G's Political Observations and Thoughts

My history and political position:

1. I voted Republican from the time I was 18 years old “faithfully” for 35 years at all levels – local, state and federal - never voted for a Democrat.
2. I believed what I was being told about Republicans advocating limited government, humble foreign policy, pro-life, and fiscal conservatism (aka balanced budgets) and freedom.
3. Government got exponentially larger and more intrusive into ALL aspects of life and business.
4. We now have continuous wars (some waged by ONLY the president).
5. We are still killing over a million babies a year LEGALLY.
6. We now have the “Patriot Act” and the President can now detain and arrest American citizens without any due process of law – no lawyers, no judges, just a Presidential decree.
7. Our debt has gone from $322 Billion in 1972 to now over $15 TRILLION since I started voting, an increase of roughly 50 times. Our government is borrowing 40 cents out of every dollar it spends, and has many more TRILLIONS in unfunded liabilities with Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid that are not reflected in the official debt numbers.
8. I have been blessed with 4 granddaughters, and we have strapped each of them with nearly $50,000 of debt. I hope to have a grandson in June, and he will inherit even more debt.
9. In the last 200 years, the dollar increased in buying power by about 60% during the first 100 of those years, then after the fed was started in 1913, the dollar has lost about 97% of its buying power – about 81% since I started voting (incidentally we stopped what remained of the gold standard in 1971).
10. My assessment of all the political facts of the last 40 years is that we have morphed into one big government political party - a 2 headed monster with 2 factions – one called Democrat and one called Republican. They both support big government, social programs, killing babies (and innocent foreigners) and endless war. Yeah, democrats tend give more away on social welfare and republicans give more away on corporate welfare. Of course publicly, the Republicans denounce abortion and support fiscal responsibility, and Democrats support civil liberties and are anti-war. Meanwhile, neither party does any of the above. Washington DC is for sale at all levels to the highest bidder.
11. The Federal Government is completely and totally out of control at all levels and by any measure.
12. The establishment controls the media, which controls the political discussion and consequently the people (sheeple) (I shamefully admit I was one of those sheeple for many years). Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, and Sean Hannity take care of the “conservative” Republican wing of the monster. CNN and MSNBC and major networks take care of the “liberal” Democrat wing of the monster. This assures that our only choices are big government, status quo puppets. They all excoriate any candidate who genuinely tries to change the status quo.
13. I believe there is no such thing as the lesser of two evils. I believe character does matter. I believe the best predictor of one's future performance is a review of their past performance (or lack thereof). I refuse to hold my nose and vote for anybody. I will vote FOR someone.
14. We need a game changer in the White House. Someone who really believes in Constitutionally limited government, balanced budgets, humble foreign policy, and protecting life. We have had enough presidents (and congressmen) that say they believe these things and do nothing to really change the status quo.
15. Thomas Jefferson said: A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor and bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government.
16. The next several years are going to be extremely difficult. We can't recover from a worldwide burgeoning debt crisis overnight, nor can we recover from it by printing and borrowing more money. We can't stop all the wars by still trying to tell the whole world how to live and act. We can't balance the budget without cutting some of the spending. We can't reduce the size and scope of government without actually eliminating part of it and restoring its function to what is authorized by the law of the land – the Constitution.
17. I believe that man today is Ron Paul. Is he perfect? No. For about 6-7 years I have studied what this man says he believes and compared it with his track record. His consistency and his commitment are truly remarkable. Will he begin the process of bringing back our stolen freedoms? Yes! Will he end the wars? Yes! Will he really cut the size of government? Yes! Will he really defer state issues to the states? Yes! Can he really unite Americans? Yes! The message of real liberty brings people of all sorts together.
18. It's time for all of us to wake up.

Iran - A dilemma?

2 questions:
1 - Why is Iran our problem?
2 - Who is threatening who?

This is a diagram of our military bases in the region. I'm sure we would be thrilled if Iran or China or Russia had bases lined up along our northern and southern borders.

Will this madness ever stop?

G

Are we suffering from Battered American Syndrome?

I realized that Americans suffer from something very similar to Battered Woman's Syndrome in regards to our elected officials and how they treat/mistreat the people, and pompously believe that they are all powerful against us.

Following is a paraphrase of an article I found regarding battered woman's syndrome located at http://www.heart-2-heart.ca/women/page4.htm . I have changed “woman” to “American” along with other verbiage.

Maybe using our brains and actually admitting what Washington DC has done to us (and is continually doing to us) might wake us up and call us to action.

I think most Americans are tragically in phase 1 - “Denial”. However, some Americans have begun to wake up and are possibly between the “Guilt” phase and the “Enlightenment” phase.

I am sorry that I was stuck in phase 1 “Denial” for most of my adult life. I actually trusted that the people I voted for would actually do what they said they would do.

I am proud to say that I am in the “Responsibility” phase, and I am willing to step outside of establishment conditioning (abuse) and begin the tough steps to healing.

Working Through Battered American's Syndrome

1] Denial: The American refuses to admit - even to herself - that she has been abused or that there is a "problem" in her country. She offers excuses for her elected officials' abuse and each time firmly believes it will never happen again.

2] Guilt: She now acknowledges there is a problem, but considers herself responsible for it. She "deserves" to be beaten or treated badly, she feels, because she is a law breaker and is not living up to her country's expectations.

3] Enlightenment: The American no longer assumes responsibility for her elected officials' abusive treatment, recognizing that no one "deserves" to be mistreated. She is still committed to her patriotism, though, and stays with her establishment party, hoping they can work things out.

4] Responsibility: Accepting the fact that her elected officials will not, or cannot, stop their abusive and tyrannical behavior, the battered American decides she will no longer submit to it and votes against the establishment politicians.


deny, Deny, DENY! - a self-destructive coping mechanism

Denial is saying something hasn't happened or pretending the situation isn't as bad as it really is. It allows victims to ignore painful aspects of reality. It allows politicians to continue abusing. It is a coping mechanism that allows victims to continue living without accepting that anything is wrong.

Stop Denying NOW. Be willing to stand up and support non-establishment candidates.

IT WILL SET YOU FREE!!!

SPLOST - Taxes, Taxes, and More Taxes -VOTE NO!!!

Think again before you willingly vote for yet ANOTHER TAX - the SPLOST tomorrow. Here is a partial list of the taxes that are being forcibly taken from us already:

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
Capital Gains Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Court Fines (indirect taxes)
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (42 cents per gallon)
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Interest Expense (tax on the money)
Inventory Tax I
RS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Local Income Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Road Toll Booth Taxes
Road Usage Taxes (truckers)
Sales Taxes including SPLOST
School Tax
Septic Permit Tax
Service Charge Taxes
Social Security Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Toll Bridge Taxes Toll
Tunnel Taxes
Trailer Registration
Tax Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers’ Compensation Tax

Prepare to get taxed anytime you:
1. Make money
2. Spend money
3. Save money
4. Invest money
5. --- and finally when you die.

VOTE NO ON THE SPLOST!

G

Says it all...

Johnny Isakson ain't no friend of We the People either.

Dear Mr. Barnes:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the Patriot Act. I appreciate hearing from you and appreciate the opportunity to respond to you.

The attacks of September 11, 2001, represented an unprovoked and unprecedented act of war against the United States. We have an obligation to do everything in our power to protect our nation and ensure that terrorists are stopped before their acts are successful. At the same time it is important that any efforts to protect our country from future terrorist attacks do not infringe upon the civil liberties that are at the core of the U.S. Constitution. It was appropriate that Congress took steps to enhance the ability of federal authorities to pursue and capture terrorist suspects by enacting the Patriot Act. I support a permanent extension of the Patriot Act because I believe the law has been effective in protecting our country and saving American lives, including in the case of the arrest and conviction of two Atlanta men who were plotting a terror attack in 2006 and the arrest and subsequent guilty plea of Najibullah Zazi who was plotting a terror attack on New York in 2009. I also recently traveled to Munich, Germany, where I met with leading defense ministers from several countries to discuss our vulnerability to all forms of terrorism, including cyber terrorism. I believe that the Patriot Act provides the United States the 21st Century communications tools that are essential to preventing terror attacks.

On May 26, 2011, the Senate took up legislation that extended three key provisions of the Patriot Act relating to law enforcement's ability to conduct court-approved "roving" wiretaps of terror suspects as they change phones or locations, allowing law enforcement access to library records and other items considered relevant to a terror investigation with court approval, and the surveillance of suspected "lone wolf" terrorists not linked to a specific terrorist organization. It made no substantive changes or additions to current law, and before these provisions can be used the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court must authorize their use. Any records sought by the government using this authority must be relevant to an authorized national security investigation and the Court must first approve the government's request to obtain the records. The records sought are often similar to those that can be obtained using a simple grand jury subpoena in a criminal investigation. These three provisions are designed to give the intelligence community flexibility, and similar capabilities for tracking terrorists that law enforcement currently has to capture ordinary criminals, and not one of the three provisions expands the definition of a "domestic terrorist" or targets law abiding citizens or their Second Amendment rights. In fact, the provision on "lone wolf" suspects only applies to non-U.S. persons who are engaged in international terrorism activities. As you may also know, during debate on this legislation Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) offered two amendments relating to banking and gun records. I opposed these amendments because I believed they would have the unintended consequences of weakening the Patriot Act and thereby diminish its effectiveness in helping law enforcement protect our country.

I voted in favor of extending these provisions that I believe are a critical and proven tool for law enforcement to track terrorists and to keep our nation safe from terrorist attacks. This legislation passed the Senate by a vote of 72–23 and it was signed into law by the President.

Thank you again for contacting me. Please visit my webpage at http://isakson.senate.gov/ for more information on the issues important to you and to sign up for my e-newsletter.

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson
United States Senator

For future correspondence with my office, please visit my web site at http://isakson.senate.gov/contact.cfm. You can also click here to sign up for the eNewsletter

Saxby ain't no friend of We the People

From Saxby Chambliss:

Dear Mr. Barnes:

Thank you for contacting me to share your thoughts regarding the PATRIOT Act.  I appreciate hearing from you. 

            

Since its passage following the September 11, 2001, attacks, the "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism" (commonly referred to as "PATRIOT") Act and its subsequent reauthorizations have been an integral tool in a number of successful operations to protect Americans from terrorist plots. 

I believe this legislation is consistent with existing civil liberties and embodies a spirit of prevention and balance.  The PATRIOT Act streamlines anti-terrorism law so that it is uniform with other areas of criminal enforcement.  For example, the legislation allows federal agents to obtain library, medical, or financial records with a court-ordered search warrant.  These kinds of searches have routinely been granted in other types of criminal investigations.  Similarly, the legislation authorizes the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to approve a court order so that federal agents can continue surveillance on a target who switches telephones or e-mail addresses to evade surveillance.  This "roving" authority, based upon the successful roving provision in the federal criminal wiretap statutes, allows the Intelligence Community to track suspected terrorists and spies to the same extent that federal law enforcement can hunt drug dealers and other ordinary, domestic criminals. 

            

            In February 2010, President Obama signed into law a one-year extension of certain expiring provisions of the "USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005" and "Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004."  Specifically, three provisions were extended:  (1) the roving surveillance authority; (2) the authorization for the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to apply for a court order requiring production of tangible things, not merely business records, for national security investigations; and (3) an amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) that redefines "agent of a foreign power" to include any non-U.S. person who engages in international terrorism or activities in preparation for such terrorism ("lone wolf" provision).  The extension of these three provisions was set to expire on February 28, 2011.

            On February 3, 2011, a series of bills, S. 289, S. 290, and S. 291, pertaining to the reauthorization of the PATRIOT Act were introduced.  I am an original co-sponsor of S. 291, the "USA PATRIOT Reauthorization Act of 2011," which would repeal the sunset provisions in the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 and other related provisions in order to permanently reauthorize the PATRIOT Act.  In a recent Intelligence Committee hearing, FBI Director Robert Mueller stated that he too supports permanent reauthorization of these provisions because they grant the intelligence community the same abilities that federal law enforcement has possessed for years.

On February 15, 2011, the Senate passed H.R. 514 with my support, which extended these expiring provisions until May 27, 2011.  On February 25, President Obama signed this bill into law.

On May 26, 2011, the Senate passed S. 990 with my support, which again extended the expiring provisions until June 1, 2015.  This legislation was then signed into law by the President.

All of the PATRIOT Act provisions are subjected to rigorous congressional oversight.  The Department of Justice is required to submit to Congress annual reports on the various provisions in the bill, and multiple congressional committees regularly request additional information to ensure that American's civil liberties are protected.  The PATRIOT Act is an indispensible tool for disrupting terrorism.  We have found that the PATRIOT Act has greatly curtailed terrorists' abilities to operate. 

            I supported passage of the original and reauthorized versions of the PATRIOT Act, and I continue to monitor its effectiveness in our overall war on terrorism through my work as Vice Chairman on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.  The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution is a protection that I and all Americans value highly.  I will do everything in my power to protect the civil liberties enjoyed by American citizens, while enabling the intelligence community to do its job. 

            If you would like to receive timely email alerts regarding the latest congressional actions and my weekly e-newsletter, please sign up via my web site at: www.chambliss.senate.gov.  Please let me know whenever I may be of assistance.