Shutting It All Down

I went quiet for a few years.  I did so, at first, to take some time to learn.  I sat here at my desk and at the office and had my opinions but I wanted to know more about the perspectives of others.  So in 2012 and 2013 I went quiet and I just listened, asked questions, went to meetings and places that I would not normally have gone to and I learned.

 It was in 2014 that life, as it does, caught up with me and all of my time and attention had to go to it.  For the past two years I have been dedicating myself to my work and family with little time for much else.

I have learned a lot in the past two years.  Have my fiscal conservative roots changed.  No.  Has my socially moderate leanings changed.  Slightly.  What I have seen change is the party that I grew up a part of.  The party of Lincoln and Reagan has become overly hawkish and demanding.  Rather than being the party of limited government and lower taxes, it has become the party of big defense and big spending.  In fact, the only difference between the Republicans and the Democrats is that the Republicans want to spend money on national defense and the NSA while the Democrats want to spend it on entitlement programs.  Both parties talk of fiscal responsibility but both want to just kick the can down the road.

When Rand Paul declared his run for president I was hopeful.  Here was a man that was talking about limited government and had practiced it during his time in the Senate.  He talked of a stronger defense but a smaller budget to the defense department.  He talked about lowering entitlement but also getting rid of huge sentencing for petty drug convictions.  He reached out to minorities and those that the Republicans did not talk to.  Early on he was the guy to beat, but then the Republican establishment and the clown Donald Trump stepped in.

Now, the only candidate worth a damn is gone and the rest of the Republicans are talking about defense and low taxes with no real way to do things like balance the budget or get us out of all of these wars.

The Tea Party movement and those of us involved early on were a movement of people that were tired of the government as it was.  We were tired of a bloated piglet suckling on the nipple of the American taxpayer.  We were mad at both Republicans and Democrats.  We protested and we voted.  In doing so we brought about change.  Unfortunately, our two party system has warped some of those individuals into falling in line and not standing up for the people that elected them.

Then, the Tea Party movement was infiltrated and warped into a division of the Christian Right who insisted on using it as a platform for God and country.  The Tea Party movement was never about God or Christianity.  It was about low taxes and the government staying out of our business.

Now, all those original Tea Party individuals are flocking to either Ted Cruz, who has some streaks of smaller government and individualism or the clown Donald Trump who talks a good game and is the "outsider" that people have been requesting.

Short of a miracle, this country is screwed.  We are either going to have a criminal and liar as our president or a reality show narcissist.

Maybe our country has gotten too large to govern the way it needs to be.  Or maybe we have been manipulated into believing that we must fall into a two party system that are two wings of the same buzzard.

It is for this reason, I believe that we MUST shut it all down.  We must break away from the two party system.  We must hold our elected officials accountable for their inaction.

We are like the Greeks and the Romans.  We, as a nation, are fat and happy and have little disregard for what is around us.  We are not paying attention and holding our government accountable for its actions.  It is because of us and our lack of action that we too, as a nation, will fall.

If you want to change this, then break away from the two party system.  Vote Green Party, Constitution Party, Libertarian or something else.  If you do not know how you really side, go ISideWith.com and take their poll to see where you should fall.  Quit settling for the best of the worst.

How to Defeat Lacy Clay

Let's be honest and face the truth, shall we. Lacy Clay cannot be beat using standard methods. With the new setup for the 1st district, everything leans heavily in his favor. That is, if you think inside the box. For the most part, when people think of trying to dispose Lacy as our representative, they think of an Independent or Republican going one on one in an election. Much like with his father, the results are always the same, Lacy walks away with a generous win.

If we want to change the way the 1st district is represented we must recognize a couple of things:

1. Unless Lacy does or says something illegal or incredibly stupid, no Republican or Independent is going to beat him in an election.



2. St. Louis City and parts of North County lean too heavy in favor of Democrats over a Republican.



3. Lacy has a great support structure in that a majority of the townships and the city are run and controlled by Democrats who want and to a lesser extent need to be liked by Lacy Clay if they want Federal money.

If we want to beat Lacy, we have to do so strategically and recognize that it will take more than 2 years to do so.

The first thing you have to do is cut off his supply line. This can be done in two fashions:

1. Boycott people that fund Lacy's campaign coffers. Granted a lot of his money comes from unions, but there is a decent share that comes from local corporations that want to stay in good standing with him. Begin boycotting these companies and let them know that you will not do business with a company that supports a politician like Lacy Clay



2. Remove local politicians that support Lacy Clay and do much of his campaigning for him. This is probably the biggest and hardest part of this overall plan. It is something that will take more than a couple of election cycles, but can do serious damage to his support structure.

It all starts with school boards and city councils. If you are a moderate or conservative and want to see real change, you have to start with your local area and spread out. School board and city counsel representatives are more accessible to the populace. Because of this, they can get the message out in a much more casual and personal fashion than a Congressional candidate. And, they can do it quicker. So, the first thing that has to be done is to get more Republicans or even more anti tax and spend candidates elected into positions of local authority. As these people are in office and bringing about change, they will be able to spring board up as well as inspire others to follow in their footsteps.

Let me reiterate. This is the longest step in taking back control over our local government and eventually the 1st district. It is not something that can be done in 2 or even 4 years. It could take 8 or more years depending upon elections.

The second thing you have to do is keep Lacy honest. This means that we need to hold his feet to the fire every time he does and says something. God knows the media does it to just about every Republican and non line toting Democrat out there. If you know that Lacy is going to be giving a speech, go there and take notes or take video of them. Get it to me or another blogger like Gateway Pundit or Sharp Elbows to name a few. A lot of times candidates will say things that they do not want others to hear when there are no television cameras or reporters there. It is at times like these that you can hear a politician or candidate express their true opinions and that is when you can nail them.

The third thing is probably the hardest to swallow but can help weaken or even remove Lacy Clay and the dynasty he is creating. The third thing is to back a more moderate Democrat(s) while Republicans are found and put into those lower structures. I know it will pain some of you to hear this, but sometimes you can weaken a base more by splitting it. We see it all of the time on MSNBC and such when they try and split Republicans over disagreements on policy. They do everything they can to keep a big happy family for the Democrats because they know splintering the party works and leads to in-fighting and disorganization. So, the best thing to do is to swallow the hard pill support a moderate Democrat who can remove Lacy Clay. If you were to look at the last election primaries and take all of the votes for other candidates, Lacy got nearly 60% of all the votes. Now, imagine if everyone unified together and helped to support a moderate, Blue Dog Democrat. Lacy could be defeated in the primaries. From talking to friends and neighbors who are heavily involved in the local unions, they all express a dislike for Lacy, but support him because he is a Democrat and that is what they are supposed to do. If the unions had another option that they thought could win, many of the people I have talked to think their unions would hold off support until a clear winner is determined or one of their own runs.

Now, I know there are a lot of variables to this. I know that none of this is easy. I know it sounds better to try and throw good candidates up against Lacy but I must say, I hate seeing people like Martin and Robyn put their blood, sweat and tears into taking on this man and be swatted away like a fly. We must remain vigilant and look at this like a war. In war you have to cut off supply lines, have strategic bases, ground level leadership and sometimes make your enemies enemies your friends. If we do this, we can beat Lacy.

What do you think?

Child Rights vs. Parental Rights - What You Need to Know

What if I told you that there are people who are actively attempting to control the rights of parents to raise children as they see fit. To many of my readers, this comes as no surprise but many of you may not know how close we are coming to this.

If you have not heard, there is a movement for the US to ratify The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, often called the CRC or the UNCRC. The stated reasoning behind the need for this treaty is because

the child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth

That sounds great....until you read the text of the document and understand what this "treaty" is trying to do and has done to other countries.

Since its adoption by the United Nations in 1989, the UNCRC has become the most widely accepted international agreement in history and approved by every nation except for the United States and Somalia. All participant countries pledge to protect children’s rights, foster their development, and uphold their best interests by re-writing their national laws to conform to the standards set forth in the treaty.

While this sounds great, the reality is that the UNCRC allows that national governments interfere in the decisions of individual families and parents. By invoking the “best interests of the child ,” UN policymakers and government agents have the authority to substitute the decisions of the parent on behalf of the child with their own decisions if they see their decisions as in the best interest of the child. In essence, parents do not have rights to parent, and just about become only caregivers. Parents across the world are now discovering that the family is being undermined without true regard to the results for the very children they are supposed to be protecting.

You may think that the UNCRC is just words and that the US does a very good job of taking care of children. You may even think that to worry about this treaty is nothing more than paranoia. Possibly, but here is what the results of implementing this treaty has done in some countries:

• The Canadian government has taken steps toward rejecting parental discipline that conflicts with the "best interests of the child." In June 2008, a Quebec court overturned a father's decision to ground his 12-year old daughter after she posted photos of herself on a dating website, saying that the punishment was "too severe." - Full story can be found HERE.
• The Canadian Senate approved a bill which would drastically restrict the right of parents to physically discipline their children. - Full story can be found HERE
• The government of Brazil has prevented minors under the age of eighteen from being "criminally chargeable" at all. Under the Brazilian Penal Code, conduct that is usually a crime or misdemeanor is considered an "act of infraction" if carried out by a minor. Acts of infraction carry only minor penalties, including a warning, an obligation to repair damage caused, community service, or confinement in an educational institution. - More information can be found HERE
• In France, the law also grants minors access to contraceptives without the consent of their parents, and certain medicines and contraceptives can even be obtained by minors anonymously and at no cost. A minor may also have an abortion without parental consent, so long as she is accompanied by an adult of her choice. - More info can be found HERE
• In 2002, Italy’s highest appeals court ruled that parents are required by law to support their adult children until the children “find a job to their liking.”- More info can be found HERE

There are many other examples of how intrusive this treaty is. What is scary is that in 2009, the Obama administration indicated that it was reviving efforts to sign this treat.

If you think about it, though, it is not surprising. It is not surprising that this administration would want to push the concept of government control over children. If you look at it's track record with Healthcare, pushed Unionization of jobs and increased governmental dependency programs, it only makes sense that Obama and his merry band of idealists would sign on to this bill.

The portions of this treaty that are important have already independently been ratified by the US via optional protocols. On May 25, 2000, two optional protocols were adopted; the first restricts the involvement of children in military conflicts and the second bans the sale of children, child prostitution, and child pornography. It is important to understand that ratification of these two protocols by the United States means that the ratification of the full UNCRC will have no positive impact with these issues.

So, I think most of my readers can understand why the UNCRC is not needed and generally bad for our country. With that said, there are those that are constantly trying to get this treaty ratified by the House and Senate. In my humble opinion, there is only one way to fight this and that is an amendment to the US Constitution. As a father, parent and concerned citizen, I believe that it is time that we amened the Constitution to affirm the rights of parents over the state. That is why I am supporting and ask each of you to review the Parental Rights Amendment.

The Parental Rights Amendment is a very basic amendment that does a lot. It reads as follows:
PROPOSED PARENTAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION

SECTION 1 - The liberty of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children is a fundamental right.

SECTION 2 - Neither the United States nor any state shall infringe upon this right without demonstrating that its governmental interest as applied to the person is of the highest order and not otherwise served.

SECTION 3 - No treaty may be adopted nor shall any source of international law be employed to supersede, modify, interpret, or apply to the rights guaranteed by this article.

This Constitutional amendment guarantees the rights of the parent to raise their children as they see fit while also guaranteeing that the government can step in only in extreme measures.

Naysayers are stating that an amendment is not needed and the US and state law already guarantee parental rights. With that said, we need to take preventative action before the courts can begin using this UN ratified treaty as a determination in their decisions. In some cases, the courts are already using the UNCRC to guide their decisions in court rulings, even though it is un-ratified. Rather than reprint what has already been written, read this full article here to understand what I mean.

So, what can you do? The first thing you can do is become informed. You can do that by going to the http://www.parentalrights.org/ web page and studying the proposed amendment. You can find details regarding why the wording used was used and how it pertains to Supreme Court proceedings already on the books. Additionally you can find Senators and Congressman that currently sponsor this bill. Here in Missouri, none of our Senators are sponsoring although Roy Blunt did support it when he was in Congress and in Congress Todd Akin, Jo Ann Emerson, Sam Graves and Blaine Luetkemeyer have all thrown support behind this. Pick up the phone and call your Senator and Congressman and tell them to support this bill. Additionally, you can help out by donating your time and/or money to the cause. You can find more info on how to help at the Parental Rights web page listed above.

With the government and the left generally trying to take more of our liberties away from us, we must now act to ensure that the rights of the parent are guaranteed. It does not take a village to raise children, it takes parents.

Missouri Education Watchdog: Perhaps Homeschooling Parents Should be Heading Up the Department of Education. They Spend Less Money for Better Test Results.

Education is all about our future. Even if you do not have kids, you must realize that strong education is the backbone for sustaining our country. The fine folks over at Missouri Education Watchdog have put together a great blog posting that needs to be read by everyone.

Missouri Education Watchdog: Perhaps Homeschooling Parents Should be Heading Up the Department of Education. They Spend Less Money for Better Test Results.

Missouri is pretty pro homeschooling unlike some states. We can only hope that more state and federal politicians take a look at these numbers and begin realizing that throwing money at public schools is not the answer.

Labels

Hello all,

First of all Merry Christmas, Happy Hanuka, Happy New Year and Happy Festivus.

It has been awhile since I blogged and that has been because I have been spending a majority of my time with my wife and kids. Everything I do, all of the political activism, my job, etc. is to help my family live the life that we want to live. With that said, I believe it is good for the body, mind and soul to occasionally take a step away and just relax. So, that is what I have been and will probably continue to do for awhile.

As always, with that said, there is something that I want to get off my chest that has been weighing heavily on me. I am probably going to get flamed for this, but so be it.

Maybe it is just me, but I have been noticing that people and the media are really looking to be labeled lately. It harkens back to high school and everyone wanting to choose what group you are/want to belong to. We have people saying they are Conservatives, Republicans, Tea Partiers, Moderates, Liberals, Fiscal Conservatives, Democrats, Blue Dogs, etc. Why do we feel the need for these labels? I understand that as we know it today there is a two party system and that the rule of government is broken up based upon party lines. That I can deal with, but now we are dealing with people who want to continue to fractionalize those groups. Lindsey Grahm is a RINO, Jim DeMint is a Conservative, Michelle Backman is a Tea Partier, Ben Nelson is a Blue Dog Democrat and on and on and on. Why?

Does it really matter?

There are fellow bloggers that will call out Lindsey Grahm for taking a moderate position and say he is a RINO, he is not a true conservative. There are Democrats who are calling out Claire McCaskill for wanting to ban earmarks as not a true Democrat. Whatever.

Let's face it people, there is no true conservative. There is no litmus test for being a Republican or Democrat. We need to get over the labels and the name calling. Period.

If you are fiscally conservative, but believe in gay marriage and allowing abortion in some cases, you can still be a Republican.
If you are progressive in your social beliefs but believe in a strong military and defense, you can still be a Democrat.

Both parties and its members want to say they are big tent parties. We welcome all sides and will listen to all points of view. It seems to be that way until you join, when you are told to sit down, shut up and follow our party positions.

As bloggers and as politically active members of our society, we need to each get beyond these labels and talk about the root of the matter. Say what you believe in and what you expect of your representatives. Understand that other representatives may make different decisions or have different opinions based upon the people they represent. Remember, this is a BIG country and not everyone thinks like a North County Blue Collar Republican, a South County White Collar Democrat, a St. Charles Catholic Conservative or a Ladue Jewish Progressive (Don't you just love the labels). Because of the desires of others around the country, our Congressman/women and Senators have to negotiate to get things done. Pure and simple. We cannot start calling people names and labels because they do not conform to what we think they should be.

That said, there are times when people have had enough. That is where the Tea Party came in. The Tea Party was a name for a group of people that were tired of government as is. They were a group of people that are against something. They are the party of NO. Because the Tea Party is not a true party, but a label of people that are sick of the standard government. The Tea Party should stay that way but instead it is being converted and twisted into a part of the Republican party. It is becoming and being twisted into some sort of alternate ego for fiscal and in some cases social conservatives. Those that say they run the Tea Party should be wary of allowing this. The Tea Party label, if we must have one, should continue to be independent of Conservatives, Progressives, Republicans and Democrats. It should be no different than the NRA or any other advocacy group. The Tea Party should be the label for the people who are saying NO to big government. No more, no less.

So, after saying this, let me tell you who I am. Not in a label that can be summarized, but in words.

• I am someone who usually votes Republican but has voted Democrat.
• I am someone who votes based upon the issues and the stances taken by the candidates.
• I am someone who believes in a small and limited government.
• I am someone who believes that the best offense is a good defense (and if we are talking sports a good QB or Albert Pujols helps).
• I am someone that wants you and everyone else to stay out of my and everyone else's bedroom.
• I do not think the government should be able to license marriage. Marriage is a religious act. I personally believe that the government can license civil union contracts between a man & woman, a man & man, and a woman & woman. Let the churches decide how they want to or do not want to define marriage.
• I think the best way to have equality is to get rid of any and all social programs that push one race, gender, religion or sexual preference over another
• I think America is one of the most perfect places to live because of our liberties.

So, are you just a label or are you more?

Post Election Thoughts

Tuesday night's election brought both joy and sorrow. I am very happy with the tsunami of Republicans that have won. With the support of Tea Party patriots, we have seen several candidates win and send packing many Congressman and Senators that needed to be sent home. I especially was happy with the wins by Rand Paul, Marco Rubio ,Pat Toomey and several other House gains. I was also very happy with the pickups in the Senate and the Governor races. More on the governor races in a bit.

I was also saddened by several things, probably most specifically the loss of Robyn Hamlin and Bill Corrigan. My wife and I are both big supporters of these two politicians. North County and St. Louis County saw fit to support the status quo instead of riding the wave of change. I expect that the union vote really helped Dooley and Clay. While Ed Martin is contesting his race with Russ Carnahan, I am also saddened with the voting issues that we saw in the third district. The issues that occurred statewide and the convenience of the additional votes appearing out of the city are truly suspect. It will be interesting to see what occurs once the vote is counted and completed.

As I write this after a long night I am listening to a replay of Obama's conference this afternoon. He takes little blame for what happened last night and he sputters a feeble attempt at an olive branch to the GOP. He refuses to admit that his administration's overreach is the reason for last nights large GOP gains. If this is what we are to expect over the next few years, it will make for a very interesting two years.

The elections are now, for the most part, over. Let's all take a breath and survey the surroundings. Let's truly look at what's ahead. There are a lot of things to consider now, including:

• Nancy Pelosi and the older house reps - There are indicators that many of the older House Dems will not look at retiring since the Dems lost so handily. Many of them do not want to go back to being the minority. These departures will lead to openings in the House. How will these openings change the dynamic.
  
• The census - The census will greatly effect the makeup of the house. As I discussed in THIS post and THIS one, the census will change the lay of the land. Missouri will probably lose a house seat as will a couple of other states.
  
• The governors races - Governors can help set the political tone of each state. The GOP wins in these races will dramatically help Republican causes. These governors will also help set the new lines for House districts as part of the upcoming redistricting.


• The legislative agenda - What will the House and Senate have as their legislative agenda. With Reid probably retaining leadership in the Senate and Boehner probably taking over the House, there are going to be two different and possibly competing agendas.

The next two years cannot be carte blanche no. Boehner cannot try and legislate from the House. Instead, the Republicans need to push for plans that lower taxes and create smaller government. I think everyone will agree that limited compromise is totally acceptable, but the Republicans cannot be obstructionists, otherwise they will get ousted in two years. If Senate Democrats and the President insist on not compromising or pushing a far left agenda, while the GOP lead House offers compromise and moderation, 2010 will be a warm up act for 2012.

Much like Boehner, Rubio and Paul all said last night, this was not an endorsement of the GOP, this was a call to action and a mandate against the president, Pelosi and Reid. I think Jamie Allman says it best, we are not married to you guys, we are just dating. We will see what happens from here on out. You better not disappoint us.

The two pet projects I would like to see addressed are some gerrymandering restrictions and Congressional and Senate term limits. I will be posting more on that in the future, but DSM over at Reboot Congress has written volumes on term limits and I suggest you take a look.

For Robyn Hamling and my fellow Robyn Hamlin supporters I say this, you put up a very valiant fight. It was a fight that many people have tried to wage. All of you spent countless man hours working the phones, going door to door and educating the public. Robyn had all of the right answers for a public group that just did not care. For some, this Congressional race was just about race. For others, it was about supporting the union machine that Lacy regularly supports. Just take a look at Lacy's FEC filings and you can see the amount of money the unions poured into his campaign. He helps them out by pushing through government spending for Boeing, the Federal Government and other big union shops. This loss was probably a combination of the right candidate at the wrong time. I do take some solace that Lacy got less than 75% of the votes. This district has been gerrymandered to the point where winning would be tough for just about anyone without a D behind their name. Robyn and her team worked hard and were able to accomplish a lot. I hope that this can be the stepping stone for bigger things in 2012. Even though we did not get a win, we can continue to work with the St. Louis Tea Party and other local candidates and representatives to make North County and North City a better place. For all you have done, though, I say thank you and good job.

Tomorrow's Election - Thoughts and Recommendations

To everyone that reads this blog, I first say thank you. I started it with the simple goal of venting my frustration. In doing so it has turned into a type of catharsis, a source of new friends and a way to pass on the knowledge that I have acquired through my years and my obsessive tendencies to research an issue, person, etc.

After tomorrow, I may post once or twice and then I am going to take a break. My wife and I have been busy helping raise awareness and campaigning for several candidates. Rather than go to a victory party, we are going to spend the evening, quietly, at home, watching the results. I will say a prayer for the winners and losers, go to bed, and go to work the next day. With that said, I feel the need for a sanity break and have chosen to take one after the election. Yes, I will probably post some post election thoughts, but afterwards I will be out of the loop for awhile.

Before I go any further, I want to take a moment and give a special hat tip to Darren over at Reboot Congress. He was one of the first people in the blogging community to welcome me as well as give advice. He does some great work that should be noticed by all. I love his recent YouTube video, which I have embedded below.





Now, on to my suggestions for the upcoming election. I am sticking to the first district and not including state representatives on this one.

• US Senate - I am holding my nose on this one and picking Roy Blunt. This is more of a vote against Robyn Carnahan than it is support of Roy.


• US Congressional Race - This is a no brainer. I am voting for Robyn Hamlin (@Hamlin4Congress )


• MO State Auditor - Tom Schweich has my vote. Susan Montee is a drunk and a fool and needs to be fired and Tom has the experience needed to do this job.


• St. Louis County Executive - Bill Corrigan has my vote. Charlie Doolie is as crooked as a country road. We need Bill Corrigan in there for St. Louis County.


• Amendment 1 - I am voting and recommending a YES vote. Any governmental assessor, city or county, should be elected and not appointed


• Amendment 2 - As much as I would like to vote yes, I am voting NO on this one. Look, we all want lower taxes, but to amend the state constitution to give tax breaks to one group of individuals over another is wrong. Everyone should have lower taxes.


• Amendment 3 - I am voting and recommending a YES vote. Leaving the possibility of any additional taxes to the sale of real estate is like leaving your front door open when you leave the house and expecting yourself not to get robbed. Just because there is not one in place, does not mean there should not be a rule prohibiting it. A tax like this can kill home sales and the real estate market.


• Prop A - I am voting and recommending a YES vote. Let the voters decide whether or not there should be a tax increase on the municipal level. If St. Louis and Kansas City choose to continue having one, let them vote on it.


• Prop B - I am voting and recommending a NO vote. Everyone hates puppy mills but there are already laws on the books to prevent them, they are just not being enforced. A law like this, as loosely written as it is could definitely hurt any and all ranching in the state of Missouri.

If all polling is correct, tomorrow could be a very good day for the GOP and the Tea Party. With that said, those that win should know that I and other bloggers will still hold them accountable, no matter what party affiliation, to representing their constituents and acting in good faith on our behalf. If they do not, they will be fired just as many already have.

Finally, make sure you get out the vote. Over 200 years ago, many brave men and women fought and died for the privilege of voting that we have today. The simple act of voting makes your voice heard and quite frankly gives you the right to complain about those that do not act in your interest. #GOTV - GET OUT THE VOTE.

The Truth Behind Budget Surpluses

You know how Dems are out there saying that it was Clinton and the Democrats that brought about budget surpluses. Well this great video debunks that myth with the one thing that Dems cannot argue, statistics and facts.

It was not Clinton that brought budget surpluses, but a Republican majority that forced it.

It's Time For Us To Go John Galt

My friends, whenever I go away for work I always bring a book with me. You never know if you are going to be stuck in a terminal, a hotel room, waiting room, etc. You cannot always guarantee Internet coverage on your phone or an interesting movie in your hotel room. With this past week, even though it had not been that long, I decided to pull out my well worn copy of Atlas Shrugged. It being one of my favorites, I thought I would re-read it as time allowed. Considering what was supposed to be a 1 week trip turned out to be much longer, I was glad I did.

I bring this up because as I read about this and the more I think about it, the more I think it is time for each of us to go John Galt. No, I am not saying that we need to disappear in the cloak of night and come together in some secret society. No. Instead what I feel we should each do is start to disassociate ourselves from our communities. Instead, we should make do with what we can without using that which any government has to offer. Are you or your spouse a stay at home parent, then home school and make the educational choices for your children instead of having the government make them for you. Teach them the way that you think they should be taught. Give them the education they deserve instead of the education that the school system has elected to give them. This is just one of many ways you can unplug yourself from the shackles of the government. If you can, restrict your usage of any government buildings and properties. Do not purchase from companies that support non-defense government agencies. The more you remove yourself from the government, the free-er you become.

I know this sounds seperationist, but it is not. You see, the more that you become reliant on the government, the more you become enslaved by it. That is the beauty of a book like "Atlas Shrugged". Those doers of society, those of us who work hard, pay our taxes and do what we can to improve ourselves are constantly penalized by a government that is trying to create some sort of equality that is not possible or plausible. By removing yourself and as many dependencies as you have from the government, you are taking away their power and influence.

The government, and I mean all forms of government from Federal to state and local, has made each of us dependent upon them. This was done in order to make the government and each of those government employees necessary. Unlike working in the private sector where streamlining and cost efficiency is paramount to survival, the government works with what they believe is a limitless check book. They can justify their spending because of each one of us and the way we use them. By removing ourselves from them, their need becomes less and more prevalent.

The US Constitution is a set of rules and limitations on the government, not a set of rights for its citizens. This is a powerful thing. The way the government has gotten around this is by making each of us more and more addicted to what it has to offer. As of now, there is no way that I know of to be a part of a community that completely disassociates ourselves from the government, but we can slowly remove ourselves. So, as we go into the upcoming elections, vote for smaller government, vote for less government intervention and work to remove yourself as much as you can from the use of any government program.

Go Galt.

Post Script
I wrote this article late in the evening on 9/30. I decided not to post it so I could have a close friend read this article and give me any feedback. This is something I normally do when I write an article at night. This way another set of eyes can look at it and make sure I do not ramble or I made my points. After reading this article, he called me laughing,
"So you listened to Glenn Beck?"
"No", I told him, "I could not find a station it is on down there"
"Are you sure", he said.
"Yeah."
"Well then you two must be mind melding. Check out the link I just sent you."
Opening it, I read the link and started to laugh.
"Well", I said, "Maybe Glenn just got done re-reading Atlas Shrugged too."
I am glad to know that I am not the only one thinking this way.

The Dangerous Next Steps of This Administration

Health care passed without one Republican vote. Hundreds of thousands of voters, Republican, Democrat and Independent shout and plead their opposition. Obama, Pelosi and Reid shrug. Why do they shrug? Because they do not understand or care what we think. People, we need to wake up. The leaders within our government think they know better than us. They went to ivy league schools and many of them lived a privileged life or lived a life of politics and academia. Since they do not understand the real world, they are saying, "Let them eat cake."

Barack Obama and his various minions have long said that once health care legislation passed Congress and it was signed into law, the people would rally around it. This is dangerous thinking my friends. These highly educated politicians think the know better than the populace. History has seen this before and it was called an Aristocracy. Aristocracy is close relative to Socialism or a Communist state. These elitist think they know what is best for us and are forcing it down our throats and they are doing so with well though out and funded marketing packages.

Health care is the first step in a well thought out plan to change the way this country functions on a day to day basis. Had the economy not been tanking, there would have been no way for the government to take ownership stake in private industries. With the US in major recession, it was easy to sell the concept of the government owning stock in major corporations, or in the case of GM, a complete takeover of a publicly traded company. Had the recession not been in full effect and GM on the verge of bankruptcy, the first thing he would have gone after would have been health care. Why is that, because it is easy to paint anyone who is against health care for all as uncaring. It is also easy to make comparisons between universal health care and things like civil rights or medicare.

Now that health care has passed, it legitimizes government intervention into other areas. Just look at the student loan process. Even though it had nothing to do with health care, Congress and the Senate saw fit to add having the government run this program. This was done supposedly to save millions of dollars. That is until you find out that the payback program.

The bill will lower the monthly cap on loan repayments from 15 percent to 10 percent. Beginning in 2014 students will not be required to spend more than 10 percent of their income on loan payments. In addition, loans issued after 2014 will be eligible for loan forgiveness after 20 years rather than 25 years. As long as students make their payments in a timely manner for 20 years they can be forgiven of the remaining balance. This has the potential to cost even more money and cause continued job loss in the financial sector. In addition, it is another piece of the pie that the government is now controlling.

Next the Obama administration wants to tackle the financial sector. Of course this is done all in the name of protecting the populace. Consider the comments of VP Joe Biden in an interview with Aaron Task

"It's a simple proposition to us: Everyone is entitled to adequate medical
health care," Biden says. "If you call that a 'redistribution of income' --
well, so be it. I don't call it that. I call it just being fair -- giving the
middle class taxpayers an even break that the wealthy have been getting."

The VP of the United States is legitimizing the redistribution of wealth under the guise of fairness to the middle class. You have to wonder, though, what this administration considers middle class.

This is why it is not too far of a stretch to imagine the government trying to dictate who we can purchase vehicles from. Can't you see the government demand that all new cars be a Chevy Volt as part of some new climate change or green technology government package. What

Representative Michael Burgess had to say this week is not that far off.

The point is, the leaders in Washington are not looking out for us. They believe they know more than each of us and can tell us how to live our lives. The Republicans were just as responsible for maleficence as the Democrats are now. The difference is the Democrats are quickly making up for lost time.

There are many incumbents who are good Congressmen and Senators, both at the state and federal level. We need to support these people as candidates. In this upcoming election, each one of us needs to take a long hard look at the candidates and determine whether or not they are politicians looking to live off of the public teat or are they public servants who want to perform the act of representing the constituency. I do not know about you, but I would rather have a Congressman or Senator that I disagree with, who at least listens to and acts upon the needs and desires of his constituents versus a politician who caters to special interests, their own self interests or what they think is the best.

And since I know that you and or your staff read this website Lacy Clay and Russ Carnahan. Yes I am talking about you two and I look forward to you two being private citizens come January of next year.

A Look at Homeschooling

Not that many years ago, a parent had choices if they did not want to send their kids to public schools. In many areas, especially here in St. Louis, you could send your child to a private or parochial school. There were costs associated but those costs were not so high as a family could not afford it. That is rapidly not the case anymore. Every year, we are hearing about the shuttering of more private schools. This is usually due to a combination of declining attendance and increased costs. Advocates of public education tend to use this to show the need of public schools when in reality it is a catch 22.

Families, for one reason or another, cannot afford a private education and have to pull their children from private school and send them to public. Depending upon the area, things like factory closings, industry layoffs, etc. can have a dramatic effect on just a few schools/parishes. In North County alone we have seen several Catholic schools close over the past few years.

Rather than sending their kids to public school and with no voucher program in place, more and more people are taking up home schooling. Parents are choosing to keep their children out of school and home school them, continuing education in manners they believe in. In the past this was usually done as a part of religious beliefs. More and more parents are staying home because they are resisting the indoctrination of beliefs that many public schools are now promoting.

The homeschooling movement is getting bigger and bigger, every year. More parents are choosing to not work and instead educate their children in a manner which best serves the child and the way parents want their children raised. This is not an easy thing to do. Parents must track all of the lesson plans and be ready to present them for inspection at any time. These lesson plans must meet minimum requirements based upon each state. These are all, in my opinion, reasonable requirements. It ensures accurate record keeping and holds parent accountable to ate least meet state requirements. Each state has different rules for homeschooling. In regards to Missouri, the government is fairly home school friendly.

Let me say upfront, I am not a fan of public schools. There are a lot of good administrators and teachers that work in public schools. The problem stems from the politics and a vocal minority in the districts that push a liberal if not all out progressive agenda. Even those teachers who do not believe in the curriculum presented, are forced to do so by the districts and the teachers unions.

That said, the NEA and the various teachers unions are not too happy about homeschooling. In fact, the NEA has a yearly resolution that they add just in regards to homeschooling. For the 2009-2010 school year, it reads as follows:

B-81. Home Schooling
The National Education Association believes that home schooling programs based on parental choice cannot provide the student with a comprehensive education experience. When home schooling occurs, students enrolled must meet all state curricular requirements, including the taking and passing of assessments to ensure adequate academic progress. Home schooling should be limited to the children of
the immediate family, with all expenses being borne by the parents/guardians. Instruction should be by persons who are licensed by the appropriate state education licensure agency, and a curriculum approved by the state department of education should be used.
The Association also believes that home-schooled students should not participate in any extracurricular activities in the public schools.
The Association further believes that local public school systems should have the
authority to determine grade placement and/or credits earned toward graduation for students entering or re-entering the public school setting from a home school setting.

The entire document can be found here.

Basically, the NEA is saying:

• Home schoolers receive less than comprehensive education compared to those in a public school.
• Home schooling parents should pay their school taxes as well as pay their child's education costs at home.
• Home schooling teachers, even those with more education than public school teachers, should be state licensed.
• Home schoolers must use state mandated curriculum.
• Home schooling children should NOT be able to participate in any extra-curricular activities that their parent's taxes pay for.

Do a quick Google or Bing search on teachers unions and home schooling and you will find several stories on teachers unions attempting to restrict, block and even outlaw homeschooling. Why are they doing this? Why does the NEA care if you or your neighbors decide to home school your child? There are two reasons, one is political and one is ideological.

Let's start with the politics of it all. If you pull your child or children out of public school, your are decreasing federal and state funds those schools would receive. Depending upon state laws, a school could receive no funding for your children. This hits the teachers unions in the pocket book. Fewer students means fewer teachers. Fewer teachers means less union dues. Fewer teachers means less power to the union as it is not representing nearly as many people. Just look at how the once strong labor unions are losing political power. Why is that, because there are fewer union members.

The other political reason is simple. A majority of home schooled children test higher than their public school peers. These children tend to do better in standardized testing, spelling bees, college entrance exams. In fact, according to a study released in 2004, home schooled children scored higher across the board no matter what race.

There was no significant difference between minority and white home schooled students. For example, in grades K-12, both white and minority students scored, on the average, in the 87th percentile. In math, whites scored in the 82nd percentile while minorities scored in the 77th percentile. In the public schools, however, there is a sharp contrast. White public school eighth grade students, nationally scored the 58th percentile in math and the 57th percentile in reading. Black eighth grade students, on the other hand, scored on the average at the 24th percentile in math and the 28th percentile in reading. Hispanics scored at the 29th percentile in math and the 28th percentile in reading.

The entire article can be found here.

Home schoolers are making public schools look bad. It is as simple as that. Home schoolers are showing that longer school days and lecture style education is not a superior method of teaching. Rather than fix the situation, the NEA and teachers unions want to promote the current establishment. Since homeschooling is still a minority, even though it is growing, it is easier to demonize and lobby against homeschooling than trying to fix the situation.

This bleeds into the ideological stance. The groups in charge of the unions and the NEA are part of the 60's groups that believe in the "It takes a village" idea to raising children. Rather than me rehash what has already been done, I will defer to Glenn Beck and his recent special on childhood indoctrination. This really highlights the ideology that is present in our school system and is being promoted right now in public schools. If you want a reminder of what is going on, just watch this video.

This video makes me sick. I do not believe that this is an isolated incident.

I have been working on this article for some time, researching home schooling and making sure I was certain of what I was finding. In fact, this entire entry started on my investigation into school choice and vouchers. It was during this review that I started finding all of the information on home schooling. Since vouchers appear to be out of the question as far as the legislature is concerned, then homeschooling is the option people are taking.

The problem is not just the teachers unions and the NEA. Legislatures and courts across the country are getting involved. Other countries have already outlawed homeschooling and there is currently a UN treaty that the US has not ratified which could make homeschooling illegal. According to HSLDA the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child could make all forms of homeschooling illegal. Now I am not a lawyer but it is my understanding that this treaty would override any existing US or state law. This is why there is a movement to amend the US Constitution to state that no treaty can override US law. President Obama has stated that he supports this convention and in February 2009, Senator Barbara Boxer called for Obama to ratify it. In addition, several state legislators have attempted to limit the capabilities of parents or increase the difficulty to home school. Many of these are done in the name of protecting children but in the process of doing so, limit the rights of their parents to parent their children as they wish.

I contacted and spoke via chat with several home school moms who agreed to speak to me on the condition of anonymity. For each of them, their reasons for homeschooling were different. One of them, Mom 1, does it because she is afraid the school will say her son has ADD just because he hyper. Another, Mom 2, does it because she feels that the Ferguson Florissant school district teaches to testing and not to educate the students. And still another, Mom 3, does it because she does not want to send her children to Ritneour schools. The last one I talked to, Mom 4, said that she does not send her child to the Hazelwood schools because she feels the schools teach to the lowest possible level and the St. Ferdinand Catholic School filled up too quick after another local Catholic school closed. Each of them had different reasons for homeschooling. The one thing they all agreed on was that they teach in fear. They teach in fear because as Mom 4 said "there always seems to be some piece of legislation they are working on in Jeff City that is going to cause problems." "Yeah," said Mom 2,"between the politicians and the courts it seems like we cannot catch a break." I asked what she meant by the courts. "Just last year there was a divorce where the court almost forced a home schooling mom to send her kids to public school because the father said that the mother was not qualified to be a teacher and she needed to be tested." This of course was a reference to the the Lisa Payne-Naeger divorce case in St. Charles.

Towards the end of our conversation, it was Mom 1 who put it so succinctly, "Listen, I do not expect everyone to do what I do, but I just want to have the option. My son is reading at a grade level higher than he would if he was in school. He is learning and retaining what I have taught him. I just worry that this is going to be taken away from me."

"Me too," said Mom 3. "I used to take the kids with me shopping during the daytime. There are a heck of a lot less people and I can turn it into a learning session talking about money, budgets, food, you name it. I don't anymore because I am afraid people will turn us in or something. This group and a couple of others like it are all I have."

These and several other comments they made really drove home the point. These four women meet on a regular basis to let their kids play and they have joined the Families for Home Education, an advocacy group for home schoolers. These moms and others like them are pooling their resources together to form Scout Troops, bands, theater groups and more. That said, the ones I have talked to and based on comments on message boards, they all worry that the rug is going to be pulled from out of under them.

Whether or not you agree with home schooling is not the point here. Parents have a right to educate their children as they wish. First it's home schooling, next it's private schools until there is nothing left but government run education. Personally, I do not believe that home schooling is right for every child. That said, I believe that every parent has a right to home school if they so wish. The next time you hear or read something about government intervention on behalf of children, take some time to think about how it could effect you and your rights to parent your children as you wish. After all, isn't this what it's all about.

This was a long strange trip, but I think it was worth it. I welcome your feedback.

UPDATED - Union Healthcare Support = Card Check?

The unions are not happy with the Democrats right now. After helping them get elected and specifically after some unions (SIUE) helped intimidate health care opposition at town hall meetings, the administration and Senate Democrats are now calling for a tax on luxury or “Cadillac” health care plans (click here for more info on what is a luxury plan).

Why would this upset the unions, well many of the unions, in the past, have negotiated these plans for their members. This would mean that in most cases a tax would be levied on union members, not the employers. While the House has no such plan in their bill, Obama and the Senate have both recommended this plan and all indications show that the House will probably relent should the two bills be reconciled. The unions are not at the point where they are publicly coming out against healthcare, but have begun making veiled threats. According to an article in the Lipman Times,

“AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka warned the Obama administration that even
though unions will not oppose the final bill, it could impact upcoming mid-term
elections. “People could stay home. It could suppress votes,” he said”

With the 2010 elections already looking grim for the Democrats they cannot afford to have the unions not participate in the upcoming elections. Reading Trumka’s comments made me wonder what the administration is going to give to the unions so that they will endorse this plan should it be reconciled. Obama really needs this to pass considering the amount of time and effort he has put into this and if he wants to continue to roll out his agenda, he needs a Democrat controlled House and Senate. To pull that off, he needs the unions. So, what can Obama offer to the unions that would make them endorse this health care plan? Card check. If you are not familiar with card check, read this.

Indications that this is on the table have already come out. Late on January 11th in an article in the Wall Street Journal, it was written,

“Trumka predicted that legislation allowing workers to organize labor unions
more easily, dubbed "card check," would be passed in the first quarter of 2010.”

Obama is an advocate of this program, but with the economy in the tank and many business leaders against it, the Democrats have been weary to push this agenda. The US Chamber of Commerce has come out against as has Obama supporter Warren Buffett.

Card check is not something that Obama can really afford to invest a lot of political capital into. That said, he really cannot afford to have the unions fighting him on health care and take a back seat in the 2010 elections. He is going to have a very difficult fight on his hands if this comes up. The best thing for Barry may be if the House and Senate cannot reconcile the bill. He can blame it on the Republicans and moderate Democrats while at the same time not having to fight the Card Check fight. I guess we will see.

UPDATE 1/17/10
It seems that the Unions have been able to wiggle themselves out of the luxury tax without requiring Card Check. Last estimates were that this would decrease the tax from 149 billion down to about 90 billion. The question is now, will Congress ask the CBO to look over this bill and will it now maintain its "tax neutral" status as the President and Congress promised.

Another thing to watch will be the results of the Brown vs. Coakley election. If Brown wins or even comes close to winning, this will undoubtly scare a lot of blue dog Democrats and Democrats in vulnerable areas. This monstrosity may still not pass. We can only hope.

Quick Hits and Random Thoughts

While I am looking into something that could be BIG or nothing at all, I just thought I would post some random thoughts and quick hits.

• What happened to waiting 72 hours before voting on bills. Wasn't it Nancy Pelosi who complained about rushing bills to a vote? I do not care what side of the aisle you are on, all bills should wait 72 hours before a vote. This was not a national security or wartime issue.


• So, if, and that is a big IF, healthcare gets to Obama's desk and he signs it, how long will it be before it goes before a Federal Court on the basis that it is unconstitutional? To see my opinions on this, click here.


• Do you know how your Congressman and Senator will vote if the UN Rights of the Child treaty comes up for ratification? If you are not familiar with this, you should be. Read more here. The President has already stated he is for it.


• Is Fox News and the Murdoch news empire becoming the new leader in making and leading news? Just something to think about.
  
• This is old news, but was recently brought up to me, why is it OK for the US to aide Brazil in offshore drilling in Brazil, but not assisting US companies in drilling offshore of the US?


• Will easing the creation of nuclear power plants be enough to get some Republicans to vote for Cap and Trade regulation. Just a thought, just because it gets easier does not mean environmental fascists will not file junk lawsuits to try and block the building of them.


• Have you ever noticed that the government, which is made up of a lot of lawyers and trial lawyers, does a damn good job of protecting trial lawyers? Just a thought.


• And finally, this is a sign I saw this weekend at a car wash in Hazelwood, MO off of Howdershell Rd. I am contacting the owner to see if I can do a quick interview to get his thoughts, as a small business owner, on Cap and Trade, Healthcare and Lacy Clay. If you are in Hazelwood, stop by and get your car washed and support this small business.

Democrats and the 2010 Census

Lacy Clay has chimed in again, this time regarding the upcoming 2010 census. In what is a move that many believe will bolster their ranks, the Democrats are blocking an amendment by Louisiana Sen. David Vitter to only count US citizens in the upcoming census. Clay believes that this is a stalling tactic and one Vitter is using to keep Louisiana from losing representation since many people have left the area since Katrina and have not returned. Vitter, instead states that he is truly concerned that areas with high immigrant, legal and otherwise, populations will wrongfully take away representation from Louisiana.

Currently, Vitter's amendment has stalled an appropriations bill to fund the census, but barely. Of the 60 votes needed to push the bill through without the amendment, it only received 56. The problem with that 56 is that 3 Democrats were out absent from the vote and Harry Reid voted against ramming the bill through.

So what does this all mean? Well, it means that Harry Reid could be really concerned about his election chances next year. He is in what is appearing to be a tight race for his Senate seat. He is from Nevada which has a large illegal immigration issue and could be fearing repercussions of constituents who may not approve of him giving legal representation to illegal aliens.

Now, why would Clay be so gung ho to back this measure? It could be because north St. Louis city and county have a decent size immigration problem of our own. Unless you are in union circles you may not hear about the problems arising from Cuban/Latino and Bosnian immigrants, both legal and illegal, coming into St. Louis. These immigrants are working for cash and are being employed in construction, day laborers and flooring to name a few. In fact, the St. Louis business journal did an article which highlighted the hiring of Bosnians in hotels. The unions are not happy with this as a whole as many of these workers are non union and work for much less money and are willing to work more hours and even weekends (this is not a union debate just a statement of fact).

Clay knows that since he is the only guy in town as far as the north St. Louis city and county, he can afford to disgruntle the unions as they have no where else to turn. In addition, if illegal immigrants are counted in the upcoming census, it can help to concentrate his north city and outlining area base. In addition, Clay knows that by allow illegal immigrants to be counted in the upcoming census, it will help the Democrats retain control of the house.

Once again, this is a purely partisan move that has nothing to do with counting those who live in the US. Vitter's amendment will still count everyone living in the US, but will also allow those who are here illegally to be filtered out of the population numbers used to determine representation. His amendment makes total sense, which could be why Lacy and the other Democrats are against it. They claim that this amendment is discriminatory which is a completely bogus argument. They also claim that this will delay the Census’ start and cost hundreds of millions of dollars. This may be true since several million of the questionnaires have already been printed and addendums would have to be added.

The fundamental question really comes down to this. Do illegal immigrants, non US citizens, deserve representation in government. This all goes back to the question "how do we handle illegal immigration?" This just reinforces the concept that the Dems would rather do nothing.

Why McCain Not Winning Is A Good Thing

In an interview with Katie Couric Glenn Beck said he was glad that John McCain did not win the presidency. I know that I am a little behind on this but what can I say, we have Cardinals' baseball, apple picking with the kids, the daily grind, and trying to keep up with the healthcare debate and some research on my favorite target, Lacy Clay, so yeah, I am a little behind.

Anyway, I watched this interview online and I have to say that before Glenn even gave any type of explanation I agreed with him. The best thing that could have happened not just for the Republican party, but for America, was the election of Barack Obama. Why is that you may say, well let me tell you.

1. No longer will Pelosi and Reid be able to blame everything on Bush and the Republicans. Anytime something went wrong it was the Republicans fault. Never mind the facts that Bush and many Conservatives tried to end the sub-prime mortgage practices and were blocked by filibustering Dems like Obama. They are being exposed for their hypocrisy and their failed policies. A failure of this magnitude will really make people think when they vote again in 2010 and 2012.
2. This was a splash of cold water to the Republicans. Let's face it, the Republicans got lazy and were really shifting away from the core beliefs. Many in the RNC became to worried about appeasing the left, instead of taking care of the issues and doing what's right. They also became drunk with power and started participating in some massive pork spending. Losing in 2006 and 2008 has made the RNC have to refocus and find their identity. The question really becomes, will that identity be centrist right, conservative or somewhere in the middle.
3. In one 2 - 4 year period, this could create some drastic changes in the House and Senate that would not have happened. Pelosi and Reid are both going to have to run against serious challenges in their home state. Both could wind up losing their seats along with a slew of others including St. Louis' own Russ Carnahan. Add to that the people that work for and with Pelosi, Reid and Obama, people like Van Jones, are being brought to light.
4. The Democrats have overplayed their hand and showing their real far left agenda. People are seeing this and are not feeling comfortable with what they are seeing. Barack Obama has an approval rate between 48-52% and the Congress as a whole has an approval rating of 21%.
5. More people are standing up and becoming active in politics. This is potentially one of the most dangerous aspects to the Democrats. Their refusal to listen and in some cases brazen disregard for their constituents has led many people to stand up and become politically active. Do you think there would be a strong Tea Party movement if McCain were elected. I do not. The activist agenda that is in play right now would not have happened and many people would still be sitting at home, quietly simmering in anger at the government.

So yes my friends, it is a good thing McCain was not elected. Are we hurting, yes. That said, in the end we will be better for this pain. Sometimes you have to walk through the desert to get to the promised land. Now, if we could just bring back Ronald Reagan.

Quick Thoughts

What does it say about the president when the world leaders that are the most vocally supportive are also some of the most tyrannous despots in the world?

Why is it that the Democrats will not endorse the Wyden-Bennett amendment which will do what the President committed to and allow people freedom of choice of their health care plan?

How many "Czars" does Obama need? I am all for delegation but isn't 34 a little much?

If Michael Moore hates capatilism so much, why is he worth over $50,000,0000? Isn't it capatalism that helped him make all of his money?

What would our country be like if the Democrats of today were in the Senate and House back in World War II? Would they have demanded we get out because the war was going on to long and too many people were dieing?

Do you have any additional thoughts?