The Strategy

Just finished a Wall Street Journal Article describing President Obama's brazen "in your face" taunts after the Healthcare law passage. The strategy is clear, keep attacking and keep demonizing to keep socializing. With the full support of most major media outlets, the Republicans seem to be quite bruised and battered.

To further demonize the right, they are now provoking. The progressives in this country are now seeking out the opportunity to capitalize on the anger that they've stirred up. We see it already in numerous accounts (which most are not yet proven) of right wing or "Tea Party" violence and racism.

It's important to remember that this is a very long process. This is not one or two elections to bring the country back in line with the founder's intent. The progressive movement is well over a hundred years old. We didn't get here over night.

It's important that we remember a couple of things. First we must remember that there will be setbacks along the way. We will not gain momentum based on frustration to a single bill, law or administration, subsequently reversing over a hundred years of slow movement. The changes needed are societal, they are psychological, as well as generational. This is a long fight.

We must be involved from every angle. We must be involved in education, in the media, in the elections (both local and national), and in teaching our children. We must literally change the way that people think. Technology is on our side. The speed of communication and information can greatly enhance the speed with which we gain ground. Keep in mind, the progressives started this movement in a time when even a hand written letter could take months to deliver. The message should be clear and unwavering irrespective of situation.

Self reliance, personal accountability, reverence for the sacrifice of others for freedom, and respect of personal freedom. Most of all, the argument. The argument for personal freedom by minimal government control upon our lives is sound.

Most importantly now is the time for CONTROLLED and very disciplined passion, not anger. This is the time to rise above the petty name calling and the sarcasm that can be found on most news outlets.

Look for my next post on The Great Contradiction.

How do we teach History?

Before you read on please read the attached article that I found on the Drudge report. It may take a minute but it's relevant to my point.

Texas Curriculum

First let me clearly state that I believe that history should be taught as realistically and honestly as it can be. There were some points in American History that no American should be proud of. There are some points in American History that we must learn from so that we never repeat. However, none of those times should in any way make us dislike or be anything less than proud to be an American. In spite of those particular eras this country has done more to better the entire world than any other single country in the recorded history of the world.

There should be no doubts in anyone's mind that the world is a better place because of American ideals, ingenuity, morals, and willingness to sacrifice for others.

In reading the article linked above, I noticed a very simple point. All of the democrats wished to point out how bad America has been. All of the republicans wished to glorify American history. Why are the democrats so determined to teach our children that we're bad? Why do we constantly hear from the democrats about how wrong we are? If you are looking to convince people that you need to change from what you are, you must first dislike what you are. This can be attributed to nothing else. If we are so ashamed of ourselves and dislike what we are then we must feel compelled to change. What should we change to? We can easily look at the proposed policies of the most left leaning leaders to see the direction of change in this country. It's clear. One Hundred percent of the left's policies are social programs that in some way provide more entitlements to the poor while handing the bill to the wealthy and upper-middle class. More importantly, in each of these policies the government further dictates and controls the citizens choice (freedom). This is pure socialism.

Now, to be fair I do believe that the republicans involved need to be careful to honestly include those low points in American history. I believe that we can teach our children about slavery and suffrage in a realistic manner so that they learn how bad these things were. I further believe that children can be taught in such a manner that they can be proud of those heroes who took up the fight to end such horrible things.

This great country was created to be different than England, Spain, and France. This great nation was intended to be free. This nation was not intended to be a nation of helpless receiving hand-outs from the government. Countless men and women have sacrificed both their fortunes and lives to preserve this different nation. How can we now revert back to the oppressive and controlling government structure that our great founders risked everything and freed themselves of?

Hypocrisy and Sacrifice

Take a look at the video clip of reporters ambushing and chastising Senator Bunning. What is most amazing to me is the sheer level of hypocrisy of our media and of Americans in general. We want cuts but we don't want to be cut.
Video
Most everyone in the country is screaming about the monumental debt. This is not a partisan point. Dems and Repups, as well as media outlets, are all screaming about the astronomical debt.

When one man stands to keep the rules as just recently passed, he is mercilessly attacked by the media, the left, and much of the public. What's more frustrating is that I didn't see any republican senators jumping in to back him up. This should be extremely alarming to you as well. Any republican senators that did not back him up should be immediately called on the carpet. These weak republicans need to have their true conservative morals called into question and possibly removed from office.

The problem here is that everyone has a stake in the game. Every American will be adversely affected by Government cutting. Everyone receives a benefit, works for the government, or knows someone who does. No matter who you are, you will feel the affects of any cut-backs. The problem is that cut-backs are inevitable. I believe that the number to pay off the debt is somewhere around $40k per American citizen as of today. This number is growing rapidly.

We just watched as the media pounded Sen. Bunning for enforcing a "Pay as you go" bill that was just signed into law not more than a few months ago. The media blamed Sen. Bunning for single-handedly hold up payments for all of these Americans who are suffering without their benefits. The fact is that the entire Senate who failed to pay for this bill is who held up those payments! We as voters need to write and inform them that we know the truth irrespective of what the media would like for us to believe.

I ask each of you, republican or democrat, to take a moment and ponder what it actually took to create this country. What it took to sustain this country throughout its history. Think for a minute if any of our founding fathers and countrymen sacrificed anything to create and/or keep this union?

Lewis Morris of New York, for example, must have known when he signed the Declaration that he was signing away his fortune. Within weeks, the British ravaged his estate, destroyed his vast woodlands, butchered his cattle, and sent his family fleeing for their lives. Another New Yorker, William Floyd, was also forced to flee when the British plundered his property. He and his family lived as refugees for seven years without income. The strain told on his wife; she died two years before the war ended.Ref

These couple of quotes are only but a few of thousands of untold stories where Americans have sacrificed to preserve this great nation and the freedoms that we have enjoyed for so many years.

We must keep in mind that as we work to correct the budget problems of the State and Federal Governments that we will feel the pain. That pain will be felt by you and by me. No one wishes to have their respective program, service, or benefit to be cut. No one wishes to see any one person laid off from their job. Furthermore, deciding which programs and services can be cut is extremely subjective. The importance of one program over another depends upon who you are speaking with. This is the very reason that we cannot legislate on emotion.

We must concentrate on retaining those services that we can all agree serve to keep good order and safety within the community. I think that we should first, as a community agree on a priority list. For example, Police and Fire = 1. Education = 2. Infrastructure (roads, etc) = 3. Health and Human Services = 4.

No matter the process, no matter the pain, it must be done. I believe that we as Americans must look at this and realize that these sacrifices that we're being asked to make are minute in comparison to what our predecessors have endured for this great nation.

There is a tipping point with regard to taxation. There is a point where too much taxation stagnates and actually reverses business growth thereby reducing the overall revenue intake at the state and federal level. The balance must be drawn between enough taxation to cover needed programs (safety, education, etc.) and too much taxation where the revenue flow will not even cover the basics. Too high of a tax reduces money flow. Money flow produces money and jobs. As the scale of taxation rises, the job creation drops. In turn, the need for more social programs like unemployment benefits grow. It's a deadly downward spiral that we're toying with here.

Simply put, I believe that the time for a little personal sacrifice is now. This debt to GDP ratio that our government is toying with could literally be the demise of this country. The problems with the state is that there simply are too many social programs (entitlements).

It may be yours or my program that's cut. I understand that I will not be happy and nor will you but we must do the right thing. If we continue to provide entitlements to the point that there is no more country then there will be no more entitlements. We must painstakingly restore balance.

We start this by writing to our representatives and more importantly to our local media outlets. Let them know that you will not stand for the "spin" and "attack" that was levied upon a man who decided to do the right thing. A man who decided to actually uphold the law. The blame should lay at the feet of 99 other men and women who opted to ignore the law thereby causing the delay in the extension of benefits.