Category: Politics Page 2 of 19

“What If?” – Judge Napolitano

On January 9, 2012

The Judge nails it here. The fundamental problem in our political process now is that the establishment, or what many are calling the national security state (i.e. the real governing power structure of the US), merely seeks to keep us all at bay through pigeon-holing us, via the electoral process, into one side or the other; and yet at the same time, none of the policies substantively change. On many core issues, Obama merely expanded what Bush had already done, which was anti-conservative in many if not most respects. Question is, do you, Republican voter, actually believe it will change if Romney or Gingrich or even Santorum are elected? I don’t anymore. Obama fooled his own base by making them think he was different from Bush on issues related to this national security state. Boy were they wrong. Power has shifted from consent of the governed to the governing authorities and they both use the art of persuasion, propaganda and public relations to make us feel as if there’s some sort of major difference when they merely formulate their own policy behind closed doors without even considering the people’s thought on various issues. For all the rhetoric of picking issues and staking out sides, not much changes from one President to the other. Only this time, Obama has radically expanded the policies. I believe Ron Paul represents the only choice who can shake up this establishment.

Nationally Renowned Law Scholar Jonathan Turley on Surveillance, Civil Liberties and Privacy Issues

By David Westerfield

On December 21, 2011

In Politics, Security

Before going into this, it should be noted Christ is the sovereign King who rules all governments by the power of His word, including ours. These things are not happening in a vaccuum apart from Him. With that noted, it is also important to note that Christ has given us means and tools at our disposal to influence and change government for the benefit of all. Benjamin Franklin had this to say when asked what kind of government was being formed. Franklin replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.”

Our freedoms are being eroded right before our eyes as the nation is enthralled with the likes of the Kardashian’s, obsessed with football, or we have just stuck our heads in the sand either willfully or through pure ignorance. This is no different than the Roman population being distracted with circuses, gladiatorial sport and bread before the empire succumbed to the Visigoths sacking Rome in the fifth century. This entire clip is worth watching for every American, left right, Democrat, Republican, whoever. One smart man.

“A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within. ” – Ariel Durant

What Are These Protests About?

By David Westerfield

On October 6, 2011

In Culture, Economics, Politics

Many are weighing in and spinning what these protests are about. Liberal pundits slam only banks and couple Republicans to the problem, ad nauseum. Conservatives defend the banks against what they perceive as a monolithic group of liberal protestors while ignoring the banks’ obvious and blatant fraud as well as their disregard for the law and yet at the same time (appropriately) slamming liberals like Michael Moore for absurdly wanting to get rid of capitalism.

While I agree with Herman Cain on a lot of issues, he proved to not understand what is happening either and frankly offered a very arrogant assessment of those without jobs or aren’t rich that can’t seem to help him win many points with voters, especially independents: “Don’t blame Wall Street, don’t blame the big banks, if you don’t have a job and you’re not rich, blame yourself. It is not someone’s fault if they succeeded, it is someone’s fault if they failed.” In other words, pull up your bootstraps you unemployed yobs!

Now I’m all for personal responsibility and taking ownership, but I also believe in the ability and likelihood of elites using power and prominence for evil. Our situation economically came from and was initiated by fraud, both in the private and public sectors, and is being perpetuated and protected by people in his position, at his level. I know a couple of people who have not been able to find jobs for over 52 weeks. It is mean and arrogant to slam them as if this is something they can prevent.

But regardless in the midst of all this back and forth and nonsensical discourse that misses the forest for the trees, the message is being lost as to what this is all about.

It really comes down to something I wrote in a couple of comments on Facebook related to the protests recently:

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Finally Found a Term to Describe What America is Unfortunately Becoming

By David Westerfield

On May 12, 2011

In Economics, Politics, Video

Kleptocracy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleptocracy

From Wikipedia: “Kleptocracy is a term applied to a government subject to control fraud that takes advantage of governmental corruption to extend the personal wealth and political power of government officials and the ruling class (collectively, kleptocrats), via the embezzlement of state funds at the expense of the wider population, sometimes without even the pretense of honest service. The term means “rule by thieves”. Not an official form of government such as a democracy, republic, monarchy, or theocracy; a kleptocracy is rather a pejorative for a government perceived to have a particularly severe and systemic problem with the selfish misappropriation of public funds by those in power.”

Max Keiser describes it quite well in his usual over-the-top rhetoric in this edition of the Keiser Report. Hilarious … and not, all at the same time.

The Breakdown Draws Near – Chris Martenson

“Unaffordability is the Best Motivator”

By David Westerfield

On March 3, 2011

In Culture, Environment, Politics

Revealing statement: “There is no better motivator than unaffordability.” … I actually had someone tell me this on Twitter in regard to reducing our need to use cars. So the thinking goes amongst environmentalists and command/control economic theory (Obama administration style): intentionally drive up the cost and drive down the standard of living through policy to get a result of reducing use of all modern technology, in the name of saving the planet. And this is precisely what the UN wants too in Agenda 21: “Isn’t the only hope for the planet that the industrialized civilizations collapse? Isn’t it our responsibility to bring that about?” – Maurice Strong, Founder of the UN Environment Programme @ Rio Earth Summit, 1992

Maafa 21 – The Abhorrent Beginnings of and Reasons for Planned Parenthood

By David Westerfield

On February 21, 2011

In Culture, History, Politics, Video

What is so awful about Planned Parenthood? Well the fact that they kill children in the womb. “But it’s just 3%,” some say. Well, it’s 3% too many. But behind these necessary questions is the equally important question: why and how did Planned Parenthood come into existence? What is the history of the organization? Maafa 21 has the answer. It’s unbelievable. The reason it came into existence is just as abhorrent and saddening as the statistics of children murdered in the womb, merely by this organization. This should be watched by every person in America. (WARNING: there are some very tough things to hear, “mature” subject matter and offensive quotes in this documentary from founders and supporters of Planned Parenthood and others who supported the Eugenics movement.)

Oil Spill Prompts President to Push Cap and Trade

By David Westerfield

On June 16, 2010

In Environment, Politics

As expected, President Obama exploited the worst environmental disaster in our nations history for the primary purpose of promoting his and the far lefts’ cap and trade energy bill. Sure, he buttered up the masses with some warm sentiments about how upset he was concerning what he has seen and the justice that must be rendered. Then he got to his real agenda: politicizing a catastrophe currently in process for energy policy.

With that said, here’s what I gathered from the President’s speech tonight on the oil crisis: in the words of our friendly, radical, self-admitted Communist, former Green Jobs Czar (appointed by President Obama I might add), Van Jones, “This movement is deeper than a solar panel! Deeper than a solar panel! Don’t stop there! Don’t stop there! We’re gonna change the whole system! We’re gonna change the whole thing. We’re not gonna put a new battery in a broken system. We want a new system. We want a new system!” (from Van Jones’ Powershift ’09 Keynote Address, Part1, Part 2, Part 3)

Insensitivity? Never Waste a Serious Crisis

By David Westerfield

On June 14, 2010

In Environment, Politics

In the words of Rahm Emanuel, “Never let a serious crisis go to waste. What I mean by that is it’s an opportunity to do things you couldn’t do before.”

Well, our President is certainly wasting no time to push through draconian climate and energy legislation, that’s for sure, while millions of people and a coastline are in the middle of suffering from the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history: http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.63a128958094fb519016d188cf557e83.101&show_article=1

“‘In the same way that our view of our vulnerabilities and our foreign policy was shaped profoundly by 9/11, I think this disaster is going to shape how we think about the environment and energy for many years to come,’ he told Politico.com.”

“Obama said he would be making a fresh bid to get Congress to pass a major energy and climate bill.”

Good yet odd timing, I must say, Mr. President.

Lofty Utopian Healthcare Dreams Meet Reality

By David Westerfield

On May 18, 2010

In Politics

Health reform threatens to cram already overwhelmed emergency rooms – TheHill.com

The new healthcare law will pack 32 million newly insured people into emergency rooms already crammed beyond capacity, according to experts on healthcare facilities.

A chief aim of the new healthcare law was to take the pressure off emergency rooms by mandating that people either have insurance coverage. The idea was that if people have insurance, they will go to a doctor rather than putting off care until they faced an emergency.

Letter from Kay Granger on Health Care – HouseNews.net (HT: Bill Alexy)

Four major U.S. employers (AT&T, Verizon, Deere and Caterpillar) are considering dumping the health care coverage they provide to their workers in exchange for paying penalty fees to the government. These companies currently offer health benefits to over 2.3 million employees. That is like cutting off health care for the entire city of Houston.

The reality of budgets, economics, sociology, incentive, and plain common sense about what would have worked were thrown to the wind in favor of futuristic visions of everyone getting the best health care available for free. It sounds good on paper and many of the people were well-meaning (though grossly misinformed).

European History Repeats Itself

By David Westerfield

On May 14, 2010

In Business, Economics, News, Politics

“Europe’s fiscal Fascism brings British withdrawal ever closer” – Ambrose Evans-Pritchard – Telegraph

“Just when you thought the EU could not go any further down the road towards authoritarian excess, it gets worse.” – Ambrose Evans-Pritchard

Things are spinning out of control in Europe, economically, fiscally and socially. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said today that “Europe is in a ‘very, very serious’ situation and that success is not yet guaranteed.” And no amount of money thrown at the situation can fix the structural cracks that are now emerging in the very fabric of the continent.

And what do these things have to do with the US? We face a very similar situation in the near future when compared in parallel to Europe with states versus the federal government. The only difference is the federal government is well established. Certainly there are differences that cannot be overlooked. Yet the situation sounds all too familiar with the federal government over-stepping its reach on several different fronts since Obama took office.

Ambrose Evans-Pritchard from the Telegraph hits on the historical nature of what is happening (history repeating and history being made) as well as the tyrannical nature of what the EU is proposing to alleviate problems. As one commenter said in response to the article, “I’m getting a very bad feeling about how matters economic and social are going to pan out over the next 3 – 5 years. There’s trouble blowing in the wind.”

Below are some of the summary quotes from the article above.

“Fonctionnaires and EU finance ministers will pass judgement on the British (or Dutch, or Danish, or French) budgets before the elected bodies of these ancient and sovereign nations have seen the proposals. Did we not we not fight the English Civil War and kill a king over such a prerogative?”

“Yet again we are discovering the trick played on our democracies by Europe’s insiders when they charged ahead with EMU [European Monetary Union], brushing aside warnings by their own staff economists that monetary union was unworkable without fiscal union. Jacques Delors knew perfectly well that this would lead inevitably to a crisis, but it would be the ‘beneficial crisis’ that would force sovereign parliaments to submit to demands that they would never otherwise accept.”

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