Mr. Newt Gingrich on Democrats Using Third World Tactics in Politics

I hope Mr. Gingrich doesn't mind, but I had to share this. I also made comments here and there in ( )'s. You can find more great articles here: Human Events.com

Turning the Senate into the Chicago City Council

by Newt Gingrich

"Using the budget reconciliation process to pass health reform and climate change legislation…would violate the intent and spirit of the budget process, and do serious injury to the constitutional role of the Senate."

These are not the words of a Republican or a conservative activist.

This is a warning issued on April 2 of this year from the former Democratic Majority Leader in the Senate, Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.).

He was referring to a dangerous assault on American freedom as it is protected by the constitutional balance of power – an assault that is being considered by the Obama Administration right now.

"We Pour Legislation into the Senatorial Saucer to Cool It"

The Founding Fathers designed the Constitution and our government to guard against political power grabs by slowing down the process of making laws.

(Slow it down and read it, please!)

They insisted that the Senate had to be a deliberative body to slow down the passions of the House and stop mob rule from destroying freedom.

In a famous conversation between the two presidents, Thomas Jefferson is said to have asked George Washington why the Framers had agreed to a second chamber in Congress at the 1787 Constitutional Convention. "Why did you pour that coffee into your saucer?" Washington asked him. "To cool it," said Jefferson. "Even so," said Washington, "we pour legislation into the senatorial saucer to cool it."

(I just loved that quote)

The Founders Relied on the Senate to Carefully Consider Before They Commit Us to a New Law

One of the key means by which the Senate slows down the legislative process is through the filibuster.

Unlike in the House, in the Senate, even a small group of senators can hold up a bill by threatening to continuously debate it.

It takes the votes of three-fifths of the Senate, or 60 senators, to end a filibuster. This means that it effectively takes 60 votes to pass a controversial piece of legislation or nomination.

And again, this is for good reason. The Founders looked to the House to more directly reflect the will of the people. They relied on the Senate to take a step back and carefully consider a bill before they commit the American people and our resources to it.

A Revolutionary Act Worthy of a Third World Country

I have taken this brief tour of American constitutional history to make an important point: The Obama Administration clearly has concluded it cannot get a big government health plan through the Senate if they accept the traditional, historic requirement of a 60-vote majority.

It is also clear left-wing activists would cheerfully destroy the integrity of the Senate and the freedoms it protects if that is what it takes to get a government-run, bureaucratic health care system which would expand their power and increase the importance of Washington.

Senator Harry Reid (D-Nev.), the Democratic majority leader, has warned that a failure to get 60 votes would lead him to try to force through a bill with 50 senators and Vice President Joe Biden breaking the tie.

(And they call the President's podium the "bully pulpit"?)

Changing one-sixth of the American economy with 50 senators voting yes would be a revolutionary act worthy of a third world country.

(Where are their heads in this? We as a nation are suffering and all they can think about is their ideology. Socialism run a muck!)

Senator Byrd: "Reconciliation was Intended to Adjust Revenue and Spending Levels in Order to Reduce Deficits"

The Obama Administration and Sen. Reid are considering getting around the 60-vote majority rule in the Senate by using a process called "reconciliation." Under reconciliation, just 51 votes are required to pass a bill.

(Maybe they should call it "decapitation" because they are going to decapitate our economy)

Democratic Sen. Robert Byrd, whom I quoted at the beginning of this message, has unique authority on reconciliation. Not only is he the author of a remarkable history of the Senate (four volumes published between 1989 and 1995), he was, as he wrote, "one of the authors of the reconciliation process," which was created in 1985.

Here is what he said about using reconciliation to pass things like health care reform: "I can tell you that the ironclad parliamentary procedures it authorizes were never intended for this purpose. Reconciliation was intended to adjust revenue and spending levels in order to reduce deficits."

(I have criticized Mr. Byrd in the past but he is quickly winning me over to his brief moment of wisdom)

Sen. Byrd concluded with this warning: "The Senate cannot perform its constitutional role if senators forego debate and amendments. I urge senators to jealously guard their individual rights to represent their constituents on such critical matters."

(Right on)

For 20 Years, I Was Told to Be Patient When Conservatives Couldn't Muster 60 Votes

For 20 years as a member of the House, I was told to be patient when conservative reforms could not muster 60 votes or a conservative nomination could not get 60 votes.

For the last decade I was told to be patient when reforms conservatives wanted and personnel conservatives wanted were blocked by the lack of 60 votes in the Senate.

Now after a lifetime of sustaining the constitutional role of the Senate, we find that the left wants to suspend the normal constitutional process so they can ram through a gigantic government run health program immediately.

(And they are rushing why? Couldn't be that their time is running out? Or are they afraid the polar caps will melt too quickly, and they want aliens to find that they passed this bill as an "effort to save mankind")

Every American Who Cherishes the Institutions That Have Preserved Our Liberty Will Tell Their Senators to Fight

We are being told the Obama agenda is so important we should destroy the Senate and make it more like the House of Representatives.

(Mr. Gingrich is right on here)

This radical action may make sense to President Obama, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and senior strategist David Axelrod, all of whom come from Chicago and are used to seeing the Chicago City Council muscled by a strong mayor on behalf of a machine.

However, every American who cherishes freedom and appreciates the institutions that have preserved us from tyranny will be telling their senators to preserve the integrity of the Senate and preserve the protections of American liberty.

This fight over process may turn out to be even more important than the fight over the substance of the big government, big bureaucracy, high-tax health bill they want.

When both process and policy are wrong there is something very bad going on.

(Thanks Mr. Gingrich - Here's more from Human Events.com)

Bank of Who?

A branch manager of Bank of America in Gaffney, South Carolina, took bank policy to new extremes by removing small flags that had been placed in the ground in front of their bank. The lady who had placed the flags did so to honor a fallen Marine from that town.

Corporate offices say that the flag is flown at branches and that the flags were put back up in time for the Marine's funeral procession.

My beef with this, why in the world would anyone accept a policy that would dishonor our soldiers? Why could that manager not look the other way for a couple of days? What kind of patrons do they have at their bank that would be displeased by the placement of flags in honor of our soldiers?

Bank of America can apologize all that they want, but the damage is already done. That's what happens to corporations who lose their heritage - they spit upon their country, take billions in bailouts, and then say, "Who me?"

Go check out your local branch of the Bank of Con-America and see if they are flying the flag or not. Let them know what you think, and post your photos here.

Here is a video of the arrival of this fallen Marine:

I, uh, I, um, Bush Did It Too...

Robert Gibbs about the czars - can't answer the questions so deflects it back to President Bush. These appointments are not legal yet no one will man up enough to say so.

Georgia Embarrassments

Georgia once had a respectable former president. Respectable in that he may have not had a successful presidency but at one time led the way in building homes for Habitat for Humanity. He was a gracious man who was living quietly and letting his actions speak louder than words.

And then he became vocal. And now he is even more vocal. And worse yet, he called Rep. Joe Wilson a racist just because Mr. Wilson is from the South. Mr. Carter has gone off the deep end and isn't even treading water anymore.

But Georgia isn't just embarrassed by him. Rep. Hank Johnson has come out with the racism claims. Johnson replaced one moonbat named McKinney, who is still flying around the world trying to get media attention. People had hoped that Johnson would be different but within the last few days he opened his mouth to invoke the race card because someone would dare to hold a president accountable to the U.S. Constitution. Here is what Johnson said:

"I guess we'll probably have folks putting on white hoods and white uniforms again and riding through the countryside, intimidating people. That's the logical conclusion if this kind of attitude is not rebuked."

Yes, Georgia, we are the proud and the few. At least these two do not represent all of Georgia.

The Republican Party better not gloat either. Senator Saxby Chambliss had a hard fight in the last election and almost lost. Why? The Libertarian Party has become very strong here. The Democrats almost toppled Chambliss because many people are kicking the Republicans to the curb. The Democrats almost win because of the huge turn out for the Libertarian candidate. Wake up, Republicans.

Georgia is set for a mass transfer of power in the next election. I only hope people will think seriously about how they cast their votes. If a libertarian can carry the vote, then so be it. But if you are thinking about casting a vote for someone just because you are angry at the two leading parties, then make sure you are not keeping the Democrats in power. I believe that would be a worse fate for Georgia politics.

As for the two embarrassments, can we deal them to another state? Or do we have to stick to a straight flush?

The 9/12 March on Washington

Women's Suffrage March (March 3, 1913) - 5,000

Martin Luther King Jr.'s March for Freedom (August 28, 1963) - 250,000

Million Man March (October 16, 1995) - 400,000

Countless marches by demonstrators for various reasons with some as large as one million and some as little as a few hundred.

All had major news coverage.

September 12, 2009 - people March on Washington (the largest such march by conservatives ever according to Wikipedia). How many really showed up?

Fox coverage:



I like this man: Rev. C.L. Bryant:





CNN Coverage:



MSNBC coverage (good interview):



Thanks to Freedom Works where I found these videos.

Community Organizing the Fast Way To Tax Fraud

ACORN has come out blasting the video last week that exposed their evil plots to undermine our republic. I abhor their tactics and their flagrant attempts to cover up their plots of killing republics.

Maybe they should rename themselves:

A - dvancing
C - ommunist ideals,
O - pen to
R - uining
N - ations

In my opinion, this group has done nothing but threaten communities with lawsuits, commit voter fraud, and is probably knee deep in teaching tax and mortgage fraud.

They have not only been caught in D.C and Baltimore, but now new video is emerging where they did the same thing in New York.

Let me get this straight, ACORN claims these are isolated incidences:

• multiple states with accusations of voter fraud
• three known incidences of providing people with methods of tax fraud

I am fed up with this group who has now been kicked to the street by the Census Bureau. I wish the rest of government would take this to light, call for the repayment of all federal funds and the cessation of any further government support.

ACORN shows us exactly how socialism works. You organize, take money, undermine authority, and then threaten anyone who opposes you. It is exactly how it works in China.

Here is the third video in the series of scandalous actions from D.C., Baltimore, and now New York:

Remembering 9/11

As I have been watching the replays of the events on September 11, 2001, I am taken back the where I was at that moment.

I was working as a bookkeeper in an elementary school. The morning had been just a regular day until a woman came into the office and said a plane had hit the World Trade Center. My first thoughts were not of terrorism but of envisioning an airplane sticking half in and half out of a skyscraper.

I quickly turned on the FoxNews channel and began watching the footage. Within two minutes, I saw the second plane hit. The news anchor had thought momentarily that they were watching a replay of footage but then he also came to the same realization that a second plane had hit.

My thoughts went from how a plane could hit the towers to "Holy Cow! We are under attack!"

Everything changed that day for all of those who experienced it from a long distance to those who were there in the midst. I do not know where you were on that fateful day, but I will always remember where I was.

I think back now on those who have memories of other tragic events in history: Reagen getting shot, Kennedy being assassinated, Pearl Harbor, and numerous others. These events trigger memories and fears among all of us, yet our nation continues to roll on. Our resilience has lasted many generations, and with hope and faith, it shall last either thousands more or until Jesus returns.

I hope we will continue to remember those who died and those who are surviving. I hope we also are vigilant that our nation has yet to pass from this threat, and our military is still in harm's way. Let us remain resolute in our commitment to see this battle ended.

By God's grace we are still a nation that has a chance to spread hope, love, and peace throughout the world. Therefore, I pray for God's blessing upon us today.

Another Take on Healthcare Reform

Here is a letter from a radio show I enjoy from time to time about the President's address to Congress. I found it to be quite informative, especially the "bi-partisan" quote by President Obama.

From Point of View:

In his speech to a joint session of congress, President Obama charged that his healthcare plan had been attacked with "bogus claims," "misinformation" and that it had been the victim of "misunderstanding."

As he went through the list of these "key controversies," he included a number of things we have said, both on the air and in previous emails. His rebuttals included many half-truths and, according to at least one congressman, outright lies. Now it is our turn to "set the record straight:"

Death Panels

"The best example is the claim, made not just by radio and cable talk show hosts, but prominent politicians, that we plan to set up panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens. Such a charge would be laughable if it weren't so cynical and irresponsible. It is a lie, plain and simple."

President Obama proposed the creation of the Institute for Comparative Effectiveness and it was funded to the tune of $1.1 billion through the stimulus bill. The purpose of ICE is to evaluate the clinical effectiveness as well as the cost-effectiveness of medicines and medical treatments. While such an organization is good in theory (i.e. giving doctors and medical professionals better information about what treatments work) in practice it has been anything but.

The clearest example of where this is headed is the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in Great Britain. This bureaucracy determines what drugs and treatments are allowed and in what circumstances for the national healthcare system in Great Britain. In many instances, NICE has disallowed the usage of lifesaving treatments or medications on the basis of cost, condemning individuals to an otherwise avoidable death earning them the title of "death panels."

Under the public option health plan proposed by the president there will be a limitation of resources and it will fall to ICE or a similar agency of the government to determine how those resources are allocated. President Obama himself stated earlier this year that only people who will get "healthier" should get treatment. Where does that leave the elderly, the disabled and those with degenerative diseases?

Ezekiel Emmanuel, Health Policy Advisor, Office of Management and Budget (and brother to Obama's chief of staff) has written, "Savings will require changing how doctors think about their patients. Doctors take the Hippocratic oath too seriously, as an imperative to do everything for the patient regardless of the cost or effects on others." His perspective is, there are limited healthcare resources and before a doctor prescribes a test or treatment for one of his patients he should consider if those resources would be better spent on someone else.

Abortion

In response to the assertion by many pro-family groups that abortion would be covered by the national healthcare plan and paid for with our tax dollars Obama said, "And one more misunderstanding I want to clear up under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place."

At times like these I remember Bill Clinton's statement, "It depends upon what the meaning of the word ‘is' is." It has been argued that the Hyde amendment would prevent federal funds from being used to pay for abortions under the healthcare plan. There is also the amendment Rep. Capps has offered to specifically say that the healthcare plan cannot use federal dollars to fund abortions.

However, this is a distinction without a difference. The proposed health insurance exchange will be funded by the federal government as well as premiums paid by individuals and employers. It can pay for abortions and claim it only used the funds that came from individuals and employers, not the federal government.

This is the defense that Planned Parenthood has used for years to defend their federal funding. It is basically the same as telling us that the government will use federal funds to pay for abortions but will only use tax dollars that come from pro-abortion individuals.

As to the assertion that "federal conscience laws will remain in place," we have never said the healthcare bill would remove these protections. The protections were created primarily by an executive order, not legislation. The Obama administration made it known earlier in the year that they planned to rescind that executive order, removing those protections for healthcare workers.

Because of the outrage this announcement generated, the administration has yet to move forward with their plans. This could be done at any time literally with the stroke of the president's pen giving no opportunity for discussion or debate.

Coverage for Illegal Immigrants

Then there is the statement that caused Rep. Joe Wilson's outburst, "You lie!" President Obama stated, "There are also those who claim that our reform effort will insure illegal immigrants. This, too, is false the reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally."

While the bill making its way through congress doesn't specifically say it will fund healthcare for illegal immigrants, the bill does nothing to prevent it and so far any attempt to remedy that problem has been defeated by the Democrats.

As the bill now stands, if someone who is in the country illegally applies for coverage under the public option there is no requirement to show proof of citizenship so the application could not be refused for that reason.

You Can Keep Your Plan

"Nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have. Let me repeat this: nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have."

Because the majority of Americans have their health insurance through their employer, they may lose their plan if their employer chooses to switch to the public plan to save costs. Independent experts all agree that the legislation proposed would result in millions of Americans losing the coverage they have—the Congressional Budget Office believes several million, the Urban Institute up to 47 million, and the Lewin Group as many as 114 million.

Increasing the Deficit

"I will not sign a plan that adds one dime to our deficits—either now or in the future. Period."

According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, H.R. 3200 would increase deficits by $239 billion over ten years and the legislation "would probably generate substantial increases in federal budget deficits" thereafter. The Peter G. Peterson Foundation released a study today, which found that in its second decade, H.R. 3200 would increase federal deficits by more than $1 trillion.

Medicare

"Not a dollar of the Medicare trust fund will be used to pay for this plan."

"Reducing the waste and inefficiency in Medicare and Medicaid will pay for most of this plan. Much of the rest would be paid for with revenues from the very same drug and insurance companies that stand to benefit from tens of millions of new customers."

The two statements seem contradictory and if H.R. 3200 is enacted it would severely damage Medicare. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the cuts to Medicare Advantage plans included in the current legislation would result in millions of seniors losing their current plan. So much for "nothing in this plan requires you to change what you have."

Cost

"Add it all up, and the plan I'm proposing will cost around $900 billion over ten years."

The Congressional Budget Office review of H.R. 3200 as introduced, found that the legislation would spend approximately $1.6 trillion over ten years, but what's $700 billion among friends?

Bi-Partisan

"Well the time for bickering is over. The time for games has passed. Now is the season for action. Now is when we must bring the best ideas of both parties together, and show the American people that we can still do what we were sent here to do.

"I will continue to seek common ground in the weeks ahead. If you come to me with a serious set of proposals, I will be there to listen. My door is always open."

Perhaps it slipped the president's mind that on May 13, House Republican leaders all wrote the President a letter reading in part: "We write to you today to express our sincere desire to work with you and find common ground on the issue of health care reform….We respectfully request a meeting with you to discuss areas for potential common ground on health care reform." Nearly four months later, that meeting has yet to take place.

Moving Quickly

"We will do this by creating a new insurance exchange a marketplace where individuals and small businesses will be able to shop for health insurance at competitive prices. . . This exchange will take effect in four years, which will give us time to do it right."

Four years? Isn't that just after your campaign to be re-elected ends? Why is it you don't want the American people to see what this plan will really do to their healthcare until AFTER you ask them to give you a second term?

The debate over healthcare reform is moving forward quickly and your congressional representatives will come under increasing pressure to support the president's plan. Please contact your congressman and senators right away to let them know where you stand on healthcare reform.

Warren Kelley, President
Point of View Ministries

What President Obama Did Say on Health Care

Okay, we all know that Mr. Obama is a good speaker, even though he gives me whip lash as he swings back and forth looking from one prompter to the next while looking as if he is watching a tennis match.

But what about substance last night? I must be honest; I went to church. I caught the end and the snippets last night and this morning. Which brings me to ask, why did he wait to give this speech on a night that is traditionally set aside for church services? Could it be that conservatives would be at church and not watching the speech?

Enough drama.

From what I am able to ascertain from this speech last night, President Obama did

• give more general specifics that he would like to see in the bill (good)
  
• stress and not stress the necessity of the government option (though now government optional co-ops are becoming all the new rage) and left it up to Congress as to whether to keep it or not (sticking to his proposal)
  
• offer Tort reform as a handout but he did not get overly specific (showed leadership here)
• call Republicans and talk show radio hosts and other liars (okay not a great idea, because everyone cannot be lumped into this boat)
  
• threaten to call out Republicans who disagreed with him (while ignoring the Democrats that are listening to their constituents)
• invoke a tone of frustration (what I like to call the "I'm your Daddy" tone; being a father I use it often)
  

What he did not say:

• That this bill should be broken up in order to start getting elements of the bill passed and working so people can get relief
• That the $600 Billion dollars he wants to save in Medicare waste could have gone back to the people or into paying off our debt. He would rather keep the debt and deficit spending high and use the money to "help" pay for this extremely expensive government intervention
• Why government doesn't go ahead and fix the wasted $600 Billion dollars anyway (because the federal government likes keeping our money)
  

Overall grade: C+. President Obama is sticking to his guns, which I can respect. He is also showing that he is listening to some extent. He did not do the one thing I would hope he would have had done: break the bill up. Sorry to repeat myself, but it needs to be said again and again.

Of course, he will be making further comments this morning. Does that mean he does not think he made his point last night? We shall see.

The Heaven's Declare His Glory

(Hubble Gallery)

Who says that the Red, White, and Blue does not make the universe more beautiful? All I can say is that the heaven's declare His glory - our God and his beautiful paintings in space.

God is not political. The universe is covered with all sorts of beautiful colors. But when I saw this, I was in awe about the beauty of God's creation. Yes, He is the Creator and Designer of this beautiful universe that surrounds us.

Take time today to reflect upon God today and all that He means to you and your family. Take a moment out of today and just give thanks for something. You will be surprised at how much your spirit is lifted each time you give thanks for what you have. Reflect on the good things and you will find them.

May God's peace richly bless you today.

Omega Centauri (above)

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope snapped this panoramic view of a colorful assortment of 100,000 stars residing in the crowded core of a giant star cluster. This is one of the first images taken by the new Wide Field Camera 3 that was installed aboard Hubble in May 2009 during Servicing Mission 4, which can snap sharp images over a broad range of wavelengths. - NASA

What President Obama Needs To Say

Tonight, President Obama is going to give one of the most important speeches of his administration. Why? This speech will show if he is truly ready to stand up and be a leader.

This entire debate now falls upon leadership, and I will be looking as to whether he falls into step with his party or not. If he does, we will see this plan fall to pieces, because he refuses to be the leader he was elected to be.

There are many points of contention in this plan:

• It is too long and too much for one bill. It needs to be broken down and dealt with topic by topic. If the president agrees to this, he will be showing leadership.
• The government option (call it what it is!) is a boiling point. The liberals want it, and the American public does not. To drop it will lose votes, and to keep it will lose votes. Here is a major point of leadership. He has already said in the past that this is his one goal - a single payer system. Where will he stand tonight?
• The cost of the various options being "submitted" (because if you are not a Democrat you are not allowed to have your plans heard), are astronomical. He wants this plan to be revenue neutral. To pay for it, you have to make major cuts somewhere. Where is he going to stand on this?
• Also on costs, the current mountains of pages hide costs in various places. Some plans push a bulk of the costs onto states which are already in the hole economically. Other options hide costs by calling for "non-budgeted" expenditures which are totalling in the billions. Will he address this?
• What about tort reform? The democrats will not touch it with a ten thousand foot pole because they are heavily funded in their campaigns by these lawyers (case in point, the former Senator, wife cheating, ambulance chasing lawyer named Edwards). The Republicans want reform. A real leader will make some kind of move towards fixing this problem which would save doctors billions, that in turn would cut costs for patients.
• The people do not want the IRS having more power (we want it abolished anyway, but that is another debate). To suggest that the IRS should be allowed to fine people without health coverage goes far beyond the scope of this under-controlled institution. Also, health records do not need to be sent to the feds for better record keeping. That is too much government and too close to home. We want a federal government that is a whole lot less cozy with us. President Obama needs to address this issue.
  

There are also points to agree on:

• People with pre-existing conditions (such as myself) need hope that they can find good care in the future.
• People who lose their jobs need hope that they can carry their insurance until they get a new job and either get new insurance or be allowed keep what they have.
• There needs to be more competition instead of one or two insurance companies dominating a state. The federal government could fix this easily with interstate commerce adjustments.
• Costs need to be clear. Patients need to be able to shop the costs.

To see a good framework for such a plan look here: Empowering Patients

These pillars, in the Empowering Patients Act, were framed by doctors, who are now representatives in Congress, and can be subdivided for separate debate. That what we really want.

So Mr. President, again, if you are listening. Do not shove this enormous bill down our throats. It is too much to swallow and way too much for legitimate debate. If you really want to get it right, break it up in pieces. Then we can get to the real debate and real changes for those who need it. Thanks for listening, if you are. I guess we will find out tonight.

President Obama Back to School Event

Maybe I am starting to feel better, but I am actually glad the President is giving this speech. In fact, maybe more presidents should address the students to instill in them the great need to work hard and achieve their goals. A president can do that and not be political. We need to be more proud of our heritage and our nation. We are not perfect but we have had some great moments, and that is what our education system should remember.

Yes, we have made some mistakes, but mistakes change us, and our nation usually changes for the better.

Here are the prepared remarks of President Obama today for students. At least the President can still invoke the name of God in the classroom! But I digress...I think it is a great speech. Too bad the pointless and useless Department of Education got in the way:

Arlington, Virginia
September 8, 2009

The President: Hello everyone – how’s everybody doing today? I’m here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we’ve got students tuning in from all across America, kindergarten through twelfth grade. I’m glad you all could join us today.

I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it’s your first day in a new school, so it’s understandable if you’re a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now, with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you’re in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer, and you could’ve stayed in bed just a little longer this morning.

I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived in Indonesia for a few years, and my mother didn’t have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday – at 4:30 in the morning.
Now I wasn’t too happy about getting up that early. A lot of times, I’d fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I’d complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and say, "This is no picnic for me either, buster."

So I know some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I’m here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I’m here because I want to talk with you about your education and what’s expected of all of you in this new school year.

Now I’ve given a lot of speeches about education. And I’ve talked a lot about responsibility.

I’ve talked about your teachers’ responsibility for inspiring you, and pushing you to learn.

I’ve talked about your parents’ responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and get your homework done, and don’t spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with that Xbox.
I’ve talked a lot about your government’s responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren’t working where students aren’t getting the opportunities they deserve.

But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world – and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.

And that’s what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.

Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide.

Maybe you could be a good writer – maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper – but you might not know it until you write a paper for your English class. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor – maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or a new medicine or vaccine – but you might not know it until you do a project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a Senator or a Supreme Court Justice, but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.

And no matter what you want to do with your life – I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You can’t drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You’ve got to work for it and train for it and learn for it.

And this isn’t just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. What you’re learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.

You’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You’ll need the insights and critical thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You’ll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.

We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don’t do that – if you quit on school – you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.

Now I know it’s not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.

I get it. I know what that’s like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mother who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us things the other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and felt like I didn’t fit in.

So I wasn’t always as focused as I should have been. I did some things I’m not proud of, and got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.

But I was fortunate. I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have much. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.

Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don’t have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job, and there’s not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don’t feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren’t right.

But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life – what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home – that’s no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That’s no excuse for not trying.

Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.

That’s what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.

Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas. Jazmin didn’t speak English when she first started school. Hardly anyone in her hometown went to college, and neither of her parents had gone either. But she worked hard, earned good grades, got a scholarship to Brown University, and is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to being Dr. Jazmin Perez.

I’m thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who’s fought brain cancer since he was three. He’s endured all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer – hundreds of extra hours – to do his schoolwork. But he never fell behind, and he’s headed to college this fall.

And then there’s Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods, she managed to get a job at a local health center; start a program to keep young people out of gangs; and she’s on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.

Jazmin, Andoni and Shantell aren’t any different from any of you. They faced challenges in their lives just like you do. But they refused to give up. They chose to take responsibility for their education and set goals for themselves. And I expect all of you to do the same.

That’s why today, I’m calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education – and to do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending time each day reading a book. Maybe you’ll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. Maybe you’ll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all kids deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you’ll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn. And along those lines, I hope you’ll all wash your hands a lot, and stay home from school when you don’t feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.

Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.

I know that sometimes, you get the sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work -- that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star, when chances are, you’re not going to be any of those things.

But the truth is, being successful is hard. You won’t love every subject you study. You won’t click with every teacher. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right this minute. And you won’t necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.

That’s OK. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who’ve had the most failures. JK Rowling’s first Harry Potter book was rejected twelve times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said, "I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

These people succeeded because they understand that you can’t let your failures define you – you have to let them teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently next time. If you get in trouble, that doesn’t mean you’re a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to behave. If you get a bad grade, that doesn’t mean you’re stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.

No one’s born being good at things, you become good at things through hard work. You’re not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don’t hit every note the first time you sing a song. You’ve got to practice. It’s the same with your schoolwork. You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right, or read something a few times before you understand it, or do a few drafts of a paper before it’s good enough to hand in.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something, and to learn something new. So find an adult you trust – a parent, grandparent or teacher; a coach or counselor – and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.

And even when you’re struggling, even when you’re discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you – don’t ever give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.

The story of America isn’t about people who quit when things got tough. It’s about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.

It’s the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and found this nation. Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google, Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.

So today, I want to ask you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?

Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down – don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.

Presidential Misinformation on Health Care

The president is speaking to the AFL-CIO today. He sounds like he is running for president not being the president. His speech is a campaign speech not a presidential one until he gets to his story about Greenwood. Then he went back into the campaign speech. I'll bet he is a great person to be around. I would love to meet him one day. Today, however, I must chastise him a little.

In his speech, he says that those who oppose the health care legislation being presented by the Democrats do not have an answer. How untrue can one get? That is a flat out lie. Now, Mr. President, please stop telling such lies, because it is not befitting to your position.

Here is the answer to your question if you are listening:

EMPOWERING PATIENTS FIRST ACT

A Solution for Access to Affordable, Quality Health Care for All Americans

Pillar #1: Access to Coverage for All Americans

Makes the purchase of health care financially feasible for all – Extends the income tax deduction (above the line) on health care premiums to those who purchase coverage in the non-group / individual market. And, there is an advanceable, refundable tax credit (on a sliding scale) for low-income individuals to purchase coverage in the non-group / individual market.

Covers pre-existing conditions – Grants states incentives to establish high-risk / reinsurance pools. Federal block grants for qualified pools are expanded.

Protects employer-sponsored insurance – Individuals can be automatically enrolled in an employer-sponsored plan. Small businesses are given tax incentives for adoption of auto-enrollment.

Shines sunlight on health plans – Establishes health plan and provider portals in each state, and these portals act to supply greater information rather than acting as a purchasing mechanism.

Pillar #2: Coverage is Truly Owned by the Patient

Grants greater choice and portability – Gives patients the power to own and control their own health care coverage by allowing for a defined contribution in employer-sponsored plans. This also gives employers more flexibility in the benefits offered.

Expands the individual market – Creates pooling mechanisms such as association health plans and individual membership accounts. Individuals are also allowed to shop for health insurance across state lines.

Reforms the safety net – Medicaid and SCHIP beneficiaries are given the option of a voucher to purchase private insurance. And states must cover 90% of those below 200% of the federal poverty level before they can expand eligibility levels under Medicaid and SCHIP.

Pillar #3: Improve the Health Care Delivery Structure

Institutes doctor-led quality measures – Nothing suggested by the Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research can be finalized unless done in consultation with and approved by medical specialty societies. It also establishes performance-based quality measures endorsed by the Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement (PCPI) and physician specialty organizations.

Reimburses physicians to ensure continuity of care – Rebases the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) and establishes two separate conversion factors (baskets) for primary care and all other services.

Promotes healthier lifestyles – Allows for employers to offer discounts for healthy habits through wellness and prevention programs.

Pillar #4: Rein in Out-of-Control Costs

Reforms the medical liability system – Establishes administrative health care tribunals, also known as health courts, in each state, and adds affirmative defense through provider established best practice measures. It also encourages the speedy resolution of claims and caps non-economic damages.

Pays for the plan – The cost of the plan is completely offset through decreasing defensive medicine, savings from health care efficiencies (reduce DSH payments), ferreting out waste, fraud and abuse, plus an annual one-percent non-defense discretionary spending step down.

Czars, Czars, and One More Czar?

A Manufacturing Czar? What is that? Does he get to approve what manufactures get to produce? What limits his powers? What limits the powers of any of these czars since the White House is throwing the Constitution out the door?

I emailed one of my senators and my representative about the constitutionality of the czars (copy and pasted my comments). My senator, a Republican, wrote back that he was concerned about this issue and the house was beginning to make moves on it, and if and when the Senate actually takes up the debate about it, he would keep my comments in mind. In other words, he said don't bother me with this right now.

My representative said he supports the new house bill being introduced that would put limits on the Presidents ability to just nominate anyone for these "positions" without more oversight. He wrote that these positions have been used for years and, according to his people, they are legal. In other words, I really don't know, and there is a lot of confusions among my colleagues because if these are illegal that means the untouchable Ronald Reagan used illegal appointments - and we can't touch the god of the Republicans.

This goes to show me the credibility of my leaders. They are party pundits in disguise. Don't rock the boat or our man can't have the same advantages. Don't stand up too much for the Constitution or we may have to actually re-read it and follow it.

Maybe all new Representatives and Senators should be forced to take a class on the Constitution and the writings of those who were there (such as the Federalist Papers). Of course with our government schools pouring out graduates who cannot read above an eight grade reading level, I am afraid that these writings including the Constitution are at a reading level that they themselves may not be able to comprehend. That's why they higher lawyers to write their legislation for them

But here is the question no one has been able to answer for me yet: Where has Congress ever vested in the president the right to appoint such inferior officers "by LAW"? Look at this from the Constitution:

but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

The Congress may "by Law" grant the permission. Advisers do not have the power these czars have! Advisers are one thing, but these 32 people are something else! If these people are wielding powers from the office of the White House, they must bee established "by LAW"!

If I am reading the Constitution wrong or the Federalist Paper #76 (written by Hamilton) incorrectly, please explain your reasoning. Otherwise, our presidents continue to usurp powers they clearly do not have, and our current president is taking it to new extremes.

To what purpose then require the co-operation of the Senate? I answer, that the necessity of their concurrence would have a powerful, though, in general, a silent operation. It would be an excellent check upon a spirit of favoritism in the President, and would tend greatly to prevent the appointment of unfit characters from State prejudice, from family connection, from personal attachment, or from a view to popularity. In addition to this, it would be an efficacious source of stability in the administration. - Hamilton, Federalist Paper 76

Maybe if our government would have followed the reasoning of our Founding Fathers, we could have avoided the Vann Jones debacle.

School Systems Closing the Video Door on the President

Kudos to the Walton County School System in Georgia. They have decided, along with numerous states, not to show the President's address to students. Their reason is a good one: his address does not fit with their current curriculum schedule nor requirements.

Part of the larger problem is that they were receiving numerous calls from parents who said their kids would stay home if the address was shown.

Thanks to the one department in our nation that absolutely needs to be abolished (along with the IRS) - the U.S. Department of Education. They are now being blamed for ruining the what may have been a neat address from the president - especially if this speech was going to encourage kids to stay in school and make the most of their education.

Of course, the big problem with our outspoken president is that he does not seem to ever stop talking long enough to listen. Great speech giver but poor listening skills.

Red Skelton and the Pledge of Allegiance

I remember hearing this for the first time when I was in high school (only I was at work at the time - you really didn't think they would play this in school did you?). It originally aired in 1969 as a part of one of Red's acts. You can go here to hear or watch him - Red's Pledge

Here is Red's definition of the words in our national pledge as he remembers from a school teacher:

I----meaning me, an individual, a committee of one.
Pledge----dedicate all of my worldly goods to give without self pity.
Allegiance----my love and my devotion.
To the Flag----our standard, Old Glory, a symbol of freedom. Wherever she waves, there is respect because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts freedom is everybody's job.
Of the United----that means that we have all come together.
States----individual communities that have united into 48 great states. 48 individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose, all divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common cause, and that's love of country.
Of America.
And to the Republic----a republic, a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people and it's from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people.
For which it stands!
One nation----meaning, so blessed by God.
Indivisible----incapable of being divided.
With Liberty----which is freedom and the right of power to live one's life without threats or fear or any sort of retaliation.
And justice----The principle and quality of dealing fairly with others.
For all.----which means, boys and girls, it's as much your country as it is mine."

Since I was a small boy, two states have been added to our nation, and two words have been added to the Pledge of Allegiance "under God." Wouldn't it be a pity if someone said, "That's a prayer" and that would be eliminated from schools, too?

Did you notice the word democracy in the pledge? No. Look again. Still no? What about Republic. Yes. Here is the most important part of the definition: "a republic, a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people and it's from the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people."

When we stop fighting for this right, we become the little robots. We lose our freedom when we let the government tell us what to think and do. This is why so many people are upset about the president's upcoming address to the students.

Mr. Obama is the first sitting president to publicly address the students of the United States. The first thing I thought of was Russia's former leader Putin who started youth camps that teach youth what to think and how to react to those in opposition. I really get aggravated when the government steps into my territory as a parent.

The Bible says:

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)

I would rather my kids get this training from home not straight from the Kreml... I mean White House. Maybe the White House should watch Red's Pledge, but then again they would probably see it as a prayer also.

Government is from the people to the leaders - not from the leaders to the people. The people should be governed by their faith and ethical standards, and my faith reminds me that "the government shall be upon His shoulder."

We must be careful not to divide our allegiance between the ideals of one party as opposed to the ideals that founded our nation. Our nation, experimental or not, stands today because it was founded upon principles of peace, fair representation, and common sense.

Over-taxing the people, initiating governmental takeovers, clawing at false science, running our government in a deficit while skyrocketing the national debt, and overemphasizing the governments role in society, all stand against our foundations as a nation.

Even though I may stand in opposition to the policies of the leading Democrats, I still have hope that they will once again start listening to the people and drop their "us over them" mentality. It did not work for the Republicans, and certainly looks worse on the Democrats.

One nation, under God, is indivisible only while liberty and justice for all is in place. I, the committee of me, am committed to help make this a great nation. A nation that:

• is committed to good stewardship (that means a balanced budget that is paying down the debt with a giant, government-sized debt snowball)
• is desiring to aid those who are in need by helping to stem the tide of poverty and the spread of infectious diseases
• is ready to aid when our own citizens suffer from natural disasters as well as aiding other countries who experience the same
• is prepared to protect itself in the midst of tyranny and oppression
• is a leader in educational goals which allows parents and guardians to provide the best possible education (me, I like vouchers that allow people to send their kids to private schools or home school - close the government schools)
• is environmentally sound and efficient in its energy uses (taking care of our environment is a good thing, recycling is a great idea, and renewable energy sources are a necessity)
  
• is sustained by the rule of law not the rule of ideals
• is determined to let the free market system correct itself and energizes the desire of corporations to keep their business here through lower corporate taxes (or finally seeing the passage of the FairTax and the removal of the income tax and other taxes like it forever)

I dedicate myself (pledge) to these type of common causes and believe that we can be United under such common causes that keep us together as one nation. Freedom is everyone's job - not just the work of those who represent us. It is just plain common sense.

Bumbling Pastor Needs Removal

If you haven't heard yet, a pastor in Arizona has shamed the church - not just the Baptist or the American church but the overall church.

He decided that his sermon, Why I Hate Barack Obama, was a word form God, and he challenges his congregation to join him every night to pray for the death of our president.

Look, I disagree with President Obama on many fronts. I also agree with him on a number of things. I would never use the Bible, however, to defend my positions unless the Bible said - I hate Obama. AND IT DOES NOT!

The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. It goes on to say that every one is justified freely by God's grace but only through faith.

More than that, the Bible tells us to never wish evil upon those we disagree with.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary:

"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:17-21 (NIV)

Where is the good in calling for God to kill a man? I checked out the website of this so called minister and to be honest, I would be afraid and run. His claim to fame is the memorization of 100 verses or something like that. He admits he does not have any biblical training other than being a member of another church.

If he has memorized so many verses, then why did he skip this one:

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9 (NIV)

So while God is being patient with those who act counter to His will, this fake pastor is praying that God become a god who goes against his own character. Foolishness with the words of the Bible is what God speaks about in the end of times.

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (NIV)

Here is what the Life Application Concise Commentary has to say about how to identify false teachers:

Paul reserved some of the harshest language for those who were boasting about their ministry among the Corinthians: They were false apostles. One of the first signs that a teacher is false is that that teacher tries to discredit true Christian teachers and preachers. A second sign is self-serving methods. The teachers at Corinth were boasting of their own credentials, comparing themselves to Paul (3:1; 10:12). Their methods (their loud boasts) should have been a clue that these teachers were not looking out for the Corinthians’ spiritual welfare but instead for their own financial welfare. A third sign that these teachers were false and deceitful is that their methods were causing division and conflict in the church. The final sign that these were false teachers is the message they preached. A careful analysis would have revealed that it was “different” from the true gospel that Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Apollos had preached (11:4-5).

The Corinthian believers should have tested the teachers to see whether they believed Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 4:1-2). The Corinthians had failed to do this and had even let these teachers wreak havoc in their congregation. Paul was disappointed with the Corinthians’ lack of discernment (11:4, 19-20).

Folks, this false teacher does not in anyway represent the church of Jesus. Beware of wolves in sheep clothing, they may just have you in their sights next.

I pray that President Obama has a long and healthy life and a successful presidency (okay many of his policies need to fail and fail miserably in my opinion). I pray that his family grows stronger and wiser. I pray that his staff members seek God and His face. I pray that our Congress bows upon its knees and asks for the grace of God to shine upon our nation. I pray for God to send a new prosperity into our land so that we can once again lead this world in a way that honors God by lifting up the weak, sheltering the poor, feeding the hungry, providing for those who are thirsty, and remembering the orphans and the widowed.

Jesus came to give hope. I am so thankful for that! Be thankful for something today - it will lift your spirit and send your attitude and altitude soaring!