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WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW TO SALVAGE OUR FUTUREOurs is a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Theoretically, that means our government is ours to run. That, of course, is just theory. The plain and simple matter is that those of us who took Civics in High School, or who went to American Legion Boys or Girl's State, or who served in the American armed forces... We learned that the price of liberty IS eternal vigilance, and we pay close attention to our government. But, Civics is not taught in high school any more, there is no draft and very few get chosen to attend American Legion Boy's or Girl's State. In fact, those who do pay attention to our government are now being ridiculed as "extremists."
The upshot is that the torch of "eternal vigilance" has been extinguished. People take the American way of life for granted. And, without that "vigilance," our freedoms, justice... the things we hold so dear to our hearts... have been slipping through our fingers and evaporating into thin air.
Therein lies the answer as to what we old geezers need to do now to salvage our future.
During these past few decades, as we have been sleeping at the switch, government has seen fit to take advantage of our weakness; government has been, on a daily basis, glomming on to our freedoms, liberties, and justice in a subtle power grab that has, over time, almost left us defenseless. Then comes the shocker: given the current status of things in this country, the younger folks have suddenly been jolted into awareness that things "just aren't the way they should be" in America.
There's our opening. Here's what must be our agenda:
1. Re-instill American values
2. Show other Americans that yes, we still have enough power left in us to take our country back; what happened in the tax votes in California certainly demonstrates the will of the people can and must rule the day.
3. Seek out in our midst...identify those citizens who share our principles and who have the qualities of Americana and leadership that we all so desperately yearn for.
4. Plan now to toss out every incumbent, regardless of party, in November of 2010.
5. Groom those whom we have selected to take those jobs, and get them elected.
We can do these things, and we should if we are going to salvage our futures. We must start now.
That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted,
Next Week: HOW DO WE GET QUALIFIED LEADERS TO RUN FOR OFFICE?
PART TWO OF A SERIES: WHERE DO WE START? Those of us who grew up going to the cemeteries on Memorial Day with flowers to honor those who gave their lives for our country, know in our hearts the burdens of the past and the challenges of the future that we must meet, for our forefathers' sake, for our sake, and for the sake of generations of Americans, (hopefully), to come. The audacious behaviors of our nation's leaders over the past generation have, in a mere fraction of the history of this country, turned our nation down a new path that can only lead to the destruction of all of the fundamental values upon which this great country were founded, and ultimately could cause the fall of America as a nation.
That's a fact. You know it, and I know it. The demanding tasks before us often seem formidable, if not impossible, to overcome. Nevertheless, as Americans we can, and must, rise to the occasion.
To our benefit, the seeds of discontent have already been planted and they are taking root. The millions of citizens who protested in the American Tea Party rallies planted the seeds. The almost 4 million people who turned out in California in an off-year, off-month election to turn down five tax proposals by 65% certainly added the fertilizer. And, a whole lot of good water was added to the mix when 74% of those voters said, "No raises for elected officials in any year when we have a state budget deficit."
What we need to do now is to take the time to educate Americans as to how things really were in the late 40's, 50's and most of the 60's. We need, most of all, to talk American values, morals and ethics founded on religious beliefs that were directly responsible for propelling this nation into the position of being the leader of freedom and justice throughout the world. Those were the days when we could park our cars in the driveway at night without wondering whether or not they would be there in the morning. Those were the days when seven cops could keep peace in a city of 7,000. Those were the days when mom did bake apple pie from scratch and the only foreign cars in the country were Rolls Royces, Jaguars or MGBs, and there were damned few of them.
Those were the days when the only thing you knew about illegal drugs was what your teacher or parents taught you. Those were the days when you ran for elected office because you believed in the country and you wanted to represent your views and the views of your neighbors in government. Those were the days when Adam Clayton Powell Jr. got yelled off the continent and run out of Congress because of his corruption, and that was done without any equivocation or hesitation because Americans knew he had to go.
Those were the days when you didn't spend more than you had. Those were the days when there was honest dialogue before a bill was passed in the Legislature or the Congress. Those were the days when you could speak a whole paragraph without using the "f" word.
Most important... Those were the days when every American, black, white, Indian... yes, we had our differences and some of them were really big differences... were all proud to be Americans and we didn't apologize to any one because of it.
We made our own steel, milled our own lumber, wove our own fabrics, made our own clothes, and manufactured our own cars right here in America. Not a soul would even consider shipping his customer service department to another country to save on payroll because that was un-American. Yes, patriotism ruled the day.
We need to have a sit-down, eyeball-to-eyeball discussion with our kids and grand-kids and point out the way things were, and the way things are, because they need to have a good understanding of the foundation and the fabric that made America great in the past, before we can even begin to talk about what needs to be done to salvage our future.
That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.
Next week: WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW TO SALVAGE OUR FUTURE
THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER'S REVOLUTION PICKS UP SPEED
SPECIAL POST
Almost 3.9 million California taxpayers went to the polls and voted firmly against higher taxes to build a rainy day fund, education, modernization of the Lotto including a redistribution of proceeds, child services, and mental health services. 74% of those voting put a firm no on raises for elected officials whenever they can't balance the budget.
Now come the naysayers...those who do not realize the impact of the vote for what it really is. Limbaugh laments that Californians just shifted the tab to the American taxpayer. Fox News notes emphatically that it was a damned poor voter turnout....only 23% of the voters voted. The Governator put the blame for the state's financial crisis squarely at the foot of those who voted the tax increases down by saying he was going to let prisoners out, close schools and a myriad of other things because we taxpayers refused to cow-tow to Sacramento's demands to dig further into our empty pockets.
Well, here we are five months into a new Administration, in a state that always voted Democrat and which firmly backed Obama. The citizens who did vote went straight against the tax-and-spend mentality that is prevalent in Washington and Sacramento. The fact is that those who did not vote would have voted the same way as those who did vote, according to the pre-election polls. The fact is that the 66% of the Californians were not all conservative Republicans or results would have been different; this was a bi-partisan message to the country: WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH!
And, if the Administration chooses to bail California out without requiring severe spending cuts and thereby lets the California government off the hook for their failures.... we're going to be madder than hell. OUR VOTE WAS TO SIGNIFY THAT WE AMERICANS LIVING IN CALIFORNIA WANT THIS DAMNED SPEND, SPEND, SPEND, TAX, TAX, TAX mentality to end! The message is that 65 to 70% of Americans across the country feel the same way and, unless Washington gets and understands this message, they are all going to be on the outside looking in after November of 2010 and 2012.
GET THE MESSAGE RIGHT, YOU LAME-BRAINED IDIOTS! WE MEAN BUSINESS and this is not something you can wave off with a smile and a nod of condescension.
That's MY CALIFORNIAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.
This is the first in a series of commentaries regarding the status of our country, our economy, our morals and ethics, and our responsibilities as American citizens.
The plain and simple truth is that those of us, Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike, who are “Baby Boomers” and older, are very dissatisfied and upset with the direction our country has been taking since Reagan left office. Every President and every Congress since then has failed miserably to live up to their duties as representatives of we, the people, who ARE in charge according to our Constitution. We, the people, have allowed them to do it and today, my fellow Americans, is our day of reckoning.
Our country is in pure shambles. Our economy is in worse shape than during the Depression; we just don’t realize it yet. Our family values have evaporated as have our morals and ethics. Our country is permeated with mind-altering drugs. Our leaders are corrupt, our media and press have hidden agendas. We are without any compass in our Ship of State and our enemies are again emboldened.
Until they got hit directly in their pocketbooks, the younger generations of Americans seemed content to let their freedoms and liberties slip away, day by day and every day. Now, they awaken from their hedonistic stupors and realize that they need to do something, but they just don’t know where to start.
Those of us who grew up with REAL American values and a REAL sense of justice, freedom and liberty have growing numbers and a voice that MUST be heard and we need to seek and find the common ground to MAKE our voice heard. At the same time, we have the ability and the duty to install a new compass…a renewed sense of direction for our country… into the minds and hearts of our descendants.
Next week: WHERE DO WE START?
That’s MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.
BILL OF RIGHTS
Amendment I
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.
Amendment II
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.
Amendment III
No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Amendment V
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
Amendment VI
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.
Amendment VII
In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
Amendment VIII
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
Amendment IX
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Amendment X
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.
That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.
The media says the American Tea Parties were organized by Fox News and they flopped. Those who participated are zombie followers with no brains.
The media reports every hour about some new crime committed with a gun. No crimes are committed with knives, baseball bats or poison. Therefore, the media is leading us to believe that crime will stop when guns are removed.
The media asks a question and, if the answer is not what they want to hear, they shout the respondent down.
When the media sees a streak of decency, such as Sarah Pallin or Carrie Prejean, it collectively sets out to destroy. The media never repeats a good story, but does not hesitate to repeat bad news over, and over, and over, and over again... drumming into your head.
The media does not tell you what is going on in Gaza, Spain, or anywhere else in the world.
THE MEDIA IS NOT DOING ITS JOB.
Who controls the media? You need to get your own answer to that question. That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW TO SALVAGE OUR FUTURE
