The Bill of Rights consists of the first ten amendments to the constitution. They enumerate rights that specifically protect rights for the individual. Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion andFreedom from Unreasonable Search and Seizure are just a few of these rights.
The actual text of the second amendment is “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
It’s pretty simple really. There are only two words that people have a hard time with. The first is Militia, which defined here is any adult male. Any!! The second is Arms, which is a weapon that an individual can carry (pistol, knife, shotgun, etc.). So, The right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed becomes clear?
Well, for an excruciating illogical reason that escapes me, the answer for some is still no. They would argue that this is the only right defined in the Bill of Rights that is a collective right instead of an individual one. Hogwash!!! If that didn’t work, they would argue that we have to protect people by eliminating or restricting guns. Asinine!!! Criminals do not obey the law, so therefore, more laws would only be obeyed by the people you are protecting.
Ben Franklin once said, “Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.” and “They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety.”
Why would thousands of Americans protest a sitting president and their government? Well, if you only watched the coverage of the big 3 networks, then you may think something like this has never happened before and all the participates are either just a bunch of right-wing extremists or were put up to it by some sinister force.
In reality, many people are tired of all the taxes and fees. Many people are tired of the wasteful spending of government. And many people are tired of the governmental attempts at social engineering. This is not an anti-obama movement, although he embraces all of the above. This is non-partisan. Both the Democrats and Republicans are at fault.
Will it last? Who knows? Any movement needs a leader. A leader that can articulate the vision and be a focal point to rally behind. Do I see that leader at the moment? No. What I do see though are many people that have never spoken out starting to. The genie is out of the bottle.
In the past, I’ve worked with many professors in an academic environment and I’m struck by the similarities between them and Obama. Both have huge egos. Both have their theories. Neither have real world experience. Neither truly understands the working class. Both are intelligent but lack common sense.
When I see Obama make his many gaffes and obvious miscalculations, I see a professor who is in way over his head. A man that at least in the short term will diminish the U.S. and in the long term, if he is not controlled, will cripple us beyond repair.
Daniel Hannan, MEP for South East England, gives a speech during Gordon Brown´s visit to the European Parliament on 24th March, 2009. In the 3 minute speech, that was very much on target, he succinctly and eloquently skewered England’s Prime Minister Brown.
What he says about Gordon Brown can be said about Obama. Below I picked what I thought were the important and applicable bits for Obama and the United States.
“I see you’ve already mastered the essential craft of this Parliament – that being to say one thing in this chamber, and a very different thing to your home electorate. ” Obama’s rhetoric is nearly flawless. Rarely does he let the cat out of the bag (i.e. Joe the Plumber) but when he does his authoritarian and socialistic nature becomes obvious.
“The country as a whole is now in negative equity. Every British child is born owing around £20,000. Servicing the interest on that debt is going to cost more than educating the child.” In the U.S., it’s $22,000.
“Last year, in the last twelve months, 125,000 private sector jobs have been lost – and yet you’ve created 30,000 public sector jobs. Prime Minister you cannot go on forever squeezing the productive bit of the economy in order to fund an unprecedented engorging of the unproductive bit.” In the U.S. over the last 12 months, we’ve shed 2.8 million private sector jobs but yet added 200,000 public sector jobs. This is a BIG GOVERNMENT problem that Obama and his budget will exacerbate.
“You cannot spend your way out of recession or borrow your way out of debt.” It’s basic economics, debt especially a 10 trillion dollar one will hinder any long term growth and push us closer to the cliff of bankruptcy.
“you’re pathologically incapable of accepting responsibility for these things – it’s that you’re carrying on, willfully worsening the situation, wantonly spending what little we have left.” No, Obama did not cause the banking failure. Democrats AND Republicans did. Obama, however, with his socialist ideas and big time spending, is making it worse. He is incapable of deviating from his authoritarian government worldview. His administration has said something to the effect of “why waste a good crisis?” and they don’t intend to waste this one.
Oh and Product X is 20% better product. It’s a no-brainer right?
Scenario two : Let’s change it up a bit.
Product X – $3500
Product Y – $3500
Product X is still 20% better, so it’s still a no brainer, right?
Scenerio three : Let’s make one final change.
Product X – $3500
Product Y – $0
If you’re like me and not made out of money you would probably settle for Product Y. On the other hand, if you were rich and money were no object, you would probably buy Product X because you could and it is a better product.
Now let’s label each product. Here is where emotions take over and logic gets thrown out the window. Product x is private school and Product Y is public school. In this case, scenario one is actual cost per student. Private schools on average offer a better education for less money. (Public school SAT scores are usually 100-150 points lower than at private schools.) In scenario three, it illustrates what most americans face today. They cannot afford to send their kids to private schools when in most cases public schools will do. (unless they have the misfortune of living in a failing school district.) Instead of sending my kids to private school, I was very careful and deliberate on where I bought my house to make certain I was in a good school district. Not everyone is so lucky.
You may be wondering, what about scenario two? Scenario two represents costs that are closer to reality. Public schools are not free to home owners. We pay for them through property taxes. If I didn’t have to pay property taxes, I would have a choice on where my children would go. Liberals love to promulgate about choice. Ah, but generally that’s only about the death and destruction of unwanted fetuses. If it’s school choice, they scream no, no (with the full backing of the powerful teachers unions.) You’re taking money away from schools. What??? hmmm, $7500 – $3500 voucher still leaves $4000 that doesn’t go back in my pocket.
Who does this hurt? It hurts poor and working class families who are stuck in failing school districts with little hope of getting better.
Why aren’t democrats and republicans both fighting for school vouchers? Why? It comes done to money and control. The teacher’s unions want the money and the government wants the control. Control over what is taught and how it’s taught. They want to teach not how to think but what to think.
Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves.
Government’s first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives.
How do you tell a communist? Well, it’s someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It’s someone who understands Marx and Lenin.
I know in my heart that man is good. That what is right will always eventually triumph. And there’s purpose and worth to each and every life.
Concentrated power has always been the enemy of liberty.
Entrepreneurs and their small enterprises are responsible for almost all the economic growth in the United States.
Man is not free unless government is limited.
Protecting the rights of even the least individual among us is basically the only excuse the government has for even existing.
The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would steal them away.
The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.
There are no easy answers’ but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.
We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.
Welfare’s purpose should be to eliminate, as far as possible, the need for its own existence.
What do all of these quotes have in common? Do you agree with any of them? They are all by Ronald Reagan.
Over the last several weeks despite the socialist we now have as president, I have hope for our country. Two people that I know who voted for Obama, now regret that decision. I praise them for coming to their senses, in looking past the rhetoric but I still blame them, blame them for what’s going to happen to our country and our economy in the next 2 years, but I digress.
I hope that more people like them will come to their senses and
Geithner: Obama to fight international tax dodgers
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama’s Treasury secretary says the administration will unveil a series of rules and measures in the coming months to limit the ability of international companies to avoid U.S. taxes.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday that Obama will propose legislation to limit U.S. companies’ ability to shelter foreign earnings from taxation in the U.S. He also said the administration will try to limit wealthy Americans’ ability to use tax havens to avoid taxation.
He did not immediately provide details.
hmmmm. Let’s see. Geithner is a tax dodger. I guess it takes one to know one.
