The Challenger shuttle crew on that terrible day 28 years ago was an interesting mix of people. There was an African-American, a Japanese-American, a Buddhist, a Vietnam veteran, a schoolteacher and a member of the Jewish and Bahia Faiths. Surely diversity played some part in bringing together this group of very talented individuals.
Those of us fifty years and older remember that day very well. The chaotic paths of the booster rocket smoke and water vapor plume is etched in our minds. Although most of us did not see the launch on live television we sat and watched over and over again the 73 second flight and nearly three minute fall to the ocean.
I've meditated further on it over the years. Was the disaster conveying a message to America. The first half of the decade of the eighties was a heady time. Michael J. Fox's brash and confident conservatism in his character of Alex P. Keaton led the television show Family Ties to a number 2 rating on the Nielsen list at the time of the tragedy. It has been downhill ever since.
Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait a few years later and we are still in the aftermath of that war. The Clintons have been a pox on America and the fact that people still admire Bill and Hillary is a pox on our discernment. Slowly but surely the Republican Party abandoned the heritage that Ronald Reagan left us and now a purge of Reaganites is in progress led by a motley crew of professional politicians whose idea of opposing a coup of our government is attending the State of the Union address and......frowning. Communism wasn't defeated in 1989 or 1991, it merely moved to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20006!
There is so much violence in our culture that we treat it as normal. The hedonism on television, the paganism in our 'Christian' churches and the narcissism in our addiction to social media goes undetected. If America were a human being it would be in the intensive care unit with doctors standing by helplessly as all biological functions approach cessation. And the worst of the worst? We underwent a blood transfusion where the blood shed on the cross of Calvary was replaced by a synthetic blood substitute that carries no oxygen and therefore simply takes up space.
But then again there is good news.....the Olympics are about to start. Well, actually that's a big potential problem also but the Super Bowl is in a few days, Sunday to be exact, the Lord's Day to many but Super Bowl Sunday to most.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Monday, January 27, 2014
I Have One Follower..........Redux
The following post purposely touches on a few recurring topics in this blog. One of those topics is a la carte cable. 'Bundled'
cable, as we have now, is part indoctrination (of a godless socialist
society), part deprivation (of truth) and part intoxication (of
violence, hedonism and triviality).
I Have One Follower
I was recently listening to a radio host's interview with a young singer. She mentioned in that interview that she had 1.2 million 'followers' on a social media site and I had never heard her name before. I have...one follower! The first time that I saw that I had a follower...I immediately deleted the option. Had I two followers I probably would start to panic and had I three I would probably buy a white Nehru suit and wave the jacket over people expecting them to fall over backwards. ( a la Benny Hinn)
I made the decision quite some time ago to regularly bring back older posts instead of only writing new posts. I do not expect people to read far back into my blog and there are topics I addressed that would never be read if I did not bring them back. One example of this would be the Just Send Over The Report (1/7/14) post which is an attempt to bring attention to what our State of the Union address has become, how it should be suspended indefinitely and how conservatives in Congress should protest this upcoming address. Another example would be the Wild Horses Couldn't Drag Me There post of yesterday (1/1/14). Barack Obama was given animated qualities by various Geppettos to run for president. He had lied and deceived to become our president and since bullied his own party, purged anyone who he was distrustful of, partied and golfed ad nauseam and will promenade with full pageantry in that State of the Union address under the adoring commentary of the mainstream media in yet another attempt to divert attention from his attack on our Constitution and his foreign policy blunders....if indeed they were blunders and not intentional.
Another topic that I have come back to time and again is a la carte cable television. It was my very first post in November of 2008. Break the bondage on the American family of bundled cable where we are not only forced to support programming that has been destructive to America but subsequently taken in ourselves by the multitudinous array of drivel, violence and propaganda and it will be, in my belief, a game changer!
I have written extensively on what is known as the establishment wing of the Republican Party.
This is part of the professional class of politicians who make the rules therefore stay in power election cycle after election cycle. Fundamentally there is little difference between John Boehner, John McCain and Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi as they equally condescend to their collective constituencies. (12/25/13)
I never had the desire to have people regularly come back to read my latest post. Rather, I want to reach new readers every day. Essentially, throughout this blog, my message has been this ....America has departed from God and judgment is not only near if we do not return to Him but already evident in chaos that rules every aspect of American life and government!
My message about the Christian church is that there are false teachers literally everywhere and that preaching today is anemic for lack of preaching the red blood cells on the cross at Calvary. We as individuals and America as a nation show the disastrous effects of it! (12/22/13)
I don't know that I have ever recommended an individual church or even a denomination but I have recommended various ministries particularly R. C. Sproul's Ligonier Ministry www.ligonier.org, John MacArthur's Grace To You www.gty.org and the Reformed, Lutheran and Baptist men from the White Horse Inn www.whitehorseinn.org, and I have specifically tried to encourage people to go to a unique 24/7 internet radio ministry at www.refnet.org which is from Ligonier Ministries. I've said something like this before...if you go to one of these ministries and hear the gospel for the first time, and never... ever... remember the name Special Dog then I would be very happy!
This particular post is a good example of what I try to do here. On the pretense of explaining this blog, I encouraged once again that we sit down and consider who and what is taking advantage of what has become the "tradition" of the State of the Union address. Also, a new visitor might actually consider how a la carte cable television might break the hold that the Progressive Left has on the American mind, and I reminded some that Conservatives are not going away and that the warnings from the Republican establishment that if we do not support them the Democrats will win is moot, for neither of these two entities seek America's welfare and security over their own ambitions and that the ones that do are equally disparaged by both.
I was able to recommend some places for the Christian to go to see what they have been deprived of, and for the unbeliever to go to should God be moving upon their heart, and warned the reader that God's very literal judgment upon us is long overdue... for contrary to popular belief, America is not God's nation.... is capable of forsaking him.... and indeed already has, and is subject to punishment....up to and including dismissal....to use a familiar phrase today....as a free people!!
I Have One Follower
I was recently listening to a radio host's interview with a young singer. She mentioned in that interview that she had 1.2 million 'followers' on a social media site and I had never heard her name before. I have...one follower! The first time that I saw that I had a follower...I immediately deleted the option. Had I two followers I probably would start to panic and had I three I would probably buy a white Nehru suit and wave the jacket over people expecting them to fall over backwards. ( a la Benny Hinn)
I made the decision quite some time ago to regularly bring back older posts instead of only writing new posts. I do not expect people to read far back into my blog and there are topics I addressed that would never be read if I did not bring them back. One example of this would be the Just Send Over The Report (1/7/14) post which is an attempt to bring attention to what our State of the Union address has become, how it should be suspended indefinitely and how conservatives in Congress should protest this upcoming address. Another example would be the Wild Horses Couldn't Drag Me There post of yesterday (1/1/14). Barack Obama was given animated qualities by various Geppettos to run for president. He had lied and deceived to become our president and since bullied his own party, purged anyone who he was distrustful of, partied and golfed ad nauseam and will promenade with full pageantry in that State of the Union address under the adoring commentary of the mainstream media in yet another attempt to divert attention from his attack on our Constitution and his foreign policy blunders....if indeed they were blunders and not intentional.
Another topic that I have come back to time and again is a la carte cable television. It was my very first post in November of 2008. Break the bondage on the American family of bundled cable where we are not only forced to support programming that has been destructive to America but subsequently taken in ourselves by the multitudinous array of drivel, violence and propaganda and it will be, in my belief, a game changer!
I have written extensively on what is known as the establishment wing of the Republican Party.
This is part of the professional class of politicians who make the rules therefore stay in power election cycle after election cycle. Fundamentally there is little difference between John Boehner, John McCain and Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi as they equally condescend to their collective constituencies. (12/25/13)
I never had the desire to have people regularly come back to read my latest post. Rather, I want to reach new readers every day. Essentially, throughout this blog, my message has been this ....America has departed from God and judgment is not only near if we do not return to Him but already evident in chaos that rules every aspect of American life and government!
My message about the Christian church is that there are false teachers literally everywhere and that preaching today is anemic for lack of preaching the red blood cells on the cross at Calvary. We as individuals and America as a nation show the disastrous effects of it! (12/22/13)
I don't know that I have ever recommended an individual church or even a denomination but I have recommended various ministries particularly R. C. Sproul's Ligonier Ministry www.ligonier.org, John MacArthur's Grace To You www.gty.org and the Reformed, Lutheran and Baptist men from the White Horse Inn www.whitehorseinn.org, and I have specifically tried to encourage people to go to a unique 24/7 internet radio ministry at www.refnet.org which is from Ligonier Ministries. I've said something like this before...if you go to one of these ministries and hear the gospel for the first time, and never... ever... remember the name Special Dog then I would be very happy!
This particular post is a good example of what I try to do here. On the pretense of explaining this blog, I encouraged once again that we sit down and consider who and what is taking advantage of what has become the "tradition" of the State of the Union address. Also, a new visitor might actually consider how a la carte cable television might break the hold that the Progressive Left has on the American mind, and I reminded some that Conservatives are not going away and that the warnings from the Republican establishment that if we do not support them the Democrats will win is moot, for neither of these two entities seek America's welfare and security over their own ambitions and that the ones that do are equally disparaged by both.
I was able to recommend some places for the Christian to go to see what they have been deprived of, and for the unbeliever to go to should God be moving upon their heart, and warned the reader that God's very literal judgment upon us is long overdue... for contrary to popular belief, America is not God's nation.... is capable of forsaking him.... and indeed already has, and is subject to punishment....up to and including dismissal....to use a familiar phrase today....as a free people!!
Saturday, January 25, 2014
A Horse With No Name
The horse is made ready for the day of battle
but the victory belongs to the Lord.
Throughout our history the horse that we rode on, the steed that carried us on its back, heard the voice of one master and that was Jesus Christ, as fallible men, many with worldly philosophies, held the reins and tugged left or tugged right. They, many of them once again, had the same master but knew him only as God. They had the inspiration and the perseverance, they acknowledged where it came from, who they were indebted to, and without whom they they would utterly fail, but did not know him enough to pass on the safety and security found only in him. Such is the weakness of man.
The horse is new today. It has a rider but no master. It feels the tug on the reins but has no confidence in the one who pulls those reins. It once had a name given by God. It no longer does.
That steed is still strong but its training has changed. Where it was once trained for war and for production it is now held prisoner in the arena for show or for occasional leisurely rides through a countryside.
Our victories have always belonged to the Lord. This land had long ago moved out of its place and became a continent, isolated and blessed with great natural resources, majestic mountains, fruitful plains and powerful rivers and for one purpose only....to entice a people who were not wanted where they were because they knew the benefactor of everything good, proclaimed and obeyed him, and were persecuted because of it.
The Scripture verse above is Proverbs 21:31. How can we expect victory in any endeavor when we are in the process of abandoning he whom any victory belongs? How can we expect any discernment when we give him such little time, cherishing the rest for our own entertainments? Why would we fall on our knees, why would anyone fall on their knees, when they are not aware of impending judgement?
but the victory belongs to the Lord.
Throughout our history the horse that we rode on, the steed that carried us on its back, heard the voice of one master and that was Jesus Christ, as fallible men, many with worldly philosophies, held the reins and tugged left or tugged right. They, many of them once again, had the same master but knew him only as God. They had the inspiration and the perseverance, they acknowledged where it came from, who they were indebted to, and without whom they they would utterly fail, but did not know him enough to pass on the safety and security found only in him. Such is the weakness of man.
The horse is new today. It has a rider but no master. It feels the tug on the reins but has no confidence in the one who pulls those reins. It once had a name given by God. It no longer does.
That steed is still strong but its training has changed. Where it was once trained for war and for production it is now held prisoner in the arena for show or for occasional leisurely rides through a countryside.
Our victories have always belonged to the Lord. This land had long ago moved out of its place and became a continent, isolated and blessed with great natural resources, majestic mountains, fruitful plains and powerful rivers and for one purpose only....to entice a people who were not wanted where they were because they knew the benefactor of everything good, proclaimed and obeyed him, and were persecuted because of it.
The Scripture verse above is Proverbs 21:31. How can we expect victory in any endeavor when we are in the process of abandoning he whom any victory belongs? How can we expect any discernment when we give him such little time, cherishing the rest for our own entertainments? Why would we fall on our knees, why would anyone fall on their knees, when they are not aware of impending judgement?
Safety Training For Americans
Parts of the safety training at my place of employment are very useful
tips on how to work safely. One particular rather theatrical piece of
advice hit home in more ways than one and here it is: They asked us to
name the four people who we would not want to see hurt because we had a
serious accident. It was a rhetorical question, for everyone would name
their loved ones. There was even a page in the training aids to put
their pictures so as to remind us as often as we referred to it that our
individual safety affected more than just us, as it would be equally
devastating to those we loved most. This comes into play also as we look
out for the safety of those who work with us, as we were offered an
additional aid; if we should see a co-worker in a position that
compromises his safety we are to get his attention, signal the problem
that he may not see, and then hold up four fingers which he would
immediately recognize as the danger that he was putting his loved ones
into along with himself. I liked the whole concept although it wasn't
the first time that we were reminded that individual safety did not mean
that pain and suffering would only be to the individual..
I've used this same concept, concern for our loved ones, in more than a few posts over the past five years and I'm going to repeat it here in stark and graphic terms. I'm lifting up four fingers to you in this post. Please think of those four people that you love and that you would do anything for, for there's nothing that you wouldn't do for them. Or is there?
Best case scenario? Their future will be in a country with little or no liberty or freedoms. The state will essentially run their lives. Education will be stifling instead of exhilarating, law will just be a term that Progressives abuse to stay in power and marriage will be nothing more than a politically correct tax status. In a worst case scenario, which is more likely, America will lie in ruins.
This may sound ridiculous to you and if so you have missed the forest for the trees in the chaos that literally rules our society, our culture and our government. America's defenses are pockmarked from the pox that has eaten up our heritage, our traditions and our greatest strength that being our belief and reverence towards our Creator. A big job and money in the bank will be of no help in these situations.
The evidence is there in the newspaper, on radio and television and in bookstores but there is something clouding our discernment and that is the extraordinary entertainments and intoxicating technology that leaves us no room for meditation let alone analyzing. We are literally at the precipice and our attention has to be focused on, not the problems but the causes, the primary cause being the deleterious representation of God that we slowly but surely fashioned in our own minds, a God who demands nothing, expects nothing, and is impotent or indifferent to cause us any real trouble even if he did.
The safety of our loved ones is at stake. Surely that's enough to at least consider the debate raging in America primarily on the radio waves, in bookstores and from pulpits whose preachers see themselves as pilgrims on the way to the Celestial City. and not prophets of peace where there is no peace.
I've used this same concept, concern for our loved ones, in more than a few posts over the past five years and I'm going to repeat it here in stark and graphic terms. I'm lifting up four fingers to you in this post. Please think of those four people that you love and that you would do anything for, for there's nothing that you wouldn't do for them. Or is there?
Best case scenario? Their future will be in a country with little or no liberty or freedoms. The state will essentially run their lives. Education will be stifling instead of exhilarating, law will just be a term that Progressives abuse to stay in power and marriage will be nothing more than a politically correct tax status. In a worst case scenario, which is more likely, America will lie in ruins.
This may sound ridiculous to you and if so you have missed the forest for the trees in the chaos that literally rules our society, our culture and our government. America's defenses are pockmarked from the pox that has eaten up our heritage, our traditions and our greatest strength that being our belief and reverence towards our Creator. A big job and money in the bank will be of no help in these situations.
The evidence is there in the newspaper, on radio and television and in bookstores but there is something clouding our discernment and that is the extraordinary entertainments and intoxicating technology that leaves us no room for meditation let alone analyzing. We are literally at the precipice and our attention has to be focused on, not the problems but the causes, the primary cause being the deleterious representation of God that we slowly but surely fashioned in our own minds, a God who demands nothing, expects nothing, and is impotent or indifferent to cause us any real trouble even if he did.
The safety of our loved ones is at stake. Surely that's enough to at least consider the debate raging in America primarily on the radio waves, in bookstores and from pulpits whose preachers see themselves as pilgrims on the way to the Celestial City. and not prophets of peace where there is no peace.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
55 Million......
Two different headlines from today's Drudge Report referred to the number 55 Million.
One headline read "55 Million Abortions Since Roe." This nation that we love has legally sanctioned the taking of 55 million lives. We have a tendency of putting this in the back of our minds, as if we are telling ourselves that 'other people' did this, but when we talk about America in a descriptive sense, as the leader of the free world or as the greatest nation on this planet, then the 55 million should be included in the criteria in making these assessments.
I referenced Erwin Lutzer in a post only a few days ago from his book When A Nation Forgets God that Nazi Germany, through its laws, had rendered Jewish people as non-persons therefore legitimizing the gas chambers. Have we not done the same thing with babies in the womb.
The second headline from Drudge was 56 Million Watch Game in which the accompanying article reported that 55.9 million people had watched the NFC Championship game, and this on what America once reverenced as The Lord's Day! What if instead there were 55 million Americans yesterday weeping over what our nation has become, pleading with God for personal and corporate forgiveness, calling out to Him for mercies undeserved? What if 55 million Americans pledged not to vote for any candidate who did not recognize God's sovereignty in not only our lives and our nation but even the world? What if 55 million Christians went up to their pastor after yesterday's worship service and pleaded that the cross of Christ be preached for therein is 'the power of God and the wisdom of God" as Paul proclaimed in his 1st letter to the Corinthians.
It was also reported today that Apple's final quarter of 2013 should show as many as 55 million unit sales of its iPhone. Erwin Lutzer used the phrase "cultural streams' to describe the current and content of American life but David wrote of a different 'stream' in the 23rd Psalm:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil;
my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
One headline read "55 Million Abortions Since Roe." This nation that we love has legally sanctioned the taking of 55 million lives. We have a tendency of putting this in the back of our minds, as if we are telling ourselves that 'other people' did this, but when we talk about America in a descriptive sense, as the leader of the free world or as the greatest nation on this planet, then the 55 million should be included in the criteria in making these assessments.
I referenced Erwin Lutzer in a post only a few days ago from his book When A Nation Forgets God that Nazi Germany, through its laws, had rendered Jewish people as non-persons therefore legitimizing the gas chambers. Have we not done the same thing with babies in the womb.
The second headline from Drudge was 56 Million Watch Game in which the accompanying article reported that 55.9 million people had watched the NFC Championship game, and this on what America once reverenced as The Lord's Day! What if instead there were 55 million Americans yesterday weeping over what our nation has become, pleading with God for personal and corporate forgiveness, calling out to Him for mercies undeserved? What if 55 million Americans pledged not to vote for any candidate who did not recognize God's sovereignty in not only our lives and our nation but even the world? What if 55 million Christians went up to their pastor after yesterday's worship service and pleaded that the cross of Christ be preached for therein is 'the power of God and the wisdom of God" as Paul proclaimed in his 1st letter to the Corinthians.
It was also reported today that Apple's final quarter of 2013 should show as many as 55 million unit sales of its iPhone. Erwin Lutzer used the phrase "cultural streams' to describe the current and content of American life but David wrote of a different 'stream' in the 23rd Psalm:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil;
my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Monday, January 13, 2014
From Robert Bork To Ted Cruz
Pittsburgh born Robert Bork was one of the finest jurists of his generation. He was an originalist in that he believed that words should be interpreted as the writer(s) of those words intended them. He was nominated by Ronald Reagan to the Supreme Court in 1987 and treated viciously in his nomination hearings by a culture that interprets other's words as it sees fit. Justice Anthony Kennedy eventually filled the empty seat on our Supreme Court. The most famous attack on Judge Bork came from Ted Kennedy and here is part of what he accused Robert Bork of in those hearings..."Robert Bork's America is a land in which women would be forced into back alley abortions, blacks would sit at segregated lunch counters, rogue police could break down citizen's doors in midnight raids, schoolchildren could not be taught about evolution, writers and artists could be censored at the whim of the Government, and the doors of the Federal courts would be shut on the fingers of millions of citizens for whom the judiciary is...." None of this was true but it didn't matter for this was....and is....politics. As Robert Bork was enduring character assassination his wife passed Ted Kennedy in a Capitol hallway, one written account had the Senator say to her "Mrs. Bork, you must be so tired. It's a difficult time, I know. I hope you understand it's nothing personal."
The following are portions of an earlier post and relevant to the above:
Usually, when I go four or five days without a new post it's because I have been down with something and such was the case again this time. There was a blessing though, as there also usually is, in that I could just lay there and listen to most of Senator Ted Cruz's 21 hour and 19 minute speech, or filibuster if you will, to Senate seats...and to America. It was not only American history being written, it was one of the great oratorical stands in our history, a history with the likes of Patrick Henry.
I don't know if we have time to right this ship of state. If I were to guess it would be that we do not, that our presumption upon God's longsuffering with our rebellion has long since reached its limit, for His judgments upon us have already started, the greatest being that more often than not we cannot even distinguish good from evil nor right from wrong let alone choose between the two........To those of you outside of the United States, and there are quite a few who visit this blog, you are witnessing from afar somewhat of a second American Revolution, the rebels being.... freedom and liberty loving Americans with a reverential fear of Almighty God, needing only the heat of the cauldron turned up for the dross of our past sins to rise to the top leaving us dripping in the sweat of pure humility so that we might more fully seek mercy as a nation and forgiveness as individuals. Whether we rise or fall, the hold of the Republican Establishment Class is broken and though when all is said and done that they may win here, there will someday be, should God will it, another crossing of the Delaware, and they and their political consultant class of mercenaries will lose that hold that stifles participation in our republic and fails to defend or even warn.
The censure, ridicule and recriminations towards Senator Cruz continue but the spell is broken. The more that they lambast good men and women...the louder and clearer they make it evident to Americans that it was they themselves that failed time and again.... over decades, and that they have long since sold their birthright for a mess of pottage. They can cut the legs out from men like Ted Cruz but will see that he still towers over them on his knees, and they can belittle us from their bully pulpits but may find that Oliver Cromwell's words ring true even today "I had rather have a plain, russet-coated Captain, that knows what he fights for, and loves what he knows, than that you call a Gentleman and is nothing else."
The following are portions of an earlier post and relevant to the above:
Usually, when I go four or five days without a new post it's because I have been down with something and such was the case again this time. There was a blessing though, as there also usually is, in that I could just lay there and listen to most of Senator Ted Cruz's 21 hour and 19 minute speech, or filibuster if you will, to Senate seats...and to America. It was not only American history being written, it was one of the great oratorical stands in our history, a history with the likes of Patrick Henry.
I don't know if we have time to right this ship of state. If I were to guess it would be that we do not, that our presumption upon God's longsuffering with our rebellion has long since reached its limit, for His judgments upon us have already started, the greatest being that more often than not we cannot even distinguish good from evil nor right from wrong let alone choose between the two........To those of you outside of the United States, and there are quite a few who visit this blog, you are witnessing from afar somewhat of a second American Revolution, the rebels being.... freedom and liberty loving Americans with a reverential fear of Almighty God, needing only the heat of the cauldron turned up for the dross of our past sins to rise to the top leaving us dripping in the sweat of pure humility so that we might more fully seek mercy as a nation and forgiveness as individuals. Whether we rise or fall, the hold of the Republican Establishment Class is broken and though when all is said and done that they may win here, there will someday be, should God will it, another crossing of the Delaware, and they and their political consultant class of mercenaries will lose that hold that stifles participation in our republic and fails to defend or even warn.
The censure, ridicule and recriminations towards Senator Cruz continue but the spell is broken. The more that they lambast good men and women...the louder and clearer they make it evident to Americans that it was they themselves that failed time and again.... over decades, and that they have long since sold their birthright for a mess of pottage. They can cut the legs out from men like Ted Cruz but will see that he still towers over them on his knees, and they can belittle us from their bully pulpits but may find that Oliver Cromwell's words ring true even today "I had rather have a plain, russet-coated Captain, that knows what he fights for, and loves what he knows, than that you call a Gentleman and is nothing else."
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Israel
I would like to expound just a little bit on a comment from yesterday's post, a post which was originally written in August of 2011. That comment on Glenn Beck about Israel was this, that he often displays "a near worship of Israel." This can often also be said about Evangelicals in general.
Israel is an ally to the United States. Is our relationship one of complete trust? No, but this is because Israel has always been and probably always will be the number one political target in the world. They are convinced that they cannot totally depend on anyone and the Obama administration has proved them out on this. They are hated because they are Jews. If they make mistakes the mistakes are exaggerated, embellished upon and often turned into lies. When they make compromises with their enemy, which has been often, it is ignored as if it is too little and too late.
Former Israeli Major General and former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon died yesterday after living the last eight years in a coma. Sharon was a brilliant military strategist and a strong leader of Israel's government. I pondered his physical condition many times over the past eight years. He had been expected to be returned to the office of Prime Minister again before he suffered a stroke.
I watched a long and in-depth interview with Sharon tonight on C-SPAN and he responded to a question on his religiousness with "I am not religious. I am a Jew." He wasn't saying that Jews are not religious but that his Jewishness was the primary descriptive of his being. This is, in essence, Israel today.
I do believe, from Scripture, that God will move mightily and in many ways concerning Israel in the 'last' of the last days. God will bring this about....not us. We may not even be around. As a government we have to do what is right and 'right' means to hate evil and love good. Israel, as well as America, may not qualify as 'good' and the Palestinian leadership may not qualify as "evil' but there is indeed evil over there. If we do not oppose it.....we encourage it.....and it will eventually come after us. Keeping one's promises is part of doing what is right. Our promise was to stand with Israel. Speaking truth is part of what is right and we have not done that with Israel over the past five years.
I am and have always been a supporter of the nation of Israel. I admire its tenacity and strength. I also fear for them and I fear for their culture that they also might be in danger of falling from within, from a lack of discernment, from the lack of decisiveness, from a dalliance with hedonism. God is in control of their future as well as ours.
Israel has more than one divide...ultra-Orthodox and secular, but overall it is not basing its existence or its protection on the hand of the God of the Torah. God has not established nor protected them thus far because of their faithfulness but because of His plan for the nations as well as His plan for them. If we support Israel because of something that does not exist, their faithfulness to God, then we are setting ourselves up for more error, egregious error. If we support Israel because it is the right thing to do then we are doing what is right in the eyes of God.
Israel is an ally to the United States. Is our relationship one of complete trust? No, but this is because Israel has always been and probably always will be the number one political target in the world. They are convinced that they cannot totally depend on anyone and the Obama administration has proved them out on this. They are hated because they are Jews. If they make mistakes the mistakes are exaggerated, embellished upon and often turned into lies. When they make compromises with their enemy, which has been often, it is ignored as if it is too little and too late.
Former Israeli Major General and former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon died yesterday after living the last eight years in a coma. Sharon was a brilliant military strategist and a strong leader of Israel's government. I pondered his physical condition many times over the past eight years. He had been expected to be returned to the office of Prime Minister again before he suffered a stroke.
I watched a long and in-depth interview with Sharon tonight on C-SPAN and he responded to a question on his religiousness with "I am not religious. I am a Jew." He wasn't saying that Jews are not religious but that his Jewishness was the primary descriptive of his being. This is, in essence, Israel today.
I do believe, from Scripture, that God will move mightily and in many ways concerning Israel in the 'last' of the last days. God will bring this about....not us. We may not even be around. As a government we have to do what is right and 'right' means to hate evil and love good. Israel, as well as America, may not qualify as 'good' and the Palestinian leadership may not qualify as "evil' but there is indeed evil over there. If we do not oppose it.....we encourage it.....and it will eventually come after us. Keeping one's promises is part of doing what is right. Our promise was to stand with Israel. Speaking truth is part of what is right and we have not done that with Israel over the past five years.
I am and have always been a supporter of the nation of Israel. I admire its tenacity and strength. I also fear for them and I fear for their culture that they also might be in danger of falling from within, from a lack of discernment, from the lack of decisiveness, from a dalliance with hedonism. God is in control of their future as well as ours.
Israel has more than one divide...ultra-Orthodox and secular, but overall it is not basing its existence or its protection on the hand of the God of the Torah. God has not established nor protected them thus far because of their faithfulness but because of His plan for the nations as well as His plan for them. If we support Israel because of something that does not exist, their faithfulness to God, then we are setting ourselves up for more error, egregious error. If we support Israel because it is the right thing to do then we are doing what is right in the eyes of God.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Facebook President......Redux
Excerpts from a book soon to be released by former Obama Secretary of Defense and George W. Bush holdover Robert Gates details how, in his words, "the White House tightly controlled every aspect of national security policy and even operations." His instructions to the Pentagon were "Don't give the White House staff and [national security staff] too much information on the military options. They don't understand it and 'experts' like Samantha Power will decide when we should move militarily." He used the phrase "surprising as well as dismaying" upon hearing Barack Obama and then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton admit in front of him that their opposition to the 2007 surge in Iraq was "political."
I thought from the beginning that Barack Obama's choice of Robert Gates to continue as Secretary of Defense was a political move but never quite understood why he would accept the invitation. He should have taken more seriously the warnings on Barack Obama as he would later comment to a friend "People have no idea how much I detest this job." The book is titled Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War.
The Senate confirmed Janet Yellen as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, a position sometimes referred to as the second most powerful person in the world. Our economy, inflated by "phony money" as David Stockman described it, will now be led by an academic and possibly an even greater stimulus and bailout advocate. Republicans voting for Ms. Yellen were Senators Alexander, Ayotte, Burr, Chambliss, Coats, Coburn, Collins, Corker, Flake, Kirk and Murkowski.
The following post is from February of last year and following that is a recent post on one tradition that we can do without!
Facebook President
The 44th President of the United States lives within a world of virtual reality...a SimCity that he plays at.... a Marxist in Wonderland. He has constructed an economy that is disastrous in the real world but he's not in the real world so it doesn't matter. He has armies that he can play with and Monopoly money to give away. He writes his own rules on a computer and shares his design with the news media that dutifully reports on what a wonderful country he is constructing. The template calls for enemies and a constitution but they're not real. Putin isn't real, nor is Ahmadinejad, nor is Kim Jong-Un, nor the Chinese juggernaut that almost owns us. And as for the Constitution...a Manifesto would be so much easier to build around! Budgets are no fun but taxes are because they keep the game going. You can customize your own Defense Department or Justice Department or the Supreme Court!
There's no such thing as truth in a game like this, not even appearances, but nobody's really listening anyway, they're only looking at the colorful graphics. I'm not trying to be cute here. Even Bob Woodward sees madness in this simulated Presidency. Nothing is real in Barack Obama's world, not his time as a constitutional law professor, not as a United States Senator, nor as a candidate for President. They were merely roles that he played and is playing. And the citizenry? Half have friended Barack Obama while the rest of us are aghast at the madness of it all. Our enemies are real and they know what is going on in our government more than many if not most Americans. One last thing that is real...the One who blessed this nation, who has been longsuffering towards us and who warns us. The One who has given us all the directions that we need, not in graphics but in written words that are to be read, to be preached and to be heeded.
Just Send Over The Report
The 2014 State Of The Union Address is scheduled for Tuesday January 28th. For the past few years I wrote a post in advance of that speech calling for Republicans to use that opportunity to protest by either refusing to applaud anything said from that throne or even better... to refuse to attend. I hope to bring this post back regularly, should the Lord will it, over the next month. Please think ahead on this! Barack Obama, the man who is systematically and deceptively tearing this nation apart, both within and without, will once again take advantage of the State Of The Union address and, with the media concealing everything about him and revealing none of his schemes, will take over all of the main networks to give him yet another opportunity to deceive those who do not really care what he is doing as long as he fulfills his bargain and gives them what they want for themselves. The Establishment brand of Republican will grumble for the cameras but have a good time afterwards. We should suspend this speech until such time that we have a president, either Democrat, Republican or another party, who we can at least trust his/her words. Even then the pomp and circumstance of this speech should be done away with forever.
Article II, Section 3 of our Constitution states of our President, He shall from time to time give to Congress Information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient. The President is not required to appear in person and give a speech. In fact, President Thomas Jefferson refused to give this report as a speech for he considered it too close to the Speech from the Throne in the monarchical traditions.
We are ten months past the last State of the Union address where Barack Obama was feted with applause once again but we are now openly in the midst of a coup where every day, every hour, every minute, even every second, more Americans are becoming aware of it.
I'll give one very recent quote from a Democrat Senator on Harry Reid's new filibuster rule..."There's no reason that changing this to majority rule on appointments will create ill will.....people of good will find ways to work together here." In a way he is right. The filibuster change alone would not be enough to demand an open rebellion, but add to that a purge within the military, a consigliore in the Justice Department, disdain for allies and subservience to enemies, golfing and shooting hoops while America sinks in the muck and mire of a politicized everything, czars directing whole agencies in scripts out of Atlas Shrugged and enough lying and spying to choke uncle Joe Stalin himself.....yes, add to this filibuster cohorts in the media marching in lockstep, judges sent out to do what armies could never do, domestic military preparations to control an unwilling citizenry and bribes in the form of dispensations to the biggest lie of all....the Affordable Healthcare Act.....and it is more than enough and way past time that Republicans formally refuse to shake the hand that shreds our Constitution.
Note: Two days after this post John Boehner invited Barack Obama to give the State Of The Union Address on January 28th with these words: "....we welcome an opportunity to hear your ideas, particularly for putting Americans back to work. It's my honor to invite you to speak before a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, January 28, 2014 in the House Chamber of the U. S. Capitol Building."
I'll give one very recent quote from a Democrat Senator on Harry Reid's new filibuster rule..."There's no reason that changing this to majority rule on appointments will create ill will.....people of good will find ways to work together here." In a way he is right. The filibuster change alone would not be enough to demand an open rebellion, but add to that a purge within the military, a consigliore in the Justice Department, disdain for allies and subservience to enemies, golfing and shooting hoops while America sinks in the muck and mire of a politicized everything, czars directing whole agencies in scripts out of Atlas Shrugged and enough lying and spying to choke uncle Joe Stalin himself.....yes, add to this filibuster cohorts in the media marching in lockstep, judges sent out to do what armies could never do, domestic military preparations to control an unwilling citizenry and bribes in the form of dispensations to the biggest lie of all....the Affordable Healthcare Act.....and it is more than enough and way past time that Republicans formally refuse to shake the hand that shreds our Constitution.
Note: Two days after this post John Boehner invited Barack Obama to give the State Of The Union Address on January 28th with these words: "....we welcome an opportunity to hear your ideas, particularly for putting Americans back to work. It's my honor to invite you to speak before a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, January 28, 2014 in the House Chamber of the U. S. Capitol Building."
Sunday, January 5, 2014
A Song And A Hymn
O beautiful for spacious skies,
for amber waves of grain,
for purple mountain majesties
above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee
and crown thy hood with brotherhood
from sea to shining sea.
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness.
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw.
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law.
O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
and every gain divine.
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.
The words and music to this consummate patriotic American song were written by Katharine Lee Bates and Samuel A. Ward respectively. The America of popular culture today challenges the meanings of nearly every line. The following is part of a post from March of 2011. Following this are words to a hymn written by John Newton. The song is temporal in importance; that of the hymn is eternal. The glory of the song will fade. The glory to He whom the hymn praises is imperishable. The words of the song could have never been written without mercies written of in the hymn extended. Tomorrow is another Lord's Day. May God awaken us out of our stupor that we might live and exist only to bring Him glory!
America, America....God Mend Thine Every Flaw
for amber waves of grain,
for purple mountain majesties
above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee
and crown thy hood with brotherhood
from sea to shining sea.
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness.
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw.
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law.
O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
and every gain divine.
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.
The words and music to this consummate patriotic American song were written by Katharine Lee Bates and Samuel A. Ward respectively. The America of popular culture today challenges the meanings of nearly every line. The following is part of a post from March of 2011. Following this are words to a hymn written by John Newton. The song is temporal in importance; that of the hymn is eternal. The glory of the song will fade. The glory to He whom the hymn praises is imperishable. The words of the song could have never been written without mercies written of in the hymn extended. Tomorrow is another Lord's Day. May God awaken us out of our stupor that we might live and exist only to bring Him glory!
America, America....God Mend Thine Every Flaw
Not since the Civil War has America been imperiled as it is today. The national debt can never be paid down. We are so globally intertwined that even if we straightened out our own economic paths, we are handcuffed to others who have no desire to do so. China, no friend to us whatsoever, at least their civilian and military leadership, can bring us down if they want to and if their own current events go south they may implement this option. Israel is surrounded and its enemies, like a pack of wolves or shiver of sharks, need only the smell of blood to unleash another war. Russia (Putin) would sell our enemies the noose to hang us. Both China and Russia are building their militaries while we are weakening ours. Our media, in the main, hates conservative principles, our traditions and heritage to such an extent that the Marxist Bill Ayers/Saul Alinsky cabal has a veritable free rein in propagandizing a postmodern, politically correct, idol craving culture. Our borders are porous, bureaucrats legislate and privileges are now seen as rights. The events of 9/11 even pale in comparison to the organized effort today on every level to bring us down. Yet with all these dangers, and many more, the President of this besieged nation golfs on weekends, parties at night and has shown today that he is more informed and interested in picking the winners in March Madness then any of the aforementioned problems, and other problems, any one of which can send this world into a tailspin.
I wrote in a November 13, 2009 post titled America...The Beautiful that "We know who built this nation. They were in the pulpits, pews and courts, on farms and in the cities, under pilgrim, tricorn and coonskin caps, Civil War kepis, Cavalry hats, helmets and berets. They cooked and sewed and drove rivets when needed. They wore blue and grey, G. I. Brown, navy white, air force blue, jungle and desert camo." Heroes are born in the cauldron of trying times and we are seeing them again today........How about the Christian women who, in their limited free time, would rather read of Ruth and Orpah than watch Ellen and Oprah; Christian fathers whose children see them thanking God before every meal, faithful pastors who say you can keep the crowds, I'll preach Christ and seek the approval of the crowds of witnesses gone on before; of those teachers whose first priority is still the children; of conservatives on university campuses who are too bright to be scammed; of every country music singer that sings of God, family and country; of every retiree who did their part and now shares their wisdom; of every union member who says I'll fight for what is right and not for what isn't; of every janitor at a Tea Party who is a giant compared to the executive who would rather be on the golf course, and of our military in every mess hall and PX, behind every desk or 50mm gun-wearing private stripes or brass?
These are only some of our heroes. This nation may not survive. Why God has not ended this experiment as of now is the real mystery but even if we do, there will be a remnant giving glory to God for past mercies given to us that we might help others.
Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me...
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
T'was grace that taught my heart to fear,
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares,
we have already come.
Twas Grace that brought us safe thus far,
and Grace will lead us home.
The Lord hash promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
a life of joy and peace.
When we've been here ten thousand years,
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise,
then when we've first begun.
I wrote in a November 13, 2009 post titled America...The Beautiful that "We know who built this nation. They were in the pulpits, pews and courts, on farms and in the cities, under pilgrim, tricorn and coonskin caps, Civil War kepis, Cavalry hats, helmets and berets. They cooked and sewed and drove rivets when needed. They wore blue and grey, G. I. Brown, navy white, air force blue, jungle and desert camo." Heroes are born in the cauldron of trying times and we are seeing them again today........How about the Christian women who, in their limited free time, would rather read of Ruth and Orpah than watch Ellen and Oprah; Christian fathers whose children see them thanking God before every meal, faithful pastors who say you can keep the crowds, I'll preach Christ and seek the approval of the crowds of witnesses gone on before; of those teachers whose first priority is still the children; of conservatives on university campuses who are too bright to be scammed; of every country music singer that sings of God, family and country; of every retiree who did their part and now shares their wisdom; of every union member who says I'll fight for what is right and not for what isn't; of every janitor at a Tea Party who is a giant compared to the executive who would rather be on the golf course, and of our military in every mess hall and PX, behind every desk or 50mm gun-wearing private stripes or brass?
These are only some of our heroes. This nation may not survive. Why God has not ended this experiment as of now is the real mystery but even if we do, there will be a remnant giving glory to God for past mercies given to us that we might help others.
Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me...
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
T'was grace that taught my heart to fear,
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares,
we have already come.
Twas Grace that brought us safe thus far,
and Grace will lead us home.
The Lord hash promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
a life of joy and peace.
When we've been here ten thousand years,
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise,
then when we've first begun.
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Terror, Thy Name Is Jesus.......Redux
It was late 2001, possibly early 2002, and I was part of a cohort of 30 or so students pursuing a degree in Higher Education. Class time often turned into open conversation on the topic at hand. We all got along well and it was really an ideal setting for discussion. I not only cannot remember the topic of the day but I can't even remember the class for we all travelled the same curriculum. I do remember this, I stood up and gave a little soliloquy with a strong caveat. Something ominous and terrible was happening in America. There was a divide occurring that was not normal politics. I could see it creeping in and feel it smothering our heritage as a God-fearing people.....but no one else could sense my alarm. Well that feeling proved correct.
I don't know if the word zeitgeist is the best to use here but there is a spirit of the times rising up today.... a fog... as warm vapors from the cesspools of our minds meets our calculating cold-heartedness that replaced love and respect for our fellow man. Such a spirit hates God and only dissipates when His light dispels the darkness. And that is the battle behind the world's and our nation's problems...light vs. darkness! The following post is almost four years old.
November 9, 2009
In the late 1950s America was transfixed by the phenomenon of the Hula Hoop. It would take something on the level of the iPhone to do that today. It was a simpler time, for all we had to worry about was megaton hydrogen bomb laden ballistic missiles being sent our way. We have since lost our moorings in America and our ship of state is drifting aimlessly amongst the shoals. Our moorings were tied to belief in and dependence upon God, and we were kept safe. We are not safe today. We are at the mercy of those who have no mercy. We cannot come to consensus on how to deal with those who walk among us and want to destroy us. We are so conflicted in our own national conscience that we often cannot even punish a serial killer. Yet.... Terror, thy name is Jesus and thy weapon is truth. We will make laws to protect us from you. We will isolate those whom you send to us. We will ban your book. You have disquieted us, your words upset us. We do not recognize your holiness. You are not our king. We will not pay you homage. You are not our God for there is no God. We were your slaves but now we are free. If you desire to live here, you will do our bidding. This is not the proclamation of everyone in America, not even of the majority but it is a proclamation that is placarded in our universities, and on the marquis of our theaters. It is the lapel pin on our business suits and hoisted up on our flagpoles but it is not buoyant and those who cling to it as the ship sinks beneath the raging waves will perish. Even as Gideon needed way-tokens, I need them also. I rejoice in my weakness for I see so clearly how a man's perceived strength without God is a pitiful state to be in.
I don't know if the word zeitgeist is the best to use here but there is a spirit of the times rising up today.... a fog... as warm vapors from the cesspools of our minds meets our calculating cold-heartedness that replaced love and respect for our fellow man. Such a spirit hates God and only dissipates when His light dispels the darkness. And that is the battle behind the world's and our nation's problems...light vs. darkness! The following post is almost four years old.
November 9, 2009
In the late 1950s America was transfixed by the phenomenon of the Hula Hoop. It would take something on the level of the iPhone to do that today. It was a simpler time, for all we had to worry about was megaton hydrogen bomb laden ballistic missiles being sent our way. We have since lost our moorings in America and our ship of state is drifting aimlessly amongst the shoals. Our moorings were tied to belief in and dependence upon God, and we were kept safe. We are not safe today. We are at the mercy of those who have no mercy. We cannot come to consensus on how to deal with those who walk among us and want to destroy us. We are so conflicted in our own national conscience that we often cannot even punish a serial killer. Yet.... Terror, thy name is Jesus and thy weapon is truth. We will make laws to protect us from you. We will isolate those whom you send to us. We will ban your book. You have disquieted us, your words upset us. We do not recognize your holiness. You are not our king. We will not pay you homage. You are not our God for there is no God. We were your slaves but now we are free. If you desire to live here, you will do our bidding. This is not the proclamation of everyone in America, not even of the majority but it is a proclamation that is placarded in our universities, and on the marquis of our theaters. It is the lapel pin on our business suits and hoisted up on our flagpoles but it is not buoyant and those who cling to it as the ship sinks beneath the raging waves will perish. Even as Gideon needed way-tokens, I need them also. I rejoice in my weakness for I see so clearly how a man's perceived strength without God is a pitiful state to be in.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Wild Horses Couldn't Drag Me There
In four weeks President Obama will appear in the hallway outside of the House Chamber as members of our Congress and other dignitaries chat and laugh as they wait for the announcement from the Sergeant-at-Arms "Mister Speaker, the President of the United States." Barack Obama will take full advantage of the moment as he slowly walks the isle to raucous applause from the Democrat side of the isle and reserved applause from the Republican side of the isle, shaking hands stretched out to him and giving hugs. At least that is how it normally transpires at the State of the Union Address. It's my hope that this year it will be different but admittedly there's not much evidence that a rebellion is brewing.
Donald Wolfensberger is a senior scholar of public policy at the Wilson Center, an independent research thinktank. He wrote a few years ago to begin a paper from the Congress Project, "It is fitting to consider the relationship between the executive and legislative branches," and then focused on the "small but symbolic intersection of the president's annual State of the Union address." After mentioning as I had done in earlier posts that Thomas Jefferson refused to give the required report on the State of the Union as a speech because it "smacked too much of the monarch's Speech from the Throne' at the opening of Parliament," he added this "While I previously dismissed Jefferson's decision as an overreaction, this year, for the first time, it struck me that he may have been right. Perhaps I had been so blinded by the pageantry and entertainment value of this annual state ritual that I never clearly saw how much it diminishes Congress. It really is a vestige of 'the imperial presidency's', so derided by scholars and others in the last century." Donald Wolfensberger agrees with me in part but not in totality and certainly not for the same reasons. He's more opposed to the "stentorian proclamation of the House Sergeant-at-Arms" and the general "fawning" over the President whereas I see a far different and greater problem. Others will point to this annual event as simply being a respectful gesture to our president. I could have agreed with this for maybe this president's first or second year but there has been no respect given our Constitution, our laws or our heritage and not only is there no sign that this will change there is more than abundant evidence that we have only seen the beginning!
How does one, I'm speaking of a member of Congress here, applaud this president, albeit reservedly, as he systematically erodes the authority of our Constitution, weakens our military and whose policies literally work against our national security while emboldening our enemies and the enemies of our allies? How does one hold in what must be the temptation to challenge the lies and the deceit that will emanate from the podium during the speech? How does one put the unmitigated disaster of Obamacare out of his mind, or Benghazi, or the cavalier attitude that puts him constantly on the golf course or courtside of a basketball game when other presidents pushed their health to the limits in far lesser emergencies, both foreign and domestic, than we have today? And then how does one dispense with the frowns after the television cameras are gone and socialize and shake the hands of those who refuse to put their country over their own political fortunes? I'm asking this here of conservatives for I know very well how the professional class of the Republican Establishment does it for they are all part of the UniParty that Professor Angelo Codevilla identifies four posts previous to this.
How does the conservative member of Congress do this? Wild horse couldn't drag me there.
Donald Wolfensberger is a senior scholar of public policy at the Wilson Center, an independent research thinktank. He wrote a few years ago to begin a paper from the Congress Project, "It is fitting to consider the relationship between the executive and legislative branches," and then focused on the "small but symbolic intersection of the president's annual State of the Union address." After mentioning as I had done in earlier posts that Thomas Jefferson refused to give the required report on the State of the Union as a speech because it "smacked too much of the monarch's Speech from the Throne' at the opening of Parliament," he added this "While I previously dismissed Jefferson's decision as an overreaction, this year, for the first time, it struck me that he may have been right. Perhaps I had been so blinded by the pageantry and entertainment value of this annual state ritual that I never clearly saw how much it diminishes Congress. It really is a vestige of 'the imperial presidency's', so derided by scholars and others in the last century." Donald Wolfensberger agrees with me in part but not in totality and certainly not for the same reasons. He's more opposed to the "stentorian proclamation of the House Sergeant-at-Arms" and the general "fawning" over the President whereas I see a far different and greater problem. Others will point to this annual event as simply being a respectful gesture to our president. I could have agreed with this for maybe this president's first or second year but there has been no respect given our Constitution, our laws or our heritage and not only is there no sign that this will change there is more than abundant evidence that we have only seen the beginning!
How does one, I'm speaking of a member of Congress here, applaud this president, albeit reservedly, as he systematically erodes the authority of our Constitution, weakens our military and whose policies literally work against our national security while emboldening our enemies and the enemies of our allies? How does one hold in what must be the temptation to challenge the lies and the deceit that will emanate from the podium during the speech? How does one put the unmitigated disaster of Obamacare out of his mind, or Benghazi, or the cavalier attitude that puts him constantly on the golf course or courtside of a basketball game when other presidents pushed their health to the limits in far lesser emergencies, both foreign and domestic, than we have today? And then how does one dispense with the frowns after the television cameras are gone and socialize and shake the hands of those who refuse to put their country over their own political fortunes? I'm asking this here of conservatives for I know very well how the professional class of the Republican Establishment does it for they are all part of the UniParty that Professor Angelo Codevilla identifies four posts previous to this.
How does the conservative member of Congress do this? Wild horse couldn't drag me there.
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