It sounds crazy, doesn't it? The very thought that the government may be quietly laying the groundwork to seize your retirement assets is enough to make you shudder and think, "no way! This can't be happening. Not in America. My IRA and 401k are safe."
REMEMBER that we talking about the Obama Administration and the IRS.
This is the same administration who:
--used the recent economic chaos to seize control of the American mortgage market,
--used loans to GM and Chrysler to take control of those companies. Initially they secured those loans with preferred stocks, which they quickly converted to Common Stocks so they could gain a controlling vote.
--has recently taken over the student loan business
--has appointed radical leftist "Czars" to oversee and transform ever-larger portions of our economy against the will of the people and their representatives in Congress
--has presided over a quadrupling of the budget deficit in the course of 1 year
In short, they haven't "wasted a good crisis" since taking office.
The list of Obama Administration trespasses against our freedom-based way of life is long indeed. Given their track record, is there any reason to think that they wouldn't try to get their hands on 3 TRILLION dollar$ of our retirement funds? Do you think they would be opposed to this heist on principle? REALLY?!
The following opinion piece, THE GOVERNMENT WANTS YOUR RETIREMENT, is from Neal Boortz. As you read this it's important to remember that Neal didn't pull this "possibility" from his nether regions. He read an IRS document contained at zerohedge.com.
http://boortz.com/nealz_nuze/2010/02/the-government-wants-your-reti.html
Boortz: "I've been telling you about this for a while now. This, to me, is one of the most dangerous schemes currently slithering through the crevices and dark spots of the Imperial Federal Government in Washington. What am I talking about? What I believe to be plans by the Obama administration to, in effect, seize your retirement funds and use them to finance their deficit spending. Remember ... there are more than $3 trillion dollars sitting out there in individual retirement, IRA and 401K plans. Politicians just cant stand the idea of this much money sitting out there in private investments ... out of the grasp of politicians. So .... Something needs to be done. And sure enough, something is going to be done. The Treasury Department and the Department of Labor were going to start taking comments on ways to promote the idea converting 401(k) savings and IRAs into annuities or other steady payment streams. Well you can finally take a look at this document for yourself:
http://www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/files/2010-02028_PI.pdf
Here, I'll post a little to get you started: (from the IRS document)
The Department of Labor and the Department of the Treasury (the "Agencies") are currently reviewing the rules under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and the plan qualification rules under the Internal Revenue Code (Code) to determine whether, and, if so, how, the Agencies could or should enhance, by regulation or otherwise, the retirement security of participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and in individual retirement arrangements (IRAs) by facilitating access to, and use of, lifetime income or other arrangements designed to provide a lifetime stream of income after retirement. The purpose of this request for information is to solicit views, suggestions and comments from plan participants, employers and other plan sponsors, plan service providers, and members of the financial community, as well as the general public, on this important issue.
Boortz: "That's a lot of government-speak. Can you read between the lines? What is the real plan here? Behind this nonsense about "lifetime stream of income after retirement" language is a lovely little plan to force you to finance the Democrat's deficit spending. The plan is to play into the current economic fears. "Never let a good crisis go to waste." Remember the words of Rahm? The Democrats want you to question whether or not Wall Street is the right place to invest your money. Wouldn't you be safer if the government kept it for you? The government wants you to believe that it can do a better job of investing and managing your retirement than you can. And for a lot of people who believe that government is the answer, they may fine with this. (click link to continue)
http://boortz.com/nealz_nuze/2010/02/the-government-wants-your-reti.html
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Some Thoughts on Class Warfare.
There is a plague of economic populism emanating from the political left these days. More than ever we are seeing class warfare used as a weapon to pit the "Haves" against the "Have-Nots", the "rich" vs. the "poor" and the middle class. Democrats are the main practitioners of this ugly art, but Republicans aren't totally immune to it's allure. Florida Governor Charlie Crist has "taken on big insurers" as part of his platform because he's "The People's Governor."
This strategy is nothing more than the political equivalent of the Divide and Conquer strategy for waging war, which has been variously attributed to Julius Caesar and Sun Tzu. By pitting the majority middle class and poor (collectively referred to as "working people") against the so-called "wealthy", the political left seeks to cause a seething resentment against those same wealthy people. This resentment is then used to increase taxes and enact legislation that "levels the playing field."
A typical class warfare practitioner wrote this at the jax.com opinion board yesterday:
"The taxpayer gets very little return on investment for money spent on the wealthy. While a small amount might accidently trickle back into the local economy, the majority goes into wall-street and banking games."
Note how he refers to a tax cut as "money spent on the wealthy"? That assumes that the money NOT seized by the government is only lent to the person who actually earned it. In other words, a tax cut equals government spending. This turns property rights as we know it on it's head. The ongoing attempt is to delegitimize the wealthy person's claim to their own money.
A high percentage of my customers are very wealthy people. Oftentimes my company isn't the only one doing work at a customer's home. There are painters, crews who pave driveways and decks with paving stones, pool cleaners, insurance salesman, irrigation guys, personal trainers, tanning bed vendors, carpenters, roofers, and the list gets very long.
The companies and the crews who are employed at these wealthy homes then spend their money at stores of all sorts, pay their bills and maybe even manage to save for their children's education. In turn their customers also do well. In case you're wondering, this is true economic activity. This is the "return on investment" the class warrior attempted to diminish.
What happens when the class warrior is successful in his mantra, "the rich aren't paying their fair share" or "greedy corporations are pilfering the Treasury"?
We get a tax hike on the wealthy. Social justice, right? Not so fast! The chances are better than even that the class warrior hasn't thought through the unintended consequences of his divisive rhetoric and poisonous name calling.
The wealthy family or individual will pay more in income taxes and they receive a clear message from the rest of America; "We want your money, and we'll use the government as an instrument of plunder to make it happen."
If that "rich" guy is a small businessman, as I suspect most of them are, they'll look to trim the fat from their budget asap. They will wonder: Who are my most expendable workers? Which ones can I spare without hurting profitability? Those workers will get the axe because they were probably a detriment anyways. What's the result?
Unemployment goes up, which is usually the first unintended consequence of successful class warfare and it's resultant tax increases.
If that "rich" guy is a former business owner who is semi-retired and living off investments and/or part time income, he may prioritize expenses in different ways. He may offload a car or two (in addition to the guy who details his cars), he may decide that his total relandscaping project can wait until his investments tick up again to offset his bigger tax bill. He may only want his windows cleaned every 18 months instead of every 9 months. He may decide against that new paint job or decide that the new inground pool can wait, or ALL OF THE ABOVE!
The simple and unavoidable truth is that when you seize the wealth of the rich, they take a hit for sure. Their annual income may go from 1.3 million dollars to 1.1 million, or from 980 thousand dollars to 860 thousand. So what says the class warrior defiantly, "He still has 860 THOUSAND dollars!"
And tens of thousands--if not HUNDREDS of thousands--of "working class" people are left holding their bills and wondering, "where did my job go?"
Thank your local class warrior! That's hope and change he can believe in.
This strategy is nothing more than the political equivalent of the Divide and Conquer strategy for waging war, which has been variously attributed to Julius Caesar and Sun Tzu. By pitting the majority middle class and poor (collectively referred to as "working people") against the so-called "wealthy", the political left seeks to cause a seething resentment against those same wealthy people. This resentment is then used to increase taxes and enact legislation that "levels the playing field."
A typical class warfare practitioner wrote this at the jax.com opinion board yesterday:
"The taxpayer gets very little return on investment for money spent on the wealthy. While a small amount might accidently trickle back into the local economy, the majority goes into wall-street and banking games."
Note how he refers to a tax cut as "money spent on the wealthy"? That assumes that the money NOT seized by the government is only lent to the person who actually earned it. In other words, a tax cut equals government spending. This turns property rights as we know it on it's head. The ongoing attempt is to delegitimize the wealthy person's claim to their own money.
A high percentage of my customers are very wealthy people. Oftentimes my company isn't the only one doing work at a customer's home. There are painters, crews who pave driveways and decks with paving stones, pool cleaners, insurance salesman, irrigation guys, personal trainers, tanning bed vendors, carpenters, roofers, and the list gets very long.
The companies and the crews who are employed at these wealthy homes then spend their money at stores of all sorts, pay their bills and maybe even manage to save for their children's education. In turn their customers also do well. In case you're wondering, this is true economic activity. This is the "return on investment" the class warrior attempted to diminish.
What happens when the class warrior is successful in his mantra, "the rich aren't paying their fair share" or "greedy corporations are pilfering the Treasury"?
We get a tax hike on the wealthy. Social justice, right? Not so fast! The chances are better than even that the class warrior hasn't thought through the unintended consequences of his divisive rhetoric and poisonous name calling.
The wealthy family or individual will pay more in income taxes and they receive a clear message from the rest of America; "We want your money, and we'll use the government as an instrument of plunder to make it happen."
If that "rich" guy is a small businessman, as I suspect most of them are, they'll look to trim the fat from their budget asap. They will wonder: Who are my most expendable workers? Which ones can I spare without hurting profitability? Those workers will get the axe because they were probably a detriment anyways. What's the result?
Unemployment goes up, which is usually the first unintended consequence of successful class warfare and it's resultant tax increases.
If that "rich" guy is a former business owner who is semi-retired and living off investments and/or part time income, he may prioritize expenses in different ways. He may offload a car or two (in addition to the guy who details his cars), he may decide that his total relandscaping project can wait until his investments tick up again to offset his bigger tax bill. He may only want his windows cleaned every 18 months instead of every 9 months. He may decide against that new paint job or decide that the new inground pool can wait, or ALL OF THE ABOVE!
The simple and unavoidable truth is that when you seize the wealth of the rich, they take a hit for sure. Their annual income may go from 1.3 million dollars to 1.1 million, or from 980 thousand dollars to 860 thousand. So what says the class warrior defiantly, "He still has 860 THOUSAND dollars!"
And tens of thousands--if not HUNDREDS of thousands--of "working class" people are left holding their bills and wondering, "where did my job go?"
Thank your local class warrior! That's hope and change he can believe in.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Cloward-Piven, A Strategy For Economic DESTRUCTION!
Have you recently asked yourself, "just what the HELL are these people in Washington DC doing?!" They spend TRILLIONS of dollars on "stimulus" bills and TARP plans that are really nothing more than cleverly conceived and disguised political slush funds for the re-election of Democrat incumbents. If they weren't political slush funds they would have spent that money up front rather than back-loading the majority of the funds to be spent in election year 2010. They have recently proposed ANOTHER "stimulus" bill ("Son of Stimulus"), because of course the first one hasn't worked as promised.
If this fiscal insanity weren't enough, the Democrats and Obama want to spend a trillion dollars or more on "health care reform" and another trillion or more on a ruinous Cap and Trade bill which is ostensibly intended to mitigate the supposed ill effects of Global Warming--aka Psuedoscience on steroids. These two programs will soon grow even more out of control. Adding gasoline to the fire, new spending for dozens of brand new welfare programs is buried in every appropriations bill. Just yesterday President Obama unveiled his record $3.8 TRILLION budget for the new year.
All of this fiscal insanity leads us back to the original head-scratcher, "just what the HELL are these people in Washington DC doing?!"
There are those who say that the Democrat "Progressives" are spending like lunatics to buy votes, and haven't even considered the consequences. That opinion assumes far too much stupidity from where I sit. Others say that this is an orchestrated attempt to crash the financial system and remake America as a far poorer socialist state. To date, it's gone by the name of "Hope and Change we can believe in." In truth this is a strategy, and it already has a name.
Welcome to the Cloward-Piven Strategy of Orchestrated Crisis. In a nutshell, the aim of Cloward-Piven is to bring America to her knees and force political change by overwhelming us with debt and a colossal welfare state. This is malevolent and 100% purposeful, and it must be STOPPED if we are to survive as a free people.
The following link explains this evil plan:
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6967
Glenn Beck also explains Cloward-Piven in a frightening five part video series. Grab your favorite alcoholic beverage and the blood pressure medicine. Believe me, you'll need both.
http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/01/06/the-lefts-architects-of-disaster/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+newsrealblogfb+%28NewsReal+Blog%29
The fantastic and talented conservatives at Axis of Right (highly recommended) explain how we arrived at 14.3 trillion dollars of debt:
http://axisofright.com/2010/01/28/new-debt-limit-14-5-trillion/
-In 2001 when Bush took office, the debt was roughly 1/3 of what it is today, at $5.6 trillion.
-In 2006, the Congress voted to raise the debt limit by $784 billion to $9 trillion.
-In 2007, Congress voted to raise the debt limit by $850 billion, to $9.85 trillion.
-In 2008, Congress voted to raise the debt limit by another $800 billion, to $10.6 trillion.
-In late 2008, Congress voted again (as part of TARP) to raise the debt limit by $700 billion, to -$11.3 trillion.
-In early 2009, Congress voted to raise the debt ceiling (as part of the Porkulus bill) by $800 billion to $12.1 trillion.
-Just last month in December of 2009, Congress, running out of money, raised the debt ceiling by just under $300 billion, to $12.4 trillion.
-Now, Congress is raising the debt limit by a whopping $1.9 trillion. That’s more than the last three debt ceiling raises combined.
-The total of debt ceiling increases passed during the first year of the Obama administration now nearly equal to the increases passed in the first six years of Bush’s presidency.
Or, to look at it another way:
-Total debt ceiling increases under Bush and Republican Congress (6 years): $3.4 trillion
-Total debt ceiling increases under Bush and Democrat Congress (2 years): $2.35 trillion
-Total debt ceiling increases under Obama and Democrat Congress (1 year): $3. trillion
------------------------- -------------------------- -------------------------
Let's look at the big picture. We have out-of-control spending at a time when tax receipts are at a low point due to an economy in recession. To add economic (and moral) insult to injury, the Democrats have dramatically expanded the welfare rolls, and pushed for huge new taxes using class warfare rhetoric, Cap and Trade legislation, and a complete step by step takover of the American health care system. The result of these huge new taxes will be more economic stagnation and debt.
This is beyond mere stupidity, it's PURPOSEFUL DESTRUCTION!
It's Cloward-Piven. Sharpen your pitchforks folks, you may just need them soon....
If this fiscal insanity weren't enough, the Democrats and Obama want to spend a trillion dollars or more on "health care reform" and another trillion or more on a ruinous Cap and Trade bill which is ostensibly intended to mitigate the supposed ill effects of Global Warming--aka Psuedoscience on steroids. These two programs will soon grow even more out of control. Adding gasoline to the fire, new spending for dozens of brand new welfare programs is buried in every appropriations bill. Just yesterday President Obama unveiled his record $3.8 TRILLION budget for the new year.
All of this fiscal insanity leads us back to the original head-scratcher, "just what the HELL are these people in Washington DC doing?!"
There are those who say that the Democrat "Progressives" are spending like lunatics to buy votes, and haven't even considered the consequences. That opinion assumes far too much stupidity from where I sit. Others say that this is an orchestrated attempt to crash the financial system and remake America as a far poorer socialist state. To date, it's gone by the name of "Hope and Change we can believe in." In truth this is a strategy, and it already has a name.
Welcome to the Cloward-Piven Strategy of Orchestrated Crisis. In a nutshell, the aim of Cloward-Piven is to bring America to her knees and force political change by overwhelming us with debt and a colossal welfare state. This is malevolent and 100% purposeful, and it must be STOPPED if we are to survive as a free people.
The following link explains this evil plan:
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6967
Glenn Beck also explains Cloward-Piven in a frightening five part video series. Grab your favorite alcoholic beverage and the blood pressure medicine. Believe me, you'll need both.
http://www.newsrealblog.com/2010/01/06/the-lefts-architects-of-disaster/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+newsrealblogfb+%28NewsReal+Blog%29
The fantastic and talented conservatives at Axis of Right (highly recommended) explain how we arrived at 14.3 trillion dollars of debt:
http://axisofright.com/2010/01/28/new-debt-limit-14-5-trillion/
-In 2001 when Bush took office, the debt was roughly 1/3 of what it is today, at $5.6 trillion.
-In 2006, the Congress voted to raise the debt limit by $784 billion to $9 trillion.
-In 2007, Congress voted to raise the debt limit by $850 billion, to $9.85 trillion.
-In 2008, Congress voted to raise the debt limit by another $800 billion, to $10.6 trillion.
-In late 2008, Congress voted again (as part of TARP) to raise the debt limit by $700 billion, to -$11.3 trillion.
-In early 2009, Congress voted to raise the debt ceiling (as part of the Porkulus bill) by $800 billion to $12.1 trillion.
-Just last month in December of 2009, Congress, running out of money, raised the debt ceiling by just under $300 billion, to $12.4 trillion.
-Now, Congress is raising the debt limit by a whopping $1.9 trillion. That’s more than the last three debt ceiling raises combined.
-The total of debt ceiling increases passed during the first year of the Obama administration now nearly equal to the increases passed in the first six years of Bush’s presidency.
Or, to look at it another way:
-Total debt ceiling increases under Bush and Republican Congress (6 years): $3.4 trillion
-Total debt ceiling increases under Bush and Democrat Congress (2 years): $2.35 trillion
-Total debt ceiling increases under Obama and Democrat Congress (1 year): $3. trillion
------------------------- -------------------------- -------------------------
Let's look at the big picture. We have out-of-control spending at a time when tax receipts are at a low point due to an economy in recession. To add economic (and moral) insult to injury, the Democrats have dramatically expanded the welfare rolls, and pushed for huge new taxes using class warfare rhetoric, Cap and Trade legislation, and a complete step by step takover of the American health care system. The result of these huge new taxes will be more economic stagnation and debt.
This is beyond mere stupidity, it's PURPOSEFUL DESTRUCTION!
It's Cloward-Piven. Sharpen your pitchforks folks, you may just need them soon....
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
An Open Letter from a Capitalist To the Kleptocrats
from the Capitalist who posts on the POLITICO message boards:
The “Silent Majority” has spoken. Your views and ideology have been rebuked. The sooner you accept this fact, the sooner we can all work together and straighten out this country.
We’ve had enough of your “Hope and Change”.
We don’t want leaders who promise transparency, yet fail to deliver it.
We don’t want the government to own auto manufacturers.
We don’t want the government to own banks.
We don’t want Obamacare.
We don’t want a government that FORCES us to buy health insurance.
We don’t want cap-and-trade.
We are tired of being raped by the UN.
We are not convinced that global warming exists.
We don’t want our children and grandchildren taxed into oblivion.
We don’t want the government telling us which light bulbs to use.
We don’t want Guantanamo closed.
We don’t want international terrorists tried in our federal courts.
We don’t want leaders who are weak on national security.
We don’t want leaders who make us look weak and apologetic on the international stage.
We don’t want 1o% unemployment.
We don’t want leaders who think capitalism is our enemy.
We don’t want leaders who do not support small business.
We don’t want leaders who promise to reduce pork-filled bills, then sign pork-laden bills.
We don’t want leaders who promise “no lobbyists”, then fill their administration with them.
We don’t want “special deals” for unions. 87% of U.S. workers don’t belong to unions.
We don’t want to be called racists, tea baggers, wing-nuts, etc. simply because we disagree with your views.
And finally…..we’re tired of hearing that “it’s Bush’s fault”.
The “Silent Majority” has spoken. Your views and ideology have been rebuked. The sooner you accept this fact, the sooner we can all work together and straighten out this country.
We’ve had enough of your “Hope and Change”.
We don’t want leaders who promise transparency, yet fail to deliver it.
We don’t want the government to own auto manufacturers.
We don’t want the government to own banks.
We don’t want Obamacare.
We don’t want a government that FORCES us to buy health insurance.
We don’t want cap-and-trade.
We are tired of being raped by the UN.
We are not convinced that global warming exists.
We don’t want our children and grandchildren taxed into oblivion.
We don’t want the government telling us which light bulbs to use.
We don’t want Guantanamo closed.
We don’t want international terrorists tried in our federal courts.
We don’t want leaders who are weak on national security.
We don’t want leaders who make us look weak and apologetic on the international stage.
We don’t want 1o% unemployment.
We don’t want leaders who think capitalism is our enemy.
We don’t want leaders who do not support small business.
We don’t want leaders who promise to reduce pork-filled bills, then sign pork-laden bills.
We don’t want leaders who promise “no lobbyists”, then fill their administration with them.
We don’t want “special deals” for unions. 87% of U.S. workers don’t belong to unions.
We don’t want to be called racists, tea baggers, wing-nuts, etc. simply because we disagree with your views.
And finally…..we’re tired of hearing that “it’s Bush’s fault”.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Hey Barack, How About "Equal Protection Under the Law"?
President Obama has decided to EXEMPT his union buddies from the tax on all "Cadillac Health Insurance Plans."
Is there ANY sort of corruption that is beyond their grasp? Is there anything these kleptocrats (Dems) won't do to further their power? Goodbye Representative Republic (or representative democracy if you prefer) and hello banana republic! I guess some pigs are just more equal than others?
We have three more years to suffer this 3rd world dictator wannabe. G-d help us!
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/unions_get_pecial_treatment_in_health_AB053CwqPIJlIxXAm37DOM
Unions will dodge O's health tax
By CARL CAMPANILE
Last Updated: 7:12 AM, January 15, 2010
Posted: 2:49 AM, January 15, 2010
Big Labor got some big love from President Obama and congressional Democrats yesterday after they agreed to exempt union workers from the whopping “Cadillac tax” on high-cost health-care plans until 2018.
The sweetheart deal, hammered out behind closed doors, will save union employees at least $60 billion over the years involved, while others won't be as lucky -- they'll have to cough up almost $90 billion.
Is there ANY sort of corruption that is beyond their grasp? Is there anything these kleptocrats (Dems) won't do to further their power? Goodbye Representative Republic (or representative democracy if you prefer) and hello banana republic! I guess some pigs are just more equal than others?
We have three more years to suffer this 3rd world dictator wannabe. G-d help us!
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/unions_get_pecial_treatment_in_health_AB053CwqPIJlIxXAm37DOM
Unions will dodge O's health tax
By CARL CAMPANILE
Last Updated: 7:12 AM, January 15, 2010
Posted: 2:49 AM, January 15, 2010
Big Labor got some big love from President Obama and congressional Democrats yesterday after they agreed to exempt union workers from the whopping “Cadillac tax” on high-cost health-care plans until 2018.
The sweetheart deal, hammered out behind closed doors, will save union employees at least $60 billion over the years involved, while others won't be as lucky -- they'll have to cough up almost $90 billion.
The 40 percent excise tax on what have come to be called "Cadillac" health-care plans would exempt collective-bargaining contracts covering government employees and other union members until Jan. 1, 2018
In another major concession to labor, the value of dental and vision plans would be exempt from the tax even after the deal expires in eight years, negotiators said.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
A Tribute To My Buddy Mike, Rest in Peace Brother
Mike was one of my best friends from FrontPage magazine. As much as any person who posts in the blogosphere can shape opinion, Mike did shape opinion. He was an intellectual GIANT who wrote in terms the rest of us could comprehend. I'm not ashamed to say, Mike dumbed it down for us mere mortals and did it seemingly without an ego. He was the greatest and most artriculate champion for human freedom that I've ever encountered on any message board, and his loss leaves a terrible vacuum. G-d bless and keep you pal.
Around three years ago Mike was involved in one of his vaunted "discussions" at FrontPage with an atheist. I enjoyed it so much that I asked his permission to copy the discussion and make a blog post. From 2007:
A Conservative Answers An Atheist
Last night one of the regular posters at FrontPage Magazine.com, "DumbLikeAFox", let loose with an atheist screed that was terribly hostile and misinformed, but one I'm rather familiar with. Atheist hostility towards people of faith is sometimes so palpable that one is left with the impression that atheists view themselves in "competition" with the faithful. There are many thoughtful exceptions to this rule, but this hostility seems to be the rule.
As an aside, when self-professed atheists control the state we invariably end up with Communism or Fascism. Atheist governments feel no compunction to respect any "G-d given" rights of the people. They seek to perfect the imperfectable humans in their midst. We round humans just REFUSE to fit into square holes! That's when the bloodletting commences. Refer to Robespierre, Mussolini, Hitler, or Stalin.
(I've Italicized the correspondence for ease of reading)
This is DLAF's atheist rant from last night:
"Religion has to be the greatest bull-hit story ever told. Think about it, religion has actually convinced people that there's an INVISIBLE MAN...LIVING IN THE SKY...who watches everything that you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a list of ten special things that he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry for ever and ever 'til the end of time...but he loves you."---DLAF
Mike's reply to this hostile rant was beautiful, and dare I say--poetic.
"Interesting. I'm glad you're a physicist because you'll have a much deeper understanding than most.
To be an atheist physicist you have to believe that billions upon billions of galaxies composed of billions of stars spreading across an area so vast that it takes around 15 billion years for light traveling 6.2 trillion miles per year to reach from one side to the other.
Yet all this impossible to imagine tremendous amount of mass was compressed into an area 1 x 10 to the -48 centimeter. And in an instant (where time and space itself ,not to mention the word "instant",have no meaning) this amount of energy exploded forth from an area no larger than the distance of an electron from it's nucleus. After some time the energy accelerated in a way governed by scores of arbitrary constants. Any one of these scores of constants being of any other value then they just happened to be and matter would not exist, let alone suns, planets, plants and cocker-spaniels.
And there is the rub. All these perfectly tuned variables have the probability of near zero of simply randomly occurring the way they did.
But they did, now didn't they? That's where the evidence takes you. That's what you have to believe. And somehow you think that tale happening randomly is somehow less fantastic and bizarre than suggesting their is a greater purpose behind it? That it was intended?
So let me answer your question this way. I have a logical mind. In all my years I have never once purchased a lottery ticket. Not for any moral or anti-gambling reason, but simply because I understand the mathematical odds. In fact, I believe the lottery to be a tax on the mathematically illiterate. My loving and dear wife, on the other hand, has purchased a ticket every week for the past 27 years.
Now I ask you, another person with a logical mind and an understanding of numbers, to do two things....
1) I want you to calculate in rough terms the odds of the universe occurring the way it did with all its myriad variables randomly falling into place in just the precise way it did so that matter itself is possible and its subsequent evolution into a universe no doubt full of life conscious enough to ask the question "Where did I come from? Why I am I here?".
2) When, in much frustration, you've calculated that the odds of you winning the lottery are nearly infinitely greater than the universe unfolding in the precise way it did, then I want you to go drop to your knees and pray to the Great Void and thank it for THAT happy random coincidence.
Care to buy a lottery ticket? It sure looks more attractive now, doesn't it?"---Mike
I've come to much the same conclusion, and had that conclusion reinforced while helping my daughter with her Physical Science and Algebra homework. The world we live in has RULES! It seems as though we live in an ordered universe, at least as we perceive it. The atheist with his telescope or microscope or chalkboard will always miss the hand of the Creator in the natural world that he observes and uncovers, while the believer will appreciate His work. You don't have to believe in the creation myth or be a Biblical literalist to understand the brilliance of the Creator.
To be an atheist you are a believer in coincidences--THOUSANDS as a matter of fact!
People who think of Evolution as a refutation of G-d's very existence are almost childlike in the simplicity of their thought processes. For example they never stop to ask, "Is it possible that He created evolution as a means for animals to adapt and survive when the rest of nature throws us a wicked curveball?"
This morning a friend of mine, Z (from geeeeez and Mac n' Geeez) sent me this link of the renowned astrophysicist Owen Gingerich discussing the intersection of faith and the Periodic table. It's a must see!
http://meaningoflife.tv/video.php?speaker=gingerich&topic=complete
Around three years ago Mike was involved in one of his vaunted "discussions" at FrontPage with an atheist. I enjoyed it so much that I asked his permission to copy the discussion and make a blog post. From 2007:
A Conservative Answers An Atheist
Last night one of the regular posters at FrontPage Magazine.com, "DumbLikeAFox", let loose with an atheist screed that was terribly hostile and misinformed, but one I'm rather familiar with. Atheist hostility towards people of faith is sometimes so palpable that one is left with the impression that atheists view themselves in "competition" with the faithful. There are many thoughtful exceptions to this rule, but this hostility seems to be the rule.
As an aside, when self-professed atheists control the state we invariably end up with Communism or Fascism. Atheist governments feel no compunction to respect any "G-d given" rights of the people. They seek to perfect the imperfectable humans in their midst. We round humans just REFUSE to fit into square holes! That's when the bloodletting commences. Refer to Robespierre, Mussolini, Hitler, or Stalin.
(I've Italicized the correspondence for ease of reading)
This is DLAF's atheist rant from last night:
"Religion has to be the greatest bull-hit story ever told. Think about it, religion has actually convinced people that there's an INVISIBLE MAN...LIVING IN THE SKY...who watches everything that you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a list of ten special things that he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry for ever and ever 'til the end of time...but he loves you."---DLAF
Mike's reply to this hostile rant was beautiful, and dare I say--poetic.
"Interesting. I'm glad you're a physicist because you'll have a much deeper understanding than most.
To be an atheist physicist you have to believe that billions upon billions of galaxies composed of billions of stars spreading across an area so vast that it takes around 15 billion years for light traveling 6.2 trillion miles per year to reach from one side to the other.
Yet all this impossible to imagine tremendous amount of mass was compressed into an area 1 x 10 to the -48 centimeter. And in an instant (where time and space itself ,not to mention the word "instant",have no meaning) this amount of energy exploded forth from an area no larger than the distance of an electron from it's nucleus. After some time the energy accelerated in a way governed by scores of arbitrary constants. Any one of these scores of constants being of any other value then they just happened to be and matter would not exist, let alone suns, planets, plants and cocker-spaniels.
And there is the rub. All these perfectly tuned variables have the probability of near zero of simply randomly occurring the way they did.
But they did, now didn't they? That's where the evidence takes you. That's what you have to believe. And somehow you think that tale happening randomly is somehow less fantastic and bizarre than suggesting their is a greater purpose behind it? That it was intended?
So let me answer your question this way. I have a logical mind. In all my years I have never once purchased a lottery ticket. Not for any moral or anti-gambling reason, but simply because I understand the mathematical odds. In fact, I believe the lottery to be a tax on the mathematically illiterate. My loving and dear wife, on the other hand, has purchased a ticket every week for the past 27 years.
Now I ask you, another person with a logical mind and an understanding of numbers, to do two things....
1) I want you to calculate in rough terms the odds of the universe occurring the way it did with all its myriad variables randomly falling into place in just the precise way it did so that matter itself is possible and its subsequent evolution into a universe no doubt full of life conscious enough to ask the question "Where did I come from? Why I am I here?".
2) When, in much frustration, you've calculated that the odds of you winning the lottery are nearly infinitely greater than the universe unfolding in the precise way it did, then I want you to go drop to your knees and pray to the Great Void and thank it for THAT happy random coincidence.
Care to buy a lottery ticket? It sure looks more attractive now, doesn't it?"---Mike
I've come to much the same conclusion, and had that conclusion reinforced while helping my daughter with her Physical Science and Algebra homework. The world we live in has RULES! It seems as though we live in an ordered universe, at least as we perceive it. The atheist with his telescope or microscope or chalkboard will always miss the hand of the Creator in the natural world that he observes and uncovers, while the believer will appreciate His work. You don't have to believe in the creation myth or be a Biblical literalist to understand the brilliance of the Creator.
To be an atheist you are a believer in coincidences--THOUSANDS as a matter of fact!
People who think of Evolution as a refutation of G-d's very existence are almost childlike in the simplicity of their thought processes. For example they never stop to ask, "Is it possible that He created evolution as a means for animals to adapt and survive when the rest of nature throws us a wicked curveball?"
This morning a friend of mine, Z (from geeeeez and Mac n' Geeez) sent me this link of the renowned astrophysicist Owen Gingerich discussing the intersection of faith and the Periodic table. It's a must see!
http://meaningoflife.tv/video.php?speaker=gingerich&topic=complete
Saturday, January 9, 2010
The Republican Resurgence: A Game Plan
I wrote this in the aftermath of the bloodbath that was the general election of 2008. People are finally waking up, and we have the opportunity to inspire them with the TRUTH! The masses will never be inspired by the compromisers and the wishy washy RINOS in our party. DEFEND freedom and our freedom-based way of life and we will once again renew this country. Let us once again be the party of Reagan!
The Republican Party would be well-advised to heed the lessons of Bush v. Clinton in 1992, Dole v. Clinton in 1996, and now McCain v. Obama in 2008. When the electorate is faced with the choice between a liberal or moderate Democrat and a “moderate” Republican, they seem to prefer the real thing! They’ll pull the lever for the Democrat every time. The "independants" broke for Obama in a HUGE way on election night. They tend not to be God’s smartest creatures and will usually look for the candidate handing out the most goodies or the smoothest sounding of the two. Advantage Democrats and Barack Obama. The Republican Party threw it’s full weight behind John McCain late in the primaries, and did they EVER make a mistake!
I was never a fan of John McCain, but I gave him 14 hours or so of my time waving signs and doing other volunteer work because I understood the terrible danger of an untested socialist rookie like Barack Obama. Nine out of ten of the other volunteers I ran into told me something like this: “You know, I can’t stand John McCain, but…” All I could do was sigh, I understood that sentiment completely.
John McCain spent the first five and a half years working hard to infuriate conservatives from his position as head of the liberal Republicans (RINOS) in the Senate. He undermined the President’s judicial nominees by requiring approval from his hand picked bi-partisan group, attacked Bush’s tax cuts using left-wing populist rhetoric, fought against border security (even calling some of us “racist” for wanting to build a fence on the Mexican border), gutted the 1st Amendment with the McCain-Feingold bill, was never a friend of the 2nd Amendment until two years ago, fought to close down Guantanamo Bay while decrying the treatment of the terrorists there at the hands of our soldiers, and was a big proponent of the “Cap and Trade” system which was intended to limit global warming gases by over-taxing utilities and consumers. Drinking the global warming kool-aid is a PERFECT way to alienate smart conservative voters. John McCain would have been FAR more at home in the Democrat Party. He’s a liberal.
During the debates Barack Obama served up some huge lies, along with some hanging curveballs. While I found myself shouting out the obvious responses to Obama’s nonsense and drivel, McCain remained silent or even apologetically demured and changed the subject. A friend told me, “You’re expecting him to think the same way you do, as a Conservative.” The profundity of that statement struck me like a fist to the solar plexes. We had an imposter standing in there, pretending to be FOR tax cuts, FOR smaller government, FOR going all out to win the war on terror (remember Gitmo?), FOR conservative judicial nominees, etc.. It doesn’t surpise me at all that the answers didn’t come to him instantly, it wasn’t in his heart.
For conservatives there is a silver lining to this election night horror story. The Republicans In Name Only (RINOS) caused this electoral disaster and they will now take a back seat! Conservatism won last night everywhere it was tried on every ballot. CA and FL both had initiatives banning gay marriage that passed and MOST states had tax cutting initiatives on the ballot--which all passed--even in Massachusetts! Obama even lied like hell to people saying he was “going to cut your taxes, for 95% of the people.” He tacked towards the center on nearly every issue. Conservatism didn’t lose, but many faux Republicans certainly did pay the price for betraying conservative principles. This is a fantastic opportunity for the Republican Party to purge itself of liberalism and losing elections.
We MUST retake this party and GET RID of “compassionate conservatism” and other idiotic ideas! Conservatism is, by definition, COMPASSIONATE! We view it as compassionate when people no longer need a handout. We view it as compassionate when a formerly dependent person has the pride that goes with being a productive, tax paying member of society. We view it as compassionate and moral to give a tax cut to anyone who actually pays federal income taxes. We understand that the primary role of the Federal government is national defense, NOT income redistribution! We understand that the engine of American prosperity is the entrepreneur and the businessman, NOT the bureaucrat and his accompanying red tape.
Republicans, we have an opportunity to retake this party and return to our Reagan/Goldwater ideological roots. This is a party built on the brilliance of the Founders. We truly stand on the backs of giants: Men like George Washington, Edmund Burke, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, Milton Friedman, Friedrich Hayek, and women like Margaret Thatcher and Jean Kirkpatrick. The ideological foundation for victory is rather simple and brilliantly laid out. Will we follow this path to victory?
Or will we live through repeats of election night 2008?
The Republican Party would be well-advised to heed the lessons of Bush v. Clinton in 1992, Dole v. Clinton in 1996, and now McCain v. Obama in 2008. When the electorate is faced with the choice between a liberal or moderate Democrat and a “moderate” Republican, they seem to prefer the real thing! They’ll pull the lever for the Democrat every time. The "independants" broke for Obama in a HUGE way on election night. They tend not to be God’s smartest creatures and will usually look for the candidate handing out the most goodies or the smoothest sounding of the two. Advantage Democrats and Barack Obama. The Republican Party threw it’s full weight behind John McCain late in the primaries, and did they EVER make a mistake!
I was never a fan of John McCain, but I gave him 14 hours or so of my time waving signs and doing other volunteer work because I understood the terrible danger of an untested socialist rookie like Barack Obama. Nine out of ten of the other volunteers I ran into told me something like this: “You know, I can’t stand John McCain, but…” All I could do was sigh, I understood that sentiment completely.
John McCain spent the first five and a half years working hard to infuriate conservatives from his position as head of the liberal Republicans (RINOS) in the Senate. He undermined the President’s judicial nominees by requiring approval from his hand picked bi-partisan group, attacked Bush’s tax cuts using left-wing populist rhetoric, fought against border security (even calling some of us “racist” for wanting to build a fence on the Mexican border), gutted the 1st Amendment with the McCain-Feingold bill, was never a friend of the 2nd Amendment until two years ago, fought to close down Guantanamo Bay while decrying the treatment of the terrorists there at the hands of our soldiers, and was a big proponent of the “Cap and Trade” system which was intended to limit global warming gases by over-taxing utilities and consumers. Drinking the global warming kool-aid is a PERFECT way to alienate smart conservative voters. John McCain would have been FAR more at home in the Democrat Party. He’s a liberal.
During the debates Barack Obama served up some huge lies, along with some hanging curveballs. While I found myself shouting out the obvious responses to Obama’s nonsense and drivel, McCain remained silent or even apologetically demured and changed the subject. A friend told me, “You’re expecting him to think the same way you do, as a Conservative.” The profundity of that statement struck me like a fist to the solar plexes. We had an imposter standing in there, pretending to be FOR tax cuts, FOR smaller government, FOR going all out to win the war on terror (remember Gitmo?), FOR conservative judicial nominees, etc.. It doesn’t surpise me at all that the answers didn’t come to him instantly, it wasn’t in his heart.
For conservatives there is a silver lining to this election night horror story. The Republicans In Name Only (RINOS) caused this electoral disaster and they will now take a back seat! Conservatism won last night everywhere it was tried on every ballot. CA and FL both had initiatives banning gay marriage that passed and MOST states had tax cutting initiatives on the ballot--which all passed--even in Massachusetts! Obama even lied like hell to people saying he was “going to cut your taxes, for 95% of the people.” He tacked towards the center on nearly every issue. Conservatism didn’t lose, but many faux Republicans certainly did pay the price for betraying conservative principles. This is a fantastic opportunity for the Republican Party to purge itself of liberalism and losing elections.
We MUST retake this party and GET RID of “compassionate conservatism” and other idiotic ideas! Conservatism is, by definition, COMPASSIONATE! We view it as compassionate when people no longer need a handout. We view it as compassionate when a formerly dependent person has the pride that goes with being a productive, tax paying member of society. We view it as compassionate and moral to give a tax cut to anyone who actually pays federal income taxes. We understand that the primary role of the Federal government is national defense, NOT income redistribution! We understand that the engine of American prosperity is the entrepreneur and the businessman, NOT the bureaucrat and his accompanying red tape.
Republicans, we have an opportunity to retake this party and return to our Reagan/Goldwater ideological roots. This is a party built on the brilliance of the Founders. We truly stand on the backs of giants: Men like George Washington, Edmund Burke, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, Milton Friedman, Friedrich Hayek, and women like Margaret Thatcher and Jean Kirkpatrick. The ideological foundation for victory is rather simple and brilliantly laid out. Will we follow this path to victory?
Or will we live through repeats of election night 2008?
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