Conservatives Weaken National Security

During the budget debate, I pleaded with “conservatives” to not accept Boehner Bill #1, #2 or #3.  I was told “we can’t win anyway,” “we don’t control the Senate,” “the GOP will look obstructionist,” and “you’re too extreme.”  Well known tweeter, Ken Gardner, even blocked me last week because HE was one of those who thought it was foolish to fight for Cut, Cap & Balance and now denies that he ever took such a stance.  Some people can’t handle the truth.  And the truth is that me, Rush Limbaugh, Jim DeMint, Erick Erickson, Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin were absolutely right.  The Ceiling Cap Compromise is worse than no deal at all.  As I explained in my article “The Lesson of the Tea Party 22,” the Democrats continue to play high stakes poker while Republicans play Candy Land.  And now it is time to measure what that cost us.

Heritage Morning Bell has a terrific and horrifying analysis of exactly what the $1.2 Trillion cut in Defense means to our security.  A summary of what this will mean to us in the next 10 years:

• Smallest ground force since 1940
• Smallest number of ships since 1915
• Smallest Air Force in US history
• Termination of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
• Termination of all helicopter modernization
• Termination of all combat vehicle modernization
• Termination of all European missile defense
• Termination of all unmanned surveillance systems
• Elimination of our intercontinental ICBM capability

And that doesn’t even take into consideration the termination of the next generation submarine and bomber programs as the number of radical Muslim governments and China military power grows.

How could ANY congressperson (let alone a Republican) agree to the possibility of this kind of national security disaster when Obama had ALREADY cut $850 Billion from Defense spending?!

I had more faith my Chicago Bulls would offer me a spot on their 2012 NBA roster than that the so called Super Committee would ever come up with a plan acceptable to both parties even BEFORE the charlatans committee members were named.  Rush Limbaugh had the foresight all along that the Democrats had set this up to blame the Republicans.  I suspect Obama WANTED an impasse to continue his destruction of the American government.

Our Founding Fathers have turned in their graves so often during the past three years I suspect their skeletons are now resting in Seoul.

Who is to blame?  Everyone who compromised for fear of the media, fear of politics and desire for convenience to put the prospect of a “Deal before an Ideal.”  And the Band Captain, Drum Major and Baton Twirlers were John Boehner, Alan West and Paul Ryan.

All of these are good men.  Allen West and Paul Ryan especially have done great things for the conservative movement, which makes their role in this betrayal all the more painful.  It is not just time to say, “Et tu Brute?” but to start asking those who allowed this to happen, what they will do now.

One of the greatest revelations Reagan had was how the Soviets operated.  I don’t feel I’m too far off – or that many of you would disagree – that the modern Democrat party isn’t of a dissimilar mold to that of the Communist Politburo. I wish I could find the exact quote (someone post it in comments if you locate it) but at one point Reagan said something equivalent to, “for years in negotiating with the Soviets, we would propose to cut missiles, they would say no and we would come back the next time with another proposal of even more cuts to which they would also say no to.  This has got to stop.” (Reagan’s 1981 speech of US arms offers here.)

Republicans have continued to  play the ignorant dupe to Reid’s impersonation of Brezhnev.  Regan understood that WHAT THEY SAID was not truly their game plan.  And the GOP had better wise up quick, because Barack Obama is the Gigantor version of Brezhnev.  With not a single move in the direction of the American public majority to cut spending, you have to come to the conclusion Barack Obama DESIRES a complete emasculation of American power.  Forget the admission he ONLY hung out with Marxist radicals in college.  Forget the fact that he has made nearly every move to overburden the country with debt, and refuses to give troops to defend our border while giving Mexican drug lords guns to kill our own border officers.  The fact that he publicly admitted in a

Nuclear Security conference that he was not fully in support of America being a world superpower should send us into ACTION on getting this guy out of office NOW instead of hoping we defeat him in 2012.  Why aren’t the Republicans launching a full scale political war of rhetoric and full legal challenge to this guy being in office?  Doesn’t the admission he is willing to subvert Congress a cause for impeachment?  Certainly if he swore to defend the Constitution which is to ENSURE NATIONAL DEFENSE, this is grounds alone.

In fact, it gives an even great credibility to the idea we should finally engage a full PR prosecution on his lack of eligibility to get EVERY law and policy he has signed and implemented immediately reversed.

I liked Boehner’s tough talk to Obama during the budget debate, but unlike others, I never once truly felt he understood the gravity of the issue.  I am POSITIVE that Paul Ryan and Allen West now do.  And although they have betrayed us once in not fighting more fiercely to stop these automatic defense cuts that will quite literally weaken our country, they now have a chance to speak up and no longer play politics as usual.  NO longer will saying determined and angry things against Obama’s plan but DOING nothing to remove him will do.  How about finally calling this for what it is:

TREASON.

Ryan and West have credibility that Bachmann (unfairly) does not.  Reputations as being smart, serious legislators.  It is time for them to use that to escalate this battle.  In the end, West and Ryan have an opportunity to correct their poorly informed past decision for Boehner and be known as fictional Braveheart version of this:

Or continue to merely play the usual political game and risk being thought of as this:

If you are going to be a Tea Party patriot, you are going to have stand up to your own party at personal and political risk.  Like Sarah Palin did in Alaska, even resigning her position on the oil industry oversight committee risking being called an “extremist” rather than accepting politics as usual.

Where are our Patriots?  Who will love this country as much as our John Hancock and put their reputations on the line to challenge this status quo.

We need you.  Not in 2012.  We need you now.

UPDATE

Jonathon Sangster posted an incredible piece on his Under Construction blog tonight explaining that we are giving F-16 Fighter Jets to Indonesia.  I didn’t get the significance first either so I’ll type it very slowly.  We are GIVING (not selling) advanced military technology to an unstable government habitable to Al Qaeda while cutting our military severely.  Read it here, pray for God’s grace on our nation, and notify your congressmen, your friends, your neighbors and anyone who listen to stop this insanity immediately.  And while you’re at, slap anyone who voted for Obama at least once.  (Verbally of course.  You’ll need to conserve your energy.)

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Conservatives Weaken National Security

During the budget debate, I pleaded with “conservatives” to not accept Boehner Bill #1, #2 or #3.  I was told “we can’t win anyway,” “we don’t control the Senate,” “the GOP will look obstructionist,” and “you’re too extreme.”  Well known tweeter, Ken Gardner, even blocked me last week because HE was one of those who thought it was foolish to fight for Cut, Cap & Balance and now denies that he ever took such a stance.  Some people can’t handle the truth.  And the truth is that me, Rush Limbaugh, Jim DeMint, Erick Erickson, Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin were absolutely right.  The Ceiling Cap Compromise is worse than no deal at all.  As I explained in my article “The Lesson of the Tea Party 22,” the Democrats continue to play high stakes poker while Republicans play Candy Land.  And now it is time to measure what that cost us.

Heritage Morning Bell has a terrific and horrifying analysis of exactly what the $1.2 Trillion cut in Defense means to our security.  A summary of what this will mean to us in the next 10 years:

• Smallest ground force since 1940
• Smallest number of ships since 1915
• Smallest Air Force in US history
• Termination of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
• Termination of all helicopter modernization
• Termination of all combat vehicle modernization
• Termination of all European missile defense
• Termination of all unmanned surveillance systems
• Elimination of our intercontinental ICBM capability

And that doesn’t even take into consideration the termination of the next generation submarine and bomber programs as the number of radical Muslim governments and China military power grows.

How could ANY congressperson (let alone a Republican) agree to the possibility of this kind of national security disaster when Obama had ALREADY cut $850 Billion from Defense spending?!

I had more faith my Chicago Bulls would offer me a spot on their 2012 NBA roster than that the so called Super Committee would ever come up with a plan acceptable to both parties even BEFORE the charlatans committee members were named.  Rush Limbaugh had the foresight all along that the Democrats had set this up to blame the Republicans.  I suspect Obama WANTED an impasse to continue his destruction of the American government.

Our Founding Fathers have turned in their graves so often during the past three years I suspect their skeletons are now resting in Seoul.

Who is to blame?  Everyone who compromised for fear of the media, fear of politics and desire for convenience to put the prospect of a “Deal before an Ideal.”  And the Band Captain, Drum Major and Baton Twirlers were John Boehner, Alan West and Paul Ryan.

All of these are good men.  Allen West and Paul Ryan especially have done great things for the conservative movement, which makes their role in this betrayal all the more painful.  It is not just time to say, “Et tu Brute?” but to start asking those who allowed this to happen, what they will do now.

One of the greatest revelations Reagan had was how the Soviets operated.  I don’t feel I’m too far off – or that many of you would disagree – that the modern Democrat party isn’t of a dissimilar mold to that of the Communist Politburo. I wish I could find the exact quote (someone post it in comments if you locate it) but at one point Reagan said something equivalent to, “for years in negotiating with the Soviets, we would propose to cut missiles, they would say no and we would come back the next time with another proposal of even more cuts to which they would also say no to.  This has got to stop.” (Reagan’s 1981 speech of US arms offers here.)

Republicans have continued to  play the ignorant dupe to Reid’s impersonation of Brezhnev.  Regan understood that WHAT THEY SAID was not truly their game plan.  And the GOP had better wise up quick, because Barack Obama is the Gigantor version of Brezhnev.  With not a single move in the direction of the American public majority to cut spending, you have to come to the conclusion Barack Obama DESIRES a complete emasculation of American power.  Forget the admission he ONLY hung out with Marxist radicals in college.  Forget the fact that he has made nearly every move to overburden the country with debt, and refuses to give troops to defend our border while giving Mexican drug lords guns to kill our own border officers.  The fact that he publicly admitted in a

Nuclear Security conference that he was not fully in support of America being a world superpower should send us into ACTION on getting this guy out of office NOW instead of hoping we defeat him in 2012.  Why aren’t the Republicans launching a full scale political war of rhetoric and full legal challenge to this guy being in office?  Doesn’t the admission he is willing to subvert Congress a cause for impeachment?  Certainly if he swore to defend the Constitution which is to ENSURE NATIONAL DEFENSE, this is grounds alone.

In fact, it gives an even great credibility to the idea we should finally engage a full PR prosecution on his lack of eligibility to get EVERY law and policy he has signed and implemented immediately reversed.

I liked Boehner’s tough talk to Obama during the budget debate, but unlike others, I never once truly felt he understood the gravity of the issue.  I am POSITIVE that Paul Ryan and Allen West now do.  And although they have betrayed us once in not fighting more fiercely to stop these automatic defense cuts that will quite literally weaken our country, they now have a chance to speak up and no longer play politics as usual.  NO longer will saying determined and angry things against Obama’s plan but DOING nothing to remove him will do.  How about finally calling this for what it is:

TREASON.

Ryan and West have credibility that Bachmann (unfairly) does not.  Reputations as being smart, serious legislators.  It is time for them to use that to escalate this battle.  In the end, West and Ryan have an opportunity to correct their poorly informed past decision for Boehner and be known as fictional Braveheart version of this:

Or continue to merely play the usual political game and risk being thought of as this:

If you are going to be a Tea Party patriot, you are going to have stand up to your own party at personal and political risk.  Like Sarah Palin did in Alaska, even resigning her position on the oil industry oversight committee risking being called an “extremist” rather than accepting politics as usual.

Where are our Patriots?  Who will love this country as much as our John Hancock and put their reputations on the line to challenge this status quo.

We need you.  Not in 2012.  We need you now.

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Wall Street Aristocracy Got $1.2T in Loans - Bloomberg

This is astounding. The Federal Reserve - an unelected, unaccountable private entity of truly unknown ownership - has been given the credit card of the United States to gamble nearly half of 2008's entire Federal budget with banks that could collapse. This of course would leave the US taxpayer holding the bag. Worse, foreign banks were given many of these loans meaning that American taxpayers were risking their OWN personal and collective economic future without even knowing it.

Full article here:

Wall Street Aristocracy Got $1.2T in Loans - Bloomberg

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Why We Can't Wait for Palin, Perry, Romney, Ryan, Bachmann or Bolton

"Even the MSM can't argue with Perry's job creation"
"Romney is the only candidate to beat Obama in every poll"
"Ryan would take it to Obama like he did in the budget talks"
"Palin will energize the race and not compromise on repeal of EVERYTHING"


Pardon me Conservative.  Your slip is showing.
It's a pipe dream.
None of these candidates will be elected in time to do one damn bit of good before our next disaster.


Marc Nuttle is that brainiac kid in high school that was on the Chess and War Gaming Clubs and the one who no self-respecting cheerleader would be caught within a spit-wads throw of. He's the geek that went on to actually DO things like serve as on the Industrial Policy Advisory Committee for Trade and Policy Matters for the United States Government under President Ronald Reagan.  He also advises Chinese mega-corporations and countries around the world.


But he has now gone on to become one of the premier horror filmmakers in the country.  

Not intentionally of course.  This video couldn't do much more to scare the spinach out of you than a Playgirl centerfold of Joe Biden.  They laughed at Laffer and will surely call Nuttle a nut - but it is hard to argue his facts.  In fact, the only opposing piece I found was by the People for the American Way (can't they be sued for false advertising?) which attacked his lack of support for raising taxes.  WHATEVER YOU DO - DO NOT WATCH THIS BEFORE GOING TO BED.  (Unless of course you are waiting up for your daughter to come home from her date with that suspect young man and need an added aura of 'crazy' to give him second thoughts.)


Nutter's The "DEFICIT" for Dummies
(Patience for those that have heard this 20 times)


Remember the great family budget analogy that's been going around?  Taking off eight zeros to make these billions and trillions more understandable?  Here is our country's 'family' budget as a reminder:


Annual Income = $20,000
Annual Expenditures = $40,000
2011 Annual Shortfall = $20,000
Current Credit Card Debt = $143,000


A BANK couldn't LEGALLY lend you the $143,000 since (at 5 percent interest) your entire $20,000 income wouldn't pay HALF of the interest on the loan!  Do you understand that?  Forget food, clothing and Netflix.  If you were a common business or family you would ALREADY be bankrupt!  And that is before adding ANOTHER $20,000 of debt PER YEAR for next 3 or 4 years!


Yeah, that's right.  Remember all the screaming by liberals how those of us wanting "Cut the Crap and Balance" were "terrorists"?  I know I went to school during the "new math" era, but I wonder if a priest, credit counselor or family counselor would call the spouse who wanted to cut cable, eating out and move to a smaller home the "insane" one with this budget.  Instead, the other spouse wants ANOTHER credit card to take a family vacation to Greece.  And guess what they promise?



Mandatory "Super Committee" Cuts = $200

That's right.  Promising to spend $17 per month LESS out of the $20,000 shortfall is considered being able to "govern."  And this doesn't even cover the "no payments until 2013" we have coming due in unfunded ObamaCare liabilities and future Social Security/Medicare payments!


Hopefully even my "wait til we control both houses of Congress" conservative friends will now understand why we wanted to bean the bejesus out of Boehner.  Forty (40) percent of our "$40,000" budget services the debt and it's going to rise to over 85 percent in the next decade unless serious reform is done NOW.  (Imagine telling your spouse that of your $20,000 per year income, $16,000 is going to the MasterCard!)



So back to the other Nutter-Butter, sandwich cookie question.  What will happen?  

www.DebtWall.org

What Nuttle says is this: The ENTIRE WORLD only has $140 Trillion in cash (liquidity) and there is only $6 Trillion to $9 Trillion to service the debt of ALL countries.  Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, and yes, the United States, all add to a cumulative world sovereign projection of $8 Trillion to $10 Trillion.  You only need to have survived 3rd grade math to notice a problem here.  We basically are already there.


Because of the additional demand for cash to pay all this debt - interest rates HAVE TO go up.  (And money is sucked out of other markets like the stock market causing a suppression of value there).


IMAGINE our options and corresponding result for America:


Option 1: (aka The Warren Buffet plan): Print more money
Meat prices have risen 25 percent in the past two years.  When the world knows two "fake" dollars are the same as one "real" dollar from a year ago - they double their price.  You think anyone would buy Berkshire Hathaway stock at current prices if they just printed more stock certificates to sell on the stock market?  Of course not. Inflation kills the economy and the REAL value of our savings. Everything still crashes because the numbers just get bigger, but we STILL can't pay.  End Result: Eva Peron's Argentina in Albuquerque.


Option 2: DEFAULT
Forget the political implications.  Our collected tax revenue would drop 30 percent.  Our trade partners would no longer trust us and cease doing business with us causing world wide catastrophic uber-depression. (Don't forget most of the world trusts the standard of the dollar for THEIR trading).  End Result: The Cuba Trade Embargo for Connecticut - Cubed.


Option 3: Borrow More! (or, I do NOT have a problem-anonymous)
Essentially we are now talking about loan sharking where the "fig" becomes unmanageable.  As a Capital One defaulter figures out, eventually people won't even lend to you at 50 percent interest if you haven't paid back the loans you had at 12 percent.  Even if you can get a loan for 90 days - it isn't sustainable.  End Result: (Do you expect any other analogy but Italy with the Mafia reference?).


Option 4: Cut spending 
When we hit that wall next April or July, 50 percent of all government spending will stop overnight. It is funny how life will tell you what to cut.  When someone loses a job, they may be tempted to keep eating out until the cable gets turned off.  (See how nice those cable people are to help you?).  When the electricity gets turned off, you suddenly are no longer concerned about your cable.  Yes it would be terrible for Smokey the Bear to no longer have the Ranger to bail him out of problems at Yellowstone Park, but with 25 percent of the nation on some sort of government attached umbilical cord, even the most ardent PETA supporter would be willing for open season on Smokey to feed their family. End Result: GREECE is the word world.


Like the Fraim oil filter ad says, You can pay me now, or you can pay me later.


Tax more?  Do you realize we could confiscate all the weatlh (not just tax 100 percent of their income) of every billionaire and only raise $1.3 Trillion?  Not only would they and their companies no longer pay taxes because they'd be out of business - it wouldn't even balance the budget FOR ONE YEAR! 

Would You Trust Them
With Your ATM card?

But if they make the automatic cuts this November (mostly from defense) isn't it fixed?


No! To my understanding, the projection is that the automatic "cuts" are assuming interest rates much lower than the new world demand for cash would dictate.  We could literally be $600 Billion SHORT even after the "Boehner Bill" fix of November 23rd this year.


So......


This is why not even the law firm of Palin, Perry, Romney, & Bachmann is not the answer.  January of 2013 is at LEAST six months too late!


Will "life" dictate a financial "reset" of the system and cause chaos the world over, or will some legislative body be proactive in heading this disaster off?


Politically, people might look to a Giuliani or "Defense only" type to to manage martial law.  Perry would probably benefit somewhat from his armed services and border experience with his bravado chaser.  Romney would likely soar since he is the "business" and Wall Street guy that people would expect to understand this mess. 


Either way, rather than a proactive, principled candidate - we would again be looking at a short term solution.


My Plan? (glad you asked)

STEP 1: ALL of the candidates need to start hammering away TODAY on creating a groundswell for government to be proactive and pass Cut, Cap and Balance.  How great would it be for EVERY DAY one of these people to call out Obama and Congress saying, "THIEF! Quit stealing my children's future"!


The more inflammatory and provocative the better.  Now that Pawlenty is out, perhaps the candidates can be disciplined enough to quit attacking each other - and attack Obama, BOTH houses of Congress and the problem.


I was heartbroken when Paul Ryan caved on the Boehner Bill but America needs to be educated.  It's one of the reasons I'm very much for him jumping in.  I don't think he could win (he'd make an ok President I suppose), but NO ONE can teach like this guy.  He's like an Economic Indiana Jones.  (Wisconsin Jones?).


If ALL of our candidates would coordinate on this - the MSM wouldn't know what to do!  It will set the debate for the election and magnify the focus on Obama/Dem LACK of leadership.  It is the GWB election fiasco in reverse.  Where the MSM and Dems sounded a drumbeat the Bush administration refused to fight, the new GOP candidates would set the argument Obama would have answer day in and day out from GOP attacks.  


STEP 2: Package a conservative team now.  This is the idea of my friend Colleen Vera and I think it is brilliant.  The distractions of a primary election are no less severe than Obama going on vacations.  What would happen if the MAJOR GOP candidates decided themselves the country was too important to wait until the election to show the American people how they could govern.  What if by January 15th, a Perry or Palin had ALREADY selected their VP, Secretary of Treasury, Secretary of Defense and SHOWED what this team looked like?  I know.  No chance Romney would settle for a position if he was remotely in the hunt.  And I agree with Sarah that competition serves a good purpose.  But you could imagine the last six months of the campaign with the GOP unified around one candidate and their hitting the talk show circuit as if they already held that position?  No longer would the media "gang up" on one candidate.  Although the MSM would no longer make the appeal they did when Obama was elected for his predecessor to leave early, you know if it was attractive the American people would put even more heat to get the expired milk out of the fridge.  THIS is a pipe dream, I know - but could you imagine!? 


STEP 3: Prosecute.
We know impeachment can't happen in a Dem-controlled Senate.  The only way this would happen would be if the "Nixon Tapes" of the Obama administration surfaced and the liberals knew they had no cover.  


But certainly there is enough evidence of malfeasance over Fast and Furious.  Issa and Grassley have the smoking gun (forgive the pun) of the July 4th ATF meeting clearly indicating this goes to the feet of Eric Holder.  Michelle Malkin made a wonderful point on Hannity's FAST AND FURIOUS special.  She said Holder had such an obvious history of prosecutorial misconduct that not only should it be possible to put pressure on the White House to force his resignation, but also THOSE WHO PUT HIM IN CHARGE TO BEGIN WITH.  This is an interesting strategy.  Geithner (no chance of bond downgrade), Holder (Fast & Furious, Black Panther prosecution), Napolitano (defacto amnesty) and Goolsbee (provable, blatant lies on economic indicators and projections) all have shown gross evidence of misconduct. "The Obama Mob has got to go," is easy to remember and should end every GOP speech from now until a year from November.


And finally, the birth certificate.  Valiant men of honor continue to subject themselves and their families to loss of career, pension and reputation in light of the easily demonstrable forgery perpetrated last April by President Obama and the White House.  I"m not sure how this became the "third rail" of the GOP but it's time to get past your fear of being called a "birther" and demand that the original long form birth certificate be made publicly available.  The Secretary of State has been ordered by the State of Hawaii to explain WHY they are still not providing this document when President Obama already waived any right to privacy last April.  This conclusively proven forgery is a blatant "F*** You" to the country, our Constitution, the media and those who risk death under the Commander in Chief. Lt. Terry Lakin will someday have a bronze statue in Washington DC for his heroic and selfless actions.  Meanwhile, the rest of us don't make it easy by not providing air cover to point out the egregious criminal action of Barak Obama.  Had we done so (Glenn Beck, you are partially to blame), the media and Pentagon brass could not have turned a blind eye to hundreds of officers WHO WANTED TO DO THE SAME as Lt. Lakin. 


This country turned a blind eye to an obvious sexual predator and rapist in Bill Clinton.  Had he been fully prosecuted legally AND in the court of public opinion - Obama would never have been elected in the first place.  He would have been properly vetted.  If he gets out of office SIMPLY through losing an election, this country is still doomed no matter who takes office.  Anyone who thinks they can subvert the law and the Constitution through the political process will continue to do so.  And the seeds of overlooking (covering up?) Obama's background in 2008 was planted during the Juanita Broaddrick whitewash. (How would you like it if your wife or daughter was raped by a governor and NO ONE from the National Organization of Women to your own political party cared?)


So both of these actions would  leave us with a President Biden.  The good news is that Biden would be too intimidated NOT to sign a Cut, Cap, and Balance bill presented to him, spaghetti spined simpleton that he is.  


So root for your candidate and do everything to get he/she elected, but remember this isn't about an individual personality.  Sarah Palin often says, "you don't need a title to make a difference."


Let's quit waiting for whoever the 2012 Presidential winner is and start pressing these two actions ourselves.  Who knows, maybe some of our candidates will catch on.

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The World Needs A Daddy

I wish I could write something funny about this week's headlines. I can't. Rioters in London are upset someone is cutting their benefits...and they hate rich people or something.  Here in America, taxpayer money went to provide guns to Mexican drug dealers that ended up killing a border guard.  Even members of the supposedly "grown up" party refuse to seriously look at evidence that the chief executive to enforce our laws - is himself a forger-er and identy thief. The world is so much in debt that the lenders would default if they actually foreclosed on those debtors. And a mom gets off with 1 year probation for either killing her little girl - or covering up the fact she was killed.  Meanwhile, our own government and media yell and scream and demonize those who merely want to balance the checkbook.


Many of us have the look of our grandparents trying to figure out WHY people WATCH Snoop Doggy Dog, much less try and figure out what the heck he is saying. 


It seems incomprehensible a Wisconsin union member would LET the state go bankrupt trying to pay ALL of their personal health expenses - rather than pony up a fraction of what others pay so A) Other necessary teachers won't be laid off and B) their own jobs won't be in jeapordy.  Never mind that they will actually have less resources to do the job they kept!!  And the rest of us shake our heads and we dont' understand how this decision can take longer than ordering a Chalupa at Taco Bell.


It's like 8 year olds have taken over all of the powers of the world.....  And they need a beatin'.


You heard me.  A good, bare butt, belt induced, red welt whipping!  


This is what the whole Dr. Spock-self-esteem-no competition-permissive-'do what makes you happy' crap has gotten us. A world that is so worried about how things "look" or how they or someone else "feels," that common sense has become a concept instead of a lifestyle.
  
(why do I sound like Grumpy Old Man right now?)


My parents did a lot of amazing things for me.  I only remember my dad saying more than one sentance to me when he (painfully) tried to explain the facts of life to me.  But the man took 2 and 3 jobs his entire life so that I could be in Boy Scouts, 4-H, and have pucca shells and a silk shirt for my high school dance. (I know - I'm old enough to be part of the disco duck generation.)  My mom got caught up in the whole "Dr. Spock" mass-hypnotism of the 70's which seemed great when they were telling me how I could run the universe someday - but really sucked when I got to college and couldn't balance a checkbook.


It took me a week to realize the bank wouldn't cover my checks for pizza stromboli's and blue jeans like my parents did. WTH!??  My battle with money skills has been a life-long campaign but I have no problem jumping into projects that would intimidate Donald Trump.  Why?  it's how my parents trained me.  (Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old, they will not depart from it!)


I was already too long gone into rebellion when they tirelessly failed to coerce me into the army - likely suspecting that they'd missed the boat on creating discipline in me.  But hard knocks, and and a loving God who allowed me to get banged and bruised in life helped me to cobble together some sense of integrity, discipline, hard work and propriety.  All elements that are badly needed in the world today.


I'm jealous of a number of friends of mine who are not insolated from the troubles of life, but they have a built in 'sense' about risk taking and propriety. They KNEW it was better to wait until they had a nest egg before considering going into business themselves, rather than 'rolling the dice' with no safety net. All these friends had strong fathers who INTENTIONALLY made them work hard and deprived them of "fun"many of their classmates had growing up.

Do you remember the TV ad campaign for FRAM OIL FILTERS back years ago? (http://bit.ly/quU0Hf)  It showed an auto mechanic explaining to some nitwit (like me), that although it wasn't an emergency - it would be wise to pay a bucks now for preventive maintenance on the car instead of having to pay thousands when it inevitbably would fall apart.  The tagline was epic.  "You can pay me now, or you can pay me later."


Our society for 60 years has been focused on the "pay tomorrow but take it home today" mentality.  Someone who suggests you postpone a purchase until you have cash for it is dissmissed as a "radical" or "extremist."  But they don't stop to think that although they are enjoying that new "mattress" or HD TV the 'same day' as their credit approval, they've often paid TWICE or THREE times it's real value!  They could have bought a SLEEP COMFORT bed for the price of their SEALY or bought a 72" HOME THEATER instead of their 32" Flat Plasma!  Only with a little patience.


Whether it is PERSONAL or NATIONAL money management - it's NOT just that the liberals don't understand they are robbing their children's lifestyle and safety - IT IS THAT THEY DONT WANT TO!  When I deprived my 6 year old daughter of ice cream before her birthday dinner I was "MEAN." But she eventually got her ice cream AND pizza AND had the proper energy to stay up for 4 hours playing with her Barbie Space Station (or whatever it was.)


There is almost a demonic addiction all around us to instant gratification.  When one casually suggest a calm, objective look at spending ONLY what we have (and not robbing future generations), you are met with vulgar, emotional outbusts of rage in some quarters.  (Yes. That is THE symptom of "demonic.")


And we WILL 'pay' one way or the other.  Every society that has fallen into a lack of moral discpline - whether sexual, financial or behaviorial - crumbles.  ALWAYS!  Wars are ALWAYS started because of some perceived injustice.  Whether it is through lust of acquiring something that is NOT rightfully theirs (Hitler) or, to cast off immoral control (Revolutionary and Civil wars) - there is always a battle for enforcing what is "right."  And you notice after the 'evil' side looses (eventually) - there is a period of growth.  Just like after spanking our children, they behave themselves until their litlte thoughts get back out of control!


How do you know WHICH is the "right" and which is the "evil".  Pretty simple.  Look at the outcome of their decisions after 20 years.  But we are in a time when people call "good" bad and "bad" good.  And I'm not just talking about Michael Jackson (you know it).  A BUSINESS jouranlist - called Michelle Bauchmann's statement that she was vindicated in her desire to NOT see the Boehner bill passed as a lie. WHAT?  We were told that passing the Boehner bill would keep us from defaulting. (a lie).  It would keep us from being downgraded (a lie).  And that Republicans we be well thought of if they just went along and compromised.  Hmmm.  Seems now everyone admist there would NOT have been a default, we were still downgraded and the Republicans are STILL evil the eyes of the main stream media!  Even the noted economist Thomas Sowell, retracted his "pro-Boehner" deal position this week!


It just astounds some of us that Harvard educated "enlightened ones" - and those who are too lazy to do their own reserach - can't see this pattern.


In his book, Money, Greed, and God: Why Capitalism Is the Solution and Not the Problem, Jay Richards talks about the seduction that socialism or communisim is more "caring." (and not in the @KurtSchlicter way).  Without an understanding of the "laws" of economics, that argument seems right.  Why should someone suffer without the guarantee of medical help or the fear of not having money for groceries in a country that creates 25% of the world's wealth?  Are we not caring? If we are Christian, are we not commanded to "love" one another?


The problem is that those of us who are maturing - understand 2 things.  First, there isn't enough financial, emotional or time capital to 'help' on a continuing basis. Those who have had friends ask for a loan find out quickly - that if you don't say 'no' YOU are the one who will need help!  Ask MC Hammer! Now he really does mean, 'Ya Can't Touch This!" And second, welfare will addict a person to the point they have NO control or freedom in their life.  They become a slave to those who be their source without an ability to create and sustain others - like their OWN family.


Richards says that he initially bought into the socialist argument, but as he studied 3 more years, the evidence was indisputable in the real life fall of the USSR.  And, like many of us, he thougth the argument was over.  Capitalism gives a much better life in every way to those in "it's" society than any other form of governmnet.  It is stunning to see we are fighting the same battle Ronald Reagan argued all over again.


But too many are too sheepish to realize WHY this argument has come back.  Jefferson, Adams and others made it VERY clear. Adams wrote,  


"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."


Like the small print about backing up your computer data, we think that is for OTHER people who might use their computer for frisbee practice or something.  Then when it happens to us - we realize we weren't all that wise in "paying" at the start so we didn't have to pay now!  (and that reminds me I haven't run Carbonite for 2 weeks.)


This statement by Adams wasn't a casual religious sacrifice by an old fuddy duddy who wasn't 'enlightened.'  In truth, Adams and Jefferson might have been more well read than any thousand modern economists, philosophers or college professors.  They both had a burning desire to figure out WHY some civilizations succeeded and why many great ones failed.  They spent more brain power studying the cause and effect relationship of human nature and it's governance than almost any modern day pschological researcher or anthropologist. And others have had similar motivations and education, but their track record is pretty damn good - suggesting they actually WERE right.


What they learned was that people would need to trade immediate comfort for future security.  They would need to trust in a God that would not only be merciful where they 'missed' it, but they would strive for moral 'right' to not incur the inevitable discipline that would create affliction.


For whom the LORD loves he corrects; even as a father the son in whom he delights (Proverbs 3:12)


God isn't this mean guy waiting to swat us like a fly when we screw up.  He is loving and merciful.  However, as we know with our children, if we don't TRAIN THEM to self regulate themselves - they will suffer WORSE pain down the road.


I have not followed the Casey Anthony story excpet for a few headlines and the observation of my 'tweet-stream' - but I gather that most are appaled she would go dancing the night of her daughter's appearance.  I don't know anything about her upbringing, and it still very possbile with parents who whipped her butt at a young age - she still might be bent toward evil.  By it is guaranteed it is much less likely.


And God in His wisdom understands this.  Greece, Italy, France and even Great Britain could completely collapse.  And out of that horrible pain, discipline will be learned. A large number of people will not want to go through that again, and will at least - temporarily - put in the work necessary.  When those "on the dole" no longer have a government check, they will keep stealing or be killed doing so.  Most others will adjust to finding a way to farm or earn SOMETHING the honest way and life will go on.


DIdn't we learn this during welfare reform? Weren't we told how AWFUL it would be to force this pressure on the poor - but instead even THEY began proclaim how much more self-worth they had?


Any GOOD parent will do everything they can to TRY and get their child to listen to how to avoid it - and EMBRACE it as a lifestyle.


And some parents are much more instant and severe in their discipline in hopes that they will 'self govern' themselves later in life.


The world needs that Daddy.  And the world needs to be listening to Him now.

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A 'deal' versus an Ideal (I told you so)

...or "The Lesson of the Tea Party 22"

To those who have worked tirelessly for the conservative cause and who were called RINO's last week allow me to apologize on behalf of the more...exuberant...members of the Tea Party.  The blood spilled in 1776 and beyond came from both Federalists and Democratic-Republicans.  You love your country and that should not be called into question.

Oh, and by the way, we told you so.

I can't read the Wall Street Journal's "A Tea Party Triumph" and not pop a least one shirt button over my massive, manly chest I am gifted to have (at least in my own mind).  And, as I read I read Sissy Willis' excellent article From violent, racist "teabaggers" to debate changers with a seat at the table the thought occurred to me:

We told you so.  An IDEAL will beat a "deal", any day.

I've been trained by my mom, church and others - this is not humble, gracious or a character quality of my beloved Savior and therefore I should immediately cast down such thoughts.  But it is damn tempting not to do so.

No we've got a VERY long way to go.  To claim 'victory' now, would be like popping the champagne at retreated of the British from Boston harbor. (For you non-history buff's it preceded years of torment and continual defeat for the forces lead by Geo Washington).  No, agreeing to to a fraction LESS of debt to be incurred over the next 10 years is nothing to celebrate.  But I beg of you to understand what actually happened here.  Essentially here is a timeline:

7/22 - Senate tables "Cut, Cap, Balance" 51 to 46
REID: "Worst Piece of legislation in US history."
TEA PARTY: "Hold the line"

7/25 - Obama/Boehner address the nation
OBAMA: Bushes Fault, Jet Owners Bad, Catastrophe if REAL Cuts Enacted.

BOEHNER: Quit Spending Barry, No More Blank Checks.

TEA PARTY: "YAY!" ...("Hold the Line.")

7/27 - Rumors of GOP doing back door deal

BOEHNER: "We have to have a back-up plan..."

TEA PARTY: "Uh Oh...."

7/28 - Vote in House scheduled

McCAIN: "Nasty Hobbitses"

BOEHNER: "Get in Line!"

Non-TeaParty Conservatives: "Govern responsibly, Wait for 2012, the MSM will kill us."

(some) TEA PARTY TWEETERS: RINO's!

TEA PARTY: "When do we ever ACTUALLY stop the out of control spending?  Hold the Freakin' Line."

7/29, 7/30, 

MSM & others: "EXTREMEISTS! TALIBAN! TERRORISTS!"

7/31 - Reid, McConnell shake hands, Obama (gasp) address nation

POLITICIANS: "We have a deal!"

8/1

MSM  & others: "Tea Party kept us honest.  They Win."

TEA PARTY, "We are not idiots.  Hold the G_d damn line."

Is that a fair characterization?  I think so.  What has happened is the typical pattern of non-principled tough nosed negotiation. 

When I was a young adult, I had the privilege of watching a mentor of mine negotiate for a new Cadillac he wanted to buy.  He told me how he had been dreaming of this car for months and had done the research to find out EXACTLY what the dealer had paid.  I learned through him that car manufacturers give the dealers 'fake' invoices that fool even the best intended car buyer who thinks they can get the best price. 

My mentor first made sure the salesperson knew he was interested. He told him that he would pay cash, so the salesperson didn't think the deal would fall apart in financing.  Then he asked question after question and after question until the salesperson had over an hour invested in him. 

Finally the salesperson asked, "what price would it take for you to drive this off of the lot, today?" My mentor had been waiting for him to make the first inquiry and gave him the 'number' he had calculated as the REAL price the dealer paid and about $300 profit.  (My mentor said, I WANT them to make money so they can be in business.  I don't want to finance his kid's college fund on my back.)

The salesperson acted hurt and injured that my mentor would offer such a horrible first offer.  After putting a modicum of protest, salesperson reluctantly said he'd ask his manager but had no hope in the offer.  He came back almost immediately shaking his head but offering about a $1000 discount from the sticker price.  My mentor thanked the salesperson for his time, gave him his phone number and told him he would be visiting another dealer tomorrow to buy his car.

The salesperson assured my mentor he would have the same result and bid him adieu.

I wondered if my mentor wasn't concerned about spending every weekend for the next 2 months and asked him, "what if no one gives you this deal and you have to go back changing your hard line"?  My mentor responded, "it is the end of the month and I guarantee you that salesperson needs the sale, and that not even as much as the dealership.  He'll call."

When about 2 hours later he received a call from the dealer telling him to come pick up his new Caddy, My mentor explained, "they didn't know I was serious until I walked away."

I wondered why I they bothered with half of the required classes and didn't teach this!  This led me to write and teach about negotiation techniques for one of the largest contract negotiation educators for a number of years. Every time McConnell, Boehner or my fellow non-Tea Party conservatives spoke about, "the best we can get for now," or "we only control 1/3 of the government," I PHYSICALLY felt sick.  So what have we learned?

Lesson 1 - Never believe the position of your opponent and NEVER hint at yours

The Democrats have been brilliant at this. The Republicans - pathetic.  What a shocker (not) that the Democrats wouldn't pass Cut, Cap and Balance when Boehner tells them BEFORE THE VOTE they are working on a backup plan.  Why do you think the Democrats have not put forth a 'serious' bill and Obama none at all?  BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO!  Reagan figured this out with the Soviets at Reykjavík.  Later he explained that the Soviets knew that they would never have to deal seriously, because we trained them that would offer deal after deal when they rejected a previous offer.  Reagan knew they finally had to KNOW we would walk away from a bad deal.  Later Gorbachev  admitted, it changed their entire strategy for dealing with Reagan.  Republicans have GOT quit telegraphing every move they make. 

Lesson 2 - Know what your opponent is willing to 'die' for

A seasoned (or smart) negotiation opponent is NEVER going to let on to what they WILL settle for  and, in fact, will make it APPEAR they are fully committed to the 'straw man' position to keep you from knowing their real one.  Washington is so used to people with no principles, they assume that when a Tea Party representative like Bauchmann says no, she is really just positioning for a little more.  Our Founders believed that it is better to die for freedom than live a slave in tyranny.  It is why you heard even hard line liberal reporters confess it was , "refreshing" for anyone to really stand up for what they believe.  And why, when people like Allen West gave in to compromise with the 'establishment' GOP, Washington and the MSM didn't take the Tea Party 22 seriously.  They figure we are all hypocrites.  It is simple: the man who wouldn't dare give his car away to someone else for free will quickly change his mind when a gun is pointed at his head as a REAL threat.  His values quickly change.  Those who perceive the entitlement structure and debt as not just a 'more expensive' version of America but a real threat on our way of life and government will not settle.  Hopefully others will change their position and join us.

Lesson 3 - Those with the most conviction will win 

The BIG split among conservatives was FEAR.  Fear of being perceived that we couldn't govern, fear that the MSM would taunt and hold us guilty and it would somehow reflect negatively in the 2012 elections.  Yet we all lament at the career politician's willingness to lie about ANYTHING to score a political point.  Let me ask how can we expect them to change when we show that we are willing to compromise on fundamental beliefs (like living within our means) just because it is 'the best we can get.'  For all of us faults, George W. Bush exemplified this in his stance on the 'Surge' in Iraq. We need to remember the principle of doing what is right, rather than worrying about the outcome.

Why do we gamble that the most immoral political party in the history of our country will somehow 'not budge' on their position or that WE have to compromise?  They don't believe in ANYTHING except their own selfish interest.  I suspect it is either because we truly don't believe that our position is that important, or that we aren't willing to suffer the emotional or political pain for our convictions.  We are better people than that.  My experience has also taught me the man with the most conviction will win - even in loosing.  We love Cool Hand Luke not because he beat George Kennedy's character, but because he didn't give up.  He won by finally making George Kennedy's character understand - the fight would never end. 

So, what I would like to persuade my fellow patriots who despised the idea of standing strong on principle last week, is this:  there will NEVER be a better time to fight.  Not only are the Democrats weak politically in the polls - they are now beginning to understand that the American people WILL rally to the side of the person RIGHT in their convictions - MSM coverage or not.  It is my guess that after continued rants about how 'extremist' and 'crazy' we Tea Partiers are, they will someday use US as the example and ideal in their arguments.  I mean, would you EVER have envisioned Sam Donaldson speaking as highly of Ronald Reagan as Obama has been doing?  Of course not.

And, finally, to my fellow tea partiers - let us be gracious in our speech.  Remember that those who aren't willing to go as far in the fight as we are, are still our friends, compatriots and brothers/sisters in the cause.  Make sure they know we love them for whatever part of the battle they are willing to fight.

And God bless the Tea Party 22.

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