NEW DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

I started wondering several weeks ago about our Declaration of Independence. I thought about it for a long while, and wondered what it would look like if it were rewritten today and addressed our own federal government. The feds have become abusive under Presidents and Congresses of both parties. Of course I am absolutely not calling for the violent overthrow of the government, but rather a new constitutional convention to address the abuses of our current government. I now present my updated version:

When in the Course of national events, it becomes necessary for people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with one another, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.--That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers only from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience shows, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of citizens of the United States; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present American government is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over the citizens. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.


They have entered into entangling alliances with foreign powers;

They have joined international organizations that are not equitably financed and repeatedly attempt to usurp our national sovereignty;

They have placed an unbearable tax burden on the people, largely without consent;

They have allocated for themselves exorbitant salaries and benefits far and above the means of the populace;

They have entered into trade pacts that have decimated American manufacturing;

They have accumulated debts that cannot be paid for many generations;

They have interfered in commerce and distorted the free markets;

They have ignored our federal Constitution and our state Constitutions;

They have usurped the power of the States to govern their own people;

Governors have called together state legislative bodies at places unusual and uncomfortable for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with their dictates;

They have made illegal the right of the people to call for change of government;

They have refused to secure our borders and prevent illegal migration;

They have continually erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass the people, and eat out their substance;

They have compiled large quantities of information on the populace for unknown purposes;

They have refused to address our energy needs and forced the people to pay exorbitant sums as a result;

They have refused to impose term limits on themselves and have thus attempted to form an elite aristocracy;

They have either completely refused to prosecute or lightly punished those among them accused or convicted of malfeasance;

They have failed to properly compensate or provide care for our soldiers wounded in combat;

They have refused to constrain commercial monopolies, forcing the people to conduct business at unreasonable rates and in unusual ways;

They have limited our right to petition the government for redress of grievances;

They have hidden appropriation of large sums of money from the people;

They have limited the right of the people to keep and bear arms and have compiled lists of private armaments;

They have repeatedly violated the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses,

papers, and effects, against unreasonable searched and seizures;

They have abused the concept of eminent domain;

They have violated the people’s freedom of religion by threatening to tax religious leaders who speak of political matters;

They have disparaged the right of the people to retain rights not enumerated in the Constitution;

They have sought to reinforce and support despotic foreign powers;

They have abdicated their responsibility to protect American citizens abroad.

In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only with repeated injury. A government, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define tyranny, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have we been wanting in attentions to our government. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by them to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our founding. We have appealed to their justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common history. They have been deaf to the voices of justice. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in war, in peace, friends.

We, therefore, the people of the United States, by authority of the good people of this nation, solemnly publish and declare, that these states are, and of right ought to be, free and independent; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the federal government, and that all political connection between them is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have the full power to call for a new Constitutional Convention to correct the abuses and usurpations heretofore enumerated. And for the support of this declaration, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.

THE DEATH OF ENGAGEMENT

I’m done attempting to engage the left. It’s a complete waste of time and effort. No matter which forum you choose, the effort is pointless. There is a great mass of the American people who are not interested in legitimate political debate of any kind. They are so convinced of the wisdom of their thinking that they refuse to allow anything close to adult conversation about it. There are some on the right, but the vast majority are on the left. Take a look any place where people can freely post their political opinions. You will repeatedly see the same thing: liberals who cannot spell or use proper grammar boldly claiming complete intellectual superiority, name-calling, and using profanity to express their juvenile and underdeveloped thoughts. They cannot justify or offer a rational explanation of their opinions for good reason: they are based on emotion rather than logic.


Most of the left wallows in a sense of entitlement. They believe they should be taken care of, preferably by a government bureaucracy. They think the world owes them something. Many of them are very young and have grown up in an America where they are not permitted to fail, where their every effort is bolstered and supported by doting parents or the government. They have no sense of history or of America’s special role in the world. They are only vaguely aware of what freedom means and the sacrifices that have been made to achieve and maintain it. They have been programmed to instantly give a knee-jerk reaction to anything that might upset their comfortable lifestyle or require some sacrifice or effort on their part.


My grandfather was a wise man, a lifelong Republican, and a man of very few words. He passed away in 1988. When he found out I had voted in my first presidential election in 1984, he said, “Huh. You ain’t a Democrat, are you?” I was proud to inform him that I had voted for Ronald Reagan. He told me that when it comes to debate, always remain calm, polite, and civil. He knew that the left would rarely do so and would attempt to drag others down into the mud with them, and thus would make the correct points all on their own. I never knew exactly what he meant until after he died, but I wish I had been able to tell him how correct he was. The left in America regularly touts how smart they are, yet can’t understand how debate should properly function in America.


Recent events demonstrate this more than ever. The Democrat response to significant opposition to the health care reform bill is a perfect example. Those who dare question the Obamessiah are called Nazis, plants, paid agents, or mobs. There is no retort on the relevant issues, just name-calling. Union thugs are called in to apply force. This will backfire in the long run. Conservatives are the wrong crowd to attempt to force into anything, especially something that relates to basic American freedoms. The liberals are overreaching as usual and do not understand why people refuse to go along and drink their vile Koolaid. Those who won’t kowtow immediately have a label applied to them in an effort to diminish and dismiss their opinions. Imagine the response from the left had the Bush administration called for citizens to report those who opposed the Iraq War to the White House. It would have been overwhelming, yet the very same individuals see nothing wrong in the Obama administration doing the same in the health care debate. American liberals have become what they so often in the past decried: an oppressive force that squashes debate and stands for the diminishment of basic rights under the Constitution.


I believe we are reaching a tipping point in American history. The forces of intolerance and suppression are largely on the left. Americans will soon have to make a choice between maintaining a government by and for the people and socialist domination. During the Cold War, we heard a lot about the “convergence theory” first proposed by Dutch economist Jan Tinbergen in the 1960s. Tinbergen’s theory hypothesized that capitalist and communist systems would gradually move toward one another until they became indistinguishable. It seemed rather unlikely at the time, but it now looks possible. The socialist or communist nations are allowing more and more capitalist reform, while America attempts to emulate the already statist European nations. Most Americans no longer bother to vote or participate in political functions. Tired of scandals and the heat of the rhetoric, they retire languidly to their televisions and other material possessions, blissfully unaware that they can lose it all in an instant.


I hope the Obama administration and the Democrats in Congress continue on their current path and continue to use Chicago-style methods in an attempt to force their agenda on the public. The reaction in 2010 and 2012 will be overwhelming. Next summer will be the crucial time. Americans who still believe in the freedoms we used to enjoy as given should descend on Washington in great numbers in a peaceful demonstration of public disdain. It will be the only way to avoid significant violence in our future. The voices on both sides are becoming louder. That is a bad omen when the argument is between the forces of freedom and the minions of oppression.


The Democrats have made their bed, and I for one expect them to lie in it. I will no longer attempt to convince any of them of anything. They are unreachable. They have been so brainwashed that they are beyond discussion or debate. Only the public can make the changes necessary to insure that our Constitution is not shredded in an effort to impose socialist systems on all of us. The duty of all conservatives has to be to reach out to those in the middle and attempt to explain the threat to essential freedoms posed by the radical left. That threat was dismissed by the center in the last election. Perhaps now it has become more substantive and clear.


ADDITIONAL NOTE: Nancy Pelosi and Stenny Hoyer have today posted an op-ed in the USA Today, and it is the most outrageous, steaming piece of political crap I have ever seen. You can read it for yourself here. Pelosi and Hoyer refer to the recent opposition to their attempt to socialize medicine as "un-American". Well, sir and madam, allow me to point out what is REALLY un-American.

It's un-American for a well-heeled group of elitists to take over Congress and refuse to even read the bills they are voting on, all the while looking down their nose at the citizenry. It is un-American for members of Congress to be paid outrageous salaries and take repeated and unnecessary political junkets at taxpayer expense. It is un-American for either of you to dismiss legitimate attempts to engage members of Congress on an issue that will effect every single citizen. It is un-American for Congress to sit upon their high horse and refuse to be placed in the same health care pool they are mandating for everyone else. It is un-American for Congress to impose statist conditions on a nation founded on the idea of personal freedom. It is un-American for Congress to place themselves over and above the American people. It is un-American for Congress to recklessly spend money and accumulate deficits that cannot be paid immediately. It is un-American for Congress to trample roughshod over the rights of the citizens without listening to and hearing their concerns.

I have never been more angry at Congress or the Democrat Party. These are the same people who cried long and hard whenever they felt their patriotism was being questioned, yet they are doing exactly that to their opponents now. What I feel like doing I cannot put in print. What should be done to these charlatans cannot be put in print. The time has come for the American people to take action. My tolerance for them is over and done. They are snobbish boors who have lost all touch with reality and think they can mandate to us poor peasants. Tarring and feathering would be too good for them. There isn't a rail long enough on which to ride them out of town. Representatives Pelosi and Hoyer, you have made the biggest mistake of your political career, and if your constituents can't see you for the complete asses you are, they deserve you.

WHY THE LEFT HATES SARAH PALIN & HER GREEN TOES

One can always judge the strength and viability of a conservative presidential candidate from the amount and intensity of hatred and vitriol directed toward them from the left. If the left fears a particular individual, meaning a sense that they are gaining popularity, have strong convictions, or might actually be able to stand toe to toe with the liberals, they will begin the odium, name-calling and derision. Since they aren't able to effectively counter the tested and proven rectitude of conservative principles, it's all they have. The media, always willing to chip in to help the Democrats in any way possible, publicizes the loathing and chimes in right along with them. It's like a choir: the leader sets the note, passes out the lyrics, and the singers start right along with them. Every Republican leader in my lifetime has had to face this sort of idiocy. It is tired, transparent, and predictable. The recent resignation of Alaska Governor and former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin gave the leftist media types a perfect opportunity to begin such an effort in advance of the 2010 midterms and 2012 Presidential election. In keeping with their time honored traditions, they immediately began to spew lies, half-truths, and bitter invective. It is a measure of their shallow intellectual abilities: if they can't win the debate on ideas and principles, they resort to personalizing the issues, pointing fingers, and generally denigrating the individual. The abhorrence of Sarah Palin from the liberal left has begun in earnest, and the reasons for it are clear.

Governor Palin is everything the left once claimed to support. Here is a strong woman serving in a largely male dominated field, a woman who has made her own decisions and has carved out a career for herself while at the same time raising a family. She has had to withstand a tidal wave of insults and snide comments few men ever face. Late night comedians have referred to her look as a "slutty flight attendant", members of her family have been made the butt of crude and insulting attempts at humor, and the morality of her decison to raise a Downs Syndrome child has been questioned, along with her intelligence and experience. The focus on her clothing, appearance, and style is indeed remarkable. Not a day goes by without a negative column or asinine comment from the liberal talking heads. Their focus on her is obsessive and without apparent end. They keep saying how dumb and irrelevant she is, yet their parade of bile continues, actually torpedoing their efforts by giving her more airtime and keeping her in the national conversation. Palin is what the liberals fear most: a strong, conservative woman, and that's why they spend so much time attacking her. Were she a socialist-leaning liberal, they would be lauding her accomplishments, but since she is, to them, on the wrong side of the aisle, her remarkable achievements are scoffed at and belittled. It's the same old double standard from the left. They cannot tolerate a woman who has raised herself into the national spotlight while espousing conservative principles. They would be a singing an entirely different tune if she were supporting gay rights, infanticide, and socialized medicine.

The Democrats and other assorted liberals who strike out against her would prefer the GOP remain a disorganized entity with no recognized national leader. Governor Palin's emergence since being named John McCain's running mate highly disturbs them: it gives the conservative movement a stalwart leader and guide for coming elections. Far better to the liberals would be a chaotic party without guidance, foundering and doubting while the Dems consolidate their power base of minorities, homosexuals, illegal immigrants, greens, pro-abortionists, big government socialists, and the hippy set. The Democrats have always been a coalition party of interest groups instead of a party united by common values and principles, and there is no questioning their effectiveness at cobbling those groups together into a united voting bloc. The largest threat to that alliance is a party on the other side united by ideas, especially if the leader of such a philosphical union appears to be someone who would ordinarily be a member of one of their interest groups. That is why they so vehemently assail black or female Republicans. Surely, they think, no black or woman with a brain would join the GOP, as usual demonstrating their pompous intellectual snobbery. It galls them to no end and is a manifestation of their elitism. Sarah Palin offers the Republican Party a chance to once again unite around core conservative principles, something the left simply cannot allow.

Governor Palin came from humble origins and raised herself up through individual effort. The left has always despised any person who came from common stock to national prominence. It exemplifies the very conservative principles they so fervently oppose. They cannot admit anyone could possibly survive without the support of a massive and extensive government. Liberals prefer a biography replete with federal government handouts and affirmative action. Only Democrats can be permitted to elevate themselves, and even then only with a guiding hand from a nanny government. Governor Palin knows how to handle a firearm (gasp!), hunts, fishes, and rides snowmobiles (snowmachines, she would correct me). She demonstrates unusual comfort with every day folks because she is one. A prime example was provided by today's Washington Post:

"When a photographer prepared to take pictures of the interview, Mrs. Palin, wearing open-toed shoes, said laughingly, 'Don't get my toes in the picture - they are green on the bottom.'

Indeed they were. She said the marks were grass stains from mowing her lawn the previous day"

Horrors: a woman who cuts the grass! The Democrats know they can't allow any conservative with an ability to connect with average people to gain national prominence: it's a lesson they learned by repeatedly having their behinds thrashed by Ronald Reagan. No matter how dumb they said he was, his ability to relate to voters overcame their insults and hatred. Governor Palin has the same ability, and the left fears that more than anything.

Sarah Palin is detested by liberals because they know she can win. It's no more complicated than that. They know she is the strongest candidate to oppose them in the upcoming midterm elections and is the strongest candidate to oppose the Obamessiah. I will admit to a certain amount of vulgar sexism when judging Presidential candidates, but for me Palin has destroyed that by championing the tenets of Ronald Reagan the GOP unwisely ignored in 2008. Those principles transcend time and gender. Governor Palin is the best leader the GOP has at this moment in time. If you need proof, look at the amount of time and energy the left spends attacking her. Anytime you see the liberal set nearly foaming at the mouth with hatred of a conservative, it's a good bet that individual is a leader they fear they cannot defeat.

TRIBUTE TO MY FATHER

THE FOLLOWING IS A TRIBUTE I WROTE TO MY DAD FOR HIS FUNERAL LAST AUGUST. HE HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH PANCREATIC CANCER IN EARLY MAY, AND CHEMOTHERAPY COULD NOT STOP THE RAPID PROGRESSION. THIS IS MY FIRST FATHER'S DAY WITHOUT HIM, AND HE IS SORELY MISSED.
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THE BEST MAN I HAVE EVER KNOWN

We have each known men who set the example for us all, men of fine character whose actions are beyond question. These good men display a higher moral standard through their deeds and in the manner they live their lives. They reflect the most basic of American values in all they do: honesty, hard work, commitment to family, and a willingness to sacrifice for others. Unfortunately, many times these men are far removed from those who look up to them. Athletes, film stars, or other celebrities partially fill the role for those without someone closer to emulate. I was blessed with a father who was always the only hero I ever needed, and I wanted to share a few thoughts and stories about Dad that demonstrate that.

I cannot imagine anyone more honest than Dad. He let you know the facts of any situation right up front, unvarnished and without any sugary coating. I always knew right away if he disapproved of my actions or thought I was misbehaving. He rarely raised his voice in anger, but no one had any doubts about where he stood. Dad never pulled a punch, even if it was about his own health. I vividly remember his bluntness in telling me his reaction to the onset of the macular degeneration that would eventually steal most of his sight. He said, “Rob, I sat down and cried about it, but then after that, what can you do? I have to go on.” He never was one to bemoan his situation, blame others, or whine about his problems.

My father’s devotion to his family was total. Any man willing to adopt a son and daughter and love them as his own is indeed extraordinary. He worked long hours at an extremely physical job just to provide for us. Dad always made sure I had whatever I needed to be like the other kids. I learned as an adult that he had been teased as a child at school in rural Virginia for his hand me down clothing and lack of shoes, and he didn’t want that for his own children. I think that’s why he would put on his shoes immediately in the morning and keep them on all day even if he didn’t plan to leave the house. Dad sacrificed countless times to buy me that new expensive pair of tennis shoes or winter jacket I simply had to have to be cool like the other kids. All the while he was going without the tools that might have made his work easier and eating bologna or spam sandwiches for lunch at work for weeks on end. I will always remember the roughness of his hands, and my amazement at how the calluses on his palm matched the grip of a hammer. When we were little he would often bring us candy when he returned from a long day of work. I can remember Mom being upset with him for sneaking us Mallowcups before dinner. Dad never owned fine cars or fancy clothes for himself, and I don’t think he ever desired them. He was happy just to make sure we had whatever we needed or wanted, no matter how silly or frivolous.

He spent the last years of his life caring for Louise as Alzheimer’s slowly took her away from him. He first tended to her every need at home while he was mostly blind, and then never missed a daily visit to feed and care for her once her condition worsened. His grandchildren were very special to Dad, and I’ll never forget the look of joy on his face the first time I handed Andy over to him to hold. Andy learned early on that “Papa” was the man to see if he needed something for school or money for a new toy or video game.

Dad raised me with a sense of obligation to country. His oldest brother Oscar was killed in the Battle of the Bulge, and his own duty to our nation had been honorably fulfilled in the combat of the Korean War. His advice to me prior to leaving for basic training was the best I ever received. He simply said, “Keep your mouth closed, listen to your sergeants, and always follow orders.” His reaction to first seeing me in Army uniform was simple and priceless. He put his arm around my shoulder and with a tear in his eye said, “You’re a soldier now. You’re a man.” He was letting me know I had fulfilled his expectation of national service. Dad didn’t care much for politicians, but he loved America and firmly believed in young men serving in our military.

Even the way Dad used the phone told you something about him. No matter how big or distant the national chain he might be calling, Dad would always start with, “This is Gene Mullins out in Grove City,” as if they should recognize him instantly. It was simply his way of letting them know that he was a man of honor, proud of who and what he was, and that he was ready to deal with others in a straight forward manner.

Dad’s counsel is what I’ll miss most. He had a wealth of knowledge on all subjects relevant to everyday living. So many times in my life I went to Dad and got just the right answer to a problem that had seemed unsolvable to me. His most famous advice was about keeping the oil changed in cars. Dad would launch into a five minute speech about the importance of oil changes every time he got the chance. Sometimes I would mention the subject around others just to get him going. Invariably the phrase “oil is the lifeblood of an engine” would be used repeatedly. Dad knew a little maintenance now could save a big problem later. He will be sorely missed whenever I need to rely on some real world experience.

Dad and I shared a love of professional football from early in my childhood. Sundays were for watching the NFL together. We teased each other relentlessly during the season. Dad was a die-hard Bengals fan, and like everything else he did, he stayed loyal to them until the end. I became a Steelers fan, probably disappointing him a little. Even though that rivalry gave us many jokes to crack on each other over the years, it was never mean spirited or nasty. We both enjoyed following the league like a soap opera for men, and football was always a main subject for our discussions. It was our way of connecting to the past and to each other. Dad passed on his vast knowledge and deep appreciation of the game to me, and I will carry it with me forever.

Simply put, Dad was the best man I have ever known. He is the standard by which I measure myself and others. Phrases like “salt of the earth” were invented to describe men like him. He was always ready to help others, even if they were strangers. He never shirked his responsibilities or made excuses. His family was his highest priority, and he never let us down, not even once.

I have lost my father, my best friend, and the only hero that ever really mattered to me. There can surely be no doubt we have all lost a good man.

We will all go on with our lives like he would want us to do, but it won’t be easy without him. Goodbye, Dad.
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FATHER'S DAY WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN, DAD, AND I MISS YOU EVERY DAY.

MIND YOUR MANNERS

Civilization requires we be civil to each other. A rapid decline of civility in America does not bode well for our future. I began thinking about this as a result of an incident at a local convenience store today. As I approached the entry door, I was preceded by two young men and an elderly woman using a cane. The two young men picked up their pace to get to the door before the lady. I assumed they would hold the door for her, but they did not. They allowed it to close without even a look back. I then took several quick steps to reach the door before the lady did so that I could hold the door for her. The look of surprise on her face was priceless and made my effort more than worth it. She said, “Thank you”, and I responded with a “Yes, Ma’am.” I was raised by a mother from Alabama who insisted on good manners at all times, especially toward women and senior citizens. She has been gone for many years, but her lessons were not lost on me. I still fear the brutal backhand that would land aside my head whenever I forgot my manners. The ugly truth is that ordinary, common etiquette has almost completely disappeared from our culture. I’m not talking about which fork to use for which course at dinner, but rather something more rudimentary. I’m referring to rules of civil society that indicate a respect for one another. We should all aspire as individuals and as parents to restore these norms to our society.

Allow me to explain. The basics are fairly simple: saying “please”, “thank you”, and referring to elders as “sir” or “ma’am” whenever appropriate, pulling out chairs for ladies or helping them with their coats or packages, and holding doors for women and the aged are all part of a bigger code of conduct. That code seeks to protect and respect the most vulnerable members of our society, and it is sadly lacking from our daily discourse. These are not tremendous acts of sacrifice nor do they require a monumental exertion. They are simply a set of behavioral standards that place a template on our actions that shows deference to other human beings. It may sound absurd to some, but they go a very long way towards easing the stresses of daily life. Any time one sees a lady or a senior in need of assistance, we should respond without hesitation, almost reflexively. Clearly I am referring to men and specifically young men in particular. Not too long ago I witnessed an older gentleman at a home improvement store struggling to load several large pieces of plywood. I was loading my truck at the time, and I watched several strapping young men walk by without helping. I stopped what I was doing to help, as I assume anyone with a modicum of concern would. The man actually tried to tip me, but I politely refused. I considered it my basic duty and the least I could do. I had never seen this man before, and I may never again, but I know that he will not soon forget. I cannot understand why these sorts of acts are rare now.

Young men have a responsibility to the other parts of our population whether they choose to accept it or not. It reflects very poorly on their upbringing should they not do so. Several times in the past I have grabbed the shoulder of my son and held him back when he attempted to go through an entrance ahead of others for which he should have waited. I have tried to pass along the manners taught to me by my mother because they indicate a basic regard for others. It’s bad enough that many fathers are completely absent, but it seems the ones who are present are failing to teach their young men proper conduct. Children are a reflection of their parents, and that reflection should include civility. We fail as parents and as a culture when we neglect that. It leads to greater and more concerning acts of callousness and disrespect.

Another incident this weekend confirmed my fears. I witnessed a funeral procession traveling along a major Columbus road. When I was a young man, it was customary for opposing traffic or nearby pedestrians to briefly stop while the procession passed. It is not legally required, but it is respect for the deceased and their family. We may not have known the individual, but we can acknowledge their passing simply by taking a few seconds to pause in reflection. Our lives go on afterward, unlike the deceased. When our culture has lost regard for even the dead, it is not a good omen. Of course, respect for life has been declining in America for many years, so maybe this is part of that, but that certainly in no way excuses it.

Politeness smoothes the daily interactions we have with one another. Next time you call a government agency or private company for assistance, start by thanking the individual by name for taking your call. You might be surprised how much more cooperative and helpful the individual will be. It’s amazing. Those of us who are parents should be even more attentive to the way we conduct ourselves. Our children watch and imitate every move we make and every transaction we have with others. Boorish manners and the insensitive treatment of others do not make things easier or faster. They simply indicate a disregard for others and a focus on one’s self.

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE MIDDLE CLASS

We all know these are difficult economic times. We assume an eventual rebound with all the usual features: gains in employment, increased construction and manufacturing, and a rising tide for everyone. This economic downturn has been decades in the making, and it will not be solved overnight or even anytime soon. President Obama has made increased employment claims that are dubious and perhaps completely fraudulent. His administration’s efforts to halt the slide have been at best completely ineffective and at worst have deepened and given the crisis a longer life. We are in a huge abyss, and it’s important to look at the factors that have created it.

Manufacturing in this country has reached an all time low. Sometimes it seems we don’t make anything in the U.S. anymore except for big, fat butts. Our cars, steel, electronics, and increasingly food, are obtained from foreign sources. One would be hard-pressed to find more than a handful of American products at your local retailer. Foreign manufacturers can produce these products cheaply because they do not have to worry about environmental restrictions, quality control, or even paying their workers a decent wage. I am 43 years old, and in my lifetime alone American manufacturing has been devastated, boxed up, and shipped overseas. The paint manufacturing company I left after eleven years now has less than twenty percent of the workers it did when I resigned. Rockwell is gone from the airport, and the GM facility on the west side of town closed years ago. Consumers, eager to get their hands on cheap goods, don’t concern themselves with country of origin or even quality. For them it’s all about price. This attitude, as well as many other misguided government policies, have brought desolation to the American middle class and helped to wreck our economic engine. The days when a young man or woman could graduate from high school, get a job working in a factory, comfortably raise a family, and retire after thirty years are gone. Even if by some miracle one did manage to do that, benefits or pensions would likely be cut or completely taken away after retirement. Our automobile industry would likely collapse without government intervention. There is serious doubt about whether or not the U.S. has the steel manufacturing capacity we would need in a major war of extended length. Those two industries alone were for many years the source of decent wages and other benefits for middle class Americans. Those opportunities are now gone.
The American construction industry is also at an all time low. The recession itself is partly to blame, but there are indeed other factors. Everything involved in it has become an industry itself. Government regulations detail and dominate every aspect no matter how small. Legal and illegal immigrants have largely forced natural born Americans out of the business by under bidding labor. This industry was also the source of good income and benefits for the middle class, and it too is nearly gone as an opportunity.

Trades have come under the control of either government or private business. Don’t think so? A list of occupations regulated by the Ohio Revised Code is demonstrative:

TITLE [47] XLVII OCCUPATIONS -- PROFESSIONS
CHAPTER 4701: ACCOUNTANCY BOARD LAW
CHAPTER 4703: ARCHITECTS
CHAPTER 4705: ATTORNEYS
CHAPTER 4707: AUCTIONEERS
CHAPTER 4709: BARBERS
CHAPTER 4710: DEBT POOLING COMPANIES
CHAPTER 4711: COMMISSION MERCHANTS
CHAPTER 4712: OHIO CREDIT SERVICES ORGANIZATION ACT
CHAPTER 4713: COSMETOLOGISTS
CHAPTER 4715: DENTISTS; DENTAL HYGIENISTS
CHAPTER 4717: EMBALMERS, FUNERAL DIRECTORS, CREMATORIES
CHAPTER 4719: TELEPHONE SOLICITORS
CHAPTER 4721: INNKEEPERS
CHAPTER 4723: NURSES
CHAPTER 4725: OPTOMETRISTS; DISPENSING OPTICIANS
CHAPTER 4727: PAWNBROKERS
CHAPTER 4728: PRECIOUS METALS DEALERS
CHAPTER 4729: PHARMACISTS; DANGEROUS DRUGS
CHAPTER 4730: PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS
CHAPTER 4731: PHYSICIANS; LIMITED PRACTITIONERS
CHAPTER 4732: PSYCHOLOGISTS
CHAPTER 4733: PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND PROFESSIONAL SURVEYORS
CHAPTER 4734: CHIROPRACTORS
CHAPTER 4735: REAL ESTATE BROKERS
CHAPTER 4736: SANITARIANS
CHAPTER 4737: SECONDHAND DEALERS; JUNK YARDS
CHAPTER 4738: MOTOR VEHICLE SALVAGE
CHAPTER 4740: CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY LICENSING BOARD
CHAPTER 4741: VETERINARIANS
CHAPTER 4742: EMERGENCY SERVICE TELECOMMUNICATORS
CHAPTER 4747: HEARING AID DEALERS
CHAPTER 4749: PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS; SECURITY SERVICES
CHAPTER 4751: NURSING HOME ADMINISTRATORS
CHAPTER 4752: HOME MEDICAL SERVICES
CHAPTER 4753: SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS AND AUDIOLOGISTS
CHAPTER 4755: OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS; PHYSICAL THERAPISTS; ATHLETIC TRAINERS
CHAPTER 4757: COUNSELORS, SOCIAL WORKERS, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS
CHAPTER 4758: CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY PROFESSIONALS
CHAPTER 4759: DIETETICS
CHAPTER 4760: ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANTS
CHAPTER 4761: RESPIRATORY CARE
CHAPTER 4762: ACUPUNCTURISTS
CHAPTER 4763: REAL ESTATE APPRAISERS
CHAPTER 4771: ATHLETE AGENTS
CHAPTER 4773: RADIATION TECHNICIANS
CHAPTER 4774: RADIOLOGIST ASSISTANTS
CHAPTER 4775: MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISION REPAIR OPERATORS
CHAPTER 4779: ORTHOTISTS, PROSTHETISTS, PEDORTHISTS

Some of these are understandable, but most are not. The bulk require licensing one cannot obtain without experience, but experience cannot be obtained without the license or some sort of apprenticeship. The most outrageous example is the field of private investigation, and it demonstrates my point exactly (complete text here). The state first broadly defines the occupation to cover as many as possible, then sets restrictions that cannot be met by the average person. The next step is to configure the composition of the licensing board completely from industry insiders. Some of the requirements are understandable (no felonies, pass an exam, have insurance), but one in particular closes off the industry to almost everyone: two years experience in either investigation work, practicing law, or law enforcement or work for a public investigative agency are required. That makes the industry a clique run by a select few. Licensing and other requirements for some other occupations are similarly designed. It is the result of a government out of control to the point where it damages the people it serves. The Ohio Revised Code and the draconian restrictions contained therein effectively make the state anti-business. The intent may have been to regulate certain fields for safety or for the protection of consumers, but like every other good idea, it goes too far in the hands of the government. If only the ORC were used as a guide, it would seem clear that the state is trying to discourage business formation and the employment it could bring. Until and unless a sweeping reform of the code takes place, there is little hope for economic gains in Ohio. The state government simply will not allow individual citizens to conduct business without hampering the effort.

Wages for working people have fallen through the floor as a result of immigrant labor. Why pay an American twenty dollars an hour when you can pay an immigrant eight or ten? Given the price of housing, food, and other essentials, it is basically impossible for non-professional folks to survive in the current climate. The price tag on a new car is roughly equivalent to what our parents paid for a house. That sort of inflation over the last several decades has forced many to work more than one job, and many others into poverty. I see ads online everyday seeking someone to do a job that is physically demanding while offering paltry wages. Those ads are clearly directed at immigrants and the businesses or individuals placing them know it. Pay for CEOs is always on the rise, and it comes directly out of the wallets of those who serve the company in the most difficult and labor intensive positions. It is not the federal government but the business owners and shareholders that should demand limits on executive compensation. Exorbitant sums being paid to one individual at the top is both a bad business model and demoralizing to the rest of the workforce. Meanwhile, the working individual is having their wages reduced and benefits eliminated. It’s a recipe for disaster, and what we see now is only the beginning.

As if that all weren’t a bad enough scenario, add the high and fluctuating cost of energy, particularly gasoline. Those who work in the transportation field feel it, but so does the small business person. Here in Columbus we are now paying around $2.75 a gallon for regular gas. Just a few short months ago it averaged $1.50 a gallon. The price jump has nearly doubled the costs of transport for everything. It’s a factor in virtually every quarter of the economy, and the effects of an upward price change ripple throughout and hit everyone. The highly speculative oil market makes billionaires of a few and paupers of the rest.

All of these factors and many others combine to reduce the number of people in the middle class. Eventually we’ll all be either poor, rich, or work for the government. There isn’t going to be room for anything else. President Obama’s economic recovery measures will result only in higher deficits and increased inflation and will leave the next generation of Americans an even greater burden. Politicians and the media are oblivious to what is happening. If they don’t notice and take significant action soon, it may be too late.

ENOUGH ABOUT TORTURE

The debate over torture is getting tiresome. It is a deliberation we should not be having at all. It makes me wince every time it’s mentioned, and naturally the media uses it as a cudgel to pound the Bush administration while ignoring those in the Democrat leadership who knew from the beginning. This subject is so dark and heavy it weighs on our foreign policy and reputation abroad. It’s time to end the debate, reaffirm what should have been the case, and commit in the future to never again delve into this sort of depravity.

The standards that should be applied are plain. Those captured by the United States, whether soldiers, enemy combatants, or terrorists, should all be afforded the full protections offered by the Geneva Conventions. The real standard is much simpler: prisoners of war should be treated as we would want our soldiers treated should they be captured. The standard cannot be to use the same immoral techniques as the enemy in order to defeat them. That is the difference between us. As Bin Laden and others have repeatedly pointed out, the Islamofascists worship death. The terrorists have no qualms about using whatever brutal methods they can dream up for their victims. They do not have any concern about norms of civilized behavior or adhere to international accords. That’s the whole point. We as a democratic republic cannot condone, participate in, or allow those in our custody to be mistreated. It violates the very principles for which we are struggling. That is not to say we should adopt a Jimmy Carter-style foreign policy that focuses on human rights to the exclusion of all else, but it is to say that the abuse, mistreatment, or torture of prisoners of war is makes us little better than those we fight.

Supporters of “harsh techniques” always make an argument that suggests there is no other way to get information or that pressure might have to be applied expediently to avert an imminent attack. Neither of these is logical or acceptable. Tortured prisoners are simply going to divulge whatever is necessary to make their tormentors stop. Former Vice President Dick Cheney has been making the media rounds lately in an effort to defend the use of torture on guys like KSM. As much respect as I have for Dick, I don’t agree with him on this one. I appreciate his spirited defense of the former administration, but discussing whether or not timely and reliable information was obtained as a result of torture completely misses the point and makes the situation worse. Some intelligence may have been obtained, but at what price? It’s the same with the recent release of the memoranda and potential release of photos involved. Repeatedly bringing the subject back up for public discussion in any manner does nothing to improve the situation. Sunlight may be the best disinfectant, but in this case the sunlight is also toxic to us. More than enough damage has been done. Our intelligence work should be advanced enough to avoid situations where information about a pending attack has to be gained at any price. The very same Democrats in Congress that spent the 1990s gutting our national intelligence services like a fish are the very same ones first to criticize and rebuke whenever there’s a problem. Some of those very same folks were briefed on what was happening and turned a blind eye. That is a dereliction of duty of the highest order. They knew and did nothing.

Threats of criminal prosecution against lawyers at DOJ who formulated and approved the policies in question are absurd and counterproductive. Calls for a “truth commission” are equally as ridiculous. The facts are that members of both Congress and the Bush administration were aware of and at least tacitly condoned the techniques that were being used. Any sort of criminal charges would merely be a speeding ticket: many others similarly situated would escape prosecution. More potentially damaging, however, are the hearings now underway in Congress. Why they are being conducted in open committee session is beyond me. Any information related to this subject should be held in the strictest of confidence. Keeping the subject in the public discourse damages our reputation further and allows our enemies to point the finger right back at us for hypocrisy.

There is a catch. While those held by us should be afforded maximum protection, they also must be held until the conflict is resolved. No releases, no trials, and no tribunals. Prisoners of war are traditionally held until either the end of the war or until a prisoner swap can be negotiated. Since there is no one to negotiate with, the solution is to hold them until it’s over. More than one prisoner has been released only to return to combat against American forces. The proposed closing of GITMO should be abandoned. We must have a secure facility in which to house these people, and better it be far from American shores than somewhere inside the continental United States. The idea of indefinite detention is a powerful tool.

Our image abroad does matter, as much as we would like to tell the rest of the planet to get lost. We’re the good guys. We don’t build an empire, we are not conquerors, and we respect basic human dignity. Anything less knocks us off our moral high ground and is used by the enemy to recruit. If we’re going to disparage others for cruelty, surely we cannot afford to engage in it ourselves. I understand that water boarding does not quite equate to an internet beheading, but it is torture. Pointing out human rights violations in China or Cuba or elsewhere rings quite hollow if we are a nation known for torturing prisoners. Torture cannot be broken down into degrees of severity. Either a nation respects the rights of those captured or it does not. That doesn’t mean soft treatment. It means following the basic rights we have already committed to both in principle and by international agreement.

So enough about torture. It goes against all we are as a nation. It gives the enemy a recruiting tool we cannot easily counter. Whether or not it is effective is irrelevant. Allowing it because our enemies are crueler throws us into the same filthy pit. We must make every effort to insure prisoners of war are treated humanely. And they are POWs. Calling them “enemy combatants” somehow allows treatment that would not ordinarily be permitted.

They are prisoners of war and they should be treated accordingly. That includes holding them until the war is over. All of them.