The campaign is over, now the work to restore the country begins

Commentary by James H. Shott

Whatever happens today, how the country moves ahead is critically important. The US is wildly off track, which is why the tea party movement, so hated by and frightening to liberals, sprang up and has drawn so many everyday Americans to their rallies.

You sometimes see the term “tea party” as a proper noun, however, while there are formal organizations using that name, the tea party movement is not a formal movement, but a series of mostly independent groups who rally in support of a set of common principles, but are not part of a single national organization.

The tea party movement, despite the lies and distortions made up by its enemies and dutifully reported in the mainstream media, is not a bunch of extremists or a bunch of racists, or Nazis or nut jobs with nothing better to do with their time. Of, course, every group or movement will have a whacko or two in it, but the number of such radicals among tea partiers is infinitesimal. And there is the occasional left-wing plant trying to discredit the entire movement. But all of that has been blown out of proportion by the socialist/liberal/statist members of the ruling class and media who correctly see the movement as a threat to their power and control.

From those rather rare efforts by respectable news outlets to find out exactly who tea party folks really are we learn that the vast majority of them are moms and dads and grandmothers and grandfathers, military veterans, doctors, lawyers, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, housewives, police officers, fire fighters and other salt-of-the-Earth people. Many of them are white, but they are also black, Asian and Hispanic. They are people for whom political activism is a new thing, and many, perhaps most, of them have never attended a political rally before in their lives. They all see that their country is headed at high speed toward a ditch, but it’s a different ditch than the one in President Barack Obama’s little story he so frequently uses to excuse his administrations failures.

The President’s story omits that big government dug the ditch, built the road heading into it, and damaged the steering mechanism and brakes by excessive intervention into private sector activity. Some corporations took advantage of the contorted environment the ruling class imposed on them, and made a bad situation worse. Those corporations are not innocent of blame, but neither can they be given all the blame; they played the hand government dealt them.

No doubt some will quibble with that assessment, but an objective review of government actions going back to the Carter administration will bear that out. And that includes Congressional refusal to follow Bush administration warnings to clamp down on Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac starting back in 2001.

Among the grave problems that have driven the tea party folks to political protest, perhaps foremost in their minds, is the precarious level of spending and the insanely high national debt.

When George Bush left office at the end of 2008, he had increased the public debt by $2.5 trillion. The 2009 budget, created under Mr. Bush, but added to by Mr. Obama added $2.6 trillion to the debt, but Mr. Obama’s budget would add $4.9 trillion in public debt from the beginning of 2010 through 2016. That simply cannot be sustained.

Mr. Obama continually blames George Bush for the nation’s financial problems, but remember that Congress is responsible for budgets and spending, not the president, and Democrats have controlled Congress since January of 2007. Mr. Bush deserves criticism for not vetoing excessive Congressional spending, but Congress is responsible for the spending itself.

Tea party folks also realize something else that has escaped Washington liberals: that over-zealous regulation – 43 new major regulations in fiscal 2010 – is impeding the recovery and will cost taxpayers an additional $26.5 billion this year. And it’s not just rich people making more than $200,000 a year who will pay more.

It was during a long period of mostly free-market capitalism and relatively little government regulation that the United States rose to be the most prosperous nation on Earth, and today is the world’s only super power.

And so, whether today’s election produces a huge wave sweeping liberal Democrats out of office in sufficient numbers to give Republicans control of the House and the Senate, or whether it results in modest gains by Republicans and leaves one or both houses of Congress under Democrat control, the same course of action must be followed unless we want to see the United States diminish in prosperity and influence around the world, which would be a true tragedy.

That course is to restore sanity to government; to work to reduce spending, restore government to its Constitutional limits and scope, and get government out of the way so that the same American traits of ingenuity, hard work and risk-taking that built our country can be set loose to pull it out of the ditch that liberalism and leftist policies have driven it into.

This will require a new mentality in Washington, and constant pressure on our elected public servants.

Cross-posted from Observations

Reclaiming America From The Socialists

Reclaiming America From The Socialists
Amnesty for Illegal Aliens Coming Up in Lame Duck Senate?
A Commentary by J. D. Longstreet

According to the Washington Times, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has promised to bring up the Dream Act during the lame duck session of the Senate when Congress reconvenes after the election.

“The Dream Act would grant legal status and a path to citizenship to illegal immigrant schoolchildren and to illegal immigrants who agree to serve in the U.S. military.” (SOURCE)

In the article by Stephen Dinan entitled: “Reid promises vote on aliens” the Washington Times says the following: “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid over the weekend promised to force the Senate to vote on an immigration bill, the Dream Act, in a lame-duck session of Congress this month. The article goes on to quote Reid as saying: “I just need a handful of Republicans. I would settle for two or three Republicans to join with me on the Dream Act and comprehensive immigration reform, but they have not been willing to step forward," They want to keep talking about this issue, and I say [it] is demagoguery in its worst fashion and is unfair to the Hispanic community." You may read the entire article at the Washington Times website (SOURCE).

This, dear reader, is just one of the things worrying me about this upcoming lame duck session of Congress.

If the election goes as expected, there will be a host of PO’ed Democrats prowling the halls of Congress looking for one last victory over their victorious conservative opposition. If Reid, as the Senate Majority Leader losses his seat in the Senate, he will be as dangerous as a wounded wolf.
Over the next few weeks we will have to be even more observant of Congress than we have since January of 2007. As we have often been reminded: Out of power, liberals are funny. In power – they are dangerous.

Over in the House of Representatives the story will likely be much the same. With Pelosi on the way out of the Speaker’s office, maybe into retirement, there is likely to be a good deal of vitriol. With tensions so high in both houses of Congress anything could, and probably will, happen. So keep your powder dry!

Today, itself, will be contentious enough. All sorts of mischief will be reported today. This IS Election Day. Tempers are high and fuses are short. There is bound to be some conflict before the polls close on the west coast tonight. I fully expect a number of races to be decided by the courts. In some states we may not know the results of some races for two or more weeks. The next few weeks will be trying for all Americans.

While herds of lawyers are standing by, for all sides in the election, eagle eyes will be watching the polls for any sign of anything that can possibly be construed as a slight, an irregularity, ANYTHING, that might have the slightest, the vaguest chance of nudging the results in favor of their candidate.

The news media will have battalions of reporters swarming polling places in states with high profile races today, as well. THAT will keep the pot boiling into the wee hours and maybe for days to come.

I downloaded a sample ballot from my state board of elections yesterday and went over it several times to be sure I was familiar with it before I even get to the polling place this morning.
I made a mental note of anything that would raise my taxes. I ALWAYS vote against a tax increase in any form. This election is no exception.

Now for a little fun… watch the reaction from the European press when, if all goes as expected, Americans deliver a HUGE repudiation of Obama with their ballots in this election. Make no mistake about it -- this election is a referendum on Obama and his Czars, in fact, the whole darned Obama Regime!

My polling place is approximately one block away from my home. I intend to be there when the doors open. I also intend to do something I highly recommend to all conservative voters today… PRAY before you cast your ballot. I am not attempting to impress you with my piety here. I am trying to impress you with the seriousness of this election. The survival of a FREE AMERICA is at stake today. The cancellation of the socialist agenda, at the ballot box, is imperative if we are to continue to live free in America.

Just as Joshua challenged the Israelites: “Choose ye this day whom you will serve” America has much the same decision to make some 7,000 years later. We can choose to continue to serve God, or we can choose to serve the state. Remember, socialism replaces God with the state.
America has been deeply divided the past few years but the overbearing socialist Obama Regime and the liberal-socialist leadership in the Congress has managed to demonstrate to those having difficulty discerning the inherent evil behind the socialist façade, in such an efficient manner, that a huge percentage of them have seen the error of their ways and are now ready to denounce the socialist path Obama and his minions set for America and now support a “free America” as intended by the founders of this nation.

Let’s Roll, America! Let’s take our country back – and let’s do it today!

J. D. Longstreet

Another call for Obama’s Resignation

Another call for Obama’s Resignation
A Commentary by J. D. Longstreet
***********************

Retired US Army Major General Paul Vallely has written an article entitled: “Who are America’s Friends Now? The Chessboard!” You will find it posted at Stand Up America.com HERE.

In the article gen. Vallely calls for the immediate resignation of President Obama. General Valley says: “We now must call for the immediate resignation of Barry Soetero (AKA President Barack Hussein Obama) … based on incompetence, deceit, fraud, corruption, dishonesty and violation of the U.S. oath of office and the Constitution … .” Vallely goes on: "And a call for a national petition for new elections to select the next president of the United States of America must be initiated," he continued. "We can wait no longer for a traditional change of power and new government." Continuing, Gen. Vallely says: “"We cannot permit the current leaders in the White House and halls of Congress to continue in their efforts to lead us down the road of progressive socialism and destruction of America. This is the current battle that we constitutionalists face, and we must be aggressive in our efforts," he said. (We urge you to read the article in its entirety at Stand Up America HERE.)

According to World Net Daily – “Vallely graduated from West Point and was commissioned in the Army in 1961. He served 32 years before retiring, including in theaters in Europe and the Pacific Rim.

He saw two tours of combat duty in Vietnam. He's of late been a military analyst for the Fox News Channel and a lecturer on counter-terrorism. From 1982 to 1986 he commanded the 351st Civil Affairs Command that included all Special Forces, psychological warfare and civil military units in the Western United States and Hawaii.” (Read the entire article at World Net Daily HERE.)

America is waking up and realizing it is not a dream but a nightmare -- and a LIVING nightmare at that!

One of the earliest calls for Obama’s resignation came from fellow blogger Alan Caruba as far back as June 10th 2009. In his article Mr. Caruba said: “Since the President takes an oath to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States”, a President who acts contrary to the Constitution or is found guilty of breaking the law should be subject to removal.” Mr. Caruba goes on to say: “I would argue that a President who appoints over twenty “czars” to supersede the powers of the secretaries of various federal departments; people who are apparently exempt from Congressional approval or oversight, and people who apparently do not feel the need to hold press conferences to explain what they are doing, is distinctly unconstitutional.”

Mr. Caruba even questions Obama’s eligibility to serve as
President when he says: “Americans who are fearful of the havoc President Barack Obama has let loose on this nation need to flood Congress with the demand that he be removed from office for his failure to protect, preserve, and defend the Constitution. Indeed, to conclusively prove he was constitutionally qualified to run for the presidency.”

Mr. Caruba says America cannot wait for the Presidential Election in 2012. He says: “Americans cannot afford to let this President hold power until the next election in 2012. They cannot hope that the midterm elections in 2010 will be sufficient to protect them against the damage he will do to them, to their children, and to their grandchildren before they are held.”

Caruba winds up his strong argument for Obama’s resignation by stating: “President Barack Hussein Obama must go!” (We urge you to read the entire article by Mr. Caruba at HERE.)

As Americans watch their country spiraling downward from its position as a world leader to just another mediocre socialist nation, they are deeply troubled by the experience. It is an entirely new and entirely distasteful view of a nation, which has prided itself on American Exceptionalism for well over 200 years.

As Americans watch the national debt headed towards 14 TRILLION dollars -- and are now told that in just a few years we can expect a national debt of over 19 TRILLION dollars, we realize neither we, nor or children, nor or grandchildren can sustain such a debt. That, in itself is troubling enough, but add to that a government hell-bent on more and more spending and more and more debt and one can understand why Americans are more than ready to, as we say, “throw the bums OUT!”

As this scribe considers all this, I remember that Obama DID promise to “fundamentally change” America. Well, he has certainly done that! Millions of us are more than ready to change it back!

J. D. Longstreet

At the Heart of American Politics is -- the Barbershop!

At the Heart of American Politics is -- the Barbershop!
A Commentary by J. D. Longstreet
***********************

In my small North Carolina community, when you really want to know what’s going on, if you really want to take the pulse of local, state and national politics, you go to the local barbershop.

For me, a trip to my local barbershop is a stimulating, invigorating, experience. I just climb up into the chair and allow the conversation to wash over me, and occasionally, I toss a few tidbits of my own into the steady stream of political commentary that is almost always well informed, politically incorrect, and surprisingly candid and -- quite accurate.

I have often wondered why politicians, who need to be plugged into the thought processes of their constituents, do not deliberately visit barbershops in their districts and really learn what is on the minds of their constituents. If there is one single place where politicians can learn how their constituents feel -- on any issue -- it is the local barbershop. The barbershop is the one place they can visit and get an education, quickly.

My most recent visit to my own barbershop revealed the open disgust with which my neighbors hold the Obama Regime and the current Congress. What was somewhat surprising was the depth of that disgust. It was as though they spat out the name of the President and the names of certain members of Congress, as one would expectorate something that had a horrible taste. The disdain in which my neighbors hold the Obama Regime is bone deep. They cannot wait for the election in November to send our national leaders a clear and concise message. Simply stated the message is: “Be gone!”

It is not only disgust and disdain, it is anger — deep, swirling, writhing, white-hot anger -- at the way the current Congress and the Obama Administration have dragged our country from the pinnacle of world leadership to the depths of humiliation and mediocrity. Their disbelief in American Exceptionalism lends credence to the average American’s belief that our current leadership simply does not like America.

What was once a creeping realization that we now have a socialist government in America has sped up and blossomed into an epiphany, of a sort. My neighbors now understand that with the passage of ObamaCare America joined the ranks of the pitiful socialist countries “circling the drain” all over the planet.

The old fashioned neighborhood barbershop is one of the last locales to which men can retire -- and just be men. They discuss hunting, fishing, sports, cars, war, and politics. Of course, they discuss other things, which we will not mention because this is a family column. For the past few months politics has been the reigning topic of discussion above all others.

On my most recent visit to by barbershop the topic of discussion was, as usual politics. Someone raised the question of whom the Republicans would nominate to run for President in 2012. It is interesting that no one present felt that any one of the “usual suspects” would be acceptable to the GOP voters. In fact, the general feeling was that the nomination of any of those involved in past campaigns would simply lead to another four years of Obama as President. That included both Palin and Romney. In fact, it was agreed that Palin was damaged beyond repair and was now unacceptable as a candidate on a national GOP ticket. Not one participant in the discussion could offer the name of a single republican with a snowball’s chance in Hades of winning against Obama in 2012.

It was a telling moment. What it said to this scribe was this: the GOP had better begin a search for a candidate the republican voters will support. If they do not, then the GOP should be prepared for their base to stay home, again, on Election Day.

The conservative wing of the GOP has decided they will no longer “settle” for a candidate who cannot prove his/her conservative credentials. They will no longer vote for the “lesser of two evils.” They will no longer settle for another RINO candidate. If that means losing to the democrats, then so be it. It is not considered a “purity test” of any kind. The Mainstream Media should understand that out here in the hinterlands, honesty with oneself and one’s neighbor is STILL considered a virtue -- AND a matter of personal honor.

The RNC and the DNC could learn a lot from the customers at my barbershop -- if they were willing to learn. The trouble is, I believe, the GOP is now being controlled (as is the Democratic Party) by a group of “elites” who feel they know better than the rank and file electorate. In the case of the RNC -- the plain truth is – they don’t.

If the GOP is really serious about retaking this nation’s government from the socialists, then they need to visit my barbershop and listen. Then put to use what they learn.

In the meantime, I’m not holding my breath.

J. D. Longstreet

The “Slaughter Solution” To Passing ObamaCare through the US House.

The “Slaughter Solution” To Passing ObamaCare through the US House.
How Low Will The Democrats Go?
A Commentary by J. D. Longstreet

**********************
The following excerpt is from the blog of Republican Representative John Boehner of Ohio:
“Democrats Prepare “Slaughter Solution” to Ram Unpopular Health Care Takeover Through Congress Without a Vote.

The twisted scheme by which Democratic leaders plan to bend the rules to ram President Obama’s massive health care legislation through Congress now has a name: the Slaughter Solution.

The Slaughter Solution is a plan by Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY), the Democratic chair of the powerful House Rules Committee and a key ally of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), to get the health care legislation through the House without an actual vote on the Senate-passed health care bill. You see, Democratic leaders currently lack the votes needed to pass the Senate health care bill through the House. Under Slaughter’s scheme, Democratic leaders will overcome this problem by simply “deeming” the Senate bill passed in the House - without an actual vote by members of the House.

An article in this morning’s edition of National Journal’s CongressDaily breaks the story, starting with the headline: “SLAUGHTER PREPS RULE TO AVOID DIRECT VOTE ON SENATE BILL.” You may read the entire article HERE.

National Journal’s Congress Daily says: "House Rules Chairwoman Louise Slaughter is prepping to help usher the healthcare overhaul through the House and potentially avoid a direct vote on the Senate overhaul bill, the chairwoman said Tuesday.

"Slaughter is weighing preparing a rule that would consider the Senate bill passed once the House approves a corrections bill that would make changes to the Senate version.

"Slaughter has not taken the plan to Speaker Pelosi as Democrats await CBO scores on the corrections bill. 'Once the CBO gives us the score, we'll spring right on it,' she said." Read the entire article HERE.

At the Washington Examiner they have an article titled: “House Democrats looking at 'Slaughter Solution' to pass Obamacare without a vote on Senate bill UPDATED!” In the article, the Washington Examiner asks the question: “Would House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her fellow House Democratic leaders try to cram the Senate version of Obamacare through the House without actually having a recorded vote on the bill?

Not only is the answer yes, they would, they have figured out a way to do it….” Read more at the Washington Examiner: HERE.

Now, all of this happened a couple of days ago. But, I have to ask; just how low will the democrats stoop in order to ram this Socialized Medicine bill down the throats of the American people.

Now do you believe us? Now do you believe what we have been declaring for so long now? I mean, of course, our warnings that the Healthcare bill, ObamaCare, if you will, is NOT ABOUT HEALTHCARE? IT IS ALL ABOUT POWER! Yes! It is all about power for the Democrats, the Progressives, the Socialists, the Marxists, and the Communists that infest the White House and the Congress in America these days.

If America is to remain free, well, at least retain the few freedoms we haven’t already given away to a grasping federal government, we must, absolutely MUST, defeat the ObamaCare bill now floundering in the US House of Representatives.

My Congressman, Mike McIntyre, a democrat representing my US House District in North Carolina is sanding fast! He has consistently voted “no” on these outrageous healthcare bills. He is quoted into today’s Fayetteville Times as STILL standing pat with a great big “NO” vote. Larry Kissell, over in the neighboring US House district of North Carolina has also flatly stated that he will vote “NO” on the ObamaCare Bill -- and North Carolina Senator Burr stated he, too, will continue to vote “NO” on ObamaCare in the Senate.

As you can see by the Slaughter Solution, the cabal of democrats, Socialists, Progressives, Marxists, and Communists is bound and determined to grasp America by the throat and squeeze the freedom and liberties granted by the US Constitution to death. I mean, after all, they view the Constitution as an outdated list of suggestions that have outlived their usefulness and are, if anything, a roadblock, an impediment to their acquisition of absolute power over the people of America.

I read today a commentator who opined that republicans are telling Americans to be afraid. I have to tell you. If you are not afraid, in America today, then something is very wrong with you!

Americans ARE afraid – and they are angry! Need I remind the Socialists, Marxists, the Communists and the Progressives, there is nothing on the face of God’s green earth as dangerous as a P.O.ed American!

Even if we manage to kill ObamaCare aborning, the backlash has already begun. P.O.ed Americans are going to the polls this coming November on a mission. A mission to rid the halls of Congress of as many Socialists, Marxists, Progressives, Communists, AND DEMOCRATS as they possibly can.

We are fighting for our liberty these days. Most Americans, although slow to understand what was really happening with the Obama Regime’s assault on the constitution, have finally gotten hold to the truth and have awakened to the “clear and present danger” Obama and his minions present for freedom and liberty in America.

When Americans came to realize Obama had surrounded himself with Communists, Marxists, Progressives, and Socialists in the White House --, they were shaken to their core! Now, however, they are angry and they have vowed to take back their country.

We have a long and difficult summer ahead of us. The Democrats understand that the gig is up. They understand they have been caught red-handed and they also understand that their days are numbered in positions of power in the Congress and in the White House. So, between today, and Election Day in November, they will be trying every trick in the book to move their agenda forward. We, the conservative opposition, must be equally as cunning and as tireless in our efforts to block them at every turn, to hem them in, to box them in, and neutralize them until they can be voted out of office and our constitution and our country rendered safe once again.

In the meantime, we must not let up, one little bit, with our opposition to the socialized medicine bill referred to as ObamaCare. We absolutely must defeat it. The we must turn our attention to the “New Amnesty Bill” called The Comprehensive Immigration Bill, the intent of which is to provide a “pathway to citizenship” for those illegal aliens already in our country after having broken our laws and entered as a thief in the night, or burglars enter our homes. And then -- there is Cap and Trade -- a massive, massive, tax on energy for every American, man, woman, and child. Of course, there will be much, much, more.

America was sold a “bill of goods!” by the Obama Campaign. North Carolina bought that “bill of goods.” Today it is paying the price. North Carolina has the highest unemployment since the great depression at over eleven percent. Our sister state, South Carolina is in much the same condition. Both states have at least one “Progressive” senator. In South Carolina it is Lindsey Graham and in North Carolina is in Kay Hagen. Both must be called home and relieved of duty in the Senate as soon as possible. Barring that -- they must be made aware of the feelings of their constituents toward their behavior in lending “aid and comfort” to the Obama Regime and our “rogue” Congress. They must be brought in line and kept in line by public pressure until they can be relived at the ballot box.

Freedom isn’t free. One of the costs is “eternal vigilance.” We can never, not for one minute, take our eyes off the Congress and the White House.

If, as I suspect, our national economy goes from bad to worse, over the coming months, the struggle for complete and absolute power by the government over the people will heat up. We must resist. Somehow, someway we must not allow this great experiment, called America, to be
strangled by an All Powerful Central Government.

The former poet laureate of South Carolina, author James Dickey once defined a “Southern Gentleman” as “a man with a Bible in one hand and a cannonball in the other.” Well, as I like to think of myself as a Southern Gentleman, I have just served up my cannon ball, now -- I will offer my Bible. From the scriptures we glean this bit of everlasting wisdom:

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14.

If you know HOW to pray, may I suggest that NOW is exactly the time for you to put it into practice?

“Deo Duce Vincemus” -- (Under the leadership of God we will conquer).

J. D. Longstreet