Enforcing States Rights is Borderline Treason????

Once again I am writing in response to another blogger whom I disagree with. This time the writer is talking about the States that have filed suit against the Federal Government over the Healthcare bill. The writer asks the question as to whether this is a declaration of State Sovereignty or is it bordering on treason. He goes on to reference a New York Times article about the various states that are passing laws declaring states rights in areas to include the healthcare bill, gun laws, abortion and even local police powers being supreme to Federal authority. While states are citing the 10th Amendment as their legal stand the writer in question is quoting Article VI of the constitution as an argument of why this may be treasonous.

Quoted from the Constitution:
[2] This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.
[3] The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.
While I will agree that Article IV section [2] does give the Federal Government supremacy over the States, this supremacy is limited to those laws that are passed in accordance with the Constitution. That is the basis for the suits that are filed against the healthcare bill; it is an unconstitutional bill that should not be held up in the Supreme Court. This article is not an article that the Progressive Left wants to start using in trying to shoot down States rights, especially when considering Section [3]. Section [3] specifically states that all elected Government officials and the Judicial Branch of both the State and Federal Governments are bound by an oath to uphold the Constitution. Is it then treasonous to violate that oath and pass laws that infringe on the rights of the States and the Citizens of the United States? Is it really treasonous to pass State laws that ensure a State is in compliance with the Constitution even if it means blocking Federal Laws that are unconstitutional?

To further the attack against those States pushing for States Rights the writer quoted a readers comment from another New York Times article “If these wise state politicians are serious about federal intrusions into their affairs, they should insist that federal interstate highways be ripped up, that federal dams providing electricity and water be destroyed, that all federal military bases be removed, that all earmarked funds be refunded, that all Medicaid funds be rejected, that all agricultural subsidies be ended. We need some modicum of intellectual honesty and ideological purity in these matters.”. What the writer and this reader need to be reminded of is that the Federal Highway system was originally created in support of Military movements across the Nation, which is one of the functions of the Federal Government. The highway system is maintained by local State Governments, agreed they receive Federal funds, as they should since in accordance with the Constitution the Federal Government does have a responsibility to regulate interstate commerce (Article I, Section 8 [3]) in which interstate transportation of goods is a necessity. Just to be fair, this is also the article that the left like to try and misquote in defense of things like the healthcare bill, they are not to mandate, but regulate, to ensure fair trade between states, no taxes levied between states for importing goods, no monopolies, not mandates such as healthcare. Military bases and the like are authorized by Article I Section 8 [17]
Authority over all places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful buildings.
As for the statements the reader made concerning Medicaid funds being rejected, agricultural subsidies ending and earmark funds being refunded, well that is the price we will have to pay to follow the constitution, they are unconstitutional so I will agree with the reader on these. The reader also needs to brush up on their history; the dams that provide electricity, specifically the Hoover Dam and the Boulder Dam are sticky wickets. There was multi-state and Federal involvement in the planning and approval of the Hoover Dam which led the way for the Boulder Dam. The benefit of each was not confined to a single state, so it can be argued that this did fall into the jurisdiction of Article I Section 8 [3], in fact it would appear to have been done precisely in the way the Framers of the Constitution intended. The best example of the readers point would have been the Tennessee Valley Authority which was formed by Federal Charter in 1933 by one of the most Progressive Presidents we have ever had, F.D.R. If you want to research it you will find that the TVA has turned out to be a failure more or less, currently it is having to contract with private energy companies in nearby states to purchase electricity created from wind power to make up for the shortfall in it’s production.
As in other arguments made by the liberal, progressive left they make claims that look good until you get below the surface and look at the real facts. Just to be fair I’m posting the link to the other bloggers entry so that you can read for yourself and decide whether I’m right or wrong.
States Rights or Treason

A Book Review

I just finished reading a book that was started in the 1940’s and completed in the 1950’s; it’s called Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, a Russian immigrant. The interesting thing about the book is that even though it was written with 1940’s knowledge, Ms Rand wrote it because of the path she saw the United States taking at that time, that path is the same one we are on right now.
The book starts off in the midst of an industrial revolution for the country. Industrialists are making advances in their areas of expertise by leaps and bounds with no interference from the Government. Around the same time a new Government administration enters into power, one that believes in fairness, fairness as long as it keeps them in power. As the Government aligns themselves with artists, philosophers and politicians with a socialist attitude the regulations to promote fairness start to be passed. It begins with, as Ayn Rand called it, a no dog eat dog doctrine, from there it spreads to regulations on production.
The Industrial Revolution occurred between 1850 and 1870. The effects of the Industrial Revolution continued through the Roaring 20’s. This all came to an end with the Great Depression which started in the late 1920’s. To end the Great Depression President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced the New Deal. This was to be Government intervention to end the Depression. It didn’t end the Depression, it began the oppression of American industry and the American working class.
In Atlas Shrugged the increase of regulations was strangling free enterprise. In response industrialist start retiring or simply walking away from their life’s work. All inspired by one man who refused to sell his minds work at the price of his soul and morals.
In America we are at this stage, only it’s not walking away from their life’s work, instead businesses are moving off shore, moving to places where labor is cheap and profits are high. Ayn Rand wrote of men of industry with high morals, unfortunately today not all men have high morals, at the same time they are not misguided idealists that are willing to sacrifice their own survival and prosperity for the leeches of society, those that are willing to take from the working class without ever putting in an honest days work themselves.
In Atlas Shrugged the Government policy of fairness goes to the point where jobs may be had without qualifications and without threat of firing, profits are limited to promote equality between competing companies and Nationalization of industries is the ultimate goal. This leads to complete failure in industry caused by unqualified personnel and the failure of one industry after another. Qualified workers start walking off the job and disappearing into the wilderness to fend for themselves and the great minds of the industrialists just disappear altogether.
America today is not to that point but are we headed that way? Did a Russian emigrant in the 1940s actually see the direction we were headed for? Are the events going on now in Greece a preview of what could happen here in America? As I personally see it we are at the stage where the Government is encroaching on industry and not allowing the boom and bust cycle to work. The recent bailout of the banking, auto and mortgage industries only allowed those that are corrupt and mismanaged to survive while smaller entrepreneurs were pulled under. While allowing big industries to fail may have caused another Depression bailing them out has allowed corruption to continue and the current recession to continue. The boom and bust theory of industry would have allowed those that should not survive to fail opening the doors to those that can survive, instead we are just propping up what will eventually fail and putting America as a whole deeper in debt.
I highly recommend reading Atlas Shrugged, it is a long read at just over 1000 pages with some very long winded speeches in its pages, but all told it is very enlightening.

BP Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico Needs “Socialism”?

I just read a blog entry on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that has me a little steamed. The blogger states that all we need is for the Navy to come in and put well placed explosives on the well head to cap the well. I agree with this point and I agree that the Navy has the capability to do just that. The blogger goes on to state that we need the President to follow in the footsteps of President Bush and override the posse comitas act of 1878 in order to use the Military for this function. The posse comitas act of 1878 (http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/uscode/18/I/67/1385) reads as follows:
18 U.S.C. § 1385 : US Code - Section 1385: Use of Army and Air Force as posse comitatus
Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.
A posse comitas is a temporary police force. We are not talking about using the Military as a temporary police force; we are looking at expertise in an area that is needed to prevent more damage ecologically and economically. The blogger went on to state ““Socialism” gives us the moral authority and legal precedent”. There it is, in black and white, the progressive attitude to use any emergency to push their agenda. The problem is, that most Americans will not take the time to look into what the law really says about who is responsible and who can be used to combat the issue. In the case of this oil rig, it was owned by BP, otherwise known as British Petroleum, you know, the one that has interests all over the globe and headquartered in London. Yes, I mean, London, England, not in the USA. The oil rig itself was located 50 miles offshore. Territorial waters extend out to 24 nm (increased by President Clinton in 1999) and Exclusive Economic Zones extend out to 200 miles. In reality, the rig itself is not in the territorial waters of the US. I only point that out to give reference to what is going on. To sum up the situation, we have an oil rig outside of the United States territorial waters, owned by a global company that is headquartered in London, England, spewing oil that is threatening the shores of the United States, which will have an impact on oil prices, the fishing industry and future off-shore oil drilling that will further put us dependent on foreign oil, and this blogger is calling for “Socialism” in order to use the best resources available to take care of the problem?! This is exactly what the progressive movement wants to further their cause, never let any crisis go to waste. Send the Navy in to cap the well, send in whoever it takes to cap this well and charge BP an arm and a leg when it’s all over, we have the ability, the right and moral authority to take care of this. As for a legal precedent, so far I have found very few legal precedents that were actually legal per the US Constitution, they may have set a precedent but only because the Judge that ruled on it ruled the way he wanted to interpret the law.
If I have offended anyone with this post, especially the blogger whom I left unnamed, good, it’s about time I started offending people in the course of my defense of our nation and our Constitution

Where Are We Headed

Over the last year or more we have seen the immergence of various groups touting a myriad of political, social and economical views. We are blaming our President for being a socialist and moving us towards a socialist society. We have seen the immergence of the Tea Party which follows a more Libertarian path, and we are seeing the reemergence of Anarchists and Progressives. The common political phrases and parties we are used to just don’t seem to have the same meanings anymore and the word Capitalism has become a four letter word. It used to be you were a Republican or a Democrat with either more conservative, liberal or even centrist leanings. Now those terms are all mixed together, there are conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans. Neither of these are the parties of our Grandparents, or even our parents. So just where are we headed and why.

How many people in America really know what’s going on? With all these different movements and parties coming forward and getting on their soap boxes the majority of the American populace will naturally follow what is the perceived to be the most stable and safest path, the one the Government is taking us down. The problem is that the majority of the populace does not even know what path that is, they are the sheep being led to the slaughter.

The ultimate result of the path we are currently on is Totalitarianism. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines this as a political concept that the citizen should be totally subject to an absolute state authority. Some believe that true Communism is a political and economical plan that means a completely classless society with no Government and everyone owns everything. If that were true then it would be called Anarchy. Communism as defined by The Merriam-Webster Dictionary is a totalitarian system of government in which a single authoritarian party controls state-owned means of production It goes on to say that it is the final stage of society in Marxist theory in which the state has withered away and economic goods are distributed equitably. This could lead one to believe that the end is Utopia, the perfect society, the impossible society for social growth. The Elite will never relinquish their power or position, we can never be a Utopian society nor do we ever want to be a Utopian society in the world we now live in. Totalitarianism is Communism. We are now opening our arms out of ignorance to the very thing we have fought against in other countries, right or wrong, in the past. Many confuse Socialism with Communism; Socialism is just a stepping stone to Communism. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Socialism as;
1 : any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
2 a : a system of society or group living in which there is no private property b : a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state
3 : a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done.

Capitalism is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market. To date the Government has allowed Capitalism and free trade to continue only because it was in the best interest of the Government. We have been a socialist country for years. We want to reward no work with welfare, we have controlled production through the use of farm subsidies to not farm certain crops in order to control the market, and we have proven that the Government does not believe in private property by the use of imminent domain in the name of progress. Sure in imminent domain you are paid for your property but you have no recourse to keep your property, you either accept the offer the Government gives you or they will take what ever measures they can to get it.

Socialism is just an economic system while Communism is an economic and political system. The website wisegeek.com states it well when they say that Socialists “see capitalism as a possible part of the ideal state and believe that socialism can exist in a capitalist society. In fact, one of the ideas of socialism is that everyone within the society will benefit from capitalism as much as possible as long as the capitalism is controlled somehow by a centralized planning system” while Communists “assert that both capitalism and private ownership of the means of production must be done away with as soon as possible in order to make sure a classless society”.

There have been other programs that have been passed in history that are socialistic plans, namely, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, we just never looked at it that way since the evolution to Socialism has been a slow and steady progression. In recent months we have seen even more proof that we are headed towards not only a Socialistic society but progressing even closer to a Communist society. The Government bailouts and subsequent control of auto manufacturers and home mortgage companies, the Health Care bill passing which will allow the Government to control every aspect of our lives in order to receive health care, and the more recent signing of the bill to make the Government the sole provider of student loans. Other steps are being taken to assert even more control over our lives with the Cap and Trade bill which will control how we are to use energy, something that came from the free thinking of individuals, not from a Government. The current administration believes it is now time for change and capitalism and free trade are no longer necessary for the Government to accomplish its desired goal, the closet door has been opened and all the skeletons that have been hidden for decades are coming out to haunt us and to try and change the country to what they want it to be. This is the transparency they promised us.

Much of today’s society agrees with the Socialist plan, but do they really know why? When accepting handouts from the Government they care not where it comes from, only that they get it. The now all too famous quote out of Detroit “Obamas’ stash” is indicative of how many people think. They believe the Government has an endless supply of money to provide them with all the benefits they believe they are entitled to. There is no endless stash; there are only the backs of those that are willing to work. If we continue down the path to a Communist society there will be fewer and fewer free will workers, we will become a society of slave labor. In the current society we have there are fewer incentives for entrepreneurs to open businesses and create jobs for the masses. As we lose the American entrepreneurial spirit the Government will seize control of businesses, once again exerting more control over our lives. Once the number of recipients to the Government entitlements exceeds the ability of the workers to provide what will happen to the recipients? Will the Government just forget them? Will there be rationing of health care, food, housing and all the other things the recipients have come accustomed to? Or will the recipient become a slave to the State? If the recipient becomes a slave to the State what is to keep the State from making all workers slaves? To determine for each of us what job we will perform, where we will perform it and exactly how much compensation we will receive for our work, including what type and size of home we may live in, how much food we may have and what kind of vehicle we may have if any at all. This may sound crazy but is it? There are better choices, but none of them are perfect, there is no Utopia.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary a Libertarian is one who advocates maximizing individual rights and minimizing the role of the state and one who believes in free will. This type of Government, the type that the framers of the Constitution imagined they were giving to us, believes that the people have the power and the Government is just there to protect the people from criminals foreign and domestic. A Government of this type is called a Republic. The only way a Republic can survive is if the citizens of the Republic are willing to get involved and stay involved. Citizen involvement is the only way to prevent the growth of a Tyrannical Government, a Government that believes it’s power is without boundaries.

Another social system worth mentioning at this point is Anarchism. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary Anarchism is defined as a political theory holding all forms of governmental authority to be unnecessary and undesirable and advocating a society based on voluntary cooperation and free association of individuals and groups. In an Anarchist system there are no laws and no Government, therefore order within the communities is up to the citizens and the citizens alone, sounds like what some call Communism.

The best recent examples of Anarchical systems were towns in the Old West. Many towns were established before the territories became States and even in some cases before the territories were even under the control of the United States Government. As the communities grew they would differ to a man that showed himself to be a natural leader. In some cases this system worked, in others it lead to greed and lawlessness. This is the major difference between an Anarchical system and a Libertarian system, some law, some form of Government is needed.

Unfortunately in both of these systems the downfall will always trace its roots back to human nature, at least human nature as I see it. Human nature is different in all men; in some men it means strong morals, strong work ethics and a strong belief in what is right and wrong. In others it can be a distorted view on rights and wrongs with morals that are questionable. This can lead to the belief that only the strong should survive, a belief that they can take what they want without a concern for others rights to property, a belief that they do not have to work for what they have, they only have to take. In the Anarchical system this leads only to the total ruin of the system, in the Libertarian system the same ruin will occur but not as quickly, it will be a slower lose of freedoms and rights, only tempered by the presence of a Government. In the Libertarian system the people can prevent the lose of their rights and freedoms by staying involved, staying informed and not allowing the Government to grow out of control, like it has done. At the end of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 when asked whether we had a Republic or a Monarchy Benjamin Franklin replied “A Republic if you can keep it”, the facts say we have lost it. With the current status of the United States it’s easy to understand why there is an increase in the Anarchists movement.

The American people fell asleep long ago and they are just now starting to wake up. Unfortunately it may to too late and too few. The American people trusted the Government to do what the right thing for far too long. Americans were blind to the changes that were occurring, blind to the slow but steady growth of the Government, not only in size but in power. The American people as a whole became lazy and comfortable with the success and progress the country made, we were happy to let the Government take care of all problems without bothering the citizenry. The American people even welcomed the assistance of the Government while never once asking where this assistance actually came from, never realizing that what they were accepting was the permission to take their liberties away, the very liberties men fought for and the Constitution was written to protect. The people of the United States allowed the Government to run unchecked for far to long, allowed career politicians to become the norm replacing the Statesman. One only needs to read the Declaration of Independence to see what we are headed for, or what we have even surpassed already, the very Government America declared independence from.

Yes a form of Government is needed, it should be there to protect the borders and protect the citizens from wrongs against their rights. Not a Government that controls peoples rights. To have this type of Government every citizen must be involved, must be informed.

IF I WAS IN CONGRESS

Over the last year or so I have become painfully aware of the problems that our Nation is facing. I know these are serious problems that affect a large percentage of the American public, if not all of us. Watching our politicians work and listening to the speeches and press conferences they are giving I don’t believe out politicians are as serious about doing the right thing as they are about furthering their political careers.

Washington is spending America right out of existence while breaking the spirit of the American people. Taxation is out of control, budgets are written that are only increasing the deficit instead of reducing it which in turn means the National debt will never be paid off. Laws continue to be written that are not within the powers enumerated in the Constitution but take more and more control over the lives of the American public. If we stay on this path the America we will pass down to future generations is not the America I wanted to pass down, not the legacy I would want to be remembered for.

I realize I don’t know much about politics but there are a few things I would do if I were in Congress.

• The Federal budget needs to be balanced, not to just reduce the deficit but to make the deficit zero so we can start reducing the National Debt. The States are supposed to have there own sovereignty so the states should not be receiving money for pet projects that do not benefit the Nation as a whole. No more federally funded bike paths, hiking paths, memorials or beautification projects. If the states want to have these projects funded they should have to find the funds within their own states, if the citizens of a state want something they will figure out how to raise the funds. Federal funds should only be used in accordance with the Constitution. Legislation should be able to stand on there own merits, it should not take bribery in the form of earmarks to get passed.
• Stop subsidizing failing institutions with taxpayer dollars. The Federal Government has been pouring money into Amtrak and the USPS without any hope of either one becoming profitable. There are many federally funded agencies and institutions that are no more then bottomless pits. If these services are allowed to operate on their own without federal funding or interference they will either succeed or fail or their own. If they are truly a needed service let an entrepreneur step in and provide that service.
• Stop the spending that was passed with the Stimulus Bill. A large portion of this spending has been used on programs that are not putting Americans back to work. Spending is not the way to create jobs, cutting taxes and getting out of the way of both large and small business owners is the way to create jobs.
• Elected officials are public servants yet they act like they are royalty. Members of Congress do not need to travel in private jets with large staffs and fleets of Limos. These elected officials are elected by individual states to represent the States in Washington, not to fly all over the globe on boondoggles and retreats paid for by tax dollars. Congress should be using the technological advances that are now available to minimize unnecessary and costly travel.
• Pay for all federal employees that are already well above the average for the private sector should be frozen; this includes members of Congress and their staffs. Serving your State and Country is a privilege and a duty, not a get rich scheme.

These are just a few of the things that could be done immediately to reduce the deficit and in turn start reducing the National debt. There are many areas that can be addressed on a long term plan. The country needs to get back to the basics of the Constitution. The Constitution clearly spells out what functions the Federal Government is responsible for, all others are to be retained by the States and the citizens. Most of the government programs we have come to blindly accept are not authorized by the Constitution except by the fact that we as States and citizens have allowed them the power. The States need to take back that power. All federally funded aid programs should be shifted to the States, this would include, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Welfare, and Housing. As sovereign entities the States have the right to either fund these programs or to not fund them per the wishes of the citizens of the individual States. These types of changes would affect a large portion of the population all across the Nation so it would require a plan that would allow for a gradual shift of power and responsibility.

· Stop required contributions to SSI, Medicare and Medicaid. Immediately make these volunteer programs. For those that are already dependent on these programs and those that are close enough to retirement age that they would not be able to recover from the loss of this type of retirement program the funding would remain. Allow a 2 year period in which participation in the program is voluntary while the responsibility is shifted to the States. During this period the program would be run like any other retirement plan, the funds would be invested and not used to fund other programs. The States would then be responsible for determining if they want to continue the programs based on the desires of the citizens. There should be some provision for individuals that elect to continue in the program but their State decides to not offer the program, exactly what I don’t know. For the States that continue the program the funds that have been contributed to the federal fund would be shifted to the accountability of the Contributors State.

· All recipients of welfare would be evaluated to determine the continued need for assistance. Federal funding for welfare would then stop and the States would have the responsibility of funding the program. If a State determines it does not want to fund a welfare program that is the choice of the State. There should be intense investigations into any reports of welfare fraud.

· A Fair Tax program should be put into place for federal funds. Having a fair tax puts the responsibility of running the country on all citizens. All tax plans can be abused but at least with a fair tax program each individual has the power to control how much they contribute based on their spending habits. If you have rich tastes you will pay more, if you are frugal you will pay less. If an individual wants to live at a higher standard then they currently are they can through hard work. This will also put money back into the hands of the workers who will then spend more which in turn will stimulate our economy.

· Control of education should be with the States. Local control of the educational standards will force more involvement by parents. If parents want to see their children go on to college they will become active in increasing the teaching standards and ensuring the schools have properly qualified and motivated educators.

· Energy production should be either a private industry or a State industry. Unfortunately energy is an industry that is of the nature that competition is hard to have, only so many power lines can be strung. It is an industry that can be controlled at a State level. If a State wants only hydro, or nuclear, or coal burning then they should be able to control it. This does bring into question the environmental impact of some of these choices which does affect the entire nation since you can’t control the wind. In this case the States should be concerned with cleaning up our environment and placing regulations on not only power companies but all areas of industry to minimize the environmental impact.

· There should also be term limits on members of Congress. Career politicians stop caring about the welfare of the Nation and just look at how to save their careers. You would think that would mean keeping constituents happy nut what it really means it keeping special interest groups that just want federal funds happy. It also means they will cut deals that benefit the powerbase that is supporting them and will make them rich. We need Statesmen, not career politicians. I also feel the 17^th Amendment should be repealed, put the power of who goes to Washington to represent the State back in the States hands.

One area that is within the enumerated powers of the Federal Government is National Security. Our borders need to be closed. Immigration is a good thing for this country, if it is done legally. Illegal immigration is not only a drain on tax payer dollars it is a threat to the security of the Nation. Our country is a country of laws, supporting illegal immigration and even the consideration of amnesty is a blatant disregard for the law, it is also an insult to the immigrants that have entered the country legally and assimilated into society.

Our Founding Fathers also believed in trade with other countries. This trade should not only be free trade, but fair trade. If a country wants to only import products into our country there should be tariffs on those products to encourage equal exports. Fair trade would mean no tariffs, one sided trade, tariffs. In order to have products to export we have to allow the free market to operate. This Nation has the greatest diversity of products and skills to be found on the planet. We must have an environment that encourages businesses to keep the factories and jobs in the United States. The best way to accomplish this is to get the Government out of the way.

Our Founding Fathers also believed we should stay politically neutral with other Nations. Britain’s philosophy used to be to make the world British. Men shed blood and died during the Revolutionary War to escape that. Why are we now trying to do the same thing? I understand the argument about preventing genocide, helping starving people all across the globe, and protecting people from dictators. What is forgotten is that these issues have been going on across the world since long before the United States was ever a Nation. We have a few of those problems right here in our own country. I not advocating isolationism but we should not be attempting to spread democracy through Nation building across the globe while we are losing our own country.

I know changes such as I have mentioned would take time and would adversely affect a large number of people. Sacrifices were made to form this country; it’s going to take sacrifice to keep this country. Many Americans are uneducated on where their tax dollars go or where the funding for the special programs they are taking advantage of come from. The liability for the funding of this country should be on the shoulders of all Americans, not just a few. Historically Americans have been very free thinking independent individuals. The politicians today are trying to tie us all up in one nice neat little package and create a cradle to grave nanny state where you will have no say in what direction your life or your career will go. As I once heard a comedian say, Wake Up America!

Unfortunately I’m not in Congress and I never will be. The system has made nearly impossible for the average citizen to get into public office. Starting out at a local level is a good way to try and get there but even that is tough. The working class that makes up a large majority of individuals adversely affected by the direction the country is headed is too busy working trying to make ends meet and keep their families together. Getting into any level of Government requires money and connections, even more so at a federal level. It should only require desire, the desire to do the right thing, the desire to uphold the Constitution, not destroy it, the desire to pass on a greater Nation then we started with.

Thank you Mr. President

President Obama,

I’m writing to thank you for all that you have done for me. As recently as two years ago I had only a rudimentary knowledge of the US Constitution and the other documents that were instrumental in the formation of our country, the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. When you started making speeches on the campaign trail some the things both you and your opponent, Senator McCain, were saying just were not ringing true to me. At that point I started to educate myself on the documents that formed our country and our government. I don’t have a degree in Constitutional Law much less any type of law so I have to take the words as they are written, not to interpret them as I saw fit or as some Professor saw fit. I also had to do my own research into what the framers of the documents intended for the words to mean. Thank you for teaching me to think for myself.

You have also taught me more about politicians and politics then I ever cared to know. As part of my upbringing I was taught to say what I mean and mean what I say, I was also taught that it’s easier to tell the truth then to lie; you don’t have to remember as much. As I have become more interested in politics, politicians and the direction our country is headed I have come to realize that politics does not adhere to any of those things. Politicians will say whatever they want in order to gain power and contributions from the powerful elite. It’s been a real education on how politics works when listening to all the various polls stating what the American people want and then seeing what our Government is doing, I guess in the Governments opinion we are not educated enough to think for ourselves and know what we really want.

You have also taught me that what the officers I served with in the Navy, to lead by example, was all wrong. I read the legislation that is being written in Congress and listen to the powerful people that are pushing for the legislation telling me it’s the right thing to do for the people of America or for the planet but I don’t see them leading by example. If going green and reducing green house gases was such an important issue wouldn’t you expect to see the lawmakers and lobbyists pushing for it going green themselves? I don’t mean buying credits allowing them to clear their conscious while continuing to emit green house gases, I mean selling the SUV’s and Limos, selling the mansions, stop traveling by private jets and start using go to meeting. I’m also curious as to how good the proposed health care plans are for the American people when they have to make special deals, bribe and threaten in order to get the votes to pass the bills, guess I just don’t understand politics, but I’m sure if I keep watching you and your administration I will learn.

You have also taught me how to influence people. During the campaign you and your staff convinced people that a Governor for one of our largest states had no experience in politics all while you had little to no experience yourself, yet no one questioned that. I have never seen someone as skilled as you at influencing people. Since becoming President you have convinced people that everything you are doing is the greatest thing they will ever see when in truth what you are doing will go down as one the greatest atrocities to the United States and her citizens that will ever be recorded in history. Of course history will remember only that you were one hell of a salesman from that country that used to be known as the United States of America. To go with this you have also taught me have to shirk responsibility. When I accepted a new assignment in the Navy I accepted all the problems that went with the job. I did not matter whether my predecessor created them or not. My seniors would not accept me passing the blame off on someone else; all they accepted was what I was doing about them and why they weren’t fixed.

You have also taught me about the diversity within our country. I don’t mean the diversity of race, creed, color and culture, I mean in ideologies. I used to believe there were only two major political parties and they were firm in their values, now I know different. The two major political parties are so intermingled and splintered at the same time that it keeps the American public confused about what they are getting when they vote. Then there are all the different groups throughout America that want to tear the country apart for one reason or another. They use the very foundation of this country to protect them and to allow them to protest against this country. In truth if they were to try and exercise the same rights in the countries they want us to emulate they would be persecuted and prosecuted.

You have also taught me to look back in history which has caused me to realize that what I thought I knew about past Presidents is not necessarily true. I now realize that there have been quite a few Presidents that have tried to create the country you are well on the way to create. In you defense I have to thank you for being so straight forward about it. You have plainly stated that you were going to fundamentally change America. To me that means you want to change the very fundamental that created America and that is exactly what you are trying to do. You have come right out and stated that you want to redistribute wealth within America. I also thought that in America we were free to be the best we could be and to be free of persecution just because we were hard working and successful. You have also come right out and stated that you are a Progressive, something that many of your predecessors have been but were not brave enough to come right out and state it. I didn’t know what a Progressive was at first, it sounded good but now I know exactly what it is.

You have also taught me that I know nothing about how to handle a budget or how to get through tough times. I’ve never owned my own business but I have been in positions that required to work within budget constraints and to look for ways to reduce the budget to ensure the success of the company. I now know that I was going about it all wrong, I should have been requesting larger budgets with large deficits that would just add to the debt of the company without any possibility of paying it off. Instead of looking at areas where spending could be cut I should have been looking at creating more departments that would add to the debt and deficit instead of reducing them. It’s been a great lesson in economics.

Lastly I want to thank you for showing me that I had the wrong idea about what the American Dream was. I always thought the American Dream was the same dream that the original founders had, the dream that the soldiers of the revolution had, the dream that all the early immigrants had when they came here. The dream that they could come here and try to make a life for themselves based on their skills and desires. The dream that they could be free from a tyrannical Government. The dream that they could build businesses and farms and not have all their hard earned money taken by the Government like the serfs from the “Old Country”. You have shown me that I was wrong once again. You have shown me that the American Dream is really just that, only a dream. We can only dream about the choices we thought we were free to make for ourselves and our families. According to you we are not smart enough to make our own decisions so you and the Government will make all the decisions for us.

There is one lesson that you haven’t taught me that I wish you would. I wish you would teach me what a President and the elected officials of our Government are suppose to do. I wish you would teach me how Washington is suppose to “Support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic”, the oath that all elected officials are required to take when they are sworn in, the same oath the every man and woman that serves in the military takes. Teach me what that oath really means, not how it’s interpreted by the extreme left or right. If you could teach me and the American people that lesson then maybe we could revive the American Dream and get it back on the right track.

Respectfully,

Steven K. Avery

MMC(SS/SW) USN Retired

Redistribution

In peacetime the mission of the United States Navy is peacetime engagement, deterrence and conflict prevention. To meet this directive Navy vessels must be at sea and battle ready at a moments notice. On a nuclear powered submarine there are various departments and divisions made up of volunteers to ensure this goal is met.

When a submarine is at sea the entire crew works long hours, standing watch, maintaining equipment, training on equipment and running drills for damage control proficiency. In port the schedule is different depending on what division a sailor is assigned to. The Radio Division for example stands in-port watches required for the security of the submarine, performs routine maintenance the radio equipment and assists vendor technicians performing upgrades on the equipment. Barring a major catastrophe with the equipment this normally means they have normal work days and ample time off to spend with family and friends. The Machinery division on the other hand, just by the nature of machinery, has to put in long hours while in-port standing watches, operating required equipment, performing routine preventive maintenance and performing required repairs. Both divisions are vital to the overall operation of the submarine and its ability to meet its assigned missions on time. One other consideration is that in most cases it costs more money to have a nuclear powered ship in port then to have it operating at sea due to the port services required.

If the Navy were to apply the idea of redistribution to the working hours of these two divisions one of the following would occur.

- If the work load was distributed evenly between the two divisions there would be unqualified and untrained personnel being loaned to the Machinery Division to work. This would result in equipment either not being repaired and maintained in a timely manner or being repaired and maintained incorrectly. End result: the submarine would not meet its mission goals.

- If the Machinery Division were to alter its work day to meet the same hours as the Radio Division routine maintenance and repairs would take longer then the prescribed time and cost more money in the long run. End result: the submarine would not meet its mission goals.

- If the Radio Division were to alter its work day to meet the same hours as the Machinery Division there would be a waste of assets in the form of Radio personnel sitting around with no work to perform. End result: the submarine would meet its mission goals but not for long. The Navy would end up with disgruntled sailors that would not reenlist for extended service, end result: the Navy would not meet its mission goals due to loss of experienced personnel.

The idea of redistribution of wealth within the United States works the same. If the Government takes from those that work and give to those that don’t the same results will happen, the United States will not meet its mission goals. In America individuals have the opportunity to better themselves through hard work, the opportunity to be the best they can be according to their abilities and desires. When the reasons to succeed are taken away the desires to succeed will go away. Sooner or later the working class will tire of seeing their effort, sacrifice and sweat going to those that are unwilling to put in the effort. This will create a nation of welfare. The Government does not produce a product or service it can sell to obtain the funds required to support a welfare nation. End result: The United States will fail.

On one particular nuclear powered submarine the Leading Chief Petty Officer of the Radio Division and the Leading Chief Petty Officer of the Machinery Division lived in the same neighborhood. They spent time together at cookouts and watching their children play little league baseball. On one occasion when the Leading Chief Petty Officer of the Machinery Division had to put in long hours the wife of the Leading Chief Petty Officer of the Radio Division remarked how unfair it was that one had to work and miss out on family time while her husband was able to be home. The Leading Chief Petty Officer of the Radio Division responded to her that they both had chosen their career paths, both had volunteered willingly and knowingly of what they were doing, he was right. In America, at least for the time being, Americans are free to choose, free to choose their career paths, free to choose how successful they will be. Redistribution may not actually take away this choice, but it will take away the desire, it will take away the spirit of the American people. Redistribution could eventually lead to a redistribution of land and careers, the Government could determine for you what career path you will take based on what is needed in the Governments opinion, not yours. Redistribution will not affect those that have political power, the elite. They will not give up their power and wealth, they will be the rulers over the American people. Is this the America you want to live in? The America you want to pass on to future generations?