COMMON SENSE; Revisited
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Powder Kagan
May 13, 2010 at 03:21 pm by Wayne KlingerArticle under:Powder Kagan
The left turns just keep on coming with the Left-Socialist-Progressive agenda Obama has put forth since day one (with constant denial by him and his cronies) and with this newest and latest Supreme Court nominee, Elena Kagan.
Surprisingly, both sides of the aisle are stirring on this decision for the obvious reason Kagan has no experience. She has as much experience as Obama does as a Senator to be quite frank. When you eventually peel away the layers, this pick for Supreme Court is pretty much just a female clone version of Obama and his radical agenda let alone her biased self-views on certain subjects negating calling anything from the Constitution or the bench itself. The liberal and progressive thought-process is pretty much in the same vein.
Kagan is most noted for her famous attachment to the banning of military recruitment officers on the campus of Harvard due to the Pentagon's banning of gays in the miltary and that whole "don't ask don't tell" scenario. I guarantee you she won't be scrutinized half as much as when Bush appointed Harriet Meyers; we all know how that all went down. Just another rhetoric whim of the left and the double-standard they live by. As soon as it was known Kagan was nominated, Patrick Leahy, D-VT wasted no time and made a retort of the Republicans looking for any excuse to oppose an Obama nominee. "The Presdient could of nominated Moses the Lawgiver and critics would have said, "Where's the birth certificate? He then quipped, "She will be confirmed."
Jeff Sessions, R-AL and Mitch McConnell, R-KY both mentioned of Kagan and her background being "thin" for this position. McConnell continued to say "It strikes me that if a nominee does not have judicial experience, they should have substantial litigation experience. Ms. Kagan has neither. A lifetime position on the Supreme Court does not lend itself to on-the-job-training."
It's been almost 40 years since an appointee has been nominated and has never served as a lower-court judge. Then again, the Dems are quick to the trigger about Rehnquist despite he had alot of experience as a trial lawyer compared to Kagan.
Even if the GOP tries their hand at a filibuster and needing the magic "41" votes to block Kagan, RINO's Olympia Snowe, R-ME and Orrin Hatch, R-UT are the usual turncoats on any vote of this nature. Rahm Emanuel wasted no time in talking to Snowe on May 10th once Kagan was nominated as reported by USA Today. I'm sure there's a deal or a talk session going on to make sure they have her "yes" vote.
"Elections have consequences." Yes, so true and yet another chapter in the oblivious world of the snub-nosed arrogant left. As long as these prophets of the "regime" have power, they will continue to push bills, hire czars with no experience in that particular field (let alone never voted in...just appointed)and continue with their absurd limitations to people's liberties and freedoms while they criticize everyone else of the same things they are enjoying. This is why your vote is so important if you want to stop this constant chaos. Otherwise, the liberals, democrats, progressives, whatever you want to call them will continue to live under their set of rules and so-called "free speech", which is only free to them because if they disagree with you, they try to silence you or take your speech away. Obama already admitted there's "too much information out there" that we have access to. If they had their way, they would suppress that too and it would be just like Germany and how Hitler forced the news and media propaganda on it's people.
The USA Today section of "Our View" was a joke in itself with their take of "early critiques of Kagan fall short of substance." Excuse me? Are you referring to her being a dean and having all that great schooling under her belt and not looking at the overall picture of experience on this high level? Your the media, of course you're going to side with her and Obama's pick, other wise, boo-hoo, wah-wah, I might be called a racist if I don't agree with her views because she was picked by a Black man. Get off this damn appeasement trip and stop smelling the ink presses already. Kagan doesn't call it from a Constitutional standpoint; the military ordeal with Harvard is proof enough of her views and in her own words, "a moral injustice of the first order."
Conservatives just flat-out are opposed of Kagan's inexperience and have recently requested papers and documents when she served as adviser to Bill Clinton from 1997-1999. The GOP is focused on any discrepancies or anything that can be deemed as controversial in the way she handles things and in what situations she was under that will evidentally pertain to what qualifications she really has. I see this ending up at a brick wall because it seems every time a GOP member wants papers or some sort of facts, they never get them. You know, stuff like Obama's real birth certificate, why his Columbia papers are never to be released and half of his czars don't even have experience in the field they were assigned to let alone they were never voted in just appointed by Obama himself. I know Presidents do that but Obama has like an army of them now...I lost count.
As far as the "critiques" the USA Today failed to spin on a reader such as me, the obvious pundits who they did have reply are the usual "guilt by association" leftist organizations and women's rights groups....that's like having a Jeopardy panel with Alice Cooper, Derek Jeter and Andre Agassi and asking all heavy metal questions. The people of mention are Ed Whelan (Ethics and Public Policy Center), sounds like another ACLU branch, Debra Ness, President of National Partnership for Women and Families (sounds like Code Pink and NAG meets Family Planning)and one of our favorite chuckleheads, Patrick Leahy, D-VT. They all are behind Kagan, so there's no real need to repeat the soothing remarks they had.
On a bit of a surprise, Carrie Severino's comments were pretty heady against Kagan and USA Today actually printed it...mark that on my calendar! Carrie is the chief counsel and policy director to the conservative Judicial Crisis Network and she pretty much says in a nutshell that Obama is just packing his court with reliable liberal votes to rubber-stamp an agenda that he knows the American people would not accept and what better way than to appoint a loyalist from your own Department of Justice? Severino also mentioned of how Kagan bent over backwards to avoid taking public positions of hot-button topics until something she personally couldn't help, the "don't ask, don't tell" episode.
Once all this smoke clears as far as Kagan being confirmed, the next court term starts in October and Kagan may have to sit out on alot of the cases due to "conflicting interest" due to the nomination. The calendar has been filling up to and a couple notable cases are coming up that people are keeping an eye on like the "Schwarzenegger vs. Video Software Dealers Association" in which there's a law wanted in California to prohibit sales and rentals of violent video games to minors. The other is "Snyder vs. Phelps", one people will watch carefully because this is the radical preacher Fred Phelps from Kansas that has his cronies interfere with military funerals while spewing their anti-gay slurs during a time people are trying to lay someone to rest and grieve in peace (if people would let them). Snyder is the dad of the deceased soldier that won a $5 million verdict due to the stress it caused. Phelps is appealing due to he thinks his freedom of speech was violated.
As you can tell in the last few months and even recently, there's just a ton of stuff on the plate that's going on. Wall Street, the oil spill, another Cap and Trade bill introduced, the problems in Greece and what that bailout will do, Gordon Brown stepping down and in the next few weeks we have a bunch of Primaries to get through (oh yeah, the "anti-incumbent" spin the media is saying is just too good with Utah and West Virginia ousting their incumbents..anything to disregard the Tea Party, right?). I'm just wondering what other garbage this "regime" is going to jam down our throats. We're just sitting ducks right now in a shallow pond and the liberals have the shotguns and several boxes of shells, just adding more insult to injury to the minority in the House and Senate, the Constitution and even worse, the American people. No matter the anger level we have and they know we have, this Administration just keeps showing us they just don't care---they have an agenda, it needs to be put in place; quickly, swiftly and rapidly. Can we stop it before it's too late? Or is this our version of a bomb-filled SUV? -
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Renewing American Compassion
Book under: September 02, 2009 at 07:21 pm by COMMON SENSE; RevisitedThe author provides an historical perspective of the excellent community-based systems for helping the needy that existed before the federal programs were put in place. There are many examples of existing programs worthy of duplication and well-thought out proposals for transitioning back to a bottom-up approach.
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Where do we go from here?
July 24, 2009 at 09:41 pm by COMMON SENSE; RevisitedPost under:“If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else.”
Laurence J. Peter
US educator & writer (1919 – 1988)Where are we going? What is the destiny of America? Who is responsible to save our nation?
It seems apparent that at this time in our history we are struggling to know where we should be going. Given the constant cries for a “bailout” for every form of financial crisis it seems that Americans have resigned themselves to government solutions to our problems. Many are now admitting that our financial crises have been contributed to (if not caused outright) by the government’s unnatural involvement in this economy. Despite this we do not seem to have the courage, or foresight, to address our problems in any other way but through greater government debt, guarantees, etc. Certainly, the endless piling on of debt onto the backs of the American people cannot continue indefinitely.
Is this the direction we really want to go in, or is there any alternative?
To answer this question, I am reminded of Benjamin Franklin. Mr. Franklin has been called “the quintessential American” of his time. He was self-educated and after studying printing in his brother’s newspaper shop he went off on his own to Philadelphia, where he started his own printing company. As reported at The Franklin Institute website:
His most famous publications were a newspaper called The Pennsylvania Gazette and his annual Poor Richard’s Almanack. He had many new ideas for publishing and he is known for printing cartoons, illustrated news stories, and letters to the editor. He believed in the power of the press, using his printing press as a way to bring the news to all people. He used cartoons and pictures so that everyone could understand the news, even people who had not learned to read.
Mr. Franklin was instrumental in bringing street lighting to Philadelphia. Ben also helped to set up the first postal system in Philadelphia. In order to make Philadelphia a safer city, he started the Union Fire Company in 1736. A few years later, in 1752, he set up America’s first fire insurance company. He even organized a Night Watch and Militia to help keep peace and safety in Philadelphia. While in Paris, Ben proposed the idea of Daylight Savings Time.
In 1731, Ben founded America’s first circulating library so that people could borrow books to read even though they might not have been able to afford to buy books to read. He discovered the conductivity of heat by color and established the first volunteer fire-fighting union (in the world!) and fire insurance company in Philadelphia.
In an incredible history of his life, The Real Benjamin Franklin, the essence of Mr. Franklin is revealed. I found it very interesting how creative he and his associates were. For example, he (and his “master-mind” team) had the idea of laying bricks on one city block of Philadelphia. At that time, no city blocks were paved in the entire city. Despite naysayers, they went at it and successfully paved one of the city blocks. As a result, the citizens of Philadelphia became inspired and paved the entire downtown area. Mr. Franklin also devised the first lottery system in order to raise funds for the building of a church in Philadelphia.
He was instrumental in the implementation of a new money system for the colonies, including the printing of a new form of money, so the colonies would not be dependent on British notes.
Addressing other needs of his time he invented the lightning rod, through which he discovered electricity. He also invented the Franklin stove, which was a more efficient way to produce heat from wood (for which he refused a patent, as he stated it should be for the good of the people).
His other inventions include: bifocals, the glass harmonica, the library chair, swim fins, the long reach device, the catheter, and Daylight Savings Time.
So what can “Good old Ben” teach us today? To whom did Mr. Franklin look for the solutions of the problems of his day? He obviously took direct, personal responsibility for his environment and was not afraid to engage in the process of : “ask and ye shall receive.”Given what he created and cognized, he clearly had opened himself up to receive alternative answers to the dilemmas he and his countrymen faced.It’s amazing how we take so many of today’s institutions for granted, such as the library, volunteer fire departments, insurance, etc. We often fail to understand that it was committed individuals, such as Benjamin Franklin, who looked problems in their face and asked “how can I help to solve this problem?” instead of: “government, solve this for us, please!”
As we see more and more of the failure of governments surface in the future, let us remember the greatness, the faithfulness and the true righteousness of men like Benjamin Franklin. Let us imbue into our soul their spirit of self-empowerment, and self-reliance. Let us have the courage to take back our sovereignty and our divine right of self government.
I have no doubt that we can save our nation, and end up where we want to go, if only we can remember who we really are.
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The FDA, the Food Pyramid, and Our Health
July 24, 2009 at 09:38 pm by COMMON SENSE; RevisitedPost under:It is interesting to consider the effect of the federal government’s involvement in the area of food choice and diet. I have previously stated that the founder’s were adamant that the federal government should not be involved in legislating food choices for our nation. No enumerated powers were given to the federal government in this regard. The 9th and 10th amendments clearly restrain any involvement in these issues. Despite these “chains of the constitution” we, the people, have sat back while the federal government goes merrily on dictating laws and choices for the American people.
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The Role of the Constitution in the Current Debate on National Health Care
July 24, 2009 at 08:22 pm by COMMON SENSE; RevisitedPost under:It goes without saying that there is a momentum that has built up over the years that is now culminating in the pending implementation of some form of national health care. It appears we as a nation are going to succumb to an endless barrage of propaganda on how we are somehow "entitled" to some form of "free" medical care.
How does the Constitution speak to this subject? First of all, it is quite clear there is no specific enumeration of powers given to the federal government to be involved in health care. This is also true of such subjects as agriculture, energy policy, and education. For over one hundred years, the federal government abided by the Constitution and the people were protected from the dictates of the federal government in these areas.
As I have discussed in previous newsletters the founders were justifiably concerned that if power were allowed to re-accumulate in the federal government in non-enumerated areas, those with the most power would end up controlling policy. This would enable the powerful to command obedience from the people in ways that favored their particular interest group.
The FDA, for example, now functions as an arm of the pharmaceutical companies. Despite the fact that we the people are told that the FDA is there to protect our interests, evidence shows that officials ignore scientific findings about serious side effects of drugs they are asked to give their seal of approval. It is only after hundreds of thousands of people suffer extreme health problems and death that the FDA might intercede and "withdraw" their support for a particular drug.
The problem with a "national health care" system that is mandated on employers, self employed individuals, and private citizens, is that no one knows what "health care" will receive the seal of approval by the government bureaucrat. Do you believe for a minute that powerful interests will not be seeking to have their "preferred" medical treatments sanctioned for acceptance in this system, while also seeking to disallow their competitors? What if you were facing a serious medical problem and, after extensive research, wanted to employ an "alternative" solution to your problem? Would you be forced to pay into the system that the government says is legitimate, and also pay for the treatment you prefer?
We have seen a dramatic increase in the cost of medical services, AFTER the government became involved. Obviously, very few question invoices that are going to be paid by "insurance" or the "government." A true free market based on an informed and self-responsible citizenry would be vastly superior to any "government" mandated program.
These are many of the reasons why the founders (and the people) were adamant that the federal government should play no role in these most important areas of life. In future newsletters I will continue to discuss how the involvement of the federal government (against the prohibitions of the Constitution) have dramatically decreased the quality of life in America, all as predicted by the founders of our nation. I will also discuss how easily we could implement non-government ("bottom-up") solutions that would dramatically improve the lives of Americans, while saving us billions in tax dollars.
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Ayn Rand
July 14, 2009 at 06:34 pm by COMMON SENSE; RevisitedQuote under:
Ayn Rand, Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal (Signet, 1986) "Extremism," or The Art of Smearing.The goal of the ‘liberals’ — as it emerges from the record of the past decades — was to smuggle this country into welfare statism by means of single, concrete, specific measures, enlarging the power of the government a step at a time, never permitting these steps to be summed up into principles, never permitting their direction to be identified or the basic issue to be named. Thus statism was to come, not by vote or by violence, but by slow rot — by a long process of evasion and epistemlogical corruption, leading to a fait accompli.
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Ron Paul
July 08, 2009 at 04:06 pm by COMMON SENSE; RevisitedQuote under:
Ron Paul, Dietary Supplements and Health Freedom (2005) http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul246.html.Millions of Americans take dietary supplements every day, and the numbers are growing as the Baby Boom generation ages. More and more Americans understandably are frustrated with our government-controlled health care system. They have concluded that vitamins, minerals, and other supplements might help them stay healthy and less dependent on the system. They use supplements because they can buy them freely at stores and research them freely on the internet, without government interference in the form of doctors, prescriptions, HMOs, and licenses. In other words, they use supplements because they are largely free to make their own choices, in stark contrast to the conventional medical system.
“But we live in an era of unbridled government regulation of both our personal lives and the economy, and Food and Drug administration bureaucrats burn to regulate supplements in the same manner as prescription drugs.
“The health nannies insist that many dietary supplements are untested and unproven, and therefore dangerous. But the track record for FDA-approved drugs hardly inspires confidence. In fact, far more Americans have died using approved pharmaceuticals than supplements. Not every dietary supplement performs as claimed, but neither does every FDA drug.
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Bob Wallace
July 08, 2009 at 04:03 pm by COMMON SENSE; RevisitedQuote under:
Bob Wallace, Morris Fishbein - AMA Enemy Of American Health, (2002). http://www.angelhealingcenter.com/AMA.htmThe cure for these problems? Remove the state backing from the AMA and FDA, and unleash the power and creativity of the free market. Many people have been brainwashed into thinking the state protects them. The truth is the exact opposite.
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Frederic Bastiat
July 07, 2009 at 07:42 pm by COMMON SENSE; RevisitedQuote under:
Frederic Bastiat, The Law (Irvington-on-Hudson, New York, 1850) p. 13, 14.The war against illegal plunder has been fought since the beginning of the world. But how is legal plunder to be identified? Quite simply. See if the law takes from some persons what belongs to them, and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expense of another by doing what the citizen himself cannot do without committing a crime. Then abolish this law without delay…If such a law is not abolished immediately, it will spread: multiply and develop into a system.
