RIGHTthoughts

Blog Post 16:  December 11, 2010

Subject:  I’ve Seen The Light

 OK, I've finally gone over to the dark side...I now beleive, as do the Progressives, that a progressive income tax system is the only reasonable method for raising cash for Congress to spend.

 I'm past the fact that this form of taxation is confiscatory and an unconstitutional seizure of private property.  Yes, like the Left I'm no longer burdened by the facts of economics or history.  I no longer care that the vast majority of taxes are paid by the top 10% of the wealthiest Americans, or that almost 50% of Americans pay no taxes and many of these folks receive some form of government assesstance.  I'm no longer concerned with the fact that across the board tax cuts have ALWAYS spurred economic growth, increased everyones income, increased employment and brought in more tax revenues to the government.

 No, I've seen the light and it is time to really soak some Americans while we give others a pass.  We need to transform our out dated income tax system and institute a system that provides accountability for our political beliefs.  We need to adopt a CHANGE that puts our money where our mouth is.  In other words we need a tax system that is congruent with our view of how to be governed.

 Now don't be jumping to any conclusions.  I'm not advocating for a flat tax, a consumption tax or even a reduced progressive tax rate schedule.  I told you I've been convinced by the arguments of the Left, I'm a changed man, politically.  I now grasp the wisdom of a tax system that radically takes more from one sector of the public while spareing another based on a specific set of criteria!

 Before this lame duck debate about extending the Bush-era tax rates and after listening to all the class warfare propaganda I've found myself to have been converted.  Although I had strongly believed in uniform tax cuts or longed for a simple flat tax I find today there is a compeling reason to adopte a dramatically different progressive tax structure, a system that taxes Democrates at a much higher rate than Republicans (a least fiscally conservative Republicans)!

 That's right, I said Democrates should pay the majority of taxes while Republicans should only have to pay a small percentage of their income as taxes (if anything).  This makes perfect sense to me since it's the Democrates, at least the socially liberal ones, who desire to create and fund all of the entitlement programs.

 The plan is perfect because there should be no opposition from either party.  After all the Dems have explicitly stated that it is acceptable to tax the public at dfferent rates based on arbitrary criteria established by them.  So what would be the basis of their complaint?

 Then there's the issue of accountability.  My approach to taxation places the responsibility for funding social justice programs with the very people who want them.  If the Democrats want entitlements then they should pay for them.  What are they going to say, "I want to provide a college education for illegal aliens but I want you to pay for it"?  Wait a minute that's exactly what they're saying.  Ignore that last thought it just confuses the issue, and I'm a convert so I can now ignore the facts.

 I hope you are as excited by this plan as I am.   Pick up the phone or email your Senator and Congressperson (see there, I'm even politically correct, maybe I can get on one if the MSNBC programs?) and urge them to enact this plan.  It's a winner for everyone.

 Wow, it's exciting being free of the constrainsts of the Consitution! You should try it.

RIGHTthoughts

Blog Post 15: November 13, 2010

Subject: We've Lost Our Way

What the heck's wrong with California and the Federal government?  Well, the answer might be in our expectations for government. For instance:

 "I voted for Barbara Boxer because she's done so much for California," proudly stated the liberal after the recent mid-term election.  This statment clearly defines why the wheels are coming off the train of democracy and freedom here in the USA.  A large percentage of the citizens and non-citizens believe the government is to do “stuff” for us, to give us things, to take care of us!

"Ask not what your country can do for you - Ask what you can do for your country."

John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address 1961

 Those words always get me each time I hear them.  And they have never been more important than they are today. In fact, they cut to the very core of the challenge that faces us, the citizens of the United States of America - that a great many citizens and non-citizens believe that the government, especially the Federal government is responsible for taking care of us, that they are to provide us with “stuff.”

 It's taken awhile, from Woodrow Wilson to Obama, a span of almost a century, for the principles upon which the nation was founded to be eroded, transformed and rationalized into a system of governance that would be unrecognizable to Adams, Jefferson and Washington.

 The erosion can be seen in the way people speak about the government and our elected representatives.  You'll hear people say, "I'm voting for so and so candidate because he's done so much for our community," or "the Senator has brought so many jobs to our State," or "I'm for the Congressman because he or she is compassionate and understands how to take care of the less fortunate."

 This entitlement mindset incourages the government to overreach in areas like nationalization of healthcare; the bail out of Wall Street and Detroit; the push for Cap and Trade (really cap and TAX); the behemoth "stimulus" programs. This results in a ballooning National debt, massive unemployment, hyperinflation, and an enormous erosion of our freedom.

 Yet people still vote for the candidates who bring home the bacon!

 “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

 The brilliance, genius and uniqueness of the Declaration of Independace, the American Revolution and the Constitution is that the government forged by these documents and events is bottom up not top down.  It was founded on unalienable rights granted by our Creator not a monarch; it was focused on personal responsibility and liberty, it established a rule of law that provided every citizen the opportunity to succeed or fail on the basis of their own talents, dreams and willingness to take a risk.

 Our ancestors fought for our freedom, for this citizen-focused government so that our freedoms could be secured.  Specific limitation are written into the Constituion that were intended by our forefathers to prevent the creation of an all controlling ruling class and an overreaching Federal Government like we currently have.

 How has this happened? Why are the citizens who support First Principles vilified and called extremist? 

Laziness, lack of knowledge, misplaced compassion, abdication of responsibilty, arrogance, lack of courage, and erosion of morals, values and ethics, regardless we've lost our way, we don't appreciate the greatness of this Nation, we don't understand or appreciate the gift the Founding Fathers have given us, the price they paid the cost of freedom.

In the closing scene of the wonderful HBO mini series, “John Adams,” Mr. Adams says to his wife,

“… posterity, you will never know how much it cost us to preserve your freedom.  I hope that you will make a good use of it.  If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven that I ever took half the pains to preserve it.”

If we don't want to squander the legacy of our Founding Fathers we need to surrender to God, lay done our stubborn ideology and get out and help ourselves and our fellow citizens.  What are you going to do to help the poor, the unemployed, the sick, the incarcerated?  Or are you waiting for the Government to take care of the less fortunate, including yourself?  Are you voting for big government politician to do the heavy lifting for you?

The liberals would say, "yes," if they could be honest.

I say, and the grass roots Tea Party citizens say, "Hell No!" We say, stay within the bounds of the Constitution and get out of the way.

We need to take responsibility for our lives and fulfill President Kennedy's challenge by "asking what we can do for our country."

What are you doing?

RIGHTthoughts

Blog Post 8: October 15, 2009

That's right you read the title correctly.  I know my liberal friends can't believe that I pened such a title.  How could I say such a thing when I have absolutely zero respect for President Obama?

 Well, I left something out of the title, it should read, "Obama COULD BE the greatest modern era President." In fact he could be canonized with the likes of Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln if he actually fullfiled his promise for hope and change.

Those of you that voted for Mr. Obama tell me, were you voting for the expansion of the Federal "Nanny State; More debt than all previous administrations combined, and in less than six months at that; Economic polices that have resulted in double digit umemployment and an unprecedented devaluation of the US Dollar; Eventual hyper inflation?  I'd love to hear back from you because it's hard for me to believe anyone would support the idelogy of this President.  Weren't you voting for a change in the politics?  Didn't you want an end to the "Good Old Boys" network in Washington.  Didn't you want an end to "pork-laddened" legislation?  Didn't you want transparency from your elected officials?  Didn't you want the President and Congress to have higher values than their predecessors?

For some of you I suspect that you hoped Mr. Obama, like Jesus, would enter the political temple, overturn the tables, drive out the money changers and tax collectors!  Instead Mr. Obama is building more tables and promoting tax cheats to positions of power.

So what could be the alternative?  What could President Obama do to go down in history as one of the greatest leaders of all time?  Well for a start he could:

Clean Up Washington:

I find it ironic that the President uses the argument that he will help pay for his unconstitutional plan to nationalize healthcare by cleaning up the waste, fruad and corruption in Medicare.  I'd suggest that he show us that he has the "right" stuff and clean  up the corruption and fruad first before starting any new  programs.  In fact let's clean up all of government!

 Eliminate "Pork" and "Earmarks":

Pass legislation, even a Constitutional amendment if necessary, that requires every bill be considered on it's own merits.  In other words no more bribs in the form of pork or ear marks to buy support for a specific piece of legislation. Give the President line item veto power to hold the Congress accountable.  By the way after two hundred years why do we need new legislation in the first place?

 Establish Constitutional Integrety:

Establish a Constitutionality test for all legislation before it can be voted on.  In fact review all existing legislation against this test and repeal all that fail.  You might suggest that this is the role of the Court however  Congress and the President all swear to uphold the Constution so they should not be passing this responsibility to the judiciary.

 Educate America:

Visit Heritage.org and take a look at their "Book of Charts," especially the educational spending chart.  The chart compares federal funding for  K-12 education in relation to test scores for  academic competancy.  No surprise to find that test scores remain flat while funding increases year after year regarless of which party is in power.  It's time we introduce competition into the educational system with vouchers and the elimination of tenure.  As Bill Cosby says, "We need to put a body on each of our children.". I interpret this to mean let's all get together with the kids and teach them how to read, write, do math, and think critically.  And while we're at it let's teach them honest history and what the Constitution means.

 Empower America by Fostering Personal Responsibility:

End all government entitlement programs and develope a culture that empowers individuals to take responsibilty for their lives. Couple this with the educational reforms mentioned above to educate people on how to take care of themselves and to discover who God always intended then to be.  Incentivize faith-based and civic institutions to provide the safety nets to insure everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.  You'd think this would be a primary value for the first black President.

 End the Political Class, No Career Politicians:

Limit Congressional sessions to two one-month sessions with all intervenying work accomplished by web meetings, email, social network systems (Facebook, Linkedin, etc.).  This would force the elected representatives to maintain separate employment while they serve in Congress.  Having to live with the consequences of their actions will certainly change their legislative approach.

 Accomplishing real change in any one of these categories would secure Obama's reputation as a great President.  Accomplishing change in a majority of these areas would establish Barack H. Obama as the greatest President since Abraham Lincoln!

Polarization and intolerance are destroying the foundations of freedom and liberty that our Founding Fathers and subsequent generations have risked their lives to preserve.  There is no debate on any issue, no opportunity to understand the point of view of others, we find ourselves in a constant quarrel based on moral equivalency.  “Well that’s all good, but President Bush developed a massive deficit,” or “President Clinton didn’t do enough to dampen the growth of radical Islamic terrorists.”

 You know how this works; in fact you’ve participated in polarized “discussion.”  I ask you a question and instead of answering you throw out a factoid demonstrating that my party or candidate did the same thing, only much worse than your party or candidate.  This approach fosters intolerance and keeps us all locked in a hopeless cycle that never results in any true, honest or positive improvements to our society.

 A great example of this futile exercise was the recent spat about the response given by the Miss California contestant in the Miss USA contest.  She answered the gay judge honestly and clearly and then pro-gay television commentators, proving that it’s not OK to disagree with their position on marriage, maliciously and viciously attacked her.  The absurdity of this polarization was clearly demonstrated when a liberal feminist blogger/ columnist was interviewed on Fox News by Laura Ingraham about the attacks being made on the young lady representing California.  The self-proclaimed feminist didn’t defend or even support the young lady; in fact she attacked her for being intolerant (sic) of gay people!  I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and hearing.  The feminist couldn’t focus on the abuse of Miss California, no she had to continue the polarization and add her own insult to the injuries already inflicted on this young woman.

 Why did the feminist have to interject her own judgments about same sex marriage in a discussion about liberals attacking Miss California in a very derogatory and degrading manner.  Why didn’t the feminist take a position about this abuse?  Isn’t that what a feminists stands for?  I could only surmise that the political agenda out weighs her core principles.  Now I find myself in a place where I can’t understand the position of the feminists because her comments appear to contradict what I thought feminism was all about and there is no tolerance for another point of view.

 On a recent flight I overheard the flight attendants talking about the Miss California situation and how she brought this abuse on herself.  I challenged the most vocal flight attendant about how unfair the young woman was being treated and portrayed in the media and he responded with, “If you live in a glass house…”  His position was that it was OK for the media to attack the young lady, to dig for all the dirt it can, because she put herself in this position, center stage with America.  Did the media investigate all of the contestants to see who had posed naked or semi-naked?  Of course not.  The only reason they attacked this lady was because she spoke her truth and the media didn’t like it.

We have lost our sense of decency!

 Then we have the Wanda Sykes monolog at the recent Press dinner in Washington, D.C. where she attacked Rush Limbaugh with outright lies and a desire to see him die.  And the President exhibiting extremely poor taste and a lack of dignity laughed at this outrageous indecency.  What was the reaction in the liberal press, “great humor; Rush brings this on himself; Rush deserved it.”  Proof positive that polarization and a lack of decency is the bulwark of American culture in this age of “Change.”

 Wanda Sykes has never listened to Rush a day in her life.  If she had she would find out that Rush doesn’t want America to fail in fact he is fighting each day for her liberty and the success of this entire country.  Rush has published a plan for economic and social recovery that Ms. Sykes and the liberal media will never read.  Rush never said he wanted America to fail, or for the President to fail.  He clearly stated, and I was listening live when he said it, he wanted the socialistic, big government policies of Mr. Obama to fail as they had wherever they have been tried before.  How do you get from a well-articulated counter proposal to Rush being a traitor and wishing that his kidneys should fail?  Polarization, ignorance and indecency, that’s how we get there.

 Where this polarizing dialog leads us is a state where open debate can’t take place and the best interest of the country can’t be determined.  It’s all about who has the power and how far the powerful can take their ideology.  We can’t talk about the facts that support either position, like with climate change or same sex marriage.  We can’t develop a prudent long-range policy because we refuse to act with grace and try to understand the opposition’s point of view.  When we offer a moral equivalent answer in lieu of a straight answer we encourage ignorance and foster division.

 What we end up with is a situation where we won’t put down our own strident views long enough to listen to what the other side has to say and upon what basis they formulated their beliefs.  I don’t understand you and you don’t understand me.

 So in the interest of developing a meaningful dialog I’ve listed my foundational beliefs so you know exactly where I stand.  Tell me where you stand!

 I believe:

Life begins at conception:  A human cell is alive and when two cells merge and divide life exists and should not be killed.

Marriage:  This is an institution, not a right and is the union of a man and a woman.

Equal Rights:  All citizens have equal protection under the law and these rights must not be abridged.  In the case of same sex partners I believe that they should have all the same rights as any other citizen and that government should get out of the institution of marriage.

Limited Federal Government:  The U.S. Constitution clearly limits the powers vested in the Federal government (Article 1 Section 8 and the 10^th Amendment).  All powers not specifically provided for in the Constitution are the responsibility of the State and local governments.

Fiscal Responsibility:  The government, at all levels must provide services that benefit the governed and do so efficiently and economically just as I must manage my own resources in a similar manner. They must spend less than they take in.

Free Market Economy:  The government, especially the Federal should provide minimum oversight of business to insure the safety and well being of the citizens.  These regulations must be constantly reviewed to insure that they are appropriate and have not resulted in un-intended and negative consequences.

U.S. Constitution:  I believe in a strict understanding of the Constitution and I don’t believe that it is a “living, breathing” document open for interpretation based on the current culture.  It is wrong to legislate from the bench and defeats the checks and balances so wisely incorporated into the Constitution.  If the Constitution needs to be changed or amended, as it has been in the past, follow the amendment process contained in the document.

Health Care:  This should be an open and free market program with no Federal Government control (other than standard of care regulations).  A single-payer government controlled system will result in rationed services and a lower quality of care for everyone.  The citizens need to be educated about health care issues and how to best deal with them (When to call the doctor and when not to) and the system converted to a competitive pay for service system.  Insurance should be limited to extreme conditions such as cancer and trauma care.

Immigration:  The United States of America would not exist if not for immigration.  And I’m fully supportive of continuing to welcome peoples from all over the globe who want to participate in this great democratic experiment and who want to share in the American dream.  I simply ask that these immigrants honor our laws and enter the country legally.  Those who have entered illegally must be held accountable for their actions and not granted amnesty.

Education:  This is the responsibility of the parents and the local communities.  The Federal government should have no part in the funding or the setting of policy.  In fact the U.S. Constitution prohibits this participation.  The closer to the home we can place the control of the educational process the better.  Just look at the statistics, we spend more today than we ever have and the test scores remain the same.

Foreign Policy/ National Defense:  The United States needs to maintain a strong and progressive defense program.  Whether we like it or not evil exists in this world and merely turning a cheek and hoping the menace will evaporate is foolhardy.  We should be careful where and when we get involved in foreign affairs but we can’t let our guard down.  Look at the military build-up of China (Whish also owns most of our national debt) and Russia to understand that our freedom, our liberty, our way of life is at risk if we become pacifists.

So there you have it.   When I layout my positions in this manner does it bring us closer together or drive us apart?  It is my opinion that each and every position I’ve presented is currently under attack by President Obama and the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate.  Maybe if we each take the time to itemize and share our core values we may be able to find common ground that we can use to encourage our representatives to act according to the consent of the governed instead of forcing their ideology on us.

What do you think?

Mr. President:

Enough is enough. I write this not as a conservative Republican (I am one), or a white middle-class businessman (I’m that as well), or even as a citizen…I write as one father to another.

Like you I have two beautiful daughters, although mine are now young adults, and I love them with all my heart. Since their birth I have changed my life to insure their safety, education, health, and moral foundations.  But even this isn’t what I want to share with you.

I would ask that you and I build a metaphor for our country using fathers and daughters. In fact lets use our own daughters so the parallels are as real as possible.  In this metaphor we as fathers represent the federal government and our daughters represent the citizen we serve.

In the beginning we provide everything for our daughters. We feed them, we house them, we comfort them, we clothe them, we protect them, we teach them, and we love them.  However, our most important role is to prepare them to live independent and responsible lives away from our protective control. In the end, our ability to let them go and make their own lives is the greatest gauge of our success as fathers.

There comes a point in the lives of our daughters where we not only stop protecting them we also stop supporting them. We don’t continue to pay for their clothes, their food, their housing, their cell phones their utility bills, their health care. Yes, we are there when they get in trouble or need help but we no longer provide everything for them, do we? Wouldn’t you agree that it would be unproductive for our daughters to grow up believing that Dad would always be there to bail them out?

To make our children dependent on their fathers and mothers for everything in their lives, and for their entire lives would not result in positive, self-reliant adults. Therefore, back to the metaphor why do you believe that government should take care of the citizens from cradle to grave? I’m certain that you wouldn’t want the government making all the decisions for your daughters, would you? You know that part of growing up and maturing is to struggle with life on your own and having to make your own decisions and taking responsibility for those decisions.

We teach our daughters to be fiscally responsible by our own actions as well as encouraging them to avoid credit and to spend within their means. Yet you and the government continue to spend beyond your means thus sending a negative message to the country.

We teach our daughters to be self-reliant by encouraging them to take on responsibilities, by finding employment as baby sitters, etc. If they want a new purse, and girls really love those expensive purses, we challenge them to set a goal and to save for the designer bag. If they put in the effort and come up a little short we are happy to close the gap. We honor their effort and affirm them as individuals.  When the government hands out well fare checks they devalue the individual and stifle their ability to care for themselves. You could just buy the purse for your daughter but done often enough that would spoil the child.

My point is that as a father I must get out of the way of my daughters to let them succeed or fail on their own. We as a country must stop thinking that government, “Father,” has all the answers for the citizens, “Daughters.” We need to follow the constitution and create a safe environment for that success and failure and we need to be there in a limited way to help our countrymen in tragic situations.

So my challenge to you, Mr. President, is to stop acting like a politician and start thinking and acting like a father. Stop trying to control our lives and let us succeed or fail on our own merits. Start encouraging the people of this great land to take responsibility for their own lives and the consequences of their choices. Start teaching them how to live purpose driven and responsible lives.  Show them how to live within their means.

It is not possible to legislate behavior. Just think about your daughters. Do the stern lectures and ultimatums really change their behavior? No, it is the example of your life and the kind teaching you provide that makes the real difference, the real impact. Even though I don’t support any of your ideas for the country I do believe that you have the gifts required to help the people of the United States to be encouraged, uplifted, inspired and challenged to create a better America!

In closing I would say then, as a father to a son (Because I’m old enough to be your father) let go of ideology and approach your job as President in the same way you approach your role as father. Consider every policy you champion from the perspective of how it will affect your daughters.  Will this public policy help them become independent, self-reliant, responsible citizens? Is the policy congruent with what you teach your daughters? Is the policy supported by the constitution?

Love your Country as you love your daughters.