The Jackalope’s Voice

How To Impress Your Friends & Neighbors

2011-04-12T11:56:00.000-05:00

This is not about tips for garnering admiration and respect. The subject is ObamaCare and an historic definition of the word impress. This definition figures prominently in American history: “the act of compelling men into a navy by force and without notice.” The profession involved now is different but the resulting affront to liberty is the same.

Beginning in the mid 1700’s, as the pre-revolutionary colonies became established and thriving, sea trade was big business. Even trade between the colonies was cheaper if done by shipping rather than traveling overland. The number of seamen combined with readily available timber helped make the American colonies a ship-building dynamo. The large number of experienced seamen affected colonial sailors negatively when they became targets of British oppression. According to historian Daniel P . Murphy of Hanover College, due to “the British policy of forcibly impressing sailors into the British navy, American seamen were overwhelmingly Patriot in their sympathies.”

Colonial sailors were being impressed—i.e., forced to serve in the British navy. While these sailors did receive pay, it was not as profitable as working in the lucrative free market shipping trade. The northern colonies, those originally established for religious reasons, were also advocates of free market ideas. These New England sailors, solidly educated in the Bible, bristled at the idea of a man reaping the benefits of the labor of another through slavery. Therefore, in the northern colonies citizens particularly felt the yoke of oppression and tyranny of impression. Needless to say, this practice was seen as arbitrary abuse of power among colonials steeped in John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government (1690):

On Slavery: Sec. 22. THE natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on earth, and not to be under the will or legislative authority of man, but to have only the law of nature for his rule. The liberty of man, in society, is to be under no other legislative power, but that established, by consent, in the commonwealth; nor under the dominion of any will, or restraint of any law, but what that legislative shall enact, according to the trust put in it. Freedom then is not what Sir Robert Filmer tells us, Observations, A. 55. a liberty for every one to do what he lists, to live as he pleases, and not to be tied by any laws: but freedom of men under government is, to have a standing rule to live by, common to every one of that society, and made by the legislative power erected in it; a liberty to follow my own will in all things, where the rule prescribes not; and not to be subject to the inconstant, uncertain, unknown, arbitrary will of another man: as freedom of nature is, to be under no other restraint but the law of nature. [emphasis added]

The practice of impressing colonial sailors is listed in the abuses section of the Declaration of Independence which was boldly signed by Boston resident John Hancock, a free market shipping entrepreneur:

“He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.”

So devoutly were the religious based northern colonies against slavery that unity of the colonies in their rebellion was under threat, prompting the famous Ben Franklin political cartoon of the divided snake with the caption Join , Or Die. The terms Liberty, Freedom, and Independence as well as natural rights and equality were gifts from God, and God was honored not only for being our Creator, but also because of His Word and His redemptive plan to restore Man into relationship with Himself. Those revolutionary colonials and the citizens of American today share the experience known as the joy of Christian Liberty. These Christians consider slavery anathema, although it is the nature of man to defend the most inhumane practices with out-of-context Scripture.

And so today we have Leftist theologians defending ObamaCare because it is perceived as the duty of government to coerce its citizens to be charitable to one another and then impress citizens in the Health Care Industry to provide that care. That these Leftists are advocating a State Church is undeniable, but their theological defense of ObamaCare is fatally flawed. Their biblical defense reverses the message of the prophets and The Law: God doesn’t want your sacrifice; He wants your hearts to be changed toward worship of Him to one of joy rather than duty. God says it is only through spiritual restoration with Him that we can effect His blessings by doing good for others. In fact, God goes so far as to say that good deeds done for the wrong intentions are not acceptable sacrifices. These leftists/progressives/intellectuals like their Pharisee predecessors would have us believe that acquiescence to coercion can renew Man’s relationship with God. But unless Americans have actually opened those hard books documenting Man’s quest for Freedom and Liberty, or at least as our early colonials certainly could say, read the Bible cover to cover, we only know what the loudest voices tell us. Our national dereliction of study has resulted in creating a citizenship unwittingly standing alongside tyranny because of the banal acceptance of cultural and spiritual nihilism.

It was Christian evangelicals and free market entrepreneurs that established the United States of America. It was Christian evangelicals and free market entrepreneurs that pushed to end slavery in America. It was Christian evangelicals and free market entrepreneurs that joined with Martin Luther King, Jr. to defeat the legal bigotry enforced by Southern Democrats. Christian evangelicals have led the fight to preserve the sanctity of life, which is turning public opinion against the heinous act of abortion. While in Turkey in 2009, President Obama stated that America was not a Christian nation. But it is God ’s command in the Bible that we love the Lord Your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength, and all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.

The evangelical church should do nothing if not denounce ObamaCare and the impress of every health care provider openly and loudly. Your voice is sorely needed in these times that try men’s souls.

When Will the Party Bigwigs Learn?

2010-04-06T07:12:00.004-05:00

Last October in New York District 23, the Republican Party bigwigs selected Dede Scozzafava as their candidate over conservative Doug Hoffman. While the Tea Party movement supported Hoffman, party leaders such as RNC President Michael Steele and Newt Gingrich rallied behind Scozzafava.

The election ended in a fiasco, with Scozzafava running party-paid ads against the conservative Hoffman, rather than the Democrat Bill Owens. The ire of the people forced a withdrawal of Scozzafava's nomination and Scozzafava went on to endorse the Democrat candidate rather than the conservative Hoffman.

Are we to assume Phil Gramm has personally vetted Bill Flores, candidate in the runoff primary for Republican candidate to represent Texas District 17? Has Phil Gramm sifted through Mr. Flores' business records with the same eye as will the Chet Edwards War Machine?

Phil Gramm is trusting what he is told, rather than actually verifying the qualities he would revere in a candidate himself.

Our press has been woefully inadequate in researching our candidates and we find ourselves voting for someone that we really don't know anything about, other than what he says. As stated before, The Chet Edwards War Machine will leave no stone unturned in their quest to discredit our Republican candidate. The not knowing if there is something under those rocks troubles me.

The jackalope advises her readers to not be fooled by slick ads and vaulted endorsements from people that know nothing.

Vote for a known commodity

2010-04-03T13:28:00.014-05:00

A forwarded message from the Rob Curnock campaign is proof of a huge misgiving I have been pondering in the days before the April 13th runoff election. (The content of the message was from the Lone Star Project, a Washington D.C.-based PAC trying to get Democrats elected in Texas.)

The Chet Edwards campaign has been busy poring over the lives of our two candidates—Rob Curnock and Bill Flores—with an electron microscope. One man has been tested in this situation. The other has not.

The direct lie, and dishonest misrepresentation

In the 2008 election, Chet couldn't find anything of substance on which to attack challenger Rob Curnock. In Chet's ads (complete with Hitchcock-style sinister soundtrack), he had to resort to using only a) the direct lie, and b) dishonest misrepresentation:

a) "Politician Rob Curnock..." DIRECT LIE. Rob has never held political office.

b) "...wants to raise your taxes." DIRECT LIE. Of course, the statement itself is prima facie false. It is also a DISHONEST MISREPRESENTATION in that it misrepresented Rob's consideration of the Fair Tax, and anyone following the facts knew it.

Consider that Edwards ran this on WTAW radio, the local source of The Neal Boortz show, a man who explains and promotes The Fair Tax practically every day. To those of us listening, Chet's ad said loud and clear, "I know I am lying. But you who see it are literally insignificant, because I know that when I lie, enough people will accept it as fact."

Edwards took Rob's greatest strength—being a common man of the people—and turned it into his greatest fault. This is slash and burn dark-art politics straight out of the depths of Saul Alinsky and his book's dedication to Lucifer, brought into the heart of conservative territory. We must be "shrewd as serpents" as we go to the runoff voting booth.

The message referenced earlier is an indicator of what sort of campaign Edwards will wage. Nothing is too low, too negative or too outright absurd, as we saw with him tagging Curnock with the "politician" title. This is why I am supporting Rob Curnock; if that's the best Chet could come up with, then Rob must be a safe, steady, man. Bill Flores is by all accounts a decent man, but he has not been vetted with the Edwards War Machine eye.

Chet thinks Bill Flores will win the runoff

If Mr. Flores is successful in the runoff, we are going to experience the full force of Chet Edwards' War Machine campaign to discredit him. And we may not like what we hear. It will not only be meant to destroy Mr. Flores, but to dishearten and keep us from voting. It will be insidious and ongoing, both calm and vicious. It will build up gradually. Then the most vicious attack will come during the last days of the campaign, intended as a death blow.

The whole time, Edwards will be promising earmarks, delivering earmarks, and promising our veterans a future of patronage rather than freedom. And waving the flag all the while. It will be an extremely hard road to victory, and many could falter in their support, as the darkest secrets will be publicized in the most media-supported fanfare. So, if we do choose the unknown and elect Bill Flores in the runoff there must be no backing down, no faltering, no giving up. The victory must be absolutely clear or the recounting of ballots will destroy us.

For the runoff

We must think strategically; using our vote to not only outmaneuver the Edwards version of political jujitsu (using an opponents strength's against him), but to actually defeat the man and his Machine in November. For Mr. Flores, his greatest asset is his wealth, which will be used against him class-warfare style. His unknowns are his business, his associates, and his past. If he wins the runoff, all of this will be made known. And since Chet will use both the direct lie and dishonest misrepresentation, even things that aren't true will become known. And by many, accepted as fact.

I encourage each of you to consider soberly the choice you are poised to make. On the Lone Star Project site you will see who Edwards and Democrat strategists think we are favoring and a glimpse of what they have planned for destroying that opponent. This is Chicago/George Lackoff/Saul Alinksy politics from the darkest recesses of the heart of man. Anything less than a complete victory in November WILL be challenged in court until the race is stolen. So, if our candidate ends up being Flores, we must stick with him no matter what.

But in this runoff I'm sticking with the known commodity: Rob Curnock. If we choose Rob again it will be our own political jujitsu right back on Chet. And if that happens, this time the David is going to defeat the Goliath.

(Please see the Bryan/College Station Tea Party site as well, where I've been posting for about the last year. Thank you!)

A $64,000 Question for Chet Edwards

2009-05-27T06:05:00.004-05:00

There is a full Bi-Partisan scandal in Congress that is not getting much attention involving the lobbying firm PMA. According to The Hill - "The firm’s [PMA] founder, Paul Magliocchetti, a former long-time aide on the House Appropriations Defense subcommittee, and others at his firm have been substantial donors to several Democratic lawmakers. For example, PMA employees have given Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) more than $134,000 in contributions, according to the Center for Responsive Politics." The FBI raided the firm's office and seized files in November, 2008.

Chet Edwards (D-TX17) has received almost $64,000 in campaign donations from PMA. This was explained away by Mr. Edwards by his saying a firm in District 17 was represented by PMA. So, now we know how much it costs to buy Chet's vote as chairman of military appropriations.

Paul Magliocchetti donated $1,000 to Chet Edwards in 2008. But other names pop up in connection with donations made to Edwards from employees of PMA as Mr. Magliocchetti used family members, friends, and employees to funnel money to Edwards' campaign coffers.

Julie Giagardina - associate at PMA donated $1,000 in 2006.
Rebecca Kingery-Derosa - comptroller at PMA donated $1,000 in 2006
Richard Efford - associate at PMA donated $1,000 in 2008
Joseph Littleton Iii - consultant for PMA donated $1,000 in 2008
John Pugliese - consultant for PMA and also listed as Marriott/Host/Customer Relations [ wine somelier at the Marriott near the Florida vacation home of Magliocchetti] donated $2,500 from Sept. 26, 2005 to May 21, 2007
Richard Kaelin - Govt. Relations And Leg. Counse, Pma donated $1,000 in 2004

But, there is even more to the story as a $3,500 campaign contribution from Jon Walker is considered. Again quoting The Hill, "Jon Walker is listed as a partner for EVAS Worldwide, a New Jersey-based aircraft safety company, and gave $19,000 to lawmakers as an EVAS employee, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records. That is more than 40 percent of the political contributions from the company’s employees overall." However, EVAS has never heard of Walker nor do they have any record of him ever being employed by them.

You can see that the list can grow as the search engines work. Pretty soon we are talking about real money here. Only an investigation of PMA's operations will allow the truth to be known.

Jeff Flake (R-AZ) is presenting legislation to investigate PMA and many Democrats have signed on to make that possible.

The $64,000 Question for Chet Edwards is: Will you sign on in suppport of Rep. Flake's legislation to investigate this Bi-Partisan scandal?

If Edwards will not support the investigate our question will be: What do you have to hide, Chet?

Sinners In The Hands of an Angry President

2009-03-14T18:32:00.018-05:00

O sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in: it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in hell. You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder; and you have no interest in any Mediator, and nothing to lay hold of to save yourself, nothing to keep off the flames of wrath, nothing of your own, nothing that you ever have done, nothing that you can do, to induce God to spare you one moment.
- Jonathon Edwards (1703-1758) Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

What I relate is the history of the next two centuries. I describe what is coming, what can no longer come differently: the advent of nihilism. ... For some time now our whole European culture has been moving as toward a catastrophe, with a tortured tension that is growing from decade to decade: restlessly, violently, headlong, like a river that wants to reach the end…
- Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) Will to Power

To classify Obama in political party terms is to underestimate his hatred of America. Obama is not merely a shrewd political animal. His loathing of capitalism, free market economics, and economic freedom is a spiritual journey because Obama is a nihilist. The Cloward/Piven Strategy, Rules for Radicals, the looting of American wealth and Keynesian Economics are simply the means to an end. The end goal of Obama’s spiritual journey is the complete destruction of the nation as created by the Founders. While the Congress is out to simply amass power for the sake of power, Obama’s quest is an intensely spiritual one. We are coming to the realization that we are a nation of sinners in the hands of an angry god-man President.

Jonathon Edwards concluded his sermon - "Therefore let everyone that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come." Today, our nation is becoming aware that to be “out of Obama” is to experience wrath and destruction. Obama believes in an anti-Constitution, a negative of the ideas of the framers. This negative belief is exhibited in Obama's statement: “But, the [Warren] Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth, and of more basic issues such as political and economic justice in society.” It is prudent to realize Obama's understanding of the Constitution is not a simple angel or demon Escher drawing where the mind can view only one interpretation at a time. This is negation of space, where everything that is ‘not’ Constitution replaces what ‘is’ Constitution.

The history of nihilism is both political, and in a thunderingly empty way, deeply spiritual. Russian author Ivan Turgenev’s character Bazarov explains in Fathers and Sons that a “nihilist is a person who does not bow down to any authority and who does not accept any principle on faith" because "conditions in the social organization are so bad as to make destruction desirable for its own sake, independent of any constructive program or possibility."

Real-life nihilist Sergei Nechaev (1847-1882) argued that gross immorality of the European monarchies and Catholic Jesuits meant that any action could be utilized in the sake of the people’s revolution to bring them down. In current times it is easy to understand that “the European monarchies” are now termed: the rich, CEOs, or Wall Street. Free market capitalism is an ethos, a belief system based on fact and an innate, but yet counter-intuitive understanding that skirts the edges of transcendence. How else can one explain the dichotomy such as lowering the price of a product generates more income? In today’s culture, the immorality of Nechaev’s Catholic Jesuits is now the sin of capitalists, free market economics, or conservatives. This is the depth of negated spiritual animosity Obama harbors for the normal American way of life. This president is a democratically elected revolutionist bent on the destruction of the nation he serves.

As Sergei Nechaev and Mikhail Bakunin, wrote in Catechism of a Revolutionist (1869):

He [the Revolutionist] is its [the civilized world] merciless enemy and continues to inhabit it with only one purpose - to destroy it.

The catechism of the church now becomes a catechism for revolutionary means in dialectical materialism’s encroachment into moral themes. The looming tax burden is beginning to cause second thoughts for the future of charitable donations. But fear not because Obama’s massive budget is full of government munificence. The angry god-man President will be the overseer in the State’s provision for the needy. According to the negative Constitution of redistribution, all capitalist sinners will be forcibly brought down to the level of needy. Could this be why Obama doesn’t care about the stock market plunge? If the market represents the wealth of the nation, then ridding us of that burden is a spiritual nihilist’s moral imperative. It should also be noted that a government that owns all debt has enslaved its citizens.

Steeped in the “new time religion” of Liberation Theology, a derivative of Marxist dialectics, Christ’s message of man’s restoration with God is contrived into one of social justice for the poor. Rather than teach the “good news” (gospel) of Christ’s blood atoning for the sins of all who accept it, liberation theology is a “critique of economic structures” with capitalism, not sin, being the source of all that is wrong with the world. Obama’s spiritual purpose is the destruction of the ethos of capitalism.

By deftly redirecting the sin of an individual to an idea, the Marxist dialectic materialist argument swallows Judeo/Christian values whole. The State determines sin, as anything not proscribed by the State. As sinners in the hand of an angry President, taxes are now viewed as atoning contributions for the State’s collection plate. This inevitably means The Rich and Capitalists can only receive atonement through State seizure of all private property. Like Christ’s message to the Rich Young Ruler, Obamessiah’s message for The Rich – a steadily growing group as the necessary credentials are lowered – is give all your riches to the State and follow me. He neglects to add that he is intent upon leading us over the cliff to our total destruction.

There is also another insidious destructive activity that has been building for at least two generations involving the insipid acceptance of meaninglessness. The true danger of nihilism is not the philosophy itself, because even Nietzsche acknowledged that upon the brink of nothingness, man would find the opportunity to search for meaning.

I praise, I do not reproach, [nihilism's] arrival. I believe it is one of the greatest crises, a moment of the deepest self-reflection of humanity. Whether man recovers from it, whether he becomes master of this crisis, is a question of his strength. It is possible… Nietzsche

Nature after all abhors a vacuum and man is a spiritual being. God is certainly able to fill the void.

The cultural danger of nihilism is the trivialization of the idea of nothingness. The Left’s constant chattering has devolved meaning into absurdity. Years of trivializing the important, while heralding the arcane and vacuous has resulted in a generation and a half that blithely believe in nothing. Without so much as reading The Bible, the Declaration of Independence, or The Constitution, these sanguine know-nothings dismiss such writing as mythology, fatally flawed, the ramblings of ancient evil men. Karen Carr, in her book, The Banalization of Nihilism discusses how the glib acceptance of meaninglessness “creates an environment where ideas can be imposed forcibly with little resistance, raw power alone determining intellectual and moral hierarchies.”

To this end Obama speaks dramatic words for the cameras knowing that those watching him are experiencing him emotionally, not rationally. His speeches implant dreamy ideas in viewers incapable of hearing the menace of power behind the dream. We know that Obama does the exact opposite in reality and are angered at his duplicity. We must understand that he is not held accountable by the crowds because reality in their minds is meaningless. They cheer the screen image of Obamessiah, while we, the vanquished sinners devoid of rights, property, and freedom of thought pensively await our visit to Room 101. Nothing is more terrifying than to find yourself in the hands of an angry god-man President.

Defending Conservatives Against Liars - A Lesson From the Wisdom of Job

2009-01-19T06:02:00.004-06:00

The recent worldwide news blitz of Rush Limbaugh’s/Magic Negro satire offers an excellent lesson from The Book Job to counter attacks on conservative leaders. William Safire’s book The First Dissident: The Book of Job in Today's Politics describes Job as a political dissident not only for demanding to plead his case before the ultimate authority, but also for his refusal to accept the democratic abuses of his friends. The Joban story applies to today’s conservative leadership that denounces fellow members for minor faults rather than pointing their attention to our political adversaries. The Book of Job offers important insights to avoid this error.

The Joban story revolves around a wager made between Lucifer and God concerning the faith of Job. Lucifer, aka The Accuser, makes the charge Job worships God only because God has favored him. "Allow me to touch all the he has, and he will curse You to Your face", Lucifer accuses. God accepts the challenge. Lucifer is allowed to destroy Job's family and wealth through senseless tragedies. Job's wife finally encourages him to "Curse God and die". When Job’s three friends come to comfort him, they instead begin a series of debates to convince him of an offense to God. Job defends his integrity and finally demands to plead his case before God.

When God appears He overwhelms Job with His power. Job then repents in dust and ashes. Job is now a man forever changed by the presence of God and certain his Redeemer, or Advocate, lives. Lucifer is a cosmic loser, Job's friends get a dressing down from the Almighty for not speaking correctly about Him, and Job is restored twofold in family and wealth. Job's friends are then required to offer a sacrifice, but only the interceding prayer of Job will restore them with God.

The methods of The Accuser are politics erased of character and ethics. It is not without reason Saul Alinsky dedicates Rules for Radicals - "To the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom – Lucifer." Luciferian politics allows the shadiest of characters to freely cast stones at every righteous but flawed man.

The radical left, who hold themselves to no such standards, hold conservatives to a standard of near-perfection. The error of conservative leadership is the same as that of Job’s friends: accepting the premise of the left’s charge and offering self-righteous “help.” The accused is caught in the crossfire. Despite the good intentions of conservative leadership, the effects are the same as if their intentions were bad. Results are every bit as important as intentions and Job’s friends were wrong because Job was innocent.

Consider the Middle Name of Obama Brouhaha:

1) Opportunity - Obama's middle name matches that of brutal Middle Eastern dictator.

2) Method -- Luciferians create logic that use of Obama's middle name equals calling him an Islamic Terrorist.

3) Results -- The media destroys the character of anyone using "Hussein" and useful idiots pile on. The GOP discredits own members.

4) Nihilistic Reality -- Obama declares intent to use full name in swearing in ceremony verifying the false nature of the entire saga.

Rush Limbaugh explains the current Magic Negro episode on his website:

They [MSM] took the occasion of what actually was the inappropriate use of elements of this program, (but that's another story). They took the occasion of somebody running for the RNC chairmanship sending out a CD that had this song on it to revive it anew, and frame it and cast it as they wanted it cast. The last person they wanted commenting on it was me because I'm the one who could have set it straight. Newt Gingrich couldn't set it straight because Newt Gingrich was clueless about what this was all about. Instead, Newt Gingrich sends a note to the Drive-By Media saying, "This is wholly inappropriate. I can't believe it! This is not how we reach out."

The Luciferian pattern of attack:

1) Opportunity -- Although Obama commented on the parody in 2007, the subject is brought up again via GOP chairman candidate Pete Saltsman’s c.d.

2) Method -- The Luciferians use the “Soap Opera Sucker Play” where everyone is consulted except the individual actually involved and ask Newt Gingrich his opinion.

3) Results -- Newt Gingrich blames Rush for the situation. Newt is separated from the conservative fellowship. The GOP is divided on issue.

4) Nihilistic Reality -- another untruth about Rush Limbaugh is established in the minds of the useful idiots. This will be helpful in establishing the need for The Fairness Doctrine.

The Luciferians are more empowered and lie in wait for next opportunity.

We must be astute to the ways of the accuser. Those in positions of power should consider who is making the accusation rather than rushing to give an answer to empower their own self-righteousness. Assuming, as did Job's friends and Newt Gingrich, that the one in the wrong is your dear old friend and ally is the error the Luciferians are lying in wait to record. Ronald Reagan was correct when he said, "Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican." The key word is FELLOW -- equal in values, integrity, and liberty, i.e. a republican.

In practice, this will require shrewdness on the part of conservative leaders; not that this should be news to those up on their scripture memory verses. When the accusing left presents an accusation of a fellow conservative:

1) Allow the targeted person to first set the record straight and make his defense. Then support that defense vigorously or remain quiet in public. Remember, you are not an omnipotent god knowing all the facts.

2) Remember this one undeniable truth: The left, like Lucifer, uses lies carefully -- enough truth to sound plausible but with a slight twist. It is the Luciferian way to trick the ill-informed into making a rash decision that bears a dear cost.

3) Never forget that while the powers of the air may promise a kingdom, power, and glory and may tempt your eyes with what looks good for food or to make one look wise, the result will be separation from the safety of the group. No one can please both the left and the right. Conservatives must remember the safety of both numbers and unity.

4) Always remember that today's left contains the most corrupt political mercenaries in the history of the nation. The perfect retort would be to tell them to clean up their own house and then list a few outrageous acts of corruption to back up your request. (That shouldn't be too hard considering the exponential evidence of political malfeasance.)

The Luciferian attacks on honorable, but flawed men can be overcome by maintaining personal integrity, supporting one another, and most importantly by directing unified ire upon the unrighteous nature of those making accusations. The power of good intentions receiving good results will banish the accuser from the court of public opinion. This is the transcendent nature of the wisdom taught in the Joban story. Conservatives must now use that wisdom through applied knowledge.

Chet Edwards Has His Own Radical Ties

2008-12-09T17:36:00.003-06:00

In keeping with the huckster phrase "But wait! There's more..." it appears that connections to '60's radicals abound in this current election cycle. Thanks to Kyle-Ann Shiver, American Thinker readers are familiar with Sen. Barak Obama’s links to Saul Alinksy and Bill Ayers. However, for me, in researching Big Labor's campaign donations to my own representative Chet Edwards (D-TX 17), radicals are popping up much closer to home--thanks to the work of 60's radical Wade Rathke.

In researching campaign donations for Chet Edwards, I noticed that for a congressman in a non-union district in the right-to-work State of Texas, Edwards received a huge amount of money from unions. In fact, Edwards is in the top 20 of House members receiving money ($246,100) from labor organizations. But my Democratic Party congressman is not alone. In this 2008 election, Big Labor has funded Democrats with $47,609,244, or 91%, of all their political campaign donations. Although the closest auto manufacturing plant is in San Antonio (a non-union Toyota plant), Edwards has received $8,000 from the United Auto Workers Union. Your first step in determining who is funding your congressman is the Federal Election Commission Campaign Finance Reports and Data page.

However, it was not until I researched a $5000 donation from Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to Edwards that the big picture became abundantly clear: radicals have taken over labor organizations under the organizing direction of Wade Rathke. What makes this fact threatening to American capitalism is the Cloward/Pivens Strategy.

A Brief Introduction to Wade Rathke and the Cloward/Pivens Strategy

Wade Rathke is a former member of 60's radical group Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). SDS, under the organizing leadership of Tom Hayden, perpetrated the Chicago Riots at the 1968 Democratic Party Convention, the Columbia University takeover, and anti-Vietnam War marches in Washington, D.C.. After a national convention of SDS members in Austin, Texas, a new manifesto was written, with contributor Bernadine Dohrn (Bill Ayers' wife). Eventually, SDS evolved (devolved?) into The Weather Underground.

Rathke is the founder of ACORN and the labor group SEIU. Rathke also serves as chairman of the organizing committee for the AFL-CIO, whose president, John Sweeney, was a former president of SEIU. The purpose of these organizations is to put into practice a strategy penned by two Columbia University sociologists, Richard Andrew Cloward and Frances Fox Piven, who sought to destroy capitalism through managed crisis. According to DiscoverTheNetworks.Org, the Cloward/Piven Strategy "seeks to hasten the fall of capitalism by overloading the government bureaucracy with a flood of impossible demands, thus pushing society into crisis and economic collapse." The method involves using:

"what are commonly called Trojan Horse movements -- mass movements whose outward purpose seems to be providing material help to the downtrodden, but whose real objective is to draft poor people into service as revolutionary foot soldiers; to mobilize poor people en masse to overwhelm government agencies with a flood of demands beyond the capacity of those agencies to meet. The flood of demands was calculated to break the budget, jam the bureaucratic gears into gridlock, and bring the system crashing down. Fear, turmoil, violence and economic collapse would accompany such a breakdown -- providing perfect conditions for fostering radical change."

Wade Rathke writes that he has been "a professional organizer for thirty-five years. (I have) worked for and founded a series of organizations dedicated to winning social justice, workers rights, and a democracy where 'the people shall rule.'" (In other words, according to Rathke, under America's current constitution the people do not rule.) Rathke's beliefs coupled with the amount of money coming from SEIU into Democratic campaign coffers should be startling enough. Is your congressman on this list?

However, Rathke's connection with the extraordinary breadth of the AFL-CIO with its many affiliated labor unions also making donations, makes it easy to see this is a real problem for the future of the nation as we know it today. How many AFL-CIO affiliated labor groups are listed as donors to your congressman at OpenSecrets.Org? Use this widget at Open Secrets to easily see the amount of cash flowing into Democratic Party campaigns and also your district campaigns from these interconnected unions. These are the facts of Rep. Chet Edwards:

Misc. Unions (Includes SEIU) - $18,250

Public Sector Unions - $47,250

Industrial Unions - $48,000

Real Estate (Includes Fannie Mae) - $70,000

Building Trade Unions - $66,500

Transportation Unions - $67,850

Civil Servants / Public Officials - $9,500

Education - $30,950

According to WSJ: "[SEIU] adopted a new amendment to its constitution at last month's SEIU convention, requiring that every local contribute an amount equal to $6 per member per year to the union's national political action committee. This is in addition to regular union dues. Unions that fail to meet the requirement must contribute an amount in "local union funds" equal to the "deficiency," plus a 50% penalty. According to an SEIU union representative, this has always been policy, but has now simply been formalized." This coercive method of fund raising may be unlawful. According to Dianna Furchtgott-Roth, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute: "Private sector union membership peaked in the 1950s at 36% of the workforce. Now, only 7.5% of private sector workers belong to unions. Yet the DNC will pay homage to the union agenda, including removing the right to a secret ballot for workers voting on whether or not to join unions, higher minimum wages, higher taxes, and extending mandated benefits, such as paid leave, to even the smallest employers."

The issues listed above are the reason why unions are funneling large amounts of cash into Democratic campaigns. SEIU has contributed more that $16,000,000 to Barak Obama. However, as an advocate of the Cloward/Piven Strategy, Rathke's purpose is not to lift up the downtrodden. The strategy is to destroy the capitalist system by pushing the entire workforce into union organizations. Individuals are then under control and are then used to increase demands from employers and government. When the union is unable to meet these demands, such as the current pension fund debacle for auto workers, the debt will be passed off to the American treasury. The long-term strategy is to destroy the American economy.

Radicals have been very busy since exploding onto the scene in the 60's. They have organized, recruited, and are now pouring incredible amounts of money into Democratic Party candidates' coffers. The question we must ask is what do they want in return. These are just a few of the issues of votes and government funding ACORN, SEIU, the AFL-CIO, and others want in return for their donation to my congressman's campaign to continue their war against America.

My representative, Chet Edwards (D-TX 17) has radical connections. The question is, does your representative have these same radical ties?

Wisdom and The Rich

2008-12-08T17:32:00.006-06:00

As the jackalope goes about her busy day, she often takes time to visit with young 20 somethings. You just can't take the teacher out of some with the teaching gift. The jackalope loves to visit with these young people and freely offers her wisdom just as in Proverbs 8.

Does not wisdom call, and understanding lift up her voice?
On top of the heights beside the way,
Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
Beside the gates, at the opening to the city,
At the entrance of the doors, she cries out;
"To you, O men, I call,
And my voice is to the sons of men.
"O naive ones, discern prudence;
And, O fools, discern wisdom.
"Listen, for I shall speak noble things;
And the opening of my lips will produce right things.
"For my mouth will utter truth;
And wickedness is an abomination to my lips,
"All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness;
There is nothing crooked or perverted in them,
"They are all straightforward to him who understands,
And right to those who find knowledge."

This is the voice of the jackalope, earnestly seeking out those needing to hear truth in order to have hope in their own future. Today's lesson centered around government and freedom. Her young friend at first thought that rich people did nothing. Too often we associate mere celebrities who were blessed to be born rich, with "regular work hard and became successful" rich people. Try telling a star NFL player that he doesn't work hard, or a pop singer that she doesn't work. The great majority of Americans work hard for their money. Congress is a group that is paid far more than they deserve for the quality of legislation produced. How do Congressman become millionaires on less than $200,000?..... but I digress.

The truth about rich people is that they produce jobs. How many jobs has Bill Gates produced in his life of computer software development? How many companies were created because of the use of computers? Was Bill Gates always rich? No. He worked hard on his idea and pursued his dream. Through Gate's success thousands, possibly even millions, of others became wealthy.

Now, these wealthy individuals just living their lives provide jobs for others. The architects designing their mansions, the builders, electricians, plumbers, tile installers, not to forget the companies that manufacture all the fixtures and products needed to complete a home with every up to date amenity needed to enjoy life. Even in that aspect, the rich provide jobs for maids, butlers, nannies, chefs, clothes designers, window dressings and luscious fabrics to enhance every room. The list goes on forever.

The point is that we need rich people not government. When we rely on the wealthy to run the economy, we have freedom to pursue our own dream, our own field of study, our own niche market of service to others in order to earn our wages. By serving the needs of others, we earn our own daily bread.

When we rely on government, our earnings are taxed so that our elected officials can be charitable to those who did not serve others as well as we did. This system is full of corruption as our elected officials use our money as charity toward another in hopes of securing votes. Giving money to those that did not serve others as well as we the taxpayer did is nothing more than a bribe for a vote. The corrupt Congressman is now corrupting the citizen receiving the money. Nothing good can come of this as freedom requires individual morality. Corruption creates servitude and slavery for all.

So, my young readers, be wise. Do not fall for the lie about the rich. Observe that it is elected officials spreading this destructive and enslaving untruth. Watch and learn. Get registered to vote and send these liars and men of destruction out of power to intrude upon your life. Wisdom has spoken, I pray you have ears to hear.

Election Eve Prayer

2008-11-03T17:10:00.002-06:00

Father, we need you every hour, but especially in this hour. We know that you hold the kings of the earth in the palm of Your hand and direct his heart as you would channels of water. We know that You have instructed those called by You to pray for our leaders and those in authority over us so that we are able to live in peace in the nation. Blessed God, our Creator and our Salvation, our Mighty Protector and Counselor from which all goodness flows, we beg for your mercy upon our nation and upon our people. We petition You for grace and mercy that only You can provide to still our hearts as we place all our hopes upon You.

Father, we are a stiff necked and disobedient people. Our foreheads are like flint, resistant to follow Your simple commands. But, Father you hear the prayers of your remnant and are moved to compassion in times past, so this is again our prayer for compassion. Darkness walks among us but speaks as if of light. He speaks of life, but the death of innocents are in his tongue. Father, Your people know that You knitted us together in the womb and know everything about us from that moment forward. Many have strayed from this truth and are finding themselves supporting something that You have called an abomination - the sacrifice of babies for the good of the living. Father, in this way, our nation is covered in the blood of innocents.

But LORD, we know that through the blood of your Son, Jesus, the atonement for sin, once and for all was given for us, that we might be redeemed through His blood. Thank you, Father for Your atoning grace. Father, You have promised that if Your people who are called by Your name should humble themselves before You and ask for Your blessing upon the nation, that You will hear and answer them. LORD, all across this nation, Your people are humbling themselves and calling upon You to be their God and to ask You to have mercy on this nation this night.

LORD, we know that You have perfect timing and that there is a plan beyond our understanding for Your creation. We know that in all things You are Sovereign, but we also know You are a God of mercy that would have all men come to understanding of Your Salvation and Truth, that none should perish, but that all would be saved. It is to this end that Your people are prayerful on this night. We know that swift and sure justice is what is required, but we beg you to hold back Your mighty arm at this moment so that grace abounds even more. Too many are lost and confused. Too many need good shepherds to guide them back to the path of righteousness. Too many need to hear of Your wonderfulness. Father, I thank Thee for those You have place in my care, but LORD, there are so many more that are in need of Thee.

Father, we pray for the wisdom to accept the leader You have chosen for Your Sovereign Plan even as we petition for mercy. Hold the heart of this nation's leader tightly and guide his ways into all things of benefit for the people. Father, hold back those intent upon destruction even as they call it good. Father, let us once again distinguish good from evil and determine in our hearts to stay upon the path of our Salvation and Your Law. You tell us that a fool does not wake up to find himself upon Your Highway, but so many are lost without a guide. Extend my time as a leader so that I might gather those that You have given me. There is so much work to be done.

Father, we pray for a swift conclusion to this election, without fraud or deception. Let men be strong in discernment of unlawful activity and be just in penalty. Father, we pray for hearts to accept Your decision in this election, even if it is not what we desired. We ask for sober understanding if adversity be upon us. Keep us humble and contrite of heart if Your judgment is stayed for a time. We pray for the rest of the world, because all the peoples will be affected by this outcome. We pray for Your Providence in this thing, but we ask for mercy not only for ourselves, but for those far away in distant lands.

Father, Sovereign though You are, You still delight to hear the prayers and petitions of Your people and are gracious to answer them. In all things You are God and above You there is no other. You created us for Your delight, to worship You in all situations. You alone are holy, good, and just. Regardless of my situation, I will still say, You are my God! My Rock, My living water. In all things, You are my LORD and Jesus Christ my Salvation. Amen.

A Good Question From A Student

2008-10-29T10:45:00.002-05:00

After Reverend Peterson's presentation, a student asked the jackalope a great question: Will the election of Barak Obama affect me personally? I told her, "Yes, it will affect my life." When she asked me, "How?", I told her that because I am an artist, my customers - those far more wealthier than me - would not hire me because they won't have as much money to spend. I would not have work.

This is the nature of economics. Cynics laugh at the notion of trickle down economics, but they are only being a cynic, or as the Bible refers to them, scoffers. The Bible condemns the scoffer because he upholds the unrighteous while undermining the righteous and because a scoffer keeps the foolish unrepentant in his foolishness. Why is it so easy to ridicule the wealthy? "Let them get by with last year's yacht!", the scoffer responds to the idea of the rich having less money. Well, that's all well and good unless you are a yacht builder or a provider of materials and supplies to the yacht builder. Or even a minimum wage employee cleaner at any of the shops and factories connected to the yacht business.

This doesn't take into consideration all the myriad of other services like restaurants, truckers, dry cleaners, house cleaners, beauty salons, nail salons, sport events, theaters, on and on the death of an industry trickles down through the economy. The money that flowed freely has been cut off, because someone thought hurting the rich was a good idea. Not only did they hurt the ordinary man, they did it with purpose because an angry underclass are easy to control. The happy are content and can not be lead astray, but an angry mob is something to be used for political power.

Legal work of any type is worthy of esteem, no matter how menial or how extraordinarily well paid. This is a nation founded by the very principle that the "pursuit of happiness", which is the pursuit of property, is the key to freedom. It is control of our human nature, either through a personal relationship with God, or by government law that ensures civil society. The jackalope believes less law promotes civil society better than more. Everyone producing a service or product is held accountable for the quality of their work by their consumer. As a decorative painter, I must please my customer. My customer must treat me appropriately or I will refuse to work for them. No law required unless either party fails to meet the terms of their portion of the contract. This is the privilege of freedom. Only in a totalitarian dictatorship would I have the "right" to work...the problem is the jackalope wouldn't be an artist, I would have a "right" to work at the battery acid reclaimation plant. (the jackalope has already met the human bonfire of liberalism - read her story here)

The jackalope would ask her young readers to consider that their vote will always affect the lives of others. A vote in a republic must never be made for purely selfish motives - it's going to be good for me! That is why the jackalope believes firmly in the phrase: The government that governs best, governs least. The larger the government, the more people suffer because a bureaucracy shows no compassion - no remorse - only individuals are capable of these attributes.

The jackalope desires to work according to the talents given to her by her Creator. While I do not have the "right" to jobs that use that talent, she would ask young voters to consider that the power of their vote has immense impact on the private lives of others. Power should always be used cautiously because it affects civil society as a whole.

Reverand Jesse Lee Peterson @ Texas A&M - - A Cry For Mercy

2008-10-29T09:34:00.004-05:00

Last night, Mr. and Mrs. Jackalope were at large on the Texas A&M campus to hear the controversial and black (meaning conservative while being black) Rev. Peterson. The jackalope was pleased to see her friend Brandon and to meet his friends at Rudder Theater. Being a former teacher, the jackalope so enjoys meeting young people, especially those in pursuit of intellectual understanding.

Mr. Peterson spoke of his community work with young boys concerning anger issues. Being students at one of the top universities in the nation, most of those attending the presentation came from loving and stable homes. God has blessed them tremendously, but to those whom much has been given, much is required. The jackalope was grieved to see the students' react so vitriolically to Mr. Peterson's work with those not benefiting from such stable homes. Having taught middle school remedial reading, the jackalope begs mercy for those young people not coming from loving, caring homes, who do have anger issues that impede their ability to learn.

Mr. Peterson described how he acts as a intermediary between his young club members and their teachers. What a great service he is doing. For children that have no responsible adult in their life, to have an adult act as a caring advocate is a mission of mercy. Without an adult to meet on an even field with another adult, these children become victims which only continues the feelings of isolation and anger. Human nature is not pretty when unrestricted. The tendency of adults to think themselves as 'virtuous' as they harshly pressure young people to perform 'for their own good', only intensifies the problem.

By having a caring adult acting in behalf of the child keeps those tendencies in check. Even the Psalmist, David, cried out to God for someone to plead his case in the presence of his enemies. This is the cry of anguish Mr. Peterson's community work is addressing. He should be applauded for helping those unable to plead their own case. This is the basic foundation of civil society.

The jackalope hopes that university students learn to resist internalizing their own blessed situation in response to the tragedy of others. Compassion, like sharing, is a learned behavior. As little children, we all had to be taught to share. Selfishness is never a taught behavior. Compassion comes when we can listen to the cries of others who are in tragic situations, without thinking that because we didn't bear that problem, then the problem others face is invalid. Through compassion, the lesson from last night's lesson, would be to rejoice in their hearts to see a man willing to stand in the gap between unbridled adults and the feelings of the young boys who found shelter under Mr. Peterson's mighty shadow.

Truth in Advertising

2008-10-25T16:08:00.003-05:00

The jackalope never condones the defacing of any candidates' signs. However, could it be that what we see in this photo is not that at all, but rather a refreshing indication of truth in advertising by the Edwards campaign?

Chet Edwards - Wade Rathke: WHY IT MATTERS

2008-10-19T13:24:00.008-05:00

To understand the purpose of campaign funding for a congressman of Texas District 17 by trade and labor unions (see my previous post), we must have a basic understanding of the radical philosophy and political strategy of Wade Rathke. After all, we all are aware of that great voter block of the United Auto Worker's Union here in Texas 17. [wink] Why does the great majority of Edwards' campaign funding come from trade and labor unions not represented in our district? What are these unions getting in return from our representative in Washington, D.C.? Open Secrets.org gives eye opening information as to how Big Labor is by far the largest donating PAC to every committee memerbership in Congress this election cycle.

Wade Rathke and the Cloward/Piven Strategy

In 1966, Richard Andrew Cloward and Frances Fox Piven, both sociologists at Columbia University, penned a strategy to destroy the capitalist system. They believed that as long as welfare kept the American poor satisfied, the poor would never rise up in revolution against the nation. Therefore, it was necessary to create a method to flood the system with demands until the entire American financial structure collapsed. An overloaded and overtaxed capitalist system would not be able to bear the weight of ever increasing demands.

It is important to note that none of these demands are for the benefit of the people for whom these radicals proport to care for and support. The purpose is solely for overwhelming the bureaucratic system with financial demands. It is therefore incumbent upon us to rid ourselves of the notion that their objective is to be a solution to social problems, no matter how beneficial and beneficent these ideas may seem at first glance. The purpose is simply to break the American treasury to further the cause of revolution.

Through ACORN, Rathke has almost achieved his radical goal through the current Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae mortgage and credit crisis. No member of the Democratic Party has gone on record criticizing Congress for this crisis, because either through corrupt willingness or by being an useful idiot dupe, this manufactured crisis was created for this very purpose.

Such a large scale attack is easier to discern than seemingly innocuous demands such as a request by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Union for respirators signed by Chet Edwards. Note the "crisis" of pandemic flu justifying the need for respirators for every State, County, and Municipal Employee, followed by the ever escalating requirements of instruction, fitting, and following OSHA guidelines. These are the hallmarks of the Cloward/Piven Strategy.

Another example is this education idea from brother radicals and friends of Obama, Mike Klosky and Bill Ayers, where students are encouraged to demand their "right" to an education in every way except actually disciplining themselves to learn. This idea has been adopted by the NEA, who also support the campaign of Chet Edwards. In both cases, ever escalating demands are placed upon the treasury with no indication of their need, practicality, or even evidence that such money spent would solve the problem. The very purpose is to always demand more without solving the problem and in most cases, to actually exacerbate the problem.

Remember the purpose is not to help the supposed recipients, but to foment unrest and revolution. Note in the passage below of quotes by William Ayers, that parents and family members are missing from the solution needed to properly guide our "neglected" children in the rites of passage. The more confusion in a child's education under the banner of "help", the better; especially if your goal is civil unrest, not well-educated children.

"Today's youth face special problems and also have special promise," said Ayers, UIC distinguished professor of education and co-editor of "City Kids/City Teachers" (The New Press). "Adolescence is a period of life that is in many ways neglected, but it is when kids need caring, thoughtful adults in their lives more profoundly than ever." Ayers added that he hopes the forums will eventually become "a site for scholars and youth workers to gather to share approaches in the interest of serving kids better."

When the AFL-CIO hires Rathke to teach his method of organizing skills to expand their union membership, they are supporting ever increasing demands and intimidation as the means to their end. According to Project Vote Smart, Chet Edwards supported the AFL-CIO through his votes in Congress 95%. Rathke's creation, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) gives Edwards an 84%. Edwards supports the interests of The United Auto Worker's Union 100%.

View the video at Edwards campaign supporter, the Laborer's Union, to see why Unions are out to buy Edwards' vote out from under the residents of Texas 17. Remember the hidden purpose is to increase demands on employers and the American treasury until the entire capitalist system defaults. The American treasury is not currently responsible for the union's pension plan, but the promise can be read between the lines. Repeatedly the video states: those not supporting Obama do so because of racism.

If unions are able to purchase the election of Chet Edwards, their reward will be the end of secret ballots for employees as to whether to form a union (H.R. 800 Roll Call 118) and the fleecing of the American treasury to fund the pensions of every union member. Unfortunately for these union members, nothing is being done through benevolence for them as individuals, but rather the callous manipulation of their fears to foment unrest and revolution while making increasing demands upon all taxpayers until the entire experiment of free market economics falls never to rise again.

Texas District 17 can not afford to re-elect Chet Edwards.

Chet Edwards Has His Own Radical Ties

2008-10-18T10:21:00.009-05:00

Nearly one third of Edwards' campaign donations come from Labor Organizations and Unions. One of these contributing groups is the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) which is a member group of the AFL-CIO. The SEIU was created by and currently operated by Wade Rathke, who also founded ACORN.

Wade Rathke was a member of the 60's radical group Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) along with Tom Hayden. It was SDS, under operational leadership of Hayden that led the 1968 Democratic Party Convention Riots in Chicago. It was SDS that took over buildings on university campuses, in particular Columbia University. SDS organized several Viet Nam War Protest events in Washington, D.C..

At a meeting in Austin, Texas, SDS, along with its splinter cell, Revolutionary Youth Movement, wrote a new manifesto declaring, "You don't have to be a weatherman to know which way the wind blows." and SDS evolved [sic] into the Weather Underground Movement.

Today, Wade Rathke serves as leader of both SEIU and ACORN. He is also chairman of the organizers forum for the AFL-CIO, and is a co-founder and board member of the Tides Foundation. Both SEIU and AFL-CIO are donors to Chet Edwards' campaign.

Random Thoughts Inspired By Texas A&M Students

2008-10-13T14:22:00.007-05:00

Dear Students,

Today, the jackalope ventured out into the world to attend a Meet the Candidates Forum on the Texas A&M campus. Normally, the jackalope is pretty reclusive, as she reveals in her blog header, but the opportunity was too enticing. What a great time she had visiting with both the candidates and the students. (Especially the students!) When the jackalope was a teacher, she aspired to instruct her students according to the tuning of their hearts. It was with such joy that she savored every conversation. So, thank you to each one who took the time to visit with her!

The jackalope was not surprised that her Representative gave her the back of the head treatment when she, after listening to a conversation about global warming between Mr. Edwards and a great Cadet, piped up her assertion that the sun controlled the earth's climate more than anything man was doing. That's the method of the Left, dismiss anyone that disagrees with them. No debate. No conversation. Chet just moved on to other young students to continue the indoctrination of the superiority of their ideas without allowing for the give and take of debate.

The jackalope is Mr. Edwards constituent, yet my opinion bears no significance with him. This is called tyranny, dear students. In a representational government, it is incumbent upon an elected official to listen to the voice of his constituent. That's the whole idea of a republic. The best ideas rise to the top. Some might say, that the Law of Global Warming has risen to the top, however, that does not mean that the ideas of solutions are Law. The jackalope questions the tyranny that attacks the very economic engine that keeps America free. The jackalope supports the House Republican Energy Plan that includes everything.

America needs oil and the jobs it will create right here, right now. American needs to begin moving in new directions in search of alternative energy. But for right here, right now, oil is the fuel of freedom. A growing economy means freedom in every aspect AND more revenue in the Treasury. More jobs means more tax payers. No one advocates destroying the environment; that would be self-elimination, which is stupid. This was the intent of the jackalope sharing her face to face encounter with The Beast of Liberalism in public education. How can a community survive if we allow twisted policies that receive Federal funding making it financially savvy to keep students in remedial classes or emotionally disturbed? Such policies are akin to allowing toxic dumping in our water supply. Complete Social Darwinism.

Freedom of movement. Freedom to choose from a myriad of products. Freedom to produce a product or service that fulfills a need for which others will exchange cash in order to better seek their own happiness. Freedom to create a better mousetrap and benefit financially from that endeavor. And ultimately, the freedom to share that wealth through charitable giving according to the values of the individual. This is the foundation of America. The only "change" America needs is to recognize these truths and defend them with all our being.

The tax system is currently viewed as a national collection plate - a code to bring about equality and justice. "From each according to his ability; to each according to his need." Karl Marx. Freedom produces economic opportunity for everyone through jobs and services. Government can spread money around, but it produces no product to keep the economic machine running. Freedom is the compassionate choice for people of every level.

Government bureaucracy is the most formidable force of evil created by man. Devoid of compassion. Dark and crushing. Constantly making mistakes that destroy the lives of individuals without conscience or shame. Separation of Church and State, y'know. The jackalope has discerned that particular non sequitur to be a cover for men to pass laws devoid conscience for pure political gain, while patting themselves on the back for replacing good with evil and evil for good. A man erased of moral convictions is unfit to serve the people; for his every action poisons the very groundwater of a community.

Imagine your health care coming from the machine of government. The most important event in your life in desperate need of compassion, delivered by the unblinking face of bureaucracy. Such an idea can never work because of the set nature of man. Only when a man receives that which makes him happy in exchange can he deliver a superior service to another. Altruism works better in liberty than under tyrannical control. Remember those in the Soviet gulags joked that they were more free than their guards because only prisoners could ridicule government leaders, laws and ideas. A guard caught laughing at the joke would quickly find himself on the other side of the fence. Altruism thrives in freedom and liberty and is stifled by control. Control leads not only to corruption, deceit, and condescension but it ultimately stifles the creative spirit endowed in Man by his Creator. It is in that light that the jackalope proclaims that "Free health care" is the most expensive commodity being peddled by the carney shysters of Big Government.

The jackalope is a radical for freedom and liberty. However, to be free, requires men to rise up out of the primordial slime of Darwinism, and accept the boundaries of morality and consequences. Freedom is as hard as moving out from your parents house and becoming an autonomous individual with the ability to provide your own basics needs: food, clothing, and shelter. Freedom is not free. Freedom must be defended at every point in life or we are quickly sucked back into the abyss of human nature. Those that try to rise up out of the abyss are pulled back down like crabs trying to escape a bucket. Don't live in the tyranny and chaos of the bucket; escape young people, rise up, fly, be free. Vote Republican.

With great love,
the jackalope

Chet Edwards (D TX17) Demagogues Fannie/Freddie Crisis

2008-09-24T08:34:00.005-05:00

Today, in his interview on WTAW radio, Chet Edwards gave the current Democratic Party talking points in his assessment of the Fannie Mae/ Freddie Mac meltdown. Edwards blamed deregulation (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Bill) signed into law by President Bill Clinton and Wall Street greed for the crisis that is quickly accumulating to a 1 trillion $ plus bill to the American taxpayer.

What Chet failed to mention were the actual regulations Congress applied to the socialized government entities. Congress alone is responsible for the regulation requiring such little things as the inability to assess the ability of the mortgage applicant to actually pay back the loan or even proof of employment. And just how are these government entities allowed to contribute to political campaigns when private businesses can't, if not through those insidious little congressional regulations? Not to mention those little regulations that allowed the likes of Franklin Raines, Daniel Mudd, Jim Johnson and Jaime Gorelick to score big bonuses and fabulous perks.

These are just a few regulations the jackalope would like to see investigated and deregulated.

We need serious change in Congress. How about starting with one less Democrat in the House of Representatives?

Elect Rob Curnock (R) to represent Texas District 17.

Rob Curnock Campaign Video

2008-09-23T15:12:00.000-05:00

Chet Edwards Blocks Drilling Motion

2008-08-25T06:53:00.008-05:00

This is the jackalope's first video editing project. However, the truth of the project stands clear. While Chet Edwards talks "moderate" here in District 17, he has aspirations of higher positions in the Democratic Party and will vote against the best interest of the people to achieve that goal.

20/20 For Rob Curnock for Congress

2008-08-22T11:41:00.003-05:00

The Jackalope is starting a web campaign to raise funds for Rob Curnock For Congress.

The plan is 20 for $20.00 and the Jackalope has made it easy with the SlateCard widget right here on The Jackalope's Voice. Just click on the contribute button and fill out the form to contribute $20.00 (or more) and then email 20 friends asking them to do the same.

The Jackalope's Voice is volunteering her blog to work for the campaign and I would appreciate her readers use this blog for raising web contributions. All money goes directly to Rob's account. However, this volunteer would like to show not only the power of the web, but also the benefits of her creativity. The hardworking farmer ought to receive credit for his hard work.

Chet Edwards (D-17TX) is Nancy Pelosi's choice for Obama's veep. That should speak volumes for those that believe in economic and political freedom.

Remember: Without Economic Freedom, Political Freedom is meaningless.

Conundrum

2008-08-21T09:30:00.003-05:00

So, let me get this straight, Obama doesn't think he should help his half-brother because he doesn't know him. However, he thinks taxing us to help people we don't know is a sign of his munificence and caring for others.

Okay, I'm trying to get this straight: Obama doesn't think he should help his own half-brother who is living in a 6'x9' African shack, because he doesn't know him. But Obama thinks taxing us in order to help people we don't know is a sign of his munificence and beneficence to the world.

Right, I'm still trying to get this straight....

Riddle

2008-08-21T08:48:00.005-05:00

A Twitter friend told me this riddle:

What do Obama and Osama have in common?

They both have friends that bombed the Pentagon (William Ayers)!

'nuff said?

It's just not safe to vote Democrat.

Rob Curnock for Congress

#DontGo Republicans Wary of Pelosi

2008-08-13T06:52:00.008-05:00

The Republican Congressional leaders staying on in the lights off, microphones off, and cameras off House Floor should be wary of Speaker Pelosi's change on oil drilling. The "All of the Above" Energy Plan is a good plan. It deserves an up or down vote.

However, the jackalope disagrees with the idea that this is not a Republican or Democrat issue. She believes that when the economic freedom of the United States is at stake, then the political party standing in the way of that freedom deserves scorn, derision, and ultimately, loss of any political power.

The Democratic Party-controlled Congress made their choice when they voted to adjourn for summer vacation. When party unity stands in the way of economic freedom, that party no longer serves as defenders of the Constitution.

Don't Fall For Chet's Energy Talking Points

2008-08-11T12:06:00.006-05:00

The Democratic Party-Controlled Congress is pandering to their constituents on the price of gas and oil.

What do they offer?

Release the Strategic Petroleum Reserves

What happens in the case of a national emergency if reserves are not available?

Investigate oil speculators

A waste of taxpayer's money. No investigation has turned up an evidence of criminal activity.

Make Oil Companies Drill on Leases they Already Hold

Leases are a gamble for the oil company. The truth is that the oil companies need the freedom to drill in the best location for their needs, not the needs of a bureaucrat in Washington.

Chet Edwards (D-17 TX) is using these Democratic Party Talking Points.

Tell Chet we don't want pandering; we want Congress to do what promotes economic stability.

Send Rob Curnock to Congress. He supports District 17's republican values.

The Pelosi Premium

2008-08-11T11:55:00.002-05:00

The Pelosi Premium and her Democratic Party-controlled Congress have been hard at work for you. Speaker Pelosi began the 110th Congress with the pledge that she and Democratic Party House Leadership had a plan to fix the rising price of gas.

Does Texas District 17 want to send a man to Congress that will give power to a political party unable to grasp the results of their own deed?

Without the freedom to control your private property, political freedom is meaningless.

Pelosi Book Tour

2008-08-08T11:21:00.005-05:00

The jackalope loves seeing these protestors outside a Borders Bookstore in Ann Arbor, Michigan, while Nancy Pelosi is inside on her book signing tour. Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less!

This is a movement of the people and by the people. This is a (r)epublican Revolution made up of rugged individuals committed to the cause of freedom. Without Economic Freedom, political freedom is not possible. Congress must not be allowed to stand in the way of their constituents Economic Freedom.

Uncle Jay Explains the News - September 3, 2007

2008-08-06T09:17:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder how hard the 110th Democratic Party-Controlled Congress has worked for us? Let Uncle Jay 'splain it to you. Enjoy

YouTube - Uncle Jay Explains the News - September 3, 2007

Just More Oil-Drilling Gimmicks?

2008-08-05T11:54:00.002-05:00

Proving they live in an alternative reality that is funded by the deep pockets of George Soros - a man that has made it his mission in life to bring the United States down to servant status to the United Nations - MoveOn.org will stage a rally on the Capitol steps today at 4:00 p.m. Eastern to protest the "gimmicks" of the oil companies that want to drill off-shore.

“Republicans have been escalating their attacks on [Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.)] and the Democrats over oil drilling, and we need to push back hard,” the group said in an e-mail to supporters, asking them to come to a 4 p.m. rally at the Capitol.

“Speaker Pelosi blocked their plan because it won't help lower gas prices—but it will line the pockets of Big Oil executives, the same people donating millions of dollars to Republicans,” the e-mail said. “But Republicans are working hard to make it seem like they're fighting for cash-strapped commuters—and not the oil companies who wrote their plan.”

The group plans to point to the ties between the GOP and Big Oil.

“We’ve invited the media, and having a good crowd is critical to show them that voters don’t want oil industry gimmicks—they want real solutions like alternative energy to solve our energy crisis,” the e-mail said."

This is an all expenses paid rent-a-mob. Do not be fooled into believing the group speaks for any real, everyday Americans. The representatives of those Americans are inside the House talking about the "All of the Above" Energy Plan. #dontgo.

Call Back Congress, Madam Speaker

2008-08-05T08:53:00.002-05:00

Please sign the petition to have Congress come back from their vacations to vote on The Energy Crisis and solutions. The Republicans are behaving like adults when faced with a problem. Speaker Pelosi is merely running the clock out for the 110th Congress until Obama can be elected President.

High gas prices not only affect Americans at the pump, but every product we buy.

Sign the petition and spread to friends and family.

Chet Edwards Votes To Leave For Vacation

2008-08-04T19:10:00.010-05:00

In considering the events going on this week in the House of Representatives, Texas District 17 should know that Rep. Chet Edwards voted to adjourn for a 5 week break rather than vote, or even debate, on solutions for the nation's Energy Crisis. 15 Blue Dog Democrats had the spine to stand against Speaker Pelosi and voted "Nay" to the adjournment. Chet Edwards (D-TX) was not among these noble men. Those 15 put the prosperity of the nation before partisan politics.

Let this be a clear delineation, that while Chet hails from the heart of conservatism, he is neither a Blue Dog nor a conservative.

Chet's value system has become skewed by the promise of political power. As my Daddy would say, "His plumb bob doesn't hang true right." By reading Chet's description of his faith, it is clear he designates the IRS as the great Collection Plate from which he can dispense the lucre according to his own charitable ideals.

In Chet's world the victims are not the taxpayers trying to make ends meet with what the government allows them to keep; but those who just can't get enough "charity" dispensed through "Bishop Edwards'" munificence in order that their every problem be solved. When political aspirations cause a man to legislate in direct conflict with the will of the people, that man must be removed to allow another to take his place.

There is a man to take his place. Rob Curnock would be an added voice to the Republicans in the House that are calling for a bold energy plan: All Of The Above. The Republicans are the party of ideas. The Democratic Party is the party of "No!"

Either lead or get out of the way. Chet Edwards (D-TX), with his vote to adjourn, exhibited the latter quality - he got out of the way. Time to make it permanent.

Stick a fork in him....he's done.

#dontgo - New Media Trounces Pelosi Blackout

2008-08-03T14:54:00.003-05:00

August 1, 2008, Speaker Pelosi thought she could send the House of Representatives home for adjournment without a vote, or even debate, on solving the Energy Crisis. She turned off the lights, cameras, and microphones. She emptied the Press Gallery thinking the story was over.

Thanks to Rep. John Culberson and Real Time News, she thought wrong.

Breaking Speaker Pelosi's News Blackout

The Nancy Pelosi [a.k.a. Marie Antoinette] Book Tour

2008-07-30T10:12:00.002-05:00

Rather than stay in Washington to work on legislation to solve the nation's energy crisis, Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is promoting her new book - "Know Your Power: A Message to America's Daughters".

Pelosi provides hints of her leadership style only in one instance: her 2005 confrontation with Bush over his proposal to create private retirement accounts in place of the Social Security system.

America's daughters must understand that this woman stopped a wonderful plan to allow America's young men and women to place part of the Social Security taken from their paychecks by the government into a PRIVATE account of their own choosing. The President's plan would have guaranteed that upon reaching retirement age, at least that personal account would actually contain money, rather than an I.O.U. that's in the government's account.

But, solving a foreboding financial meltdown was not the purpose of this paragon of Democratic Party strategery. Assuming power, for the sake of power is Nancy Pelosi's political strategy with the financial security of America's daughters and sons.

But she and her allies chose another strategy.

"First, you must take down the ratings of your opposition," Pelosi writes. "Second, you must differentiate yourselves from them.

"And third, only when the time is right do you present your platform."

Pelosi assumed power in 1996 with the Democratic Party spin of "Culture of Corruption". Any plan to make America more prosperous and secure for the future has been bottled up in the 110th Congress, while spending/bailout legislation has skyrocketed. Pelosi needs to meet the power of America's daughters and sons voting to repudiate Pelosi and her brand of political scheming.

The republican revolution of France [falsely] accused Marie Antoinette of telling the starving peasants crying for bread, "Let Them Eat Cake". Marie unfortunately met her end upon the guillotine. Multi-millionaire Nancy Pelosi, offered no counter plan to President Bush's superb idea, thereby allowing the government to continue to "rob" young people of their hard earned money in the name of Social [In]Security. She's got hers, but she denied you a portion of your own.

The 109th and 110th Congress has stood in the way of sound investments in the future of America and the people. Chet Edwards (D-17 TX) has been a voting asset to Nancy Pelosi.

This is a call to arms of all America's young people - Know Your Power - elect a conservative to Congress.

In Texas District 17 - elect Rob Curnock a real conservative.

McCain Does It Right On MSM Obama Love

2008-07-22T11:57:00.000-05:00

YouTube - Obama Love

Way to go John! This is so brilliant in so many ways.

Real Time News and Its Enemies

2008-07-20T08:55:00.001-05:00

We are entering the next step of personalized news. Rather than waiting for your congressman to be chosen for an interview by Fox News or the New York Times, you can interview your own congressman in "real time." Watch this video from John Culberson (R-TX), who uses an internet-connected video camera and a Blackberry to "broadcast" his side of a news interview. Imagine the possibilities, and the accountability!

What are the ramifications of this new technology? The first major benefit is that we no longer have to wait until the MSM decides to interview our congressman. Real time technology allows us to interview him or her directly. We can watch our representatives and senators explain their votes, make speeches, or even observe a chat in the hallway as it happens. The second benefit is that we can disseminate this information to friends via the internet. This activity is the essence of classical republicanism which is based on individual equality and self-interest bound by morality. Ideas and events otherwise hidden in the netherworld of uncovered MSM news are brought into the light and into the hands of everyday citizens.

Real time can become your personal news source. Micro-blogging platforms such as Twitter, where short text messages are used to spread information about what is happening right now. Twitter is used by the firefighters in California to relay information and by the people being evacuated to tell family and loved ones where they are and where they are going. The Red Cross uses Twitter and so do Congressmen from the floor of the House. Sign up for Twitter and search, monitor, and communicate with anyone you choose, on your computer or cell phone. You don't have to be a geek or have a bunch of spare time--Twitter is quicker and easier than email.

In Congress, only leaders are allowed to use this technology. All other members are currently not allowed under the archaic House franking rules. For example, because email has the word "mail", it must be reviewed by the Franking Commission before it is sent. However, there are two congressmen, Representatives Culberson and Tim Ryan (D-OH), who are skirting the gray area by using Twitter, Facebook and Qik Video to talk directly with those members of the public that have signed up to do so. Culberson and Ryan send messages about what's happening on the House floor in real time, bypassing the MSM and, so far, leadership approval. This is the essence of the internet--free flowing information in real time. And as with Tivo, if you don't catch it live, watch the recording.

But not all is flowing smoothly. Full congressional use of this technology is being challenged in the Democratic-controlled House. At issue are concerns regarding decorum. The House doesn't want racy content or political advertisements adjacent to official congressional communications. Oddly, these same rules do not apply to print, radio or television. Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA), Chairman of the Commission, wrote this letter to Rep. Robert Brady (D-PA), Chairman of the Committee on House Administration, recommending no actual changes in the rules. This sparked a flurry of activity on Twitter last week, with even the left-leaning Sunlight Foundation joining the fracus with the Let Our Congress Tweet campaign. YouTube has also responded by offering to provide a separate platform for Congressional use without advertising. Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) fully supports the use of this technology, and issued this letter (pdf) to Speaker Pelosi saying:

"I believe Members of Congress should have the ability to choose whichever service they believe will best assist in communicating with their constituents, and not be limited to only services "approved" by the House Administration Committee or any other government entity. We must encourage, not restrict, the free and open flow of uncensored information between the American people and their elected leaders over the Internet."

Speaker Pelosi replied with this letter, castigating the Republicans for supposed false allegations:

Unfortunately, inaccurate rumors have been circulated asserting that the suggested standards allowing for web video outside of the House.gov domain would affect Member blogging or use of sites such as Twitter. Dissemination of this false information does a disservice to the vital dialogue on using technology to increase citizen involvement, education, and transparency in the House.

The above link from "inaccurate rumors" goes to a blog post in which the Capuano letter is sanitized by someone telling us what Capuano "meant" to say. Culberson writes in at comment #5 stating that he spoke directly with Capuano to confirm that oversight over all congressional electronic communication is the ultimate goal. According to Congress Daily, "He [Capuano]said that he is not seeking to regulate anything other than video — not blogs, chat rooms or any other written communication – “but [at] some point we may have to.” [emphasis added]

Culberson has since written this letter (pdf) to Speaker Pelosi in which he chronicles the fact that the rules placed upon internet communications are not, and rightfully so, applied to print,radio, or television. He believes Congressmen were elected by the people because of their good judgment and that Congress should place no burden restricting that judgment.

Real time is where it's at. Every rugged individualist should have the power to find their own personal news and then spread it among friends. Such ability is the true design of an engaged electorate in a free democratic republic. It is both the voice of democracy and the sublime nature of a republic when the leaders and the electorate can speak in an open dialog unedited into sound bites. The republic is then protected by a transparency that quickly reveals actions done for selfish motives for amassing control and power. Imagine a future in which congressmen who refuse to use this technology of transparency being viewed not only as Luddites but as suspect. Congress should act soon to allow its use.

The Defending the American Dream Summit

2008-07-19T19:06:00.002-05:00

I met many new friends at the Defending the American Dream Summit this weekend in Austin. I'll write more about this conference in upcoming posts, but here's me with one of my new friends, Michelle Malkin. (!)

Jackalope on American Thinker!

2008-07-19T11:31:00.002-05:00

Dear Readers,

The Jackalope is currently at the RightOnline/Americans for Prosperity Defending The American Dream Summit in Austin, Texas.

I am pleased to announce that today I have an article, "Real Time News and Its Enemies" posted at American Thinker. I will post the article tomorrow here at jackalope.blogspot.com, but I encourage you to visit American Thinker today and leave a comment.

Turning Civilization's Virtues Into Liabilities - The Democratic Party War Machine

2008-07-04T07:05:00.003-05:00

Over the weekend Senator John McCain met up with the real Democratic Party War Machine (DPWM)—an alternate reality where virtues are turned into the blackest liabilities. Where molesting an intern is a virtue worthy of stalwart Democrats burning every grass crown of righteousness they’ve ever earned, but anything considered true, honorable, pure and of good report is considered a diabolical plot. The spin machine of the DPWM has accelerated to ramming speed. All party members are chained to their oars. Their target now is the one undeniable virtue of John McCain—his war-hero status as a Vietnam POW.

John McCain went through a brutality beyond even the scope of Abu Gharib or Club Gitmo. No quiet times sitting in the recliner listening as a guard read another chapter in the latest Harry Potter series for McCain. No fraternity prank of a sexually charged dominatrix leash or panties on the head for McCain. America is well aware of the atrocities he experienced in the Hanoi Hilton. Only Jack Bauer is able to apply the same rules of torture our enemies apply to their captives; where electricity is more than just a source of power to run a light or radio and bones are meant to be broken to aid in breaking the spirit. McCain only thinks he has experienced the worse a human heart can devise, but he and America are sitting targets for the depths of depravity the Democratic Party will use to sink their opposition.

This depravity graffitis over every virtuous ideal, making the once clear image unintelligible. Like a middle-school student’s book cover, the process begins by filling in all the enclosed spaces of print. As an “o” becomes a black hole, McCain’s Air Force service makes him guilty of not watching out for children in school crosswalks by his indiscriminate bombings. He is Robert Duvall smoking the trees and faceless innocents with napalm because Charlie don’t surf. Genuine torture victim John McCain doesn’t even deserve the idealistic virtue of never cracking under pressure, as Hollywood characters James Bond or Jack Bauer are able to do. So now it is McCain who is guilty of crimes against the United States or is as suspect as the Manchurian Candidate.

For innocent lambs puzzled by evil or obliviously unaware they are sure prey to those intent upon dark work, who think I am an alarmist, I cite the activities of my own Representative and Nancy Pelosi’s choice for Obama’s Vice-President, Chet Edwards (D-TX 17). Also of note is how the DPWM inner circle is revealed as Edwards gives his seminar on “How To Win In The Red States” at a Wesley Clark sponsored event. It is “et tu, Wesley” delivering the past weekend's dagger-stab to Caesar McCain. In the seminar, Edwards lays down the DPWM ground rules:

Let me just say that I am one that believes in the basics. I think that it's the basics that make the difference between a successful company or corporation or a failing one, an effective military organization or an ineffective one, or a winning campaign or not, sometimes.

It's the basics. And there are three basic rules, or 3 basic goals we had in our campaign that were sacrosanct.

1. I would define myself. I wouldn't let others do it, or my opponent do it. We defined ourselves.
2. Secondly, I defined my opponents.
3. And thirdly, we responded immediately if attacked.

Edwards further defines Basic Rule 2:

Let me get to the final, key thing that allowed us to win. Rule #2, I was going to define my opponent. … Take your opponent's greatest strength and turn it into their worst negative. (Emphasis added)

In practicing this rule, Edwards found a “victim” of his Republican opponent’s state-level cut in the CHIP children’s health insurance program, portraying Arlene Wolgemuth’s lower-taxes virtue as the darkest vice:

I'm Jamie Jones. I'm 28 years old. I live in Teague, Texas. I have a little girl that's 3, Bailey.
Two years ago in March, my husband was killed in a house fire. And she got put on CHIPs. That meant no matter what happened, she was going to be okay. And then about 6 months ago, we were denied.
I haven't changed. I didn't get a raise at work. She was just denied.
You know there are so many people out there that work so hard. I don't want welfare; I just want good insurance for my child.
I'm working hard. I could go quit my job tomorrow and she'd be set. But I'm not going to do that. There are a lot of people out there that aren't going to do that and why that group of us has to get hurt, I don't know.
Look at my little girl, look into her eyes and tell her why she's not good enough to be taken care of.

CHET EDWARDS: “I'm Chet Edwards and I approve this message because there's so much at stake.”

By playing the “Republicans are always out to starve children” ad, Edwards not only defined his opponent, he left a dark crater where that virtue of cutting government spending once stood. When the DPWM sends out a lightning bolt of destruction, nothing remains but charred rock—as if the Almighty Himself had hovered over the mountain of redemption. But, such is the practice of darkness that it always seeks to mimic the power of God.

Therefore, it is incumbent that we defend the marble pedestal upon which ALL military heroes stand. As I write here in a coffee shop, I pause to visit with a cool prosthetic-sporting Army vet from the Afghan terrorist front. When we refuse to allow the white marble of all war veterans to be graffitied into oblivion, we are defending this hero’s honor as much as John McCain’s. The DPWM is out to destroy any virtue, honor, truth, value, or reputation that gets in the way of their acquisition of power. The history of all things undeniable is destined to the ash heap of fallen civilizations unless we make the conscious decision to fight hard to keep these truths undeniable … and I’m not being an alarmist!

Who Is Chet Edwards?

2008-07-03T16:56:00.008-05:00

Last Tuesday, June 24, Texans of District 17 learned that victorious Queen Bee Nancy Pelosi vaulted one of her inner-circle drones into the national eye as a possible Vice-Presidential candidate for Barak Obama. Who is Chester (Chet) Edwards and what does he bring to the Democratic Party Presidential ticket?

Chet Edwards, a 20-year member of Congress, assumed control of newly drawn Texas District 17 during the Tom Delay sponsored redistricting. He was the only Democrat able to maintain his seat in Congress in the 1992 Congressional election.

TX 17 is much more than President G.W. Bush’s district. It is home of:

Texas A&M, a behemoth of bureaucrats, researchers and an airport beholden to tax funding,

Fort Hood, another leviathan, a 340 square mile installation (217,337 acres) and the only post in the United States capable of stationing and training two Armored Divisions. This makes Fort Hood a tax funded construction contractor’s dream,

Baylor University and Medical School, another higher education facility with its hand ready to be shook in allegiance,

a collective of the Southernism known as “Yellow Dog Democrats”—ranchers, cotton and corn farmers, country folk, and retired military.

In Congress, Edwards is “one of the few House Members on both the Budget and Appropriations Committees and one of two House Democrats serving on three subcommittees.”

In response to Speaker Pelosi’s announcement, Edwards released this political biography:

Edwards is the Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. In his first year as Chairman of the House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee in 2007, Congressman Edwards authored a historic increase of $11.8 billion in veterans’ health care and benefits, the largest increase in veterans funding in the 77-year history of the Veterans Administration (VA). Today, the Appropriations Committee unanimously passed the fiscal year 2009 bill, which increases VA spending by $2.9 billion above the President’s request and $4.6 billion more than the historic fiscal year 2008 level.

But what kind of man is Chet Edwards and what does he bring to the Obama ticket?

After winning the newly drawn District 17 in 1992, Edwards gave an informative political seminar: Winning in the Red States. If Obama practices the Alinsky method of political jujitsu, he’s a piker compared to Edwards. In the seminar, Edwards regales how he politically destroyed his Republican challenger, Arlene Wohlmeguth, by finding a pitiable victim of Wohlmeguth’s state level cuts in the CHIP. program. Edwards played the “Republicans starve children” ad and burned his opposition to the ground. Where Obama wins his races through political duplicity, Edwards is a hard-core Texas politician in the LBJ mold and he knows how to scare his constituents for votes.

Veterans are, in the words of Bonfire of the Vanities race pimp Rev. Bacon, “Steam Control” and Edwards knows how to keep the steam stoked and ready for his political machinations. In 2004, Edwards successfully stoked his Veteran steam to near explosion by playing a carney shell game with a willing and gullible press to get the headline he wanted in order to scare his own vote base: Lawmakers Work To Fill $1 Billion Gap In Funding For VA Lawmakers. The game involved bringing up a shortage in funding for veterans in a budget committee rather than in the appropriation committee of which Edwards is a member.

“I was accused of making partisan attacks. Now some of those people have apologized to me and are saying I was right and they were wrong,” Edwards said.

Rep. Jeb Hensarling, a member of the House Budget Committee, said Edwards’ efforts in that committee wouldn’t have made a difference because the panel votes on a budget blueprint, not appropriations.

Edwards is a prime mover in the insidious Democratic Party activity of insinuating that our government is not giving enough money, care, or help to group “X” in order to emotionally cripple their own voter base. This disgusting practice allows the perpetrator to self-anoint himself as the benefactor to his victim voter. Nothing is more debilitating to the mental health of a veteran than to start a whisper campaign that they are in fact being used and tossed away. What veterans must recognize in order to not fall under the spell of such duplicity is that the Democratic Party cares nothing for a military man until he in fact is blessed enough to actually become a veteran. Note in the above mentioned bio/press release that Edwards only lists massive spending increases for veterans and nothing for active duty troops.

Edwards first vote in this current Congress was the party line vote that refused to fund the surge in Iraq. Ditto the F.I.S.A. bill that has remained in limbo underneath Speaker Pelosi’s desk blotter until last Tuesday when Edwards gushingly reported to his constituents in his weekly radio interview that in a massive move of “bi-partisanship”—a constant buzzword in Chetspeak—Congress finally came together to pass the FISA bill. In the alternative world of those in the know, that means Congressional Democrats finally dug the bill out of the dark hole they had hidden it for almost 4 months and actually put the bill up for a vote.

This is a brief introduction to the man Nancy Pelosi has selected for Obama’s Vice-President and the method of power he would bring to the ticket. This would be a powerful Democratic ticket and Republicans would be wise to attend a Fight Club seminar before challenging an Obama/Edwards merger because as Fight Club says, “How much can you know about yourself if you’ve never been in a fight?” Chet Edwards knows how to fight and is not afraid of the dark alley.

Why can't we Republicans be…well…more republican?

2008-05-19T14:22:00.003-05:00

Have we become so like spoiled children since 1994 that don’t know our own key political issues? On Friday, Rush Limbaugh opened his show with Reagan quotes from a 1977 CPAC speech that provided the answer to something that has been worrying me: conservatives seem to believe our leaders are doing nothing.

In the 1790's, Thomas Jefferson perceived that the Federalist Party was becoming too like the nation's previous English overlords - governing in a top down fashion. With the advent of the French Revolution, a spontaneous debate sprung up between Federalists and republicans that sought to further define the philosophy of this new experiment in democracy. Local clubs were formed and their ideas were printed in widely read newspapers. This was the first grassroots republican movement.
In 1801, Jefferson set about leading America toward an even more liberal democracy,

[by] instill[ing] the nation with his liberal convictions. That is, he succeeded in limiting the scope of government while protecting the informal public realm where people could form organizations, engage in politics and freely trade with one another. So familiar to us are these elements of public life that we easily forget that it took a foresighted leader to pluck, from the quiver of America's possibilities, the two arrows of participatory politics and limited government.

Joyce Appleby, Thomas Jefferson

We are republicans (little "r"), individuals united by a philosophy. We must not forget that republican leaders are only as powerful as we are unified behind them. We cannot let the fact that we are a motley crew of rugged individualists become our own downfall. As exhibited when we stopped the legislation on illegal immigration last year, we are the power behind the Republican (capital "R") throne!

"But, what are they doing?", we whimper. Actually, quite a lot, if you examine the sites listed below.

* The Heritage Foundation (10 Key Issues are listed with research to back them up)
* John Boehner/Republican Leader (A Superlative 14 Key Issues are listed here)
* Roy Blunt/Republican Whip (Follow House activities under Whip Resources)
* GOP.Gov (8 Key Issues are listed here)
* The Freedom Project (10 Key Issues are listed here. Join the team and Take Action Now)
* National Republican Senate Committee NRSC.ORG (View great ad campaigns here)
* The American Conservative Union Foundation (An outstanding online classroom of conservative study)

Our leaders are making the case for our cause every day and it must be increasingly disheartening for them to be told they are doing nothing. Anyone can be a critic, but it takes a real pair of...onions...to make a difference out in the world.

"But, there wasn't a television announcement", we blubber. Or was there? The news is not only about shaping your mind as to what to think, it's also about shaping your mind as to what to think about! Why did we learn nothing about Ira Magaziner perjuring himself at the court hearing of Hillary's secret Health Care Task Force? The news agencies played a shell game and moved our attention to The O.J. Simpson Show. The last thing we saw concerning the East Coast event was the swirl of Hillary's dragon-embroidered cape as she exited her black limo. And, so it goes today with Obama coverage sucking up all the bandwidth and brainwidth.

The Internet is our venue and word of mouth is our newspaper. We know, as Reagan told us,

[e]xtreme taxation, excessive controls, oppressive government competition with business, galloping inflation, frustrated minorities and forgotten Americans are not the products of free enterprise. They are the residue of centralized bureaucracy, of government by a self-anointed elite.

It is our job to spread the word and we are not a helpless minority. Reagan told us,

[l]et us lay to rest, once and for all, the myth of a small group of ideological purists trying to capture a majority. Replace it with the reality of a majority trying to assert its rights against the tyranny of powerful academics, fashionable left-revolutionaries, some economic illiterates who happen to hold elective office and the social engineers who dominate the dialogue and set the format in political and social affairs" (and because we are the majority) "let’s act and talk like it.

We must remember who we are, realize the power we possess, and act accordingly. Yes, we have been dismayed because John McCain's political compass doesn't point due north. But the answer is not to cry and run home to our mamas. The best solution is a powerfully charged electronic fence of a strong Congress backed up with an engaged electorate to keep our prone-to-stray mustang on the farm. We must use the fact that we have 3 branches of government to our own advantage.

Reagan tells us:

I refuse to believe that the good Lord divided this world into Republicans who defend basic values and Democrats who win elections.

Our party must be based on the kind of leadership that grows and takes its strength from the people. Any organization is in actuality only the lengthened shadow of its members. A political party is a mechanical structure created to further a cause. The cause, not the mechanism, brings and holds the members together. And our cause must be to rediscover, reassert and reapply America’s spiritual heritage to our national affairs. Then with God’s help we shall indeed be as a city upon a hill with the eyes of all people upon us.

It's the Congress, stupid

2008-03-10T20:29:00.014-05:00

Let the mole do her work, while we rally to elect a Congress

We all remember November 1994, when then Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich initiated a unifying manifesto to give Americans a reason to rally the vote: The Contract With America. Considering this 2008 election we are forgetting one major aspect - the first 100 Days that heralded in the 1992 Clinton Co-Presidency. The martyred Barbara Olsen, in her book Hell To Pay reminds us that “(w)ith advisors like (Ira) Magaziner and (Vicente) Navarro, Hillary was determined to sweep aside the best medical delivery system in the world” with a plan of government control of a private business sector in order to “reshape 14 percent of America’s economy by enacting a national health care plan.”

What we must remind ourselves of is that every day, there was a new Munch silent scream as people actually read the fine print of “The Plan” and warned America of the danger that lurked in the heart of Hillary Clinton. We must remind ourselves of the little things, such as Hillary's vocal attacks on the pharmaceutical industry while her hedge fund not-yet-in-a-blind-trust was busy selling pharmaceutical stock short. Such was the beginning of the newfound Clinton wealth.

Such panic and fear was created in the first two years of the Clinton Presidency that private businesses actually made political commercials to alert the voting public of the threat not only to industry but also to the very personal well-being of the individual. I remember seeing a Vegas casino representative in an extremely nice suit and very sharp tie as a guest on This Week With David Brinkley stating in no uncertain terms that the people employed by whatever casino he represented had the best health care program available and were not in need of Mrs. Clinton's help. It seemed Michael Corleone took care of his own, and Mrs. Clinton should get her butt in the kitchen baking some canollies.

Motivated did not even begin to describe the roaring ocean of the Vox Populi, Vox Dei for the 1994 election. For those first two years the American public was held hostage by a maniacal power grabbing family backed up by Democratic Party control of both Houses of Congress. Recall the fawning of the Congressmen as they lined up to praise the “little woman” who so over-shown with brilliance that forevermore the President should be referred to as “Hillary Clinton's husband.” The 1993 torching of the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas made it perfectly clear that the Peace and Love Generation was running the nation, and nothing's scarier than a totalitarian regime with a tank. I saw a local newsguy proudly showing off his “Branch Davidian/Texas Bar-B-Que” novelty t-shirt to the rest of the crew back at the station; purchased no doubt from some of the more entrepreneurial revelers at the gas and burn event.

The sleeping giant was wide awake; fully cognizant that freedom and liberty were under assault. What Newt Gingrich did was solidify that national horror into a Republican Party we could vote for. The results of the 1994 election displayed an enormous backlash against the person Hillary Rodham Clinton. The political casualties included Speaker of the House, Tom Foley, George Mitchell, and Dan Rostenkowski.

It was then that a caller to the Rush Limbaugh show made a prescient observation: former Goldwater Girl Hillary Clinton could not be more destructive to the Democratic Party if she were a Republican mole destroying it from within. The wisdom of Solomon tells us a contentious woman will tear down her house with her own hands.

The present Democratic Party is the source of this nemesis against freedom. Let the mole do her work, while we rally to elect a Congress to stand in the gap between Liberty and tyranny. A Congress aware of the threat of terrorism will support Israel. A Congress firm in their understanding of our Constitution will keep McCain on the ranch.

It's the Congress, stupid.

Democratic Pirate Code

2008-03-07T07:13:00.007-06:00

You have just watched the best analysis of the Democratic Party Code ever. Of course, it goes without saying that you must be a Democrat in order for the Code to apply, so any other political party's cry of fairness falls upon deaf ears, even the ears of the pirates working in the MSM. Because the Democratic Party Code reality is that the code is more what you would call guidelines than actual rules. So, it is perfectly normal to count and recount those votes until you get the results you want. Besides, this is the generation that broke all the rules and crossed every social boundary of our national culture.

Aaaarggghh, Democrat Pirates will even redo primaries in order to get the results they want.

Zell Miller and Joe Liberman are evidence enough that the Democratic Pirate Code holds true when it comes to marooning any crew member guilty of abandoning his post in the heat of battle.

We must unite in a mission to send the entire lot to Davy Jone's Locker. Aaaarrrrgggh!

Liberty and Freedom Require a Moral Citizenry

2008-03-06T10:35:00.011-06:00

But the Left and Democratic Party are Actively Screwing It Up

One of the greatest losses in today's culture has been the decline in basic, or practical morality. In a society based on liberty and freedom, trust is a mandatory element. I'm trusting you to be ethical and honest and you are doing the same towards me. Truth is the basic and necessary requirement of a civil society that cherishes freedom and liberty. Truth is the foundation of trust, because without truth, the creation of trust is impossible. In philosophical terms of 'ends and means', we can state: Truth is the means to achieve the ends of a civil society based on maximizing personal liberty and freedom. To live in that free society, citizens are individually responsible for regulating their morality. A lack of basic morality creates the need for more outside regulation. Outside regulation, by its very nature, places limits upon personal freedom. Personal morality means less government interference and control.

The Left, like every totalitarian regime before it, has issued a two-front war on morality that works in tandem to actually endanger personal liberty. The first front denies the need for morality by confusing freedom with hedonism. The second method is to deny the existence of morality under the argument there is no God and morality falls under the auspices of religion. Religion is then opposed under the misunderstood "separation of church and state".

Hedonism teaches that happiness or pleasure is the sole or chief good in life. Those of us that survived the 1960's Cultural Revolution remember the hedonistic motto, "If it feels good, do it!" However, the fact that such a life actually leads to a self-imposed limitation on personal freedom is not given proper consideration. Examination of the break-down of the family due to following the revolutionary creed resulted in more than one generation of children virtually raising themselves. The continuity of generations of parental instruction became fractured. The pursuit of hedonism results in every sort of behavior that has proven detrimental for individuals, families and especially so for the children born into the self-inflicted social turmoil. Such a community creates alienated individuals. Alienated people are easy to control and become prey for those who seek power for power's sake.

The Left through the Democratic Party and numerous front groups have deftly manuevered many citizens into a trap by presenting hedonism as if it were the ultimate choice representing personal liberty. Note that for every vice there is an "addiction" factor making the addict a victim to be rescued by the "caring" Left. There is a government investigation and program created for every hedonistic vice we could possibly create. It is clearly apparent from the checkout line tabloids that sex, food, alcohol, smoking, gambling, drugs and anything else hedonism offers can become a prison, both metaphorically and in reality. Even the desire to live off the largess of others leads straight to the self-induced imprisonment of poverty and destitution.

Note how the Left today rushes in to "save" us from our hedonistic pleasures with laws to prevent smoking, to eliminate our debt on maxed out credit cards and home mortgages, or even overeating. But isn't it a bit much that the people that encourage hedonistic behavior should now comfort us by telling us that nothing is our own fault and offer yet another government program to save us from ourselves? The real evil is the truth behind the Left's pronouncement that you have been victimized. The dark truth is that it was they who did the initial victimizing. Considering these thoughts, we can only conclude the Left pushes hedonism as a substitute for personal liberty, because broken people are powerless and easy to control. How sweet a deal is that when we look to our personal destroyers as our benevolent protector? The victimized readily reward Democratic Congressman, national and state, by voting them to rule over us year after year.

We must accept the fact that to embrace hedonism as a liberating choice is to despise your Creator-endowed personal liberty. To be truly free requires us to be in charge of our own destiny. The key to personal liberty and freedom is self-control. My plea to young people: Do not accept the Left's lie that hedonism is an equal substitute for liberty. Baby-making, drug use, or just general apathy about life is like tying your shoelaces together before your Olympic sprint. The term "stupid" comes readily to mind. The commercial plea for donations says, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste", but a community can not prevent her youth from wasting their own minds. Wise up. Freedom is not free.

The second front the Left employs seeks to deny the existence of God and the Judeo-Christian creed. The idea here is that if God doesn't exist, then neither does morality. By connecting morality to religion, the Left is able to deny even the existence of practical morality, or what we used to call good citizenship. Good citizenship was based upon truth and honesty. The Bible teaches truth and honesty, because God Himself is true and honest and requires the same from those that desire relationship with Him.

But the Left teaches there is no God, no Creator, no Ten Commandments. Instead of transcendent truth, the Left's moral slogan is: "If you can get away with it, then the means justify the ends." which is nothing more than a call for social anarchy. The Left is paving the way to making lying and deceit normal activity. The Left declares that if lying, deceit and whatever other dishonest activity will get you what and where you want to be without being caught or sent to prison, then go for it. An absence of practical morality makes the community a scary place to live. Everything is potentially a lie, a front, a scam or even cause of death. This kind of community also keeps people alienated from others because too often we find we can't even trust our friends to be honest and trustworthy. So, once again the Left has deliberately created a social problem so they can rush in and "save" us from those that deal dishonestly and corruptly. But, the dark thought that the Left and the Democratic Party were the source of the confusion should niggle in your brain.

Therefore, to think the actual source of the problem can be your salvation is through common logic, a blatant and malicious lie. Remember that those in political power achieved their status through the same motto they preach: "If lying, deceit, and whatever other dishonest activity will get you what and where you want to be without being caught or sent to prison, then go for it." “If there is no God, then everything is permissible. ..., as the fateful quote goes in Dostoyevsky's The Brother's Karamazov. Imagine the horror such a community would become if we acted on every evil and deceitful thought that came into our minds. Then realize the Left's approval of such groups as NAMBLA should forever ban any idea the Democratic Party might present as to how to better run this nation or community. It is completely absurd to think a bent ideology has anything positive to offer.

That the Left holds themselves as Messiahs of hope, when the reality is their ideas are diabolically corrupted and deceitful is evidence of a complete mental break with reality. Besides, how can there be a Messiah, a Son of God, a Saviour, if there is no God? There can be no Son without a Father. The Left preaches "hope", but tell you the nation is broken. They promise a "new" freedom, but use government to restrict freedom. They offer help, but that help comes at the expense of not just your personal liberty and freedom, but your very well-being. And even more perversely and deadly, when it comes to national security, the Left practices an abberation of Christian teaching, by loving our enemies more than they love us. Or even worse loving money more than our security.

In conclusion, it should be obvious that to believe the current Democratic Party offers anything other than tyranny and oppression is to be clinically deranged.

If You Love Public Schools, You'll Heart Huckabee

2007-12-29T07:23:00.000-06:00

The title says it all. If you are completely satisfied with the current state of our public schools, Mike Huckabee is your man and reading this article will be of no use to you. Thanks for reading these first sentences, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

However, if you are not exactly thrilled with the results of our public school system but you think Huckabee is your man, I encourage you to (as Moderates are prone to suggest) keep an open mind and give me a chance to make my case. As a refugee from the public school system and having mastered the 12 Step Program of "Catcher in the Rye Syndrome" the attempt to save our culture one remedial reader at a time, I believe I have the credentials to challenge your populist love affair with Mr. Huckabee.

A good populist, as defined by Merriam-Webster is "a believer in the rights, wisdom, or virtues of the common people." And as Rush Limbaugh likes to point out, we common people know who we are. Common people are authentic and genuine and expect it in others. However, as evidenced by our failing public schools we might want to consider that the great guy sitting next to you singing "Bringing In The Sheaves" with robust enthusiasm who also serves as principal at the local zoo of a school might not be a living saint. A thoughtful consideration of the parable about the tree and good fruit and bad fruit might be your assignment for tonight. (Okay, so I haven't fully recovered from my teacher status.)

The point I want to make is that a person can be an authentically shallow person voicing the right platitude at the required time like the proverbial typing monkeys. Given time, an authentic commoner who needs real action in solving a problem can recognize trite platitudinous drivel for what it is: WORTHLESS.

Welcome to the school campus run by Mr. Fluffy. We teachers call our principal, Mr. Fluffy because we never know what's going to happen because emotions guide our helmsman. Parents may wonder how young girls cutting their "mystery meat" with a knife brought from home or boys who draw a gun on a piece of paper are arrested and then suspended from school. But yet a troubled student can walk into a class and shoot at will. The answer to your query is a local Mr. Fluffly who agonizes over everything petty while also extending Christian forgiveness to serious infractions or problems.

When a teacher has had it up to her French twist with a disrespectful student, Mr. Fluffy strives to prove he's more Christian than she is, forgiving our dear student of all his sins and infractions. Mr. Fluffy twists the golden rule sideways by loving the enemies of others. Mr. Fluffy grins and joshes with the classroom's little hellion, making said hellion promise to not cause Miss French Twist anymore trouble, and then Mr. Fluffy pats him on the back and sends him on his way. Mr. Fluffy then continues on down the hall with the air in his head making a whistling noise come out his mouth. This is your local zoo school and one prime reason of how it got that way.

But, how does this connect to Huckabee you might be asking yourself. Read the "brilliant" foreign policy thoughts of Huckabee and think not of foreign policy but of the state of our public schools.

The United States, as the world's only superpower, is less vulnerable to military defeat. But it is more vulnerable to the animosity of other countries. Much like a top high school student, if it is modest about its abilities and achievements, if it is generous in helping others, it is loved. But if it attempts to dominate others, it is despised.

Huckabee just gave truth to the upside-down world of our failing public schools by supporting the notion that successful students are to be despised. This is prime Mr. Fluffy territory. Do you know of a situation where the campus thug bully attacked the good and righteous student and both students were punished? Have you heard murmurs of a good and righteous student being lectured to not be so good and righteous because it only antagonizes the bad and unrighteous?

Well consider this: if the achieving student is urged to downplay his natural ability and the underachiever is not only forgiven his predatory tendencies but actually rewarded by seeing the gifted student degraded, then how on earth can worthwhile education be happening on that campus? Mr. Fluffy firmly believes the righteous will be persecuted by the unrighteous, but he mistakes his religion for his job assignment, which is to foster an environment of learning and safety on his campus - NOT to allow his religious beliefs foster a sort of fatalism that allows the big ones to eat the little ones with impunity. That's not Christianity, that's Christian/Nihilism!

To apply Mr. Huckabee's standard of public school principal to American foreign policy would be disastrous. Imagine Mr. Fluffy as President of the world's lone super-power; agonizing over the petty issues and good o'l boy-ing tyrants and dictators. Listen carefully to Huckabee's silly meaningless platitudes and realize that to a fluffy Principal/President, those brave students in Iran with the "Live Free or Die" banners are the same as the gifted student striving to succeed according to his God given ability. While professing that it "grieves his heart", a fluffy President knows it is the protesting students who must be quiet for the greater good.

This is simply the application of Huckabee's top high school student example put into practice on the world stage. A Fluffy President knows best and it's the bad guys with the weapons that must be pardoned for their sin, because a Fluffy President is able to love our enemies more than he respects his own common citizen.

If Mr. Huckabee never considered this application of his foreign policy statement, then I suggest his shallow introspection is not the quality of a great man much less that of a potential President of the United States of America. If you did your aforementioned homework assignment you now understand why you can't pick a ripe juicy fig from a thistle because there is a difference between benevolence - the desire to do good things - and beneficence - the actual accomplishment of something useful and good for another common man.

Class dismissed.

Stop Fighting, Start FixingOr, Don't Go Down Fighting, Just Go

2007-11-01T21:42:00.000-05:00

When it comes to politics, I must admit to "fighting" fatigue. Hillary Clinton tells us she is fighting for families. Rep. Chet Edwards (D-TX 17) tells us he is fighting for veterans and families not wanting welfare, but some other vague non-welfare welfare so their children get health care through SCHIP. All this political "fighting for" never addresses the fact that the "fighter's" victims/opponents are simply other American individuals and families that basically want to mind their own business and have others do the same.

Even in high school I thought the "fighting" word pretty stupid. I remember standing at parade rest in the end-zone, Friday Night Lights glaring, as the stadium announcer welcomed the "J. Frank Dobie Fightin' Longhorn Band." What a stupid statement: fightin' Longhorn band. Were we some sort of uniformed gang standing in the end zone looking for an opportunity to march onto the field clubbing our opposition with our musical instruments? Even then the whole "fighting for this" or "fighting for that" seemed inane.

Don't people ever just talk, come to a conclusion of the best course of action, and then proceed in an amicable fashion? Or have common sense and civility left us entirely? Has the the "fighting" mentality of the Contrary Generation been going on so long that they are incapable of accepting defeat when it comes their way? When the President vetoed Congress' expansion of an approved expansion of the S-Chip Bill, Rep. Chet Edwards (D-TX 17) told his constituents in his weekly WTAW radio interview that Republicans and Democrats needed to come together in "good faith" and write an (obviously identical) bill. The reality that the Democrat position was overruled was completely ignored.

The "good faith" line always reminds me of the rite of sharing a campfire with the caveat that I disarm myself while allowing my comrade to remain fully armed and dangerous. Common sense is the casualty of this wall/head banging, creating a psychological disconnect to reality. Senator Kennedy's fighting seems to be obsesed with water. And does Senator Kennedy really think he can pontificate the "torture of water boarding" when a number of people remember a poor girl drowning in Ted's Cadillac as he wandered the shoreline thinking how to save his political career? The irony of such a situation has the makings of magnificent farce; yet it is accepted as not only normal but profound. The shrill, viper-tongued, lamp-throwing Hillary is the champion fighting with, er, for ... the family? David Mamet--even Shakespeare--could not have written a more sublime farce.

As we enter this next year of political campaigning in earnest, any candidate using the F-words ("fighting for") instead of ardent declarations to defend our American strengths and values (the Constitution, our troops, free enterprise, individual freedom and family) should be instantly and firmly advised to get back to specifics. Irresponsible rhetoric attempting to engage fighting between fellow Americans is just plain tiresome. The republican (little "r") ideal of the best idea winning upon its own merit must resoundingly rebuke the F-words mentality of boilerplate bludgeoning that passes for political discussion.

Respect Belongs To The Individual

2007-09-04T11:20:00.000-05:00

Tom Wolfe's The Painted Word tells of his epiphany when viewing minimalist abstract art. Wolfe became aware that the black and white paintings of Barnett Newman or Mark Rothko were the result of a refining fire in the massive, world-wide, time-eternal libraries of spiritual understanding. The paintings, in a sense, distilled ages of literature. Wolfe was on to something. Professor of Fine Arts Robert Rosenblum wrote of Newman's Stations of the Cross series:

Here the ultimates pertain to death and resurrection, evoked by the primal duality of black and white, and of taut linear forces that, like paths of feeling, quiver and strain against a field of raw canvas, translating the sequence of Christ's martyrdom into irreducible, abstract metaphors, and totally transforming the corporeal Passion into a spiritual one.

This sentence is comprehensible if and only if the reader is steeped in the volumes that reveal that Passion. Even then, the physical realities of what actually happened when our Messiah was arrested and crucified escape us. What is missing is the true concept of respect.

The reasonable and proper understanding of the concept of respect remains the recognition of past personal development built upon the foundation of ultimate truths. It is complete foolishness to look upon the end results - wealth, power, or personality - and believe it worthy of respect any more than we can understand the Passion of the Christ simply by viewing a series of paintings at a museum.

The present Post Modern culture has not only reduced the inscrutable mysteries of meaning into mere painted black and white lines, but we project this attitude in our daily lives and think we have gained insight and understanding. Kind of like Clark Griswold's attitude of seeing the Grand Canyon (okay..okay...let's go!) before pointing the station wagon toward Wally World for a 'real' vacation. The post-modern mind shallowly accepts the final synthesized product as the lesson to be learned without the bother of exploring the volumes of thought the final product represents.

Those that demand true respect the most, deserve it the least. But how do we know this basic truth unless we explore the countless volumes of past commentary? The etymology of respect is English, from Latin respectus, literally, act of looking back, from respicere to look back, regard, from re- + specere to look. In Western thought, respect became a commodity of the free man. The feudal man was told whom he was to respect without choice and without the ability to regard the character of the man. If he did regard the character of the person of means, it amounted to nothing unless the entire system were to be overturned. Power in feudal times belonged to those that seized it or were appointed by divine right.

By the Age of Enlightenment, respect came to be a worthy commodity, granted and retained according to the free will of the individual. The American Declaration of Independence and Constitution declared the respect of the individual according to secular and political terms. Respect became an individual's raw material and this new Constitution provided the protection to develop that raw material in our personal pursuit of happiness. The respect garnered by the individual as he lived his life was valued at all costs by the owner. The gift of pledging personal respect to add to that of another individual was a sober event. Respect is only as dear as the individuals bearing it behave.

This is the freedom that the United States of America was created to protect and to nurture. A new order of men established according to the value of the individual. No worldly connections should be able to earn a man respect; this new order required men to build their own. The foundation stones of respect -- duty, honor, commitment, righteousness -- are the same for all men. All men were equal upon achieving the age of consent. From that point, development of personal respect was the deciding factor in the value of that respect. America was designed to reward choice, not connections. To decide or choose is to live in freedom.

The Post-Modern world has supposedly freed itself from all that baggage stored in the libraries of philosophical thought. They were all "out with the old/ in with the new." To ponder out the good from the bad, the enduring from the au currant, was so yesterday. The Post-Modernists are respect thieves. Anyone with integrity who operates in righteousness is vilified for doing so. Post-Modernists add up their stolen respect like notches on a gun. Every day they take aim at a new target and then proceed to destroy their prey.

Freed of the past form of constitutional respect, post-modernists can destroy the integrity of men of respect while being completely devoid of the characteristics of respect themselves. Stolen respect creates a wealth of power. Stolen respect is sold on the political table and we see such odd bedfellows as the burly guys of the labor union's support for girly-man presidential candidate, John Edwards. Freed from working out your own respect before an omniscient God, a Post-Modernist can answer the question, "Did you have sex with that woman, Miss Lewinski?" with a transcendental musing on the legal meaning of "is".

These leaders spend so much political time destroying any opposition or buying respect back in the home district that they fail to do that which they were elected to do. Keep bridges from falling down, protect the border, defeat those who would do us harm, honor the Constitution -- these things require men of integrity, righteousness, honor, diligence, justice; all the historical aspects of respect. To expect anything of value, of worth and principle from a Post Modernist is complete foolishness. Without examination of the qualities that have stood the test of time, respect devolves back into a feudal age of power, coercion and compulsion. This is our future unless something is done.

Today's leaders are leaders because they were elected 20-30+ years ago. Most have never worked any other job other than politics. The current thought of accepting the end result of power in exchange for the age old qualities of personal respect has allowed the incumbent to rule rather than the Constitution. Our Congress is full of 'appointed' Lords and Ladies rather than men of respect. Why should we be surprised to find corruption, malfeasance, lack of character, and incompetence on both sides of the aisle?

We have allowed our leaders too much respect for the end result of position rather than observing the qualities of their own personal respect. Even worse, in doing so, we have devalued our own respect and become unwashed wastrels begging at the trough of government largess. We continue to vote for our appointed representative to keep the money flowing even though that representative's votes tell sensible constituents to go pound sand. When Chet Edwards (D-TX 17) was questioned about his vote not to fund the troops of the surge in Iraq, (a vote that had many of his constituents furious) he laughed and said, "That's what's great about a democracy." (!) This cocksure presumption comes from having purchased his position through distribution of taxpayer money. Such is the attitude of any elected official when citizens sell their self-respect.

The Post Modernist sees the black and white paintings of The Stations of the Cross and thinks himself a better person on the hierarchy of mankind, rather than having met the truth of his need to develop his own personal respect. When the '60's radicals did away with such arcane rules as respect for authority (i.e. police and military) or office (i.e. Republican Party) they paved the way for a legalistic regard for respect. If you doubt that the United States went through a cultural upheaval that has taken us backwards one need only look at the wall of a local classroom where they will see a poster put up by a teacher to describe how students are to treat her and how she will treat them. While these placards use the word respect, the behavior sought is better termed etiquette or common courtesy. Behavior is not respect. Not even good behavior. Treating someone kindly is not the same as respecting them. However, doing so is an investment in your own commodity of respect. Today, politically correct rules seek to enforce honor to those not willing to cultivate their own respect. All these Post Modernist views of respect are in opposition to the original intent of our Constitution.

To understand respect is to appreciate the value of your own existence and then that of others. A freeman's respect is qualified by his own ability to cultivate that raw material that makes us all equal. The process of developing these abilities are free and available to every man: discipline, work ethic, and integrity. To truly appreciate respect is to recognize and accept the rules and spiritual foundation that created it. The recipient cannot claim the final product as truly his own, unless he dares enter into the great volumes of the past to continue the qualities of men who have set us apart and put us on the road to establish community and civilization. It is to this end that the everlasting qualities of respect are revealed, not by viewing a canvas of end results and assigning upon them respect. Civilization suffers when respect is coerced or stolen from the holder by thugs or those holding political office and authority . The future of our nation depends upon respect remaining the commodity of freeman.

Time Out for the Pepsi Generation

2007-08-16T21:04:00.000-05:00

When I was in 3rd grade or so, I remember a TV ad for Pepsi, showing what I thought of as "the older kids" playing touch football on the beach. They were the perfect "older kids" living some sort of 'lifestyle of the rich and famous' as they were to be later classified, whom the Pepsi ad presented as the "Pepsi Generation". They were the cool kids; the tuned-in, turned-on, tuned-out. But throughout the entire American culture the product this set-aside generation has created is akin to a toddler proudly, and rightfully so, presenting their parent with their poopy-bowl. The parent is filled with joy at this presentation of a bowl of excrement, and again rightfully so. But when immature adults are more concerned with their "right" to show their poopy-bowl in public and have the public struck dumb by the magnificence of that feat than in the defense of the Constitution providing the safety for their willful silliness, it behooves grown-ups to snap a chalk-line of cultural relevance and drop a plumb bob of acceptable behavior in our communities.

My point is that this self-anointed Pepsi Generation has been like the unrepentant generation that plagued Moses with their incessant murmuring and excuses as to why they couldn't just do what God told them to do - enter the Promised Land. Complicating simple tasks is the trademark of The Pepsi Generation. Health care, education, retirement, welfare, college tuition, insurance, energy production - each of these industries are being destroyed by a bureaucracy created to muddle the clear path and entrap unwitting passers by.

At present, all clear minds see the sublime beauty of our Constitution with its recognition of our God given rights and establishing capitalism as a course of individual freedom. The second year of the the Clinton Presidency, I declared that the Democratic Party dead. My friends declared the idea absurd at the time, but have realized the prescient qualities of the humble jackalope. The activities and the people excused by the Party cornered them in an unconscionable position. The "Pepsi Generation" must be sent to eternal political "time out", so that the thinking citizens can enter into the Promised Land defined by our forefathers. When integrity and righteousness are perceived as weak, the nasties of the world rise up to do their worst. When stupid behavior receives its swift and just reward, children can play with safety upon their front yards and sidewalks. That's the Promised Land and I say we can take it.

This post came from a comment made at The Breath of The Beast - Cultural Insanity III

We Have Statesmen!

2007-08-08T10:51:00.000-05:00

The Federal Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia declared the search of Rep. William Jefferson's (D-La.) Congressional office was unconstitutional. The House Republican Leadership received heat at the time from their supporters for declaring the search unconstitutional. Could we then extrapolate that the House Republican Leadership is in touch with the true interpretation of the Constitution; even to their own hurt? Isn't that the definition of 'statesman'? To defend the Constitution is a solemn oath. If we don't like what it could allow, then amendments are in order.

Bridges and Bureaucracy

2007-08-04T19:13:00.000-05:00

A main lesson of the Minneapolis highway bridge collapse is that politicians don't spend our money wisely, because they are too busy spending it to get themselves re-elected. This can only be fixed by us, the taxpayers and voters.

As it is now, unless a bridge is "new and improved" a true bureaucrat would never fund it. Remember Texas Governor Ann Richards cuting the ribbon on the World Trade Bridge in Laredo, proudly proclaiming it as her "gift to the people of Texas"? So, since the first job of an elected official is to get re-elected, the money allocated to every congressional committee and sub-committee is nothing more than oil used to lather up the boys and girls for the political equivalent of WWF. A bureaucrat knows his constituents are fools and could never see something so obtuse as investment in the future continuity of the country if it's just plain keeping things functioning correctly. Unless, that necessary infrastructure is deemed bad ( new refineries? nuclear power? never!) and is to be build in your constituent's backyard; then the bureaucrat can ensure re-election by being against it.

Since some tax monies are meant to support the nation's infrastructure and our bridges are falling down, the logical solution of the bureaucrat is to raise taxes. Like children, they have no shame that they participated in frivolous spending and now have no money for essentials. Only when taxpayers identify - and reject - congressional pork in their own backyard will this silliness stop. My congressman, Chet Edwards (D-TX 17) , is proudly earmarking my district in a manner that enslaves his constituents to his beneficence with your tax money. Many children rebel against a parent that gives money instead of parental love and nurturing. Should we taxpayers be any different? Chet gives us your money, but he votes contrary to our values. I rebel! .

The question of whether the beat goes on, or the crumbling walls of the eminence front is knocked down on rests in the action of united individuals. Things crumble when what's everybody's business becomes nobody's business. This is also the stumbling block of uniting individuals. In contrast to the bureaucrat, statesmen spend tax funds first for essentials and only then consider either returning the money to the the taxpayers or investing in projects that would benefit the future. We need statesmen, but we must vote them in and support them when they are attacked by the Left and the MSM. The truth is that there are statesmen involved in a struggle for our liberty and freedom, much like the Minneapolis highway bridge victims who suddenly found themselves trapped in their cars and plunging into the dark water. The philosophical question for us is: Do we blame Bush and accept even higher taxes or do we bravely jump into the water to save lives and the future of our republic?

Proper Instruction Gets Proper Results

2007-08-02T19:12:00.000-05:00

The jackalope has returned from a very well deserved and absolutely bodacious vacation. The joy of seeing my young niece and her rambunctious brothers play and enjoy life was most gratifying and relaxing. The absolute thrill I saw on my nephew’s face as he began to master his new “big” bike’s hand brakes in a curve was reward enough for an hour of coaching him in the high altitude sun that reddened my middle-age wild turkey waddle that used to be a svelte tower of a neck. I was young again, sharing in his joy of learning to do something big and intimidating. I saw it in his face: The world is conquerable! It is not something overwhelming and uncontrollable. It is an undeniable truth: Proper instruction gets proper results.

So when we traveled to Salt Lake City to visit my grown man nephew, wife and son, this thought was in my head. How wonderful was this visit. It was the first time we had seen Justin since his return from Iraq. What joy to see he and his wife, Heather, playing with little (almost) 3 year old Hunter in the front yard as they waited for us to drive up. To hug and kiss and see with your own eyes that everything is alright and getting back to enjoying the life he had fought to preserve for the rest of us. The secret of another child on the way being told first hand and in person to his childless aunt and uncle. The circle of love and family is ever expanding.

Then began the furious evening and following full day of getting the marrow and fat of enjoying each other's company. Absence had definitely made the hearts grow fonder. This time, we had a grand-nephew to listen to and observe and such funny things you learn. As evidence that youth is fleeting, little Hunter had already learned the retort, “I hate you” when reprimanded. Gee, it took me 14 years to come up with that childish rebuttal. As with most silly childish things, Hunter had learned this comment from an older cousin. Improper instruction gets improper results.

As we went about our shared adventure, the repartee in the car was quick and usually silly, but then came the moment for the sowing of salt along with the fun. This is the habit of a teacher: inserting something profound disguised as silliness into the conversation. The childish rebuttal — “Easy for you to say” — is the Liberal answer to anything confoundingly simple and logically concise. I listened with joy to the common sense my young nephew was relaying concerning his plan for the future of his family when, with childish cunning, I slyly slid in a lesson. “Easy for you to say, Justin.” He laughed because it was funny. I explained that the phrase was the catch-all phrase used by the sillies on the Left to excuse failure. He quickly rose to the bait.

“Get a job.” “Easy for you to say.” “Don't get pregnant before marriage.” “Easy for you to say.” “Learn to read and write.” “Learn to speak English.” “Don't drink and drive.” All easy for you to say! If the answer is anything but agreement, the adult/child is sowing seeds of silliness. We all had a great laugh, and then went to eat the most carnivorous hamburger ever invented: The Crown Burger of Salt Lake City. “Easy for you to say!”

Yes, proper instruction gets proper results!

There Is No I In Democrat

2007-07-25T16:19:00.000-05:00

The collectivist ideas of the leaders in the Democratic Party are not a secret. Each Democrat Presidential candidate has announced plans of Big Government control of our health care. However, FEMA's response to hurricane Katrina revealed the sluggish, grinding wheels of entrenched bureaucracy. The truth of a bureaucracy is: process is more important than solution. Solution is feared because it could end the necessity of their position. Also, most bureaucrats vote for the party of collectivism either through ethos or job security. To a bureaucrat,fouling the plans of an opposing administration is an admirable task.

The constant murmur of the MSM credits the faults of a bloated government to theopposing administration as if a passing administration is synonymous with government. The MSM perpetuates this dark lie through its constant white noise murmur machine that seeks to obliterate contrary thought. Collectivist government, good; Republican administration, bad.

However, something tremendous happened when the Senate thought they could blithely pass another bureaucratic reform with the Immigration Bill. Our hierarchal government leaders were as soundly rebuked as King John at Runnymede. Rather than the simple-minded Michael Moore definition of a collectivist "We the People", the arrogant elected officials met the "We the People" of the individual. The united action of individuals shut down the Capital Hill phone system. The uniting idea was that the government was not trustworthy to do that which they promised. The power of individuals unified by an idea is unquantifiable.

Every day I hear the lament that Republicans have no leader. I discount that whine as a passing of responsibility. There is a great moment in the movie National Treasure when the character Ben Gates, frustrated because no one believes his warning of a threat to steal the Declaration of Independence, looks upon the revered document and reads the line:

…it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future Security.

Not only do we have the right, we also have the DUTY — the responsibility — to do something to provide new guards, new representatives, for the future of national security from a fascist Caliphate and liberty at home in this war on the individual. The melting of the Capital Hill phone system is evidence that we have the power necessary for change.

Responsibility belongs solely to the individual. Each of us knows what must be done to stop this collectivist march. Their murmur has become a subversive clamor, declaring the nation broken. We know this argument only serves the purpose of entrenched bureaucrats acting in their collectivist best interest while stalwartly supported by intransigent Democrats. Their condescending arrogance is incongruous with the ideals that established this nation.

We do not need a leader to tell us this or to tell us what action needs to be taken in preparation for the next election. Pruning deadwood and rooting out bad seeds must be done before we can ever hope to plant a new course of action. The murmur machine must be humbled so that new seeds can take root in preparation for the intense change we are demanding. We must not allow our precious vote to continue the bad because the good isn't good enough. Such reasoning leads to cultural destruction and besides note it is the MSM murmur machine telling you of your dissatisfaction. The individual bears that responsibility. Our vote is required.

Because my own district was mad at the Republicans for playing the earmark game, Chet Edwards (D-TX District 17) is now earmarking himself into a lifetime seat in Congress, even though the man is the antithesis of our cultural values. Chet Edwards is the epitome of the absent father, buying off his children rather than representing the values that respect his constituents.
Every state has districts struggling to replace an entrenched Congressman. They are like Chet Edwards, bringing home the bacon, but are not the kind of man you’d be proud to call Daddy or follow as a leader. Lift your comrades up as they engage in the fight. Don’t let our front line falter when the negative accusations reach those shrill high notes. Press forward, keeping your eye on the prize - the establishment of a foundation for change. Just as we must crush the fascist Caliphate into the pit of hell from which it came, we must use the power of united individuals to crush collectivism and stun the murmur machine used against us. As individuals united by an idea we have the power to make a change. Just raise your hand in commitment in the fight for individual freedom. The Federalist Party ceased to be because of their arrogant condescending attitude toward the citizenry they tried to control with Federal power. The ideas of the Federalist were despised by the people. The Democratic Party was established on the ash heap of slavery and their collectivist ideas are real time slavery. They must be defeated because of their ideas. Remember there is no “I” in Democrat.

We Are At War!

2007-07-10T17:56:00.000-05:00

I have been away for a long while and I apologize to my dear readers. The truth is that I suffer from intense depression and sometimes I just fall off the map for a while. However, I did do one thing in my absence and that was to write a piece for my dear Beast Tracking blogger friend, Yaacov Ben Moshe. YBM has made it his purpose in life to track the footprints of the Beast in an attempt to shine the light of truth upon the destruction left in the wake of its passing. YBM is a modern St. George and the jackalope applauds his work. I urge you to read my Beast story.

The Beast bears two horns: a horn of hatred and savagery and a horn of authoritarian subversion. The trumpet of the first horn calls individuals to immolation or acts of savagery upon other individuals so heinous and unconscionable that they defy civilized standards of behavior. The blood sacrifice of the immolator erases the individual. It is one of the methods the Beast uses to subdue the entire world. The promise of heaven for the immolator produces a living hell for the individuals left behind. Savagery destroys the connections between individuals. Fear petrifies and isolates. Retaliation against this must be sure and absolute. Civilized people must unite and be resolved or we are lost.

The second horn is a loud trumpet of murmuring. It is the horn of demoralization. It is the horn of authoritarian subversion seeking to imprison the soul and mind. The constant murmur discredits individuals that stand against it. This is the technique of Stalin or any dictator. Anyone disagreeing with Stalin was obviously insane until receiving a shot in the back of the neck for being a criminal. In many ways, the questionable mental characterization is worse than the bullet, since the discredited individual must continue to live in the world from which he is now separated.

This is the horn of the beast that pierced my soul and grieves my heart. This is the method the Beast is using to cause America to destroy itself.The source of the Beast’s power is big government – its politicians and bureaucrats. The Beast twists intelligence into business savvy, character into shrewdness, and virtue into the ability to be irresponsible and escape the consequences. The mark of the Beast is man trebled and an empty oblivion, which is the absence of God. The murmur is used to destroy the righteous man while upholding the acts of the wicked. The murmur believes the nation is broken. The conflict is simply big government, entrenched politicians and bureaucrats at war with the individual. The Beast with its mighty horns is at war with our American philosophy both within our nation and on foreign soils. But here comes the Beast’s main obstacle.

The murmur has created a void and nature abhors a vacuum. The more God is denied, the more He exists. What happens to victims of the Beast in the horror work camps of North Korea? God rushes in and feeds their individual soul with precious smuggled pages of the Bible. When the Russian dissident Alexander Solzhenitsyn contemplated walking into the darkness of the Siberian snow to lie down, to give up, and let the snow cover him into a frozen death it was another prisoner making the sign of the cross in the snow with his foot that restored a broken heart. Triumph over the Beast does not come from the death of the individual, but the blood of the perfect sacrifice, crucified but yet victorious over death and the Beast. God in his infinite wisdom understood that man must be free in order to make a choice to worship Him. Likewise in the American experience, we must be free in order to choose our future.

Every day I hear individuals clamoring for a leader, someone to call them to arms. This is simply passing the responsibility. We acted as individuals during the Immigration Debate and shut down the phone network on Capitol Hill. The power of focused, like-minded individuals is unquantifiable.

We recognize big government types, entrenched bureaucrats and politicians, and the purveyors of murmur. We can see that the Democratic Party is at war with America, the individual and ultimately at war with God. That they sense no danger in that endeavor only heightens the necessity of our action.We have the power to encourage others to shake off the self-imposed shackles of group think and the deafening murmur. We have a vote and we can empower individuals around us to vote. We can urge them to be not afraid.

Imagine an America where we are proud of our way of life and would defend it to death. Imagine an America without the false promises and incessant murmuring of the Democratic Party and their fawning media murmurers. Imagine an America not at war with the individual, but rather feeling great pride because of individual success.

We don’t really need a leader to tell us these things. We know it instinctively. When the French republicans stormed the Bastille, it wasn't really to free prisoners, but to gain control of the weaponry stored there. We must unite to rid ourselves of the weaponry of backroom deals, lies, fabrications and the senseless murmuring constantly used against us. If in this next election we were to send every elected Democrat home, can you imagine the instantaneous hush of the murmur? Can you imagine the fear our enemies would experience when the Americans who empower them every day lose both political power and also their murmur machine?

Yes, we have Republicans entrenched in political schemes, but let us concentrate upon the most ruthless adversaries to American individualism and send them packing with a smarting defeat. Individuals united can reject every collective socialist in Washington, and even to our city districts. The Revolution of 1994 was only the first volley. Victory has not been declared and we have been sucked into the black hole of stalemate. As individuals, we have the power to defeat collectivists as surely as we can crash the phone system of our leaders.

The 2008 election must be a resounding victory for the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution and Bill of Rights. It must be a victory for the individual and a complete rejection of the murmuring poll-driven press.

Once we stop being at war with ourselves, America can defeat any foe on any continent. We just have to make the decision. I'm drawing the line in the sand. Are you with me?

Pirates vs Government Controlled Business

2007-06-13T18:57:00.001-05:00

It is a curious fact that nothing is new and that every major event has a correlating story from history. The art of reading the tea leaves is not just the revelation of a possible true or false prophet, but also an important factor in this essay because in American History, The East India Company is the ultimate example of the merge between government and business. On December 31, 1600, Queen Elizabeth I signed a royal charter giving the Honourable East India Company a 21 year monopoly on trade with the East Indies.

This innocuous beginning in the early days of expanding global trade mutated into one of the most insidious mergers of government power with private business savvy that history has ever recorded. The more the government powers demanded, the more the businessmen demanded--and both powers received in abundance. With the company's success important to practically every royal and Parliament member along with company men and investors, the booty was in danger of being divided into mere piddles.

It was then that the Crown made it perfectly clear as to who actually owned the company. With the East India Act of 1773 the Crown declared that the "acquisition of sovereignty by the subjects of the Crown is on behalf of the Crown and not in its own right." Big government now controlled the East India Company, and because the company traded and owned factories and warehouses worldwide, the Crown now controlled practically the entire globe.

The English taxpayer was then tapped as a source of revenue to continue expanding the company so that its financial return could be as large as men of power and wealth would require. As the Pirates of The Caribbean movies have taught every young person with the ability to follow a plot line, The East India Company had a problem determining whether they were The Law or the Monopolistic Merchant of the Seas. Keira Knightly's character, Elizabeth Swann, realizes this fact and rallies the pirates to fight for freedom on both counts. Pirates were fighting for the right to be...well...pirates.

It was the East India Company and its monopolistic power backed up by the Crown that caused a sort of pirate event in the American colonies--the Boston Tea Party. Private colonial shippers like John Hancock were the target of this corporate/government behemoth. The attempt to restrict colonial harbors to ships and cargo belonging to the East India Company occurred because the company was in dire straits financially. The company needed to make as much money as possible, to pay not only the Crown and its investors but also the large Treasury debt. One of the abusive taxes that so angered the colonists was enacted to repay the English treasury which was being used like a bank to keep the golden goose financially afloat. That, along with the ability to enforce being the only fleet able to enter colonial harbors, pushed the American colonists to the point of war. Entrepreneurs like John Hancock were declared outlaw smugglers--and while a smuggler is not quite the same as a pirate, each would have suffered the same fate.

Therefore it is interesting that once again America finds herself being squeezed by a new business/government merger in this 2008 Presidential Campaign. Each Democratic Party candidate has promised a federal government solution to a declared "broken" Health Care System. This ideal is promulgated insidiously by Democrats through the failing pension funds of Detroit auto manufacturers. A government program, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, was created to supposedly protect pension plans--but unless the bankruptcy-prone corporations are able to put money in the PBGC, the pensions will remain empty. Like the East India Company, the PBGC has attempted to pass on this debt to the American taxpayer, thereby releasing the auto manufacturers or airlines of their financial responsibility. (If not for House Minority Leader John A. Boehner 's (R-Ohio) leadership, taxpayers would already be saddled with this burden.)

The federalization of health care would also release the same corporations of the debt of their agreed benefits programs. Therefore, it should be clearly obvious that whatever program the Democrats are proposing would start out deeply in the red. So their promise that the envisioned program would actually save money is preposterous.

Upon the signing of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, Senator Kennedy (D-MA) said: "This bill says to millions of Americans who fear their pensions will disappear that help is on the way.” He hopes with every fiber of his own trust fund that the holders of the pensions in question will hear his siren's call and not pay attention to the looming shoals beneath the water. The huge debt will not just simply transform into fluid cash.

Senator Clinton (D-NY), in a speech for Detroit's International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, said "The creation of a universal health care system is especially important to union workers in the auto industry, who find currently find their jobs in jeopardy." The article continues: "Such workers have been battling with their employers regarding increased health care in an environment with rising retirement and health costs." But unless the average newspaper reader knows why auto workers are having problems with rising retirement and health costs, the assumption will be that everyone's costs are rising because of sinister actions by insurance and retirement fund corporations. And then comes her hard sell to the American taxpayer: "If we don't have a strong manufacturing industry, it won't be long before we don't have a strong economy."

Bill Clinton made a telling speech at the 2007 TED Prize Award: Make a Wish Come True. He was talking about a medical group he was working with to provide medical services in Rwanda. Mr. Clinton is negotiating lower pharmaceutical sales for this group. He talks about working with non-governmental organizations (NGO's) such as the American Heart Association:

"We started a childhood obesity initiative with the Heart Association in America by negotiating industry-wide deals with the soft drink and snack food industry to cutting the caloric and other dangerous content of food going to our children in the schools. We just reorganized the markets. And then it occurred to me that in the whole non-governmental world, somebody needs to be thinking about organizing the world's public goods market."

So much for capitalism and entrepreneurship providing the means to get the desired product to the desirous customer. A new entity, a monarch of the world, will now direct products to their correct place while deciding what is proper food for each of us according to our age and health or activity level.

The former President then rambled into his work in the global warming farce:

"And that is now what we are trying to do in working with these large cities which generate 75% of the world's green house gases to drastically and quickly reduce green house gas emissions in a way that is good economics. And this whole discussion as if it's some sort of economic burden is a mystery to me...

..I think it's a bird's nest on the ground.

Considering the Clintons came to Washington practically penniless, their newfound wealth should raise more than an eyebrow, because every pirate knows that the Pirate Code is really every captain for himself!

And so I warn those drawn in by the Democrat's siren song of a secure future without want or care, with a word from the leader of the first anti-Federalist movement - Thomas Jefferson:

Do not bite at the bait of pleasure, till you know there is no hook beneath it.

Deconstructive Nihilism and the Democratic Party

2007-06-07T13:58:00.000-05:00

After the World Wars, a new social war began in earnest; the war upon the bourgeoise. As returning veterans were glad to be home, safe, and alive, relieved to do something easy and non-life threatening like buy a cute little tract home, get a job and raise a family, another group desired in every way to separate themselves from everything that smacked of Middle Class. The more avante-garde the rejection of middle class values, the more the fashionable set applauded as Tom Wolfe observed in New York art scene in The Painted Word.

As artistic realism was deconstructed, highbrow art became not the actual painting, but the action that created it. Likewise out in society, mass meetings such as Woodstock were not so much a method for musical bands to get recognition to sell LP records, but rather the entire event was the happening. Directed by leaders in the anti-American movement, the gullible partying attendees had their personal memory of the event shrewdly replaced. As historians tell us, Woodstock had nothing to do with the music, it was about the in-your-face rejection of the values of Middle Class America. While Woodstock certainly became that, it was a manufactured reality.

In deconstruction terms, the happening became less about being there and more about being there. If all this is true, then the attendees of the happening were just window dressing for the camera, the real artists of the painting were nothing more than manipulative tent revival hucksters preying upon the emotions of their clueless marks.

Happenings became the method to re-educate the masses into believing something happened other than the simple congregating at a specific place. Sometimes, riots were instigated because the manipulators were as shrewd as Jerry Springer in collecting the class of people bent on unruliness and then tossing a lit Molotov cocktail into the mix. The art was The Happening, the action, the riot. The intent was to scare the Middle Class into submission. The unwashed mass of actual attendees thought it was all about being there and enjoying the rowdy party.

This generation steeped in the art of manipulating their witless believers are now in charge of the Democratic Party and the MSM. Every action or sound-bite is a scheduled happening to direct the supposed stupid bourgeoise they have risen above. Meanwhile, the pretentious MSM gasp at the revelation of the happening like a hopelessly rich tech investor scouring the pits of bohemia looking for art that is both not middle class and ridiculously priced. How else could the MSM know the highbrow art authority other than by the event director's rejection of the opinion of Middle Class America or by the power they command? Deconstruction has removed all factual content and the ability of elementary prioritization from the entire process.

This is why I’ve come to fear Obama over Hilary. While the nation is fully aware that Hilary is a contrived, over-processed, structured event, Obama has the dangerously glib charisma of a happening. His campaign events are inflated with the helium of him being, as Joe Biden (D-DE) has described him, a “clean and articulate black man.” The attendants to these events are given to believe the only gravity Obama faces is prejudice. However, helium makes a voice sound funny as Obama strings together brainless platitudes about higher education, nonsensical foreign policy ideas and deconstructed religious ideas that devolve good or evil into a circular argument morass, unless of course the activity was done by George W. Bush. And the tout le monde MSM reports that the helium inflated event was heralded by applause! Oh, joy! The happening happened!

Everyone knows that Hilary Clinton’s moral compass doesn’t point due north, but it would appear that Obama doesn’t even have a moral compass. He is nothing but a deconstructed helium balloon, evidently giving Mrs. Bill Clinton a little more of a challenge than she expected. What is causing people to listen to gibberish and think it profound? It is because the ability to stage an event has nothing to do with content and everything to do with hype and the being-there mentality pumped up by the MSM. They have found the deconstructionist’s dream—a poor down-trodden half-minority who looks good in a suit and can perfectly pronounce every word in a sentence with no content. With Obama in the Oval Office, it would be like Jim Jones had been elected president. Where’s the cut glass punch bowl?

We Live In An Exciting Age

2007-06-04T15:10:00.000-05:00

Several years ago, I read Capitalism and a New Social Order: The Republican Vision of the 1790's. The book so influenced me because I saw in history a fresh, invigorating vision for the future. We live in an exciting age, but to make these ideas work we must remain steady. We must keep our eyes set on the shining city on the hill, as we continue the path through the foothills singing Psalms of Ascent as we journey to the city of God.

In the 1790's the Federalist Party felt entrenched in a position of power. The elected officials felt it was their responsibility to explain the meaning of the Constitution to the people. The Federalists believed the Constitution to be flexible in regards to the power of government rather than for limiting government power over private citizens. Granted many of the elite had actually written the Constitution, but an attitude of superiority can accompany the desire to teach. Any university student can recall at least one arrogant professor during their scholarly journey.

Just because the people loved George Washington dearly, that did not make him infallible in their eyes. In two cases, the Washington administration was taken aback by the murmuring of the common citizen. The first is known today as The Whiskey Rebellion. Western settlers resisted an additional tax on the whiskey they made from the corn they were unable to get to market. The whiskey was easier to ship to market and they felt the tax was discriminatory toward their personal entrepreneurship in making a useful product rather than suffer a commercial loss. The second reaction came when the citizens were berated for their resistance. This further revealed the mindset of the Federalist elected elite, angering the common man even more.

That generation, having lived through the violence of the Revolutionary War, was not interested in recreating the same system of elitism they'd just rebelled against. Shifting to today, the comparison with the elitism of Democrat leaders, and their disconnect to the common man, could not be clearer. Remember that the generation that preached to us for years this mantra of peace, love, and tolerance gave us The Waco Tragedy.

It is an exciting time when two very clear and divergent visions for the future of America are being debated. The Republican Party platform has the best vision of fostering individual freedom along with a clear interpretation of the War on Terror. Yes, the Republican Party has some entrenched elitists far more comfortable with their Democratic opposition than with the great unwashed rabble whose votes they need to be elected. Well, that seems like an easy problem to solve as Republicans mark the final reign of Arlan Specter (R- PA), John Warner (R-VA) and John McCain (R-AZ). Like the ever-knitting Tale of Two Cities character Madame Dufarge, the jackalope has her list.

Republicanism's civic virtue is fueling alternative media such as talk radio, Fox news, and the rough and rowdy internet. Republicanism is the natural defense against an over-zealous authority. Every time the Democratic Party presidential candidates explain their fascist views of government control of a private industry like Health Care, the Republican Party is clearly the only choice for those interested in self-determination and liberty.

So vociferous was the argument between the Federalists and the newly formed Republican Party that the Federalist Party eventually ceased to exist. A new course of liberty was set and the new nation separated itself from European-style monarchy. Today, the argument between Democrats and Republicans is also vociferous. Democrats, like their Federalist predecessors, blame the citizenry of being too ignorant, and seek to silence their detractors.

If we remain true to the republican ideal of civic virtue and support our candidate for President, re-elect the worthy, and replace the entrenched, it is possible to send the Democratic Party and its socialist and fascist ideas—the negation of the individual—to the ash heap of history. We must vote at all cost; because civic virtue requires that we do the best a flawed human can do for the future of the republic. This is no time to "go wobbly" because as Margaret Thatcher also said:

Europe was created by history; America was created by philosophy.

We live in an exciting age!

Thank You, Discerning Texan

2007-06-03T19:24:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I received the wonderful honor of being asked to be guest editorialist at The Discerning Texan. Here are the posts I wrote:

A Must Read Article

2007-05-28T10:31:00.001-05:00

We all know people who make comments that make us wonder what planet they live on because of the complete disconnect to the group understanding. Unfortunately, the rise of political correctness has prevented our leaders from saying what they truly believe. The latest point being the second coming of the radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr as he "drove in a long motorcade from Najaf to its sister city of Kufa to deliver an anti-American sermon to 6,000 chanting supporters at the main mosque." We can only imagine the deaths to follow as this man is allowed to spew venomous rants from his mosque bully pulpit.

But what is really astounding is the inability of our leaders to admit this unavoidable truth. I encourage everyone to read Andrew G. Bostom's article Ignorance, Cognitive Dissonance, and al-Sadr at the ever excellent American Thinker. Mr. Bostom is highly qualified to write about Jihad, as he is the author of The Legacy of Jihad and The Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism.

It is important for everyone to realize the extent of power the Muslim world desires. Islamic control of the world is their ultimate desire. This is a war to preserve Western Civilization.

Terrorist Training Camp in Texas

2007-05-27T12:08:00.000-05:00

Everyone likes to think they are safe in their own backyards, so imagine the creepiness of learning of a terrorist training camp for foreign students located in the woods just down the road.

The Houston Chronicle reports (emphasis added):

A Dallas college student who was linked to a Houston-area plan to aid the Taliban was found guilty Thursday of two weapons violations.

A Houston federal jury found that Syed Maaz Shah, 19, unlawfully possessed a firearm while in this country on a student visa.

After participating in firearms training staged by government informants last year at a campground north of Conroe, Shah was charged in a plot to fight for the terrorist organization overseas against U.S.-led forces. On secret recordings, he can be heard railing against the U.S. and quipping that his passport showed the face of a terrorist.

As a student-visa holder, the Pakistani, who attended the University of Texas at Dallas on a scholarship, was not allowed to have a firearm.

Thankfully, the jury didn't get hung up on the intellectual Left and Libertarian's "Why do they hate us?" carousel and returned a swift and sure verdict:

The jury returned its verdict after deliberating for slightly more than an hour. Shah, who is to be sentenced Sept. 14, faces up to 10 years in prison on each charge, plus deportation.

In another Houston Chronicle article we learn (emphasis added):

Syed Maaz Shah was arrested for firing weapons during two camping trips last year. Authorities said the trips were actually training camps organized by several men who wanted to engage in holy war against U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries.

Presidential Candidate John Edwards (D) is a real man of genius award winner when it comes to foreign policy. His The War on Terror is Just a Bumper Sticker Slogan mentality allows others to base their defense on the notion that there is no war on terror. Shah's Defense Attorney, Frank Jackson believes the verdict was just anti-muslim sentiment in this post 9/11 world:

It was a difficult case because of the times we are in. This so-called war on terror is as phony as can be.

Shah was not the only terrorist in training arrested at this camp.

His cousin, Adnan Mirza, faces three firearms charges, in addition to a charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States by making donations to the Taliban. The 30-year-old Pakistani, who also was here on a student visa, is scheduled for trial in October.

Kobie Williams, 34, who pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge last year, is to be sentenced in October.

Thankfully, this local terrorist training network was captured and prosecuted. The question is: How many others are operating in the woods down the road from your backyard?

Maybe It Was About The Money After All

2007-05-25T14:12:00.000-05:00

Over and over, financial planners tell us that the path to wealth is a balanced portfolio. Grandma pointedly reminded us to not put all our eggs in one basket. Grandma, being the wise woman she was, knew that counting on only one thing, one hope, one idea would leave her grandkids vulnerable to things outside their control. So, we wisely spread our precious savings across several different investment opportunities just in case something outside our control happens.

In a previous post, It's Not The Money It's The Message It Sends the jackalope described a certain shady deal between Chet Edwards (D-Tx. 17), our military, and the predatory insurance company American Amicable. This insurance company is located in Waco, Texas; Chet's home stomping grounds.

So, dear readers and fellow constituents, it might interest you to learn that Chet Edwards' portfolio is 100% invested in insurance. Maybe he knows how to control things a bit more than the rest of us when it comes to those things normally outside human control. How else to explain an intelligent person putting all his eggs in one basket?

Learning From History in the War on Terror

2007-05-24T15:46:00.000-05:00

Last night I began the DVD series Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy. The story is about the British delivering a self-ruling government in India in 1946. The Jewel in the Crown, as India was described, then operated under a half system of self governance called the Raj. Under the Raj, tribal leaders ruled territories but ultimately answered to British authority. The Crown gave Lord Mountbatten authority to aide the Indian leaders in establishing a democratic Parliament and ultimately complete self-determination.

The comparisons to our work in Iraq are very interesting. One of the problems the blossoming Indian Parliament faced was religious animosity between Muslim, Sikh, and Hindu. Different leaders had their own desires for the future of India. Genocide followed as religion divided the nation into three parts. The British had been able to keep order, but as they discussed pulling out to allow self rule, factions sprung up to take advantage of the situation. There are historians that say the British set an unrealistic date for the Indian government to gain control and settle differences.

This sounds very close to the current situation in Iraq. The Iraqi government must have authority across the entire country and over each tribe and faction within their border. Some Indian Muslims, lead by Mohammad Ali Jinnah, wanted their own country; a complete Muslim state. Some Muslims, Sikhs, and Hindus wanted to remain where they currently lived with the freedom to practice their own religion. If the United States were to pull out our troops too soon, could what happened in India happen in Iraq? There are even more comparisons.

The DVD shows Mohammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the Muslim League, stirring up a mob by declaring, "We will have Pakistan or we will destroy India!" It is hard for our pragmatic western minds to understand such thinking. However, when we recall the kamikaze pilots of WWII, Buddhist monks torching themselves in protest of the Viet Nam war, and the current crop of suicide bombers, we should realize that self immolation has been a route to paradise in the eastern mind.

The undeclared war between Muslim and Sikh along with the usually fate-driven Hindu in the Punjab is reputed to have killed between 200,000 and 360,00. This number could be higher if the 10 years before 1946 are counted. The migration of the different ethnic peoples to the portion of India they preferred to occupy was a dangerous journey because of violent attacks by other factions. The anger boiled over and blood flowed freely.

President Bush is wise to stand firm against any timeline for American departure in Iraq. The Congressional leaders that demand America pull out now have not studied their history and because of this educational lack, the blood of Iraqi innocents would be on our hands. It is very disturbing that the people that preach "caring" for others to their vassals here in the United States deride our military for being in Iraq and taking the time to empower this new democratic government.

Today India and Pakistan have joined us in The War On Terror. Maybe the memories of the brutality they endured spur them to action to join us. Whatever their reason, we welcome them in this fight. If the Democratic Party joined the fight maybe Ahmadinejad and Bashar al-Assad, the Mohammad Ali Jinnahs of today, would not be openly supporting insurgent terrorists with money and tools of destruction or threatening to wipe Israel off the face of the earth.

Human nature dictates that when benevolent authority is perceived as weak, evil men will rise to fill the void. If the American troops leave Iraq and Afghanistan before self-rule is strong, evil will respond as it will. Most of America seems to understand this, but Bush-hating tunnel vision has destroyed the Democratic Party and innocents are being slaughtered every day because of their weak and selfish rhetoric. I suggest they be quiet, sit in their comfortable chair and read The Life of Reason by George Santayana because "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

Well Worth Our Support

2007-05-23T15:01:00.000-05:00

Too often, we complain when someone does something wrong while saying nothing if something is done right. It goes against our human nature to edify one another. The state of Texas has much to be proud of when it comes to debate in the Senate and House on the illegal immigration issue.

Both Texas Senators, Kay Baily Hutchison and John Cornyn are standing strong against the effort to pass this bill without debate. Serious issues are in need of debate and Congress has a bad habit of rushing headlong into legislation without proper consideration of the rule of unintended consequences. Pressure in Washington to get a "done deal" is a tough thing to resist.

District 17 cannot boast of its contribution to this debate. However:

Jeb Hensarling (R-TX 5),
Randy Neugebauer (R-TX 19),
John Culberson (R-TX 7),
Mike Conaway (R-TX 11),
Kenny Marchant (R-TX 24),
Joe Barton (R-TX 6),
Michael Burgess (R-TX 26),
Nick Lampson (R-TX 22),
Michael McCaul (R-TX 10),
Ted Poe (R-TX 2),
Lamar Smith (R-TX 21),
John Carter R-TX 31),
Pete Sessions (R-TX 32) and
Sam Johnson (R-TX 3)

all deserve a word of thanks and appreciation.

This list also clearly reveals the delineation between Democrats and Republicans on this issue.

Note: The jackalope visited the website of every Texas Representative to get this information. If a Representative is not listed, and is strong on border security and anti-illegal immigration, I was unable to find information supporting it.

Chet Edwards - Democrat First, American Second

2007-05-23T08:08:00.000-05:00

Chet Edwards (D-TX17) has an unjustified reputation as a conservative Democrat. The reality is that he follows closely the far left ideas of the Democratic Party. He is careful to never be photographed with members of his party that would tarnish that carefully constructed persona, but his voting record mirrors theirs in most respects.

A major problem concerning the (il)legal immigration issue is that nothing is backed up by enforcement. Legislation is a great concept, but unless it is actually followed through in practice we only worsen the situation. Problems become a "make work" project for Congress allowing them to posture and prattle for the news camera rather than the hard work of solving a problem. If they were to solve the problem then they would have nothing to preen about before the Sunday Talking Head hosts. Making hard decisions is not always conducive to Congress' first job: re-election. And it goes without saying that pleasing their idiot hick constituents back home could make them persona non gratia with the tony Washington cocktail circuit. This is a problem for even some (most?) Republicans.

It is in this light we must contemplate the current (il)legal immigration bill because the law of human nature dictates that we get the behavior we reward. Any legislation that does not first address the problem of a porous border is doomed to be a future and much larger problem. If our schools and social programs are already overburdened, inaction concerning the open border issue means in mere months these taxpayer funded programs will be exponentially so. Tax funds are not some bottomless coffer regardless of how legislators may treat them.

It is not wrong for citizens to prefer to keep as much of their own money to provide for their own family and extended family. This is the intent of the proverb: Charity begins at home. Unbridled taxation to provide social services for illegal aliens will eventually make all native and naturalized citizens wards of the state because it will lead straight to poverty because the more services provided, the more people will come. To assert so is not to be anti-immigrant, but rather to recognize the reality of human nature.

That explained, this morning in his weekly radio interview, Chet Edwards (D-Tx17) distanced himself properly from the Senate's illegal immigration bill. He listed off his requirements: illegals must pay a fine, learn to speak English - even their children - so illegals can provide better for themselves rather than expecting to receive myriads of social welfare, and oh yeah that other thing, border security.

Wait a minute, he just described the current embattled Senate Bill. By listing border security last, Edwards makes clear his priority. After 16 years in the House, Edwards understands perfectly the reality of not enforcing the laws he passes. He has a history of not enforcing the laws he votes for. He is facile in speaking the "correct" talking points, knowing that those constituents who are not well-versed politicos will hear his words outside the context of political realities and nod their heads thinking the incessant bickering has been solved.

The political reality is that the Senate and House Democratic majority could pass the current bill and the President would sign it into law. Their dilemma comes when the people, realizing that the problem is not in fact solved, blame them for passing a problem intensifier. President Bush will not be running for office ever again. To blame him would be moot and the proverbial chickens will come home to roost infecting the Democratic Party with its political pox.

This is why the word bi-partisan is the key word. If the Republicans do not play this game, and fall into the sprung trap, Democrats will not pass this bill. This indicates that the bill was never in the best interest for the long run of the country, but rather another piece of legislation whose main purpose is the destruction of their political foes. The ugly truth is that our Representative is extremely adept in playing this game. It is Mr. Edwards' and his Party's behavior that constitutes a major loss to his constituents and to the nation.

The Revolution #4: A Modest Proposal: the Solution of Illegal Immigration and Foreign Terrorists Living in the United States

2007-05-18T18:45:00.000-05:00

Note: This post was nominated for a Weasel Watcher Award during the week of May 23, 2007

In 1729, Jonathan Swift published the satirical pamphlet A Modest Proposal: For Preventing the Children of Poor People in Ireland from Being a Burden to Their Parents or Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Publick. It was Swift’s proposal that Irish parents sell their children to be eaten to provide a family income.

“A young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee, or a ragout.”

Needless to say, the public did not see the humor in his modest proposal nor did they recognize Swift’s homage to the Roman tradition of satire that disparaged the solutions they actually supported. Swift lost nearly all the subscribers to his pamphlets. Today, this work stands as the greatest piece of satire ever written.

It is with true jacklope humility that I set down my own modest proposal. I hope you enjoy:

A Modest Proposal: the Solution of Illegal Immigration and Foreign Terrorists Living in the United States

Regarding the upcoming Illegal Immigration Bill, rejoice that Congress has at last streamlined the legislative process so much that the mere idea is passed into law without all that troublesome legal fine print ever being written. We already know we can’t possibly understand the yearly tax code, so why bother our stressed out brains with another piece of congressional mumbo jumbo? We can just jump to the obvious outcome: instant citizenship, a voter card in Spanish card with a preprinted “X” in the box next to “Democratic Party”, and a Pueblo, Colorado publication listing all the social services that come with citizenship.

And, by logical extension, the only natural conclusion to the immigration problem is for the United States to simply declare universal sovereignty over the entire globe, making all earthly inhabitants Americans. Think of the problems that would instantly be solved by expanding our borders to include every continent, island, peninsula, sandbar, and floating flotsam and jetsam! No more illegals dying in the brutal trek across the American southwest deserts, or sweltering in the back of 18-wheelers with no air, water, food, or bathroom facilities. Never again would we have to hear of such tragedies and risk having our free time and peace of mind disturbed.

Even if the new citizens stay in their current locations, now they wouldn’t have to work to change the governments they would otherwise desire to flee. The former nation of Mexico can cease in its almost-achievable quest to achieve a true two-party democracy. Hugo Chavez can offer symposiums for Democratic Congressmen on how to nationalize private business as he did Citgo Oil and how they aspire to do with our health care system. The reality of a fast track to making all citizens both wards and employees of the state would be created ipso facto. The Democratic Party is thinking small-time in its present goal of making only people residing within the current borders of the United States citizens. Imagine the possibilities for complete domination if the Democratic Party were able to make every single person on the planet their ward and vassal. Surely when they examine the absolute magnificence of this modest solution they will realize that this short proposal has barely begun to explore the possibilities.

The idea of annexing the entire world is so pregnant with opportunity that one could not even begin to list the benefits to the future power of the Democratic Party. Instantly the need to travel in order to receive the benefits of the United States becomes moot. Instead we can export government social workers and labor union members to provide all benefits accorded with citizenship. Like lawyers descending on the Bhopal tragedy, government agencies could be set up at the four corners of the world and incremental points in between to provide all benefits and necessities to new citizens at taxpayer expense. Furthermore, since we celebrate diversity already, no new citizen need suffer the burden of learning English (lest they assimilate into the bigoted and racist present American culture, developed as it was by dead white men). If this proposal were enacted, all people could continue to speak in their indigenous language and dialect. Because after all, that’s what being an American is all about: making America just like the place you fled.

So brilliant is this plan that Democratic Party leaders will be guaranteed voters and power for life, possibly even eternity. Their pursuit of wealth could then be expanded to include every tax-free offshore account or even the banks of the new state of Switzerland. All wealth will now be subject to the American tax code and every redistributionist PAC or 501(c) receiving federal funds. It is hard to believe that no one at the DNC has thought of this plan sooner. It appears there is not a political visionary in the entire party.

Even terrorists will receive incredible benefits by becoming American citizens. It goes without saying that now they will be able to kill Americans with greater ease, as they will not have to risk the sneaking and hiding, the plotting and scheming it currently takes to set up splinter cells bearing outdated visas over here. Why travel when just killing your own neighbor is a death of an American? Consider the double bonus when a terrorist's own child becomes a self-detonating bomb: an American child killing other Americans! Jews will be Americans, infidel Christians will all be Americans, Shi’ias will be Americans, Sunnis, Hamas, PLO, Chechen, all are Americans. Now they can really mean it when they drive a bomb-laden truck into a shopping mall with the cry, “Death to America!” The simplicity of absolute cultural nihilism borders on divine perfection.

Not to mention the benefit of outmaneuvering the United Nations, a bureaucracy that could be swiftly rendered null and void. Never again will we need to seek permission to establish democracies in terrorist states. Surely a nation that had no problem gassing and torching Branch Davidians would have no compunction about bombing itself, wherever and whenever needed. It’s good to have a frame of reference when it comes to the almighty state delivering justice swift and sure. Nothing keeps a citizenry in order better than them knowing their proper place in the power hierarchy.

The benefits of this modest proposal are so bold, so enlightened and radical, that to not put it into action immediately could blight humanity forever. Let us cease striving after such clearly unworkable legislation as building a border fence and increasing a well trained and equipped border guard. There is no sense wasting taxpayer money on high-tech satellite equipment, unmanned drones, and expensive gadgetry like night-vision goggles and infrared cameras. We all know it is impossible to track every person within the borders or defend ourselves indefinitely against a far more determined worldwide jihad. Why strive after mediocre stopgap half-measures when a self-evident solution exists? Why continue the suffering for one more second? Call your Congressman and Senators immediately and urge them to pass this simple proposal with all haste, and begin planning a family vacation to the new America—no visa, passport or papers required. Brilliant.

The Revolution #3: Federalist Democrats

2007-05-17T21:40:00.000-05:00

In the 1790’s Thomas Jefferson was able revitalize the nation’s quest for individual liberty because ordinary citizens formed political discussion groups, newspapers and broadsides were printed to cover debates and forums, and pamphleteers wrote their ideas on how to further the individual’s right for self-determination. Today this same action is taking place with the popularity of political issue groups, talk radio, blogs, and other media alternatives. The old media of network news and printed newspapers that firmly support Democratic Party control is no longer the federalist monolith of power.

The reason Jefferson’s revolution against the Federalist Party was successful was because there was an important decision to be made about the future of the nation.

Today, the revolutionary ideas challenging the Democratic Party are of equal importance.

While Jefferson’s success was fueled in part by the French Revolution and its ousting of a hierarchical monarchy, today’s ideas are triggered in some part by the fall of communism.

America has something fundamental to decide: do we continue toward the socialistic future envisioned by the Democratic Party, or set a new course of republican liberty as envisioned by the Republicans?

Is liberty to be defined and passed down to the individual by the totalitarian elitism of the Democratic Party and their federalist sensibilities? Or will liberty continue to be defined as the ability of individuals through self-determination having their say in regards to the power delegated to the state and its intrusion upon their private lives?

The Democratic Party is failing in part because the various groups that support it have forsaken the common good in their quest to solidify power. They have acted in the worst of human nature. What else can be expected from a generation steeped in the belief that The Constitution was flawed from its very inception? So much is their belief that they govern in a manner diametrically opposed to its very words. The 1st Amendment has degenerated into a protection for selfish hedonism, while the 2nd Amendment has become the denial of the right to self-preservation. Words that don't even appear in The Constitution , separation of church and state, are now presented as absolute law.

The Federalist Party failed when it fundamentally reconnected its ideas of legislative power with monarchy. The Democratic Party must fail because of its connection with the failed atheistic communist state and the denial of the rights of man. These ideas deny the fact that man is a spiritual being, finding meaning in life in a relentless search for God, and that self-determination is an inherent part of being human. America’s very survival and its beacon of liberty to the rest of the world are at stake in these upcoming elections.

Just as the Federalists thought of government power in the manner of the English gentry, today’s Democrats consider their power in Stalinist terms. The “Fairness” Doctrine and the new rules of Campaign Finance Reform show that contrary speech is to be silenced. So ingrained is their thinking that any citizen disagreeing with them is derided with name-calling, vulgarities, and ultimately accusations of mental illness. All these methods of discrediting detractors come directly from Stalin himself. Leaders of the various Democratic Party support groups attained their positions through fraud and deceit. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, George Sorros, Cindy Sheehan to name a few leaders. NOW, NARAL, and PETA to name a few groups.

A revolution is the proper recourse when a government no longer serves the purpose of the people it serves.

What is needed today is a revolution that completely repudiates a political party that no longer represents the constitution it serves.

Like the Federalist Party before them, the Democratic Party must be repudiated with such vehemence in these next elections that the party and its socialist ideas are forever destined to be past history.

A New Species of Democrat

2007-05-17T07:10:00.000-05:00

Back during the days of the Viet Nam war, the left came up with the name Chicken Hawk to describe those that were pro-military but did not serve in the military. Yesterday's vote in the Senate to cut off funds for the troops overseas fell from the sky in flames. Only 29 Democratic Senators voted for the measure, including Hilary Clinton (D-NY) and Barak Obama (D-IL) in a political machination to vote for a bill they knew would fail in order to satisfy the blood lust of their wacked out base.

In light of the fact that new species of animals are being discovered at an alarming rate, it should be noted that a new species of Democrat has been discovered in the Senate: the Chicken Nugget Dove Democrat. The Chicken Nugget Dove can be recognized by the biological oddity of the lack of any bones, which causes the new species to do a lot of flapping and squawking but an inability to vote its conscience because of re-election fears.

The Revolution #2: Human Nature and Republicanism

2007-05-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

Human nature has been an overlooked reality for the past generations as government has sought to legislate the nation into Darwinian perfection. Supposedly, human nature was to “evolve” with each new law. However, look where we are now: attempting to legislate hate (thought) crime. An intelligent person only has to read the book of Job, written 5 thousand years before Christ, to conclude that in both reasoning and the poetic arts man has not progressed much—regardless of his technologies.

There is much to learn from Job concerning human nature. Man will always testify to his innocence and friends are always capable of piling on when the chips are down, for even a good man. There it is folks, the Darwinian theory of human nature: we secretly love it when bad things happen to good people. This is the unvarnished truth about human nature; we are jealous, selfish, antagonistic, little hedonists who hypocritically deny it all.

Considering such a truth, it is amazing that we have created any sense of civil society at all. Given our sinful human nature we certainly deserve the rule of an autocratic despot, if not certain death. History records man’s ability to balance ever so precariously personal freedom with civil society. Western civilization, aided by Christianity has developed the best form of this balance. Tiananmen Square and The Branch Davidians should be a constant reminder that Gandhi’s method of peaceful protest only worked because of the British adherence to Christian principles. Slavery in Britain met its end because of Christianity. Christianity recognizes the truth of human nature with Christ’s crucifixion the ultimate and only reconciliation between man and God. In many ways, our government’s usurpation of Christianity has allowed generations to disallow the truth of human nature.

An example of this usurpation is revealed when citizens pray to government to supply their needs, rather than to God. Previous generations would be appalled. This is all aided by the Democratic Party’s relentless quest to eradicate any reference to God in government buildings and pursuing the path of eradication even in public places. However, a more insidious method of usurpation of Christian values comes through an attempt to deny 2nd amendment rights which is derived from that basest of human needs, the right of self-defense. The government in this instance enforces with law Christ’s teaching of turning the other cheek. Ask any student, at any government school, what happens when a bully attacks them and they dare defend themselves. You will learn they will each be punished equally under zero tolerance rules. Even worse, the victim is urged to try to understand the problems associated with his attacker.

This twisted deviation of Christ’s teaching is reflected in Democratic Party policies. In foreign policy we are told if this nation only treated our enemies “nicer” they would not be so mean to us. The implied message being that this nation is responsible for creating its own enemies. In domestic policy, we are forced to give tax money to the government as offerings for the poor, the children, or the victims of (insert cause here) because Christ taught the same. Democratic Party policy is a sort of Christian/Nihilism that while denying the existence of God and His Law, they then enforce with penalty various teachings of Christ. In both instances individual rights and human nature are ignored because the responsibilities of an individual before God are denied. The Democrats absolve the foreign evildoer without penance, while God does not respect their enforced piety upon others at home.

Human nature dictates that we all want something for nothing, would enforce on others what we would never accept for ourselves, and quite frankly would cut off our nose to spite our face. While the Democratic Party plays to the worst of human nature, republican thought addresses the qualities of human nature and the need to rise above it, which is why so many evangelicals are members of the Republican Party. However, republicanism resides in the heart of any individual who while believing in self-determination, is also able to rise above personal interests in regards to civil society.

Therefore, it is imperative that the Republican Party be a big tent for all those of like mind. And nothing is more indicative of this than the variety of Presidential candidates: pro-life, pro-choice, Mormon, nominal Christian, fervent evangelical, along with a myriad of immigration and security ideas. The Republican Party has been blessed by the number of men willing to accept the brutal gauntlet of the election process and the sobering responsibility of the presidency. As Republicans we vote in the primaries for the ascendancy of our candidate of choice. However, as republicans we are also called to vote for the party candidate for the better good of the republic even if not the man of our personal choice. It is our belief in self-determination coupled with that ability to rise above personal interest that unites us as Republicans and makes our ideas the best course for the country.

The Revolution #1: The Fork

2007-05-15T08:42:00.000-05:00

In the 1790’s, this nation approached a fork in the road. The single party, the Federalists, had assumed the same hierarchy of power as the English government they'd just rebelled against. In a mere 25 years, the nation was running adrift in its journey toward the concept of government intent upon expanding the limits of individual freedom and liberty.

The Federalists were supremely in charge, but devoid of groundbreaking ideas that set apart the nation in a manner befitting the boldness of the Declaration of Independence.

Thomas Jefferson was the man with ideas to push once again the limits on personal freedom and liberty. Understanding the becalmed political scene, Jefferson set about coalescing a republican counter to the Federalist Party.

In classical republican thought, it is the requirement of citizens to do what they believe to be the best actions for the long road, to rise above their selfish human nature and do the higher, nobler action for the betterment of the community as a whole. The republican value of civic virtue requires that citizens be responsible for conducting their life and their business in a manner that does not harm the fragile and precious commodity of civil society.

Citizens of a republic are also required to speak up if they believe they have a better idea for government than those in elected office.

Jefferson coalesced this second party from disparate groups that believed in a set of ideas rather than in a certain group of people. Farmers, small business entrepreneurs, and evangelicals united under these ideas and a second party was born. By the turn of the century the Federalist Party ceased to exist, and our nation returned to its original course.

Today, the nation approaches a new fork. The Democratic Party has no new ideas in regards to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Their one idea is socialism and strong government control; views diametrically opposed to the bedrock foundation of the nation. Like the Federalists, today’s Democrats speak down to the people in a highborn, condescending manner, with ridicule and legislative silencing tactics for their critics because like their predecessors, they are incapable of accepting criticism.

The opportunity presented at this current fork:

do we continue down the failed path toward complete socialism and government control or do we seek to unite diverse groups under a set of ideas and again push forward the limits of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness?

Despite our falling down in the last election, one good thing occurred: the RNC realizes that it must respect the people’s support of a challenger to an incumbent Republican in name only (R.I.N.O.). In the next election the RNC must recognize that challenges to long-time Republican incumbents are in the highest form of republican ideals.

Let the RNC be aware: Any incumbent not able to rise above poll-driven democratic opinion is fair game. The ultimate goal being that the 110th Congress be the last defiled by any incumbents insensitive to the fleeting opening of the radical fork in the road toward rugged individualism.

Our goal is simple:

that in our own pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness the earth be turned upside-down and freedom flourish in intolerant lands.

Cultural Relativism Harms Young People

2007-05-01T13:53:00.000-05:00

Jesus answered, "… Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" John 18: 37c- 38a

For Pilate, Truth became the road of political expediency. Today, Truth slides on a scale of public opinion. It becomes nothing more than grains of sand in an hourglass, falling into a pile only to be turned upside down again. No wonder our young people live in a “ ...whatever...” world. For them, everything is in flux.

The human mind needs the guardrails of absolute truth, as surely as children thrive under acceptable rules of conduct rapidly followed by swift justice for infractions. How can the average or below average young mind handle complex evaluations otherwise? Without parameters, every “if/then” situation becomes nothing more than a throw of the dice with no ceiling, no standardization, no moral frame of reference. The fabric of our present society is riddled with dropped stitches and flaws due to years of cultural relativism for whatever reasons. Political pressure, public pressure, misguided do-gooderism, and simple ignorance have all had their hand in ill-equipping our children for entry into the fast world of our national economy.

A friend of mine manages these kids in the food service business. He sings his woes to me. Because the economy is so good, young people can choose to switch jobs instead of developing personal job skills. My friend tells me how his employees are incapable of making change even when every price, sale tax included, has been rounded to the nearest quarter. How walking in their personal “style” prevents them from moving quickly and with purpose. How speaking in an intelligible dialect is an affront to their sensibilities. And you can forget writing altogether, because spelling and the standard formation of letters are nonexistent. Even showing up for work is a matter of personal choice. Not only does the need for personal change never occur, it isn’t even considered for future contemplation.

Because the economy is so healthy, there is a glut of available jobs. It is possible to move from one entry-level job to another if fired for not showing up for work. Currently, there is no need to develop a better personal work ethic. If some work related problem arises, these young people are ill prepared to deal with it. They choose the method of problem solving they have been taught – the path of least resistance - and simply move on to the next situation. After all, everything is in flux and relative. Our own economic good fortune has become the course of their downfall. But what happens when, not if, the economy eventually declines?

A dynamic economy requires absolute truth. Hard facts are required. Your product either works or it doesn’t. It is available or it isn’t. Planes are on time or they aren’t. Customers are there to be satisfied, even the ones that are intent on being dissatisfied. When the music stops, someone is going to be left without a chair.

Which gets us back to the revolving door of employment young people are currently enjoying. The current system of relativism has left them sorely prepared for life. The only entrepreneurs among this group are criminals. Does this mean society can “tsk, tsk” while saying, “We did everything we could” while continuing to deny the existence of absolute Truth? The evidence speaks louder than words.

The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good. Psalm 14:1

One only has to look into the eyes of the lost lambs behind the service counter to know this culture of relativism has sacrificed Truth for political expediency and we are drenched in the blood of innocents.

Compassion Requires Truth and Love

2007-04-21T20:47:00.000-05:00

My husband did a Google search on me the other night and came across two comments I made to this man's post last November. He asked me to post these comments here at The Jackalope's Voice, so here goes:

Nate,

I found your link from “ROT Unmasked” post. First, I am very sympathetic to your problem with chronic pain as I too am a sufferer. My prayers go out to you that you may find mercy with those that treat you. It is a very difficult road and I cannot even begin to explain to you how my spiritual life has developed in light of this sorrow. I would encourage you to seek not only solace for your soul, but the wisdom and understanding that is found in The Bible. I thought I knew what Christianity and religion was all about having been raised in a “Christian” home. But, it wasn’t until I read the entire book for myself that I learned of the Big Picture, the magnificent puzzle that is God’s revelation to man. It opened my eyes to understanding the political world and the nature of man. It is that view that explains why I think going to Iraq was the right thing. My husband and I are conversational English partners with many people, especially from South Korea. My father served in the army in Korea and was presented with the Bronze Star for meritorius valor. A real act of bravery that would make John Kerry’s Silver Star tarnished in comparison, but I digress.

I never really understood what Korea or any subsequent war was all about, until I saw a French woman weeping and paying homage to the D-Day Paratrooper that stood in the doorway of the cellar where she and her family were hiding during the 50th year celebration. You see, they knew that if that man in the doorway was a German soldier, they would be dead. We can only appreciate the relief the family felt when it was revealed that the uniformed man in the doorway was some farmboy from the Midwest - an American, when we understand the horror of human nature. Fifty years later, this woman was overwhelmed with gratitude that a farmboy from the Midwest had thought it important to protect her freedom and liberty. I watched this happen on t.v. and I was moved to tears. I now understood. And likewise, these people that I meet from South Korea, they all tell of the gratitude that they have of men like my father because they know it was only through men like him and the grace of God that prevented them from living in the terror that is North Korea. Evil must be confronted at all times, from the school yard bully, to the government that threatens to wipe another free people off the face of the earth.

This is not politic, this is the fact of living in a fallen world, as we religious zealots would say. If we see evil and do not confront it, then we are not men. Iraq is the place were that is happening. If we leave without victory, then we will each be responsible for the genocide that will take place as every Iraqi with a purple-stained finger will be eradicated so that the new totalitarian regime can establish their “utopia”. All people yearn to be free, but human nature rears up its ugly head and wants to control and be in power over others. That is the nature of this fallen world.

Again, I am so sorry that you suffer such pain. I am home from church today because I just have to stay off my feet because of my pain. It is constant and then more than I can bear. I’m grieved to know that someone young is having to suffer so. I will pray for you.

I would like to participate in ROT’s Vincent, you and the others mentioned in the post to get a new perspective on Texas and U.S. politics.

Sincerely,
Nancy Coppock

Here is his response:

Thank you for commenting Nancy. I can see you have your view and it is rooted in your spirituality. I have to admire that… but I also have to disagree with it. For every South Korean or French family that rejoices remembering an American soldier in their doorway, there is a Vietnamese family that remembers the sight of an American with horror. I wish I could believe that everytime we send out soldiers somewhere, we do it because we are right and we are fighting evil. But I can’t anymore. When I was a child, I saw the world in black and white, good vs. evil. When I grew up, I discovered there was only grey. The world hasn’t fallen; it is as it always was.

Probably my view is also reflective of my spirituality. I have long wanted to believe in a God, a supreme being who keeps the universe just and fair. But faith, by its very definition, is a kind of ignorance. It is unquestioning belief in the absence of evidence. I could never be happy with myself or with the universe if it is reliant on self-imposed ignorance. I need proof, I need evidence, I need to see and to know.

That’s why when I see what we’re doing in Iraq, I can’t just sit back and have faith that we’re right and that we’ll be victorious. The evidence I see seems to suggest that our presence there is only making things worse.

My reply:

I love that! Who says that there is a Vietnamese family that remembers an American soldier with horror? Several years ago I had a discussion with the college student son of the owners of the Vietnamese restaurant my family patronized. I apologized to him that for all he and his family had been through that when they finally get to America, we turn around and elected our own version of his oppressors, Bill Clinton. I was just talking out of the blue to this young man. We had never spoken before. He readily agreed with me, adding that the Democratic Party was like the communists his family had fled, in that they always made big promises that would never be kept. He said people would vote for the Democrats because they wanted something, but it would never work out like they thought.

Now, I realize that this is anecdotal, but I would propose that the idea of the fear of American soldiers is a myth and that the truth is what the people actually say. Of course there are the incidents of criminal behavior but I would chalk that up to human nature of the individual rather than to cast aspersions on the entire group. For instance, if a member of your high school commited a crime, does that mean the entire alumni are all criminals? In the larger picture, America is good. Indeed, my Korean friend only yesterday was commenting that compared to the rest of the world, America was the least corrupt nation that he had ever known. So, it would seem even our dirtiest slime, is cleaner than any other nation’s slime. I laughed, of course, because I decry any slime, at any time. So, maybe you are looking through the eyeglasses in reverse. Maybe, it’s time to change your perspective. You are still young.

In our spiritual discussion, I would remind you that we do live in a fallen world. Because we yearn for something different is truly evidence that this is not our home. Why would we desire something that doesn’t seem to exist if it truly does not exist? Man is imperfect, of that I am sure! And this world is certainly not just….or the ugly people would have all the money, to quote a line from Laurie Anderson. ha! But seriously, that does not mean a perfect God does not exist. Or that because of the vulgar nastiness of human nature, we should not strive to live beyond those baser instincts. If you think THIS world is bad, just consider what it could be like should the few cease striving after the sublime! We would become the horror of Commander Kurtz in “Apocolypse Now” which was not really a movie about the truth of the war, but actually a commentary on the darkness of the human heart as written by Joseph Conrad.

Faith is actually a gift from God [link added 4-21-07]. It’s not really anything we are capable of creating. Faith is a gift and gifts must be accepted and opened to be enjoyed. For this reason, so many people lack faith because it does come from God and we willingly refuse the gift. Faith is not a magic act or trick that we fool our minds with. That truly is the definition of ignorance and therefore deplorable in the eyes of God. Faith is not ceasing in our questioning, indeed true faith is an ever expanding gift. Sort of like a Russian matroska doll in reverse.

In the war on terror, we can not have faith we will be victorious, because faith without works is dead. However, we must be resolved to accept nothing short of victory because to lose is to exchange our way of life for slavery to an alien ideology. To be defeated will end our way of life. This is an enemy that will not just sit in the land that they would then dominate. This is an enemy that will track our way of life down to the ends of the earth. I can not willingly flinch into a future like the movie Brazil with bombs going off in the mall and life trying to ignore it or an ideology tracking even my thoughts into the recesses of my mind. And people think Christian Republicans are the enemy? Hello? You and I are just enjoying a sparing of wits and ideas, there is no burka to throw over you or a sword in my hand. We need to pray to the Almighty that we are victorious in this fight, not only for liberty and freedom for others, but for our own precious way of life. There’s nothing more like the spirit of anti-christ when a people would kill anyone in the name of God!

Your blog title says that you are a cripple. What is your condition and the cause of your pain? I truly care for your position and I share in your sorrows. Truly, this world is not our home. I would again encourage you to pick up the Bible to discover more about the great mystery of God’s revelation of Himself to us. Abraham searched for the city whose foundations were laid by God and this was counted as righteousness to him. Knock and the door will be opened unto you. Seek Him and you shall find Him. I know this is true, that once I was blind, but now I see and no one can debunk that which I am totally aware of what happened.

With sincerity,
the jackalope’s voice

The Other Declaration of Independence

2007-03-05T07:31:00.000-06:00

The original Thirteen Colonies have a legitimate claim to be the cradle of liberty for all Americans, with Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Virginia having particularly strong cases. But another part of America has a proud and too often ignored history of proclaiming liberty throughout the land, unto all the inhabitants thereof.

Another March 2nd has come and gone with barely a mention of it here in Texas. For those not fluent in Texas history, March 2, 1836 was the date of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Now, granted there were some mentions in the local newspaper and some celebrations throughout the state but overall the date passes largely unnoticed.

The brave words of our beloved state's Declaration of Independence are not quoted by schoolchildren or state opinion journalists. My own local paper does make mention of the date in the "On This Date in History" section alongside "1923 - Time Magazine debuted." But there was a fun program at the site of the signing with re-enactors living as settlers of the age. From the declaration come some beautiful words proclaiming the logic of liberty:

"When a government has ceased to protect the lives, liberty and property of the people, from whom its legitimate powers are derived, and for the advancement of whose happiness it was instituted, and so far from being a guarantee for the enjoyment of those inestimable and inalienable rights, becomes an instrument in the hands of evil rulers for their oppression."

In 1820, Moses Austin negotiated land grants for settlers with the Spanish government in San Antonio. His son, Stephen F. Austin proceeded to bring settlers into the area with the promise of 1,280 acres for families at 12.5 cents per acre. The next year Mexico won its independence from Spain and re-negotiation of the land grants began, even though the "Texians" had joined in the fight for Mexican independence. Originally, the newly established Mexican government was supposed to be a liberal federalist democracy. However. the new government led by Valentin Gomez Farias so angered religious leaders and conservatives that another rebellion quickly ensued, led by Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Santa Anna, previously a leader in the fight for Mexican independence, now declared Mexico unfit for democracy and declared himself dictator. When captured by General Sam Houston at the battle at San Jacinto, Santa Anna was recorded to have said:

"...it is very true that I threw up my cap for liberty with great ardor, and perfect sincerity, but very soon found the folly of it. A hundred years to come my people will not be fit for liberty. They do not know what it is, unenlightened as they are, and under the influence of a Catholic clergy, a despotism is the proper government for them, but there is no reason why it should not be a wise and virtuous one."

The Texas War for Independence and the American War for Independence were fought for the same ideals: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But Texas took particular note of one issue: without the right of personal property and the right to defend it, liberty becomes a moot point. Personal private property is integral to what makes the United States of America the great nation it has become, despite the original Declaration's ignoring of the concept.

Our Texas Independence Day has been overshadowed for years now by the holiday, Cinco de Mayo, a day scarcely even noted in Mexico, but for some reason adopted in America as a celebration of Mexican ethnicity. This follows the East Coast pattern of St. Patrick's Day for the Irish, Columbus Day for the Italians, and the bluntly ethnic Puerto Rico Day, unadorned with any great personage or event as an excuse, celebrated in New York City as a means of giving parade parity to a major ethnic bloc.

Cinco de Mayo is not a celebration of Mexican independence or liberty. Rather it is a celebration of a Mexican dictatorship defeating the army of the French dictatorship, that of Napoleon III in 1862.

Cinco de Mayo celebrations in Texas are a month-long extravaganza with the local grocery chain offering sales on all your Cinco de Mayo needs: chips, salsa and Corona beer. Ad flyers fill Sunday papers and mailboxes across Texas and the entire Southwest. There are Cinco de Mayo sales on everything imaginable - picnic sets, grills, coolers, cars and trucks. There are town festivities, park festivities, family festivities. It rivals Super Bowl Sunday as a major event in the gustatory calendar.

A day like March 2nd just doesn't have the castanet clacking, magenta and green can-can skirt-swishing allure of a May 5th celebration. And it's sad to say that unless the rowdiness of a "Come and Take It!" or a "line in the sand" party of an Alamo burndown stirs in the hearts of Texans, we may doom our own good fortune of liberty.

As noted in our Texas Declaration of Independence:

"When, in consequence of such acts of malfeasance and abdication on the part of the government, anarchy prevails, and civil society is dissolved into its original elements. In such a crisis, the first law of nature, the right of self-preservation, the inherent and inalienable rights of the people to appeal to first principles, and take their political affairs into their own hands in extreme cases, enjoins it as a right towards themselves, and a sacred obligation to their posterity, to abolish such government, and create another in its stead, calculated to rescue them from impending dangers, and to secure their future welfare and happiness."

America continues to draw immigrants from all over the world, because the liberty we have unshackled enables humans of all hues to live better, happier, richer lives. Texas, for its part, draws people from all over the world and all over America to our own brand of freedom and opportunity. Located as we are on the Southern border, a share of these arrivals have not bothered with the formalities demanded, and due to "acts of malfeasance and abdication on the part of the government, anarchy prevails" on the border.

Unless we defend the cause proclaimed in the Texas Declaration of Independence as a superior ideal, Mexico will never change and we will cease to be.

Note: article first posted at American Thinker

Another Thing My Daddy Told Me

2007-02-21T10:46:00.002-06:00

My Dad was a man of few words. He volunteered to serve in Korea where he was wounded by mortar fire, which cost him his left eye. He led two other soldiers back to safety after they were all separated from their troop, even though wounded in the face. He was awarded a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. My Dad would never talk of this. He was a very humble man. A man that loved his country.

Back in the early '70's the local Mobil gas station was handing out flag decals that said, "Love it or Leave." He put one in the window of his '67 Mustang and there it flew proudly until some barbarian spit a big hock of tobacco juice on it. I remember my Dad scraping the flag off his window, an act I came to understand as a show of his reverence for our flag. He would never place the flag he loved in a position for desecration. Our family loves to fly our flag. My Mom, who lives next door, never misses a day to fly the flag. She makes sure there is a flag flying on Dad's grave.

Another thing my Dad told me was, "Never trust a Democrat in war." As we watch the events unfold in Congress, I am reminded of how right he was . When asked by WTAW radio host Scott Delucia to explain his vote for the non-binding resolution, Rep. Chet Edwards (D, TX 17) basically said that those constituents angry with him could go pound sand. Chet said that our anger over his vote was what was great about a democracy. Forget representation, Chet's a party-owned man. He did say that he probably wouldn't vote to de-fund the troops. However, the jackalope did not hear a firm answer, since Chet was hedging in the bushes like the yellow dog he is.

All District 17 constituents must come to the realization that Chet cares nothing for the military he says he serves. Instead, he uses our veterans like a welfare pimp, scaring the bejeebers out of them every two years with threats that they won't receive health care or be able to cash their V.A. checks if they don't vote for Ol' Chet. Our veterans deserve better. Daddy was right. Never trust a Democrat in War!

Rantings of the Heart

2007-01-31T13:18:00.000-06:00

One good way to explore the nuances of the Leftist agenda is to listen to their rants. It is there they speak from the depths of their heart.

It must be understood that these dark recesses were formed in their early college years when absolute fear of something larger than themselves led them to burn bras, draft-cards, the flag, and what ever else could be ignited with a Molotov cocktail. Taught by their rich parents that they were the future hope of America, these children took it completely to heart, devoutly believing America was ready for a complete overhaul. Why else would their parents have placed so much emphasis on America’s need for their ideas? So, they, like their Russian nihilist compatriots, shared the belief that in order for new hope, everything must be destroyed. As Laugh-In’s Arte Johnson documented, it was all “veery interesting, but stupid.”

How better to explain Al Gore’s 2000 campaign rant, “Everything that should be up is down, and everything that’s down should be up”? Those that who did not participate in The Revolution, who went on about their lives, growing up, getting a job, marrying, and having families, are having trouble following the fluid dogmatism that passes as political debate. Looking through the eyeglass in reverse is hard work for people that are accustomed to taking people at their word and believing that deep down everyone is a good person. A good person just doesn’t want to contemplate the horrors that lie in the depths of the human heart, unless they have personally experienced the trauma of the results of those deeds. Just as the latest convert to 2nd Amendment Rights is a liberal that was mugged the night before, there are many of us that have experienced the gulag treatment when we innocently ran into the intolerance of Political Correctness.

I wonder if the Duke lacrosse players accused of rape are comforted that D.A. Mike Nifong founded his sense of ethics by becoming a conscientious objector of the Viet Nam war? Such are the ethics founded on self-preservation rather than transcendent laws of God. Why should normal America be surprised at the lengths Nifong would go in order to preserve his elected position? Or for that matter, any self-serving politician, journalist, or government worker? What else should we expect from a revolutionary generation steeped in the childish virtues of selfishness and lack of personal responsibility?

The success of The Revolution means that the barbarians who burned their bras, spit on veterans, trolled through trailer parks in their astro-turfed el Camino and ultimately drove their car off a bridge while in a drunken stupor causing the drowning death of a girlfriend are now the leaders. Down with the Establishment— the Revolution made such behavior moral. Or as Dostoevsky mused, “All things are legal in the absence of God.”

When we view things thusly, Al Gore’s rant about everything being backwards is completely logical. When you gaze in a mirror darkly, silliness and depravity begins to make sense. Not every person is a good person when you have the courage to examine the results of his deeds. But only a culture accepting of profound truths can realize bad ends for what they are and how they were formed. A revolutionary culture will brook no evidence of an overwhelming truth if it comes to revealing the fallen nature of man because the facts begin to cut to the quick.

They have railed against the norm so long that it comes naturally to oppose anything coming from normal Americans, regardless of how insane it makes them sound. Consider Senator Clinton’s nails on the blackboard screech:

“I am sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and you disagree with this administration, somehow you’re not patriotic!
And we should stand up and say we are Americans, and we have a right to debate and disagree with any administration!”

The entire rant can be explained as the continued assault on The Establishment, the unjust Constitution of the United States of America, and anything that smacks of Western Civilization and its morality. Therefore, it is dangerous to take these words at face value. In the looking-backwards uber-reality, patriotism is what normal Americans would call national self-loathing.

It is to normal America’s chagrin that the War on Terror is causing a national mass flashback. The original revolutionaries operate today’s hysteria, aided by: a) sleepers in areas of government intelligence, b) those that missed out on the Big Event the first time around, and then fleshed out with c) the deluded masses of the “useful idiots”. Just as Patty Hearst was turned into “Tania” by her SLA “tutors”, everyday Americans become the revolution’s Stockholm victims through nightly newsreaders presenting misinformation as fact.

As exhibited by the Cindy Sheehan crowd, the chants are the same but the rants are ratcheted up with the steroid pumping of the MSM. Thinking otherwise has become almost impossible, as if your brain is overwhelmed by the bass bumping ‘ride’ sitting next to you at a signal light. If normal Americans aren’t in the minority, you sure couldn’t tell it by the loudness of what passes for debate. Dissembling has become the method of answering a direct question. “It all depends on what the definition of is, is.” You can almost hear as the group joint passes around: “Like, man… it’s that whole east/west thing, man.”

A good nihilist motto of today would be: Something into nothing, and nothing into something. This explains why the Sandy Berger affair is a B-story and the Scooter Libby non-story is the main deal. Both stories are misinterpreted by our thumpin’ MSM until the true facts are destroyed into a nihilistic pabulum. All this serves in keeping the “useful idiots” both idiots and useful. They never think to question the shifting political machinations of their handlers, such as in the various stances the Left has postulated on Iraq. Today’s sound bites’ escalating volume effectively drowns out yesterday’s news.

Another effective tool of the sleeper nihilists is when endless cable news coverage ends up talking about what people said about what the newsmaker said, rather than in what the original source actually said. Pretty soon, the actual quotes are changed in the people’s minds as in those that now believe President Bush actually said we must go into Iraq because of weapons of mass destruction.

But all the above is just sideshow hucksterism to keep everyone guessing under which shell the marble hides. Rational political debate is impossible if one side operates entirely on emotionalism. These bad children acting out in public hold Normal America hostage. Compound that by fear of what others will think if we were to give them the spanking they so desperately deserve. Which in some way explains why the Capital Hill Police were ordered to stand down and not interfere as anti-war protesters spray painted anarchists graffiti on the Capital steps after being stoked up by revolutionary re-treads like Jane Fonda and Susan Sarandon. When will we truly grow tired of cleaning up their messes?

Adult Americans are caught flat-footed every time by the bizarre meanderings of reasoning when they attempt to engage in civil discourse. Name-calling enters the debate and the tangent begins discussing how George W. Bush really does have beliefs in common with Hitler and the debate of ideas devolves into the intended chaos. But the method to the madness is to discredit anyone daring to question revolutionary rule. If normal America is akin to Hitler, then everything thing the Left proposes is good and beneficial to the continuity of the nation rather than all that establishment stuff that has stood the test of time.

These 60’s radicals never grew up by having to face the results of their deeds, never met a value that they couldn’t subvert and undermine, or lived under the restrictions they so glibly force on everyone else. They stuck their tongues out at their fathers, at their ministers and priests, and at everything that made this nation different among all the nations of the world. For them, the real prize is the total redefining of normal American ideals. Real America had better realize that these revolutionaries are serious and playing for keeps. Just listen carefully to the rantings of their heart and all is completely clear.

A Letter from the President's Congressman

2007-01-24T12:59:00.000-06:00

Well folks, it’s “Darkness at Noon” when constituents receive a letter from the President’s Congressman down here in Texas. Chet Edwards (D) is now a 9-term incumbent and luckily 13th most powerful Congressman in D.C. Chet is perfectly conversant in the dialectical nuances of political double speak and intrigue as brilliantly described in the Arthur Koestler novel. In this letter the reader must be astute in recognizing that definitions are blurred and skewed by a fluid dogmatism, flush with rushing currents of emotionally nuanced meanings yet devoid of sense and substance, all delivered by the bracing smile of a glittering bear trap.

Americans Expect Bipartisan Cooperation from Congress
A column by Congressman Chet Edwards

In the election of 2006, voters across the country exercised their right to change the culture in Washington*. The American people are sick and tired* of the partisan* bickering* and desperately want to see more bipartisan* cooperation in Washington. I agree. What members of Congress often forget is that the American people are in charge of this democracy and understand that no political party has a monopoly on wisdom. When they do forget, responsive citizens* make their voices heard and their demands clear through elections, voters across the country exercised their right to change the culture in Washington*.

___________________________________

Lexicon

*change the culture of Washington – the effective elimination of opposition forces by The Revolution*.

*sick and tired – a reference to Senator Hilary Clinton’s rebellious rant (see below+) against The Establishment.

* bickering – the inability of The Party* to declare victory through logical debate thereby causing outbursts of emotional duress which travels to responsive citizens* via sound-bites that then disturbs the peace of mind of the mind-numbed causing further outbursts of emotional duress and tension.

* partisan – the opposition forces that must be destroyed by The Revolution
* bipartisan –total adherence to the rules of The Party.

* responsive citizens - voters whose minds have been shaped by The Party; these citizens have no memory of the past making them unquestioning advocates of The Revolution and The Party it established through endless policy shifts and political positioning, their minds are fed through sound-bites, news headlines, political cartoons, and propaganda movies from Hollywood or documentaries produced by ex-Vice-Presidents or members of The Revolution.

*unresponsive citizens – those that resist The Revolution and The Party it established; those still operating under the values of The Establishment; thought criminals; also see obstructionists*.

* obstructionist – anyone not active in The Revolution either through passivity or ignorance; some obstructionists are cultural terrorists because of actions in their fields that do not promote the success of The Revolution; a cultural terrorist is considered a high danger to The Revolution because their work and thoughts either reveal the unworkable processes of The Revolution or provide enlightenment to the passive citizenry of the glory of the unjust Constitution* and the tenants of faith and values of The Establishment.

*Unjust Constitution - the Constitution of the United States of America.

* The Revolution – the social chaos that began in the 1960’s that sought the overthrow and eliminate of The Establishment*and overthrow the unjust Constitution and the government.

*The Party – The righteous government replacing the unjust Constitutional government of The United States of America.

* The Establishment – the moral and intellectual values of corrupt businessmen, certain religious leaders espousing belief in one God, His Holy Word, sin and redemption, and citizens that pay homage to an unjust Constitution and government; also when the Revolutionaries were young 20-somethings their motto creed was “Don’t trust anyone over 30!”; The Establishment is also recognized as the Republican Party, the Party of Nixon who was believed to be evil incarnate, until Ronald Regan came on the scene and epitomized the father figure the revolutionaries despised from their youth for his success and character.

*independence – the euphoria felt when one has thrown down the shackles of moral slavery to The Establishment and the Unjust Constitution; total acceptance of The Revolution and The Party it established.

* patriot, patriotic, patriotism – those citizens and the ideals declaring that this nation, founded on an unjust Constitution, is the source of all turmoil and injustice in the world because of our success as a republic and because of our success through capitalism, an ideology that deprives all workers of paradise.
[Lexicon notes - my own]

__________________________________________________________________

Well, there you have it, The Party* has spoken and its mandate is clear: republican wisdom was overthrown by responsive citizens*. The partisan* bickering* caused by The Party having to constantly screech about the previously mandated Republicans wanting to do things according to their establishment* values will now be controlled under the rule of bipartisan* cooperation. Those unresponsive citizens* that remember the blackboard screeching of:

“I am sick and tired of people who say that if you debate and you disagree with this administration, somehow you’re not patriotic*!
And we should stand up and say we are Americans, and we have a right to debate and disagree with any administration!”+

don’t understand the voice of The Revolution* and its war against The Establishment* properly. We must learn that The Party simply is, and the 60’s Revolution has achieved its goal and the opposition will learn this through the rigid doctrine of conformity perfected by #2 in the Great Revolution. The citizens of responsive flexibility voted for change, which was not really a change because there only is and only will be, The Revolution and The Party it established. The Party will not tolerate the speech of obstructionists* because the emotions of the Revolution cannot control or triumph through the logic of civil debate.

So, when a Party member talks of independence*, this must not be confused with the historic definition of American independence. Therefore, when Chet tells his constituents of his independent leadership, the newest version of The Party’s lexicon must be consulted.

Though the majority party in Congress has changed, my number one priority has not and that is to continue to provide effective, independent leadership for the people of the 17th district.

We must understand that Chet’s independence means that he is not a representative of the people of District-17; he is a leading standard bearer of the rules of the Revolution and a prime director in The Party. He will not bow when he discusses the Iraq War with his constituent, The President and Commander in Chief. Like William the Conqueror, Chet sallies forth to dialogue with his vassal in a strange indirect dialect built upon blocks of words whose ends don’t coincide. Note how the shape-shifting Congressman slides away from the connection that the troop surge’s effort should be to win the war to a non sequitur referendum on the President’s support in the polls.

Edwards said, he told the president he hoped the new strategy in Iraq wouldn't include an increase in troops. “But if you are going to make that decision, you should send whatever number you believe is right - not a watered-down compromise number - because this could be the last real chance to win Americans' support for a strategy to stabilize Iraq."

Bryan Eagle: Edwards seeks bipartisanship balance Sunday, January 7, 2007

By CRAIG KAPITAN

Bryan-College Station Eagle Staff Writer

Chet can speak dialectical nihilism with the best of Party operatives Over There. Chet’s sense of independence is total allegiance to The Party. But, as the Revolution revealed, choosing The Party is evidence of complete freedom from every moral structure of what used to be referred to as civil society. The success of The Revolution means that the barbarians who burned their bras, spit on veterans, trolled through trailer parks in their astro-turfed el Camino and ultimately drove their car off a bridge while in a drunken stupor and drowning their girlfriend are now the established Directors in The Party. Down with the Establishment, the Revolution made such behavior moral. Or as Dostoevsky mused, “All things are legal in the absence of God.” These 60’s radicals shout and sing joyously, “Long live The Revolution and The Party it established!”

So, don’t be confused when Chet tell us, “[w] hile I will respect those who disagree, I believe the first 100 hours agenda reflects bipartisan, mainstream values shared by a majority of citizens across our district and the country.” Understand that Chet is speaking in terms of his revolutionary values as dictated by The Party lexicon which declares that mainstream values are not the past values of the now defeated Establishment but are instead the make love not war and separation of church and state values of The Revolution. Chet and his responsive citizenry believe partial birth abortion is a mainstream value and that all references of God in the former unjust Constitutional government must be eradicated. Such are the rules established by The Revolution.

The Party believes that those who assisted in destroying The Establishment through The Revolution deserve the spoils of war as the barbarians pull down the very foundation of the former values of the unjust Constitution and its ideals of the pursuit of individual happiness. Even though every government run bureaucracy is a study of inefficiency, every piece of legislation produced in the 110th Congress will establish new bureaucracies in order to provide permanent jobs for Responsive Citizens. For those challenging the Revolution’s Rules through the archaic belief of individual freedom and pursuit of happiness there will be endless taxation to pay the salary of the bureaucracy. Everyone knows those operating outside The Party rules deserve punishment, possibly even mental torture as thought criminal obstructionists try to make ends meet on the leftovers of the fruit of their labor.

Individualists, tremble in fear when you read the President’s Congressman’s plans for the future.

I also believe it will be well-received if the new Congress ultimately sends legislation to the president that protects America from terrorism by implementing the 9-11 Commission recommendations; reduces federal deficits by returning “pay as you go” rules that led to federal surpluses in the 1990’s; sets higher standards for congressional ethics, bipartisanship and civility; cuts college student loan costs in half; increases the minimum wage; saves lives by expanding stem cell research and invests more in alternative energy production.

True free thinkers note there is no reference to defeating the terrorists so they won’t be able to attack us. Implementing the 9-11 Commission recommendations would only seek to make terrorist attacks a mere nuisance while providing permanent jobs for Responsive Citizens. Free Thinkers, the rebels against The Revolution, know that the federal surpluses of the 1990’s were as phony as Enron stock options during the same decade.

The same phoniness goes for the “pay as you go” response to budgeting where bureaucracies prudent to the pursuit of The Revolution have written rules of percentage increases, while those areas that are destructive to The Revolution such as national defense must show just cause for every tax dollar received. Rebels against The Revolution understand that The Party was established on the destruction of establishment morals, so the declaration of setting higher standards for congressional ethics means that those found with bricks of cold cash stashed in their freezer will maintain their seat of power in Congress.

Also, according to the lexicon of The Party, we rebels understand that civility is no longer based upon the defeated ideals of honesty and integrity, but rather is defined as an absence of logical debate because such debates disrupt the emotions of the Responsive Citizen. Unresponsive rebels realize that cutting student loans will cause banks to raise loan rates on everyone else needing a bank loan and that raising the minimum wage is an unnecessary encroachment of government into private business. The Party has perfected the art of spending other people's money in a way that shows them to be charitable and magnanimous. So feel really good about yourself as you pay that extra dollar for your super-sized burger combo deal and realize that Congress is requiring you pay your burger chef more, because they care.

The truly devout thought criminals, those daring to doggedly adhere to religious beliefs and tenants find the idea of saving lives by growing embryos in laboratories for harvest more than a little bit creepy. The new thinking radicals wonder about the government pursuing a course in embryonic stem cell research when private investment in the research is stalled because there has been no real evidence of success. It’s the classic Tom Foley thought pattern: “Because there is no evidence is the reason we must investigate.”

And finally, concerning the energy problem, the absolute rebellious citizens wonder why the hell we haven’t dropped a Hughes Tool drill bit into the frozen ground of ANWAR or begun building new refineries for oil production. Shouldn't energy production provide for the near future and then the distant future?

This is the letter from the President’s Congressman concerning his seat of power in The Party and the future direction of the revolutionized America. It’s twilight in the middle of the day. I see the iron bars settling around me, so where’s the front for the counter-insurgency? Because as a great leader in a Central American Revolution said, “One man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist” and Republicans must recognize on what side of that phrase they fall.

Promoting the Culture of Learning

2007-01-05T08:19:00.000-06:00

To continue the discussion began by Russell Eisenman at American Thinker concerning education and teaching all kinds of students, I begin my topic where Mr. Eisenman left off: understanding the culture of students. In offering my ideas, I readily admit that I was not a university teacher, but rather a mere, but very successful remedial reading teacher in a small town’s middle school. I agree with Dr. Eisenman’s view that having a sense of humor as you teach helps when you are trying to maintain control while surfing the wild waves of the reluctant to learn adolescent heart. With a sense of humor I was able to taunt my students with declarations like: “Reluctant to learn? What are you? Stupid?” or “Why don’t you just gnaw off your arm so you can really be handicapped?” and actually make a point with my loveable little knot heads. However, Dr. Eisenman left off just as he began to discuss culture and learning and I believe that topic needs redirection in education today.

Our present education system is caught in the culture trap. A generation ago, culture was roughly singing and dancing. Before that, we worried about culture; meaning knowing what fork to use in case the boss invited you out to dinner. Today, culture has come to mean simply race and all the accoutrements ascribed to race. In a radical manner, I would like to return to the Miss Manners/Emily Post definition of culture in the subject of education and propose that common decency and good manners is more relevant to the culture of learning than in understanding the culture of race. Good manners and treating others in a fair and gentle way trump racial profiling every time when it comes to establishing a culture of learning in our public schools.

Children have a great sense of justice and when a wise instructor wields this tool effectively even a discipline problem child willingly accepts punishment for disregarding a well-stated campus or classroom rule. In fact, having a just response for infractions is the bedrock in promoting a culture of self-discipline, which in itself is the foundation for the building blocks that comprise a culture of learning. My favorite years of teaching came when working for a principal that promoted a universal discipline program for the entire campus. Each teacher adhered to the disciplines of the program and I never taught at a campus that worked better. The hierarchy of authority was clear and understood by all, which allowed teachers and students alike to thrive in the liberty that existed.

Personal achievement in self-discipline sets a pattern for achievement in learning. As the Shakespeare line states: “This above all: to thine ownself be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.” Success is simply building upon achievement and setting a pattern that promotes success. Through the establishment of a campus culture built upon self-discipline the turmoil that describes many public school campuses becomes a non-issue. Our campus culture was a casual quietness that allowed for the development and revelation of the uniqueness of the individual for both students and teachers. With discipline under control, the joy of teaching flourishes and the students are introduced to the joy and success of learning.

Our classrooms were a culture of learning because it was enhanced by the culture of Miss Manners. Learning the rules of civil conduct is of great value in the culture of education. As Voltaire sardonically quipped, “To succeed in the world it is not enough to be stupid, you must also be well-mannered.” Good manners are a great equalizer regardless of race, home-life, or even intelligence. Knowing how to interact with others in a proper manner is the basis for civil society and to ignore this fact is to do disservice to our children and the future of our civil society in political terms. A classroom operating in this manner produces safety. For students living in a volatile home life the campus and classroom becomes an orderly and safe environment where individuals operate in an understandable and systematic manner. For students struggling to grasp the lesson being taught, there is patience without ridicule. For the achiever there is respect along with development of humility.

There was something wonderful that happened in these classrooms. The students opened up and participated in discussions about the lessons that revealed that they were not only learning and processing the information, but were internalizing the material into their own personal experiences. Now, that is the holy grail of learning. Because I observed that my remedial reading students failed geography, Texas history, and American History, I developed a curriculum of novels and biographies to enhance their historical context. (I should also note that this curriculum also naturally reinforced American ethics rather than the social anarchy being taught in many schools.)

Everything had a bigger purpose as we practiced their reading skills. Development of reading skills such as the main idea, vocabulary and context clues were mixed in with education in historical perspective sprinkled with discussion of character development both of the novel’s characters and that of the students. The program was very successful in real educational terms even in light of the absolute reluctance of some students when it came to standardized tests. The culture of kindness in the classroom allowed me to humorously joke with those that I knew were Christmas tree patterning as they filled in the dots of their scorecard. The reluctant to learn young man is a hard nut to crack and humor is a much better hammer than a screeching woman. The point is that having a principal that promoted a campus culture of self-discipline established the healthy environment for the fragile commodity of the culture of learning.

I would advise all educational experts to resist the sociological drift of the culture of racial profiling and instead study methods of establishing the culture of self-discipline and order in our public schools. It is plain sophistry to believe that race plays a part in learning as if parents of differing races want their children to be ignorant. When discipline is presented as a student’s responsibility, administrators are freed from the culture of political correctness and are able to effectively silence any silliness a parent may use to explain away their child’s bad behavior. (And believe me, silly parents exist.) This idea also effectively reveals incompetent administrators (who exist in alarming numbers), which alert school boards can effectively remedy. An effective community of parents can then hold school board members accountable for their inaction through the ballet box. This idyllic world’s only requirement is a culture of self-discipline: in the community, by the parents and administrators/staff, and ultimately imparted effectively to the students. The culture of education happens when an aura of administrative competence on a campus fosters development of student self-discipline, which in turn establishes order, which engenders the culture of manners, which in turn protects and allows the fragile culture of learning. It sounds so simple that we find we must complicate the absolute simplicity of the truth with educational and sociological scatology. Self-discipline, everyone, self-discipline.

The Danger of the New Tone

2006-11-15T18:17:00.000-06:00

The new buzz is that there is a New Tone in Washington now that the Democrats have reacquired congress. What needs to be examined is at what cost to liberty was this New Tone established. The phrase “New Tone” is akin to the phrase “zero tolerance” as practiced in our public schools. Zero Tolerance means that both the bully and his victim are punished equally for a disturbance on the school grounds. It reminds me of the parable told by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn in The Gulag Archipelago. There are two kinds of criminals, he relates: the political and the criminal. During shipment to the prison camps the politicals became lambs for slaughter by criminals, because if a criminal was caught with a weapon, that was to be expected – after all he was a criminal. However, if a political was caught with a weapon – now that was a crime against the state!

Therefore to properly interpret the newspeak of Zero Tolerance you must understand that if a bully attacks another student in the school hallway, that’s to be expected. He’s an angry bully/gang member, under-educated, possible minority and product of a bizarre home life and therefore not responsible for his actions. He must be rehabilitated, not punished. Now the victim, he will not only be held responsible for defending himself and creating an unsafe environment for others, but will be sent to sensitivity training so he can better understand the rage of his attacker and learn to diffuse this anger by resisting the urge to rightfully pummel his tormentor into crying out for his Uncle.

We used to be a people that celebrated when the schoolyard bully got what he deserved. We used to be citizens that could handle a rough and rowdy political debate, but no more. The Stalinism of the New Tone has dropped an iron blanket on political discourse. Today’s political debates are now highbrow Forums with rules of engagement that would satisfy even United Nations bureaucrats. There are now New Tone unwritten rules such as:

Democrat women cannot be challenged on any topic because they are the weaker sex.

Those suffering from hardships cannot be challenged on any topic unless you have experienced the same pain, and even then, conservatives suffering hardships will be viewed as shameless panderers.

Presentation of facts proving allegations of lying and fraud will be considered a personal attack and is not allowed.

Directly confronting the other forum participant will be considered a personal attack and is not allowed.

Presenting evidence of a Democrat incumbent’s voting record will be considered a personal attack and will be considered shamelessly rude and insensitive by Moderates.

Anyone that does not adhere to the rules of the forum or does not graciously and profusely thank those conducting the forum that just whipped his ass will get an “X” in the box next to the question, “Does he/she work well with others?” and will be deemed not fit for public service.

So, rest sweetly America, because the same stupidity that sends your daughter home from school because of a Tweety Bird keychain bearing a pair of nail clippers, that punishes your son for daring to defend himself when brutally assailed by a hoodlum, or publicly pillories anyone who doesn’t toe the politically correct line, is now the standard operating system for our electoral process.

Moderates will not have their mental health troubled by the need to sort through truth and lies in order to make an educated decision. Nor will they have their dinner disturbed by anything negative, or by gory pictures from the front lines on The War on Terror. News is to be no more disturbing than the weathercast or the sports chatter between the anchors on TV. Moderates have spoken and the iron blanket has descended. The press can continue to report what they want us to think because that’s not divisive or requiring of analytical thought. Politicians will continue to be politic rather than representational. Human nature reigns supreme in Washington D.C. and throughout the world. Moderates refuse to know and therefore they will not tremble in fear for the innocents, whose deaths we won’t learn of unless their bodies are uncovered should their oppressors fall from power. It will only be those American political prisoners that still hold the dream of liberty and freedom to tremble and be afraid because they alone know that the Moderate is the most deadly of all political powers because Moderates absolutely will not confront evil but will undermine every last vestige of imperfect men struggling to do the right thing. The Moderates have come into power and in the Stalinist tactics of the New Tone’s enforced civility their peace of mind will not be disturbed!

Democrats Support the Military Again...NOT!

2006-11-03T06:15:00.000-06:00

The jackalope checked Drudge Report this morning and news was enough to send a lesser mere jackrabbit running for the burrow in fear. But, the jacklope will not run in the face of danger.

Iran has exhibited the capablity to blast Israel off the face of the map.

"Iranian state radio said: "The maneuver is aimed at providing security in the region without the intervention of trans-regional powers, which are trying to justify their presence by portraying the region as convulsive."

The jackalope understands completely that her American idea of security in a region is a far different picture than security under an ayatolla. She's not anxious to be forced to wear a burka and it ain't just because her beautiful antlers would make the outfit fit funny! And so, she fears for the safety of her jackalope brothers and sisters through out the Middle East. Jacklopes are creatures that enjoy their liberty
and freedom.

So, in light of all that, she reads that some DEMOCRAT Congressman from New Jersey fears that troops overseas should have their votes considered for VOTER FRAUD, which in Dem-speak is translated - the votes were misinterpreted as Republican when they should have been and soon will be DEMOCRAT or the votes will be tossed out as illegitimate.

Like, hmmmm are we sensing that the Democratic Party has a certain animous for our men and women serving our country?

The jackalope growls in her low husky voice, "Don't be thinking Chet Edwards (D-TX Congressional District 17) is any different from his kinfolk up in Washington. He just sounds like us, but he sure as hell ain't one of us!"

Another Resounding Vote of Confidence in the Military...not!

2006-11-02T17:47:00.001-06:00

Edwards' Statement on Kerry Comments
October 31, 2006

“As Co-Chair of the bipartisan House Army Caucus and as someone who has represented over 40,000 U.S. Army soldiers who have served in Iraq, I think Sen. Kerry’s comments were at worst deeply offensive, if intended for our troops serving in Iraq, or at the very least, a tasteless and inappropriate criticism of the president. I would continue to urge elected officials on both sides of the aisle not to play politics with our War in Iraq or our War on Terrorism.”

And there you have it folks, Chet Edwards (D) boldly chastising John Kerry via e-mail to Chet's District 17 constituents! That'll really straighten Kerry out on a thing or two! How about ponying up, trick rider? To borrow a phrase from Mary Matalin, "Riding pretty high up in the stradle, there cowboy!"

So, let the jackalope parse this out for y'all, pardners:

"As Co-Chair"

(I'm John Kerry [D-MA] and I served in Viet Nam... I mean, I'm Chet Edwards [D-TX] and I don't want anyone to forget how powerful I am)

"of the bipartisan"

(I'm the meanest s.o.b. those Republicans have ever dealt with. They do it my way, or it's the highway to the media for me, to make comments meant to scare the absolute bejeebers out of my constituents, their constituents, America's constituents until those Republicans cry like babies. Who's your Daddy, huh?)

"House Army Caucus and as someone who has represented over 40,000 U.S. Army soldiers who have served in Iraq,"

(I play those guys like a civil rights pimp 'cause it's all about me and my power. Did I tell you that I'm Chet Edwards [D-TX] and that I'm a powerful member of Congress?)

"I think"

(starting to straddle)

"Sen. Kerry’s comments were at worst"

(hesitation to parse while in straddle mode)

"deeply offensive, if"

(Laura Ingraham has her "but...monkey"; the jackalope has her "if...varmint")

"intended for our troops serving in Iraq,"

(Kerry said it was, but I'm not quite sure...I'm looking into filing a report to look into this assertion, this baseless charge, this swiftboating of a proud veteran, who served in Viet Nam. Who as the last presidential candidate for the Democrat Party, the Party I serve... my constituents up as useful fodder for the progressive ideals I hold near and dear to my heart)

"or at the very least,"

(and he's riding in full straddle, heading for the finish line, and it's a doozy of a race here folks! A doozy of a race!)

"a tasteless and inappropriate criticism of the president."

(and here's the water-boy bringing a fresh pail for our prize pedigree gelding—who twisted a hoof while serving in Viet Nam—but ran a tough race even though swift-boated in the first quarter mile by the evil Karl Rove and that idiot, President Bush, who was selected, not elected)

"I would continue to urge elected officials on both sides of the aisle"

(Republicans need to shut their faces up, and that goes for Stuff't Suit Tony Snow and his doughboy friend, Rush Limbaugh. Don't make me whip this out!)

"not to play politics with our War in Iraq or our War on Terrorism.”

(Do I sing "God Bless America" now? Oh, wait! Hell, I forgot I keep pushing to rip out every endorsement of the Judeo-Christian religion from every aspect of Amerikan lives because I'm a liberal-progressive, pro-abortion, drive-your-15-year-old-across-state-lines-for-a-partial-birth-abortion, Jack-Daniels-sippin', partisan-as-they-come, lying-son-of-a-gun-and-you-kant-do-a-damn-thing-about-it kinda man. Y'all be quiet in there, now. Y'hear? An don' forget to vote for Chet Edwards [D-TX 17] or y'won't be gettin' no more VA health care! Y'know what I mean?)

Yep, ol Chet...he's for you, vets...NOT!!!

Where's Chet?

2006-11-02T05:43:00.000-06:00

Chet Edwards (D) of Texas Congressional District 17 and incumbent seeking yet another term in office because it's a job and he's used to it, has yet to make any comment condemning John Kerry's (D-MA) elistist remarks concerning our military. The jackalope has made it clear that Chet Edwards (D) has hoodwinked our precious veterans into believing he actually cares about them. The truth is, Chet uses our veterans like a civil rights pimp to secure power and ensure his next election. Chet was there defending John Kerry (D) presidential candidate when the veterans that actually served with Kerry came out with the swift boat ads. Chet treated those veterans like they were partisan hacks presenting lies and distortions. In the last election, Chet participated in Wesley Clark's forum on how to get Democrats elected. They weren't going to get "swift boated" like John Kerry and actually have to address a difference of perception as to their necessity to serve the country! Chet gave a lesson on how to conduct a bare knuckles political brawl and bragged about not letting the opponent define him. Like the tenured government employee that he is, Chet was fighting back hard to preserve his own thick slab of bacon, while deceiving our veterans that it was their bacon he was saving.

When it comes to preserving respect for our military, Chet's as missing in action as Amber Alert flower-child Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). Chet's just an also-ran congressional incumbent member of a political party that repeatedly makes it clear that they loathe the military. So, the jackalope cries out for veterans to stop fearing that Chet won't sign their pension or health care checks anymore, because he never did in the first place. The jackalope's America reveres and respects those that served in our military. Veteran's Affairs operates on a year by year budget, but if they have a shortfall, they know all they have to do is ask. But in conscience to the taxpayers the request must not be made to cover lax spending responsiblity. We do still live in a system of checks and balances.

The jackalope urges veterans to not vote simply because of fear. This is the United States of America for crying out loud! But if the jackalope's dear readers know of a veteran convinced he will lose his pension or health care without Chet Edwards, I urge loving wives, sons, daughters, grandchildren, even great-grandchildren to not trouble their precious veteran to change his mind. Just simply vote for a man, Van Taylor that will be a great voice added to a political party that respects everything these men and women have done for us and will never have them cowering in a corner in fear for their check.

Dead Party Walking

2006-10-31T18:28:00.000-06:00

The latest John Kerry silver foot-in-mouth exhibits precisely the arrogance that links today’s Democrats to the Federalist Party of the 1790’s. The Federalists were satisfied with the status quo and were without a vision about how to navigate the new nation further along the path of liberty and freedom. They were caught unaware of the emergence of a new man, the egalitarian. Their own talents, initiative, and relationship to God rather than to man created these new men. They were successful because of liberty and freedom rather than being descendents of a family of privilege or connections to those in power. Sensing the power of these new entrepreneurial men, Thomas Jefferson gathered various grassroots groups into a classical republican campaign that pushed forward the experiment of a government by the people and for the people into new territories of liberty, freedom and equality. By the turn of the century, America had shed itself of the Federalist Party.

The Federalists had unintentionally fallen into the well-worn shoes of their English overlords, believing in the strength of their power simply because they were in power rather than because of the strength of their ideas. And such is the case of today’s Democrat Party: a party with absolutely no new ideas to further the greatness of this nation. They are a party believing that the only problem that faces the nation is their own lack of power. Lack of power is hardly a resounding vote-garnering issue since the only people that want them back in power are their cronies in business, politics and the media. It should be crystal clear to all that John Kerry’s sense of elitism is not an anomaly in the Democratic Party. He speaks as the Democrat’s last Presidential candidate and current voice of the party. It should be noted that this is the way virtually all Democrats view the huddled masses they govern. Just as Kerry’s elitism is viewed distastefully, it was this same sense of elitism, and assumption of political posterity that finished off America’s first political party. Kerry’s complete repudiation of any apology to our troops should be viewed as a ticking time bomb set to go off this election cycle bringing complete destruction of today’s Democrat Party. American liberty and egalitarianism refuses to bow under arrogance. Not Kerry’s snotty remarks about our troops to Bill Clinton wagging his nasty finger in our face. Unwarranted arrogance is not an American virtue.

But elitism alone is not significant enough to warrant political death. It is the complete absence of ideas of vision that is their ultimate foe. Every idea proposed is a re-tread of the same-old same-old. Listen to Texas Congressional District 17 incumbent Chet Edwards (D) and you hear the litany of Democrat blindness. The shtick is that Edwards is some sort of “maverick” conservative in the Democrat Party, but nothing could be further from the truth. He proposes raising taxes on the “rich” – anyone making over $30K – while providing “tax relief” to the “middle class” – those who pay no taxes at all, but would now also receive a check from the munificent government via Chet Edwards. He scares veterans with base-line budgeting carney-ism, threatening their peace of mind because “he cares more” than evil republicans. He scares seniors about the idea of social security reform that wouldn’t affect them but would be of great benefit to their grandchildren. And then Chet has the onions to sign on to AARP’s plan to raise taxes on social security to make their piddlin’ checks even smaller. He wants to tax e-commerce, repeal the Bush tax cuts, tax to bring down the deficit, tax to keep schools in the sorry state they’re in, tax to pay for partial-birth abortions, and yak, yak, yak. It’s just a big “Eminent Front” – a put on – without a new thought in the entire refrain. And all across the nation there is district after district offering one of these also-ran retread incumbents as the “vision” of the American future. It’s just LBJ and the Great Society taxing us into prosperity all over again.

It reminds me of the joke that floated around in those heady days of Democrat opulence and regality via The Great Society.

Moses told the people to pack up their shovels, load up their camels, and saddle up their asses because they were headed for the Promised Land.

LBJ told the people to throw down their shovels, light up their Camels and sit on their asses, because this was the Promised Land.

And such has been the last 40 years of Democrat control. The same group of people speaking down to the same subservient people who bow in fealty while hoping for a scrap of government largesse because the tax man has effectively removed any discretionary cash from the family wallet. Even though it has been shown that tax cuts bring in more government funds to cover not only the current budget but also bring down the deficit, the tax, tax, tax, spend, spend, spend Democrat plan is repeated ad nauseum. Their vision is simply to control every aspect of our lives while rewriting the “broken” Constitution to deny us our own rights and liberties yet extending those rights to every citizen of the world. “We shall willingly oppress ourselves because we are free to do so” is the standard they will impose on us because of their elitist sensibilities and backwards vision.

Those that would say that the Republicans in Congress deserve to lose are only breathing new life in this walking dead monstrosity of political elitism. Instead, let us hasten Democrat political demise by sticking with our own team as riddled with human nature as humans are prone to be. And as far as a new political vision try this one:

Imagine a future with no Democrats serving even locally as dogcatcher. Where a triumphant Republican Party eventually splits into Republicans and Libertarians. Where the order of the day is watching Washington powers begin “The Game” as to which political party can butt out of our lives the fastest. Now, there’s a political vision!