There is Nothing to Fear But Fear Itself!

Guglielmo Ferrero, Italian historian and author, pointed out, in his book The Principles of Power, that the basic human trait underlying all illegitimate governments is that of fear. But more than that, he showed us that this fear is obsessive, holding ruled and ruler alike in its clutches, playing no favorites. The one sure and certain characteristic is that of the ruler’s fear of the people and the people’s fear of the ruler.

In his book State of Fear, Michael Crichton points out how fear is used by governments to control their citizens. While a work of fiction, it contains a poignant message to those willing to listen. For those whom have read his book I would like to ask, what happened to “Global Warming”?

No manufactured psychosis of continual crisis, like “Global Warming”, or Oz like image of dynamic leadership, based primarily on power and government spending, even when served up with demagogic platitudes, can substitute for a diet of truth – for honest news. Nothing like this can cure the dangerous internal wounds, nor fill the spiritual void and restore domestic tranquility.

On the contrary, even when people are denied the facts of national life, the truths essential to their very survival, they intuitively sense that there is something wrong, and since confidence in one another must be mutual a lack of confidence leads to confusion, from confusion to suspicion, from suspicion to distrust and finally from distrust to national disunity. Reaching the point at which the confidence between the governed and the governing is destroyed by mutual fear. This is not a cause, but a natural and inevitable result of illegitimate government.

By defalcation of Congress, and Judicial usurpation, all with the connivance and willing support of the Executive Branch, the Federal Government has been corrupted into an instrument of vast and unrestrained power over the lives, property and affairs of the American People.

This state of distrust cannot be cured by shallow deprecation of “hate”, the vilification of patriots, or the extorting of peace while appeasing evil. These are dishonest resorts which serve only to exacerbate instead of healing the malady. Such fear cannot be overcome with propaganda. Trust can only be restored by principle; principle based on moral character. Trust must be earned.

On the other hand government devoid of fear, whatever the form, from a hereditary monarchy to a constitutional republic, is firmly embedded in the principle of legitimacy. When this prevails, confidence and unity, outward calm and inner peace, are reflected in the lives involved, whether subjects or citizens. It naturally follows that any country, lacking respect and consent on the part of the people, and restraint and concern for all on the part of those in power, is sick and in serious trouble.

For several generations the United States has been a victim of fear and is now ruled by an illegitimate government. A friend of my father’s once asked him what the difference was between “freedom” and “liberty”. After a moment of consideration my father replied that, “rather than define freedom and liberty let’s look at the lack of freedom and the lack of liberty… the lack of freedom implies confinement, while the lack of liberty implies oppression.” When was the last time you heard a politician use the word “liberty”?

Common Sense, The Cure for Health Care Reform

Ann Coulter comes out and says what we are all thinking or at least what we should be thinking, in her editorial TAKE TWO ASPIRIN AND CALL ME WHEN YOUR CANCER IS STAGE 4. She is trying to send the message that health care should be left to the free market and people need to realize that health care must be paid for by those who use it. Bad drivers pay higher premiums for their auto insurance so why should healthy people, who do not abuse their health insurance by going to the ER, to avoid the co-pay, for a stomach ache, pay for the insurance and health care of the people who do abuse it? It is a message everyone needs to hear. The opinions she expresses should be heard by every U.S. citizen who does not want to live in a socialist state.

While Ms. Coulter presents no evidence she is stating what should be universal truths. Are there really people out there who believe that a government bureaucracy is the most efficient means of getting anything done? Remember the new Passport requirements of not so many years ago? And should Congress pass and the President sign into law a bill that you know is going to have so much pork in it that the first thing the health reform bill will have to pay for is a prescription for Lipitor for everyone in the country?

Ms. Coulter is a frequent guest on many TV shows, including The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Early Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Hannity, The O'Reilly Factor, The Glen Beck Show, HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, and has been profiled in numerous publications, including TV Guide, the Guardian (UK), the New York Observer, National Journal, Harper's Bazaar, and Elle magazine. She was the April 25, 2005 cover story of Time magazine. In 2001, she was named one of the top 100 Public Intellectuals by federal judge Richard Posner. A Connecticut native, she graduated with honors from Cornell University School of Arts & Sciences, and received her J.D. from University of Michigan Law School, where she was an editor of The Michigan Law Review. She clerked for the Honorable Pasco Bowman II of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and was an attorney in the Department of Justice Honors Program for outstanding law school graduates. After practicing law in private practice in New York City, Ms. Coulter worked for the Senate Judiciary Committee, where she handled crime and immigration issues for Senator Spencer Abraham of Michigan. From there, she became a litigator with the Center For Individual Rights in Washington, DC, a public interest law firm dedicated to the defense of individual rights with particular emphasis on freedom of speech, civil rights, and the free exercise of religion. As to her credibility… depends on which side of the aisle you’re on!

It's the Economy, Stupid!

The Washington Post recently published an editorial titled The Debt Tsunami. The author (unknown) describes the “tough” job of the Congressional Budget Office, or CBO, as that of providing a ”reality check” to the country’s lawmakers. The image I believe the author is trying to evoke in his audience, who should be every U.S. citizen that is afraid of increased taxes, a weak U.S. dollar and a falling standard of living, is that of the little boy with his finger in the dike trying to stem the ever increasing flow with no one coming to help.

I agree that the congressional Democrats and President Obama don’t want to hear that the fiscal policy of the country is unsustainable if this growth of our nation’s debt goes unchecked. They know the only way to stop the inevitable is through tax increases, spending cuts or both. Approval of President Obama’s handling of health care has slid from 57% to 49% since April, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll, yet the President is pushing his health care reform harder than ever. I believe that the majority of the people are coming to realize that sometimes, even the government must say “We can’t afford it”! In March, only 32% of Americans thought President Obama was an old-style, tax-and-spend liberal. Now 43% do!

The author sights the CBO’s long-term forecast which predicts that the publicly held debt of the U.S. government will roughly double from approximately 41% of GDP in 2008 to 82% of GDP by 2019. I agree that his statement that this amount of debt would stifle economic growth and reduce the standard of living in our country. The CBO says the principal cause of our long-term fiscal distress is primarily due to the ageing of the U.S. population, coupled with rising health-care costs which will drive spending on Medicare and Medicaid from almost 5% of GDP today to almost 10% of GDP by 2035.

The author summarizes that President Obama, like his predecessors, is aware of this issue, and like them has promised a plan to deal with it but has of yet come up with a credible solution. Like Mr. Obama said during his campaign for your vote, “It is time for that to change”.

The Health Care Conundrum

CNNPolitics.com: Health care overhaul clears divided Senate committee

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/15/healthcare/index.html#cnnSTCText

This article contains a message that should be very important to every American who pays taxes and could possibly need the services of a health care provider at some time in their life. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee passed by a 13 to 10 vote a proposal to overhaul the U.S. health care system. The CBO or Congressional Budget Office estimated the proposal would cost the American taxpayers $615 billion over 10 years. Senator Mike Enzi, the committees top Republican called the proposal “a prescription to failure” and estimated the true costs to the taxpayers would be closer to $1 trillion because of a proposed expansion of the federally funded Medicaid system for low-income families. The proposal includes a government-run health insurance program that would compete with private insurance companies, requires small business, those with 25 or more employees to provide medical coverage to their workers, and sets up an “exchange” that would allow people to choose from a variety of insurance options. To get the full message contained in the article, however, the reader needs to carefully read between the lines. American Health Care is just about the best health care in the world. People of means travel from the far corners of the world to be treated for their ailments. Many of these people are coming here from countries with some form of socialized medicine because our health care system is superior to their own. Be very cautious of anything that creates any new bureaucracies. I believe there are better, more efficient ways of providing all Americans health insurance.