We've let down our guard

I just read the conclusion of Elena Kagan’s college thesis. You can read the entire manuscript here. I guess what shocks me the most is that we, as a nation, have become all too receptive of those who are receptive to socialistic idealism. Not that there’s anything wrong with open minds exploring differing viewpoints, but our President’s tendency to surround himself with cabinet member and czars who are quite open in their radical socialist beliefs is more than troubling. It’s just scary.

I understand that those who’ve made politics a career will always delve into various social and economic theory. I’ve read writings of Marx myself, and had little trouble seeing the folly, by the way. I expect that anyone rising to the level of President or advisor of the President has studied just about every type of governance offered by man. After all, one must know the bad ideas in order to argue for something better. The founders of this nation understood the bad ideas. That’s why they established what still stands as the greatest solution to government ever devised—the U.S. Constitution.

So the political spectrum is broad, and our nation’s leaders have immersed themselves in all known theory. So my question is a simple one:

If the President is representative of everyone in this nation, why are his advisors made up almost entirely of socialist radicals?

Elana Kagan is just the latest. Pick any other. Van Jones, Cass Sunstein, Davis Axelrod, Bill Ayers, Eric Holder, Carol Browner, Valerie Jarrett, and his latest gem, Donald Berwick. That’s just the short list. It’s gotten to the point that we’re so immersed in his progressive agenda that we don’t notice, or just don’t care anymore, that our capitol has become the stomping grounds for the people we defended our country against through two world wars and the cold war.

I need to get into detail about these people, about progressivism, and how this socialist agenda has slowly eaten at American society since Woodrow Wilson was in office, perhaps before. See why the party politics is just a distraction? It goes much deeper. Not a conspiracy, just a letting down of our defenses. Our founding fathers warned us that, in order to defend this republic we’ve created, we must always be alert. We’ve not been alert.

I’ll continue on with more postings once I get myself organized. There are plenty of others doing the same, most better connected (and more talented) than I. But I hope that a few of my friends will understand. This isn’t about a political party. It’s about saving this country. All one has to do is look to Europe to see our future. We’ve been fighting hard to align ourselves with European social philosophy. I fear we will get our wish.

For today, I’ll simply ask you to keep an open mind. Research anything I or anyone else tells you. But be prepared to accept what you discover. Let me leave you with these final thoughts.

One of my favorite books that caused me the most grief was 1984 by George Orwell. There are lyrics to a song at the end of the book that have haunted me since I read them more than twenty years ago:

Under the spreading chestnut tree,

I sold you and you sold me.

There lie they, and here lie we

Under the spreading chestnut tree.

In Orwell’s book, those who rebelled against a tyrannical government were easily found out because the masses had been trained from birth that it is their civic duty to rat out the non-conformists. The hero and heroine of our story, after their mini-rebellion is discovered, sit in a diner at the end of the novel, this song playing while they sip their drinks. Their moment of victory smashed, their hope gone, they play the game, walk the walk, and behave as good little patriots who serve Big Brother without question.

Fiction is funny. It has a way of becoming reality. Or, perhaps writers have a special antenna that picks up on social trends. Orwell was one of those. So was Ayn Rand. Atlas Shrugged so mirrors what is happening in America today that I almost weep when I read it. It’s prophetic.

My friends, I don’t care what your party affiliation is, but what’s happening in America is nothing less than the steady dismantling of our founding principles, to be replaced with the progressive utopian dream. Unfortunately, the utopian dream has been tried over and over, from the French Revolution to modern Europe. Each and every time, the dream has been turned into a nightmare. I’d give my life to keep that nightmare from our shores and away from my children.

By the way, for those of you who’ve subscribed to my blog, I’ve moved it to a more permanent site. Go to www.teapartyfg.com. I’ll continue these postings there (don’t wanna lose you, Tom).

God bless. See you next week.

Taxing the Rich...and other fairy tales

Here’s my new favorite word: fair. Despite the attempts of many (okay, hardly anyone) in the mainstream media to educate the populace on how the economy works, the most popular American argument to solve the debt crisis is to raise taxes on the wealthy. After all, there comes a point where you’ve made enough money (put a little inflection on “money” so you sound really hep).

Here, I’m going to say something that will really piss off a lot of people: you’re not interesting in fairness, you want to punish people who’ve succeeded where you’ve failed. It’s kinda like the high school kid who spreads nasty rumors about the girl who got elected prom queen. It doesn’t matter that you never showered and scowled at everyone who roamed into your personal space, it just isn’t fair. You know, I agree, I think Stephen King should be taxed 90% of his income because he can publish his grocery list and I can’t get my masterpiece into print. He’s not very pretty, either. So there.

But let’s try it. Let’s tax everyone making over $100,000 per year 100% of their income. That would come out to about $3trillion. Not bad. That would cover more than half of the budget. Except, of course, that the top 5% of earners already pay 85% of the taxes, so we’re really not gaining that much. All of this is easily found on the internet, by the way. The IRS is full of little tidbits. I suggest a little Google-ing before casting in stone something spouted by Whoopi Goldberg.

Speaking of hypocrites. Why, in America, is someone who makes millions per year by acting, singing, or sports considered a hero, while anyone making millions providing a product or service that we all need considered greedy? Here’s my favorite: Michael Moore earns millions a year making “documentaries,” all while bashing capitalism. I believe we call this “eating the hand that feeds you.”

Getting past all that, here’s the common sense that ain’t so common anymore: the nasty rich people you so despise are the ones who got rich by building companies, big ones and small ones. And guess what those companies do? Right! They hire you! That way, you can buy the wide screen TV (made by a filthy capitalist), SUV (made by a filthy capitalist), and 2000 sq.-ft. house (made by a filthy capitalist). Then you can drive home from your filthy capitalistic job in your SUV, walk into your big house, turn on the wide screen, and watch Keith Olbermann (getting richer every day) bash the guy who gave you the job, built your car, your TV, and your house. Only in America (or any other country with socialist aspirations).

So how hard do you think your employer is going to work in building your company if you tax the jeevies out of him? Let’s see, I can bust my arse 70 hours a week, pull down half a million a year, and have it taxed 89%, leaving me a cool fifty or sixty grand. Or I can push a pen 40 hours a week, pull down $70,000 per year, taxed at 39%, leaving me forty or fifty grand a year. Ummm….think I’ll take the less stressful route. Sorry, employees, you’re all fired. I’m going to Wal Mart!

It is not a crime to grow rich. It certainly wouldn’t be a crime if you suddenly had a flash of brilliance, invented a device that would double fuel economy, and made a few million this year, would it? The rich are people who made smart decisions. Most didn’t luck into their wealth. It wasn’t taken from you and given to them. However, most seem happy with the idea of taking it from the rich and giving it to the poor. Somehow, though, the idea of allowing the rich to invest their wealth into more job-creating businesses is heartless and cruel. Better to just rip the money out of their hands, launder it through the bureaucratic maze in Washington, and hand the remaining 10% to the poor. Then, of course, push lottery tickets on them so the state can get the rest of its money back. Fairness, American style.

I suppose, since the federal government is now the biggest shareholder in General Motors, that we could just let them do the company building. That way, they could build the things that make the most sense to them. Things like electric cars, solar panels, paper shredders. Why bother with capitalism at all? Looks like Uncle Joe Stalin and Fidel were right. We just didn't get it. We understand now. Workers of the world unite!