"FOR WHAT?"

President Obama mocked the suggestion of his impeachment this past week by saying, "For what?". I knew as soon as he said it that I would be taking him up on that challenge. Here you are, sir, with credit to the Nixon articles of impeachment.
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Article 1
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RESOLVED, That Barack H. Obama, President of the United States, is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanours, and that the following articles of impeachment to be exhibited to the Senate:
ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT EXHIBITED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN THE NAME OF ITSELF AND OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AGAINST BARACK H. OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IN MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT OF ITS IMPEACHMENT AGAINST HIM FOR HIGH CRIMES AND MISDEMEANOURS.
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In his conduct of the office of President of the United States, Barack H. Obama, in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, has prevented, obstructed, and impeded the administration of justice, in that:
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The President of the United States, Barack H. Obama, did, in direct violation of law, release five detainees from Guantanamo Bay without notifying Congress 30 days before said releases were conducted.
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The President of the United States, Barack H. Obama, has on numerous occasions unlawfully and unconstitutionally subverted both the letter and intent of the Affordable Care Act by altering statutory deadlines and generating numerous regulations outside the scope of the law.
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The President of the United States, Barack H. Obama, has unlawfully and unconstitutionally used the Internal Revenue Service, an agency of the United States, as a tool to suppress and target his political opposition, and did willfully interfere or endeavor to interfere in the investigation thereof.
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The President of the United States, Barack H. Obama, has unlawfully and unconstitutionally used the Environmental Protection Agency, an agency of the United States, as a tool to suppress and target his political opposition, and did willfully interfere or endeavor to interfere in the investigation thereof.
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The President of the United States, Barack H. Obama, has unlawfully and unconstitutionally conducted operations that led to the exportation of arms to Mexican drug gangs, and did willfully interfere or endeavor to interfere in the investigation thereof.
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The President of the United States, Barack H. Obama, has unlawfully and unconstitutionally conducted electronic surveillance of U.S. citizens without probable cause and without judicial authorization or warrant, and did willfully interfere or endeavor to interfere in the investigation thereof.
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The President of the United States, Barack H. Obama, has unlawfully and unconstitutionally conducted electronic surveillance of members of the press, without probable cause and without judicial authorization or warrant, and did willfully interfere or endeavor to interfere in the investigation thereof.
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The President of the United States, Barack H. Obama, has unlawfully and unconstitutionally endeavored or attempted to endeavor to interfere in the investigation of the events at the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on September 12, 2012.
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The President of the United States, Barack H. Obama, has unlawfully and unconstitutionally issued Executive Orders contradicting established law and beyond his authority.
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The President of the United States, Barack H. Obama, has unlawfully and unconstitutionally refused to order The Attorney General of the United States to prosecute cases referred to the Justice Department from Congress, and did willfully interfere or endeavor to interfere in the investigation thereof.
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The President of the United States, Barack H. Obama, has unlawfully and unconstitutionally neglected to properly manage the Department of Veterans Affairs, and did willfully interfere or endeavor to interfere in the investigation thereof.
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The means used to implement this course of conduct or plan included one or more of the following:
1. making false or misleading statements to lawfully authorized investigative officers and employees of the United States;
2. withholding relevant and material evidence or information from lawfully authorized investigative officers and employees of the United States;
3. approving, condoning, acquiescing in, and counselling witnesses with respect to the giving of false or misleading statements to lawfully authorized investigative officers and employees of the United States and false or misleading testimony in duly instituted judicial and congressional proceedings;
4. interfering or endeavoring to interfere with the conduct of investigations by the Department of Justice of the United States, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Congressional Committees;
making or causing to be made false or misleading public statements for the purpose of deceiving the people of the United States into believing that a thorough and complete investigation had been conducted with respect to allegations of misconduct on the part of personnel of the executive branch of the United States, and that there was no involvement of such personnel in such misconduct: or
5.endeavoring to cause prospective defendants to expect favored treatment and consideration in return for their silence or false testimony, or rewarding individuals for their silence or false testimony.
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In all of this, Barack H. Obama has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as President and subversive of constitutional government, to the great prejudice of the cause of law and justice and to the manifest injury of the people of the United States.
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Wherefore Barack H. Obama, by such conduct, warrants impeachment and trial, and removal from office.

JINGOCON MANIFESTO

“We fight neither for revenge for conquest; neither from pride nor passion; we are not insulting the world with our fleets and armies, nor ravaging the globe for plunder. Beneath the shade of our own vines are we attacked; in our own houses, and on our own lands, is the violence committed against us. We view our enemies in the characters of Highwaymen and Housebreakers, and having no defense for ourselves in the civil law, are obliged to punish them by the military one, and apply the sword, in the very case, where you have before now, applied the halter.”
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Thomas Paine – Common Sense
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"JINGO" WORD HISTORY: “Jingo” was originally an interjection used as a conjurer’s incantation or as an excited utterance in place of something more risqué. “Jingo” acquired most of its current meaning in Great Britain during the Russo-Turkish War of the late 1870s. We apparently have British secularist George Holyoake to thank for the first use of “jingo” as a political label. He used the term in a letter penned to the Daily News on March 13, 1878. Holyoake was referring to a popular patriotic music hall song of the time, “By Jingo”, written by G.W. Hunt. The song contained the lyrics "We don't want to fight, but by Jingo if we do; We've got the ships, We've got the men, We've got the money too." By the turn of the century "jingoes" had become a derogatory term applied to anyone deemed too nationalistic or aggressive in foreign policy. Theodore Roosevelt was labeled a “jingoe” by his foreign policy critics, to whom he responded in an 8 October 1895 interview in (of all places) the New York Times: "There is much talk about 'jingoism'. If by 'jingoism' they mean a policy in pursuance of which Americans will with resolution and common sense insist upon our rights being respected by foreign powers, then we are 'jingoes'."
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Now the term is used like a vile curse by the defeatist and pacifist left . Defined in a post-9/11 context, it should refer to those supporting an aggressive and even belligerent war and foreign policy as the best means of securing America in the modern world. Modern American jingoists can point to multiple historical examples of a passive America inviting attack. Since 9/11 the equation had shifted in favor of "staying on offense" and high levels of American involvement abroad. The Obama administration has America in full retreat. The jingoist will rightly tell you America has no choice but to remain aggressive at all times lest we invite attack. The world is full of enemies and potential enemies. Evil men will surely succeed if good men do nothing, and that, my friends, is not debatable.
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MODERN AMERICAN CONSERVATISM: Largely sculpted by President Ronald Reagan, “conservatism” in the sense used here centers around four basic ideas:
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1. STRONG NATIONAL DEFENSE: The United States of American must maintain unquestioned military superiority. Any perceived or actual weakness invites aggression.
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2. SMALLER GOVERNMENT: Government at all levels is too large, inefficient, and subject to waste and abuse. Efforts to increase the size and scope of especially the federal government should be opposed.
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3. LOWER TAXES: At least three times since World War 2 major federal tax cuts have spurred the economy and increased total government revenues due to faster growth. Government is also forced to be more efficientl and less intrusive when taxes are kept low.
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4. 2ND AMENDMENT: The individual right to bear arms is a cornerstone of American freedom and is constitutionally guaranteed. Two recent Supreme Court cases (Heller v. District of Columbia and McDonald v. Chicago) have affirmed that right. Free citizens should not be forced by local government regulations to seek the permission of police or government agencies to buy, sell, trade, own, or bear arms for self-defense.
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BASIC FOREIGN POLICY PRINCIPLES OF JINGOCONSERVATISM:
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1. The United States of America is the primary force for good in the modern world. Americans have shed more blood for the people of other lands than any nation in history.
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2. The United States is and must remain the preeminent military force in the world.
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3. The role of the President of the United States as Commander in Chief of the armed forces is sacrosanct and should not be infringed or impeded by the Supreme Court or Congress. The President should only take major military action with a Congressional declaration of war or authorization for use of force. The President is constitutionally obligated to take immediate military action without authorization in vital and immediate matters.
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4. The United States should maintain an aggressive posture in all international affairs. Military action should be taken only when all deliberate peaceful means of resolution have been reasonably exhausted. Ground forces should be used only when accomplishment of the mission is not possible with air, naval or elite forces alone.
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5. The United Nations should be dismantled if it refuses reform. International organizations cannot guarantee American national security, and thus their permission is not needed or desired prior to taking military action vital to our defense. The United States should not participate in or fund international agencies other than those whose members are republican allies. International law should never be used as a basis or means of adjudicating American domestic law.
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6. The United States must not allow threats to our security to fully materialize before taking appropriate action.
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7. The men and women of the United States military should always have the best training, equipment, leadership, and support than can possibly be provided. Pay and benefit levels for service members are woefully inadequate and should be drastically increased. The compensation for families of those killed in our service, and the compensation and health care benefits for wounded members and veterans should also be significantly and frequently increased. American military veterans should receive priority in all federal, state, and local government contracts and hiring.
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8. The borders and ports of the United States should be secured through physical or electronic means as soon as possible. Those who have violated our sovereignty and entered the country illegally should be deported immediately. Employers who hire illegal immigrants should face exorbitantly heavy fines and prison terms. Priority for legal immigration should be given to democratic allies.
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9. A thriving defense industry is vital to our national security. All weapons, equipment, and supplies utilized by the U.S. military should without exception be made in America.
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10. The United States should never under any circumstances tolerate the use of torture. The U.S. Congress should clearly and unequivocally define torture, including specific procedures that are not permissible. Enemy combatants taken prisoner should be held under the Geneva Conventions as prisoners of war, and given the rights and confinement circumstances therein prescribed. No trials of any kind should be conducted, nor are any prisoner exchanges or releases possible. Guantanamo Bay should continue to be the main holding facility for enemy prisoners. All prisoners should be held until the conclusion of hostilities without regard to the length of time that may require.
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11. The spread of democracy around the globe greatly enhances but is not essential to American national security. All peaceful means of promoting and establish republican governments should be encouraged and supported. The extent to which the United States should militarily support democratic movements should be commensurate with the will of the foreign citizens involved and their own ability to assist and function.
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12. Energy is a national security issue. Every reasonable effort should be made to reduce or eliminate dependence on foreign energy sources and to develop successful alternative sources domestically. Drastically increased domestic production and sensible conservation measures should be pursued in the short term to alleviate market pressures. An America free from dependence on foreign oil would both greatly increase our flexibility abroad and strengthen our economy.
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13. Ballistic missile defense programs are technologically feasible and should receive increased funding. Deployment of systems should only occur in requesting allied nations. Ballistic missile defense is vital to U.S. national security and should never be the subject of concession or negotiation.
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15. The United States should take a firm stance against the hostile communist regime in North Korea. Every reasonable effort should be made to foment rebellion within the country. No concessions of any kind should be made, especially regarding direct or six party talks with North Korea. No further food or humanitarian aid of any kind should be provided to North Korea, as it will be commandeered by the government instead of being distributed to the populace. Aid only bolsters the North Korean dictator(s) and encourages further misbehavior. North Korea should be warned that any attack on American forces in South Korea will result in a full retaliatory response. The President should strongly and publicly pressure China to exert whatever control they may have over North Korea to force more polite conduct on their part. North Korea should not be allowed to mandate events by threatening or actually engaging in military operations of any kind.
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16. Iran is the main state sponsor of terror, and the regime now in power should be treated as a mortal enemy of the United States. Every effort to protest and resist by the Iranian people should be publicly and covertly supported to the maximum extent. Iran has for decades sponsored terrorist groups and attacks throughout the world, providing weapons, training and funding. Their role in terrorist attacks against Americans is undisputed and stretches back to the 1970s. Iran has been directly involved in the killing of American diplomats and military personnel abroad and has provided advanced armor penetrating IEDs to Al Qaeda in Iraq and Afghanistan. Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapons program cannot be allowed to produce a deliverable weapon. The risk of Iran turning a nuclear weapon over to their terrorist allies for use against the United States or Israel is too great to allow. If Iran refuses to cooperate with international efforts to monitor their nuclear program, military action to disable their weapons program should be taken at the earliest opportunity.
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17. The United States of America should take every measure necessary to support the nation of Israel. They are the only republic in the region and are under constant threat from terrorist forces, most of which are supported by Iran. Israel should be publicly supported in any action it deems vital to its national security. Any effort to internationally condemn or isolate Israel for military action taken in its own defense should be thwarted.
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18. Africa is a vital front in the war against international terrorism. All reasonable effort should be made to assist allied nations with economic and military development.
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19. Piracy on the high seas cannot be tolerated. All pirate vessels should be sunk immediately without regard to crew. Any pirate attack on any U.S. or allied commercial or military vessel should result in an immediate and overwhelming response.
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20. It should at all times be clear to foreign powers that the United States of America will defend its interests and its citizens by peaceful negotiation first, but by force if necessary.
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WHAT JINGOCONSERVATISM IS NOT: An America that is aggressive and active on the international scene best secures our own nation and assists our allies and potential allies. It is not warmongering, it is not bloodthirsty, and does not seek to dominate or occupy any foreign land. American troops are always liberators and we do not "occupy" other nations.
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THE FUTURE OF OUR GREAT NATION is in mortal jeopardy. Our enemies abroad grow stronger and more numerous with each passing hour while the Obama administration has the United States in full international retreat. This President does not like or understand our armed forces, and it would be difficult to imagine a set of circumstances under which he would properly apply the force of the American military in a timely manner. Now is not the time for the United States to retreat on any front. Only by remaining aggressive and belligerent when necessary can America guard against attacks at home. A posture of weakness and vacillation will insure that our vital interests will be damaged and that our armed forces and citizens will be killed.

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.
____________________________________________________
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.
__________________________________________________________
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.

ATTACK IRAN NOW: MORE EVIDENCE

BACK ME UP ON THIS: Events relating to Iran's nuclear program continue to spiral out of control. The last entry of this blog called for Iran to be struck now instead of waiting for the Obama administration to assume power. Since then, nearly every significant news headline screams for action against the world's largest state sponsor of terror before it's too late.

Iran is currently conducting a six-day naval exercise in the Persian Gulf stretching all the way to Oman. Apparently intended to reinforce Iran's threats to shut down the Gulf to oil traffic in the event of an attack, the exercises cover some 130,000 square kilometers of ocean. Iran appears able to deploy at least a somewhat credible naval force despite the United Nations sanctions limiting their ability to acquire new equipment and spare parts for their military. How surprising that the U.N. is totally ineffective. Iran's naval forces should be a high priority on the target list for an attack, and this week's exercises are more proof of that.

The United States military in Iraq has captured over 30 Iranian suspects in Iraq in the last four weeks. Just today, two members of Ketai'b Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed terrorist network, were detained in Baghdad while a third was killed when he unwisely chose to fire on American forces. No more evidence of Iranian interference in Iraq is needed. The proof already amassed in sufficient to warrant military action. Iran is directly responsible for the deaths of United States military personnel in Iraq and elsewhere. To date they have suffered very few consequences as a result.

Israel continues to draw up plans for an attack on Iran with or without American assistance. A unilateral Israeli strike on Iran would not be in our best interests. It would place Israel in an untenable position. At least the IDF recognizes the threat posed by Iran and their unchecked nuclear program. The United States should coordinate with Israel and prevent the IDF from having to take action on their own. The United States has already deployed a sophisticated X-band radar system and the troops necessary to operate it to Israel. The system would give an earlier warning of an Iranian missile launch. What could be done to intercept a potentially nuclear-tipped projectile at that point is unclear. What is clear is that the threat exists. Shouldn't we be willing take action to prevent the possibility of such an attack instead of waiting for an actual launch? By that time it would likely limit Israel's response to defensive measures, and a single nuclear strike on Israel would be catastrophic given their size.

Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons, aggressive rhetoric, and continued flexing of military power all point to one possible response for the United States: strike as soon as viable with as much violence as possible to at least significantly delay their hostile intentions. President Bush could take one more measure to enhance our security before leaving office, and that would be to launch a comprehensive air and naval attack on Iran and their nuclear facilities. The longer he waits, the worse the situation becomes. Should he leave office without taking action, he would be abandoning our defense to a President and group of advisers naive enough to think diplomacy is the answer. Talking with Iran will only allow them more time and space to develop the weapons and missile technology necessary for them to launch the attack they have already loudly and clearly announce is their aim. Let's hope Bush has the foresight and intestinal fortitude to take care of one last item before he departs. Giving Obama the keys to the Oval Office is no less than giving Iran the keys to the nuclear Pandora's box.

BAILOUT NONSENSE: Our government is approaching full-blown socialism, and very few seem willing to oppose it. Private industry relying on the federal government for financial support is the very definition of socialism. Businesses should succeed or fail of their own accord, not be propped up by taxpayer money. American consumers are the ones in need of assistance, not corporations who have poorly managed their affairs for decades. Newt Gingrich has proposed a several month long taxpayer holiday that makes far more sense than shoveling money into poor business models. Unions have done their share in pushing the auto companies into near bankruptcy. Everyone is for fair labor practices, good benefits, and higher wages, but those too have limits. Businesses can only pay what they can afford. The autoworker unions have forced U.S. car companies into paying labor costs that are simply unsustainable. That coupled with lack of innovation and shoddy products have created the problems that now exist. Asking the government to now step in with potentially trillions of taxpayer dollars in relief in unacceptable. Businesses should be allowed to fail or succeed of their own accord. Government's only role should be to create an environment in which business is permitted to succeed without excessive interference or regulation. That's it. Requiring taxpayers to compensate for bloated CEO salaries and fifty years of incompetence is beyond the pale. Let these banks and corporations fail if we must. The result will be companies wiser and more in tune with consumers. Forget the bigwigs, it's the working men and women of this country who need relief. Adding the burden of government bailouts is precisely what they don't need. Congress should turn their back on bailouts and instead concentrate on how to help average men and women. Now that would be real change.

GERMANS FAILING: Recent German parliamentary reports indicate that Bundeswehr troops in Afghanistan are drinking too much, not exercising enough, and are too fat. Little surprise then that they are allegedly failing miserably in their mission to train Afghan police. This is the kind of support we can routinely expect from Old Europe. Allowing them alcohol while deployed in a Muslim country speaks to their lack of commitment to the effort. At last count, German troops in Afghanistan consumed 896,000 pints of beer in the first six months of 2008. Pathetic indeed for a military deployed to counter the Taliban.

TEN REASONS TO STRIKE IRAN NOW

"A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week." George S. Patton

There is a looming threat on the horizon. All those with knowledge of the situation are aware of its existence. It has been approaching for some time without significant action being taken to stop it. The consequences for not acting could be disastrous or even apocalyptic. Most of the world stands idly by, also cognizant of the threat, but seemingly paralyzed. It is as if a gigantic destructive asteroid is approaching our planet while everyone stares at the sky in disbelief. Some are screaming at the top of their lungs while most remain stunned.

Iran's nuclear program has been the subject of much debate for years. Media reports this week indicate they now have enough material to build at least one bomb, needing only to refine it. Experts predictions place the time frame at anywhere from one to seven years until refining is possible and complete. The point of no return for the rest of the world, and especially the United States and Israel, is nigh. Now is the time to strike Iran with all our collective might before events overtake us and such a mission is not possible. Here are ten reasons why:

1. The United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have made little to no progress in slowing or even successfully monitoring the Iranian nuclear program. In its latest report, the IAEA and Director General Mohammed ElBaradei admit that after six years, they are not one bit closer to determining the purpose of Iranian nuclear intentions. The Iranians allegedly have nearly four thousand centrifuges running to produce the necessary material, with another two thousand plus ready to come on line. Iran continues to defy Security Council demands to halt enrichment, claiming the program has a purely peaceful purpose. Other intelligence sources indicate Iran is testing high explosives and missile re-entry vehicles. The entire fiasco is shrouded in mystery, has been all along, and the U.N. is powerless to do anything about it. Three rounds of U.S. sanctions restricting the export of military technology to Tehran have been roundly ignored. Those who claim that further enrichment would tip off inspectors are whistling past the graveyard. No amount of U.N. resolutions or sanctions can stop them at this point. There can be no remaining doubt about the intentions of their development. It is military in nature and aiming for a weapon capable of striking with little to no warning.

2. Iran's leaders have made repeated threats, especially against Israel. The rhetoric of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad continues to be menacing and even borderline insane. Wiping Israel off the map and striking Iran's enemies are a normal part of his statements. It seems the majority of the world continues to turn a deaf ear to his rantings. He continually rejects Israel's right to exist and is a known Holocaust denier. Apologists question his hold on power and assert he is not actually in charge, both suggestions dubious at best. Ahmadinejad should be taken seriously. Future victims of an Iranian nuclear attack may wonder why he was so long ignored. His re-election, once in question, now seems assured.

3. Iran's support of terrorist movements around the world is documented and well known. Their support of Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and interference in Lebanon is not a matter of debate. Iran has been designated as a state sponsor of terrorism since 1984, had prior knowledge of the kidnapping and murder of USMC Colonel William Higgins in Lebanon in 1988, and directly supported the group responsible for the 1996 Khobar Tower bombing in Saudi Arabia that killed nineteen American servicemen. Should they succeed in developing a weapon, they could easily pass it on to one of their terrorist allies and place their guilt for an attack in question.

4. Iran continues to interfere in Iraq. They have provided advanced armor-penetrating IEDs to Iraqi insurgents, directly resulting in the deaths of American forces. Iranian agents have occasionally been detained in Iraq while they provided weapons and training to terrorists battling Iraqi and U.S. forces. Their recent vocal opposition to the Iraqi security pact with the United States that would extend the presence of American forces shows their level of interest.

5. An attack now would be somewhat unexpected. The sense of relief they may feel over the election of Barack Obama should be exploited now before it dissipates.

6. Israel is ready and capable of helping. The F16-I now in the Israeli arsenal has made a long distance attack more feasible. Considering the level and frequency of threats against the Jewish state, their cooperation and assistance is assured.

7. Obama is coming. His promise to engage in direct talks with Iran will only result in further delay that would allow the Iranian nuclear program to proceed apace. Further diplomatic discussion with Iran is pure tomfoolery. Their repeated and continued defiance of the United Nations and the international community as a whole is not likely to be reversed with a few high level chats. Involvement in photo ops with Obama would only legitimize their delusions of grandeur and give them more time for enrichment and missile development.

8. The Bush administration, now fully in lame duck mode, would pay little or no political price domestically or internationally for an attack now. The election is over. The Republican candidate already lost. There are only a few months left to act before Obama takes office. Should the President-elect decide to talk with the Iranians as promised, his position would only be strengthened by a successful attack he could somewhat distance himself from later.

9. An attack, while possibly not completely devastating to Iranian nuclear plans, would provide an additional measure of time for further international action if any is possible. Their facilities may well indeed be widely dispersed and deeply buried, but many of them are readily apparent and above ground. Claiming that an attack might not be one-hundred percent successful does not justify doing nothing at all. Broadening the target list to include Iranian oil refineries would further handicap their efforts.

10. American naval forces are now deployed in the Persian Gulf in sufficient numbers to both launch an attack and counter any Iranian attempts to block the flow of oil. The fact those forces are already in place also provides an additional edge of secrecy. The threat to the U.S. Navy from Iranian naval forces would be minimal, especially if the targets for an attack included ports and harbors used by them.

Options for countering Iranian nuclear development narrow as time progresses. The United Nations and other international organizations are feckless as usual. The time to effectively strike is now, but the window is rapidly closing. When it eventually slams shut, the world will have no choice but to rely on the good intentions of men like Ahmadinejad. The United States and Israel cannot take the chance that Iran will either build a usable nuclear weapons platform or pass a weapon off to their terrorist allies. The risks of acting are indeed great, but the risks of not acting are potentially devastating to millions of people for many years to come. Strike while the iron is hot, and surely it's flaming right now.