Monday, August 16, 2010
The Free Republic: Medical Care Options?
The Free Republic: Medical Care Options?: "Today we are on the road. Both Martha and I are Cancer survivors. We both spend several days a year in Houston getting 'follow up' checks at..."
Medical Care Options?
Today we are on the road. Both Martha and I are Cancer survivors. We both spend several days a year in Houston getting "follow up" checks at MD Anderson Hospital. If you have Cancer, in my opinion, there is no better place to be than MDA.
Cancer is a scary thing when you hear that you have it. But the minute you walk in the door at MDA you are struck by the confidence and competence of the staff and volunteers. All the volunteers are, themselves, Cancer survivors so that they already know what you are going through. They know the questions you have, even before you ask them. And the ambiance of the place, more like a nice 5 star hotel than like a hospital, makes you feel buoyed up rather than depressed. You are beginning to heal immediately, just by your change in attitude.
I had my Cancer surgery just 4 years ago and my wife had hers only 1 year ago. We are BOTH over 70 years of age but we didnt have to wait in line and were handled IMMEDIATELY upon referring OURSELVES. There was no need to have a doctors referral. And our insurance was Medicare!!!
So why are we passing a health care bill???
So that the government can cut the payments to our physicians and hospitals! My personal GP takes ONLY Medicare patients. He has told me that his business is on the verge of not being able to continue. Medicare already pays so little that the profit margin is razor thin. He tells me that he is considering changing his profession, perhaps going into research. The Malpractice insurance, something that the health care bill didn't even address, is huge here in south Texas, taking a huge bite out of any profit made. Other doctors feel the same and are leaving the country. As doctors move out of patient care in the US, because they cannot make a living, there will be fewer doctors to cover MORE patients.
There is NO DOUBT that this will lead to rationing.
There will be waits to get what is considered postponeable surgery's and treatments. Prostate Cancer is often considered to be one that can be postponed. They say you will die before it kills you. This is based on 50 year old logic and actuary tables. Do you want to risk the last 10 years of your life on 50 year old data. I didn't and found out AFTER the surgery that my Cancer was one of the fast growing kinds and would surely have killed me early.
I currently have two bad knees. The doctor does not want to operate on them YET because they do not hurt me. But as soon as they start hurting I will get replacements. But what if they dont start hurting until I am 80 years old? Will I then qualify for "just give grandpa a pill to relieve his pain"? Or will I have to stand in line for two years because its an "elective" surgery? Or should I start complaining about non existent pain so I can get the surgery NOW before the new health care bill comes into effect?
Well, there are a couple of alternatives.
1) Many American doctors are moving south with their offices, to Costa Rica for one. Why? Because the costs are lower. Insurance premiums for Mal Practice are very low or non existent.
As long as I can travel, or, you can travel, you can go south where your Medicare will go further. That's fine for those that can travel, but what about those that cannot travel?
Also, is it what we want to do? Do we want to move our medical services to foreign countrys? Are we going to outsource medicine? Now all the profits will be going to Costa Rica.
2) Many foreign hospitals and doctors are on the cutting edge of medicine. India has some great Heart hospitals. With our Medicare insurance that wont pay enough in OUR country, we can go to other countrys where the benefits are considered generous. Now, US Medicare payments will be going to India.
Is that what we want? Is that good for our faltering economy? Will that keep our economy ahead of the surging second place economy, China?
Jim Isbell
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Cancer is a scary thing when you hear that you have it. But the minute you walk in the door at MDA you are struck by the confidence and competence of the staff and volunteers. All the volunteers are, themselves, Cancer survivors so that they already know what you are going through. They know the questions you have, even before you ask them. And the ambiance of the place, more like a nice 5 star hotel than like a hospital, makes you feel buoyed up rather than depressed. You are beginning to heal immediately, just by your change in attitude.
I had my Cancer surgery just 4 years ago and my wife had hers only 1 year ago. We are BOTH over 70 years of age but we didnt have to wait in line and were handled IMMEDIATELY upon referring OURSELVES. There was no need to have a doctors referral. And our insurance was Medicare!!!
So why are we passing a health care bill???
So that the government can cut the payments to our physicians and hospitals! My personal GP takes ONLY Medicare patients. He has told me that his business is on the verge of not being able to continue. Medicare already pays so little that the profit margin is razor thin. He tells me that he is considering changing his profession, perhaps going into research. The Malpractice insurance, something that the health care bill didn't even address, is huge here in south Texas, taking a huge bite out of any profit made. Other doctors feel the same and are leaving the country. As doctors move out of patient care in the US, because they cannot make a living, there will be fewer doctors to cover MORE patients.
There is NO DOUBT that this will lead to rationing.
There will be waits to get what is considered postponeable surgery's and treatments. Prostate Cancer is often considered to be one that can be postponed. They say you will die before it kills you. This is based on 50 year old logic and actuary tables. Do you want to risk the last 10 years of your life on 50 year old data. I didn't and found out AFTER the surgery that my Cancer was one of the fast growing kinds and would surely have killed me early.
I currently have two bad knees. The doctor does not want to operate on them YET because they do not hurt me. But as soon as they start hurting I will get replacements. But what if they dont start hurting until I am 80 years old? Will I then qualify for "just give grandpa a pill to relieve his pain"? Or will I have to stand in line for two years because its an "elective" surgery? Or should I start complaining about non existent pain so I can get the surgery NOW before the new health care bill comes into effect?
Well, there are a couple of alternatives.
1) Many American doctors are moving south with their offices, to Costa Rica for one. Why? Because the costs are lower. Insurance premiums for Mal Practice are very low or non existent.
As long as I can travel, or, you can travel, you can go south where your Medicare will go further. That's fine for those that can travel, but what about those that cannot travel?
Also, is it what we want to do? Do we want to move our medical services to foreign countrys? Are we going to outsource medicine? Now all the profits will be going to Costa Rica.
2) Many foreign hospitals and doctors are on the cutting edge of medicine. India has some great Heart hospitals. With our Medicare insurance that wont pay enough in OUR country, we can go to other countrys where the benefits are considered generous. Now, US Medicare payments will be going to India.
Is that what we want? Is that good for our faltering economy? Will that keep our economy ahead of the surging second place economy, China?
Jim Isbell
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Saturday, August 14, 2010
Did Our Young Heros Die In Vain?
If, this November, we do NOT turn this country from its plunge toward destruction, They may have died in vain.
As I write this blog, someone in a foreign land may be dying for my right to post it.
That truly breaks my heart.
But if I were to sit at home and watch from the side lines, that would dishonor their sacrifice in the most profound way. If we don't use what they died for, then they have died in vain.
We must uphold their sacrifices here at home by responsible citizenship. If we fail, then their death is a tragic waste. We must govern our country responsibly.
We must uphold the Constitution of the United States and not neuter it and find ways around it.
We must run the financial matters of the United States in a responsible manner and not bankrupt the country by raiding the treasury of the future generations.
Responsible citizenship means that in November, just two and a half months from now, we must go to the ballot box and restore honor to our country. We must remove this evil Cancer called "Progressive Politics" from our government, not just give our country a pill so it will feel better as it slowly dies from lack of care.
We must not vote for those that would desecrate the Constitution, but for those that would uphold it.
Jim Isbell
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As I write this blog, someone in a foreign land may be dying for my right to post it.
That truly breaks my heart.
But if I were to sit at home and watch from the side lines, that would dishonor their sacrifice in the most profound way. If we don't use what they died for, then they have died in vain.
We must uphold their sacrifices here at home by responsible citizenship. If we fail, then their death is a tragic waste. We must govern our country responsibly.
We must uphold the Constitution of the United States and not neuter it and find ways around it.
We must run the financial matters of the United States in a responsible manner and not bankrupt the country by raiding the treasury of the future generations.
Responsible citizenship means that in November, just two and a half months from now, we must go to the ballot box and restore honor to our country. We must remove this evil Cancer called "Progressive Politics" from our government, not just give our country a pill so it will feel better as it slowly dies from lack of care.
We must not vote for those that would desecrate the Constitution, but for those that would uphold it.
Jim Isbell
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Friday, August 13, 2010
Oh, And Another Thing......................
Just a couple of thoughts I had today:
1) I find myself screaming at the TV when I hear the Liberals try to downplay the value of the various Conservative movements, such as the TEA Party. I get upset and yell back at the talking heads because they don't recognize the threat we are to the left.
Today I realized that I should save my breath...for two reasons. First, the talking heads don't hear me. But more importantly, I really don't want them to know the threat we are. As long as the opposition continues to ignore us, as long as they continue to underestimate us, the better our chance to wipe them out in November.
They really believe their own propaganda. They are sure we are just a few and have no power. So they don't prepare for the conflict. They don't even energize their own voters. Their voters will not be afraid of us so will not come to the polls. That puts us in the drivers seat.
Then there is this..............
2) I have watched several blogs and received many emails from Conservatives that contained information that was just not true. I think some people think that if we say. "Obama was just caught ...etc....etc....etc..." that maybe it will come true. It wont. In fact if we spout insane things, if we repeat what we have never challenged, if we make up stories, we will begin to look like a bunch of crazy extremists. How can we hope to convince someone that we are right if everything we tell them can be checked and found to be wrong. We cannot spout lies about Obama, and then in mid stream change and then say..."Now I am telling you the truth when I tell you about what we believe." It wont work.
So the next time you receive an email that you are getting ready to forward to all your email list, check it out. Don't just think, "it sure sounds good" and forward it when you know in your heart its a bunch of Bull Crap. Go to Snopes or one of the other email "myth" busters and see if it is true. OR maybe even better, when you know in your heart its just Bull Crap, DON'T FORWARD IT. It will just end up making the point for the Liberals who say we are just a bunch of extremists.
Jim Isbell
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1) I find myself screaming at the TV when I hear the Liberals try to downplay the value of the various Conservative movements, such as the TEA Party. I get upset and yell back at the talking heads because they don't recognize the threat we are to the left.
Today I realized that I should save my breath...for two reasons. First, the talking heads don't hear me. But more importantly, I really don't want them to know the threat we are. As long as the opposition continues to ignore us, as long as they continue to underestimate us, the better our chance to wipe them out in November.
They really believe their own propaganda. They are sure we are just a few and have no power. So they don't prepare for the conflict. They don't even energize their own voters. Their voters will not be afraid of us so will not come to the polls. That puts us in the drivers seat.
Then there is this..............
2) I have watched several blogs and received many emails from Conservatives that contained information that was just not true. I think some people think that if we say. "Obama was just caught ...etc....etc....etc..." that maybe it will come true. It wont. In fact if we spout insane things, if we repeat what we have never challenged, if we make up stories, we will begin to look like a bunch of crazy extremists. How can we hope to convince someone that we are right if everything we tell them can be checked and found to be wrong. We cannot spout lies about Obama, and then in mid stream change and then say..."Now I am telling you the truth when I tell you about what we believe." It wont work.
So the next time you receive an email that you are getting ready to forward to all your email list, check it out. Don't just think, "it sure sounds good" and forward it when you know in your heart its a bunch of Bull Crap. Go to Snopes or one of the other email "myth" busters and see if it is true. OR maybe even better, when you know in your heart its just Bull Crap, DON'T FORWARD IT. It will just end up making the point for the Liberals who say we are just a bunch of extremists.
Jim Isbell
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Thursday, August 12, 2010
Oscar Romero
That name might not mean much to younger people, but this was the Priest that was murdered by the Salvadoran government 30 years ago for preaching against the government in his church. Though I didnt see it on the Catholic website I researched, I seem to remember that there were a couple of Nuns that were also murdered by that government at the same assassination.
"As the Archbishop of San Salvador during El Salvador's brutal civil war, Romero became the "bishop of the poor" for his work defending the Salvadoran people. After calling for international intervention to protect those being killed by government forces, Romero was assassinated on March 24, 1980." (from the uscatholic.org website)
Now, I am not a Catholic and I am not necessarily a crusader for the poor. But this man was a Priest that stood for what he believed and preached it from the pulpit. He died in the pulpit for his political beliefs.
I have many friends that are pastors in the Lutheran church. Many are not afraid to preach politics from the pulpit, when it serves the interest of preaching the word of their God. Some ARE afraid to even pray for our soldiers who are in harms way. Those that are afraid worry that they might be attacked by the government and loose their tax free status or maybe more.
BUT, I submit that if they DONT defend their freedom of speech, they could very well loose it for their silence! Was the freedom of the priesthood in NAZI Germany worth their silence about the atrocity's that were being committed? Some would argue that it was because they were there to protect their flock and not jailed in a concentration camp. But that is not the function of the priesthood. Their job is to point out injustice WHEREVER it exists. And when they DONT, they are guilty of immorality. If a pastor/priest cannot speak up when it is needed, then he or she should not have taken the job. It is like a soldier on the battle field that joins to defend his country but when faced with an enemy turns and runs. The soldier should never have gone to war and that priest/pastor should never have taken on the mantle if he or she would not honor it.
We should be hearing more preaching about the sanctity of the US Constitution being preached from the pulpits around this country. After all, it is that same Constitution that grants them the freedoms they have. If they dont defend its slow erosion by the Progressives, they may very well lose everything.
"As the Archbishop of San Salvador during El Salvador's brutal civil war, Romero became the "bishop of the poor" for his work defending the Salvadoran people. After calling for international intervention to protect those being killed by government forces, Romero was assassinated on March 24, 1980." (from the uscatholic.org website)
Now, I am not a Catholic and I am not necessarily a crusader for the poor. But this man was a Priest that stood for what he believed and preached it from the pulpit. He died in the pulpit for his political beliefs.
I have many friends that are pastors in the Lutheran church. Many are not afraid to preach politics from the pulpit, when it serves the interest of preaching the word of their God. Some ARE afraid to even pray for our soldiers who are in harms way. Those that are afraid worry that they might be attacked by the government and loose their tax free status or maybe more.
BUT, I submit that if they DONT defend their freedom of speech, they could very well loose it for their silence! Was the freedom of the priesthood in NAZI Germany worth their silence about the atrocity's that were being committed? Some would argue that it was because they were there to protect their flock and not jailed in a concentration camp. But that is not the function of the priesthood. Their job is to point out injustice WHEREVER it exists. And when they DONT, they are guilty of immorality. If a pastor/priest cannot speak up when it is needed, then he or she should not have taken the job. It is like a soldier on the battle field that joins to defend his country but when faced with an enemy turns and runs. The soldier should never have gone to war and that priest/pastor should never have taken on the mantle if he or she would not honor it.
We should be hearing more preaching about the sanctity of the US Constitution being preached from the pulpits around this country. After all, it is that same Constitution that grants them the freedoms they have. If they dont defend its slow erosion by the Progressives, they may very well lose everything.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Why Vote For A Third Party Candidate?
There is NO GOOD REASON to vote for a third party candidate. Simple and straight forward. That is the only answer. Unless you want to elect the one guy you are against. Making a statement is futile. It does NOT bring satisfaction in the end.
Luckily for us, the memory is strong, in the minds of most, of what happened with Perot and his third party. It elected the opposition by taking votes away from the ONE candidate that could have won! There may be a few young voters that dont remember, but hopefully we can get to them and teach them the folly of a third party candidate.
Logic tells you that if you have two candidates that are neither your favorite, but one of which, if it came down to it you would prefer, that voting for a third candidate will take only votes from your preferred candidate and NONE from the person you hate so much. This gives you the worst of all alternatives, a win for the worst candidate.
I see that in New York there is a move for a third Conservative Party line on the ballot. DONT fall for it. This may very well be being pushed by the Liberals as their only way to defeat the conservatives!!! REMEMBER, "divide and conquer". If we are divided by two choices on the "Conservative" side, the Liberals will win. Its a "loose-Loose" situation. Dont fall for it.
Jim Isbell
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Luckily for us, the memory is strong, in the minds of most, of what happened with Perot and his third party. It elected the opposition by taking votes away from the ONE candidate that could have won! There may be a few young voters that dont remember, but hopefully we can get to them and teach them the folly of a third party candidate.
Logic tells you that if you have two candidates that are neither your favorite, but one of which, if it came down to it you would prefer, that voting for a third candidate will take only votes from your preferred candidate and NONE from the person you hate so much. This gives you the worst of all alternatives, a win for the worst candidate.
I see that in New York there is a move for a third Conservative Party line on the ballot. DONT fall for it. This may very well be being pushed by the Liberals as their only way to defeat the conservatives!!! REMEMBER, "divide and conquer". If we are divided by two choices on the "Conservative" side, the Liberals will win. Its a "loose-Loose" situation. Dont fall for it.
Jim Isbell
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Monday, August 9, 2010
Proles and animals are free
This phrase from George Orwells "1984" still sticks in my mind after reading the novel in 1956, over 50 years ago.
The Proles consisted of over 80% of the population of Oceana at that time. They were uneducated and were considered the "lower class" of society. But they had Freedom. They were not watched closely as they were not considered to be a threat to "Big Brother". They were poor in one sense of the word, they did not have the health care or the food, of the "Outer Party", but in another sense, they were very rich. They were free.
I look at the world today and see freedom slipping away from us. Many of us work hard to revive freedom before it dies. Some of us, like me, organize TEA Parties and get active politically. But I am tired. I see few young people coming in to help carry the load. I see the young being taken in by "Newspeak" and "Doublethink"
I am becoming weary of standing on the hill and screaming, "look out" and no one hears me. If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound? I wonder if I am making a sound.
The Proles are looking better and better every day. There are third world countries where the people are more free than the citizens of the US will be in 10 years. As long as they don't want to get involved with Politics which generates the possibility of a short life, and as long as they are willing to accept a lower standard of living than the Politicians, they are free. Is it so bad to be without some physical amenities and a political conscience if you can have your God and you are free from the "Thought Police"? I am beginning to think not.
Jim Isbell
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The Proles consisted of over 80% of the population of Oceana at that time. They were uneducated and were considered the "lower class" of society. But they had Freedom. They were not watched closely as they were not considered to be a threat to "Big Brother". They were poor in one sense of the word, they did not have the health care or the food, of the "Outer Party", but in another sense, they were very rich. They were free.
I look at the world today and see freedom slipping away from us. Many of us work hard to revive freedom before it dies. Some of us, like me, organize TEA Parties and get active politically. But I am tired. I see few young people coming in to help carry the load. I see the young being taken in by "Newspeak" and "Doublethink"
I am becoming weary of standing on the hill and screaming, "look out" and no one hears me. If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound? I wonder if I am making a sound.
The Proles are looking better and better every day. There are third world countries where the people are more free than the citizens of the US will be in 10 years. As long as they don't want to get involved with Politics which generates the possibility of a short life, and as long as they are willing to accept a lower standard of living than the Politicians, they are free. Is it so bad to be without some physical amenities and a political conscience if you can have your God and you are free from the "Thought Police"? I am beginning to think not.
Jim Isbell
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Saturday, August 7, 2010
Lets All Get Neked!!!
By the way, "Neked" in Texan means "in your birthday suit".
One of my pet peeves is news people that go around "fear mongering". It happens on both sides of the political spectrum. But this time its happening on Fox news. Today it was one of my "favorite" fear mongers, Julie Banderas. She and Jamie are two of the worst. They wrinkle up their brow, frown, and ask a stupid question that implies some sort of disaster.
Julie was all worked up over the body scanners that store "naked pictures", 35,000 of them, for, as one of the interviewees on that channel called it, "A peep show database". Of course unless you watched the show and saw the pictures, you might have SOME concern. But those pictures couldn't have been used to identify even the sex of the person!! And the whole uproar is over those particular machines that were set up at some courthouse. Those machines showed pictures that didnt even have to be "bleeped out" by the TV channel!!!
My first reaction to this sort of stupidity is to ask, if you had a "real" naked picture of me that didn't show my head and didn't have my name attached how in the world could it be embarrassing to me? I doubt that even I would be able to pick myself out of a naked lineup. But more than that, if I had a choice of a mild embarrassment or being blown up in a terrorist attack, I would choose the embarrassment.
The second reaction is to suggest that you have the option of going through the machine, going home, or being patted down. Its not as if it was your only choice. Personally I might prefer the "patting down" except that I now hear that my Teachers Retirement medical wont pay for Viagra. So what the hell, might as well have a portrait taken. At least I could put that on the mantle.
But I do find it strange that the company that makes the machines said that they left the recording function in the device because 42% of their customers want that capability even though the government doesn't. That sounds like "spin" to me. If I was running a company that made machines that I sold for profit and I could up the profit margin by $100 a machine by leaving out a hard drive and some software on 58% of the sold product. I would do it in an instant!!!
Jim Isbell
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One of my pet peeves is news people that go around "fear mongering". It happens on both sides of the political spectrum. But this time its happening on Fox news. Today it was one of my "favorite" fear mongers, Julie Banderas. She and Jamie are two of the worst. They wrinkle up their brow, frown, and ask a stupid question that implies some sort of disaster.
Julie was all worked up over the body scanners that store "naked pictures", 35,000 of them, for, as one of the interviewees on that channel called it, "A peep show database". Of course unless you watched the show and saw the pictures, you might have SOME concern. But those pictures couldn't have been used to identify even the sex of the person!! And the whole uproar is over those particular machines that were set up at some courthouse. Those machines showed pictures that didnt even have to be "bleeped out" by the TV channel!!!
My first reaction to this sort of stupidity is to ask, if you had a "real" naked picture of me that didn't show my head and didn't have my name attached how in the world could it be embarrassing to me? I doubt that even I would be able to pick myself out of a naked lineup. But more than that, if I had a choice of a mild embarrassment or being blown up in a terrorist attack, I would choose the embarrassment.
The second reaction is to suggest that you have the option of going through the machine, going home, or being patted down. Its not as if it was your only choice. Personally I might prefer the "patting down" except that I now hear that my Teachers Retirement medical wont pay for Viagra. So what the hell, might as well have a portrait taken. At least I could put that on the mantle.
But I do find it strange that the company that makes the machines said that they left the recording function in the device because 42% of their customers want that capability even though the government doesn't. That sounds like "spin" to me. If I was running a company that made machines that I sold for profit and I could up the profit margin by $100 a machine by leaving out a hard drive and some software on 58% of the sold product. I would do it in an instant!!!
Jim Isbell
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Friday, August 6, 2010
Another Rat Deserts The Sinking Ship
Christina Romer leaves the Obama administration. I wonder why the top economic adviser would leave with things going so well? According to Obama, this is the "Summer of Recovery". Why would anyone want to leave now and miss getting the credit for a great job. She predicted that if the stimulus package was passed that unemployment would not top 8%. Gosh, she has done better than that, its now at 9.5%. What an achievement!
I was thinking today what a shock it would be for Obama to enter "The No Spin Zone" Today he was spinning the 9.5% unemployment as:
1) Not as bad as it could have been.
2) Maybe this is just "structural" and will be with us from now on.
3) Losses were mainly "Temporary" Census workers.
Hmmm, he didnt mention that the Census workers were a big part of the Gain earlier this year. Nor did he mention that the June jobs gained figure was revised down from 80,000 to 31,000. But, he happily mentioned that the July jobs gained was 71,000 even though that may well be revised down to 21,000 and that it wasnt enough to overcome the 141,000 lost jobs.
If that spinning top ever got into O'reillys parlor and the spin stopped abruptly, Obama would have a very bad headache from the shock. Bill O'reilly would get very dizzy if he actually tried to stop the spin. Its no wonder Obama wont come on FOX news.
Jim Isbell
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I was thinking today what a shock it would be for Obama to enter "The No Spin Zone" Today he was spinning the 9.5% unemployment as:
1) Not as bad as it could have been.
2) Maybe this is just "structural" and will be with us from now on.
3) Losses were mainly "Temporary" Census workers.
Hmmm, he didnt mention that the Census workers were a big part of the Gain earlier this year. Nor did he mention that the June jobs gained figure was revised down from 80,000 to 31,000. But, he happily mentioned that the July jobs gained was 71,000 even though that may well be revised down to 21,000 and that it wasnt enough to overcome the 141,000 lost jobs.
If that spinning top ever got into O'reillys parlor and the spin stopped abruptly, Obama would have a very bad headache from the shock. Bill O'reilly would get very dizzy if he actually tried to stop the spin. Its no wonder Obama wont come on FOX news.
Jim Isbell
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Thursday, August 5, 2010
Health Care Slapdown?
Wow, 71% to 27%, and MO says they dont like the health care law!
The Dems are saying that it was just the Republicans that voted, but there were 90,000 votes that were NOT Republican even if you say EVERY Republican that voted was against the health care law. And I will bet there were Republicans that like the health care law. I have several Republican friends that say they like the law, probably 20% of my Republican friends like it.
So now we still have a problem for the Dems.
And the VA lawsuit against the health care law was passed on, another defeat for the law. Thats 2 out of 2. There are at least 6 states that plan on following the lead of VA.
If things keep going well for those opposing the law then you can be sure that there will be a bunch of people jumping on the bandwagon!
It looks like the Dems only "achievement" will be turned into an albatross around their neck in November.
Add the weight of the Afghan war that an Obama Administration spokesman recently said was essentially "won" and that is why they are going to draw down the troops.
Then add the delegation from America that will be apologizing for the nuking of Hiroshima.
Each one may not be huge, but each one represents a different segment of the population. Put all those segments together and there will be a huge landslide in November.
Jim Isbell
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The Dems are saying that it was just the Republicans that voted, but there were 90,000 votes that were NOT Republican even if you say EVERY Republican that voted was against the health care law. And I will bet there were Republicans that like the health care law. I have several Republican friends that say they like the law, probably 20% of my Republican friends like it.
So now we still have a problem for the Dems.
And the VA lawsuit against the health care law was passed on, another defeat for the law. Thats 2 out of 2. There are at least 6 states that plan on following the lead of VA.
If things keep going well for those opposing the law then you can be sure that there will be a bunch of people jumping on the bandwagon!
It looks like the Dems only "achievement" will be turned into an albatross around their neck in November.
Add the weight of the Afghan war that an Obama Administration spokesman recently said was essentially "won" and that is why they are going to draw down the troops.
Then add the delegation from America that will be apologizing for the nuking of Hiroshima.
Each one may not be huge, but each one represents a different segment of the population. Put all those segments together and there will be a huge landslide in November.
Jim Isbell
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Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Some Conservatives Will Really Hate This!
I thought I was a Conservative. but I am watching what some Conservatives are saying and sometimes I wonder if I am really a Conservative. Maybe I am a Constitutionalist, if that is a real word.
This uproar over the "Mosque at Ground Zero" is ridiculous.
First, its NOT "at Ground Zero." It is two blocks away!
Second, the first amendment says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF". This does not say...."within a two block area of a bombed building". Nor does it say, "within a 6 block area of a bombed out building." It says, "or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
Are we now going to exempt a 3 block area around Ground Zero from the protection of free speech that is guaranteed by the Constitution? Where will that stop? Next year we will make it within 10 miles of Ground Zero.....then 10 years down the pike, within 3000 miles of Ground Zero. I don't think that we want to go there. Its a slippery slope.
No, I don't think its appropriate. But then I don't think the stoplight down the street is appropriate either. I don't think the expletive that I just spat at a stupid driver this morning was appropriate either. But it definitely was, as this is, within the law and within the Constitution.
The people that are using the phrase "A Mosque at Ground Zero" are stretching the truth and I don't condone that whether done by the Left or the Right.
Jim Isbell
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This uproar over the "Mosque at Ground Zero" is ridiculous.
First, its NOT "at Ground Zero." It is two blocks away!
Second, the first amendment says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF". This does not say...."within a two block area of a bombed building". Nor does it say, "within a 6 block area of a bombed out building." It says, "or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
Are we now going to exempt a 3 block area around Ground Zero from the protection of free speech that is guaranteed by the Constitution? Where will that stop? Next year we will make it within 10 miles of Ground Zero.....then 10 years down the pike, within 3000 miles of Ground Zero. I don't think that we want to go there. Its a slippery slope.
No, I don't think its appropriate. But then I don't think the stoplight down the street is appropriate either. I don't think the expletive that I just spat at a stupid driver this morning was appropriate either. But it definitely was, as this is, within the law and within the Constitution.
The people that are using the phrase "A Mosque at Ground Zero" are stretching the truth and I don't condone that whether done by the Left or the Right.
Jim Isbell
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Monday, August 2, 2010
The Eagle That Laid The Golden Eggs
We have reached that point now where in ten years there will be more voters that live off the government than there will be that pay taxes to the government.
This is the point of the "Golden Goose". From there on out there are enough votes to vote into law any bill that will give to those that are not paying taxes, but are receiving the benefits of the distribution of those taxes. The tax payers will be unable to stop the spending because they will be in the minority.
When the "Golden Goose" point is reached the voters will be able to kill the goose to get the eggs faster. But they will discover, as did the couple in the Aesop's Fable, that the dead goose can no longer lay golden eggs and that the goose had no stock of gold inside it.
Yesterday I met someone who thought that the government had "its own money". That the government didn't have to get its money from the governed, but just had "its own money" that they could spread out to whomever it pleases.
That scared me because I am sure I know many more that believe that but that I just never had the misfortune to have them tell me.
In ten years the taxpayers will have increasing taxes until they can no longer pay the taxes, and like many of the older family's in England that had great estates, they will default to the government. Their property will become the governments property. No taxes will, from that point forward, be collected from those assets. The governments tax base will shrink daily and its entitlement programs will expand, until the whole pile comes down just as the situation in Greece.
We might stop this....maybe, if we can stop the spending and in turn stop the taxing. If we can get those that live off the government to start making their own living and even paying some taxes. This would cause an increase in income to the government and a decrease in spending by the government. The deficits would shrink and , maybe, in 10 years the goose would have a chance at life.
But I am not sure that we can make that change. Personally, I think its too late. I hope I am dead wrong.
Jim Isbell
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This is the point of the "Golden Goose". From there on out there are enough votes to vote into law any bill that will give to those that are not paying taxes, but are receiving the benefits of the distribution of those taxes. The tax payers will be unable to stop the spending because they will be in the minority.
When the "Golden Goose" point is reached the voters will be able to kill the goose to get the eggs faster. But they will discover, as did the couple in the Aesop's Fable, that the dead goose can no longer lay golden eggs and that the goose had no stock of gold inside it.
Yesterday I met someone who thought that the government had "its own money". That the government didn't have to get its money from the governed, but just had "its own money" that they could spread out to whomever it pleases.
That scared me because I am sure I know many more that believe that but that I just never had the misfortune to have them tell me.
In ten years the taxpayers will have increasing taxes until they can no longer pay the taxes, and like many of the older family's in England that had great estates, they will default to the government. Their property will become the governments property. No taxes will, from that point forward, be collected from those assets. The governments tax base will shrink daily and its entitlement programs will expand, until the whole pile comes down just as the situation in Greece.
We might stop this....maybe, if we can stop the spending and in turn stop the taxing. If we can get those that live off the government to start making their own living and even paying some taxes. This would cause an increase in income to the government and a decrease in spending by the government. The deficits would shrink and , maybe, in 10 years the goose would have a chance at life.
But I am not sure that we can make that change. Personally, I think its too late. I hope I am dead wrong.
Jim Isbell
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Sunday, August 1, 2010
What Do We Do About Charlie
Well, he broke the rules and he did it for a long time. Some of his colleagues are saying, "Its no different than what many if not all the others are doing." Is that a valid excuse? Let him go so that no one else needs to fear?
If all the others are doing it, then I think ALL of them need to be prosecuted. ALL of them.
My mother used to say, "If all your friends were jumping off the roof, would you do it?" At the time it didn't seem to be a fair question. But as I matured I realized the value of her wisdom. This is just a bunch of crooks saying, "Hey, we are all crooks so lets let him go." which implies, "Unless you want to take out all of us." Isn't this what Nancy said she was going to do? Didn't she promise to drain the swamp? Funny, 6 months ago she was singing Charlie's praises and now she has turned on him. Its cannibalism.
If all the others are doing it, then I think ALL of them need to be prosecuted. ALL of them.
My mother used to say, "If all your friends were jumping off the roof, would you do it?" At the time it didn't seem to be a fair question. But as I matured I realized the value of her wisdom. This is just a bunch of crooks saying, "Hey, we are all crooks so lets let him go." which implies, "Unless you want to take out all of us." Isn't this what Nancy said she was going to do? Didn't she promise to drain the swamp? Funny, 6 months ago she was singing Charlie's praises and now she has turned on him. Its cannibalism.
Good Liberals And Bad Liberals
Tomorrow I will be attending a wake for an old friend. He was a liberal. But Ralph was a "good" liberal.
I know sometimes it is hard to realize that there are both good and bad within the philosophy of the liberal. But I have several friends that I call "good" liberals and some ex friends that I call "bad" liberals. Ralph and Tom were/are good liberals. While we disagreed in philosophy we were still friends because we could talk about our differences.
Ralph turned 80 just a few months ago and he died just a few weeks ago of complications of Prostate Cancer. Whenever we talked politics he always had good reasons for his views. I didnt agree with his reasons, but they were well thought out and made sense if you accepted the original premise. He knew why he voted for Obama and to him it all made sense. We could discuss our differences and both of us gained from the discussions. I like to believe that I was on the way to converting him to be a Conservative, but in truth, I probably was not.
On the other hand, I once threw a woman out of my house whom I had called my friend. She voted for John Kerry. While voting for a traitor to our country, someone who had given comfort to our enemies in time of war, would probably not heve been enough for me to throw her out of my house, her reason for voting for him was enough to justify the action. When I asked, this apparently Christian woman, why she would vote for a traitor to our country, she said "Because I am a Democrat and my father was a Democrat and my Grandfather was a Democrat." I threw her out of the house.
Our Republic was designed by our forefathers to be self sustaining because it was driven by the will of the people. But our forefathers, I am sure, thought that that will would be a reasoned will. They did not plan on having robots casting votes at the polling places. The will of the people will produce a reasonable government only if the people are casting votes based on reason. People like Bonnie dont have a place in our democratic society. They have no worth to the rest of us. The value of a vote cast by just following a straight party line is nothing. Each vote must be thought out and cast because, in the mind of the voter, it will benefit the country.
Jim Isbell
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I know sometimes it is hard to realize that there are both good and bad within the philosophy of the liberal. But I have several friends that I call "good" liberals and some ex friends that I call "bad" liberals. Ralph and Tom were/are good liberals. While we disagreed in philosophy we were still friends because we could talk about our differences.
Ralph turned 80 just a few months ago and he died just a few weeks ago of complications of Prostate Cancer. Whenever we talked politics he always had good reasons for his views. I didnt agree with his reasons, but they were well thought out and made sense if you accepted the original premise. He knew why he voted for Obama and to him it all made sense. We could discuss our differences and both of us gained from the discussions. I like to believe that I was on the way to converting him to be a Conservative, but in truth, I probably was not.
On the other hand, I once threw a woman out of my house whom I had called my friend. She voted for John Kerry. While voting for a traitor to our country, someone who had given comfort to our enemies in time of war, would probably not heve been enough for me to throw her out of my house, her reason for voting for him was enough to justify the action. When I asked, this apparently Christian woman, why she would vote for a traitor to our country, she said "Because I am a Democrat and my father was a Democrat and my Grandfather was a Democrat." I threw her out of the house.
Our Republic was designed by our forefathers to be self sustaining because it was driven by the will of the people. But our forefathers, I am sure, thought that that will would be a reasoned will. They did not plan on having robots casting votes at the polling places. The will of the people will produce a reasonable government only if the people are casting votes based on reason. People like Bonnie dont have a place in our democratic society. They have no worth to the rest of us. The value of a vote cast by just following a straight party line is nothing. Each vote must be thought out and cast because, in the mind of the voter, it will benefit the country.
Jim Isbell
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Politics Is Like A Lawn With Weeds
Forest Gump said, "Life is like a box of chocolates." But today as I was mowing my lawn with a weed eater I realized that "politics is like a lawn with weeds."
A few days ago I commented to someone that the TEA Party I was planning for the 16th of October (our fourth) would be the last one. My reasoning was that if the "Change that WE can believe in" takes place this November. Then there was no need for another TEA Party. And, if the change didnt happen as I hoped, then I was wasting my breath talking to them, so I might as well move to Guatemala where all I had to deal with was the Mafia, and they have only one, very understandable motive, profit.
But today as I mowed the lawn and contemplated what was happening with the weeds, I realized that you can get rid of the weeds for a few weeks and then they come back. You never get done weeding the lawn and likewise we will never be done weeding out the Liberals. It will take constant vigilance, something we have not been known for in the past. We must change our ways and begin thinking of the job as weeding the lawn, an ongoing task. The Liberals have never stopped working. They continue underground, out of sight, and then pop up when you least expect it. I never would have thought I would say this, but right now I am yearning for the good old days of Wild Bill Clinton. We must be like them and just keep weeding the lawn.
So, I am back to planning TEA Parties. The next one is the 16th of October, just two days before "Early Voting" starts. I will be there and I hope you will also.
BTW, if you missed our 3rd of July TEA Party, here is my contribution to it on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyjJ3Fw0nSQ&feature=email
Jim Isbell
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A few days ago I commented to someone that the TEA Party I was planning for the 16th of October (our fourth) would be the last one. My reasoning was that if the "Change that WE can believe in" takes place this November. Then there was no need for another TEA Party. And, if the change didnt happen as I hoped, then I was wasting my breath talking to them, so I might as well move to Guatemala where all I had to deal with was the Mafia, and they have only one, very understandable motive, profit.
But today as I mowed the lawn and contemplated what was happening with the weeds, I realized that you can get rid of the weeds for a few weeks and then they come back. You never get done weeding the lawn and likewise we will never be done weeding out the Liberals. It will take constant vigilance, something we have not been known for in the past. We must change our ways and begin thinking of the job as weeding the lawn, an ongoing task. The Liberals have never stopped working. They continue underground, out of sight, and then pop up when you least expect it. I never would have thought I would say this, but right now I am yearning for the good old days of Wild Bill Clinton. We must be like them and just keep weeding the lawn.
So, I am back to planning TEA Parties. The next one is the 16th of October, just two days before "Early Voting" starts. I will be there and I hope you will also.
BTW, if you missed our 3rd of July TEA Party, here is my contribution to it on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyjJ3Fw0nSQ&feature=email
Jim Isbell
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The Good The Bad And The Ugly
Well two cases today, one good and one bad.
The Good: The Senate decided rightly NOT to send the Disclose Act on. It would have been a terrible breach of the right to free speech and would have kept small organizations out of political discourse while turning the purse strings over to the Unions, The NRA, and other BIG lobies. Then the country would have been run by the corporations and not the grass roots as it was designed to have been done.
The Bad: SB 1070 was essentially gutted by a judge that just didnt have a clue. Yes it will go on, eventually to the Supreme Court where it may very well be upheld, but meantime the bleeding in Arizona continues. A half a million more illegals every year until the leak is plugged. How much leaking before the ship sinks?
The Ugly: "If it were up to them (the Republicans), Ford Motor Company would probably be gone." according to Harry Reid, giving the success of Ford Motor Company to the auto industry bail-out.....that Ford took NONE of... Where was Harry when the dole out of government money was taking place? Apparently he didnt even notice that Ford took none of the money. Is this the kind of ugly political thinking that we need at the top? Harry Reid has to go, he is getting senile. No, I think he was ALWAYS senile. But he still has to go.
We need to find out who were the 57 Senators that voted FOR the Disclose Act and then, along with Harry Reid we need to purge them from the Senate. I think the number 57 tells you who voted for it, the Democrats!
Jim Isbell
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The Good: The Senate decided rightly NOT to send the Disclose Act on. It would have been a terrible breach of the right to free speech and would have kept small organizations out of political discourse while turning the purse strings over to the Unions, The NRA, and other BIG lobies. Then the country would have been run by the corporations and not the grass roots as it was designed to have been done.
The Bad: SB 1070 was essentially gutted by a judge that just didnt have a clue. Yes it will go on, eventually to the Supreme Court where it may very well be upheld, but meantime the bleeding in Arizona continues. A half a million more illegals every year until the leak is plugged. How much leaking before the ship sinks?
The Ugly: "If it were up to them (the Republicans), Ford Motor Company would probably be gone." according to Harry Reid, giving the success of Ford Motor Company to the auto industry bail-out.....that Ford took NONE of... Where was Harry when the dole out of government money was taking place? Apparently he didnt even notice that Ford took none of the money. Is this the kind of ugly political thinking that we need at the top? Harry Reid has to go, he is getting senile. No, I think he was ALWAYS senile. But he still has to go.
We need to find out who were the 57 Senators that voted FOR the Disclose Act and then, along with Harry Reid we need to purge them from the Senate. I think the number 57 tells you who voted for it, the Democrats!
Jim Isbell
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Should Everyone Have Free Speech, Or Just Some?
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
The German-Jewish poet, Heinrich Heine said, "Where books are burned, human beings are destined to be burned too." This was said 100 years before the Third Reich emerged!!
On the 10th of May, 1933, students in universities across Germany began to burn books with "un-German" ideas.
On the 9th of May, 2010, almost exactly 77 years later, President Obama said, "information becomes a distraction, a diversion"
This is the same president that recently signed into law a bill that gives him the right to shutdown the Internet at his discretion. The internet is as much "the press" as defined in the 1st Ammendment as are CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX, ABC and all the other radio and TV stations and networks.
TODAY, a bill called the "Disclose Act" is before congress. They will vote on it today. Earlier this year a similar bill was struck down by the Supreme Court as UNCONSTITUTIONAL! Congress knows that the Disclose Act will similarly be declared unconstitutional. But it wont happen until after the November elections. They hope to steal elections by using this act to muzzle the opposition of groups like the TEA Party. Even the Sierra Club, a bastion of the left, calls the Disclose Act "unfair and undemocratic". Yet, today, congress will vote to abridge free speech until after the elections, knowing full well that the Supreme Court will strike down their breach of the Constitution....after the elections, after they are through using it.
As my title suggests, maybe there are those that should not have free speech? Yesterday I listened to Chris Wallace tear down Howard Dean as he tried to defend his statement that FOX News was racist. Dean tried to say that FOX News was racist because he, Howard Dean, had expected FOX News to say something racist that they, eventually, did NOT say. His expectation of this future act was racist, even though it did not happen! Maybe Howard Dean should be put on a "No Speech List" similar to the "No Fly List".......Just for his own protection.
Jim Isbell
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The German-Jewish poet, Heinrich Heine said, "Where books are burned, human beings are destined to be burned too." This was said 100 years before the Third Reich emerged!!
On the 10th of May, 1933, students in universities across Germany began to burn books with "un-German" ideas.
On the 9th of May, 2010, almost exactly 77 years later, President Obama said, "information becomes a distraction, a diversion"
This is the same president that recently signed into law a bill that gives him the right to shutdown the Internet at his discretion. The internet is as much "the press" as defined in the 1st Ammendment as are CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX, ABC and all the other radio and TV stations and networks.
TODAY, a bill called the "Disclose Act" is before congress. They will vote on it today. Earlier this year a similar bill was struck down by the Supreme Court as UNCONSTITUTIONAL! Congress knows that the Disclose Act will similarly be declared unconstitutional. But it wont happen until after the November elections. They hope to steal elections by using this act to muzzle the opposition of groups like the TEA Party. Even the Sierra Club, a bastion of the left, calls the Disclose Act "unfair and undemocratic". Yet, today, congress will vote to abridge free speech until after the elections, knowing full well that the Supreme Court will strike down their breach of the Constitution....after the elections, after they are through using it.
As my title suggests, maybe there are those that should not have free speech? Yesterday I listened to Chris Wallace tear down Howard Dean as he tried to defend his statement that FOX News was racist. Dean tried to say that FOX News was racist because he, Howard Dean, had expected FOX News to say something racist that they, eventually, did NOT say. His expectation of this future act was racist, even though it did not happen! Maybe Howard Dean should be put on a "No Speech List" similar to the "No Fly List".......Just for his own protection.
Jim Isbell
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Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire
Since I have just started this blog, I will be experimenting with the format as I go along. For this first Sunday I am going to take a lead from the pastors sermon this morning and talk about "false teachers".
The sermon began with comments about something we are all familiar with. If you are reading this blog then you have been on the Internet long enough that you have seen a post or two in your email offering to make you a millionaire or MORE if you will just help some poor soul in South Africa whose father is in prison and who wants to get several million dollars out of the country by depositing it into your personal account.
By now, you know that this is a scam. Its a false teacher, trying to get your money by selling you a lie. The sermon went on to make connections to the teachings of religion. I will take it a step further to connect it to politics.
There are many false teachers out there that are feeding the electorate lies. Wikipedia defines a liar as "one who tells lies." This definition would include almost everyone. If you un-knowingly spread a false statement, you are, under this definition, a liar. But I would like to suggest that there are several subdivisions of liars, some more heinous than others.
Some of the political liars are what I would call outright liars. They are the ones that KNOW what they are saying is a lie. Some of them have been sent to jail. Some of them are on the verge of being sent to jail. They are the least of my worries as they are easy to catch. The ones I fear are the ones that don't know they are lying, the misguided liars. They are harder to catch because they don't know they are lying so would not be caught in a "Lie Detector" test. They also are the most dangerous ones to our society.
I think some of our elected officials fall into this category. I don't think that our president is aware that some of his statements are untrue. I think that he is surrounded by a cadre of people, many of whom are outright liars. They feed him what they want him to know and shape his beliefs. True, his beliefs and many of his statements are misguided lies, because they came from outright liars. But, they have just as devastating an effect as outright lies would have. Perhaps, more devastating because those listening can grasp his sincerity and, thinking he has all the needed information, believe that he must be right.
The sermon today suggested that even though a false teacher might steal your money, if you keep your faith you have preserved the most valuable of your assets. The same can be said of political false teachers. For the moment, they may have the upper hand. They may usurp our US Constitution, pass illegal laws, steal our money through bad tax decisions, attempt to steal our First, Second and Tenth amendment rights and attempt to steal our democratic elections, but in the long run they will not prevail.
They will not prevail, if we hang on tightly to our beliefs in "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." These are guaranteed to us, not from our constitution, but are unalienable rights "endowed by our Creator." If "we hold these truths to be self evident" and do not let go, we will survive this current administration.
We must stand and defend our country from enemies from within. Enemies, that while not necessarily evil in intent are, just the same, evil in effect.
One of my favorite quotations is from a man that many call a Socialist. But what ever his political philosophy, he was an honest patriot of his cause. General Emiliano Zapata said, "I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees."
We must have this intensity in our drive to cure this country of the cancer that has invaded its body and threatens to make us slaves to the government.
Jim Isbell
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The sermon began with comments about something we are all familiar with. If you are reading this blog then you have been on the Internet long enough that you have seen a post or two in your email offering to make you a millionaire or MORE if you will just help some poor soul in South Africa whose father is in prison and who wants to get several million dollars out of the country by depositing it into your personal account.
By now, you know that this is a scam. Its a false teacher, trying to get your money by selling you a lie. The sermon went on to make connections to the teachings of religion. I will take it a step further to connect it to politics.
There are many false teachers out there that are feeding the electorate lies. Wikipedia defines a liar as "one who tells lies." This definition would include almost everyone. If you un-knowingly spread a false statement, you are, under this definition, a liar. But I would like to suggest that there are several subdivisions of liars, some more heinous than others.
Some of the political liars are what I would call outright liars. They are the ones that KNOW what they are saying is a lie. Some of them have been sent to jail. Some of them are on the verge of being sent to jail. They are the least of my worries as they are easy to catch. The ones I fear are the ones that don't know they are lying, the misguided liars. They are harder to catch because they don't know they are lying so would not be caught in a "Lie Detector" test. They also are the most dangerous ones to our society.
I think some of our elected officials fall into this category. I don't think that our president is aware that some of his statements are untrue. I think that he is surrounded by a cadre of people, many of whom are outright liars. They feed him what they want him to know and shape his beliefs. True, his beliefs and many of his statements are misguided lies, because they came from outright liars. But, they have just as devastating an effect as outright lies would have. Perhaps, more devastating because those listening can grasp his sincerity and, thinking he has all the needed information, believe that he must be right.
The sermon today suggested that even though a false teacher might steal your money, if you keep your faith you have preserved the most valuable of your assets. The same can be said of political false teachers. For the moment, they may have the upper hand. They may usurp our US Constitution, pass illegal laws, steal our money through bad tax decisions, attempt to steal our First, Second and Tenth amendment rights and attempt to steal our democratic elections, but in the long run they will not prevail.
They will not prevail, if we hang on tightly to our beliefs in "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." These are guaranteed to us, not from our constitution, but are unalienable rights "endowed by our Creator." If "we hold these truths to be self evident" and do not let go, we will survive this current administration.
We must stand and defend our country from enemies from within. Enemies, that while not necessarily evil in intent are, just the same, evil in effect.
One of my favorite quotations is from a man that many call a Socialist. But what ever his political philosophy, he was an honest patriot of his cause. General Emiliano Zapata said, "I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees."
We must have this intensity in our drive to cure this country of the cancer that has invaded its body and threatens to make us slaves to the government.
Jim Isbell
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Glem Beck Makes Me Sick
In recent years I have asked people if they watched/listened to Glenn Beck. People I have asked have ranged from conservative to liberal (NO! I will not honor them with the label Progressive as they want to be known). I have gotten two different answers....of course, YES or NO. I never get a maybe..#8-)
The first answer I usually get is NO. So I press on and ask, "Why not?". The answer is never, "I don't have time." which I couldn't argue with. But instead it is usually, "I don't like him." I then continue to press to get details. Often the excuse is that "He yells and it hurts my ears." or "it makes me nervous". So why not turn down the volume on the TV/Radio? It seems to me that the loudness of his voice is fully under their control. But I will then ask them if someone YELLED "Fire" in a building, would that make them dislike him/her or just make them nervous? Or would it make them start looking for an exit and thank God that he yelled loud enough that they heard the warning?
It seems to me that Glenn Beck is just yelling because the message is so important!! Another answer is, guess which group this is from, "He lies about people and things." So I will press on and ask for an example, an exact quote not just a regurgitation from a liberal source. At this point they usually get very defensive and say they cant remember one, or sometimes one will actually, then, admit that they have never really listened to him.
Many people are like sheep. They only want to have a shepherd. They don't want to think about things because it makes them nervous when they realize the truth.
How do we change sheep into good citizens? Education is not the answer. I know people with a college degree that don't even vote, let alone think about it. And I see protesters on TV with signs that they cannot even spell correctly, but they are out there fighting for their ideas. Whether I agree with those ideas or not, I applaud them for getting off their collective rears and getting involved. True often it is just like sheep again, just following a shepherd and not really knowing the truth.
I have a stock challenge for most people who "don't like Glenn Beck". Come sit on the couch beside me with a cup of coffee and some snacks and watch the Glenn Beck show on Fox News every afternoon for 5 days (Monday thru Friday). Just one hour a day for 5 days. I will furnish the coffee and snacks. I want them to sit with me because I know if I am not there they will lie to me about their attendance. Then at the end of each day we will discuss what they don't like about Glenn Beck.
If I really wanted to cheat I could just say, "watch the Friday show"....thats the history lesson....much harder to find a complaint. I never get a taker.
liberals will read this and take issue with it. They will point out any spelling errors I have made. Or they will just call me a NAZI or a racist on no evidence at all. They wont really read it. They wont take my challenge. I will even relax the "sit with me part" if they will honestly do it. But they wont because it would make them nervous.
It seems that people would rather remain uneducated than become educated and "Know the Truth and the truth shall set you free." Its too hard to be set free. It takes thinking to be set free.
Jim Isbell
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The first answer I usually get is NO. So I press on and ask, "Why not?". The answer is never, "I don't have time." which I couldn't argue with. But instead it is usually, "I don't like him." I then continue to press to get details. Often the excuse is that "He yells and it hurts my ears." or "it makes me nervous". So why not turn down the volume on the TV/Radio? It seems to me that the loudness of his voice is fully under their control. But I will then ask them if someone YELLED "Fire" in a building, would that make them dislike him/her or just make them nervous? Or would it make them start looking for an exit and thank God that he yelled loud enough that they heard the warning?
It seems to me that Glenn Beck is just yelling because the message is so important!! Another answer is, guess which group this is from, "He lies about people and things." So I will press on and ask for an example, an exact quote not just a regurgitation from a liberal source. At this point they usually get very defensive and say they cant remember one, or sometimes one will actually, then, admit that they have never really listened to him.
Many people are like sheep. They only want to have a shepherd. They don't want to think about things because it makes them nervous when they realize the truth.
How do we change sheep into good citizens? Education is not the answer. I know people with a college degree that don't even vote, let alone think about it. And I see protesters on TV with signs that they cannot even spell correctly, but they are out there fighting for their ideas. Whether I agree with those ideas or not, I applaud them for getting off their collective rears and getting involved. True often it is just like sheep again, just following a shepherd and not really knowing the truth.
I have a stock challenge for most people who "don't like Glenn Beck". Come sit on the couch beside me with a cup of coffee and some snacks and watch the Glenn Beck show on Fox News every afternoon for 5 days (Monday thru Friday). Just one hour a day for 5 days. I will furnish the coffee and snacks. I want them to sit with me because I know if I am not there they will lie to me about their attendance. Then at the end of each day we will discuss what they don't like about Glenn Beck.
If I really wanted to cheat I could just say, "watch the Friday show"....thats the history lesson....much harder to find a complaint. I never get a taker.
liberals will read this and take issue with it. They will point out any spelling errors I have made. Or they will just call me a NAZI or a racist on no evidence at all. They wont really read it. They wont take my challenge. I will even relax the "sit with me part" if they will honestly do it. But they wont because it would make them nervous.
It seems that people would rather remain uneducated than become educated and "Know the Truth and the truth shall set you free." Its too hard to be set free. It takes thinking to be set free.
Jim Isbell
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