Matters of Religion Should Never be Matters of Controversy for Tea Party Protesters – The BOPAC Report

The BOPAC Report:

Matters of Religion Should Never be Matters of Controversy for Tea Party Protesters

Today I’ve been mostly reflecting on recklessness that we’ve been witnessing in Washington D.C. and what some are calling the one year anniversary of the Tea Party Movement.  I want to say is that I am truly thankful that millions of ordinary Americans have been so moved by what they’ve seen in American politics that they made time to care for the country that has been so important in their lives.  Thank you, thank you, and thank you!  I can only imagine how little hope there would be today had you not stood up and shouted ENOUGH loud enough for the politicians to hear. Oh, and thanks CNBC Correspondent Rick Santelli for getting it all started.

At first the Tea Parties were ignored and when they kept growing, the vilification process began in earnest in the Halls of Congress & in the mainstream media.  The disparagement began as commentators’ smirks, belittlement and mischaracterizations as to who was involved and what the they were about.  As the protests grew and politicians began being forced to address hard questions in town hall meetings, the discomfort level of the media and politicians increased exponentially.  So did the insults.

Finally, one term of disparagement/diminution stuck. A few pompous media personalities set out to attach these mostly novice protesters to the derogatory terms Tea-Bagger and Tea-Bagging (some sort of sex act thing). It became a juvenile favorite among Democrat politicians such as Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Schumer.  Why? I have no idea.  If you see images of the hundreds of thousands (millions) of these Americans engaged in peaceful protests, ‘tea-bagger’ is the last thing that would come to mind.  Most of the protesters shrug it off realizing that actually saying the term reflects most badly on those using it.  However, each has their own way of dealing with double standards and ridicule.

I’ve never been able to understand why a Republican contributor is a ‘fat cat’ and a Democratic contributor of the same amount of money is a ‘public-spirited philanthropist’.
Ronald Reagan

If an analogy must be made to a Tea Bag, then let’s do with a bit more accuracy to reflect the broad range of ordinary Americans picking up protest signs for the first time.  From what I can tell, Tea Party folks more often than not come with lots of experience because most have a few years under their belts. 

Let’s say we imagine the piece of paper attached to the tea bag string as the label tea party members might use to identify themselves to everyone else – Conservative, Moderate, Independent, Republican, Democrat, Liberal, Native American, African-American, White, Asian, Catholic, Baptist, Jew, Christian, Agnostic, Professor, Professional, Tradesman, etc., etc., etc. (I wanted to include Muslim but I haven’t actually seen anyone self identify.) It’s a big tent based on principle.

The string is the part that connects everyone together, the collective consciousness of experience that reminds each of us that some things are time tested, work well and might just pull America out of the hot water before it’s too late.

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

George Santayana, The Life of Reason, Volume 1, 1905

As far as I can tell, this is the essence of the movement.  It reflects common sense understandings of economics and how to get our economy moving.  Experience shows that private sector does much better than a federal bureaucracy when it comes to jump starting the economy and making the system sustainable because the private sector is concerned facts and success – not their own political ideologies, beauty contests and careers. (Congress tinkering with ‘risk’ in the mortgage market caused the current economic crisis – everyone must own a home even if they can’t afford it. Right now, uncertainty regarding the possibility of tax hikes coming from Obama are what’s shackling the economy.)

Tea party people know the U.S. government’s massive debt is not sustainable.  They want politicians to stop raising taxes (actually most want to cut taxes) and to cut spending. They want America to live within its means and not pass unbearable debt to their children.

They want politicians to face the truth of our economy!  Yes, there will be pain but most Americans surely recognize we can get through it together.  However, if government does not face the truth about our economy soon, the pain will be catastrophic and our liberties could be put at risk because of civil unrest.

The truth is cruel, but it can be loved, and it makes free those who have loved it.

George Santayana, Little Essays (1920) “Ideal Immortality”

The tea party movement is not anti-government.  They want the federal government to do the things they are authorized to do under the Constitution with as small a ‘footprint’ as possible (including reasonable regulation of business).  I believe a majority wants their own states to do the heavy lifting on tax utilization and governing.  However, they want politicians to not be in bed with union leaders (special interests) because experience shows that union leaders’ greed is a big factor in the fiscal calamities facing many states today. (A 49-year-old NJ public employee (union member) who pays in a $124,000 and receives 3.3 million in benefits from state coffers.)

I suspect a vast majority of the ordinary Americans who make up the tea party movement do not want the government to take over the healthcare system. And yes, they do want reform.  They want incremental steps to be taken to reform healthcare.  They do not want a massive bill when politicians’ motives are suspect and the consequences cannot possibly be fully understood. Start over with everyone at the table.

No one tests the depth of a river with both feet.

African Proverb

Most in the movement want politicians to respect the Constitutional limitations placed on government, respect state rights, and the rights of the individual.

People know instinctually and by experience that child rearing with too much parental control will either be met with some type of resistance (outright rebellion, passive aggression behavior) or cowering (timid, afraid, distrust).  Neither is what America needs of her citizenry.

It is the individual’s task to differentiate himself from all the others and stand on his own feet. All collective identities… interfere with the fulfillment of this task. Such collective identities are crutches for the lame, shields for the timid, beds for the lazy, nurseries for the irresponsible….

C. G. Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections

People realize that the Constitution is the first line of defense protecting their freedoms and limiting a federal government that appears ready to dictate without the consent of the people.  Most understand that the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution established the requirement that the power of the federal government comes from the people and states – not the other way around.  I think most tea party protesters want the federal government to back off and lift the boot off their necks. 

In fact, several states have recognized the danger this Administration poses to our 2^nd and 10^th Amendment rights and are beginning to take action.  Three states have passed the Firearms Freedom Act and 22 others have introduced it for consideration. The FFA basically says that firearms manufactured and sold within a state’s borders are out of reach of the federal government’s interstate commerce powers. Numerous states have introduced legislation asserting their Tenth Amendment rights under the Constitution.  Several others are introducing legislation that will require candidates to submit proof that they are in fact eligible for the office they are seeking (i.e. being a ‘natural born citizen’). We will see soon if our Federal Courts have become so corrupted and/or influenced by the ’progressives’ ideology that they will not exercise their duties and act as a check to the powers of the Congress and the President.

Tea Party protesters do not want to be treated like sheep by their government and elected representatives.  This is partly why it is important that the ‘tea party’ not be taken over by any major Party.  The tea party idea is about holding all politicians accountable, not just the ones in a particular party. 

People choose politicians who should understand local values and concerns to represent their interests in Washington regardless of which Party they belong.

I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any.

Mahatma Gandhi (1869 – 1948)

The people of California are not the same as the people from Georgia and both should have their interests represented in strong state governments and by elected Congressional Representatives – and neither should be blown off their feet.

I’ve been using a few quotes from the philosopher George Santayana to illustrate the need to keep our state governments strong, retaining their rights and responsibilities under the Constitution. Mr. Santayana ”…was committed to a naturalist metaphysics, in which human cognition, cultural practices, and social institutions have evolved so as to harmonize with the conditions present in their environment. Their value may then be adjudged by the extent to which they facilitate human happiness.“

To me, understanding local environmental and ethnic influences reveals the richness of America’s cultural diversity. It’s why we want our representatives to be local becuase they are (should be) more aware of who ‘they’ are and what conditions have shaped the ‘we’ of the locality.  This way change & governance evolve locally in response to the ‘happiness’ or unhappiness of its residents. It also validates the wisdom of our Founders who created a Constitution meant to insure equality of opportunity (not results) and equal protection for every person in every state.  The Constitution is a safety net preventing tyranny or abuse at the muncipal or state level while containing safeguards that protect the individual character of states and their people ( First, Second, Ninth, Tenth, Fourteenth Amendments).

If states like California and New York raise taxes too much or restricts rights and liberties too much, people and business remain free to vote with their feet.  That’s a good thing because it applies market forces to states that might encourage their politicians to act responsibility. States and regions have different flavors that appeal to varied tastes and that’s wonderful.  Just like most people do not want the flavor of another forcibly imposed upon their lives – neither do states.

Even though it’s understandable that some residents of states currently crumbling under the weight of unfair public employee labor and pension contracts and out of control politicians may be susceptible to Obama’s proclivity for a socialist system that might subsidize their state’s excesses with taxes from the innocent states, it must be resisted and responsibility demanded of their own politicians.  The good people of Texas should not be forced to bail out irresponsible politicians in California or any other state.  Today responsible people can always move and let California collapse under the weight of its own gluttony. However, if we allow the federal government to continue grow in power and influence that may not always be the case. Many times taking what appears to be the easiest path is the one that leads to the greatest loss.

The same arguments can be made in support of America’s sovereignty. Most Americans do not want to give up that which has been paid for with the blood and treasure of the millions who came before to France, Germany, Spain, any other country or the UN.  Our freedoms and Constitutional protections are not barter items.  We can fulfill our global responsibilities as good neighbors without sacrificing our sovereignty.

A man’s feet should be planted in his country, but his eyes should survey the world.

George Santayana (1863 – 1952)

The tea bag string is the determined call for fiscal responsibility, accountability, equality of opportunity, and limited representative government.

The tea bag is our United States Constitution that has guided this nation for centuries.  It’s the fabric that holds us together and protects our liberties. Without which, we would blow away like dry leaves of tea facing the winds of tyranny.

One man with a gun can control 100 without one.
Vladimir Lenin

One person cannot stand against tyranny alone. It will take many armed with all of the rights and liberties that they can preserve (including the right to bear arms).

America is the greatest of opportunities and the worst of influences.

George Santayana (1863 – 1952)

It’s these influences that are putting our liberties at risk today. 

An educational system that does not adequately teach the Constitution, our founding, or America’s goodness is making it likely our children will not recognize threats to their freedom and liberty.

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.
Ronald Reagan

Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted.
Vladimir Lenin

It’s the patience of ‘progressivism’ that has been working insidiously for decades to undermine our system of governance. It’s politicians who work diligently to create voter dependency through the sense of ‘entitlement’.  It’s politicians who will not face the truth of our economy and who print trillions of dollars to ensure their positions.

The best way to destroy the capitalist system is to debauch the currency.
Vladimir Lenin

It’s the influence of special interests that corrupt and seduce politicians to do their bidding instead watching out for the interests of the people.  It’s politicians who lack conviction to principles.

To rely upon conviction, devotion, and other excellent spiritual qualities; that is not to be taken seriously in politics.
Vladimir Lenin

It’s the influence of those in the inner circle of the Administration.

There are no morals in politics; there is only expedience. A scoundrel may be of use to us just because he is a scoundrel.
Vladimir Lenin

Is Lenin talking about Rahm Emanuel?

The tea is who we are.  It’s the experiences of each individual that has shaped his or her life and views.  It’s the diversity of the tea party movement.  In the tea party movement all ethic groups are represented, many are Veterans, many have family members in the military, and there are Christians, Jews, agnostics, and probably atheists.  There are those who represent rural and urban ways of life. There are pro-life, pro-choice, gay, straight, environmentalists, pro-gun, pro-10^th Amendment, and those calling for the ‘natural born citizen’ provision of the Constitution to be honored.  There are Conservatives, Liberals, and Moderates. There are Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and Independents. 

From what I can see, people in the tea party movement are striving to be tolerant of the views of others as long as they don’t jeopardize the nation’s future.

Intolerance itself is a form of egoism, and to condemn egoism intolerantly is to share it.

George Santayana, Winds of Doctrine (1913) ch. 4

If the movement is to survive and flourish, egotism and intolerance must be kept in check.  If it’s not, we become them.  At the next local event, maybe I will tie the string from a tea bag around my finger to help me remember to keep my own intolerance in check and to focus on the issues the Tea Party movement has grown around.

It’s my strong opinion that the tea party movement must not be folded into any major party and that it not form its own official party. If it forms its own party, it may then feel compelled to have a platform that addresses the social issues and that could alienate many.  This is such a special movement and it would be sad to see it diminish.

This year it is critical to vote for those who have the best chance of removing absolute control from Obama, Pelosi and Reid’s Democratic Party.  The vote must not be split in 2010.  However, every Republican or Independent candidate who wins needs to be made aware that they will be held accountable for their lack of transparency, lack of fiscal discipline, and lack of adherence to the Constitution.

We will surely disagree in the future about the social issues and that will be okay.  However, today millions are united around a core set of issues that are crucial for the survival of the nation. We must not blow it. Fiscal responsibility, accountability, transparency, and limited government are the issues of the coming election.

I think I will close with one last quote of George Santayana (who was an agnostic) that seems applicable to the idea of focusing on the big picture this year.

Matters of religion should never be matters of controversy. We neither argue with a lover about his taste, not condemn him, if we are just, for knowing so human a passion.

George Santayana (1863 – 1952)

Well – unless they want to kill you if they can’t convert you.

In such case, I offer this quote:

It is better to die on your feet than live on your knees.

Emiliano Zapata (1877 – 1919)

Americans Might Want To Heed the Admonitions of The Past Regarding Election

Americans Might Want To Heed the Admonitions of The Past

We are quickly approaching the day when the direction of America will be decided. Will America follow a course steeped in ideology tempered by history or will she follow a course steeped mainly in ideology? Will the electorate be aware that these are America’s choices? Probably not, looking at the current polls, it appears that this election will be based mostly on faith and hope for change. If informed reason were being applied, the poll results would most likely be different.

One can easily draw the distinction between Senators McCain and Obama based on ideology tempered by history verses ideology alone by looking closely at their lives.

A person I admire, Oprah Winfrey, once said, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” I think this is sound advice that proves true 99 percent of the time. America has seen Sen. McCain through many years and he has remained a consistent and dedicated public servant. Early in his career in the military he probably held strongly to some sort of ideology that grew out of the cold war. Maybe it involved the concepts of good forces prevailing over unjust forces. Just as the Vietnam War grew out of the cold war and threw light on the realities of conflict; the Vietnam War experience threw light on Sen. McCain’s own view of life.

When I look at Sen. McCain, I see a man who understands that core principles are what you are and they must not change simply because a situation changes. A severely battered John McCain had had an opportunity to leave his prison in Vietnam before other prisoners who were more senior, but he refused. Sen. McCain looked the immigration issue in America with compassion and tried to find a practical solution, an action that brought him condemnation by many. Sen. McCain warned of the financial nightmare that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac abuses were causing; but the Democrats in charge chose to ignore his advice. Many times Sen. McCain has reached across the aisle, pragmatically, to try to find solutions to America’s problems.

Sen. John McCain is a man of core principles and the one he holds most dear is “Country First”. I believe him because as Oprah said, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” Whatever ideology Sen. McCain may have held as a younger man has been tempered by his own history and America’s history into a commitment to put the interests of America above his own. This is the America voter’s choice of ideology tempered by history.

When I look at Sen. Obama, I see a man who has burst on the scene and captured the imaginations of millions. Surprisingly, supporters seem to have developed an incredibly strong attachment to the idea of Obama and what they perceive that means; so strong, in fact, that it boarders on religious faith. Many issues that would have sunk any other politician have disappeared in the mist. The Senator’s backers appear more preoccupied with his rhetoric of the future than anything about the past, any past, including Sen. Obama’s. The past is cliché, boring, out of date, damaged goods with no place in today’s world. However, Albert Einstein might have a little different view of the past. He has said, “The distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion”. I think Albert Einstein would consider Sen. Obama’s past just as important as the man being presented today.

Given the relative lack of leadership experience of Sen. Obama, reason would seem to dictate that his past should be even more important as a predictor of his future actions. However, in the politics of the day, the Media has assumed the role of advocate and obscurer for Sen. Obama’s campaign. Americans, who are trying to make a reasoned decision, are therefore having a very difficult time discerning what information is truthful and accurate; and what is not. What are the facts? This is a very real question in the minds of many voters. Quills drawn, the Media’s theory is that Obama is the one who must lead America. To support their vision, the Media does as Einstein, in a different context, counseled; “If the facts don’t fit the theory, change the facts.”

Sen. Obama has been relentlessly pounding the theme that McCain equal four more years of George Bush, a narrative that has been sold in lockstep with the Press and Democratic Party leadership. One would think that common sense could see through the sales pitch, but it hasn’t. The Press has been constantly bashing President Bush for going on eight years. (I suspect mostly because they think he’s stupid, inarticulate and beneath them.)

Many of the America’s newly registered voters are younger; and therefore, they may be more susceptible to the myths of the Media. Apparently, their minimal life experience hasn’t given most of them much of an accurate barometer or enough common sense to judge fact from fiction. “Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen” another truism from Einstein’s repertoire that is at play here. The anti-Bush prejudice is raging, gathering steam, and Sen. McCain has been unjustly caught up in it web.

One other fact that the Media has attempted to distort is that somehow the current financial crisis was the result of the mean old Republican attempts to deregulate everything in sight. This is just another collection of prejudice reinforced by the Media that it is untrue, especially for Sen. McCain. He was one of the leaders in the efforts to rein in Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac; unfortunately, his efforts were blocked by the Chris Dodds and Barney Franks of the Democratic Party.

Where does Sen. Obama stand on the economy? He has stated and restated a desire to redistribute the wealth in America. This is exactly the wrong approach. Even a basic level of understanding about economics would act as a bar against trying to tax our way out of the current financial crisis. You don’t damage (over tax) those who are creating jobs and wealth for America and Americans. Regrettably, somehow too many Americans today have become accepting of the notion that the world (well the Federal Government) owes them a living and that wealth should be redistributed more ‘fairly’ to them.

The history of the ‘Great’ Depression clearly reveals that the measures implemented by government to overcome it were the reasons that the Depression became ‘Great’. Almost everyone recognizes that a thorough knowledge of the past is critical if we are not to repeat the mistakes of yesterday. However, I don’t think Sen. Obama understands it quite that way. Higher taxes and too much Federal intervention are not what the American economy needs today. As much as he hates to hear it, Sen. Obama’s economic ideas reek of socialism. We need to get back to the ideas of American innovation and personal responsibility.

Sen. Obama has been hailed as a superior intellect and amazing orator. But, who is he? What is his past? Who were those that stimulated and helped to form his thinking and beliefs? Sal Alinsky? Is he the same person today that he has been for the past 20 years?

A man is known by the company his mind keeps.
Thomas Bailey Aldrich

How much has the media allowed us to know about the depth of the relationships Sen. Obama had with William Ayers? Sen. Obama said he was just a guy in his neighborhood.

How much has the media allowed us to know about the depth of the relationship with Frank Davis? Andy Martin raises some interesting questions about this relationship.

How much has the Media allowed us to know about the depth of the relationships with Father Michael Pfleger, Minister Louis Farrakhan, and Rev. Wright? Aren’t these all company Obama’s mind kept? Are the ideologies encapsulated by many of Sen. Obama’s past associates very far from those espoused by Socialists and Marxists?

A man is known by the company his mind keeps.
Thomas Bailey Aldrich

How much has the Media allowed us to know about the relationship with Tony Rezko and his associates? Are the ideologies encapsulated by Tony Rezko’s actions those of corrupt politics?

A man is known by the company his mind keeps.
Thomas Bailey Aldrich

How much has the Media allowed us to know about the alleged relationship with Larry Sinclair?

To date, Sen. Obama has disavowed most of these people and/or their statements and actions. How much weight should Americans give to such a disavowal?

Should we accept the revelation of Rev. Wright?

“He’s a politician. I’m a pastor. We speak to two different audiences. And he says what he has to say as a politician. I say what I have to say as a pastor. Those are two different worlds. I do what I do, he does what politicians do.”

Or should we follow Oprah’s direction?

“When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”

Common sense and reason tell me to listen to both Oprah and Rev. Wright in Sen. Obama’s case. Sen. Obama, at the very least, has shown an incredible naiveté concerning his past associations and their impact on his reputation.

Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation. It is better be alone than in bad company.
George Washington

Common sense and reason also implies that if Sen. Obama were the man he is portrayed as, there would be a line of people from his past standing, waiting to tell his story. The story of how Sen. Obama became such a partisan divide bridge builder, such a healer, such a patriot, such a reconciler, such an economist, such a negotiator, such a defense strategist would all be stories I would like to hear.

Who from Sen. Obama’s past is standing or waiting to tell his story?

What is the Media not telling America about Sen. Obama’s relationship to ACORN?

How many other scandals and allegations are there just from our view? Are there some yet unknown scandals being hidden by the Media? What about the Berg v. Obama lawsuit that is challenging Sen. Obama’s eligibility to hold the Office of the Presidency? What about the other lawsuits is several states? What about the validity of Sen. Obama’s birth certificate? What about all the allegations set forth in Berg v. Obama? What about the allegations that Sen. Obama was born in Kenya? Why is that not news? What would happen should he win the election and then be found to be ineligible to hold office? What about the questions about the allegations about Obama’s past and/or current Indonesian citizenship? What about Sen. Obama’s alleged membership in a Socialist organization, New Party? What about Sen. Obama’s extreme views on abortion? What about the allegations that Sen. Obama violated provisions of the Logan Act during his last trip to Iraq and during the run-up to the Kenyan elections?

There is so much about Sen. Obama that Americans don’t know. Some people are choosing to ignore the reasonable inferences from Sen. Obama’s past, some people don’t care and some people are not informed or misled by Obama’s campaign and the Media. The mainstream Media has done a grave disservice to America in 2008. The full consequences of Sen. Obama becoming President, under so many clouds as are set forth above, cannot be fully predicted or prepared for.

Therefore, it is critical that Americans take this election seriously and start considering the numerous allegations facing Sen. Obama before November 4^th.

Nine-tenths of wisdom is being wise in time.
Theodore Roosevelt

In conclusion, America needs to take a breath and give another American voice a few moments of consideration.

The words spoken by Benjamin Franklin:

To follow by faith alone is to follow blindly

&

Hear reason, or she’ll make you feel her

The End

zachjonesishome.wordpress.com

Voter’s, Obama, Will o’ The Wisp, Change, Confounding Voter’s Perceptions

America’s Attachment to the Idea

of Change is the Perilous

“Will o’ The Wisp” That’s

Confounding Voter’s Perceptions

The phrase will o’ the wisp has be used to describe one, metaphorically speaking, who is holding so tightly to a goal that they doggedly follow any hints of it, oblivious to what lies unnoticed right under their noses. One of many descriptors is the image of a peasant farmer following a lantern light off in the distance, held by a mythical creature, whereupon the farmer winds up deep in the marsh. The farmer’s focus on the light is such that he becomes unaware of his surroundings; and waiting in the darkness, the consequences of blindly following the creature’s light stand ready to appear.

This is what seems to be happening in the 2008 Presidential election. Many voters are so attached to the idea of “change” or “change from” that they are not noticing information that is critical for sound decision making concerning their votes. It’s the information that gives hints of what consequences lay in the darkness and for the future. For these voters, the election is about solely about change; and therefore, thoroughly analyzing new information as it comes available is not necessary. “Change” is the goal, the lantern light, the treasure and they can see it just there.

This year Sen. Obama has been ordained by the media as the only way to that goal. Normally most voters would be constantly reviewing and searching for information about an unknown candidate; but not this year. Normally the media would be diligently searching for information that would give voters a glimpse of a unknown candidate’s character; but not this year. Unfortunately, the media has relinquished their traditional role as the source of reliable (true) information this year. This year, the media has assumed the role of advocate and protector. (Consider what has happened when an average citizen confronted Sen. Obama. The media immediately circled the wagons and brought their resources to bear in an effort to destroy Joe the Plumber’s credibility.)

When it comes to recognizing truth, I believe half of what I see and very, very little of what I read. With today’s media so clearly taking sides regarding this election and regarding most issues, what I read must be scrutinized to discover what facts are facts, what’s the real context, what facts are omitted, where opinion is stated as fact, what is implied as fact, what is credible, what is the author’s bias. As a voter, I’m not willing to blindly follow a party’s or a newscaster’s version of truth. It’s difficult and time consuming work. The critical questions for me are: Am I as fully informed as I can be? Am I putting my country first and my own self-interests second?

Regarding Sen. Obama, instead of providing real information for voters to use to judge Senator Obama’s character, intentions, believes, and actions; the media continues to feed voters a ‘fairy tale’ that paints the Senator as new, pure, wise, a messiah, the bringer of Hope and Change. I know the media won’t like this, but they ARE the peasant farmer blindly following the mythical creature who carries the lantern into the marsh because they too have lost their objectivity.

I can’t just blame the media for this phenomenon. It IS the responsibility of every voter to investigate and try to find out as much as they can about the candidates. The will o’ the wisp is the mantra of “change” this year. Change is the goal for voters. I do agree that Sen. Obama will bring the most change if he is elected; however, the change he brings has the possibility of seriously damaging America’s economy and future. Regrettably, many voters appear to be looking for a type of change that changes how much they can take from the government. The federal budget ballooning, the degradation of the concept of personal responsibility, the effect on others as the economy sputters doesn’t seem to matter to those who would vote on the basis of what they might get. These voters are not considering what consequences might be in the darkness on the marsh.

Obama’s wanting to “spread the wealth around” is textbook socialist economic policy. It does have a strong appeal to those Americans who would rather take from others and not earn for themselves. Unfortunately, it does seem as though American is becoming a “what’s in it for me” country. History has shown us over and over that raising taxes on businesses and those who create jobs (especially during an economic downturn) results in less revenue for government, less growth in the economy, fewer jobs being created, less incentive to take risks that lead to innovative solutions for problems. Why would we want to go there? Senator Obama’s change would not result in any betterment of the situations of American families. Obama’s change would result in a further slowing of our economy and the concurrent lost of jobs and benefits. The “what’s in it for me” voters would be cutting off their noses to spite their faces.

When I pull the lever on Election Day, I will be fully aware of what voting means. It means that I have tried to best of my abilities to ascertain who my selectee is, what they believe, where they will take the country, what their character is, and what will be the likely consequences if my candidate prevails. In the end, I believe that America will deserve the consequences of this election, good and bad. If America, an informed America, wants to go down the road of socialism with an inexperienced, minimally vetted candidate; so be it. I however will not voluntarily be on board for such a journey.

If voters and the media were not so intoxicated by the idea of change, change they have to have, they would likely be paying attention to all of the skeletons in Sen. Obama’s closet.

They would be looking closely at Sen. Obama’s past associations with Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Pastor Michael Pfleger, Bernadine Dorn, Minister Louis Farrakhan, and William Ayers. They would be looking into Sen. Obama’s connection to ACORN, the organization that is up to its ears in voter fraud. They would be looking into Sen. Obama’s connections to the crisis in the U.S. financial system through the actions, policies and political contributions regarding Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac. They would be looking into the allegations of Larry Sinclair, who says that he and Sen. Obama used cocaine and engaged in consensual sex in 1999. They would be looking into allegations concerning Sen. Obama’s campaign’s involvement with censorship and intimidation against those who oppose Sen. Obama – (Stanley Kurtz for example). They would be looking into Sen. Obama’s extreme views concerning abortion, some would say infanticide. They would be looking into the allegations set forth in Berg v. Obama that challenge whether Sen. Obama is even eligible to hold the Office of President of the United States. They would be looking into the allegations that Sen. Obama violated the Logan Act during his last trip to Iraq and during the elections in Kenya that left more than a thousand people dead.

In conclusion, it is my belief that this is the most important election in my lifetime. It will hurt me deeply if America is destroyed by such a naïve and short sighted phenomenon as is the “Will o’ the Wisp” that the bumper sticker of “Change We Can Believe In” has set in motion.

CitizenWells, Larry Sinclair and his Obama drug and sex allegations from 1999

This from CitizenWells:

Nashville TN, Larry Sinclair, Barack Obama, Town Hall Meeting, John McCain, Sinclair Obama drug encounter, Donald Young, October 6, October 7, 2008

October 5, 2008

I just spoke to Larry Sinclair a few minutes ago on Sunday, October 5, 2008. Larry is traveling to Nashville TN and will be there Monday, October 6 and Tuesday, October 7, 2008. Larry Sinclair will be in Nashville for the Town Hall Meeting with Barack Obama and John McCain and to tell his story of a drug and sex encounter with Obama in Chicago in November 1999. Sinclair will also share his knowledge of phone conversations with Donald Young, the gay choir director at TUCC, Obama’s former church, that was murdered in December 2007. Sinclair will also educate the public about the Philip J Berg  lawsuit that states Obama is a citizen of Indonesia.

Ever since Larry Sinclair went public with his allegations he has received non stop personal attacks and even death threats from the Obama camp. He is getting them already as preemptive strikes from the Obama camp before his visit to Nashville. I just read an ad on Craigslist in Nashville that is full of lies about Sinclair. I have covered the Larry Sinclair story more than any other source and can provide the truth about Larry Sinclair and his allegations.

Here is a brief statement I have sent to members of the media:

Larry Sinclair will arrive in Nashville on Monday for the Town Hall Meeting. I have covered Sinclair more than any other source and can separate fact from fiction.
I also helped break the Philip J Berg lawsuit and continue to report on this monumental story.
Both of these stories, in addition to continued fallout from the Tony Rezko trial, have barely been touched by the MSM.
Larry Sinclair is on a Take it to the Streets Tour and his story is not going away.
If you would like to interview Larry Sinclair, Philip J Berg
or me, let me know.
Citizen Wells

http://citizenwells.wordpress.com


http://larrysinclair-0926.blogspot.com


http://obamacrimes.com

The Citizen Wells blog is a good place to start to learn about the Larry Sinclair story as well as many other dubious aspects of Obama and his past. Another example of the Obama camp attacking people for asking questions about their messiah is the actor Jon Voight. He and his family were viciously attacked several months ago for questioning Obama.

Larry’s assault on media bias and Sen. Obama’s “fairy tales” that he is telling America. Sunday, October 5, 2008

Larry Sinclair is continuing to get his story out on Sen. Obama’s campaign trail. Mr. Sinclair is dogging the Senator at Chicago and Trinity United Church Of Christ asking the Senator where is was and what was he doing on the dates that Larry says that he and Sen. Obama were doing cocaine and having consensual gay sex. Everyone needs to stay tuned to Mr. Sinclair’s most excellent adventure trying to break through the media’s wall of See No Obama Scandals, Hear No Obama Scandals, Speak No Obama Scandals. Go to:
http://larrysinclair-0926.blogspot.com/
to keep up Larry’s assault on media bias and Sen. Obama’s “fairy tales” that he is telling America. (To quote President Clinton)

I hope Mr. Sinclair will be extremely careful today.  CitizenWells reports that Mr. Sinclair will try to attend a service at Trinity United Church of Christ. This is the church that Sen. Obama and his family attended for many years and from where America heard “God Damn America” spewing from the Rev. Wright’s pulpit.  I hope Larry Sinclair will be treated well by the members of Trinity United Chruch of Christ.

It seems that Larry Sinclair is already receiving threats regarding his proposed visit.

The media is once again AWOL regarding this story and any other negative issue that may cause Obama to stumble. 2008 is the year American Journalism died.

Larry’s assault on media bias and Sen. Obama’s “fairy tales” that he is telling America.

Larry Sinclair is continuing to get his story out on Sen. Obama’s campaign trail. Mr. Sinclair is dogging the Senator at Chicago and Nashville asking the Senator where is was and what was he doing on the dates that Larry says that he and Sen. Obama were doing cocaine and having consensual gay sex. Everyone needs to stay tuned to Mr. Sinclair’s most excellent adventure trying to break through the media’s wall of See No Obama Scandals, Hear No Obama Scandals, Speak No Obama Scandals. Go to:
http://larrysinclair-0926.blogspot.com/
to keep up Larry’s assault on media bias and Sen. Obama’s “fairy tales” that he is telling America. (To quote President Clinton) Maps of Mr. Sinclair’s adventure are on his site.

This is from Larry Sinclair:

I WILL BE LEAVING THIS AFTERNOON FOR CHICAGO/NASHVILLE

I will be leaving shortly for Nashville with a brief stop in Chicago, IL. The schedule and route has changed slightly for maximum impact. It is important to be in Nashville on Monday.

This story will be reported by way of the local media markets. Here is the link to The Grand Rapids, MI WSNX FM 104.5 interview from the Obama event on Thursday. http://www.wsnx.com/cc-common/podcast.html

Larry Sinclair’s Excellent Adventure on Sen. Obama’s “Fairy Tales” Campaign Trail

Larry Sinclair is continuing to get his story out on Sen. Obama’s campaign trail. Mr. Sinclair is dogging the Senator at Grand Rapids today asking the Senator where is was and what was he doing on the dates that Larry says that he and Sen. Obama were doing cocaine and having consensual gay sex. Everyone needs to stay tuned to Mr. Sinclair’s most excellent adventure trying to break through the media’s wall of See No Obama Scandals, Hear No Obama Scandals, Speak No Obama Scandals. Go to:
http://larrysinclair-0926.blogspot.com/
to keep up Larry’s assault on media bias and Sen. Obama’s “fairy tales” to America. (Just to quote Bill Clinton.)

Stay Safe Mr. Sinclair!!! Good Luck! Zach

Thursday, October 2, 2008

SENATOR OBAMA AND OBOTS DON’T LIKE IT!

Obama Buses in Supporters for Grand Rapids, MI Event.

Barack Obama told his supporters a week or so ago to “Get in their face…”, but it seems Senator Obama and his supporters do not like that advice when people “Get in their face…”

This morning I went to the Obama rally at Calder Plaza, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Now let me do something that Barack Obama cannot do, let me be fair and say that not all of the Obots were rude and foul mouthed, but make no mistake about it, most were. One teenager, or maybe twenty-something guy was encouraged by his own mother to tell me to “F— Off” and more.

The Obots hated that while Barack Obama was speaking I was about 200 feet away calling him on the mega phone asking him to answer the question, “where were you on Nov 6 & 7, 1999 and what were you doing?” They did not like that I was yelling on the mega-phone asking Barack Obama who was Larry Sinclair? In fact the Obama campaign was so unnerved, but did not want the Secret Service involved, so it took a little while before the Grand Rapids Police came and asked me to go with them and for my ID.

The Grand Rapids Police were respectful at all times, but also were clearly being used to silence the mega-phone. According to GP Police, I could not use the mega-phone because I did not obtain a permit, and the Obama Campaign did! I am now looking into the claim that a permit is required to use a mega-phone. The Police did run a warrant check on me and told me simply that if I was to use the mega-phone again, it would be confiscated and I would be ticketed. I then returned to the WSNX 104.5 FM interview on the reporters phone.
http://tiny.cc/xC1jx

Meanwhile, I was on a live radio interview with WSNX 104.5 FM radio in Grand Rapids while calling on Barack Obama to answer three simple questions. It was while on the phone with WSNX 104.5 FM that the Police asked me to go with them. I was trying to return the Radio reporters cell phone but wasn’t allowed to until he had to tell the Police it was his phone I was on.

In leaving the event I asked a WOODTV reporter, “why is it that you guys refuse to report the truth about Obama?” She replied, “we try to report the truth but it is our producers that say what does or does not get reported.”

Continue Reading

Who Will Be Sleeping In The Lincoln Bedroom In An Obama Whitehouse?

Who Will Be Sleeping In The Lincoln Bedroom

In An Obama Whitehouse?

This is a serious question that has again captured my attention. This time it is in reaction to what almost everyone sees – a media blatantly refusing to report on legitimate issues and distorting anything or anyone who stands in the way the Obama election efforts. The Senator’s past and the people who are close to him, the influences in his life, the experiences that shaped his thinking, those who have shaped his feelings for America, those that have shaped his religious views and values – they are critically important to know or predict where Sen. Obama might take America.

When I look at how the media has given Sen. Obama a complete pass on his past controversies and current allegations that are still out there, hidden from the public, I shudder. When I look at how the media and Sen. Obama have not allowed the general public to fully know or understand what his relationships and associations are really about, I shudder.

When Sen. Obama attempts to conceal his relationships and their importance, by making statements that require us to suspend our disbelief, I shudder. How could anyone stay in a church for 20 years, have his children baptized there, be married there, stand and clap, sit in the pews and still not understand the hatred and racism of Rev. Wright, his minister and spiritual mentor? How can anyone truly believe him?

How can anyone believe what the Senator says about the people he has distanced himself from?

· Minister Louis Farrakhan. When he hired for his staff, Jennifer Mason and Cynthia K. Miller, who are members of the Nation of Islam.

· Rev. Wright – the former preacher for a church the young Obama needed to belong to in Chicago to further his career. That’s not the Reverend Wright I knew was Obama’s response. After Sen. Obama threw him under the bus, Rev. Wright noted that Obama was distancing himself because Obama is a politician and that’s what a (Presidential) politician needs to do.

· Pastor Michael Pfleger – whose radical ideas and preaching are well known in Chicago went under the bus. Not the Pfleger I knew.

· Bernradine Dorn and William Ayers – Senator Obama sat on a board with Ayers, gave lectures with him, and went to his house for his blessings upon entering politics in Chicago. Ayer’s and Dorn’s group bombed the Pentagon. Obama has denied a close relationship. New evidence is now showing a much deeper relationship with William Ayers. (See Stanley Kurtz’s work)

· And Tony Rezko. He raised money for Senator Obama’s political career, gave him a sweetheart land deal, introduced him to influential people, and most likely taught Sen. Obama a lot about corrupt politics in Chicago. Rezko went under the bus after Obama minimized the relationship. There might be new information coming out about this relationship now that Mr. Rezko is apparently singing to the Feds in hopes of reducing his possible jail time.

So what I know is that Senator Obama learned his lessons about Chicago politics well. When it was time to throw someone, anyone, a church, a grandmother, under the bus to advance his political career; he did it with prose and ease.

Also what I know is that people in Chicago understand that politicians say and do the things that politicians believe they need to say and do. Rev. Wright’s comment that Obama was distancing himself from himself because Obama is a politician and that’s what a (Presidential) politician needs to do – clearly reflects this understanding.

So what is my fear? If Senator Barrack Obama finds himself in the White House, then it is entirely possible (likely) that all of the people mentioned above will be welcomed back into Senator Obama’s life. The Senator said that he could no more disown Rev. Wright than he could disown the black community? This leads to my questions:

Will we see Rev. Wright, Pastor Michael Pfleger, Pentagon bombers Bernradine Dorn and William Ayers, Minister Louis Farrakhan and corrupt Tony Rezko and his associates, staying in the Lincoln bedroom?

Will ACORN, an organization involved in causing the current financial crisis and numerous instances of voter fraud, have a seat at his table?

And lastly, will the American Tax Payers be forced to endure the ultimate humiliation by being required to foot the bill for pampering and honoring Louis Farrakhan and the Brothers of Islam, for honoring Senator Obama’s racist pastors, for honoring Pentagon bombers and terrorists, for honoring (and possibly pardoning) the Senator’s corrupt contributor Tony Rezko and his associates? At this late date, it appears very possible. Therefore, it is imperative for voters to look closely at Sen. Obama’s actions, companions and friends.

Those of us who have closely observed the Senator’s campaign and the Media’s support fully realize just how unfair the playing field is for Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin.

How much attention has been given to the ongoing federal lawsuit challenging Sen. Obama’s eligibility to be President (Berg v. Obama)? The answer is very little.

How much attention has been given to Larry Sinclair’s allegation’s that he did cocaine and engaged in consensual sex with Sen. Obama in 1999? The answer is very little.

How many reporters have been dispatched to Chicago to vet Sen. Obama? The answer is very few.

How many reporters are looking into the new allegations concerning massive amounts of illegal campaign contributions coming into the Obama campaign? Not many.

How many reporters are seriously looking at Sen. Obama’s connections to ACORN and the failure of Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac? The answer once again is very few.

How many reporters are looking for people who can tell Obama’s story? I’m not sure anyone can without damaging Senator Obama. The media is not looking for them.

Who are the people endorsing Sen. Obama? Many of those who want our destruction.

Ask yourself about the feeding frenzy the media is engaged in regarding Gov. Palin.

Regrettably, it appears that 2008 will be noted as one of America’s worst years for journalism.

Mr. Obama’s “deregulation” trope may be good politics, but it’s bad history and is dangerous if he really believes it.

The following appeared in the Wall Street Journal and it quotes Bill Clinton regarding the narrative put forth by Nancy Pelosi and her friends.  It seems that Mr. Clinton does not believe the repeal of Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 had anything to do with the current crisis.  I would refer you to my previous article Common Sense Regarding The Bailout which lays the blame at the feet of Chris Dodd and the Democratic administrators of Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac, the Community Reinvestment Act and groups like ACORN who Sen. Obama is so tightly connected.  I agree with the writer when they say, “Mr. Obama’s “deregulation” trope may be good politics, but it’s bad history and is dangerous if he really believes it.”

Bill v. Barack on Banks

Clinton instructs Obama on finance and Phil Gramm.

A running cliché of the political left and the press corps these days is that our current financial problems all flow from Congress’s 1999 decision to repeal the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 that separated commercial and investment banking. Barack Obama has been selling this line every day. Bill Clinton signed that “deregulation” bill into law, and he knows better.

In BusinessWeek.com, Maria Bartiromo reports that she asked the former President last week whether he regretted signing that legislation. Mr. Clinton’s reply: “No, because it wasn’t a complete deregulation at all. We still have heavy regulations and insurance on bank deposits, requirements on banks for capital and for disclosure. I thought at the time that it might lead to more stable investments and a reduced pressure on Wall Street to produce quarterly profits that were always bigger than the previous quarter.

“But I have really thought about this a lot. I don’t see that signing that bill had anything to do with the current crisis. Indeed, one of the things that has helped stabilize the current situation as much as it has is the purchase of Merrill Lynch by Bank of America, which was much smoother than it would have been if I hadn’t signed that bill.”

One of the writers of that legislation was then-Senator Phil Gramm, who is now advising John McCain, and who Mr. Obama described last week as “the architect in the United States Senate of the deregulatory steps that helped cause this mess.” Ms. Bartiromo asked Mr. Clinton if he felt Mr. Gramm had sold him “a bill of goods”?

Mr. Clinton: “Not on this bill I don’t think he did. You know, Phil Gramm and I disagreed on a lot of things, but he can’t possibly be wrong about everything. On the Glass-Steagall thing, like I said, if you could demonstrate to me that it was a mistake, I’d be glad to look at the evidence.

“But I can’t blame [the Republicans]. This wasn’t something they forced me into. I really believed that given the level of oversight of banks and their ability to have more patient capital, if you made it possible for [commercial banks] to go into the investment banking business as Continental European investment banks could always do, that it might give us a more stable source of long-term investment.”

We agree that Mr. Clinton isn’t wrong about everything. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act passed the Senate on a 90-8 vote, including 38 Democrats and such notable Obama supporters as Chuck Schumer, John Kerry, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Dick Durbin, Tom Daschle — oh, and Joe Biden. Mr. Schumer was especially fulsome in his endorsement.

As for the sins of “deregulation” more broadly, this is a political fairy tale. The least regulated of our financial institutions — hedge funds — have posed the least systemic risks in the current panic. The big investment banks that got into the most trouble could have made the same mortgage investments before 1999 as they did afterwards. One of their problems was that Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns weren’t diversified enough. They prospered for years through direct lending and high leverage via the likes of asset-backed securities without accepting commercial deposits. But when the panic hit, this meant they lacked an adequate capital cushion to absorb losses.

Meanwhile, commercial banks that had heavier capital requirements were struggling to compete with the Wall Street giants throughout the 1990s. Some of the deposit-taking banks that were allowed to diversify after 1999, such as J.P. Morgan and Bank of America, are now in a stronger position to withstand the current turmoil. They have been able to help stabilize the financial system through acquisitions of Bear Stearns, Washington Mutual, Merrill Lynch and Countrywide Financial.

Mr. Obama’s “deregulation” trope may be good politics, but it’s bad history and is dangerous if he really believes it. The U.S. is going to need a stable, innovative financial system after this panic ends, and we won’t get that if Mr. Obama and his media chorus think the answer is to return to Depression-era rules amid global financial competition. Perhaps the Senator should ask the former President for a briefing. END of ARTICLE

Comment:  This is the biggest financial failure in history and the media is mainly putting forth the Obama/Pelosi narrative.  Nothing will be said against Sen. Obama.  The media is going to Wasilla and N. Vietnam, but won’t go to Chicago to do any serious investigation.

The Media’s behavior is shameful. What about the allegations that Obama used cocaine and engaged in consensual gay sex with Larry Sinclair in November of 1999?   Will the MSM stop taking sides in the election and do their jobs? Will they investigate Mr. Sinclair’s allegations?  Will they dig into Obama’s past as hard as they have jumped on Sarah Palin and her 17 year old daughter? Will they look deeply into Obama’s relationships with William Ayers, Rev. Wright, Tony Rezko, Acorn, and all the rest? Will they look into the Democratic involvement in Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac failures? Will they call Sen. Obama to task for his possible violation of the Logan Act?

From RBO- What Caused Our Economic Crisis? Burning Down The House

This is from The Real Barack Obama:

Burning Down The House: What Caused Our Economic Crisis? (Update: Lobotobots at work)

September 26, 2008

The following was mercilessly stolen from Uppity Woman (the thief who stole it from Bill at the Patriot Room, who got it from Moe Lane at RedState). Be sure to not only watch all the way to the end of this fast-paced video, but take the time to follow the links back to those who have already commented on it. It’s verrrrry educational.

You are also encouraged to copy this video, post this video, email this video, spread this video far and wide — Now — Today — Often — as quickly as you can.

Read Uppity Woman’s No Credit? No Stable Income? No Down Payment? No Problem! Let’s Do It Again Suckers!. Uppity advises — watch the video …

You will learn the sequence. You will learn a LOT about Barack Obama and his penchant for Social Engineering too.

UPDATE — Lobotobot ALERT 09/30 15:00 pm ET: YouTube has now taken down not only the first version of the Burning Down the House video produced by TheMouthPiece, but has also taken down versions 2 (9/27) and 3 (9/29).

RBO just received an email notice that it was now available at VodPod, but that version has been removed as well.

Here’s a link that is still working; another one here; here; and here. It’s also uploaded at JibJab.

RBO will keep an eye on this developing situation brazen stupid attempt at censorship by the Lobotobots.

Source Articles / Graphs

A huge “hats off” to Sage Mountain, who “looked up each and every article and graph” and provides links “to all of the information presented in the video except a couple of graphs.” Domhead has links here, as well.

Explanation / Debunking

See an explanation for the removal of the first version at American Thinker as well as The Officious Intermeddler’s debunking of the music copyright infringement issue.

Pelosi: No Fannie/Freddie “witch hunt”

The Prowler at American Spectator reports September 30, 2008:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ordered her Majority Whip, Jim Clyburn, to essentially not do his job in the runup to the vote on Monday for the negotiated Wall Street bailout plan, according to House Democrat leadership aides.

[snip]

Pelosi and her aides have made it clear they were not going to “whip” or twist the arms of members who did not want to vote, but they also made no effort to rally any support for a bill they attempted to hijack over the weekend.

Further, according to House Oversight Committee staff, Emanuel has received assurances from Pelosi that she will not allow what he termed a “witch hunt” to take place during the next Congressional session over the role Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac played in the economic crisis…

Continue Reading