Posted by Larry Miller on August 31, 2009 under How | 
The book Rules for Radicals by Saul Alinsky rose to prominence as some looked into the past and strategies of community organizer and presidential candidate Barack Hussein Obama. It outlined the tactics and strategies he used and even taught in efforts to enforce his version of social justice on the American people.
It would do us well to have a look at these rules, since they have been used effectively against our society. Learning about his approach, and the methods used by the radicals surrounding the President can prepare us for dealing with them. We can even pick up a few pointers and turn some of them around on the current political establishment.
Rule 1: Power is not only what you have, but what an opponent thinks you have. This means they community organizers become masters of illusion… deceit even. It comes down to attempts at intimidating the other side into concessions they would not make if they understood the reality. Read more of this article »
Posted by Chuck Baldwin on August 30, 2009 under Why |
Editors Note: This is a controversial topic. Some swear the camps exist and are there for nefarious purposes. Others say they are nonsense. However, as Rev. Baldwin tells us, “If the reports are bogus, you’ve lost nothing; but if they are real, you could end up losing your liberty.” The we also have to take into consideration what Edmund Burke told us, “There is no safety for honest men but by believing all possible evil of evil men” I hope it is all the product of over active imaginations, but so many other things have happened that I would not have believed I have to look deeper into this. I would suggest the reader follow the links, do some more research and come to your own conclusions.
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a column questioning why it was necessary for our federal government to be constructing internment camps all over America. See the original column at http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/c2009/cbarchive_20090811.html
I felt it was time for someone such as me to publicly broach the subject. Needless to say, the response was overwhelming. Even more interesting is the fact that the web link to the National Guard Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) of “Internment/Resettlement Specialist” that I included in my column was removed shortly after the column was published. Was this a coincidence?
Of course, the U.S. Army still has their web site soliciting recruitment for “Internment/Resettlement Specialist” online. See it at http://www.goarmy.com/JobDetail.do?id=292
Readers might also want to familiarize themselves with this story out of Fort Leavenworth:
http://www.ftleavenworthlamp.com/articles/2009/04/16/news/news1.txt Read more of this article »
Posted by Larry Miller on August 28, 2009 under Why |
I wasn’t sure I wanted to comment on the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy. Television news teams and print media have been covering the movements of the deceased ad nauseum in much the same way they did Michael Jackson. It seemed like there was nothing left to say… yet they missed some important points.
Senator Ted Kennedy has met the fate of all men. He had his time on earth as we all do. He had something many of us do not. It wasn’t the fortune his father accumulated filling the nations need for alcohol when it was not exactly legal. He had a passion for the use of massive redistributionist government programs to right the many wrongs, real or imagined, that he saw in our society. We can, and should look at the things he has done in the Senate and out, but that is not the point of our discussion.
He was a flawed man… as are we all. It’s easy for many of us be critical of his liberal views, of his womanizing, even his role in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne on Chappaquiddick Island. But, it’s not our job to sit in judgment on this man who was hailed by many as the liberal lion of the Senate. As for his legislation and public policies, they are open to examination and evaluation, but we did not know his heart. However, we’ve been reminded one more time of what Hebrews 9:27 tells us, “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Read more of this article »
Posted by Ralph Carter on August 27, 2009 under Why |
Editors note: I received this today and felt Ralph’s message was important enough to pass on to any Christian concerned about their country. Ralph Carter is a concerned citizen from Chester VA who is doing his part to make our country and the world a better place.
I am finding it difficult to get to sleep at nights, finally succumbing to the sandman around 3-4 am. The body is ready but the mind is still in gear. Usually if I get up and go watch TV, I can fall asleep easily. (I wonder if that means my brain stops working when I’m watching TV.)
But, I’m not writing this to talk about my sleep habits. I just want to share some thoughts with my “facebook friends” about what has been racing through this busy think tank on top of my shoulders. You may do with it what you will.
I received an email the other day from a gentleman who told me he was a providentialist, which translates to the idea that this country was founded for a reason, and by Divine providence. While I would not argue that thought, it leads to the proverbial question…why are we here? As you may know there are others who share this providentialist’s view, you may be one. It has been the focus of some media personalities who have even reminded us about the nine principles and twelve values that were used as a foundation for the establishment of this great nation. As a matter of fact, the book titled “The 5000 year leap” discusses these and then some. But these principles and values can’t be something that we just utter because they are popular or sound good. They have to be who we are. If this is not who we are, then we are just astroturf. Read more of this article »
Posted by Chuck Baldwin on August 25, 2009 under How |
America’s Christian heritage is both rich and deep. What most historians and educators refuse to acknowledge, our forebears understood clearly: it was mostly Christians and churches that formed and shaped the new land that became known as the United States of America.
For example, when discussing the brave exploits of the passengers on board the Mayflower, people seem to have forgotten that the voyage was mostly the endeavor of a single church congregation. And don’t forget that it was Pastor Jonas Clark’s male congregants who withstood British troops at Lexington and fired the very first of the shots heard ’round the world. The famous French historian, Alexis De Tocqueville, credited the pulpits and churches of Colonial America with inspiring America’s successful War for Independence and subsequent prosperity much more than its institutions of learning, halls of Congress, or industries of invention. From the very beginning, America’s Christians and pastors were intricately involved in the establishment and building of this republic.
It is no hyperbole to say that without the influence, sacrifice, dedication, blood, sweat, and tears of America’s early Christians, this country would not exist.
But what do we see today? We see pastors and church congregations who are, for the most part, totally ignorant of their own heritage and history. They have little or no understanding of the principles of Natural Law-something America’s founders knew almost by second nature (no pun intended). They seem to know next to nothing of the Biblical principles of liberty and government. All they seem to be able to do is regurgitate some mindless interpretation of Romans 13–an interpretation that could have been written by King George III or even Adolf Hitler. Read more of this article »
Posted by Larry Miller on August 23, 2009 under Why |
During the waning days of the Bush administration, Henry Paulsen, Ben Bernanke and even President Bush himself came before the American people with furrowed brows to tell us it was absolutely essential to give boatloads of money to stock holder owned financial institutions to prevent the utter collapse of US and worldwide financial markets. These banks were apparently brought to their knees by their own mismanagement and greed, compounded with extensive help from real and quasi-federal agencies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
For the most part, the executives of these organizations kept their positions and inflated salaries. The American sheeple got the bill for such extravagance along with a song and dance about what was good for the financial institutions was good for the country and for them as well. They got to pay for the money given the banks and for their own debts to these banks… which some still could not pay due to a collapsing economy. They got to pay the mortgage lenders for the full price of their homes, even though many values had dropped significantly to the point where they owed more than the house was worth… while the banks that made the loans were covered by the taxpayers borrowed cash. It was clear that saving the banks was more important than helping the cash strapped American people… yet, housing prices continued to fall and jobs continued to be lost.
Shortly after moving into his new digs at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Barack Hussein Obama and his cohorts came to the citizens of this great country with the news that unless massive additional amounts of money were authorized, unemployment would soar to eight percent. Over the objections of those who actually pay the taxes that will cover the money borrowed, congress went along with the scheme and gave him another trillion dollars, more or less. This was supposed to create jobs and save the economy. But most of the money is not scheduled to be spent until much closer to the 2010 and 2012 elections and the only jobs created were government jobs… and some of them, only temporary. Read more of this article »
Posted by Larry Miller on August 21, 2009 under Why |
Some days it does not pay to get out of bed. Sometime back the New York Giant’s Plaxico Burress headed out for an evening on the town in Manhattan. One last accessory he packed was his unregistered hand gun. Then, while showing off his toy, somehow he shot himself in the leg. Now to make matters worse, he is going to jail for two years for simply having the gun. It could have been worse, New York City has such myopic anti-gun laws he could be spending the next three and a half years behind bars.
One would think that with the crime level in the city and the overtaxed police department, they would understand the need for people to defend themselves. However, the idea of handling ones own problem is foreign to the northeast liberal thought process. The only trustworthy approach is to let an anointed government agency take care of you.
Back to poor Plaxico… perforating his leg… heading off to the big house. It kind of reminds me of something John Wayne told us: “Life is tough, It’s tougher when you are stupid” Responsible gun owners know their weapon is not a toy to be played with… especially when one is drinking. Plaxico didn’t see it that way. Perhaps the sentence is appropriate more for stupidity if not for possessing a weapon the government did not know about.
This sentence is indicative of the irrational fear the government in the Big Apple has of people defending themselves. By comparison, Philadelphia Eagle Donte Stallworth, got behind the wheel after a few too many ‘adult beverages’ and actually killed someone. This landed him in jail for thirty days in another jurisdiction. Since Burress hurt no one but himself… but COULD HAVE killed someone with his unregistered weapon, he bought himself two years.
There is no understanding the progressive mind… only limiting the damage it can do.
Posted by Larry Miller on under Why |
Pesident Barack Hussein Obama announced to the world that providing health care for all is a moral issue. One must wonder how his supporters will take this news after years, decades even, of telling the world you can’t legislate morality. Every time issues like homosexual marriage and abortion are discussed, the progressives, in harmonious chorus tell us, “You can’t legislate morality!” Now the chosen one has pronounced that yes, indeed, we can.
Within the presidents moral unive, the provision of health care is a right… even if it means using the efforts and education of some who may not be willing to contribute them. So health care is a right, even if it involves the involuntary servitude of some who provide it. I wonder what Mr. Lincoln, who the president says he admires so, would have to say about that.
It is also interesting how the justification for government controlled health care has evolved from concern for forty plus million uninsured… which included many who should not even be in this country, to an overhaul of the entire health care delivery system to a moral obligation, as the extreme progressive wing of the Democrat Party searches for a message that the common folk will buy.
He has now enlisted the aid of many pastors of some of the more “liberal” churches. Churches that would be more accepting of the liberation theology preached by Obama’s former pastor, Jeremiah Wright. Somehow this is acceptable, where negativity toward the plan on the part of people like James Dobson, Pat Robertson and your local Southern Baptist preacher is an improper insertion of religion into the affairs of the state. Read more of this article »
Posted by Larry Miller on August 20, 2009 under How |
After drawing hoards of buyers into dealer showrooms and helping these dealers pry open customers wallets, the Cash for Clunkers program shows the danger of businesses depending on a government that has little understanding of economics and none of business operations. Because of this, many of the 450 member of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association (GNYADA) which covers metro New York City, have decided to suspend their participation in the Cash for Clunkers program.
They cite the lengthy application process, up to several hours per vehicle aggravated by frequent computer glitches in the Department of Transportation system, combined with an astronomical rejection rate for minor errors and the lack of guidance to a workable correction process that would facilitate their payment. The dealers say they are not able to get timely acceptability answers about vehicle qualification. After all this, they can’t even speak to a live person for support without a several hour wait on the telephone.
As if this were not enough, the dealers have no way of knowing when the allotment of three billion dollars is gone. Anecdotal evidence tell us that in Maryland only two percent of the claims have been paid to participating dealers. It seems bureaucracies have no comprehension of cash flow needs or concern for the businessmen who have to make payrolls and keep the economy running. Read more of this article »
Posted by Chuck Baldwin on August 18, 2009 under Why |
The Internet is abuzz with news about the construction of internment camps all across America. Of course, “mainstream” media outlets refuse to touch the subject; or if they do, they pooh-pooh the story; they do what Glenn Beck recently did: try to debunk the story as fallacious and impugn people who speak of it as “conspiracy nuts.” The fact that the Becks, Hannitys, Limbaughs, and O’Reillys of the media circus refuse to deal with the construction of large numbers of internment camps does not make them disappear, however.
For starters, all anyone need do to begin a serious investigation of the subject of internment camps is Google the phrase “FEMA Camps.” There is more than enough evidence in that search engine alone to keep one busy with some in-depth private investigation of the subject for quite a while.
Another URL to check out is this one from the June 2009 Idaho Observer:
http://www.proliberty.com/observer/20090609.htm
As people read my columns all across America, I have had numerous readers contact me, saying that they have personally witnessed the transportation of construction materials used for internment camps, have actually worked in and around them, or have personally seen such camps. These eyewitness testimonies have come from very credible people, including law enforcement and military personnel, as well as airline pilots and construction workers. Read more of this article »
Posted by Larry Miller on under How |
The Public Option is off the table, we are told. The President is responding to the public outcry we are told. We have won a major victor we are told. We can relax now we are told. But… not so fast. Have we won over Barack Hussein Obama? As the man on TV says… watch what they do, not what they say.
Many are breathing a sigh of relief that a health co-op will replace the evil Public Option. Hmmmm! Let’s think about how wonderful this new plan is. We now have plans for a federal government financed plan where the people running the program are put into place by the federal government. The Public Option is to be put into place supposedly to keep the private insurers honest. While there certainly is some hanky panky going on, expecting the private insurers to have to compete against a government run entity – where the government make the rules does not sound very competitive. It doesn’t even sound like a scheme where the private insurers are expected to be around very long. This plan, financed and controlled by the federal government, under rules established by the federal government… sounds kind of like the Public Option to me.
They have us looking at the right hand while the left hand sticks a shiv in our ribs. We need to be careful what we get excited about. With the history of deception coming out of the White House, there is no way we should get too excited about the news that the Public Option is off the table. It simply is not true… even the White House is backing away from the statement. Read more of this article »
Posted by Larry Miller on August 16, 2009 under Why |
Many years ago, the Republicans in Virginia came up with a document that sums up what the party says they believe. It pretty much covers the range of issues that concern Virginians and Americans. It presents viewpoints that most citizens could agree with and support. The creed goes back to the beliefs that drove our Founding Fathers when they created a new nation. This is what the Virginia Republicans say they believe:
That the free enterprise system is the most productive supplier of human needs and economic justice,
That all individuals are entitled to equal rights, justice, and opportunities and should assume their responsibilities as citizens in a free society,
That fiscal responsibility and budgetary restraints must be exercised at all levels of government,
That the Federal Government must preserve individual liberty by observing Constitutional limitations,
That peace is best preserved through a strong national defense,
That faith in God, as recognized by our Founding Fathers is essential to the moral fiber of the Nation. Read more of this article »
Posted by Chuck Baldwin on August 13, 2009 under How |
[Note: My son, Tim (who turned 30 yesterday), writes today's column. He is an attorney who received his Juris Doctor degree from Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama. He is a former prosecutor for the Florida State Attorney's Office and now owns his own private law practice. He is married to the former Miss Jennifer Hanssen.]
On July 10, 2009, Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin became the second governor in these States United (Governor Phil Bredesen of Tennessee is the other one) to sign into effect a State Sovereignty Resolution. (See http://www.tenthamendmentcenter.com ). These Sovereignty-type bills, resolutions and laws are an obvious and rightful response that the super-majority of the States in the Union is expressing to and against the usurping powers of the federal government. While the effects of federal tyranny are being felt more seriously than ever, history and human nature prove that the people of a society do not respond or revolt immediately against tyranny–though they have a right to. America’s resistance is no different. Fortunately, the sleeping giant is being awakened, to the dismay of our Centralist-worshipers today.
An observer of history and these current events cannot help but draw strikingly similar comparisons to America’s political struggles during the early to mid-1800s, where there was a serious threat to our original form of constitutional government by the Centralists of that day. During the presidency of John Adams, the people of the States realized and rejected the pro-centralist view of Adams and his ilk (e.g., Alexander Hamilton), and a battle between the ideology of centralism and federalism thrust itself into the forefront of political concern. Read more of this article »
Posted by Larry Miller on under Why |
Many years ago, after returning to college with a number of years experience in the real world, I sat through a class named “Man In God’s World”. As it turned out, this class had more impact on my world view than any before or since. Reviewing some of the things I learned may help the reader understand why being a Christian is not a Sunday morning thing… but it colors, or should color, our view and approach to everything around us, including our interactions with society.
Using Jesus as our model, we find a life that was filled with pointing everyone to the Father and teaching spiritual values and lessons. But he did not stop there. He healed the sick, restored sight to the blind and raised the dead. He rescued a woman about to be stoned by an angry mob. He taught us how to get along with our neighbors, how to handle our money and how to relate to our government. His life and actions showed concern for every area of life, not just the afterlife.
Some Christians believe that if they go to church on Sunday and get their ticket punched, what they do the rest of the week doesn’t make that much difference… as long as it’s nothing too bad. If they don’t kill anyone, or throw widows out of their homes… they will be alright. Is this the case? Are there rules for life? Do they apply to everyone, everywhere? Read more of this article »
Posted by Patrick McSweeney on August 11, 2009 under How |
We have a distinctive message, but one that politicians avoid because it has an effect akin to suggesting a root canal procedure.
People – even conservatives – prefer a message that is emotionally satisfying. They would rather rail against politicians or other targets than contend with the complex causes of our social and political problems.
Our message is that political action is not enough. The problems we face are rooted in the broader culture. It has become a culture of complaint, victimhood and dependency. Politics is merely a reflection of that culture. We can replace incumbents, but fail to bring about any profound or lasting change.
Unless we change the culture, we will not solve our problems in Washington, Richmond or even at the local level. It is a culture that is breeding new voters who don’t share the opinions and values of older and native voters. Because of our debased culture, they are not exposed to the vision of the Founders or any coherent conservative thought. It is no wonder, then, that Virginia can no longer be labeled a reliably conservative state or that conservatives are no longer in control in Washington. Read more of this article »
