely associated.

America believes in political freedom, which extremists use against us. The aims of communism have not changed since the days of Marx, Lenin, Stalin, and Mao. American communists are often Cold War veteran Marxist-Leninists or their children.

Today, George Soros and other communist globalists are financing seditious and treasonous anti-American activities, such as Antifa violence and anti-police activism. There follows a list to summarize some of the communist-socialist goals and beliefs. Fabian socialists may be considered part of this group also.

1. They claim to hate private profits and private property.

2. They care nothing for the U. S, Constitution or the freedoms it protects, despite the CPUSA's deceptive promotion of “Bill of Rights socialism.” The Constitution limits government, and therefore is disliked by socialists.

3. The communists buy votes through offers of “free stuff,” and enlist politicians by providing help and finances for their political campaigns.

4. Where communism takes hold, nations suffer economic catastrophes, and often mass starvation, intentionally inflicted on some of the people by their rulers.

5. When socialism takes over, the worst people are soon in charge. [2]

6. Many normal acts are criminalized under socialism. Even in England, when the Labour Party succeeded in establishing socialism in the 1940s, people could go to jail for missing work. Further, as Flynn  notes in The Road Ahead, 1949,
Now England makes the experiment, blown up with promises of freedom. But already she has got around to the ways of the tyrant. She asserts over the worker the right to say where he shall or shall not work. She asserts the right to throw the farmer who does not meet her directives off his farm. And this English experiment would collapse tomorrow if the strong arm of American capitalism were withdrawn from its support. Indeed it is collapsing now even with that powerful arm around it. [3]
7. American communists are more loyal to other countries or a globalist goal than to America. Central economic planning does not work, and cannot be supported by any rational economic theory. In practice it is very arbitrary and ultimately destroys prosperity (except for the ruling elites).

 8. The murders of millions by Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong are natural            outgrowths of socialism and communism. Whittaker Chambers, who was an  underground communist agent and later left the Communist Party, explains in his autobiography Witness, that he became a communist, thinking it was the only hope for saving mankind after the disastrous World War and other problems.[4] 

When Stalin initiated the great purges, viciously murdering anyone he thought might be a threat to his power, or who seemed to fit his conspiracy theories, Chambers came to realize that Stalin's behavior showed the evil, not only of Stalin, but of communism, and was the logical result of communism. When he left communism, he remarked that he and his family were leaving the winning side and going to the losing side, but he could not do otherwise. [5]

(As Chambers continued working against communism, he found a lot of opposition in the government, largely due to communist influences. His testimony against Alger Hiss, who had been his close communist friend, was a difficult and bitter ordeal. President Truman called the Hiss case a “red herring.” Hiss was finally imprisoned for perjury.* Chambers was indicted for perjury, but when his claims were at last borne out, the charge was dropped.)

        (*Update to clarify: Hiss was convicted of perjury for claiming he had not committed espionage. He could not be convicted of espionage at that time because the statute of limitations for it had expired.)

9. There are more socialists and communists in responsible government positions at all levels of government than there were during the Cold War. There are no background checks for elected officials, and many, including prominent leaders, could not pass a routine FBI background check. Yet they serve on such committees as Intelligence, Homeland Security, etc.

10. Globalist world government would be communist. Generally, only Marxists support it, including some billionaire "capitalists," who are basically corporatist fascists.

11. “Free trade” agreements currently in place (WTO, NAFTA, etc.) do not provide real free trade, but “managed trade,” subject to many onerous rules and unfair results. Actual free trade would involve getting governments out of the way, except for enforcing contracts, dealing with crime, etc.     
12. Socialists and communists are using government-supported social experiments to destroy              traditional family relationships, social structure, and education. Leftist indoctrination is often the main content of school social studies today. Leftist professors and administrators in the universities,    leftist judges, and LGBTQ radicals are examples of some who perpetrate abuses in America as socialists and communists.

13. Because of their desire for worldwide socialist-communist government, the globalists don't            mind, and ultimately desire, putting the U.S. at an economic disadvantage relative to other                  countries, and therefore promote endless debt, unnecessary foreign aid, and high taxes.

14. By opposition to the military, and promotion of unilateral or other unfair disarmament (in the name of “peace”), leftists work to undermine American national security.

15. By encouraging open borders and massive “refugee” and other immigration, leftists hope to bring in millions of Democrat voters (since leftist activism is mainly focused on the Democratic Party).        .

Thus far, I have, for the most part, merely stated the problem. But many people are unable to see that it is a problem, and that freedom is steadily, if somewhat slowly, being taken from us. But we may not be too far from complete tyranny, enforced at gunpoint, and the loss of our constitutional freedoms. We still have rights, but we could be forcibly stopped from exercising them if we allow current socialist and communist advances to continue. These trends must be reversed if we are to keep our Republic.

All forms of collectivism should be abhorrent to anyone who values the rights of individuals. But politicians and others who identify as liberals, progressives, socialists, or communists believe or claim to believe that concern for “social justice” and “the common good” outweighs individual considerations, and, ultimately, that the end justifies the means.

As Ayn Rand pointed out in her essay, “The Establishing of an Establishment” (1972),

Two world wars, three monstrous dictatorships -- in Soviet Russia, Nazi Germany, Red China -- plus every lesser variant of devastating socialist experimentation in a global spread of brutality and despair, have not prompted modern intellectuals to question or revise their dogma. They still think it is daring, idealistic, and unconventional to denounce the rich. They still believe that money is the root of all evil -- except government money, which is the solution to all problems. [6]

The Communist Party USA today praises and promotes communist and socialist countries, such as Venezuela, Cuba, Vietnam, etc. For them, the “imperialist” U.S. and West are the bad guys and are largely responsible for these countries' troubles. (See an example here.)

Also, for them, Lenin is still a great hero, and the Russian Revolution is something to be celebrated in observance of its 100th anniversary.


An article in the CPUSA official newspaper, Peoples World, lamenting the collapse of the Soviet Union, states,
...Finally, no criticism of Soviet socialism can be seriously presented by Communists that does not explicitly recognize that the destruction of the USSR has been an unmitigated disaster for humanity. Not only was socialism uprooted in Eastern Europe with the establishment of right-wing capitalist governments, but millions of lives have been lost, far more than ever killed by Stalin, in the horrific mass slaughters and ethnic genocide, committed with the support and instigation of western imperialism, in the dismemberment and destruction of Yugoslavia and several former Soviet republics, and in the never-ending neocon wars in Iraq and Afghanistan which continue to spread throughout the Middle East. None of this would have occurred if the Soviet Union had not been destroyed.
In the former Soviet republics, a few thousand people died, and more thousands were injured mostly in conflicts between different ethnic groups. In the Yugoslav wars after the Soviet collapse, perhaps as many as 140,000 people died and up to 3 million people became refugees or were displaced in their homeland. These things are tragic, but nothing like the 20 million or so killed by Stalin. It is quite a stretch to say that the Mideast wars of the 1990s and following would not have happened had the Soviet Union remained in place. Also, the “uprooting of socialism” in Eastern Europe was a liberating benefit to people who had long suffered under Soviet control.

Considering the shameful and murderous history of the Soviet Union, with its ongoing terror, the Gulag, bad economic management, and general oppressiveness, the revolution of 1989-1991 was a welcome and beneficial change.

An article by Professor Archie Brown “Reform, Coup and Collapse: The End of the Soviet State” on the BBC website dated 02/17/2011 gives a positive view:

Not a shot was fired by a Soviet soldier as the Central and East Europeans took their countries' destinies into their own hands. In Western capitals it had been an axiom prior to Gorbachev's coming to power that Soviet control over Eastern Europe was non-negotiable and that the most that could be achieved would be an amelioration of oppressive regimes...
Seldom, if ever, has a highly authoritarian political system, deploying military means sufficient to destroy life on earth, been dismantled so peacefully. Never has an empire disintegrated with so little bloodshed. Although huge difficulties remained for the successor states, the way Soviet communism came to an end was one of the great success stories of 20th century politics.
Of course, it remains to be seen what the future may hold under Vladimir Putin, since it seems he wants to restore the Russian empire.

Retiring Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), official portrait
The Democrats' socialist-communist base is calling the shots these days for the party, and the American political left now represents the most significant threat to America today, short of a nuclear attack. The Democrat leaders such as Nancy Pelosi, Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders are all socialists, with ties to the Communist Party USA. “Iconic” Rep. John Conyers has a long history with the Communist Party (7287) and the DSA. Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama were mentored by communists, whose interests are much the same as their own: socialism, anti-capitalism, and far left society with government running as many things as possible, to one day lead to a world communist government. America itself doesn't matter – only the revolution matters, a la Saul Alinsky.

That is why the left is so viciously attacking and persecuting Donald Trump and anyone associated with him. Their loyalty is not to America, but to socialism. Their goal is not American well-being, but socialism. They do not care about economic prosperity, and if in power, they will deliver the opposite. They claim to be the party of the “workers,” opposing capitalist “wage-slavery,” but whenever the socialists-communists have been in power, the norm becomes widespread poverty, and a fear-driven way of life. Communists have murdered tens of millions of their own citizens in the 20th century, and in places like Cuba, Venezuela, and North Korea the murders continue, though not in such great numbers.

Communism is an evil system, and it must be strenuously opposed. Socialism and communism are practically synonymous. It's not far wrong to say that America is in a political civil war, but, up to now, it is perhaps better understood as a continuation of the Cold War. The collapse of the Soviet Union tends to obscure the fact that communism in America still poses a serious danger today. Communists like George Soros and others are financing violence, sedition, and treason. Communists today are no more loyal to the United States than the Soviet agents of the old Cold War. American communists over the years have greatly admired the Soviets, and practically idolized any actual Russians they knew.[7] The CPUSA today is supportive of communism and socialism wherever it is found, and against any American foreign policy that is unfavorable to communism. This is a step beyond divided loyalty.

The anti-Trump movement in some ways has crossed the line of common decency into sedition and treason through violent “protests,” etc. The Mueller Witch Hunt seems to have its goal the impeachment of President Trump, and has far exceeded its mandate, with no letup in sight. I hope Mueller will soon be fired and a new special prosecutor appointed to investigate the crimes of Hillary Clinton and others.

As Whittaker Chambers emphasizes in his excellent book Witness, the underlying evil of communism is its rejection of God.[8] It is this broad rejection which opens the way to promoting dissolution of the family, sexual immorality, and the radical LGBTQ agenda, while promoting government control of as many things as possible. Under that system, it is understood that the end justifies the means, whatever the means may be.

The “swamp” contains the participants and enablers of this destructive movement. The draining of the swamp can be realized in part by putting political pressure on politicians to change their ways, and partly by replacing the ones who won't. Education is key, but in the current atmosphere, change is going to be a difficult struggle.

The election of Donald Trump has given us a window of opportunity to make improvements along these lines. This window may not remain open very long. We must indeed pray that God will bless America, and restore her to real greatness. The situation calls for knowledge of and participation in politics, even by people who have had little to no interest in politics before. Politics has an interest in all of us.



[1] Trevor Loudon, The Enemies Within: Communists, Socialists, and Progressives in the U.S. Congress, 2013-2015 Edition. Las Vegas: Pacific Freedom Foundation, a Nevada Not for Profit Corporation, 2013. I read this in Kindle format without page numbers. Numbers in parentheses, bold, and italics are Location numbers for the Kindle ebook.

[2] F.A. Hayek, The Road to Serfdom: Text and Documents, The Definitive Edition. Bruce Campbell, ed., Routledge, London: The University of Chicago Press, 2007. Original text, 1944, Chapter Ten, "Why the Worst Get on Top."

[3] John T. Flynn, The Road Ahead: America's Creeping Revolution. New York: The Devin-Adair Company, 1949. This is an earlier book, written around the time socialism was threatening the collapse of Britain, and warned that socialism was making such headway in America as to be a very serious threat. Also available free at Mises.org in PDF format. Page 149.

[4] Whittaker Chambers. Witness.  Washington, D.C.: Regnery History, an imprint of Regnery Publishing, ebook, 2014. First edition published 1952. page 156.

[5] Ibid., page 1.

[6] Quoted in a comment by “RS” at economist Robert P. Murphy's Free Advice blog article “The Fairest Keynesian in the Land,” 10/14/2011.

[7] Chambers, page 293.

[8] For example, see Chambers. page 386.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

The Endangered Rule of Law

Mosaic representing both the judicial and legi...Image via WikipediaGovernments at all levels routinely violate the principles of the rule of law. The concept of the rule of law is supposed to protect citizens’ equality before the law, but this equality is not too often held in high regard by government, and especially not by the federal government as we have it today.

The clearest examples of violations of the principles of the rule of law come in the form of various kinds of crony capitalism. The government interferes with individuals’ rights, and the free market, by granting some special privilege to some favored group at the expense of other citizens. This is done through various kinds of corporate welfare, including bailouts, monopolies, tax incentives, subsides, etc.

Today we have liberals calling for the abolition of special tax breaks for oil companies, which, in fact have minimal percentage effect on oil companies’ profits. I agree that they are not needed. However, the same liberals in government want to subsidize alternative energy development at taxpayer expense. Alternative energy sources should be developed in the free market, and if they can be made profitable, entrepreneurs and investors will reap the appropriate rewards for their own efforts, not from the confiscation of money from taxpayers.

Similarly, mandates and subsidies for ethanol are also unjust, as are agricultural subsidies and government control of industry in general. Also, the principles of the rule of law are violated when government enforces advantages for unions beyond what the free market would permit.

These things have been happening for generations. In my home city of Fort Worth, the city currently has a huge debt of unfunded pension obligations, and is having to cut various services to try to balance the budget. Yet not long ago, the city invested substantially in the construction of a new downtown hotel, and various private commercial projects. It seems inappropriate that the city can’t maintain public swimming pools and recreation centers that have operated for decades, but they seem to have the means to invest in “private” business, even to the point of being on the hook should these businesses not succeed.

But perhaps the big prize for present-day destruction of the rule of law should go to the Obama Administration and Congress for such things as Obamacare exemptions that were granted in exchange for support during the legislative process, and now that the law has been passed, waivers from the law, notably to entities in Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s congressional district. It helps to be politically connected.

The rule of law is a casualty of attacks on the free market through government interference. Some so-called “capitalist” executives have no problem with trying to persuade government to side with them against their competitors or even their customers. Whatever material gain they can get through government (as opposed to competition) is quite acceptable. This is the true robber baron mentality. Government participation happens through, if not direct bribery, then some kind of political help or support, or else a reward for past political support. What else could explain the bizarre lawsuit against Boeing over their plans to build airplanes in South Carolina, for example? Could it be a matter of rewarding unions and thus appealing to part of the liberal base?

In a free market, the market, not government, picks winners and losers. There are no bailouts, and entrepreneurs are willing to take a risk because they believe that have a product or service that can compete in the market on its merits, not on some central-planning bureaucrat’s idea of what needs to be offered. If the entrepreneur fails, this provides a lesson to others to avoid the same mistakes. This is fairly simple. It certainly is not rocket science.

The rule of law suffers and eventually dies when government tries too often and too forcefully to step outside its proper functions and take control of things it shouldn’t. Barack Obama didn’t invent this. But he is one of the worst offenders. When the rule of law is replaced by the arbitrary decrees of the ruling elite, it is difficult to restore, and it places citizens in danger of great financial loss, abusive punishment for political purposes, and tyrannical rule. When the government lacks accountability to the law, the result is a lawless government. In some respects, we’re already there.
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Thursday, November 11, 2010

Debt Commission Co-Chairs: Raise Taxes, Cut Spending, Including Social Security and Medicare

White House Photo, Erskine Bowles, US Govt. Ca...Image via WikipediaReport Gathers Negative Comments
The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (“Debt Commission”) has issued a draft report by its Co-Chairmen Erskine Bowles and Former Senator Alan Simpson (R-WY). As the co-chairmen said, it is not likely to be well-received by all.
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi [of California] called the targeting of Social Security and Medicare “simply unacceptable,” and Republican Representative Jeb Hensarling of Texas expressed opposition to proposals to raise taxes. [1]
 Business and Media Institute, in an article, points out that of the three major broadcast evening news programs, only CBS reporter Chip Reid mentioned that the report calls for tax increases of $961 billion over 10 years as estimated by Americans for Tax Reform.

The BMI article noted that “ATR slammed the report saying, ‘It confirms what everyone has known – this commission is merely an excuse to raise net taxes on the American people.’” [2]
The plan is calculated to reduce the federal deficit by $3.8 billion over 10 years. It arguably falls well short of what is needed, since we would still have massive deficits and very high national debt. But the political will to reduce the deficit substantially seems to be lacking, because it would interfere with important benefits.
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said the chairmen had told “working Americans to ‘Drop Dead,’” while Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) faulted the report for cutting Social Security benefits while reducing corporate and upper-income taxes. [3]
Spending Cuts Are Necessary, Higher Taxes Are Not
What’s missing in Trumka’s and Grijalva’s analyses is the concept that “reducing corporate and upper-income taxes” is precisely the thing that would help more “working Americans” get back to work. Union members are going to find an increasingly difficult marketplace for the products and services they provide if more and more people are out of work because of the unfavorable and uncertain tax picture.

Also, it is not safe to assume that raising taxes and cutting out popular deductions will increase revenues. Increased revenues will result from policies that encourage business expansion and hiring, especially lower income tax rates that are not offset by tax and fee increases elsewhere. Increased net taxes don’t free up capital. Also, the proposal to tax capital gains at ordinary income tax rates will slow, not encourage investment. If you want less of something, tax it.

But significant spending cuts are essential to any improvement in the deficit picture. Deficits and debt in the range we’re seeing today cannot continue for many years. At current spending levels, debt service alone takes up a very large share of the budget. The spending cuts mentioned are good, but not enough. Defund NPR and PBS. Yes, fine.

Welfare can be cut extensively. It has been recently increased dramatically. We could get back to 2008 levels and further. The biggest sacred cows are Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. These items represent unfunded liabilities in the tens of trillions of dollars, and the Social Security Trust Fund will never be adequate because it is basically worthless. My suggestion is to phase out these programs over a period of 25 to 30 years while grandfathering in current recipients and people who are scheduled to receive benefits fairly soon. Younger people should be advised to provide for their own retirements and health care.

The commission report calls for increasing the retirement age and trimming certain benefits over a long period of years.

Of course, the trouble with any plan, the Debt Commission’s or any other that covers a lot of years, is that there’s no assurance that it will be carried out beyond the current Congressional term if enacted into current law. Any future Congress can greatly change or scrap the program or any part of it. So for future officials, it’s simply a suggestion.

Steps That Will Definitely Help the Economy
The report seems to have been timed for, as Rush Limbaugh suggested, the lame-duck session of Congress. It is seen by some (including me) as an excuse to raise taxes, but it is also more than that, in that it seriously proposes substantial spending cuts. If America is to avoid a financial collapse certain things need to be done:
1. Significantly reduce spending, including entitlements.
2. Hold the line on taxes. If businesses were assured of a level tax burden, especially if the tax code could be simplified so that compliance costs would be lower, there would be much more incentive to hire people.
3. Pull back on intrusive regulations. These regulations are really just another kind of tax, considering the time and money required to comply.
4. Substantially cut the size of government, eliminating some Cabinet departments and large programs.
Remember:
To effectively reduce the deficit and national debt, we must improve the economy.

Conclusion
The Hill article reports,
The White House reserved judgment in a statement that said the president would not comment until a full commission report is released.
It’s unclear whether that will even happen. The commission report must be agreed by 14 of the 18 members to win approval, and some liberals on the panel criticized the chairman’s proposal. [4]
I think Bowles may be correct in characterizing the report as a “strong starting point.” [5]Congress and the Administration, sometime soon, must take responsibility for getting spending under control and stopping the lemming-like stampede to the edge of the cliff.

Otherwise, the laws of economics and finance will take over and we’ll see not only a bad economy, but a currency collapse and the degrading of our standard of living. There is time to avoid that and turn things around. Economic growth and job growth can happen fairly soon, but not with endless spending and new taxes.

The National Inflation Association said all Americans will be millionaires due to hyperinflation. Are they right? Remember Zimbabwe. The Fed is already monetizing the debt, i.e., beginning to pay it off with newly-printed money. That’s what their $600 billion “QE2” plan is about. Until some new collapse actually hits, it may seem like no action is needed. But things are not always what they seem to be.

[1] Heidi Przybyla and Brian Faler, “Deficit Plan Matches $3.8 Trillion Math With Tough Politics,” 11/11/2010, Bloomberg.

[2] Julia A. Seymour, “‘Explosive’ Debt Commission Recommendations Include $961 billion Tax Hikes,” 11/11/2010, Business and Media Institute.

[3] Alexander Bolton, “Pelosi, political left rip proposal from debt commission chairmen,” 11/10/2010, On the Money blog, The Hill.

[4] and [5] Ibid.

Photo: Portrait of Mr. Erskine Bowles. Public domain.
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Monday, March 1, 2010

Governing the “Ungovernable”


Some liberal observers, noticing President Barack Obama’s lack of success in advancing his signature agenda items, “health care reform” and cap and trade, are theorizing (or concluding) that America has become ungovernable.

Newsweek takes up this matter, blaming “obstructionist Republicans, spineless Democrats and an increasingly incoherent electorate” for America’s supposed ungovernability. [1]

The fact that “health care reform” is not yet a done deal is supposed to illustrate the problem. All liberals agree that Obamacare is sorely needed and would greatly relieve a lot of suffering. Yet the Republicans won’t get on board with it, and a majority of Americans, having been informed about it (since the Democrats’ initial dead-of-night, unread-bill effort to pass it didn’t quite work) selfishly don’t want to lose their current coverage, with which they are moderately satisfied, and pay substantially more in taxes.

It’s true that people don’t want to lose their coverage and pay high taxes for the proposed plan. It’s not selfishness, but rational self interest. And, people are becoming more aware of the Constitution and the federal government’s numerous efforts at violating it, thus curtailing freedom. Republicans simply don’t want their name attached to such an offensive piece of legislation, and some may even recognize that this whole area is outside the federal government’s legitimate constitutional authority.

Another consideration is that the Obama Administration has focused on getting their socialist agenda items enacted when the public’s concern was jobs and the economy, about which nothing successful was being done. There was no consensus on cap and trade or the health care effort, both of which could be seen as hurting the economy.

It’s not that America is ungovernable. It simply lacks executive and legislative leadership.

Charles Krauthammer remarks on the similarity of these most recent complaints of ungovernability to the Carter years: “In the latter days of the Carter presidency, it became fashionable to say the office had become unmanageable and was too big for one man. Some suggested a single, six-year presidential term. The president's own White House counsel suggested abolishing the separation of powers and going to a more parliamentary system of unitary executive control. America had become ungovernable.” Then he shows how, in contrast to Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter was not able to provide the needed leadership. [2]

Thence the “malaise.” Are we going to be hearing that term again soon?

Jay Cost at Real Clear Politics faults Obama for two errors: First putting Nancy Pelosi (too far left) in charge of writing the health care legislation, and second, insisting on comprehensive reforms. “If the truly great Henry Clay could not pass the Compromise of 1850 through the Congress in a single package, what made Barack Obama think he could sign comprehensive energy and health care reforms?” [3]

As Krauthammer points out, economist Paul Krugman even blames the filibuster, although in the G.W. Bush days, he warned against “extremists” trying to get rid of the procedure, when liberals were using it to block Bush’s judicial nominees. [4]

It seems clear that liberals, very reluctant to acknowledge the demonstrated lack of leadership ability in their top government officials, must cast blame elsewhere: the public, the Republicans, and the basic structure of government (i.e., the Constitution), for their failures.

When Republicans return to power, perhaps they will remember how to lead. They have some good examples to look to. Of course, so do the Democrats.


[1] Michael Cohen, “America the Ungovernable,” 01/25/2010, Newsweek.

[2] Charles Krauthammer, “It’s vogue again to declare America ungovernable,” 02/20/10, Houston Chronicle,

[3] Jay Cost, “America Is Not Ungovernable” 02/08/2010, Real Clear Politics.

[4] Krauthammer, see [2].

Photo: Dreamstime.com

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Merry Christmas from Grinch and Company


As I write this, there remains the slenderest possibility that the “health care reform” bill may not pass the Senate. I keep reading that Democratic Party leaders are looking toward a Christmas Eve vote on the measure. The health care bill has less than 40 percent support among the American public (see video in my previous post). President Obama himself has a 41 percent “strong disapproval” rating among likely voters according to Rasmussen (12/20/2009).

But if Sen. Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the President have their way, we’re going to get it come hell or high water. Merry Christmas. Enjoy your “gift.”

Another item under the socialist tree for us is a “meaningful” agreement on climate change. Even China is on board with it, since it is an unenforceable, non-binding “agreement” underwritten with America’s $100 billion pledge to help third world countries deal with the non-existent problem of man-made climate change, although, even if everyone participated fully, there would be produced virtually no measurable change in the earth’s climate. And the Obama Administration and Democrat-controlled Congress want to give us cap and trade as an additional contribution to the cause.

You’ve heard of gifts that break the bank. This one will strain many, many budgets.

Now, if they could only get us to stop driving and flying, stop eating beef and drinking milk, and, preferably, stop breathing, or maybe just kill ourselves off and leave the earth to the more-deserving creatures of nature, that would apparently be their ideal. As ridiculous as that sounds, that is the basic direction the environmental extremists want us to go.

They would like their climate-change religion to replace the traditional religions of the world, especially Christianity. Others might be OK if they don’t interfere with the great environmentalist plan. Before Christians and Christian groups get much more involved in the climate change movement, they should consider the fact that, while the Bible teaches responsible care of things under our stewardship, it also teaches that the earth was created primarily as a home for man. Animals, and indeed all nature, were placed under man’s subjection, and intended for his use, for the glory of God. Although sin has led to various abuses, this intention has not changed.

As we celebrate the birth of the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, we might do well to reflect on these things. Every responsible citizen would like to minimize pollution and preserve a safe and human-friendly environment. But it need not be at the cost of our freedom and our economy.

“… [W]here the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:17). America’s heritage is liberty and individual responsibility, based explicitly on the Judeo-Christian tradition. These are principles now endangered by what used to be called “creeping socialism,” that has now become blatant socialist-fascist power-grabbing government. Obama is quick, and rather enthusiastic, in pointing out his view that America is no longer considered a Christian nation. He himself claims to be a Christian, but if he is in agreement with Rev. Jeremiah Wright, it’s a far-out fringe using the name Christian. I don’t know what Obama’s actual beliefs are, but we know something of his associations, including twenty years as Wright’s church member.

David Barton, in one of Wallbuilders’ periodic emails (12/17/2009), quotes from Harry Truman’s Christmas message in 1952 (near the end of tenure as President):

“Through Jesus Christ the world will yet be a better and a fairer place. This faith sustains us today as it has sustained mankind for centuries past. This is why the Christmas story, with the bright stars shining and the angels singing, moves us to wonder and stirs our hearts to praise. Now, my fellow countrymen, I wish for all of you a Christmas filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and many years of future happiness with the peace of God reigning upon this earth.”

Amen, I say.

Obama can’t bring himself to mention Christmas or Christ on the official Holiday (?) greeting cards. G.K. Chesterton’s words are especially true today: “These are the days when the Christian is expected to praise every creed except his own.”
(Illustrated London News 08/11/1928)

There are convincing arguments against “health care reform” and cap and trade that do not rely on theological or religious reasons. Economic and political arguments will suffice. But because of the out-of-touch government officials’ attempts at minimizing Christianity and promoting every kind of multi-culturalism and relativism, some defense appears to be needed. More eloquent spokesmen than I can state this better; I just feel I need to say something.

These presents I’ve mentioned, from our beloved federal government, reflect, I think, the political equivalent of the spirit of the pre-repentant Grinch. Unlike Dr. Seuss’s famous character, these politicians aren’t likely to change their ways (politically, I mean). They’ll continue this kind of “giving” to the American people as long as they have the opportunity.

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. So far, it’s still America and still comparatively free. Thanks be to God.

Illustration: clipart.christiansunite.com

Saturday, November 28, 2009

How Much Ridiculous Government Control Are We Willing To Put Up With?


“…the law is a ass – a idiot….” – Mr. Bumble in Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens, Chapter 51.

When it comes to the Nancy Pelosi so-called “health care” bill, the above statement is much, much too true. Under the worse-than-worthless so-called leadership of Pelosi and Reid, Congress is looking to pass the worst legislation ever presented in Congress.

Not only is the would-be law in question “a ass,” but so is each of the congressional leaders proposing it. And that is being too kind to them. They deserve to be removed from office. If we, the American people, are willing to accept this stuff, I guess we deserve what we get.

First, hear Pelosi “justifying” prison terms for refusal to buy insurance:



When government takes over, watch out! Your money and freedom are in danger.

Just check one of the sections that have been sneaked into the bill, Section 2572 (H.R. 3962, page 1,511 and following). This section requires chain restaurants to provide calorie and nutrient information on all menus for “standard menu items.” For salad bar and self-service items displayed, calorie and nutrient information must be displayed adjacent to each food item. [1]

This is simply an unconstitutional destruction of freedom. Big Brother rules like this undermine all our liberties and generate disrespect for legislators and such stupid laws.

For vending machine operators, the requirements are just as onerous if not more so:

“Section 2572 of the bill (H.R. 3962) says, “In the case of an article of food sold from a vending machine that – (I) does not permit a prospective purchaser to examine the Nutritional Facts Panel before purchasing the article or does not otherwise provide visible nutrition information at the point of purchase; and (II) is operated by a person who is engaged in the business of owning or operating 20 or more vending machines, “the vending machine operator shall provide a sign in close proximity to each article of food or the selection button that includes a clear and conspicuous statement disclosing the number of calories contained in the article.” (See page 1,515 of H.R. 3962 Section 2572 (H) (viii).” [2]

Does that sound innocent and simple? It is vicious. It is an affront to liberty. It is an insult to every American. Besides the fact that it is on its face a reprehensible requirement in terms of liberty, it is extremely costly to the vendors affected. This is only one relatively small part of the extremely high cost of these proposals.

“[The National Automatic Merchandising Association] NAMA estimated that the first year start-up cost to comply with the basic disclosure would be $56.4 million.” [3]

I see these requirements as more reasons to view the legislation as a great government power grab, and more reasons to believe that the less the government does, the better. I just wish Congress could reduce their work week to four hours or less so they could do less harm to America.

Of course the “health care” bill is a basic foundation of Obama’s fascist regime. I and many others have written many articles arguing against it. It is supported by only a minority of the American voters, and that number is steadily decreasing.

I have argued against this legislation as against policies I oppose. This goes deeper than a mere difference of opinion. This is part of a socialist-fascist regime that must be stopped or America as we have known it is going to be destroyed and our freedom lost. Obama, Pelosi, Reid and company are working hard to wreck our economy and freedom. That is the aim of the gigantic deficits and resulting unpayable debt, added to already unsustainable government programs, and liberty-destroying proposals, one after another. The 2010 and 2012 elections may be the most important ever.

It is unfortunate that so many people only see “benefits” as described by the lying government officials, and care nothing (as the officials care nothing) for the Constitution and the disastrous consequences, economic and other, of these evil proposals. I cannot state strongly enough my belief that the Obama Administration and Democratic congressional leadership are among the worst ever in our history. Such laws cannot be justified legally or morally. I wish them success in their constitutionally enumerated responsibilities but not in their unconstitutional ventures.

Are we to be a free people, or are we to be led about by the nose by the would-be fascist masters of the Democratic Party leadership?

The American people deserve better than this.


[1] H.R. 3962 text available at http://www.centerforpolicyanalysis.org/id57.html

[2] Christopher Neefus, “Pelosi’s Health Care Bill Would Regulate Snack Machines at Estimated Cost of $56 Million the First Year,” CNS News.com 11/26/2009, at http://cnsnews.com/news/article/56572

[3] Ibid. NAMA represents the vending machine industry.


Photo: Cover page of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, 1838. Source: The New York Public Library, Berg Collection of English and American Literature.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Gangster Government II – Obama Thugs

Barack Obama has called out his union goons and ACORN buddies [1] to stifle opposition voices at so-called “town hall meetings” hosted by his congressional allies. The following video is an example (Caution: some bad language):



1. Since the Democrat government can’t engage in actual debate on their fascist-socialist health care/health insurance takeover plan, their strategy is to silence opposition and brand opponents as Nazis, an unruly mob, or people stirred up by insurance companies or various organizations ("Astroturf" not grassroots):



2. People who thoughtfully engage their elected representatives and express opinions on public issues in a public forum are simply participating in a legal, normal, and traditional political process. The fact that these congressmen don’t seem to know what’s in their own bill, or are eager to lie about it, does not in any way discredit their constituents’ actions in questioning them.

3. Any violence at the “town hall meetings” began when Obama’s brown-shirt thugs (actually dressed in blue shirts) were called out to intimidate and assault citizens who oppose the healthcare takeover plan. They have been sometimes loud, and often angry, but it wasn’t an “unruly mob.” Obama called out the unruly mob.

4. These congress members need to get a clue. The American people do not want this so-called health care plan that is simply a vehicle for grabbing government control over every aspect of our lives. Essential liberty is to be removed. The Obama Administration keeps referring to this as a fight or a war. It’s their war against the citizens of America. Possibly some, if not most, congressional representatives are being bullied by the Administration and congressional leadership into defending this atrocious bill. Many citizens are gong to take note of who votes for the bill. Those representatives will find much of their support gone come election day.

5. I hope citizens will continue to speak up loudly at these meetings, and also hold their own rallies and tea parties to let the government know that it’s still the people who are ultimately in charge.

6. I am not in contact with any insurance company or other organization promoting participation at these events. I myself haven’t been to any of them so far, although I have written my representatives. I do listen to talk radio. I don’t have much use for the mainstream media that has become simply Obama’s propaganda arm.

7. The motto of every freedom-loving American should be: DON’T TREAD ON ME!

[1] See at http://www.infowars.com/acorn-using-police-to-stop-free-speech-of-obamacare-opponents/ (Link cited by MacAaron in a BloggersBase comment)