The Sleeping Giant

It's been a little while since I've made a blog post. OK, it's been a LONG while. In fact, I didn't realize how long it had been until I logged in and looked at my past articles.

I suppose I've been suppressing the urge to write an article because there's a part of me that feels like, for the most part, people today are so set in their ways and polarized that nothing one person says will make a difference. In fact, it's easier sometimes to just shake your head, grumble and grouse internally, and keep your thoughts bottled up. You just don't want to "upset" someone or "hurt their feelings" - or worse yet, be the recipient of someone coming completely unhinged and yelling and screaming at you. If you're someone who believes in the Republic, the Constitution, and the concepts of freedom and liberty - especially as our founding fathers envisioned these concepts - then you understand what I'm saying.

In the book "Thirteen Tactics for Realistic Radicals: from Rules for Radicals" by Saul Alinsky, this sage piece of advice is given:

Ridicule is man's most potent weapon. It is almost impossible to counterattack ridicule. Also it infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage.

It is with this in mind that I read with great interest today's email update published by the organization People for the American Way. Like many other liberal-leaning outlets, PFAW was astonished that Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges brought before him. Here is some of the information they posted in their update:

Here are the facts: Kyle Rittenhouse crossed state lines and used an illegally purchased assault rifle to confront racial justice protesters who had been demonized and made out to be a threat by far-right politicians, commentators, and media outlets.

Yes, Kyle did cross the state line with his AR-15 rifle. It was not modified to fire in automatic mode, so it was not technically an "assault rifle," but that is a distinction that most anti-gun groups fail to recognize. I do not know the specifics of the purchase, so I cannot comment on that. I did find it very amusing that Kyle was confronting "racial justice protesters who had been demonized and made out to be a threat by far-right politicians, commentators, and media outlets."

REALLY?

Now why would protesters who are brazenly acting in an unruly manner, destroying property, defying law enforcement officers, and assaulting other people be demonized? Can you think of any reasons? I surely can, and it's nothing more than the left's attempt to ridicule conservatives for their viewpoints on law and order.

It's also interesting to note (even though PFAW fails to do so) that Kyle, like many others that evening, was there to protect property from the "peaceful protesters". Had these "peaceful protesters" done exactly that - protested peacefully - the deceased protesters would probably still be alive today. But we cannot confuse hype and drama with facts.

The protest that Rittenhouse felt compelled to confront was over the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man shot multiple times by police outside of a family function. The “threat” perceived by Rittenhouse and the other armed white vigilantes who took to the streets of Kenosha – many of whom were associated with the militia movement – was people speaking out against structural white supremacy and the disregard for Black lives.

The verdict in this case further enables that white supremacy and will be seen as tacit encouragement by our criminal justice system for racially-inspired white mob violence – unless we do something about it.

It's interesting to note that "mob violence" is abhorrent when conservatives are the perpetrators; but it is "saving our democracy" when liberals are the perpetrators.  Again, they are taking a page straight out of the Alinsky playbook: ridicule the opposition. The liberal left is very good at this. Those of us on the conservative (or even libertarian) side tend to shy away from doing that because we tend to take the "moral high ground."

That’s why we’re calling on the Department of Justice to initiate an investigation of Rittenhouse’s actions. There must be accountability for white vigilantism aimed at suppressing peaceful racial justice protests.

This is gaslighting at its finest. The more the liberal left portray the protests as peaceful and the citizens who bothered to protect their property when law enforcement failed to do so, the more the masses will start to believe it. Those who truly care about the American Republic cannot allow themselves to fall into this trap.

The facts of this case were clear. But the political climate fostered by the Trump administration and its white supremacist adherents poisoned the justice system’s ability to do its job. And the consequences could be devastating.

The facts in the case were indeed clear, and as provided by our legal system, Kyle was tried by a jury of his peers and acquitted. A kangaroo court was not held. One person did not act as judge, jury, and executioner. The system worked just as it was supposed to. The accused was brought to trial, the evidence was presented, and a verdict was delivered.

Our legal system is not perfect! But if it is indeed so bad, why do people die trying to come to this country to find protection under our system of governance?

I also find it amusing that it's been over a year since the elections of 2020, and Former President Trump is still living rent-free in the minds of many liberals. They just cannot let him go!

We’re an incredibly divided nation, heading into a major national election, and this verdict gives the appearance of condoning political violence. It can’t be the end of the story.

This is probably the first thing PFAW got completely right in this update: "We're an incredibly divided nation."

We are.

We are divided because of the non-stop attacks on the former President, fomented by one-sided reporting of the majority of the media. We are divided because one group of people claim to be inclusive, loving, caring, and all about acceptance... provided you follow their beliefs and teaching.

You must accept the LGBTQ+ lifestyle.

You must accept that anyone who is not a Caucasian American is underprivileged and unable to progress in society on their own power, without handouts, grants, or other government/social assistance.

You must accept that, despite the fact (and the science) that all humans are born in exactly one of two ways (with either XX chromosomes or XY chromosomes), there are more than two sexes. (And then there's the whole discussion of sex vs. gender.)

You must accept, if you are a Caucasian male, that your masculinity is what has caused many of the problems in this country.

You must accept that any and all police-involved shootings, where the officer is a Caucasian male and the suspect is not, is racially motivated and a travesty of justice. In fact, this has trickled down into less violent situations. For example, Philadelphia, PA has instructed officers to no longer conduct basic traffic stops because they impact and target minorities at a rate that exceeds non-minorites.

You must accept that as a Caucasian American, you are a racist, homophobic, xenophobic, misogynistic, white supremacist, Neanderthal.

You must accept that those who want to change your point of view (because your viewpoints are toxic) will be allowed to essentially say, write, and do whatever they wish to effect that change, because theirs is the cause of justice. Theirs is the proper way of thinking. You are no longer allowed to harbor beliefs that do not comport to theirs.

Those who truly care about this Republic and the values under which it was built CANNOT allow themselves to fall prey to their siren song. It is a long and difficult fight, but it must be done. They do not play by the rules of a civilized populace, and they gaslight and ridicule those who would stand up to them.

People for the American Way? Only if that's a Socialist Amerika. They confuse "democracy" for a "democratic republic." There is a difference. And if you are someone who believes in freedom, liberty, and saving our great Republic, you must be strong. You must be willing to stand up to those who would threaten the very fabric of what has made this country great for over 240 years.

You can no longer sit silently by and give them no rebuttal.

It is time to awaken the sleeping giant.

Buy it first, then figure out how to pay for it!

As I perused the morning news today, I noticed an article in Fox News that reflected one of the things wrong with our out of control government spending. The article is titled:

Cynthia Nixon on getting single-payer health care in New York: 'Pass it and then figure out how to fund it'

This is an interesting way to achieve fiscal responsibility. By using this logic, simply because the government believes a program is needed is all the justification that is needed to bring it into existence. No consideration needs to be made on how exactly the program will be funded. We can cross that bridge later, after the "mandate" is already in place to start the program.

Fiscal responsibility is something most of us have to deal with as adults. We cannot live beyond our means, unless we want to maintain constant contact with debt collectors. And yet that same type of responsibility ceases to exist once our elected officials get involved. "Pass the program, put it in place, and then we'll figure out what we need to do to keep it afloat (read: how much we need to raise taxes)." Because there will certainly be no other reduction in government services, programs, or staffing to offset a new program.

Is health care in this country broken? With spiraling costs and zero competition between companies that would help lower costs, it could certainly stand some re-tooling. But throwing a new program in place with no regard for the overall cost to the public, and no plan for funding the program is totally irresponsible.

But this is something that elected officials on both sides of the aisle do on a regular basis, and the American public seems to have become totally desensitized to the issue. We do not hold our representatives accountable to out of control spending; but worse yet, due to the games that are played with the Federal budget, it's hard to even know what is the truth and what is fairy tale finances. We blindly put our trust into politicians who tell us to "trust them" and that "they know what they are doing." Indeed, they do know what they are doing - fleecing the public and ensuring their own interests are served, without truly representing the people who elected them.

And even when we do see efforts to "reduce spending," do we even understand the size of the problem? When someone says they've been able to cut $10 million dollars from the budget, we're supposed to jump up and down and cheer that something great has been accomplished. (And indeed, $10 million is a lot of money.) But when held in comparison to the overall US budget, which in 2017 was $4 trillion in expenditures and $3.3 trillion in revenue (meaning $700 billion in shortfall), that $10 million is a pittance. Count the zeros with me:

$700,000,000,000 - revenue short fall
$10,000,000 - savings by eliminating some program

See the difference? Let's make it even easier and take away eight zeros so it's more like a family budget:

$7,000 - revenue short fall
$0.10 - savings by eliminating some program

See the problem now? So you'll excuse me if I find it infuriating that another politician (or in this case, a wanna-be politician) sees fit to push for the creation of a program before funding is even in place. Spending is already out of control. Programs and entitlements are already spending money that isn't there. Putting something else in place before figuring out how to pay for it is not going to solve anything for the people. It will, however, steal more money from our paychecks in the form of higher taxes, and in the end, make us even more enslaved to the government.

Remember, government is not the solution to the problem, it is the problem. And it is like a cancer that just keeps metastasizing.

 

The Face of Tyranny

Take a good look at this picture:

It is the face of tyranny.  It is the face of a woman who believes that there is enough evil in this world that she be protected by armed bodyguards.  It is the face of a woman who once said:

As a supervisor, I had no protection so I got a gun permit and learned to shoot at the Police Academy. When I became mayor, I succeeded in passing a measure banning handguns in San Francisco, and we instituted a 90--day grace period for pistol owners to turn in their handguns without incurring penalties. At that time, I turned in my pistol. That pistol and 14 others were melted down and sculpted into a cross, which I presented to Pope John Paul II during a trip to Rome later that year. The point is, I know where guns work for protection, and I know where they don't. I've lived a life that has been impacted by weapons, so this is not an esoteric, academic exercise for me. Nor is it a political exercise. I come to this issue because of real life experience.

It is the face of a woman who, despite the anti-guns and anti-rights rhetoric, continues to enjoy the “luxury” of an unrestricted concealed weapons permit in the State ofCalifornia.

It is the face of a woman who should be arrested and tried for treason against the United States, as she continues to push for “common sense gun laws” that remove the rights of citizens to protect themselves from the very form of government that she believes in, while allowing herself to maintain the status quo and operate above the law.

It is interesting to note that she “got a gun permit” when she was a supervisor and had no protection.  How many citizens subjects does she (supposedly) represent that have no protection?  How many of those citizens subjects cannot afford the armed bodyguards that she is provided?  How many of those citizens subjects have a life that is worth any less than her own?

The line in the sand has been drawn.  It is now up to the citizens of this country to decide how solid that line will remain.  If Senator Comrade Feinstein has her way, the Second Amendment will be gutted and we will be one step closer to total government domination with no recourse and no means of self-defense.

This matter does not reside with the government.  It does not reside with the military or local law enforcement.  It resides with YOU, reading this post, deciding how much of your liberty you are willing to give up.  Some may say that Comrade Feinstein’s bill is dead on arrival, and it has no chance of passage.  That does not preclude actions that could or would be taken by the Comrade-in-Chief through an Executive Order – which would be tantamount to a declaration of war on the citizenry and the Constitution.

Perhaps that’s exactly what the Obama administration is looking for – all out insurrection.  If that happens, they would be able to unleash their DHS and TSA minions throughout the country, federalizing everything from the food supply to transportation, electricity to gasoline, phone service to the Internet… everything and anything they can possibly think to control would come under their auspices in the name of the “public good.”

The battle is not coming.  The battle is already here, and the enemy can be easily seen.  Will you answer the call if or when it comes?

Anti-Gun Rhetoric Heats Up

The level of anti-gun rhetoric is astounding.  Examiner Joe Newby reported today that actress Marg Helgenberger agrees that NRA members should be killed in order to promote an anti-gun agenda.  Joe has also reported on other NeoCom members who believe that just being anti-gun and anti-rights is not good enough any longer.  Instead, it is apparently stylish now to openly call for the deaths of NRA members and those who believe that the Second Amendment means what it says as written by the brilliant men who formed this country.

This is truly a sad situation.  President Obama has tried to portray himself as the “healer” of the country, bringing harmony where there has been a divide.  NeoComs complain that there is too much hatred and too little compromise, but their most vocal supporters continue to spew hatred toward those who disagree with them.

What is a good citizen of the Republic supposed to do?

If you are a CSI fan, the first thing to do is contact CBS and tell the network you will no longer watch the show.  Dollars make a difference, and if ratings drop, the network and advertisers will get the point.

The next thing for all pro-rights members to do is to stay strong and stay vigilant.  The attack from the NeoCom side will likely continue unabated for the foreseeable future.

Finally, and it’s certainly not the high road, but maybe it’s time to stop turning the other cheek.  Perhaps we need to call out those who would trample our rights for what they are – enemies of the state due to treason.  Anyone who advocates going against the principles of our Constitution is guilty of treason, plain and simple.  People like Marg Helgenberger who openly advocate the death of people who support the right to keep and bear arms are traitors to the Republic.  We should be clamoring for suitable punishment for THEM, not the other way around.

 Perhaps it's time we turned up the heat and made noise of our own.

Once the NeoCom herd gets thinned out, it will be far easier to restore this Republic back to the foundation upon which it was built.  People like Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell are nothing more than traitors who have betrayed the concepts of our free republic, and they should be treated as such.

We will never get the support of the main stream media outlets, because they have become the lapdogs of the NeoCom administration.  Instead, we will have to work harder at getting the word out, but it can be done.

Do not back down, and do not turn the other cheek.  That is how we got in this position in the first place.  At some point, even the most peaceful person must acknowledge that a battle is at hand, and the only way to keep the ground upon which you stand is to defend it.

That time is coming rapidly.  In fact, I would argue that it has already arrived.

If you are in agreement, please share this post to others who believe as you do.

NASCAR Loses Control

Today is one of the only times that I've been able to sit and watch an entire race.  I'm not sure if I picked a good one or a bad one to watch.  The end of the race was just ... ugly.

Before today's race, Jimmie Johnson was the championship points leader by a scant seven points over Brad Keselowski.  The two stayed very close to each other for the majority of the race, setting up what looked to be a great race for the championship during the last race of the season next weekend.

But then, a flat right-front tire put a damper on Jimmie's season.  With just over 70 laps left in the race, Jimmie hit the wall hard and sent him behind the wall for almost 40 laps.  What could have been a great finale to the season next weekend has turned into a task of Herculean proportions for Jimmie Johnson.  Brad needs to finish 15th or better in Miami to take the crown regardless of what Jimmie does.  It almost seems anti-climatic.

Jeff Gordon

But Jimmie's teammate, Jeff Gordon, decided to keep things interesting.  After Clint Bowyer slid up the track and into Jeff - something that happens often in NASCAR racing with no malice - Jeff decided to exact revenge on Clint.  He waited on the track, driving a damaged car, until Clint caught back up to him - and then spun him around, after talking about doing exactly that on his team's radio.

Had this been an issue of two drivers feuding between themselves, that would be one thing.  But Gordon's decision to take out his frustration on Clint ended up wrecking three other drivers who were doing nothing but minding their own business, and in the process, nearly caught Keselowski in the on-track melee as well.

If that wasn't bad enough, tempers continued to flare off-track, as the pit crews of both teams fought with each other in what could only be likened to a bench-clearing baseball brawl.  NASCAR stopped the race with a red flag to sort everything out.  After nearly 20 minutes, enough order was restored to allow the race to begin again, and fans had to wonder if the excitement was finally over.  There would be only three laps left in the race, so this had to be the end, right?

It wasn't.

Once the drivers got underway again, Jeff Burton managed to get a bit loose inside of Danica Patrick and spun her into the wall.  With her car damaged and smoking, incredulously, NASCAR failed to throw a caution flag and allowed the drivers to continue at full speed.  As the drivers raced full throttle to the checkered flag, Patrick's car continued to limp around the track, damaged and smoking, dropping liquid on the asphalt.  As the leaders approached the checkered flag, the inevitable happened, and a huge wreck took place right at the start-finish line.

Danica's car was lifted in the air by Kurt Busch's car.  Points leader Keselowski was hit, but managed to make it across the line.  Ryan Newman's car was hit multiple times at full speed.  Cars, and parts that belonged on cars, were strewn across the track.  Some drivers made it across the line, and others didn't.

NASCAR totally  lost control of the race.  Perhaps in their zeal to make sure the race ended with a green flag, they totally neglected to take into account the safety of the drivers.  Nobody wants to see an exciting, green flag finish more than I do, but not at the risk of a driver's injury.  Not throwing the yellow flag when Danica wrecked was a mistake of huge proportions, and one that could have had serious consequences.  NASCAR should be ashamed of themselves for putting ratings over safety.

Mike Helton

Jeff Gordon should be equally as ashamed of his actions as NASCAR should be of theirs.  To exact revenge on a driver is one thing, but to do so and ruin the day for three others is inexcusable.  Any respect I had for him has all but dried up after his actions today.  He may have been a champion in years past, but  what he did today was far from the actions of a champion.  He acted more like a vigilante who acts before knowing all of the circumstances of a supposed crime, and that cannot be tolerated when the players are driving 3500 pound vehicles at 180 mph.

There is one race left in the season, and NASCAR needs to get their poop in a group quickly.  Gordon needs to be disqualified for that race, at a minimum, if there is to be any semblance of credibility to their discipline.  Furthermore, NASCAR owes several teams - and their fans - a valid explanation as to why the caution flag was not thrown when Danica Patrick's car was clearly a hazard on the track.

The fans are the lifeblood of NASCAR.  Mike Helton says he knows and appreciates that fact.  Let's see what happens this week as fallout from what was truly an ugly and dangerous finish to the race in Phoenix.

The Day After

It is not quite 12 hours after what has arguably been the most important election in America, at least during my generation.  The Comrade-in-Chief managed to keep his position for another four years, and already the financial market is reacting.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down over 200 points, which equates to a loss of just under 2%.  All of the other indices show similar drops.   Commodities are down too, although not nearly as bad.

But supposedly Obama is the savior of the free world, and will turn things around, right?  It appears that Wall Street disagrees with him.

I've pretty much said everything that can or could be said during the months that led up to last night's results.  The only thing left to remind all of the liberals who believe that the government is here to "help" them is this very wise saying:

"A government big enough to give you everything you need, is a government big enough to take away everything you have."  --Gerald Ford

Would things have been drastically different under President Romney?  Probably not.  The new boss would have been a lot like the old boss.  But it would have been a step in the right direction.

So now, we go "forward."  My only hope is that "forward" doesn't take us over the edge, past the point of no return, to a place that looks nothing like the America that our founding fathers spilled their blood to create and defend.

How Obamacare Affects Me Now

I'm sitting on a conference call today, listening to my HR group explain the new benefits for 2013.  According to the presentation, our family's Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is going to change.  Due to the "new healthcare mandates," the maximum amount that we can use for our FSA account is going to be slashed in half.  The Curmudgeon family depends on this account primarily for pharmaceuticals and co-payments for health care providers.

It's nice to see that the "new healthcare mandate" is making it so much easier for us to pay for our healthcare.

Thanks, Comrade Obama.

Note to Comrade Pelosi - I guess that's an example of the details we didn't know about until after the legislation was signed into law, right?