A New Year's Resolution To Make - & Keep

 

 

 

Last week USA Today reported there are 42 million registered Democrats, 30 million registered Republicans, & 24 million people who identify themselves as Independents.  This is just another indication that we are outnumbered.

 

I have repeatedly pointed out that every lover of freedom should find & convert @ least three statists to vote for anti-statist candidates in whatever level (local, state, presidential) election they are comfortable with in 2012.  This means finding & supporting candidates who will make a mindset change in the way our people think not necessarily only the ABBO (anybody but BO) idea but far greater than that.  We have to eliminate the slow burn toward socialism not just concentrate on one election no matter how terrible the outcome of that election might be in the short run.

 

Friedrich Hayek dedicated his classic book The Road To Serfdom "To The Socialists Of All Parties" & we have a plethora of socialists in both major parties today – we need to rid ourselves of them starting with BO.  In an analogy to the housing market we have to clear the houses needed to be foreclosed before the housing market can turn around.  We also have to clear out the socialists @ every level before we can return to the excellence of our founding.

 

Because of the business cycle the economy may be starting to temporarily improve – if your washing machine broke down several years ago you may have to go buy a new one if you are tired of washing your clothes in the nearby stream.  But neither the business cycle or total thrift will return our economy to the needed prosperity & certainly none of BO's policies will either.

 

The above graph indicates that our work may be getting harder as some parts of the economy pick up just in time to help BO – note the sharp recent upturn in consumer confidence. 

 

Now I am not favoring a rotten economy just to get BO defeated by a Republican candidate who may be every bit as bad as BO or one who only slows the burn to socialism.  But I do know from the above listed statistics that every one who reads these messages should make & keep a New Year's resolution to go out & find & convert @ least three statists (relatives, friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc.) to vote for anti-statist candidates if we are to have any chance @ all.

 

Ron Paul's Turn In The Hostile Anti-American Media's Barrel

Ron Paul got his turn in the subject barrel after he moved into the lead in the polls before the Iowa caucuses.  Last week Congressman Paul gained much notoriety by supposedly walking out of a too-tough CNN interview that questioned so-called incendiary racial remarks made in twenty year old newsletters that were published under his name such as Ron Paul's Freedom Report, the Ron Paul Survival Report, the Ron Paul Political Report and the Ron Paul Investment Letter.  At the time of most of these publications Dr. Paul had left Congress & was practicing medicine – a practice that includes being an obstetrician and gynecologist during the 1960s and 1970s, delivering more than 4,000 babies.

Although Dr. Paul has repeatedly disavowed the controversial remarks in these newsletters you can judge for yourself the validity of the claims by clicking on the CNN edited version of the entire interview that was shown on CNN (130,695 views on the internet plus the hundreds of thousands who saw it on CNN) & comparing it to the total unedited version (22,305 views on the internet).

Please notice how the edited version actually shown on CNN only focused on the incendiary matters that will have very little if any effect on your life if Congressman Paul is elected president – this is an example why I stopped watching the Communist News Network years ago.  Compare that to Congressman Paul's answers in the unedited version regarding regulating lobbyists' rights to petition the government, the description of how a declaration of war works, & why he would have used the principles of Letters of Marque & Reprisal after 9/11 to go after the Islamic fascist terrorists. 

Response - 2011 Christmas Card

Returned from Cleveland on Friday from the funeral of Carol's mother to find much support from those of you who knew of my mother-in-law's death including the message below & the home made Christmas card from a long time member & dear friend who I hope to see more often.

 

---Joy To The World Christmas Greeting---

 

Doug, the video was delightful! I've posted it to my 40+ Facebook friends.

Attached is this year's Christmas card, drawn by my husband Ed, who is an illustrator as well as an author. The expression on the baby's face is inspired by the expression on our son's face, who smiled from the moment he entered this world. So often, depictions of Mary and her Child are, understandably, solemn. Ed captures the Mother and Child's mutual joy.

May you and Carol and all the good people in this group have a most joyous Christmas!

 

 

2011 Christmas Card

Thanks to a very long time subscriber for sending along this beautiful Christmas card & to NJ Senate candidate & great friend Anna Little for sending this latest Flash Mob video.  Merry Christmas everyone.

Hitch's Faith

On Friday I read in The Washington Times that Christopher Hitchens died on Wednesday night @ the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, @ age 62, of pneumonia, a complication of his esophageal cancer.

 

The last time Carol & I saw Hitch was when he debated Tony Blair in Toronto in 2010 over whether religion is a force for good in the world – some of the meanest lowest people I know hide behind religion portraying themselves as good when they are anything but.

 

Hitchens was an atheist & his presentation the night of the debate won over the audience on this topic over the Catholic convert former Prime Minister Tony Blair – an excellent debater as we all surely know.

 

"I love the imagery of struggle," Hitchens wrote about his illness in an August 2010 essay in Vanity Fair. "I sometimes wish I were suffering in a good cause, or risking my life for the good of others, instead of just being a gravely endangered patient."

 

Hitchens became an American citizen on his 58th birthday in 2007.  Although he could tolerate seeing the American flag burned (it clearly identifies our enemies – both foreign & domestic - as I have written many times myself) Hitchens wrote that he would take an American flag stamp off an envelop & turn it right side up if he had inadvertently put it on upside down. 

 

It was people like Christopher Hitchens who made me think quite some time ago, that when you look @ all the wonders of the world, that it really takes more faith to believe in atheism, like Hitch did, than to believe in God.

 

 

Christmas Shopping Message

Click here to hear the subject message sung by the ACLU Choir – no, not what you are thinking.  It is the American Christian Life United Choir.

The song has a good message – do not financially support enemies of America.  For instance, why would anyone buy The NY Times?

Responses - Ron Paul's Consistency

Thanks to everyone who responded to the original subject message. 

 

For the record Ron Paul is now in a statistical dead heat for first place in Iowa & is either 2nd or 3rd in NH depending on the poll.  This gives America a chance to return to the excellence of our founding documents.  Make the most of it.

 

Responses to the video of Congressman Paul's compilation of remarks from the last debate ranged from "Doug: Very very enjoyable. . .thank you" to "Ron Paul knows more about money and finances than the other three I mentioned combined" to "Ron Paul has my vote hands down... it is up to him to keep it that way... and I believe he will... and I'll be watching...Merry Christmas to you and Carol my friend."

Ron Paul's Consistency

As a follow up to the last message re the chance we would be taking by overlooking, accepting, or forgiving the inconsistencies of Newt & Mitt I have pointed out several times that only Ron Paul, Michele Bachmann, & Gary Johnson, of the current Republican candidates, have life long consistent positions so you know with a high degree of confidence what they will do if elected.  Click here to hear a compilation of Ron Paul’s answers in last Saturday's debate as an example of Congressman Paul's consistency.

Overlook, Accept, & Forgive Means Taking A Chance

        

The above tabulation shows the overwhelming congressional support that Mitt Romney has gathered in his bid to be the Republican nominee.  The establishment old guard really wants Mitt – seems they think it is his turn.  But with Newt Gingrich's excellent performances in the last several debates propelling him into a commanding lead in many polls Mitt has once again run into a problem. 

The problem for Newt is that we still keep hearing about his baggage that will supposedly weigh him down if he is the GOP nominee in the general election.  Although I too am impressed with Newt in these debates I made the observation in a recent posting that in order to not be fooled again, like our country was by BO in 2008, it is best to contrast catchy one liners from debate performances (or even the entire debate performance) with years of an actual record.  By this standard the only three unblemished believable candidates are Ron Paul, Michele Bachmann, & Gary Johnson.

So with the above in mind I looked up some of Newt's baggage on issues for the purpose of showing what has to be overlooked, accepted, &/or forgiven by the electorate before they take a chance & vote for him.  If the recent polls are correct it appears that many primary voters already are forgiving the points below – the next month will tell.  This is not meant in a mean spirited way & is certainly not an endorsement for Mitt who has every bit as much baggage as Newt, if not more.

The list below is specific for Newt but many similar flip flops pertain to Mitt also - socialized medicine, carbon taxes, abortion, & second amendment rights off the top of my head.  Massachusetts based Democrat strategist Mary Ann Marsh summed up Mitt when she said "I have followed Mitt Romney for 17 years & he has been on every side of every issue during that time."

Is there a difference between Newt, Mitt, & BO in the not very long run?  Look @ the record below & then decide if the current GOP front runner will make the difference we need in returning our country to its founding excellence.  Has he or any one else earned your vote?

---Newt's Baggage---

1.  Support of TARP - Troubled Asset Relief Program

Newt switched from originally being against TARP to supporting it after some businessmen & Bernanke & Paulson convinced him to endorse it.  Click here to hear Newt's account.

2.  Libya Reversal

Click here to hear two very different but each just as authoritative positions on Libya.  Newt speaks just as authoritatively on every issue in the debates as he did on both positions presented in the video.  

3.  Global Warming – Climate Change

Click here to see the famous video with Pelosi.  Please notice they are sitting on a love seat - not a couch.  Newt has called for more federally funded climate research & a range of tax credits for renewable energy investments.  

4.  Freddie Mac

In April 2007 Newt advocated Fred's business model only now to say he warned the company of big problems ahead (after collecting $1.6 million in fees over a ten year period.)  Newt said he thinks "there are times you need government to help spur private enterprise & economic development....It is not a point of view libertarians would embrace but I am more in the...Theodore Roosevelt traditions of conservatism."  Comparing himself to TR was exactly what BO did regarding himself in Kansas on December 6.  A distinction without a difference?

5.  Socialized Medicine – The race away from it

Mitt claims that Newt repeatedly favored the individual healthcare insurance mandate idea long before RomneyCare was instituted in Massachusetts.  BO claims that ObamaCare is modeled after RomneyCare.  Newt now says the individual mandate is unconstitutional.  Who is right?  More importantly - are all of them wrong?

6.  Ryan Budget Plan

Although I don't agree with all of it because it is too timid Paul Ryan's budget plan has been the most courageous proposal in years.  It contains one of the true ways to properly modify Medicare & change the mindset of this country for the better.  Since it passed the House (not the Senate) last April Mr. Ryan has been booed @ his own town hall meetings.  Newt originally criticized it as "right-wing social engineering" – he then changed his mind.  Click here to hear Charles Kauthhammer discuss this & the individual mandate  – better overlook Charles' prediction in the video since Newt is now the front runner.

7.  The FairTax

Newt certainly knows the details of the FairTax & yet does not openly support it the way Mike Huckabee did (does) or Gary Johnson does.

I highlighted Newt in a posting dated April 14, 2010 entitled FairTax The Litmus Test when I wrote "The country is crying for the FairTax as so many people remain unemployed or underemployed. I meet them every day & my heart breaks when I consider the opportunity for life they are missing & the selfish lecherous tendencies of our elites who care nothing for 'We The People.'

"Take your pick from John Boehner to Rush Limbaugh to Newt Gingrich & everyone in between & you have to wonder why they are not for the FairTax. Or do you?"

Primary Kick-Off Points

The meeting in Bernardsville on Sunday night (attended by many in this readership from NJ & NY) produced many excellent ideas re how to remove statist candidates from office @ every level & to prevent new ones from being elected in 2012.  It will take work though.  The primary process officially starts right after the first of the new year so it is not too early to prepare especially in NH & SC where we have many subscribers.

Prior to the meeting several people told me they were disappointed because they have seen no difference in governance with the Tea Party candidates in office referring to the 87 freshman House Republicans.  Of course the reason is because 66 of them abandoned ship within three months of the start of their first term choosing to stand with the old guard establishment Republican leadership. 

Senate Tea Party candidates like Rand Paul have been more steadfast in fiscal responsibility than their House counterparts.  I have patience in trying to build a larger coalition on the senate side that will work with Tea Party stalwart Jim DeMint but obviously the phony House Tea Party freshmen must be voted out along with the House leaders who are really only big government types that are looking out for their own self-interest – not yours or the country's.

Specific points from the meeting that I urge everyone to use:

1. Among your acquaintances, friends, or family members find & convert (including people who may not normally vote) @ least two, preferably three, statists to vote for anti-statist candidates in whatever level (local, state, presidential) election they are comfortable with in 2012.  Since this is really not a new request from me many subscribers have already told me – "I have to see my neighbors."  This is a challenge – finding three such voters may not be easy but positive results provide our best chance of changing the mindset in America & equalizing the numbers game.  See #2 below for a suggestion re how to do this.

2. Write your own blog & supply it to statist friends or use ReturnToExcellence.net as you see fit.  I have found that even the most far-left-wing statists will become more libertarian if they read this blog with an open mind for a few months.  They may not see eye to eye with the majority of the readership on every issue but they do see some of it.  Consistent messages over a period of time has produced positive results before & if it doesn't just a simple "maybe this isn't for you" will suffice & then move on.  Just passing on clever conservative messages with no commentary from you to your statist friends will not cut it – this actually turns statists off because it shows no real effort on your part.

3. Find a candidate & dedicate yourself to work for the best one @ least one afternoon or evening to help their candidacies in the primaries.  Carol & I have worked for Mike Huckabee, Dave Corsi, Mike Agosta, Anna Little, & Jim Gawron  in the past – once you get started it becomes easier than you might think.  Several of you told me you did this in 2010 - I think of those who worked for Scott Brown in Massachusetts & local candidates in Illinois. 

If any of the above is important to you or you just want a chance to defeat BO & like minded statists @ every level of government then please dare great enough to follow the above points or provide an alternative that I will be only too happy to present to a very energized readership who want to help.

The American Economy - Mixed Or Mixed-Up

As a follow up to the last posting entitled The Poverty Deception I thank our SC businessman for providing this link for the video that was presented to him by one of his local Tea Parties.  The video illustrates that living standards around the world are a function of economic liberty.  Common sense isn't it?

 

John Goodman wrote in 2008 that Professor "Friedman believed that capitalism confers its greatest benefits on people @ the bottom of the income ladder.  People @ the top would have done well under any system.  It is people @ the bottom who are most liberated by markets."

 

Mr. Goodman may very well have based his remarks on Professor Friedman's writings in one of his classics – Free To Choose – where the Professor wrote "Wherever the free market has been permitted to operate, wherever anything approaching equality of opportunity has existed, the ordinary man has been able to obtain levels of living never dreamed of before.  Nowhere is the gap between rich & poor wider, nowhere are the rich richer or the poor poorer, than in those societies that do not permit the free market to operate." 

 

If I may be so bold (humbly) to paraphrase Professor Friedman – the rich do not exploit the poor – the poor come along for the ride of an enriched life in America.  If you don't believe me just look @ the list of comforts of what is considered poverty in America presented by Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation in the last posting.  No where in the history of the world has the poor in society benefited or lived so well like they do in America.

 

Now even with all of this said, it is important to realize that @ no time in Professor Friedman's adult life did we have a totally free economy in America.  We had as Susan Lee wrote a quarter of a century ago "A mixed economy - an economic system that falls somewhere between a totally free market & a government directed one; that is, an economic system that has characteristics of both capitalism & socialism....the United States has a more equal portion of both."

 

Now just imagine the unlimited possibilities & potential of human endeavor if we could only find a presidential candidate who would return us to the excellence of our free market founding.