A Time for Choosing Again

The following is the text of a speech I gave during two separate appearances before Republican committee’s last week. Depending on the audience members point of view, they either enjoyed it or they were squirming in their seats:

Ladies and Gentleman...thank you for your invitation to speak before you tonight.

I have the luxury of not running for office or relying on a pay check that requires me to be polite, or diplomatic in my presentation. It is quite liberating to be able to offer observations unencumbered by who I might offend.

Today (October 28) we mark an important anniversary for conservatisms, and in turn the Republican Party. It was 45 years ago today that Ronald Reagan gave one of his greatest speeches….”A Time For Choosing.” It was in that speech that then citizen Reagan not only defended the principals of conservatism, but put socialism on notice:
“You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We'll preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we'll sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness.”

Most of you are gathered here today because you see your State and your Country at the edge of that darkness. And sadly I must tell you that some in the Republican Party are willing participants in our shared fate. The Republican Party lost its way, becoming nothing more than Democrat-light; interested more in vote harvesting and staying in power. It seems that our party motto became – “Any Republican is better than a Democrat.” But where has that gotten us?

Both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party now share the same predicament, the American people don’t trust either one. The Republican Party forgot the words of Jack Kemp - “You serve you party best, by serving your country first.” It is time for the Republican Party to embrace that statement once again, because God knows the Democrats won’t.

So before we can take back our State and our Country, we must first take back our Party. Because you see, there are those that call themselves Republican and have no clue what that means. Worse yet there are those that call themselves moderate Republican, conservative Republican, and my new favorite oxymoron Liberal Republican.

I actually chuckle when I hear all of these terms, but I am most amused when I hear people describe themselves as a Conservative Republican……….or delineate by stating they are a social conservative or fiscal conservative. Well, I am here to tell you today that the very essence of the Republican Party is conservative. The first Republican platform, its last platform, and all the platforms in-between are the very model of principled conservatism. Don’t believe me, you tell me if this is a moderate, liberal or a conservative statement (from the 2008 Republican Party platform):

This is a platform of enduring principle, not passing convenience — the product of the most open and transparent process in American political history. We offer it to our fellow Americans in the assurance that our Republican ideals are those that unify our country: Courage in the face of foreign foes. An optimistic patriotism, driven by a passion for freedom. Devotion to the inherent dignity and rights of every person. Faith in the virtues of self-reliance, civic commitment, and concern for one another. Distrust of government's interference in people's lives. Dedication to a rule of law that both protects and preserves liberty.

But too many people seem to have difficulty saying the word Conservative out loud. Some whisper it like a mark of shame, afraid that they will be tarred and feathered by the villagers. The only shame is that we have forgotten what we stand for, and thus the country is in far worse shape for our own ignorance.

But there is more hope for the Republican Party than the Democratic Party, and why do I say that?

40% of the people in this country identify themselves as conservative; 36% identify themselves as independent (with center to right leanings), and only 20% identify themselves as liberal. Republicans know how to be conservative, and as we found out in 2006 and 2008, we are terrible at being liberal.

Over the past few months there have been a lot of words that begin with “R - E” thrown about. Reenergize, rebuild, refocus, regroup, and rejuvenate. Folks, these are merely marketing terms that will only cause further mistrust. The Republican Party must be true to itself, which in turn will earn the trust of the people, because there is too much at stake if you and I fail.

In the speech “A Time for Choosing,” Reagan understood that America was the last best hope for the world; that if the torch of freedom was extinguished here, then the warming light of liberty dies everywhere. I say to you that if you believe that America is the last best hope for the world, then it is the Republican Party that is the last best hope for America.

Ronald Reagan did not stand in front of us and call himself a Conservative Republican; he simply called himself a Republican because he understood to be Conservative was to be Republican, and to be Republican was to be Conservative. The only way for us to return the Republican Party to a party that serves the people is to return to the grassroots of conservatism that made us great, and avoid any further watering down of our principals in an effort to come across as more appealing.

The justification for watering down the core beliefs of the Republican Party is the often heard phrase that we are a “Big Tent Party.” There is some truth to that statement…we are the Big Tent Party, and all are welcome. But that does not mean you check your principals at the door before you enter. No…..it means that you enter the tent prepared to stand for something greater than yourself….greater than the next fundraiser…..or greater than the next election!
For you see, this tent stands strong because it is being held up by poles of principals. This tent stands strong because of great Republican leaders such as Reagan, Coolidge, and Lincoln, who stood firm on the principals that made this party great. The Republican Party is strongest when it uses the Declaration of Independence and The Constitution as its firm footing, a foundation to keep us away from the dangers of that darkness President Reagan warned us about. In the words of President Lincoln:

“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.”

There can be no comprise or moderation when the cause is just, when the hope of an entire planet rest with us, you and I, choosing the right course. But with the Constitution as our North Star, always there to point us home, not only as a country, but as a people committed to the cause of liberty. But we must be willing to use it, because if we chose to ignore it, America will be lost at sea until it sinks from the weight of its own ignorance.

So let’s you and I dabble with the suggestion from those who feel we should be more moderate. Where should that moderation be applied? Which of the issues should you and I comprise on? That the redistribution of wealth is fair and just? That higher taxes are there to serve the people? That the chain of debt that is already weighing down future generations is not our problem? That a stronger centralized government is in the best interest of America? That the Constitution is a living, breathing document, open to generational interpretation?

Or is just simpler that the Republican Party take a more “sensible” understanding that “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness……” , that those words do not apply to the unborn, just as some felt it did not apply to those held in bondage over 100 years ago.

Or how about the belief that morality is purely the province of the individual, and that a community has no vested interest in protecting religion, preserving the strength of the family, or promoting a robust patriotism and strong sense of civil commitment.

No I tell you…. that it is not moderation, it is appeasement to oppression. Does it matter that the tyranny comes in the form of 1000 pages bills that no one reads, or by the point of the gun? Our party, the Republican Party was founded on the very principal of Life and Liberty. The Republican Party was founded with the sole purpose to fulfill our country’s promise that all Men are created equal. There are some that have confused moderation with appeasement. This confusion has hurt our country, and our inherent laziness has moved us closer to the abyss of totalitarianism.

Sam Adams once said -

"It is not high time for the people of this country explicitly to declare, whether they will be freemen or slaves? It is an important question which ought to be decided. It concerns us more than anything in this life. The salvation of our souls is interested in this event. For wherever tyranny is established, immorality of every kind comes in like a torrent. It is in the interest of tyrants to reduce the people to ignorance and vice. For they cannot live in any country where virtue and knowledge prevail. The religion and public liberty of a people are intimately connected; their interest are interwoven, they cannot subsist separately; and therefore they rise and fall together.”

We do not win elections by watering down our message; we win election by communicating our principals with pride. We do not win elections by being cowards, afraid to run for office “because” the outcome is not assured. We win elections by understanding that we may lose today, but we win tomorrow in the arena of ideas.

For you see, in the words of President Reagan, the issue for this election is….

Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capitol can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves.

The Republican Party, our party, must offer the kind of leadership that grows and takes its strength from the people. Any organization is in actuality merely 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.

Thank-you

Time To Fit President Obama With A Crown?

It is a waste of time to point out the hypocrisy of the Democrats now that “their man” Barrack is in charge. Nor will we find any solace within the Fourth Estate. The real issue is that many of the false allegations leveled at President Bush would be insignificant compared to what is actually emanating from the Obama Administration:

King Barack?

David Limbaugh

Oh, how quickly times have changed. Just a few short years ago, Democrats were up in arms over King George III's (President George W. Bush's) "unconstitutional" executive power grabs. Where are these people now?

I'll tell you where they are: right in the thick of it, enabling President Barack Obama to consolidate and exercise unprecedented power.

Remember when Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy complained that the constitutional "checks and balances that have served to constrain abuses of power for more than two centuries in this country" were at risk because Republicans controlled the executive and legislative branches? How about Sen. Russ Feingold, who was looking at impeachment as a remedy to keep the president in check and prevent him from acquiring power "like King George III"?

Today these same senators are not just passively mute about Obama's power grabs; they are co-conspirators.

You might think the repeated conservative complaint about Obama's egregious lack of transparency is, by now, a tired talking point. But we're not just referring to minor procedural matters that are substantively inconsequential.

He hasn't just breached his promise to make his legislation available for public preview. He and his congressional cohorts are burying very important matters in legislation.

The Waxman-Markey cap and tax debacle that just slipped through the House was bad enough, with its mandated broad-based assaults on America's taxpayers, energy and economy in exchange for no appreciable expected environmental benefits. But look at its stealth provision, reported by the Washington Examiner, creating a three-year package of unemployment benefits, a $1,500 job relocation allowance and a health insurance premium subsidy for workers unemployed as a result of this "jobs creation" bill. Unbelievable! How can any congressman who voted for this monstrosity possibly get re-elected?

This was nothing new, though, as you'll recall that Obama's non-stimulative stimulus bill increased unemployment benefits for those not magically benefited by that job creations bill.

Indeed, there are so many Obama abuses I can only chronicle a fraction of them in a short column. But just consider a few others, and ask yourself how long even rank-and-file Democrats can justify supporting such tyrannical madness by this arrogant chief executive, who truly is -- as distinguished from Bush -- engaged in a daily quest to "dictate" fundamental, structural changes to this nation:

--ABC News reported that a senior White House official said the urgency of extending the expiring U.S.-Russia nuclear arms treaty "might mean temporarily bypassing the Senate's constitutional role in ratifying treaties." Did you hear that, Sens. Leahy and Feingold?

--President Obama is appointing so many "czars" to help him run the government without the usual accountability of Cabinet-level positions that even Sen. Robert Byrd said this practice "can threaten the constitutional system of checks and balances." Byrd's worried, but what do Leahy and Feingold think of Obama's pay czar, who'll have broad discretion over executive pay?

--Obama has so insulated himself from ordinary press scrutiny that even liberal journalists Chip Reid and Helen Thomas grilled White House press secretary Robert Gibbs for Obama's "tightly controlled" town hall meeting on health care. During that forum, Obama "coincidentally" called on three people (out of 200) who work with groups trying to pass his health care proposal.

--Obama is so intent on bullying our ally Israel that he is breaching a previous Bush administration-negotiated agreement between Israel and the United States to allow some Israeli construction in West Bank settlements to allow for natural growth.

--The Obama-Holder Justice Department dismissed a strong case against New Black Panther Party members for billy club-style voter intimidation because the members were intimidating for Obama's election.

--Obama and Holder are going to vacate an order of prior Attorney General Michael Mukasey's stating that immigrants facing deportation do not have an automatic right to an effective lawyer.

--Obama and Holder are now mirandizing terrorists on the battlefield.

--Some have questioned whether Obama-Holder ordered the FBI to "back off" anti-terror investigations of radicalized Muslim converts, such as the one who police say shot two military recruiters in Little Rock, Ark.

--Obama's auto task force used "intimidation tactics" against Chrysler's senior bondholders and called their Democratic lawyer, Tom Lauria, a "terrorist" for refusing to accept its offer outright. Where, by the way, were Leahy and Feingold -- and all the liberal media -- when Obama's deal involved an executive-forced transfer of ownership from shareholders and creditors to Obama's favored unions? Were they also unbothered by claims of Chrysler dealers that they were threatened and lied to?

--Obama's thugs fired AmeriCorps inspector general Gerald Walpin and slandered him as virtually demented because he blew the whistle on the corrupt practices of Obama's buddies.

To say this is scratching the surface is a monumental exaggeration.

Obama’s Supreme Court Nominee’s: An Extension Of The Presidents Views

What kind of nominee will President Obama recommend for the Supreme Court? One only needs to look to the views of the President when trying to figure out what the nominee might look like.

President Obama believes that the Constitution is a “living document,” subject to interpretation with changing times. I know that President Obama use to be a part-time, guest lecturer on the Constitution, and who am I to second guess his great (although untested) legal mind, but I know our founding fathers would have a thing or two to say to President Obama regarding the original intent of the Constitution.

Unfortunately, one of the first candidates for the court to emerge is Judge Diane Woods, who happens to holds the same views as Obama:

Frontrunner for Supreme Court Believes Constitution Grows 'With the Times'

Wood’s views should not surprise anyone (she clerked for Blackmun), but Wood is an example of the template the Obama administration will use to select the next Supreme Court Justice. And based on Obama’s unique criteria (Townhall: Empathy Versus The Law), you would think President Obama was picking the next member of the Supreme’s, and not a Supreme Court Justice.

Let’s hope that the Republican members of the Senate muster the strength to force Obama to select a moderate nominee (that is the best conservatives can hope for at this point). This is the first of what could be numerous appoitments by Obama. Conservatives must set the tone or watch the Supreme Court slip away for generations.

American Thinker: Obamas Supreme Court Renovation

Portsmouth New Hampshire Tea Party: A New American Revolution

What a great day April 15, 2009 turned out to be. Estimates put the combined national attendance in excess of 600,000. Not only was I fortunate enough to attended the Tea Party in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, but I was honored to be asked to speak to the group of patriots that had gathered in Market Square. The following is the text of my speech:

A New American Revolution

How appropriate that we gather here tonight in front of the historic North Church, whose parishioners included General William Whipple, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and John Langdon, signer of the U.S. Constitution. This church has also seen the likes of great men such as Daniel Webster, John Paul Jones, and George Washington as they prayed for guidance while leading a young nation in search of its character.

However, the North Church connection to the Revolution that helped form this nation goes much deeper than those who have knelt in its pews. Parishioner Samuel Langdon helped to organize the first Portsmouth Tea Party in 1773, which occurred days before the more famous Boston Tea Party. Much like today, citizens from surrounding communities resolved that they would not pay the tax imposed by a far away, detached government. But unlike their counterparts in Boston, and without firing a shot, the Portsmouth Tea Party politely convinced the captain to sail the tea to Halifax.

And what of the role of the residents of the Seacoast, and beyond, throughout the struggle for independence? They captured Fort William and Mary, and 200 barrels of gunpowder, once again without firing a shot, months before the battle of Lexington and Concord. In addition, a thousand men from the area accompanied that gunpowder to the Battle of Bunker Hill. In fact, the New Hampshire contingent outnumbered the combined troops from both Massachusetts and Connecticut at this pivotal point in history.

But my favorite story of our revolutionary history is the “sudden” departure of the British Royal Governor Wentworth. When Governor Wentworth woke up one morning to find a cannon pointing at his front door, he opted to join the previously deported tea in Halifax, once again, without a single shot being fired. I don’t know about you, but I think we need to find that cannon because we could sure use it today.

But here you stand today, on this most hallowed ground of liberty, not only as a part of the Second Portsmouth Tea Party, but part of a great American awakening that is occurring all across America tonight; an awakening of the spirit of our founding fathers. An awakening that harkens back to the resolve written in the Declaration of Independence ……..

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it……….

And to those who say this is just about money, and that it’s time to be patriotic, time to jump in, time to be part of the deal, I say, you first! The time for politeness is past, the time for niceties has been exhausted. This is not about money anymore than our original revolution was about money. In the words of Ronald Regan:

Our founding fathers understood…… “A government can't control the economy without controlling people. And they know when a government sets out to do that, it must use force and coercion to achieve its purpose. They also knew, those Founding Fathers, that outside of its legitimate functions, government does nothing as well or as economically as the private sector of the economy.”

What we are witnessing today is the resistance to the third great wave of government expansion. But this new wave, unlike the New Deal and the Great Society, will hit us like a tsunami, and many fear it may drown the entrepreneurial spirit of this country. There was a time when we believed in equalizing opportunity. But this new wave of economic tyranny will replace the American way of life with the European model of equalizing results of people’s lives…in one fell swoop our country creed E. Pluribus Unum – Many Into One - will be swept away, replaced with the new order battle cry of the 10 most frightening words in the English language – “We’re from the government, and we are here to help!” I don’t know about you, but when the government says they’re here to help, hold on to your wallets, hide your kids, AND keep clinging to those “bibles and guns,” because, as Thomas Jefferson said, a government big enough to give you everything is big enough to take it all away!

Contrary to how some in the media are portraying these Tea Parties, this resistance to tyrannical change is not a partisan cause. This is not a Democratic or Republican movement, nor is this a Liberal or Conservative movement. What we are witnessing today is an American movement to reclaim the government “of the people, by the people, and for the people….” from a group of far off elites dedicated to the dismantling of our Republic for a false Utopia. These engineers of this wrecking crew that would destroy the American Dream have somehow forgotten the truth that many Americans believe in…….the existence of a free market where both success and FAILURE must occur in an atmosphere of liberty!

In a little over 230 years we have been transformed from a nation shaped by patriots determined to build a new form of government, into a government which thinks it knows how to build cars! In 230 years we have gone from a country which used to refer to our leader as Mr. President, but which now refers to him as Mr. Goodwrench. In 230 years we have gone from a country where our citizens paid for our freedom with their lives, to a government which thinks it can pay other’s mortgages with your money! In 230 years we have gone from a country that fought a revolution in large part because of excessive taxation, to a country where the government thinks that paying excessive taxes is patriotic. Our founding fathers aren’t just rolling in their graves, there are calling out to each and every one of us to stop this lunacy! Our Founding Fathers are screaming ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Each and every day we wake up prepared to do our part because that is what Americans do. Each and every day we are prepared to carry the burden that comes with being a citizen of the greatest nation that has ever existed on the face of this planet. We do not do this for ourselves. We do it because past generations sacrificed their blood, sweat and tears so that future generations would be better off. We do this for our children so that their lives will be better than ours. But even the strongest among us can only carry so much, and I say to you today….. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

These are the same people who lecture us on what we should do with our money, but have managed to present us with a budget that will raise our debit to 4 trillion dollars in five years, and 10 trillion dollars within ten years. And that’s if their estimates are right….. When was the last time the US government EVER came in at or under their estimates………I will tell you……NEVER! In this present crisis government is not the solution to our problems, government is the PROBLEM. We must return to the invisible hand of the free-market, and break free from the heavy hand of government, because if we wait too long the government’s grip will only grow tighter…...

I know there are people who think that words like tyranny and oppression are mere exaggerations… “just words.” Really? If this current budget is enacted, the second largest expenditure for our government in the future will be the interest on our national debt. This is the legacy we will hand our children if we do not take control of spending, and I don’t mean next year, or in five years, or in 10 years….by then it will be too late. If your child is under the age of 10 years old today, by the time he or she turns 40, their liability to the federal debt will be $154,000.00 DOLLARS, without taking into account interest and inflation….$154,000 DOLLARS.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, if we approve this budget and do nothing to correct the disastrous course we are on, the lower class income tax rate for your 40 year old child will go from 10% to 25%, the middle class income tax will move past 65%, and the upper class income tax (which includes many small businesses) will exceed 92%! Is that what they mean by fair, that all of our children will be equally enslaved to the future debt of this country, so that the politicians of today can satisfy their lust for power? This is not just about money…..NO……this is about our very LIBERTY. You see, those who control our purse strings, CONTROL OUR FREEDOM!

But the waste and out of control spending doesn’t happen solely in Washington. Our own State governments have decided that they know what is best for us, even it is against our will. In NH we thought that last year’s budget, tax and fee increases were irresponsible. This year we have seen a budget increase of 12% in a recession and record unemployment. That is not just irresponsible….I tell you it’s a betrayal of our trust!

Somehow our New Hampshire Representatives have forgotten Article 10 of the New Hampshire Constitution………OUR RIGHT TO REVOLT! However, the revolution will not be fought with bullets, but with the ballot box! I say to our elected officials in Concord, Augusta, and Boston……leave your coats on…….don’t get too comfortable…….because we don’t work for you……….you work for us!

Our Republic is not too complicated to understand, and our founding fathers left us with a map to ensure that we stay on the course to liberty; but somehow our representatives have lost their way. But that’s to be expected, if they couldn’t be bothered to read the bailout bill, why would we ever expect them to read The Constitution. It’s not like they aren’t reminded everyday what this country stands for….one only need look at the very currency they seem so willing to spend like kids in a candy store. Stamped on each of our coins are the words that speak to our greatness. Some would call this the American Trinity:

In God We Trust – a reminder of a greater power than that of individual man. It is a reminder, that even though we are the most powerful nation, we have never been, nor will we ever be an arrogant people.

E. Pluribus Unum – Many Into One – said another way “United We Stand, Divided We Fall.” It is a reminder that our greatest strength does not come from our differences, but from our shared pedigree that we are all Americans. You could move anywhere else in the world and never be a citizen of that country. But you can come from anywhere in the world to this country, and become an American….embraced by all……Many Into One.

And lastly…..

Liberty – A word that some in America take for granted, but has served as a beacon of hope for oppressed people everywhere. Liberty is does not mean undisciplined freedom, but is a birthright that has been won with the blood and lives of past generations….and today by our brave military serving in Iraqi and Afghanistan. Because we are always just one generation away from losing Liberty, we must fight to preserve it.

The Constitution and the American Trinity are our true weapons against totalitarianism. Each of our Representatives should be required to carry a copy of the Constitution in a pocket over their heart to remind them of the ultimate sacrifice many gave to protect that “mere document.” Each of our Representatives should carry a quarter in their pocket to remind them that each coin spent was earned with the lives of our sons and daughters. This is not merely about money…..it is about our identity as the last best hope for mankind on Earth!

Do you want a government that defines patriotism by how much you pay in taxes?

Do you want a government that demands you pay more in taxes, but can’t seem to pay their own taxes?

Do you want a government that thinks it can spend its way into prosperity?

Do you want a government that punishes success and rewards irresponsibility?

They can try to push us around. They can threaten us with the weight of an oppressive tax burden, born from out-of-control spending. But as I look upon my fellow countrymen that have gathered here today, I have but one simple reply. In the words of John Paul Jones….”We Have Not Yet Begun To FIGHT!” We will not let the government bankrupt our country; we will not allow future generations to become enslaved by their reckless spending and the burden of a tax code that punishes success. Today a united America is shouting out to you….Enough is ENOUGH!

If William Whipple, John Langdon, and George Washington were alive today they would have a heavy heart as they sit in the pews just through those doors pondering how the politicians of today are working so hard to destroy everything they fought for. But I know that their spirit would be lifted and that pride would swell up in them if they were to walk out of this church today to find this gathering of patriots. They would say to you that you are the new patriots of a new revolution, a bloodless revolution, but a revolution nonetheless. A new American Revolution to reclaim the very soul of a Nation. A revolution rooted in the very simple belief that “We the People…” are the government. Today is the first day to reclaim the greatness that is America, a greatness that can be found in your hearts and your souls, and not in the dark abyss that has become Washington, DC or Concord, NH.

HOW CAN YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Have your facts straight – do your research and read both your state and federal Constitutions

Call, email, or write your elected officials

Educate your family and friends

Stay on target and focused – don’t lose control

Join a group of like-minded people

Follow the bills in Congress and your state government and be proactive

RUN FOR OFFICE – or support those who share your values and are stepping up to the plate

Speak up! Communicate your values and opinions , including constructive criticism to your legislators – offer solutions.

Educate yourself – what does history teach us about what’s happening today?

Provides solutions and ideas on how we can reduce our taxes

That is how we keep this new American Revolution alive, that is how we reclaim our country!

Thank you very much.

US Guns in Mexico: Why Let Those Darn Facts Get In The Way?

Throughout the week many within the anti-2^nd Amendment crowd pointed to the claims by President Obama that over “90%” of the guns used for illegal activities in Mexico came from the US. In fact these figures were just slightly exaggerated…ONLY BY 73%!

Fox News: Myth of Percent of Guns in Mexico a Fraction of Number Obama Claimed

I guess it was the thought that counts.

Hoyer: ‘I Don’t Know’ Where Obama Got Legal Authority for Auto Plan

Does the US Government have the constitutional authority to take over a private business merely on economic issues? Where did the Obama administration get the authority to fire the CEO of GM and force Chrysler to enter into a financial partnership with a foreign company?

I don’t know either, but guess what, neither does Democratic representative Hoyer:

CNS News: Clueless in Washington

Just a suggestion Representative Hoyer, don’t you think you should research the issue before you support the destruction of the free-market economy.

Blair Holt’s Firearm Resolution: Why Let The Constitution Get In The Way Of Your 2nd Amendment Rights?

Liberals act an awful lot like Vegas magicians. They think they can use slight of hand and shining objects to distract the American public with one hand, while using the other hand to undermine our freedoms. That trick may work on other Liberals, but it never works on those who are committed to the principals of the Constitution.

Take for instances the Blair Hold firearm’s resolution (HR45). During a time in which the country is “occupied” with dealing with the economy, along comes a little bill meant to infringe upon our 2^nd Amendment rights:

Govtrack - Bill Text: H.R.45

Here are some of the “highlights” of the bill:

1. Require licensing for anybody that owns a gun.

2. Would require photographs and a thumbprint

3. Would require passage of a test that covers:

(A) the safe storage of firearms, particularly in the vicinity of persons who have not attained 18 years of age;

(B) the safe handling of firearms;

(C) the use of firearms in the home and the risks associated with such use;

(D) the legal responsibilities of firearms owners, including Federal, State, and local laws relating to requirements for the possession and storage of firearms, and relating to reporting requirements with respect to firearms; and

(E) any other subjects, as the Attorney General determines to be appropriate

Section 102 (a) (1) a current, passport-sized photograph of the applicant that provides a clear, accurate likeness of the applicant. Question: What is wrong with a Driver’s License?

Section 102 (a) (8) an authorization by the applicant to release to the Attorney General or an authorized representative of the Attorney General any mental health records pertaining to the applicant. Comment: I am in favor of flagging gun purchases for those with mental illness, but we must proceed very careful. But this is better handled at the State level, and is an overreach by the Federal government. This current provision sounds intrusive. Do we really want a national database listing personal information of individuals and their mental disorders.

Section 103 (c) looks to be creating a federal firearms card, with your picture and information. Comment: This from the same party that objects to picture ID’s when voting, but see’s no problem with a National ID program (just as they had in Nazi Germany and the former USSR).

Section 104 All renewals will go through the Attorney General. Comment: So instead of going to my local police department (where they would be very familiar with my character), I would have to go to some “central” location and meet with a person who has NO clue of my personality beyond what is written on a firearms application. Who would know me better, local law enforcement or a Federal bureaucrat?

If this bill were to pass, I doubt very much it would stand-up to the scrutiny of the Supreme Court.......this time. But more frightening is that there are some in Congress (and throughout the United States) who feel that H.R. 45 somehow passes the muster of “shall not be infringed.”

Representative Daniel Itse

For those of us who live in New Hampshire, we have long known of NH Rep. Daniel Itse’s dedication, thoughtfulness, and courage. Recently, the rest of America was given the opportunity to see first-hand why Rep. Itse is so widely respected by both Democrats and Republicans. For many in New Hampshire, Rep. Daniel Itse is one of those legislators who, if his name appears on a piece of legislation, it is a cause worth supporting.

Recently, Rep. Itse became somewhat of a national hero (a distinction he would downplay, but one that is well-deserved) after his appearance on the Glen Beck Show. Rep. Itse was invited on the show to discuss a bill he is sponsoring, HRC06 – State Sovereignty Bill:

General Court HRC6 Text

Jeffersonian principles - what a novel concept!

New Hampshire is truly blessed to have legislators such as Rep. Itse, not just because of this one issue, but for a lifetime of service to the cause of liberty. Rep. Itse is unselfish in his representation of the people who have entrusted him to be their voice in the New Hampshire House. Time and again, he has shown the strength of character and humility that few “politicians” possess, and should be the role model for all who are considering running for elected office (or who are currently actively serving).

NH Liberty Calendar: Rally for NH HRC6 - March 3, 2009