“I’ve been a little amused over the last couple of days where people have been having these rallies about taxes. You would think they would be saying thank you,”

It’s not only what he said, it’s how he said it – with an arrogant and condescending tone that was un-Presidential at the very least.  Republican strategist Terry Holt put it this way.  “What the president said last night was arrogant and smug and a perfect example of why the Tea Party is so intense and so organized”.

Thank him!?!  We are supposed to thank him?  For what?  Thank him for deficit spending at levels never before seen in history.  Thank him for introducing yet another entitlement program when the ones that we have now are bankrupt.  Thank him for burdening our children and the children of generations to come with a tax burden that is simply unsustainable.  Thank him for weakening our national defense.  Thank him for gutting NASA.  Need I go on?  Oh, believe me Mr. President – your thanks are coming – all in good time.  We’re going to give you a “thanks giving feast” starting with an appetizer this November and culminating with desert in the Presidential Elections of 2012.   We are going to show you just how thankful we are.

This is not the first time this president has showed that you can “take the community organizer off the street, but you can’t take the street out of the community organizer.”  You may recall these remarks after he signed the Health Care Reform Legislation.

You would think that someone in his close circle would have told him, “Mr. President, you must know that by far most Americans oppose the legislation you signed.  I think it would be a good idea for you to show some humility on this one.”   Perhaps they did, and His-Arrogance just couldn’t help himself.

Likewise, perhaps someone close to him has told him that something historical is happening at the grassroots level across this nation through the Tea Party movement.  That there is genuine fear and concern by the majority of the people of this nation with regards to taxes, deficit spending, government intrusion into the private sector, and federal market manipulation.  Maybe someone did pull him aside and say, Mr. President – show a little class here.  But, maybe they didn’t.  Maybe his inner circle believes what they’ve been told – that this President is the smartest guy to every have occupied the Oval Office; after all – he’s a deep thinker and a Constitutional Scholar. 

I mean, after all – he demonstrated how much of a scholar he was when at the signing of the health care legislation he told the nation and the world that  -starting today, children who have been denied health care insurance will no longer be denied coverage.  The problem Mr. President is that bill you signed did not have that in it.  But, I’m sure that was just an oversight on your part when you read the 2000 page bill before you signed it… right?  Not to worry, the Congress had your back on that one and fixed it for you.  Good thing… otherwise you would have looked really foolish.

Of course, our Constitutional Scholar and Chief demonstrated a deep understanding and respect for the U.S. Constitution and the Separation of Powers when he overtly embarrassed the Justices of the Supreme Court during his State of the Union address this year.

In that environment, the Justices had to sit there while democrats from both chambers stood and applauded.  Never mind that fact that Obama was dead wrong in what he said.  The Supreme Court ruling specifically upheld the law with respect to foreign corporations being prohibited from donating money to political campaigns, PACs, or otherwise attempting to influence our elections.  But, I’m sure the Scholar-in-Chief just missed that part when he read the Supreme Court’s majority opinion before he commented on it before the nation.

I mean, you would think that, as constitutional scholar and the smartest guy to ever have occupied the oval office, he would know that as the head of the Executive Branch – you know, the branch of government that has the sole constitutional authority to enforce the laws – he should wait to have all the facts in a high-profile case before commenting on the case.  He demonstrated that insight with the Concord Police incident this past year.

Well, the President was right on a couple of point… not the least of which were he was not there and he did not have all the facts.  It turns out that the professor that was arrested did not show identification with his name and address on it proving he lived there, that he was being defiant and belligerent with police as they were simply doing their job.

Unfortunately, this president may be a smart guy and he may be a Constitutional Scholar, but he is demonstrating time and time again that he can’t shake the deep, ideological roots he has as a radical, left-wing, Chicago thug, community organizer.  He simply can’t pass on the opportunity to poke the hornet’s nest with a stick.

Mr. President – you temporarily occupy the Office of the President of the United States.  It’s time for you to start acting presidential.

Today, Newt Gingrich spoke at the third annual Defending the American Dream conference sponsored by Americans for Prosperity.  Newt reminded us that defending the principles that have helped to make America great has never been easy, but it has always been worth it. In his remarks, Newt spoke of General Washington’s great victory on a cold and stormy December night in 1776.  Before crossing the Delaware River to attack the German mercenary soldiers camped in New Jersey, Washington had Thomas Paine’s pamphlet The Crisis read to his men.  It begins with this:

THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing  its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated. [1]

I encourage you to read all of Thomas Paine’s The Crisis.  Having re-read it today myself, I am reminded that this pamphlet served multiple purposes:

• It challenged the patriots, reminding them that “sunshine patriots… shrink from service…, but he that stand…” deserve thanks.
• It reminded the citizen soldiers that the challenge they embarked on was one of sacrifice, but that freedom – ordained by God – was worth the price.
• And it serves to remind us that any time we rise and standup for our principles, our values, and our freedom there will be setbacks, there will be missteps, there will be pain; but with perseverance, there will be victory.

I’m not suggesting that those of us who are expressing profound concern for the direction of this country or are involved in political battles are facing anywhere near the challenges Washington and his men faced on that December night in 1776.  But nevertheless, we can and should be inspired by them. 

The American Dream is worth the challenge and it is worth the sacrifice.

Footnotes:

[1] The Crisis, by Thomas Paine, December 23, 1776

I call on President Obama to live up to his own words.  Members of Democratic party and the current administration have in fact been taking very concrete steps to muzzle the voice of dissent to its domestic policies.

On Monday, in response to an opposition mailing from Humana mailing to their Medicare Advantage subscribers, the Health and Human Services agency issued a directive to all Medicare Advantage providers ordering them to “immediately discontinue all such mailings” and to remove all such material from their internet sites. [2] This action reversed the 1997 position of HHS when it acknowledged the Center for Health Plans and Provides letter addressing the right of an insurance company to inform their subscribers of their view of pending legislation.  In that letter, CHPP director Bruce Fried wrote, “While it may be difficult for a reviewer to ascertain whether or not the information about legislation, for example contained in a member’s newsletter issued by an HMO, is accurate and without a slant or unrevealed self-interest, we believe that prohibiting such information would violate basic freedom of speech and other constitutional rights of the Medicare beneficiary as a citizen.” [2]

The Democratic National Committee, along with Congressional leadership and leading members of the Democratic party, have participated in an escalating effort to marginalize and silence the citizen opposition to your domestic and economic policies first by calling participants of town-hall meetings and Tea Party protests an “unruly mob” [3], then making accusations of Nazi [4] and KKK affiliation [5], implied threats of violence [6], and now directly linking opposition views to racism.

There is notable silence from the White House as media commentators like Chris Mathews of CNN imply that those opposed to this administration’s domestic policies are inciting violence against the President and warning of violent revenge if this occurs.

In the President’s address to the United Nations told member nations that change would not happen with just words and speeches and that change had to start at home.  I call on the President to show some leadership and to backup his words to the United Nations by taking these concrete actions:

1. Reverse the HHS directive to insurance companies imposed on Monday.
2. Publicly rebuke members of the Democaratic Party leadership who have openly called American citizens who oppose this administration’s position on policy matter racists and Nazis and accused them of inciting violent action.
3. Live up to the promise of transparency by asking the Senate to reconsider their decision to reject Sen. Jim Bunning’s amendment that would require both the legislation and the Congressional Budget Office report posted and available for review 72 hours prior to a vote. [10]
4. Publicly rebuke Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for threatening to circumvent the very foundation of our legislative system by manipulating senate rules to force passage of major, sweeping legislation using rules meant to reconcile fiscal bills that need reconciliation between chambers of the legislative branch.

Both the nation and the world are watching Mr. President.

Footnotes:

[1] The New York Times: Obama’s Speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Sept. 23^rd, 2009  http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/24/us/politics/24prexy.text.html

[2] http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/24/clinton-administration-guidance-proves-humana-acted-properly-republicans-say/

[3] NewsBusters: Tapper: ‘DNC Suggests Town Hall Protesters are Fringe Birther Mob’ by Noel Sheppard, August 5^th, 2009 http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2009/08/05/tapper-dnc-suggests-town-hall-protestors-are-fringe-birther-mob

[4] NewsMax: Media Ignore Pelosi Nazi Comparison, August 7, 2009 http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/pelosi_limbaush_swastikas/2009/08/07/245316.html

[5] Examiner: Dingell says town hall protesters remind him of KKK, by Heather Hogue, August 11, 2009 http://www.examiner.com/x-4124-Phoenix-Republican-Examiner~y2009m8d11-Dingell-says-town-hall-protesters-remind-him-of-the-KKK

[6] Fox News: Pelosi: Health Reform Rhetoric Reminiscent of violence in ‘70s, Sept. 18, 2009 http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2009/09/18/pelosi-health-reform-rhetoric-reminiscent-violence-s/

[7] The Heritage Foundation Foundry:  Obamacare: Day One Finance Committee Ammendments, Sept. 24^th, 2009 – http://blog.heritage.org/2009/09/24/obamacare-day-one-finance-committee-amendments/

Now consider the current stormy conditions of the national debate on health care reform.  Both the House and the Senate leadership are gearing up to advance very controversial health care reform legislation and with it a political agenda that a majority of Americans oppose [1].  Opposition to President’s health care reform proposals is well documented and citizens in grassr00ts “tea party” gatherings and town hall style meetings across the country have made their views well known – it has been a real political storm.

What do you do to divert damaging energy in a storm?  Deploy lightning rods.  That is what I believe the President has done with today’s “unnamed official” talking to Fox News about the President considering Vice-President Joe Biden’s proposal to reduce troops in Afghanistan [2].  By strategically timing an “unnamed official” story that by itself is controversial, the energy from the opposition to the Senate and House reform bills is diverted.

In my opinion, the President has no plans to follow Biden’s “advice”.  Biden’s advice is completely at odds with what the President has previously said the Afghan war strategy should be (we need more troops in Afghanistan); it’s completely at odds with what General Petreaus view; and is completely at odds with the assessment of Obama’s “boots on the ground” General McChrystal.  Are we now to accept that the President has completely reversed his perspective on the Afghan front and that he is going to forgo the advice of his military commanders for advice from Joe Biden… the same Joe Biden who wanted to divide Iraq into segments along Islamic sect lines?  No, I don’t buy it.

Of course, only time will tell if this report based on “unnamed officials” has any real merit.  I just hope that our men and women who are in harm’s way are not being used as political pawns in a domestic ideological battle.

Lightning rods when used correctly can be very effective; employed incorrectly – someone is going to get burned.

Footnotes:

[1] Rasmussen Reports: Health Care Reform; Opposition to Health Care Plan Hits New High of 56%; Sept. 18, 2009

[2] Fox News: Obama Considers Strategy Shift in Afghan War; Sept. 23 2009

They were accused by the Speaker of the House “carrying swastikas and symbols like that”. (2)

They were accused by members of the media and far left Hollywood liberals of being racists (3).

They were marginalized by the mainstream media (4)

But Saturday, they could not be ignored.  Saturday, September 12th some 60,000 to 70,000 Americans descended on Liberty Park in Washington for a march on the Capital building(5).

They went to Washington to be heard.  Many of us wanted to be there, but were unable to make the trip.  But we stand with them.  We are not in opposition to Health Care Reform as the President claimed in his address to the Joint Session of Congress, but we are in opposition to how the President and the Democratic leaders of both the House and the Senate insist it must be done.  We are in oppostion to fundamentaling changing the relationship between the Federal Government and the people of this great nation.  We are in opposition to the destruction of the finest health care system in the world.  We are in opposition to the Federal Government asserting its massive power into the health care decisions of the individual, leaving the citizen with no choice but to accept government mandates as the final arbiter over what may be life and death decisions.  We are in opposition to the financial destruction of our children’s and grandchildren’s future through more and more deficit spending – a problem not exclusive to this Administration, but which has reached unheard of levels in the past 8 months (11).  We are in opposition to the nationalization of fully one sixth of the U.S. economy.

There were 70,000 voices in Washington on Saturday, once again saying NO to socialized medicine. 

The people said “No!”to socialized medicine under the Truman administration in 1945 (6).

The people  said “No!” to Congressman Ferrand and Congressman King in the 1960s when they too attempted the same “crisis of millions of Americans without health insurance” ploy with the Ferrand Bill(7).

The people said “No!” to the Clinton adminstration in 1994 (8).

And the people are saying “No!” to the current administration today. (9) (10)

Can we make improvements to our health insurance system?  Yes, we can. 

Can we help those who are not covered my Medicare or Medicaid, can’t afford coverage, and are unable to provide for themselves a way to get private health care insurance?  Yes, we can.

Can we make sure that people are treated fairly by insurance companies?  Yes, we can.

We believe this can be accomplished:

• By removing the barriers to purchasing health insurance across state lines. 
• By standardizing the regulation of health insurance nationally with sensible mandates on required coverage.
• By making health insurance premiums completely tax deductible.
• By making tax credits vouchers available for those in financial need.
• By allowing individuals to join groups such as credit unions and community groups to purchase group coverage and group rates.
• By implementing real tort law reforms so doctors can stop practicing defensive medicine.
• By encouraging medical savings accounts.
• By helping those who qualify for Medicare and Medicaid get enrolled in those programs.

 We are not in opposition to the key goals for Health Care Reform set forth by Pres. Obama in his address to Congress… we are however in opposition to his proposed means of achieving those goals.  This does not make us liars.  This does not make us lunatics.  This does not make us Nazis or racists.  What it does make us is Americans with a voice… and we will be heard!

We strongly believe that we don’t work for the government, but that the government works for us… and we are determined to keep it that way.

Footnotes:

(1)    ABC News:  Political Punch,  by Jake Tapper.  August 5th, 2009

(2)    Newsmax.com:  Media Ingnore Pelosi Nazi Comparison by Newsmax Staff, August 7th, 2009

(3)    Newsmax.com:  Garofalo Sticks to Calling Tea Parties ‘Racist’ by Dan Weil, May 13, 2009

(4)    WorldNetDaily.com:  Did Anybody Notic? by Hal Lindsey, April 17, 2009

(5)   ABC News: Tea Party Protesters March on Washington by Russel Goldman, Sept. 12, 2009

(6)    The Truman Library & Museum, This Day in Truman History, November 19, 1945

(7)    Chicago Tribune: Ronald Reagan on Medicare, circa 1961 by Eric Zoran, Sept. 2nd, 2009

(8)    TimesOnline: Ugly corpse of ‘HillaryCare’ haunts Obama by tony Allen-Mills, Sept. 13, 2009

(9)  Rasmussen Reports:  The Government-Insurance Option is Dead by Lawrence Kudlow, Sept. 11, 2009

(10) Rasmussen Reports: Following Speech, Suppot for Health Care Reform Up to 46%.  Sept. 11, 2009 

(11) Heritage Foundation – The Foundry: Bussh Deficit vs. Obama Deficitin Pictures by Con Carrol, March 24th, 2009