Black History Month, Part 1: Reparations

Alright, don't get your laced-britches in a knot, the State of the Union analysis is still in the works. Normally I can go topic by topic and highlight a few things that were said specifically - but with this guy, it is line by line! I don't want to short-shrift the Address, so be patient!

Now, on to more pressing matters. Today begins a 28 day journey into Black History Month. This is a month where racism is cherished and even demanded. How else am I to view a month that is dedicated to a people and the defining attribute (hence the title of the month) is based on skin color?! If we had a white history month, the ACLU would throw a tantrum. Al Sharpton would be beating down the doors of the network news outlets so he could get on TV. And, Jessie Jackson would still go on speaking his racial hate with a diction that rivals Sloth from the Goonies. Therefore, to begin our celebration of Black History Month, let's tackle some issues of the so-called "African-American community."

One of most absurd ideas to come along in this age of political correctness is the idea of paying reparations to African-American families in order to compensate them for losses incurred as a result of the institution of slavery. Aside from the fact that there is not one African-American alive today that lived under the institution of slavery, the truth is, the federal Government has spent more in money and lives directly related to the African-American population, than any other ethnic group.

Though many may argue that the American Civil War was not fought over slavery, the roots of the war were indeed embedded over the slavery question. Almost every major bill introduced in Congress in the years leading up to the Civil War related in some way to slavery. The earliest law regarding this issue was found in the Constitution, ratified In 1789. The Constitution was ratified with a provision called the 3/5ths Slave Act that allowed for determination of the population of slave holding states to be modified in the following manner. For every 5 slaves that existed in the pro-slavery states, the number of the population of the state was to be increased by 3 persons during Census years. This allowed for additional Southern Representatives to be added to Congress.

This compromise was added in order to pacify the Southern states who felt that due to the Northern States having greater populations, they would in-turn dominate the Congress and could by virtue of their superior number of representatives make slavery an outlawed institution.

Further laws included the Kansas-Nebraska Act (A disastrous piece of legislation), The Missouri Compromise and other laws, all designed to placate the southern states. Yet each law that was passed only seemed to require further legislation in order to bring the Southern states satisfaction. Thus, the split in the Democratic party that occurred in 1859 along geographical lines largely as a result of the issue of slavery, allowed Lincoln to win the Presidency and set the stage for secession.

When the Civil War began, Lincoln saw the war as necessary to reunite the nation. Yet by September of 1862, Lincoln saw the aims of the war as expanding and changing. Since slavery was the issue that led to the War, the slavery issue must be ultimately addressed. This led to the Emancipation Proclamation. This changed the entire scope of the war not only to that of re-uniting the nation, but also ending the evil institution of slavery. What then were the costs incurred to end slavery?

First, there was the cost in human lives. The Union army lost 330,000 dead and an additional 285,000 were wounded. All of the casualties incurred by the United States in every other war fought in our 200+ years of history, when added together, do not equate to the cost incurred by the our nation in lives to end slavery.

In addition, it cost the federal Government approximately 2.5 million dollars a day in 1860’s dollars ($59,222,494/day in today's dollars) to prosecute the war. The interest on the foreign debt incurred during the war was still being paid into Grant’s administration in the 1870’s.

The Freedman’s Bureau was established in 1866 to provide free education and medical care to former slaves and to arbitrate disputes between whites and blacks. Approximately 16,000,000 dollars a year were spent to provide for transition of former slaves into white society (at a time when the average monthly salary for unskilled labor was $30.00 a month, this was a significant sum of money). In addition, millions of dollars were spent to provide occupation forces to enforce the 13^th , 14^th and 15^thAmendments that freed slaves and provided them the right to vote. Through the process of reconstruction, many black families were granted 40-acre plots of ground by the Federal Government to allow them to farm and become self-sufficient.

By the 1960’s, the government was spending millions to provide for desegregation and to fund Johnson’s (not so) Great Society. These expenditures were directed largely toward the African-American population.

In more recent legislature, the Government has a minority preference policy for contract bidding. Minority owned companies are granted preference when it comes to awarding government contracts especially in the construction field. Thus, the government may award contracts to less qualified companies, not based on the low bid, or the level of experience, but whether they have minority ownership and a specific percentage of minority employees.  Most colleges and public employers today have affirmative action policies that provide preference toward minorities regardless of qualifications when it comes to admission to the schools and/or hiring practices.

The issue goes far beyond the costs involved. By 1865, the Union army had organized some 160 Black regiments. Several of these regiments fought with great distinction. Along with the famous 54^thMassachusetts Regiment in it’s assault on Battery Wagner on July 18,1863, several other regiments incurred huge losses in their zeal to fight for freedom. These included 292 Soldiers at Fort Pillow in which all but 62 were killed by forces under Nathan Bedford Forrest (founder of the KKK) on April 12, 1864 in a controversial battle later described as a massacre. The Black regiments of Grant’s 18^th Corps charged Lee’s positions at New Market Heights on September 29^th, 1864 and also suffered tremendous casualties.

The interesting thing about these regiments in that they were only paid $10.00 per-month in comparison to the $13.00 per-month paid to white regiments. The government then deducted three dollars from the pay of black regiments for clothing. As a result of the pay disparity, many black soldiers protested by refusing to accept pay at all for their services. They never asked for one dollar from the Government in return for their sacrifice and service. They only asked for the same opportunities as whites. ¹

After the War, many black soldiers suffered the indignity of being denied their pensions. Only 75% of the Black veterans were granted pensions while almost 96% of White veterans were granted pensions.²

During the Indian Wars, several black regiments served on the frontier. Two of the most famous served on into the Spanish-American War. These were the 9^th and 10^th Regiments. These regiments served with distinction and not one of the veterans of these regiments asked for reparations for their families. They received the standard pensions paid to their white brethren.

In addition to pensions, many blacks were lynched during the Post Civil War years and into the Jim Crow era. None asked any more from their Government than equal opportunity to vote and function in society. They asked for the right to be educated and to earn a decent living. They had to overcome lynching, prejudice and ill treatment in their attempts to gain equal access to society.

Much of this struggle was successful. In the Post War years, with the help of the Freedmans' Bureau, several Black Colleges were established. Tuskegee University in Alabama became one of the most famous. As of today, there exists more than 100 Colleges that has their roots in Post War Black education.

Today, there has been a marked shift in the mentality of black leaders in contrast to those that existed in the Post Civil War years. Those of the Post War years took pride in the sacrifices they had made for freedom. They saw their struggle not requiring, nor demanding to be coddled by the Federal Government, nor spoiled by living off of Government handouts, but rather they struggled to prove that they could be as successful as Whites in society. Not only did they accomplish this in the extraordinary sacrifices of the Black soldiers on the battlefield, whose heroism in the face of prejudice proved that they could fight to the equal of Whites. This was also proven by the Black veteran’s organizations that successfully petitioned the Government for the right to vote. It was also proven by the willingness to protest ill treatment by such heroes as Rosa Parks, and by the senseless slaying of such Black leaders as M. L. King, all of whom would never have countenanced Government handouts, but only the chance to be viewed equally.

In the end, this sense of pride and self-accomplishment in the face of extreme odds has been largely negated by leaders demanding free money and land from the Government due to some contrived injustice to them that dates back over 130-years, when not one of them has had to live under the bonds of slavery that their forebears fought to overcome. It is as if they are spitting on the graves of those who gave their lives to instill freedom and pride in their African-American brethren.

¹ The last surviving Black Veteran of the Civil War was Joseph Clovese who died in 1951.

² Donald R. Shaffer. After the Glory: The Struggles of Black Civil War Veterans. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2004, page 119.

State of the Union Eve

Tomorrow will be Obama's first State of the Union Address. As I stated on Facebook, this address will be nothing more than a report of pending Government crime. We'll have a full report and analysis of the address. However, I'm going to put on my psychic hat and predict a speech full of more Government involvement in our lives. Just a guess, though.

Conservatism: The Choice Is Obvious

Throughout life, we as humans try to align ourselves with philosophies and ideologies that will identify us or at least help to mold what we really believe. Often religion and political/social views are the key factors in self-identification. Many grow up believing what they do because of the influence of their parents. Others’ beliefs stem from personal conviction or from the fear of being unpopular. Concerning the political aspects of our lives, why is it important to establish who you are and what you believe in? Do you find it interesting that Conservatives are incorrectly branded as hate-mongers but yet still stand up for what they believe in; and yet, Liberals, when shown for who they are and what they believe in, run from the title and try to hide under the auspices of “moderate” or “progressive.” Like cockroaches in a sudden burst of light, Liberals scamper off to find some dark corner to hide in while Conservative plant the flag of liberty firmly in the ground. Why is it great to be a Conservative? Allow me to illuminate who we are and what we believe in.

There are some clear reasons why people, even such as I, choose to be a Conservative. Certain fundamental items are important to every Conservative. These items are his foundation, his boundaries, and his freedom. When building a political/social foundation upon which to stand, Conservatives want a firm foundation. Conservatism is grounded in truth and facts. Truth is absolute. Facts remain unchanged throughout time. If truth is not absolute, then it is not possible to take a defendable stand on anything. Conservatives have no problem exclaiming who they are because when you’ve got the facts on your side, and you are reasonably well-armed with them, you have nothing to fear. Situational relativism is at the heart of Liberalism. Other than the typical Socialism that is offered by Liberalism, we often have no idea where Liberalism stands on anything. And, since the media has granted immunity to the Left, they are never held accountable for their “changing” positions. Don’t be fooled, however. These position changes are nothing more than twisting the facts based on the scenario they are facing in an all out effort to secure more votes. To be a Conservative is to know that truth stands when feelings betray us.

The second fundamental item of Conservatives is that they believe in self-reliance and personal accountability. Many today believe that the influence of other people forces them to behave, or not. All the influence the world has to offer can be placed upon each and every one of us, but we ultimately make the final choice of action. We are responsible for our actions, not society. Liberalism blames someone or something else for their problems. For example, McDonald’s is responsible for obesity and hot coffee spills (because coffee is usually cold); guns are responsible for murders; video games are responsible for violence; Capitalism is responsible for greed; Big Tobacco is responsible for teen smoking…and so on. Blaming everyone and everything else for our problems, breeds irresponsibility—and let’s set the record straight. It’s irresponsibility with food causes obesity; irresponsibility with human life causes murders; irresponsibility to self-control causes violence; irresponsibility with the desire for money that causes greed; irresponsibility of the individual to engage in smoking prior to the legal age. Liberalism believes in a victimhood driven society. Conservatism believes in the individual. Self-reliance and accountability, when we subject ourselves to them, they keep us in check legally, morally, politically, and socially.

Furthermore, self-reliance allows us to take our abilities and talents and see how far we can succeed in life. The Left portrays success as an evil hoarding of money by the few in society that have it. By the way, as of the numbers available from 2007, 7 of the top 10 richest senators pledge their allegiance to the Left. (http://insidertrading.procon.org/viewresource.asp?resourceID=001580). In reality, the policies of the Left stifle success and create more poverty than promoting people use their talents to achieve as much success as life will grant. Conservatives champion the individual and what the individual brings to the table.

The first fundamental is a firm foundation. The second fundamental is a set of boundaries. Finally, the third fundamental is the catalyst, freedom. One of the most precious things to any human is freedom. Without freedom, humans are bound and enslaved to the wishes and desires of the few elite that rule them (as we are experiencing more and more under das Obama Reich.) Liberalism constricts freedom and stifles achievement, thereby putting the power in the few elite—like Nazism. Conservatives treasure personal individual freedoms. Through this freedom, one can achieve anything as far as one’s imagination and capabilities can take them. I am a Conservative because I am free to be as successful as I want to be. I do not have to worry about being told what to do, or having my hand held through life. Conservatism ensures such freedom and that it will prevail because the iron bars and heavy chains of liberalism are no match for the soul that is set ablaze by the spark of freedom.

I’m a Conservative for the three fundamentals I’ve written about. Nobody in their right mind wishes to be babysat their entire life by Liberalism. Conservatism opens the door to humans yearning to reach their potential, while Liberalism hands you a tax bill then slams the door shut. History has proven it: Conservatism is responsible for the better life that America offers.

Another Victory For The Americans

Victory in Massachusetts! Scott Brown-R will take the Senate seat recently vacated by Ted "I'm surprised I still have a liver" Kennedy. This senate seat has been in the stocks for close to 60 years now but today freedom is granted and the seat is liberated. However, don't think this puts us on easy street. The attitude from the White House is to "double down" and work harder to "get things done."

Here's what we can expect in the coming days:

1. The Senate will try to push health care through without seating Scott Brown - which is against Senate rules and the Constitution.

2. Obama will expect political suicide in exchange for ultimate loyalty in him. Many of these Democrats know they want to get elected again this November and would normally start to move toward the "center" of the political spectrum. However, Obama, like many other dictators, will demand allegiance to him, even if it means losing their seat in Congress.

3. Obama is progressively getting angrier and will, like with the banks and the insurance companies, begin to take out his anger on the private sector yet again in attempts to render them obsolete.

4. Maybe not now, but don't be surprised if more democrats jump ship and join the republican party - although, I hope the republicans will not allow them to join without platform adherence.

But, let's just enjoy the moment - tyranny is now one fewer seat strong.

Check In On His Progress

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/

Here is a great resource that chronicles the promises of Obama and their status. Did he keep the promises? Has he failed to keep his promises? What were the promises to begin with? It is amazing how many of these promises were nothing more than Socialism wrapped in the empty suit of Obama - and the American people voted it in.

This Thursday will mark the one year anniversary of the Obama Administration. We should have a full report by the end of the week on Obama's Victories and Failures for America.

The Dream Is Still Available, If You Will Have It

To ensure the importance and advancement of the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Martin Luther King gave his most memorable speech to thousands in Washington D.C. in 1963. His message was of harmony but he did not want to quench the smoking flax that burned in the souls of the hearers; for this desire would allow them to press on. Although this speech is well recognized by all humans alike, there are still sections of this speech that if spoken today would be very controversial. Dr. King’s Dream has been twisted into a nightmare—a nightmare that America needs to wake up from. Let’s examine some core truths of Dr. King’s speech and see how they hold up under what we experience today.

Dr. King was vastly interested in maintaining peace in the rallies and demonstrations either led by him or assembled elsewhere. “Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred" (King). It was bitterness and hatred that kept the South’s attitude inhumane in the years following the Civil War. It was bitterness and hatred that burned in the souls of the students who tortured the Little Rock Nine. It was bitterness and hatred that Rosa Parks struggled through to sit in the front of the bus. Dr. King passionately wanted to show “his people” in a better light. Along with this, Dr. King states, “We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence.” If this were spoken today, the people of LA and Cincinnati would either feel great shame or their anger would be kindled even greater. The sad fact is, the Civil Rights Movement has degenerated into a violence-hungry, racism promoting movement. We see the Movement’s zealous appetite satisfied by rioting, as well as its promotion of racism by indoctrinating its people to have distrust for whites and demanding the furtherance of the teaching and practice of their culture. However, this is contrary to what Dr. King believed when he said, “…must not lead us to distrust of all white people…we cannot walk alone.”

“I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” In this statement, Dr. King provides the roots for racial equality. Being judged by the color of our skin is what every sensible American tries to avoid. Dr. King wanted his people to no longer live in a world where skin color mattered. Many would say that we’ve made great progress in this area of human society. However, are not Affirmative Action and quotas for employers simply programs that facilitate judging by the color of skin? Is not Federal funding for many “minority groups” for their cultural centers and clubs, judging by skin color? Is honoring one month of the year as “Black History Month,” not judging by skin color? Skin color is visible and well recognizable upon first glance. One’s character stems from their desire to be moral, decent, respectful, honest, trustworthy, diligent, with a good work ethic, etc. These characteristics are rarely observed at first glance because they are not visible to the eye, but visible to the hearts of those who encounter them. Judging by the content of a one’s character forces people to get to know each other and not to make hasty stereotypical assumptions.

This dream that Dr. King had was “deeply rooted in the American dream.” What is the American Dream? To understand the American Dream, one must understand the reasons for which America was created. The colonies were desperate to enjoy religious, social, and economic freedoms. They were starving for the feeling of success and over saturated with oppression. The American Dream was that by freedom and liberty, America could rise above the British Crown and allow success to be available to all whom inhabited her land. The American Dream that Dr. King spoke about was only a myth in the minds of the oppressed but he wanted it to be real to them. When something is real to someone, they are more willing to fight for it. All of these aspects of the American Dream are worth fighting for and preserving. That is true today as it was true for the Colonists who gave their lives for it. Many today have adopted an anti-American Dream for their lives. As social programs and government handouts flood our society, the American Dream fades. The constant recognition of minority groups based on their heritage, rather than their American culture, clouds the American Dream. The apathetic attitude towards school, work, and participating in society erases the American Dream—not only from so-called minorities, but from every single American. Complacency buried the American Dream for many and only a gravestone marks the spot where she lay. This gravestone is in each of us. It is our choice to keep it buried or to resurrect the Dream for future generations.

Dr. King was adamant to see the day when slave owners would sit down with slaves “together at a table of brotherhood.” To ensure that “all men are created equal,” Dr. King realized that racial titles are nothing more than racial barriers. To overcome this, his dream was that the once oppressed and once oppressors could live in harmony. I think Dr. King’s stomach would have churned if he witnessed the disharmony we see today. Many have fought for legislation to enact a plan of Reparations. These people feel that the descendents of slave owners today must repay a monetary amount to the ancestors of slaves. The fact is, Reparations have been paid. They’ve been paid by the many families risking their lives to help slaves escape through the Underground Railroad. They’ve been paid by the hundreds of thousands of dead Union soldiers. They’ve been paid by the passing of the 13^th, 14^th, and 15^th Amendments in 1865. They’ve been paid through the large amount of funding for education. “Even Bill Clinton, who as president signed legislation that appropriated $150 million for study-abroad scholarships, endorsed an increase in the number and “diversity of students” who participate” (Drive Thru U). These students could be diverse in the sense of class or wealth. The quote almost hints that white-rich students are the only one’s participating, however since it is not defined, it is open for debate on its meaning. I’m not saying this funding was in result of Reparations but it is a special monetary gift given to these minorities. Alas, it was not enough. The greed that fuels the people fighting for Reparations has shadowed the sacrifices that have been made in history. These people think that by focusing on the past, their future will progress. The fact is however, that no one progresses if one is constantly regressing.

Dr. King’s aspirations have degenerated into a violent, apathetic Civil Rights Movement bent on minority supremacy rather than American supremacy. There is not a day that passes where someone feels the rebuke of racism—whether by slang derogatory words or the constant promotion of anti-American cultures through programs that define a culture or race outside of American. When Dr. King’s dream is lived as it was spoken, then and only then can we as humans say, “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

Works Cited

Traub, James. "Drive-Thru U." New Yorker 1997.

Rpt. in Student Guide to English Composition 102. 3rd ed.

Eds. Margaret Lindgren, Kristin Czarnecki, and Molly McCaffrey. Boston: McGraw-Hill Primis Custom Publishing, 2002. 85-91.

King Jr., Dr. Martin Luther. “I Have a Dream.” Washington D.C., August 28,

1963.

1 Down, 4 To Go

Just days after my 2010 predictions hit the blog, we have some fulfillment. Here is a brief recap of the 5 predictions made:

1. Universal Health Care will finally be agreed upon in both houses of Congress and will be sent to the President's desk by the summer.

2. Republicans will take back both houses of Congress in November.

3. We will sustain more terrorist attack plots like we did in 2009. With some happening while the terrorism trials take place in NYC.

4. Obama will further his plans to develop his own Waffen SS

5. If Health Care passes, these grass roots tea parties will put heavier pressure on the Government, in so much as we may see skirmishes break out.

#4 is our winner today! See my post on the Federalization of the National Guard (http://theconservativeanthem.blogspot.com/2010/01/more-chains-from-obama.html)

Concerning #2, don't expect the media to report on the attitude of the country. They will report what they want you to believe in hopes of swaying your vote. This country is angry! This Congress isn't off the hook yet!

Lock and Load

Ever heard of Glouchester City, New Jersey? Neither have I…but it’s one of the small town news outlets reporting on the US Agreement to a UN Gun-Ban

http://www.gloucestercitynews.net/clearysnotebook/2010/01/us-agrees-to-timetable-for-un-gun-ban.html

Here’s the NRA’s position

http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Federal/Read.aspx?id=5224

Here is the UN’s response (do you trust them to be honest? Do you trust the organization that praises Ahmadinejad and Chavez to be honest?!)

http://www.un.org/events/smallarms2006/pdf/SettingRecordStraight.pdf

Either way, no matter if it is on a global level or a local level, whenever there are talks of “arms control” to “thwart crime” it only means one thing: disarming the victims. Criminals will always have guns. More gun laws have no effect on criminals because they don’t care about the law anyway (that’s why they are criminals). But, law-abiding citizens will follow the law – so you take the guns out of their hands, and they are sitting ducks.

Here is something else that is interesting. An anti-gun state senator found out just how beneficial guns can be:

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/national/article/74-year-old_n.c._state_senator_shoots_wounds_intruder_at_his_home/287987/P10/

Here is a post from July of 2009. It gives a quick overview of the fallacy of gun control.

The US Senate this past week (Week of July 20th, 2009) couldn't even pass a bill that will allow right-to-carry across state lines. I'm not sure why we are wasting time on this since the 2nd Amendment already exists--there's your right-to-carry. But, since the Supreme Court has been allowed to legislate from the bench, we shouldn't be surprised the 2nd Amendment isn't recognized as a basic right of the people. Let's take a few minutes and examine the myths posed by the anti-gun crowd.

Myth: If everyone had guns, crime/gun-related crime will increase.

Truth: Criminals don't obey laws. That's why they're criminals in the first place. Gun laws only remove the self-defense ability of the law-abiding and makes them sitting ducks for criminals. Look at cities that have the strictest of gun laws and their gun-related crime is the highest in the nation. Now, look at cities that have little to no gun laws and their gun-related crime rates are very low. (See the NRA's report on Right-to-Carry with stats and figures supplemented by the FBI http://www.nraila.org/Issues/factsheets/read.aspx?ID=18)

Myth: If we had guns in the home, we would have more accidental murders.

Truth: I love this one -- accidental murders? Murder is PREMEDITATED by definition. You can't accidentally premeditate something. Furthermore, there is no evidence to support this. In cities that have fewer gun laws, you'd expect to find more of these homicides, but we don't. But, this also means that guns carry responsibility. Accidents will happen-with guns, with knives, with trampolines, with firecrackers - should we ban all of these as well?

Myth: Guns promote violence.

Truth: Violence promotes violence. A gun can't think or act on its own. The very existence of a gun doesn't cause one to be violent. How many guns existed during the violence of the middle ages? How many guns existed during the Greek and Roman empires and their conquests? None, exactly. No matter what the "tool" is that is used in a waring fashion, the tool didn't cause the violence, the person wielding it did. "But if the tool wasn't available, then the person wouldn't have used it." OK flapjack, then you have stiff penalties for intentional misuse of the tool. Remember, if the tool wasn't available, you couldn't defend your sorry carcass from an intruder in your home. Good luck swinging a bat in the dark when the gunman is 10 feet away and in one pull of the trigger you're spitting gum out through your forehead.

Myth: If we totally outlawed guns, we wouldn't have this problem.

Truth: Guns would still exist in the black markets and would still be used by criminals--again, they don't care what the law says. This is the same logic that would have to agree that the "illegalization" of drugs has removed all drugs from this country. Faulty logic can't stand up to the evidence!

Myth: Only police and law enforcement should carry guns.

Truth: There isn't enough to protect each individual. It is my right to bear arms so I can remain a free citizen and not a subject of the government.

Remember, we rose up and fought of the greatest military of its day during the Revolution. If our Government becomes that oppressive again, without guns, we have no way of stopping it. Don't be naive--it can happen here just as it does around the world.

More Chains From Obama

In 1933, the Nazis came to power in Germany and began to “fundamentally change the country.” Many of these changes were made based on an idea of what Germany and Germans should be. One of the ways Hitler made sure of his intentions was to establish a force outside of the German military that would do his bidding on the home front. After eliminating any threat from the Sturmabteilung (SA) on the Kristallnacht (Night of Long Knives, June 30, 1934) by executing nearly all of its leadership, the Waffen SS made their way to the forefront as Hitler’s State Police. Hitler said, “We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.”

Now, we all would read this and say that Hitler was obviously just trying to make the citizenry powerless against him and the NSDAP (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeitpartei). Total domination is much easier without resistance. However, the quote above would fit nicely coming from Hitler’s lips, expect he didn’t say it. During the 2009 Presidential Campaign, a certain candidate made that exact statement. That candidate is now our President. You might ask, “Ok, big deal – when do they ever keep their campaign promises?” Well, when it comes to expanding liberalism and raping American’s freedoms, this President will keep his promises. On Monday, an executive order was signed establishing this concerning the federalization of the National Guard: “When appointed, the Council [of State Governors] will be reviewing such matters as involving the National Guard of the various States; homeland defense; civil support; synchronization and integration of State and Federal military activities in the United States; and other matters of mutual interest pertaining to National Guard, homeland defense, and civil support activities” [emphasis mine].

The lobster is in the pot, folks and the water temperature is slowly increasing. Let’s recall a bit of American History and see why our National Guard is important to the States. This piece comes from http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/RR/mgr2.html.

RED RIVER BRIDGE CONTROVERSY. The Red River Bridge controversy between Texas and Oklahoma (sometimes called the Red River War) occurred in July 1931 over the opening of a newly completed free bridge, built jointly by the two states, across the Red River between Denison, Texas, and Durant, Oklahoma. On July 3, 1931, the Red River Bridge Company, a private firm operating an old toll bridge that paralleled the free span, filed a petition in the United States district court in Houston asking for an injunction preventing the Texas Highway Commission from opening the bridge. The company claimed that the commission had agreed in July 1930 to purchase the toll bridge for $60,000 and to pay the company for its unexpired contract an additional $10,000 for each month of a specified fourteen-month period in which the free bridge might be opened, and that the commission had not fulfilled this obligation. A temporary injunction was issued on July 10, 1931, and Texas governor Ross S. Sterling ordered barricades erected across the Texas approaches to the new bridge. However, on July 16 Governor William (Alfalfa Bill) Murray^qv of Oklahoma opened the bridge by executive order, claiming that Oklahoma's "half" of the bridge ran lengthwise north and south across the Red River, that Oklahoma held title to both sides of the river from the Louisiana Purchase treaty of 1803, and that the state of Oklahoma was not named in the injunction. Oklahoma highway crews crossed the bridge and demolished the barricades. Governor Sterling responded by ordering a detachment of threeTexas Rangers^qv, accompanied by Adjutant General William Warren Sterling, to rebuild the barricades and protect Texas Highway Department employees charged with enforcing the injunction. The rangers arrived on the night of July 16. On July 17 Murray ordered Oklahoma highway crews to tear up the northern approaches to the still-operating toll bridge, and traffic over the river came to a halt. On July 20 and 21 mass meetings demanding the opening of the free bridge were held in Sherman and Denison, and resolutions to this effect were forwarded to Austin. On July 23 the Texas legislature, which was meeting in a special session, passed a bill granting the Red River Bridge Company permission to sue the state in order to recover the sum claimed in the injunction. The bridge company then joined the state in requesting the court to dissolve the injunction, which it did on July 25. On that day the free bridge was opened to traffic and the rangers were withdrawn.

Meanwhile, a federal district court in Muskogee, Oklahoma, acting on a petition from the toll-bridge company, had on July 24 enjoined Governor Murray from blocking the northern approaches to the toll bridge. Murray, acting several hours before the injunction was actually issued, declared martial law in a narrow strip of territory along the northern approaches to both bridges and then argued that this act placed him, as commander of the Oklahoma National Guard, above the federal court's jurisdiction. An Oklahoma guard unit was ordered to the bridge, and Murray, armed with an antique revolver, made a personal appearance in the "war zone," as the newspapers labeled it. No attempt was made to enforce the Oklahoma injunction, but on July 24, with the free bridge open, Murray directed the guardsmen to permit anyone who so desired to cross the toll bridge. On July 27 Murray announced that he had learned of an attempt to close the free bridge permanently, and he extended the martial-law zone to the Oklahoma boundary marker on the south bank of the Red River. Oklahoma guardsmen were stationed at both ends of the free bridge, and Texas papers spoke of an "invasion." Finally, on August 6, 1931, the Texas injunction was permanently dissolved, the Oklahoma guardsmen were withdrawn to enforce martial law in the Oklahoma oilfields, and the bridge controversy was laid to rest. The bridge was dynamited on December 6, 1995, to make room for a new one.

Notice that the Governor of Oklahoma maintained his sovereignty by usurping the authority of the Federal system. Alfalfa Bill understood the importance the State National Guard played in keeping a state protected and sovereign. Therefore, by federalizing a state’s National Guard, Obama will effectually ignore the sovereignty of the state. And, this is just the beginning of what an executive order like this does. After the Civil War, there was a federal law signed known as the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878. This act revolved around limiting the federal government’s ability to use the military for law enforcement measures. Under this act, “uniformed” service men (today would be the Air Force, Navy, National Guard, etc.) were prohibited from normal law enforcement, policing and peace officers when they were elevated to a federal level. This is only to be otherwise where dictated by the Constitution or Congress. But, when you have an anti-American agenda, then what’s the point of following American law and knowing your own Constitution?!

This is interesting, yet connivingly curious. With your state National Guard under the Federal Government’s control, who is left to defend your state’s sovereignty and indeed yourself? Yes, you have your guns, but for how long? Stay tuned – the next post will deal with the UN Small Arms Treaty as it relates to American having to give up ALL of their guns. Stock the ammo boxes while you still can!

An Eye Opener About Taxes

(Click on pictures to see larger image. Also, click on the Taxation link at the top of the blog to see the actual numbers from the IRS.)

Remember when Bush cut taxes and Al Gore was running around talking about how the tax cuts only benefited the top 1% of wage earners in this country? Well, aside from being a flat out lie (it was an across the board tax cut), the numbers would show there is a reason the top 1% "benefited" more than the rest. It is because they pay more! According to the IRS, the latest numbers (as of 2007) show that the top 1% of wage earners are paying a very hefty part of the income tax bill for all Americans. But, is it right that they benefit more, in the sense that the tax cuts were designed to solely give the rich more money? Well, let me create a scenario.

(For the purpose of our scenario, we will assume a 15% tax bracket for Person A and a 35% tax bracket for Person B; we will also assume a ficticious tax cut of 10% across the board as well as each person filing as single). Person A makes 20k a year while Person B makes 350k a year. Before the tax cut, Person A would owe $3,000 in income tax for the year. Person B would owe $122,500 in income tax for the year. Even before we enact the tax cut, we obviously see Person B is paying much more in taxes. However, for our argument, let's cut taxes!! The bells of heaven just rang and doves are flocking all around. Spring is in the air and the economy is roaring - yes, all because we cut taxes! So, now Person A has a 5% income tax responsibility and they now owe $1,000 for their income tax. That's a $2,000 savings! Person B has a 25% income tax responsibility now (remember, we cut taxes 10% across the board) and they owe $87,500 for their income tax. That's a $35,000 savings!

OK - question - who benefited more? In pure tax savings, who benefited more? The rich did! Were these tax cuts designed to help out the rich? No - they were fair and even. But, naturally, if one person pays more than the other, any tax break would cause the person who pays more to feel more relief. So, yes, it is fine to say they benefited the Top 1%. But, that's an analytical approach, which is foreign to the mind of Gore. He was twisting this to make a political pander to the less fortunate that he claims he fights for.

But, notice the second chart. 97% of the TOTAL FEDERAL INCOME TAX BURDEN is carried by the Top 50% of Wage Earners. Half of the wage earners in this country are expected to shoulder 97% of the tax burden. On the flip side, a wimpy 3% of the Federal Income Tax burden is shared by the Bottom 50% of wage earners. And, a good number of the Bottom 50% don't pay taxes anyway! Now, if you were in college and had a lecture class for Biology and the class was 200 people. Let's say the grade was determined by an entire class effort. In other words, you didn't receive a grade based on your individual work, but you received a grade based on the work submitted by the entire class. If you were in the top 100 students, how would you feel if you had to shoulder 97% of the work? You'd probably feel like you were being cheated and would promptly expect the Bottom 100 students to pick up their share of the load. Why then, do we not expect the same in the world of taxes?

Just remember this when you are filing this year. It should make it much more enjoyable of an experience!

Economic Stimulus Wrapped in Crime

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/01/07/immigration.economy/index.html

According to CNN.com, a study finds that if we just legalize all illegal immigrants, it will boost the economy. Of course, if we let all of the criminals out of prison, that will help with our prison over-crowding issues too. However, the real problem is being avoided in favor of a very short-term political cure. This has its roots in the idea that there are too many illegals now to round up and ship back so we should just legalize them. Now, to put the pressure on, it is being suggested that by legalizing these sovereignty-ignoring folks we can have a positive impact on our economy. Notice cutting taxes doesn't even cross their minds. Let's examine the so-called results that this study is putting forth.

With the legalization of 11 million illegals, the study is suggesting that wages would increase. First of all, it is illegal for companies to higher illegals, so there shouldn't be any wage info to even make that claim from. Secondly, people will work for what it takes to take care of themselves and their families. Just making someone legal doesn't automatically increase their wage. Now, let's assume that all 11 million illegals are currently not working and that making them legal would put them into the job market. With the roaring Obama economy flailing about like a fish out of water, a sudden influx of 11 million (assuming these 11 million are all of age to work) would have what effect? Right now, the demand for jobs is high and the supply is low. So, a flood of 11 million would increase demand rapidly. What happens when demand outweighs supply? The price of the good, in this case the salary, goes up. So, this is the answer they are hoping for. But, here's the problem. Jobs and the ability to pay a salary depends on the company's needs and financial strength. If there is no money for new employees, it doesn't matter how much the demand increases, no one is getting a job! Secondly, there is an influx of teenagers each year into the work force – does that mean McDonald's is now hiring cashiers at $20/hour?! No. Again, it still rests in the hands of the companies.

The second proposition is that by legalizing these illegals it would cause an increase in consumption. I guess this is based on the first theory that there would be higher wages, therefore, more money circulating in the economy. The majority of the illegals that work in this country are working for a family...and that family is often quite large. Therefore, the consumption that is taking place is already relative to the amount of illegals in the country. Secondly, with many of them already enjoying Government handouts at our tax dollar's expense, what would be the incentive to move away from that? Heck, once they are legal, there is so much they could get from the Government. Therefore, the majority of any increase in consumption would be subsidized by our tax dollars.

The last idea they propagate is that this will create many new jobs and increase tax revenue. Now, before I'm accused of believing that illegals are only valuable for a certain line of work, forget it! I do not hold to that position. However, based on where you find them working, it is reasonable to assume that they will not fall into a taxable bracket anyway – so, no increased tax revenue. Secondly, job creation is again at the mercy of the company. Just because there are people available for work doesn't mean there are jobs available to put them in.

This whole idea, again, is not about boosting our economy. (Tax cuts and decreased corporate regulations would do that). This is about pardoning criminals on a grand scale – probably just to secure more votes. This also smacks the faces of all those who went through our citizenship process legally. There is only one thing to do with illegals – send them back and tell their Government that we will take action to defend our boarders and if you want your citizens to remain happy, then encourage them to come here the legal way. (Not hand out maps of secret routes across the boarder as President Fox did in Mexico). At any rate, expect Obama to jump all over this one.