BIG GOVERNMENT - LOSS OF FREEDOMS pg2
BIG GOVERNMENT - LOSS OF FREEDOMS

The Washington Times
December 27, 2012

Kerry shares Obama's disturbing views

Prior to announcing his nomination of Sen. John F. Kerry, Massachusetts Democrat for secretary of state (as a payback for launching his presidential career as the keynote speaker in Kerry's 2004 presidential bid, no doubt), President Obama put further wear on his shoulder-rotator-cup, patting himself of the back for his foreign policy and national security accomplishments ("Obama nominates Kerry for secretary of state," Friday).

However -- Current Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton's foreign policy and national security failures notwithstanding, Mr. Kerry is the worst possible choice to assume this vital post. Indeed, Mr. Kerry's Senate position as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and his relentless campaign for secretary of state are merely a veiled attempt to mask his anti-Viet Nam War betrayal of the military and his anti-Iraq War and anti-American activities.

Although Kerry is second-best to Mr. Obama's first choice of yes-woman UN Ambassador Susan Rice, he is nevertheless in line with Mr. Obama's highly disturbing, reckless and weakened American foreign policy and national security philosophy.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley, Calif.

Los Angeles Times
December 26, 2012

Not so merry Christmas and unhappy new year: The tax man cometh

Considering President Obama's and the Democrat Congress' fury of unstimulus spending, health careless and finance suppression laws in the first two-years of the president's first term -- plus the rush of executive edicts, regulations, enormous deficits, mounting debt and the 'fiscal cliff' -- something has become painfully clear for Mr. Obama's second term:

This has not been a very merry Christmas. And alas, the tax, regulation, spending and deeper second recession man cometh, which means it certainly won't be a happy new year for years to come.

Indeed, considering the fact that not since President Lyndon B. Johnson's war on poverty and "Great Society" illusion -- that set the government growth, tax, spend and dependency class was set in motion -- has a president and Democrat Congress done so much present and future damage to America, our prosperity, our freedoms, and our future.

Not to mention Presidents Carter and Clinton's inescapable push for unaffordable housing that caused the housing and financial crash of 2008, and President Obama's foreign policy and national security failures.

San Diego Union-Tribune
December 24, 2012

Payback for Kerry

In response to "Kerry tapped for State Dept.," Dec. 22): Before announcing his nomination of Sen. John Kerry for Secretary of State -- as a payback for launching his presidential career as the keynote speaker in Kerry's 2004 presidential bid -- President Obama put further wear on his shoulder-rotator-cup, patting himself of the back for his foreign policy and national security accomplishments.

However -- Current Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton's foreign policy and national security failures notwithstanding -- Sen. Kerry is the worst possible choice to assume the vital post, short of being nominated for Secretary of Defense.

Indeed, Sen. Kerry's Senate position as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee -- and his relentless campaign for Secretary of State -- is merely a veiled attempt to mask his anti-Viet Nam War betrayal of the military, anti-Iraq War and anti-American activities.

Although Kerry is second best to President Obama's first choice of "yes-woman" UN Ambassador Susan Rice, he is nevertheless in line with Obama's highly disturbing, reckless and weakened American foreign policy and national security philosophy.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Carlsbad

New York Times
December 24, 2012

Clinton's State Department is an empty vessel

The recent report from the State Department investigation of the attack on our consulate -- needlessly costing the lives of our ambassador and three other Americans in Benghazi, Libya -- confirms that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been commanding an empty bureaucratic vessel of "systemic failures," with impunity, replete with implausible denials and unaccountability.

Indeed, Secretary Clinton's lack-luster tour of duty at State -- aimlessly traveling the world -- serving the Obama administration's lack of leadership and do-nothing philosophy in foreign policy, has allowed the Middle East to explode into the Islamic extremist takeover of Egypt, the unfettered expansion of al-Qaeda, massacres in Syria, the growth of Taliban power in Pakistan, and the advance of Iranian nuclear ambitions.

Needless to say, the Obama/Clinton foreign policy is seriously diminishing our national security, which comes as no surprise, considering President Obama's flagship leading congressional Democrat soldiers and a bureaucratic armada of liberal fools in ideological battle babble -- swelled with reckless over-regulating, borrowing, taxing, spending and debt -- irreparably damaging our economy and our freedoms.

Wall Street journal
December 23, 2012

Re: How 'cliff' talks hit the wall

Fiscal cliff built by Democrats

Being backed-up to the edge of the 2013 fiscal cliff is the direct result of media-driven, miseducation establishment, Hollywood-style demonizing Democrats, the abuse of power and battered Republicans.

Lest we forget, it was the Democrats who put time limits on the Bush tax cuts, which should have been permanent when they were first passed, benefiting the middle class, job creators and the economy.

That is, until now since the tax cuts are expiring on top of President Obama's 4-year economy-crushing race to recklessly expand government empire building, regulations, taxation, spending and insurmountable debt.

And lest we forget, it was administration Democrats Carter, Clinton, Cuomo, Reno, and the congressional likes of Frank and Dodd pushing unaffordable housing, who caused the housing crash and financial meltdown.

Of course, government's race to insolvency is still being led by pernicious California Democrats on the backs of over-regulated and over-taxed-payers, still an insidious work in progressive/regressive socialism.

Alas, if we are to survive, the American people must somehow come to their senses, and break the grip of government, to be truly free and prosper.

USA TODAY
December 21, 2012

NRA President attacked and shunned at press statement

In response to attacks against the NRA over the Newtown school shooting, NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre appeared on television before the press and made strong statement defending the NRA and condemning the media and violence in video games and movies.

Unfortunately, it came as no surprise to see two anti-gun extremists assault Mr. Lapierre with signs and shouting. One sign read "NRA kills our kids," and "NRA blood on your hands." It was obvious that they were among the liberal lunatics bent on suppressing free speech.

Worse, broadcast television networks ABC, CBS and NBC ignored Mr. Lapierre's appearance, reinforcing the media's biased role against guns. Cable news networks, Fox News and CNN did carry the coverage. Our only local television news exception was Los Angeles KTTV Channel 5.

It also came as no surprise that Los Angles Mayor, Antonio Villagaiosa appeared on super-biased MSNBC, called Wayne LaPierre's statement a "diatribe," and criticized him for taking no questions, even though it was a statement, not a press conference.

Certainly, it didn't seem to matter that Mr. LaPierre announced the NRA establishment of a model shield plan to protect our schools, which is being headed by former U.S. attorney, congressman and Homeland Security undersecretary, Asa Hutchinson who outlined the plan.

The NRA should be commended for its work with firearms and resistance to disarming the American people, not demonized and condemned by over-reaching government's abuse of power.

San Diego Union-Tribune
December 20, 2012

Guns, taxes and the political culture war

Adam Lanza's finger-pulling trigger that murdered 20 innocent first-graders at the Connecticut elementary school was not a creation of his mind or the guns he used, but a Frankenstein miscreation of the exploitation of sick liberal tenets massaging the psychological assimilation of moral relevancy and mental illness in everything and the neutralization of right and wrong in the media and entertainment industry.

Lest we forget, after over a half century of America's liberal/conservative culture war, harmfully advanced by the anti-establishment counter-culture revolution of the late 1950's, 60's and 70's, which launched the drug culture and government growth -- despite a brief Reagan rescue of the l980's -- our country's unique brand of socialism has been deeply burned into the seriously thinned-skin of freedom.

Indeed, when the extreme liberal culture has become so imbedded in the social, political and economic takeover of the education establishment and their indoctrination of students -- supported by the liberal media's propaganda, and government's explosive growth into a national nanny dependency state replete with the abuse of power, punishing taxation, over-regulation and judicial tyranny -- America's and conservative's traditional days of liberty are seriously numbered.

Unfortunately, President Obama's unique presidency is symbolic of captaining the U.S.S. Titanic ship-of-state, recklessly sailing into the perfect storm of America's social, political, economic and national security demise -- similar to what his comrade-in-socialist-arms, Hugo Chavez is experiencing in Venezuela -- exacerbated by the sudden, sinking stop of congressional Democrats' iceberg budget, with no Republicans left to blame.

USA TODAY
December 15, 2012

Re: Online balloting could attract millions to the polls
USA TODAY - Dec. 14

Online registration and voting is long overdue

Considering the advances in computer technology, there is no reason why voters should not have secure voting networks in every state facilitating voter registration and voting in all local, state and federal elections.

indeed, the true will of the people is seldom expressed, particularly when only about half of eligible voters are registered, and about half of registered voters vote, making most elections decided by about 25 percent of voters.

In addition to registration and voting, the voting networks should provide communications between voters and their elected representatives wherein voters are truthfully informed and able to express their views on issues to their representatives.

More democracy makes for more voter participation and better government. It's as simple as that.

USA TODAY
December 12, 2012

President Obama's regressive progressive agenda

President Obama -- commander-in-chief of America's Democrat Party left-wing army -- embodies a history of regressive liberal progressives responsible for circumventing and undermining the Constitution; a regressive agenda encompassing unbridled government growth, academic indoctrination, moral relativism, social aggression, political terrorism, selective intolerance and hate speech; the demonization of Republican Party, suppression of conservative speech, the war against wealth, Christianity and Christmas; leading to the establishment of a one party socialist authoritarian state.

That's not what America was ever meant to be. That, my fellow Americans is tantamount to the calculated, insidious and treasonous overthrow of our Constitutional Republic -- with the abuse of power, deceitful legislation, destructive over-regulation and punishing taxation by trick and device -- collapsing free enterprise, Capitalism, individualism and personal freedoms with a nationalized economy and a society void of liberty, dissent, self-reliance, independent thinking, and original thought. America was established to be honestly free from tyranny, not free from the truth.

Los Angeles Times
December 9, 2012

Re: The beloved budget buster - editorial
Los Angeles Times - December 9, 2012

"The beloved budget buster" editorial about Medicare in the Los Angeles Times lacks responsible public oversight by the press, which has been a long time significant problem exacerbating the unintended consequences for the failures of good intentions in creating government programs that inevitably grow into massive, costly bureaucratic monsters with uncontrollable appetites.

Indeed, the same goes for Medicaid, Social Security and affordable housing, all of which have thrown private industry into financial turmoil and confusion, ever-increasing costs, taxation and insurmountable debt.

Unfortunately, liberal government's progressive solution for simple problems has been to take them out of the hands of private enterprise -- as with FDR's Social Security, LBJ's Medicare -- then from the states with Medicaid, plus President Carter and President Clinton's affordable housing and financial crash, and top it off with President Obama's Affordable Health Care Act, and the Dodd-Frank financial fiasco laws, all of which spell doom for America's economy.

And where are the press, academia and unions when we really need them? Turning out young self-destructive liberals and cheerleading government on to bigger and better freedom-crushing government growth.

Los Angeles Times
December 5, 2012

Re: Deal brings end to L.A., Long Beach Ports strike

Unions hurting the economy

California is certainly maintaining its lead adversely affecting business, jobs, the cost of living and the economy as extortionist unions continue their selfish interest assaults against free enterprise.

Indeed, when an 800-member longshore and warehouse clerical unit can shutdown the Los Angeles and Long Beach Ports backed by 10,000 regional union members -- costing California and the nation's economy $1 billion a day for 9 days, affecting 3 million jobs -- something is really wrong here.

It's bad enough that teacher unions and other public employee unions are sucking the life out of government budgets with nothing in return but intimidation, failed education, and the waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars.

But when our future, our children's future, the cost of living, free enterprise, jobs and the economy are at stake, serious consideration should be given to limiting, and/or eliminating, the unreasonable power and undue influence of unions.

Sacramento Bee
December 3, 2012

Re: Don't follow Grover Norquist of the cliff, as Republicans did in California - editorial

California Democrats are way ahead in the race to the fiscal cliff. Grover Norquist and Republicans had nothing to do with it.

Naīve and indoctrinated voters have given California liberal Democrats a supermajority in both houses of the legislature which -- coupled with the passage of Proposition 30 and the defeat of propositions 32 and 39 -- sets the stage for voter-assisted economic suicide.

Indeed, if it were not for a tyrannical history tax mongering, wag-the-dog teacher union power and extremist environmental regulatory chaos, California might have a chance at recovery.

Alas, the time to govern simply passed into a heap of government growth, high taxes, and insurmountable debt. Though highly doubtful, lawmakers only hope to turn back from the fiscal cliff would be to undo most, if not all, of what they wrought on our fool's golden state.

San Francisco Chronicle
November 25, 2012

Federal and state solar energy extremes cost counties and ratepayers

Between President Obama and California Governor Brown's extreme obsession with solar energy, there is a vacuum of costs to be borne by Southern California Mojave Desert Inyo, Riverside and San Bernardino counties and electricity ratepayers.

Indeed, two of the world's largest solar energy projects are located in San Bernardino County. The $2.2 billion Ivanpah solar plant next to the Nevada border has agreed to pay the county $377,000 per year, but that will hardly cover county costs and the loss of recreation and private development revenues.

Worse, contrary to the usual lengthy environmental delays, state and federal approvals for the solar plants were almost immediate. President Obama's grand push for solar energy and a regulation nation, coupled with AB 32 and Governor Brown's vow to "crush" opponents of solar projects, will make it painfully clear to San Bernardino County and ratepayers that, in President Obama's words, "electricity rates will necessarily skyrocket."

Unfortunately, liberal insanity runs far and wide among environmental extremists in Washington and particularly California. Now that California is under one-party liberal Democrat rule, Governor Brown and company will undoubtedly take more of a lead in driving Californians and America down the road to dependency and insolvency by overwhelming taxpayers and free enterprise.

Big government means taxing, spending, insurmountable debt and loss of freedoms. There is no other formula for socialism. Alas, 2014 is the next chance for voters to turn it around, that is, if it's not already too late.

Daily Press Apple Valley Review
December 18, 2012

From Columbine to Connecticut, shootings means war against guns

The immediate reaction by the liberal media, President Obama and other anti-gun politicians to the tragic shootings of children and teachers at the elementary school in Connecticut signals an all out war against guns. Which could very well lead to a movement to disarm the American people, leaving law-abiding people vulnerable to criminals who will always have guns.

This coupled with mass shootings from Columbine to Colorado and others is a manufactured crisis that the president and congressional Democrats will not let go to waste. Particularly, as a distortion and distraction from the social, political and fiscal crisis.

Regardless, one thing is glaringly and painfully clear: The insidious long-time secular, liberal progressive agenda has undermined our constitutional freedoms and moral imperatives with unbridled government growth, waste, fraud, abuse of power, corruption, regulation, taxes, dependency and debt.

Add, public education, media and Hollywood indoctrination -- social aggression, political terrorism, selfish interests and extremes -- to such an extent, that our nation is rife with functionally illiterate students, "anything goes," sex crimes, drugs, gang violence, murders, robberies, burglaries, theft and imported crime.

That is the problem. Not guns.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley

San Bernardino Sun
December 16, 2012

Time to govern

California lawmakers don't need to be told that it's time to govern. They have already governed the state to inevitable insolvency, to be celebrated by high speed rail connecting San Francisco and Los Angeles -- nowhere to nowhere at excessive taxpayer expense.

Indeed, Democrats have been in power and were elected to supermajority simply because powerful selfish interests, special interests and the dependency class -- created by liberal Democrats -- have given California government the power to satisfy their largess by robbing self-reliant producers and earners.

After the California gold-rush, if the state had lived up to the principles of the founders and the Constitution, we would be the model state for the country instead of leading America to ruin with the self-destructive rise and fall of America's western empire.

Surely, California's golden goose has run its course, laying eggs in the nation's foremost money pit. Alas, it's a dreadful shame that our state's natural assets are still being used and abused by authoritarian government and extreme environmentalists, and devoured by the predators and parasites of socialism.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley

San Diego Union-Tribune
December 15, 2012

Connecticut shootings

Connecticut shootings means war against guns

The immediate reaction by the liberal media, President Obama and other anti-gun politicians to the tragic shootings of children and teachers at the elementary school in Connecticut signals an all out war against guns, which could very well lead to a movement to disarm the American people. This coupled with recent mass shootings and others is a manufactured crisis that the president and congressional Democrats will not let go to waste. Particularly, as a distortion and distraction from the social and fiscal crisis.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Carlsbad

San Diego Union-Tribune
December 7, 2012

President Obama's presidency is the final liberal straw

Liberal-progressive presidents are responsible for the rise in government growth, contrary to the dictates of the Constitution. Indeed, government growth and abuse of power began with the presidencies of Theodore Roosevelt, continued with Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, then Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, both of whom are directly responsible for the housing crash and financial meltdown.

Then comes President Barack Obama with a liberal-progressive vengeance in his first term with a Democrat Congress that threw fiscal borrowing and spending restraint to the wind with a wasted trillion dollar stimulus bill, and yearly trillion dollar deficits that sent the national debt soaring from $10 to over $16 trillion -- stemmed only by spontaneous Tea Party voter revolt resulting in Republican control of the House of Representatives.

But not before President Obama and his Democrats rammed through the enormous, costly and needless "Unaffordable Healthcareless Act," and the Dodd-Frank financial disaster laws -- as if their culpability in the housing crash wasn't enough. Then, of course, Mr. Obama' monarchial edicts are elevated with over 6000 more regulations and continuing his war against affordable energy and energy independence.

Surely, the "fiscal cliff" is meaningless to President Obama and Democrats, who extended the Bush tax cuts rather than making them permanent and intend to raise taxes beyond merely letting the tax cuts expire January 2013, which, coupled with the coming costs of "Obamacare" will decimate businesses, jobs and the middle class.

Alas, America has already been deceived, betrayed and pushed off the "fiscal cliff" -- hard landing dead ahead.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Carlsbad

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM LOU PRITCHETT

Lou Pritchett is one of corporate America's true living legends --- a former Proctor & Gamble Vice-President, an acclaimed author, a dynamic teacher, and one of the world's most highly rated speakers. It was he who changed the way America does business by creating an audacious concept that came to be known as "Partnering.

You may remember a previous letter he wrote in 2009 to Obama and the New York Times which went viral.

From a speech given by Lou Pritchett April 15, 2012

"I was born in year two of the Great Depression (1931) and spent the first10 years of my life, influenced by the extreme hardships of the depression. --By todays standards my family was about a mile below todays so called poverty level; but if you never had - - doing without was not so bad. Borrowing shoes to graduate from the 8th grade didnt seem at all demeaning because most of the 8th graders did the same thing.

In June 1944, my only brother, Joe, was killed in action on Utah Beach in Normandy, France during the D-Day landings. Exactly one year later, my father died and left me, my mother, and my sister to go it alone - - and alone we went. My mother went to work at a department store, my sister dropped out of school and joined her, and I went to work shining shoes on the streets of Memphis for a dime a shine. Government assistance was not available, and if it were I am confident my mother would have refused it, because she never wanted the government involved in our lives.

I mention this bit of personal history to help you understand that millions of Americans, including your parents and grandparents, grew up like me during the Great Depression and never expected nor wanted the government to offer them anything other than an opportunity - - and now to see what Obama is trying to do to our country tends to make you crazy.

As some of you know, my Scare Me" letter went viral with millions of hits on the internet during the past 3 years. I have now written a follow-up letter, which I will now share with you.

To the editors:

"In April 2009, I sent President Obama and the New York Times a letter titled "You Scare Me" because, as a candidate, he promised to "fundamentally transform America." Now, after observing his performance for over three years, he no longer scares me - - he terrifies me for the following reasons:

FIRST He has done more to damage America's standing in the world, to lower the standard of living in America, to impoverish future generations, and to shake our faith in the country's future than any other American president in history.

SECOND With a compliant Democrat congress, a lapdog media, and a weak, almost nonexistent Republican opposition, he has shattered the American dream of job security, home ownership, and rugged individualism for millions of Americans and has poisoned and divided our civil society with his politics of envy, class warfare, race warfare, and religious warfare - - which he is using as fundamental building blocks for his 'socialist' agenda.

THIRD Culturally, he remains totally out of touch with traditional American values. This has absolutely nothing to do with race or where he was born, rather it has everything to do with where, how and with whom he was raised, schooled, educated, trained, and associates with - - still today.

FOURTH He has surrounded himself with naive academicians, lawyers, politicians, bureaucrats, and socialist leaning czars who arrogantly think and behave exactly as he does. People who offer no balanced suggestions, or devils advocate positions, and think in lock step with him that big government is the answer to all our problems.

FIFTH He not only encourages, but aids and abets the unionization of all American industry, the albatross around the neck of the free market. In turn, they provide the money and muscle to intimidate his opponents.

SIXTH He has increased the national debt by over 30% in just three years. If re-elected, and this rate of increase continues, America will be burdened with an unsustainable 20 trillion dollar debt which will result in the country's financial death. Recovery will be impossible - - America will be the Greece of 2016.

SEVENTH Given his fanatical beholding to the 'environmental' and 'man-caused global warming' fringe, he has deliberately discouraged U.S. fossil fuel exploration and production, while wasting billions of tax payer dollars on solar, wind, and algae experiments. He refuses to accept that oil, gas, and coal are not America's enemies, they are America's assets - - which, properly managed, could make us energy independent within a generation.

EIGHTH He views the U.S. as a power in retreat which abused its World dominance. Therefore he systematically apologizes round the world. This past March, he whispered to Russian President Medvedev - - "This is my last election. After my election, I will have more flexibility". Just what is the secret that Obama and Putin are concealing from the American people until after the election ?? With what other leaders has he made similar secret agreements ??

NINTH And finally, after all his miss-steps, bad decision making, poor management, and zero leadership, the fact that he has the audacity to seek re-election should terrify every American.

I predict that if re-elected, future historians and political interpreters will look back at the eight year period 2008-2016, and conclude "the 44th President of the U.S. allowed the takers to overpower the payers, which resulted in the greatest economy in history vanishing from the face of the Earth". Farewell America, the World will really miss you !!"

Lou Pritchett April 15, 2012

It is my hope and prayer that this letter will also go viral and serve as a 'wake up' call to Americans of all political leaning - - convincing them that never before in U.S. history has so much depended on Americans understanding that we are facing one of the greatest crisises in U.S. history. Convincing them that this election will be won not by letters to the editor, political speeches, or radio and TV sound bites.

No !! It will be won by those with a conviction, with a belief, and with a willingness to pay the price in helping put the most enlightened voters in the polling booth on November 6.

Let me end on my favorite quote - - which I think is very appropriate for each of us today:

"TO EVERY MAN, THERE COMES IN HIS LIFETIME, THAT SPECIAL MOMENT, WHEN HE IS PHYSICALLY TAPPED ON THE SHOULDER AND OFFERED THE CHANCE TO DO A VERY SPECIAL THING, UNIQUE TO HIM AND FITTED TO HIS TALENT; WHAT A TRAGEDY IF THAT MOMENT FINDS HIM UNPREPARED OR UNQUALIFIED FOR THE WORK WHICH WOULD BE HIS FINEST HOUR."

Those words spoken by Winston Churchill over 70 years ago are very appropriate for all Americans today.

For, if each of us is prepared and is qualified, then 6 November 2012 just might be our, and our Nation's, finest hour as we reclaim this "shining city on the hill" from the ravages of Obama Socialism.

IT IS NOW OR NEVER FELLOW PATRIOTS !! GOD HELP US IF WE FAIL !!

"The wise man in the storm prays to God not for safety from danger, but for deliverance from fear."

Emerson, 1833

Riverside Press Enterprise
July 26, 2012

Obama slights success

President Obama is being absurd in saying that individuals and businesses owe their success to the roads, bridges, a public schools, public safety and other services provided by government ("Sides spar over government role in economy" July 18).

Private enterprise provided the tax dollars that fund all those necessities -- and all government operations -- in spite of the relentless growth of government, confiscatory taxation, overregulation, and intrusive environmental laws that raise the cost living for all.

Clearly, the only way to turn the country away from the road to ruin is by electing Mitt Romney, putting Republicans in charge of the Senate, and unleashing private enterprise by reducing the size, scope and power of oppressive government.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley

San Bernardino County Sun
July 8, 2012

Power Move

Chief Justice Roberts' decision was a power move, not for the integrity of the Court. Justice Kennedy should have been the decider.

Thomas Jefferson prophetically feared that the Supreme Court would consolidate all power in Washington, which began with Jefferson's cousin, Chief Justice John Marshall -- President John Adams' mistake. Chief Justice Roberts may become President Bush's Chief Justice Earl Warren in further expanding the power of federal government, as clearly demonstrated by Roberts' national health care decision.

Indeed, Justice Anthony Kennedy's vigorous dissent manifested that he should have been the Supreme Court decider knocking down President Obama's federal power grab.

Clearly, the time is urgent for state legislatures to petition for a constitutional convention to amend the Constitution with a balanced budget amendment to reduce the size, scope and power of federal government -- and another to restore power usurped from the states. Otherwise, our constitutional republic and our liberty may be lost forever.

It's time to declare our independence, again!

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley

Rising crime can be traced to state policies
By Daniel B. Jeffs - Special to the Apple Valley Review
June 26, 2012

Even though crime is down nationally, and up in Victor Valley -- against all odds -- if it were not for the Valliant efforts of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, crime would undoubtedly be even higher.

Considering the fact that California State Government has proven to be grossly inept, driven by Democrat ideology to fail the responsibilities of criminal justice and felony incarceration -- exacerbated by inviting illegal aliens and drug gangs to plunder the budget, infect our citizens, and commit crimes against our people and their private property -- then dumps inflated state budget responsibilities on local and county government, including thousands of criminals into county jails and on to the streets, the Inland Empire, San Bernardino County, the High Desert and Victor Valley have borne the brunt of the self-inflicted state plague.

As a former member of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department and former grand jury member, I have lived and worked in the High Desert communities of the County since 1967, witnessing the growth and development of Victor Valley since 1977. There have been great positives in our area, and highly disturbing negatives, primarily with state intrusion in zoning with affordable housing, unnecessary in areas that are inherently affordable.

Coupled with state abuse of power and intrusion into private property neighborhoods -- with 201 housing, Title 8 housing, licensing undesirable group homes of every description -- the state has inflicted pain on our communities with increased crime and decreased property values on top of the government-caused housing and economic crash, job losses and foreclosures -- not to mention the state's failed (money-pit) education system, high taxes and regulations driving business out of state.

Indeed, Sheriff Hoops and his troops are doing a remarkable job of law enforcement and public safety under the worst of conditions beyond local control. Together with support from the salt of the earth, life-hardened people of the High Desert -- a cut above I have observed -- we can beat the intended, unintended consequences of the failures of good intentions of lefty Democrats by joining a voting message on election day across the land: Get out of government and stay out of our lives.

Daniel Jeffs lives in Apple Valley

Newsmax Magazine
June 2012 issue
May 23, 2012

Taxing President

President Obama's attempt to enforce his "Buffett Rule" by raising taxes on those earning over a million dollars was merely part of his re-election campaign, even though such taxation would be mostly levied against job creators ("Prepare for Massive Tax Increases," May).

Coupled with the expiration of the Bush tax cuts on the first of next year, the president's crusade will continue if he's re-elected, regardless of the negative impact on business, jobs, the people, and the economy.

The Republican House should pass a separate bill making the Bush tax cuts permanent. Voters need to know who beyond the president, in the House and Senate, would raise their taxes in these dire economic times.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley, Calif.

Los Angeles Times
May 22, 2012

Re: Company wants to tap Mojave's public lands for Southland water
by Bettina Boxall, Los Angeles Times
May 16, 2012

Cadiz Mojave Desert private lands are private

Cadiz, Inc., owners of 34,000 acres in Cadiz area of the Mojave Desert should not only be allowed to pump the plentiful groundwater from beneath their land, they should be able to deliver the water to buyers of the delivery service. Rather than delivering water to the Metropolitan Water District, the water potential to supply 100,000 homes should be delivered to the Mojave Desert population areas, such as the Victor Valley communities of Apple Valley, Victorville, Hesperia and other desert areas of Lucerne Valley and Barstow.

The Mojave Water Agency headquartered in Apple Valley is a California Water Project contractor with the ability to handle and bank the needed Cadiz water resource. Particularly, with the environmentalist Federal Court cutback in water supplies from the California Water Project.

Contrary to popular federal belief, public lands do not belong to the federal government, which unconstitutionally usurped power from the states by keeping federal land when states were admitted to the union, and by performing land grabs under the guise of national forests, parks, monuments, preserves and reserves. Military bases and national park treasures such as Yosemite, Yellowstone and others notwithstanding, the federal government should relinquish all public lands to the states.

Indeed, former Senator Alan Cranston, and Senator Dianne Feinstein had no business sticking their noses in our Mojave Desert business, and confiscating the land as the Mojave National Preserve. And she should keep her nose out of the Cadiz private water resource.

The Washington Post
May 20, 2012

Panderer-in-Chief re-election campaign

Panderer-in-Chief, President Obama staged the gay marriage endorsement early so it would be buried by staging diversions with calculated issues, is an example of his focus on voter demographics, proposals, doing battle with Republicans in Congress, and governing by crisis complete with special effects, while toying with terrorism and cooking the books on the economy up to the election.

As it is with the latest staging of the NATO Summit in Chicago, rife with miscreant Occupy-style demonstrators, It's simply going to be phony, with underlying dirty tricks all the way to November.

Indeed, ensconced behind his bullying pulpit, President Obama's weeks and months of traveling rapid-fire side-shows are well underway, replete with activist targets, tailored appearances and worldly political sermons -- while demonizing Mitt Romney, Republicans -- and anyone or anything including phantoms that get in the way of his enormous ego and his obsession with power and socialism.

-- with a little help from his friends, such as anti-American billionaire George Soros, $15 million George Clooney Hollywood, and the $million venom of nauseating HBO Surreal Time with Bill Maher -- and his thinly-veiled-humor-hateful May 20, 2012 end of show campaign filth piece against Mitt Romney, Liberty College and religion, specifically Christianity -- with smiling guests Dan Rather, former Senator, Bill Bradley, and journalists Jeremy Scahill, Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, Joel Stein and the liberal audience choir.

The Sacramento Bee
May 12. 2012

Re: Jerry Brown fires doctor in anti-tobacco tax ad
by Kevin Yamamura
Sacramento Bee - May 10, 2012

Governor Brown's firing of Dr. La Donna Porter from a state advisory panel of medical experts for her appearance in the anti-Prop. 29 television ad was clear and convincing evidence of government abuse of power, punishing her freedom of speech.

It was encouraging to read the April 30th Los Angeles Times skeptical "No on Prop. 29" editorial indicating the $735 million per year $1.00 per pack cigarette tax as poorly conceived and unaccountable. Indeed, not so different from Rob Reiner's Proposition 10 and his private $750 million per year slush fund for pet projects and everything but tobacco-related issues.

Health considerations notwithstanding, It's bad enough that beleaguered smokers have been demonized as social outcasts, held up to public hatred and ridicule, and attacked with punishing taxation for using a legal product.

But to relentlessly increase federal and state taxes, is blatant social engineering and unconstitutional tax discrimination against citizens, most of whom can least afford it -- not to mention causing the proliferation of black market cigarettes and rising use of marijuana.

Adding insult to injury, the ACLU is glaringly absent in defending smokers from tax persecution and Dr, Porter's free speech.

San Diego Union-Tribune
May 10, 2012

Letters: Gay Marriage

President Obama backed gay marriage, just in time for the president's $15 million Hollywood campaign fundraiser in Beverly Hills, which is heavily funded by the gay community.

Indeed, along with gay-marriage-friendly California officials, Governor Brown and AG Harris, who refused to defend Proposition 8, President Obama endorses gay marriage and refuses to defend the Defense of Marriage Act, diminishing the institution of marriage.

It is simply unconscionable that gay activist-extremists consistently jerk around the majority who should not have to defend centuries of the institution of traditional marriage between one man and one woman. Particularly, when government has unreasonably institutionalized protected classes as sacred cows.

Worse, it's bad enough that liberal government is breaking the back of American free enterprise and the middle class with social aggression, punishing regulations, taxes, entitlements and extreme environmentalism. However, un-American, unconstitutional tyranny, and socialism cannot be allowed to stand against American freedom from overwhelming government.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley

USA TODAY
May 5, 2012

Regulating America out of business

It's bad enough that state and local governments have infected business and society with excessive taxes and over-regulation. However, when you realize that the carrier of the communicable regulation disease is the terminal case of the federal government, which has made it painfully clear by the collapse of the economy, and the targeting of the middle class.

In response to the beleaguered economy, rather than relaxing and eliminating economy-busting regulations, President Obama's administration and the Democrat-controlled Congress increased regulations on energy, health care and the finance industry making the economy even worse, exacerbated by the phony job stimulus and insurmountable debt.

If we the American people are going to survive the tyranny of regulation and get back on the road to freedom and prosperity, we must vote to ensure the election of a president, majority in the Senate, and increased majority in the House who will reduce and limit government to what was intended by our founders and the Constitution.

Indeed, if the failure of the Obama administration, the Senate, the "crucify them" EPA, and all the destructive bureaucratic agencies regulating us into high fuel and energy prices, loss of more jobs, increased cost of living, inflation and a direct course to social and economic oblivion isn't incentive enough to kick the abusers of power out of office, the alternative will allow the liberal lemmings to drive us over the cliff into the depths of socialism and ruin.

The Washington Post
May 3, 2012

President Obama's Emerald city of OZ

President Obama's entire campaign and presidency thus far has been tantamount to playing the Wizard of OZ in his Emerald City of Washington, replete with manufactured rain, thunder, tornados and crisis, constantly manipulating the levers of government from behind the great White House curtain.

However, though he lures voters down the Yellow Brick Road, pretending to grant the wishes of people seeking social justice, in reality he rejects and ignores recommendations and solutions from commissions he established, breaking promises, recklessly spending the people's taxes, and saddles the nation and future generations with insurmountable debt.

Indeed, while the Wizard's designated nightmares ride in on the brooms of the Wicked Witch of the West, spreading division, hate and discontent against the free enterprise of capitalism -- with May Day flying monkeys of militant unions and the entitlement violence of Occupy thugs -- the false prophet of socialism basks in the sun of a presidential hero protecting the masses from terrorism and Republican barbarians at the gate.

Hopefully, the people will click their heels together, wake up, and vote to save our constitutional home of limited government, American freedom, self reliance, security and prosperity.

The Los Angeles Times
April 25, 2012

Governor Brown's fool's gold state

Governor Brown's miscalculation of the budget deficit comes as no surprise, particularly when he dances around California's budget crisis by announcing he will eliminate 718 state reports ranging from meaningless bureaucratic "busy work" to those having an impact on our security, such as the "Gang Violence Suppression Program."

California's economic crisis will surely deepen unless Governor Brown and the Legislature get their acts together to stop the exodus of businesses to business-friendly states, and skilled worker taxpayers to tax-friendly states. Indeed, they can begin by lowering taxes instead of raising them with stupid ballot measures, abandoning the insanties of AB-32's crushing impact on business and the cost of living, and incurring $billions in public debt for the worthless high speed rail fiasco.

Punishing smokers again with Proposition 29, as was done with Proposition 10, for a $billion here and a $billion there -- mostly impacting those who can least afford it -- to fund pet projects that have nothing to do with smoking-related health problems, is the same mentality of the $billions wasted on the stem-cell research boondoggle.

If California's economically suicidal government and misguided voters hope to keep California from crashing, they must re-direct their efforts from extreme environmental, commercial and medical litigation, predatory lawyers -- and repressive laws that raise the cost of everything -- to reducing the size, scope and power of government and the welfare state.

Surely, If California is ever going to restore itself to the Golden State, the road to socialism must be re-paved with the golden rules of freedom, fairness, self-reliance, real education and limited government. If not, the fool's gold state will slide into social, political and economic bankruptcy.

The Wall Street Journal
April 24, 2012

Re: Medicare's Obama Donation
WSJ Editorial April 24, 2012

Obama misappropriating public funds for campaign

When then Senator Obama campaigned for president, he said that medical bill bankruptcies were a large part of the economic crash, that he would reform health care, and used Medicare Advantage as a target to cut health care costs. Indeed, when he and the Democrat-controlled Congress rammed through ObamaCare, Medicare Advantage was thrown on the butcher block to be gutted.

My wife and I are enrolled in "Senior Advantage," a Medicare Advantage program with Kaiser Permanente, which is an excellent plan, very cost effective, and should be the model for all Medicare. Needles to say, we -- and I would say most of the 10 million seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage programs -- were outraged by President Obama's irresponsible slash and burn tactics.

Apparently, President Obama got the message, held off on killing Medicare Advantage, and manipulated $8.35 billion of Medicare funds to reward the most efficient and cost effective Medicare Advantage plans as a pilot program, pacifying Medicare Advantage voters, and delaying the death of Medicare Advantage until after his re-election. Indeed, what's not illegal about that?

Our fellow Medicare Advantage voters should be informed about President Obama's devious tactics and misappropriation of public funds before the November election. And pay attention to Rep. Paul Ryan's proposed GOP Medicare Reform plan that is largely based upon Medicare Advantage. The plan that President Obama rejected as "social Darwinism."

President Obama's socialized medicine, economy-buster fiasco aside, he is abusing his position of power by wasting taxpayer's dollars on his political machinations and extreme campaign schedule for the sole purpose of his re-election -- far more than any other president. Surely, with over $100 million in his campaign war chest -- over ten times the amount of his opponent -- President Obama could easily pay for his entire campaign, including Secret Service costs.

And while he is out and around, the president might consider stopping by the Midwest areas of tornado devastation and offering a helping hand, or a least a word or two of encouragement. Unless he doesn't care about regular hardworking people in America's heartland.

Certainly, it's about time for the president -- and all elected incumbents -- to be required to stand for re-election on their records of performance in office, without any further advantage, no less than any employee seeking to remain employed, a raise in pay, or a promotion. As President Obama has repeatedly said, it's a matter of fairness.

Sacramento Bee
April 19, 2012

California crashing -- voter-assisted economic suicide

Democrats, indeed are responsible for California crashing with -- of course -- the help of clueless voter-assisted economic suicide. Beyond setting the bad national example for taxing and regulating people and business out of the state, California's delusional Democrats are responsible for the state's failed public education money-pit, and inviting freeloaders into the state to take advantage of the overly generous welfare system.

Adding insult to injury, California puts out the welcome mat for illegal aliens to burden taxpayers with more welfare, plus education and health care -- not to mention raising the cost of crime, incarceration and the gang infestation of neighborhoods.

As if Democrats' insatiable appetite for extreme environmental laws wasn't bad enough for the economy -- raising the cost of business and living -- Governor (Moonbeam) Jerry Brown is up to his old tricks deceiving voters to increase taxes, again. Clearly, with the City of Los Angeles on the verge of bankruptcy, California's reckless road to ruin seems almost certain, dragging the nation down with it to an avoidable economic implosion.

Hopefully, the 2012 elections will be the onset of the voter-government-reckoning needed for the road to recovery, prosperity and freedom -- regardless of moonbeams and Party affiliations.

Time Magazine
April 16, 2012

Re: Inside the presidents' club

Time Magazine's "Inside the presidents club" 8-page story on living past presidents is hardly the stuff of encouragement to beleaguered taxpayers in this lingering recession. Indeed, according to the FY2008 GSA Allowances for Former Presidents, we supported them to the tune of Jimmy Carter: $518,000, G.H.W. Bush: $786.000, Bill Clinton: $1,162.000, and G.W. Bush costs -- plus benefits, with annual increases and undisclosed Secret Service protection costs for life-- all for either four or eight years of work in office. When this all started, Harry Truman needed it. No one before or since has.

The Washington Post
April 15, 2012

Re: Charles Krauthammer's "Free-lunch egalitarianism"

Voter choices painfully clear

Sunday's Press Dispatch Opinion pages (April 15) in our local newspaper were replete with insightful and informative commentary and analysis on the presidential election from the editorial, "And then there were two," the Orange County Register's " Guilt and taxes," to Jonah Goldberg's "Young voters and the audacity of hype," Michael Tanner's "President of the Twilight Zone," and Charles Krauthammer's "Free-lunch egalitarianism."

Taken together, coupled with facts disseminated by fair and balanced Fox News and press, discerning voters and the hapless uniformed are faced with being inundated by liberal fables and scary tales from President Obama's national media propaganda machine.

Indeed, beyond the distractions, nit-picking and vitriolic attacks of campaign rhetoric, the 2012 presidential elections will undoubtedly be the most important elections of our lifetimes, effecting the future of our children and our nation.

Nevertheless, it is somewhat comforting to know that regardless of voters' political persuasions, the vast majority are being socially, politically and economically affected by out-of-control government growth and the abuse of power at the hands of President Obama and Democrats in Congress -- making the choices painfully clear.

Focus on "polices and principles, rather than personalities," lowering overall taxes, disregarding "the audacity of hype," the "Buffett tax rule" and the fraud of ObamaCare. Then, either be suckered into to the false and costly protection rackets of the Chicago-style gangster politics of the Obama administration's "Twilight Zone," or vote for constitutional recovery on the roads to responsible limited government, fiscal responsibility, self-reliance, flourishing enterprise and freedom with Mitt Romney and a Republican Congress with teeth.

New York Post
April 11, 2012

Romney vs. Obama bobble-heads: The political war is on

Now that Gingrich and Santorum have suspended their campaigns, the war is on between Obama and presumptive Republican nominee, Romney. Unfortunately, President Obama and his army of Democrat bobble-heads are making pre-emptive strikes by lighting the fires of class, gender and racial warfare.

Worse, the flames are being fanned by the liberal media, academia, and African-American activists exploiting the Trayvon Martin/Zimmerman case in a concerted effort to deceive and distract from the deteriorating economy exacerbated by President Obama's destructive agenda.

Hopefully, most voters will recognize the source of their social, political and economic pain and make the choice to survive the assault of overwhelming government -- while we are still a constitutional republic.

The Washington Times
April 25, 2012

President deserves dismal grade

President Obamas demonization of oil speculators and the fraudulent Buffett Rule are exercises in political futility and nothing more than intentional distractions from a dismal term in office.

The underlying reason Senate Democrats wont pass a budget is they fear losing control of the Senate to the Republicans in November. It was bad enough when Democrats controlled both Houses and rammed through Mr. Obamas health care monster, shutting out Republicans. But to make things worse, they unleashed the tyrannical Dodd-Frank finance laws on the economy, and refused to make the Bush tax cuts permanent.

Still, even if they lose the Senate, they will undoubtedly let the tax cuts expire at the end of the year before they leave office. This will raise everyones taxes and prolong the recession.

Hopefully, the increased cost-of-living pain will wake up enough Democrats and independents to the realization that they were suckered by Mr. Obamas political bible, which has as a basic tenet the achievement of social justice at the expense of the hard-working. This idea has the endorsement of former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Barney Frank and Sen. Harry Reid.

Mr. Obama has never stopped campaigning, regardless of broken promises, deliberate distractions, misappropriation of public funds and insurmountable debt. If he is re-elected, I can only imagine it will have been with the aid of voter fraud.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley, Calif.

USA TODAY
April 24, 2012

Re: Federal Follies: GSA junket carries higher costs
editorial

No tax increases before audit

Message from taxpayers: Audit the government. Before considering any tax increases, every government agency should be audited by credible private firms. The results should be made public as each agency is audited, with all waste, fraud and abuse of power identified. As an incentive, the audit firms should be paid from confirmed savings.

Unnecessary programs, rules and regulations should be eliminated, including most of the added government jobs. No equivocation allowed. Make the bush tax cuts permanent, and start paying down the debt.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley, Calif.

The Washington Examiner
April 24, 2012

Budget at a standstill because Dems fear losing to the GOP

Re: "Why Democrats won't vote on a budget" Editorial, April 19

Senate Democrats won't pass a budget because they fear losing control to Republicans in November. If they do, the spiteful losers will undoubtedly let the Bush tax cuts expire at the end of the year, which will raise everyone's taxes and prolong the recession.

It was bad enough when Democrats controlled both the House and the Senate and they rammed through President Obama's health careless monster behind closed doors. Making things worse, they unleashed the tyrannical Dodd-Frank finance laws on the economy.

Hopefully, economic pain from increased cost of living and insurmountable debt will wake up enough Democrats and Independents to the realization that they were suckered by President Obama. After the campaign, Obama never stopped using distractions to misappropriate public funds.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley, Calif.

(Original letter)

Re: Why Democrats won't vote on a budget
Editorial, April 19, 2012

The underlying reasons why Senate Democrats won't pass a budget is that they fear losing control of the Senate to Republicans in November. Indeed, it was bad enough when Democrats controlled both Houses and rammed through President Obama's health careless monster behind closed doors, shutting out Republicans.

Making things worse, they unleashed the tyrannical Dodd-Frank finance laws on the economy, and refused to make the Bush tax cuts permanent. Still, even if they lose the Senate, they will undoubtedly let the tax cuts expire at the end of the year before the spiteful losers leave office, which will raise everyone's taxes and prolong the recession.

Hopefully, the increased cost of living pain will wake up enough Democrats and Independents to the realization that they were suckered by President Obama's political bible, "Democrats for Dummies: How to achieve Social Justice at everyone else's expense," co-authored by former presidents, Carter and Clinton, Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Barney Frank, and Senators Harry Reid and Chris Dodd.

President Obama came to power by fraud and deceit, and never stopped campaigning, regardless of broken promises, intentional distractions, misappropriation of public funds and insurmountable debt. If he is re-elected, it will surely be by voter fraud -- the inescapable conclusion.

The Washington Examiner
April 11, 2012

At least House Republicans passed a budget

Re: "Obama's budget, not Ryan's is 'antithetical' to history," Editorial, April 6

The House budget solution is far more reasonable than left-handed Democrat compromises designed to undermine the Republican majority. At least it was voted on, which is more than you can say for a Democrats in the Senate. They plan to ride out the election after sitting on their hands without passing a budget for three years.

Meanwhile, President Obama is ramping up his monarchial campaign against the Republican presumptive candidate Mitt Romney using class warfare and a pre-emptive strike against the Supreme Court, which is deciding the constitutionality of his health care law.

If President Obama is re-elected and the Senate remains in Democrat hands, it will be due to the deceitful Democratic machine, the media, the entertainment industry and the mis-education establishment's decades of indoctrination. If they prevail, it will seal America's fate to socialism, spending, taxation, debt, dependency, loss of freedom and bankruptcy.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley, Calif."

Letters to the Editor: April 11, 2012 | Washington Examiner
source: Examinerdc

(Original letter)

Re: Obama's budget, not Ryan's is 'antithetical' to history
Editorial

The House Republican budget solution is far more reasonable than left-handed Democrat compromises designed to undermine the majority. Yet it was at least voted on, which was more than was allowed by the closed-door Democrat House and Senate that rammed through the president's health care law -- then over-reaching finance regulations.

Regardless, the Democrat Senate will sit on their hands without passing a budget for three years, while they ride out the election. Meanwhile, President Obama ramps up his monarchial campaign against the Republican budget and presumptive candidate Mitt Romney with class warfare, and a pre-emptive strike against the Supreme Court deciding the constitutionality of the health care law.

If President Obama is re-elected, the Senate remains Democrat, and the House is lost, it will be because the deceitful Obama Democrat machine of state media, the entertainment industry and the miseducation establishment's decades of indoctrination of students prevailed -- sealing America's fate to socialism's spending, taxation, debt, dependency, loss of freedoms and bankrupt.

Wall Street Journal
April 4, 2012

Re: Paul Ryan's hunger games - editorial

Los Angeles Times
April 1, 2012

President Obama's polarization of a nation

As if our nation wasn't polarized enough by the Democrat left throughout the Bush administration, President Obama has made it much worse by failing to carry out his promises to reform Washington, and doing just the opposite by growing government, increasing regulations, accelerating our debt, and leading class warfare.

Indeed, President Obama's monarchial machinations are making it painfully clear that abuse of power and our Constitution are no obstacles to his relentless ideological pursuits to "fundamentally transform America," at any cost.

Recent quotes from President Obama and leading Republican contender, Mitt Romney sum up our choices in the 2012 election. Governor Romney said the Obama administration's record, "is a bust." President Obama said, "the message from the other side is, you're on your own."

The record of most Democrat administrations and majorities in Congress have been a bust of the economy from government growth and loss of freedoms. Surely, the record of the Obama administration and congressional Democrats have raised the stakes against the people to an all time high.

Limited government, fundamental defense, security and freedom are what our Constitution provides. Self-reliant voters and those who want to be, want exactly that. To be on our own, out from under the gun of government tyranny. My independent vote, and hopefully the electorate's votes will be to survive, on our own.

The Washington Examiner
March 30, 2012

Re: A second term: Obama unleashed
by Cal Thomas

What's the worst that could happen in the 2012 presidential elections. A re-elected President Obama, unleased.

Indeed, as if high gas prices aren't bad enough, President Obama is in the process of killing the coal-power industry as promised, which will cause electricity prices to escalate and affect those who can least afford it.

The energy and fuel crisis, job losses and cost of living increases are being caused by environmental zealots' litigation, EPA over-regulation, plus President Obama stifling domestic oil production, natural gas and coal energy in his arrogant pursuit of costly, unreliable green energy at any price.

In a nut shell, our national mess was started by the unmitigated misfeasance of former presidents Carter, Clinton and congressional Democrats, which caused the housing crash, financial crisis and a deepening recession set in motion by over-reaching government's irresponsible push for affordable housing.

Worse, the public miseducation system is a deeply flawed and failed money-pit of liberal arts and socialist indoctrination under the selfish interests of the education establishment, tenure and teacher unions robbing students of their future.

And President Obama is in the process of putting our national security at risk by disarming our nuclear defense weapons capabilities in collusion with Russia, and inviting terrorist attacks from Iran and other hostiles.

Fortunately, President Obama's massive health care law is being challenged by 26 states and a national small business organization in the Supreme Court, which will hopefully be declared unconstitutional by the Court.

If we are to survive these challenges, we must make our voices heard and our votes count in the 2012 elections. Without a strong and free America, we and the free world will collapse under the unbearable weight of tyranny. President Obama unleased on America with a second term is not an option.

The Washington Examiner
March 29, 2012

Re: Obama seeks end to subsidies for oil companies; Congress says no
by Brian Hughes

Political campaign ploys by the president demonizing oil companies and Senate Republicans for saying no to ending oil subsidies is little more than cheap populist pandering to public injury from high gas prices.

Indeed, President Obama's feigned push to end tax breaks for oil companies, and invest in cart-before-the-horse electric cars -- regardless of the failure of the Chevy Volt -- is yet another indication that he has no concern for high gas prices. Indeed, the oil companies would pass on the tax increase to consumers just as any business would, raising gas prices even further.

Plus, summer blend requirements will increase gas prices 40 cents or more higher, which will likely push the cost over $5.00 per gallon, and which will probably continue after summer because of increased demand by China and India, and instability in the Middle East.

If the president is honestly concerned about what the people pay at the pump, and the commensurate increased cost of delivering goods and services, he could easily dispense with the stupid summer blends and ethanol. Of course, there's not much he could do to prevent Californians from being pushed over the economic cliff by hysterical environmentalists and cost of living-busting climate change laws.

Surely, people must be a bit confused as to why foreign oil costs $125 per barrel, about $18 more than U.S. crude because of China and India demand. The easy answer is our government creating perpetual oil, gas, and refinery chaos. Indeed, someone ought to tell President Obama and enviro-maniacs that we can't run electric cars or much of anything else without coal and natural gas power plants making electricity.

The New York Times
March 28, 2012

Re: In Court, sharp questions on health care law's mandate
Re: Slain teenager's parents appear on Capitol Hill

The truth behind major issue headlines

What is the truth behind what the American people are reading, hearing and seeing in the dominant liberal media regarding the constitutionality of ObamaCare and the tragic death of Trayvon Martin?

President Obama's unconstitutional health care law is being challenged by 26 states and a national small business organization in the Supreme Court. This is a stand against centralized government usurping state's and individual's constitutional rights. If the Court fails to protect those rights, the abuse of federal power will be significantly advanced.

Seizing on a tragedy, a national kangaroo court of black activists, Democrats and complicit media are accusing, trying and convicting a "white-Hispanic" man of the hate crime killing of a 17-year-old black teen, which will likely foment national hate crime riots if the white-Hispanic man is not charged with a crime.

America is increasingly disintegrating from a foreign ideology eating away at our foundations and constitutional principles of liberty and freedom. We are better than this. It's time for all responsible citizens to come to the aid of their country in the 2012 elections. Indeed, evil will prevail if good people do nothing.

USA TODAY
March 27, 2012

The truth behind the headlines

What is the truth behind what the American people are reading, hearing and seeing in the media?

A kangaroo court of black activists are accusing, trying and convicting a "white-Hispanic" man of the hate crime murder of a 17-year-old black teen.

President Obama's unconstitutional health care law is being challenged by 26 states and a national small business organization in the Supreme Court.

The housing crash, financial crisis and deepening recession was caused by over-reaching government's irresponsible push for affordable housing.

The energy and fuel crisis, job losses and cost of living increases were and are being caused by environmental zealots' litigation, EPA over-regulation, and President Obama stifling domestic oil production and coal energy.

The public miseducation system is a deeply flawed and failed money-pit of liberal arts and socialist indoctrination under the selfish interests of the education establishment, tenure and teacher unions robbing students of their future.

Sadly, the out-of-control size, scope and power of our government is transforming America away from the founding principles of our unique constitutional democratic republic of limited government that made us the greatest nation of liberty and freedom the World has ever known. If we are to survive these challenges, we must make our votes and voices known in the 2012 elections. Without a strong and free America, we and the world will collapse.

Washington Post
March 11, 2012

Re: The Luck that propelled President Obama's rise

by David Maraniss

Second term disaster is bad luck for America

If voters make the mistake of electing President Obama to a second term, his first term will look like socialist child's play. Indeed, unleashed by nothing to lose, Mr. Obama will be able to take-on his sought-out history-making agenda far exceeding the damage he's already inflicted upon our freedoms, debt, health care, energy, education, the overall economy and our national security -- largely unabated.

President Obama has made it painfully clear that he will stiff-arm any opposition, including, but not limited to the Congress and the Constitution in the blind pursuit of his perceived destiny of achieving a socialist utopia. He will surely circumvent the Constitution and Congress at every opportunity -- by crisis real or imagined -- to expand the regulatory power of his administration even further, and attempt to stack the Supreme Court.

Certainly, the bleak economy of the president's first term will look good compared to the devastation a second term would wreak upon a weakened America, and our people throughout the following 4 years, and for decades and generations to come. Hopefully, President Obama's political luck will run out on election day.

Los Angleles Times
March 3, 2012

Wag the dog California politics

California Attorney General Kamala Harris is conducting partisan manipulation of ballot summaries, which is a vivid example of 'wag the dog' politics to favor Democrat-controlled government and special interests, while preventing genuine public interest ballot measures from gathering sufficient voter signatures to qualify.

Indeed, it's bad enough that Proposition 23 delaying the implementation of economy-crushing AB 32 was defeated by manipulation and $19 million from teacher unions, and by the same means, Proposition 25 passed allowing the Legislature to pass the budget and other matters with a simple majority vote.

While Governor Brown and the Democrat legislature are attempting to limit the people's Constitutional right to alter or reform government with ballot initiatives, Harris' summaries for the Governor's sales and income tax increases blatantly favors the measures, which will undoubtedly be financially supported by selfish interests, government employee and teacher unions.

Surely the solvency of our state and the people are increasingly in peril. And it cannot be turned around, unless the ballot initiative process is strengthened by truthful nonpartisan ballot summaries, and reducing the enormous cost of qualifying ballot measures. That can easily be done by allowing the people to obtain ballot initiative signatures, and to vote, by means of a secure voting network on the Internet.

Governor Brown, Attorney General Harris and all California elected representative and officials should be reminded that they are the 'tail,' voters are the 'dog,' that we wag our own tails, and that 'wagging the dog' is malfeasance.

San Bernardino Sun
January 1, 2012

Payroll tax fiasco

It's certainly not surprising that the Democrat-controlled Senate and Republican political chumps kicked back the House bill to extend the payroll tax cut for one year, with a Senate bill to cut the extension for only two months. That's what Democrats and last-minute spoilers do to direct blame where it doesn't belong.

Indeed, President Obama's feigned attempt to say that he wants the tax cut extended for one year is nothing more than an election-year distraction from what he really wants - the end of the Bush tax cuts in 2013, which will surely bring on further damage to the economy.

Political machinations in a presidential election year are expected. However, when it's so deceitful and reckless that it has far-reaching effects on our economy and security - as it has over the past three years - it is not only unconscionable, it is mass malfeasance.

Worse, when the liberal media sells its journalistic soul and objective integrity to be biased political mouthpieces and campaign supporters for the Democrat Party and President Obama, the public watchdogs are only loyal to an ideology that feeds them, which is tantamount to being un-American.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley

New York Post
December 31, 2011

Newt judges the judges: Who has the last word?

Gingrich was correct in his Iowa debate concerns about the federal judiciary.

As early as 1821, Jefferson was prophetic when he warned that the federal judiciary is an irresponsible body, advancing its noiseless step like a thief, over the field of jurisdiction, until all shall be usurped from the States and the government of all be consolidated into one.

Considering the unabated growth and advance of federal government and power from FDR to LBJ, and now with President Obamas unconstitutional health-care mandates and energy, finance and administrative regulations, Jeffersons fears, now ours, are clearly being realized.

Indeed, the long-term inundation of attorney-driven, unreasonably complicated local, state and federal laws and activist courts, coupled with the predatory legal industry, have restricted our freedoms and raised the cost of living beyond control.

Daniel Jeffs
Apple Valley, Calif.

The Washington Examiner
December 30, 2011

Occupiers are part of Obama's re-election army

Re: "Obama should give the boot to Occupy DC squatters," Editorial, Dec. 29

He should, but he won't. The Occupy movement is really about President Obama's class warfare theme of the wealthy not paying their fair share.

Occupy protesters from at least 10 states are expected to disrupt the Iowa Republican primary caucuses. Concerned, discerning voters surely know that naive and indoctrinated college students and union activists are at the core of the Democrat Party Left, acting as an army for unopposed Obama's campaign to get re-elected and regain power in Congress at any cost. However, if that happens, the economy will worsen and government will consume the declining middle class.

Democracy cannot exist without a large, healthy middle class, broad freedoms, and limited government. My state, California, is clearly an advanced example of socialism, which thrives on more regulation, less freedom, big government and a bigger underclass of dependents.

That's why voters' decisions in the 2012 elections will certainly be the most important of our time.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley, Calif.

The Wall Street Journal
December 29, 2011
Re: What Fannie and Freddie knew - editorial

Community Reinvestment Act is still wreaking havoc

Fannie's 1999 subprime alliance with Angelo Mozilo's Countrywide Home Loans was the result of former president Carter's 1977 Community Reinvestment Act.

Rep. Barney Frank and Sen. Chris Dodd backed up Fannie and Freddie in Congress and -- along with Franklin Raines, other Fannie and Freddie CEOs, ACORN and the SEIU -- they took it from there to the crash. After which, all accusing Democrat phony-fingers pointed at Wall Street as the villain.

Certainly, Attorney General Eric Holder's lending discrimination suit against Bank of America's Countrywide unit is simply another political diversionary tactic, when the real villain is over-reaching government misfeasance.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley, Calif.

(original letter)

There is much more to the WSJ editorial about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac leading private lenders into the subprime market wherein standards were lowered to reach unqualified home buyers. Indeed, Fannie's 1999 subprime alliance with Angelo Mozilo's Countrywide Home Loans was the result of former president Carter's 1977 Community Reinvestment Act.

Former president Clinton used the CRA to jump-start the housing/financial crisis on the basis of affordable housing for minorities by intimidating banks, mortgage lenders, Fannie and Freddie to lower their standards and make loans to those who could not afford them -- with HUD's Andrew Cuomo and AG Janet Reno as his enforcers.

San Francisco Examiner
December 28, 2011

Clinton and housing crisis

Attorney General Eric Holders lending discrimination suit against Countrywide Home Loans, which has now been acquired by Bank of America, is simply another political diversionary tactic. The real villain is Fannie Mae and overreaching government misfeasance.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac led private lenders into the subprime market wherein standards were lowered to reach unqualified homebuyers. Former President Bill Clinton used the 1977 Community Reinvestment Act to jump-start the housing/financial crisis by intimidating banks, mortgage lenders, Fannie and Freddie to lower their standards and make loans to those who could not afford them.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley

New York Post
October 25, 2011

Biden teaching 4th-graders

Biden campaigning for the presidents jobs bill in front of 4th-graders is an invitation to expose the liberal indoctrination of students from elementary school to college.

Its simply a crime against the fiber of America. Indeed, the Occupy Wall Street movement is a direct result of the 1960s cultural revolution, the takeover of the education and political establishment and the unbridled growth of government.

Free-market capitalism is the only thing keeping our country from social, political and economic extinction.

Dan Jeffs
Apple Valley, Calif.

(Original letter)

VP Joe Biden indoctrinating 4th-graders

VP Joe Biden campaigning for President's jobs bill to 4th-graders should be an invitation to expose the liberal indoctrination of students, from elementary schools to college -- by the NEA, teacher unions, tenured professors, and the Department of Education -- at great taxpayer and property owner expense -- while graduating functionally illiterate students and robbing them of a core academic education.

It's simply a crime against the fiber of America.

Indeed, the 'Occupy Wall Street' movement is a direct result of the socialist '60s cultural revolution, the takeover of the education and political establishment, and the unbridled growth of government. Free market Capitalism is the only thing keeping our unique constitutional republic from social, political and economic extinction.

San Bernardino Sun
October 15, 2011

Freedom taken

There were certainly no mature adults among the first Occupy Wall Street protestors simply because they were predominately functionally illiterate, indoctrinated disgruntled students taught by liberal academia to practice name-calling anti-American mobaucracy to intimidate their perceived enemy: free market Capitalism.

Of course, the spread of protests across the country was prompted by known liberal activist organizations such as Move On and others, to help focus blame for the failing economy on Wall Street, banks and the wealthy -- later joined by the usual suspects, unions, teachers, Hollywood creatures, and 60s and '70 revolutionaries.

And, of course, there has been no mention of the actual cause of the economic meltdown in the liberal media's credibility coverage of the hapless street mobs: Government's reckless intimidation of banks and mortgage lenders to give home loans to unqualified buyers for the sake of affordable housing.

[Indeed, blame for the giant housing bubble that burst -- causing the housing and economic collapse -- should be directed where it primarily belongs: Former President Jimmy Carter's CRA, Former President Bill Clinton -- along with Former HUD Director, Andrew Cuomo, and Former Attorney General, Janet Reno -- Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; Former Fannie Mae CEO, Franklin Raines; Rep. Barney Frank, and Senators Chris Dodd and Chuck Schumer.] (edited for space)

Alas, elected representatives' selling protection for their elections and re-elections is as old as politics in America -- as are free-market Capitalists paying for the protection to remain in business. It's simply big, gangster government by any definition -- with hard working taxpayers and consumers paying the ultimate price for government malfeasance: Freedom

Unfortunately, under the guise of saving the economy, gangster government was elevated to a disturbing and unworkable level by the Democrat Congress and the Obama administration. Now, it's worse, and the outlook is grim -- unless the 2010 Republican win in the House is repeated in the Senate and White House in the 2012 elections.

Lest we forget, the First Amendment protects the people's right to free speech, and to peaceably assemble, and to petition government for redress of grievances -- as the tea party movement does. There is no right to mob the streets to interfere with businesses and other people's freedom of movement.

That is illegal everywhere in America.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley

Durbin's dumb amendment
by Daniel B. Jeffs, founder DDC
October 5, 2011

The Dodd-Frank financial laws enacted by the star chamber Democrat Congress was another blatant abuse of power by those who ignore the Constitution, as they did with the healthcare mandate.

It's bad enough that our health care costs are rising as a result, along with President Obama's EPA over-regulation driving up gasoline and energy costs. But when the deficit and national debt go up, exacerbated by the Department of Energy's bad loans to solar plants, and pumping $billions more into costly green energy that won't work, the malfeasance in Congress and the Administration is essentially bad business as usual.

Adding insult to injury, Senator Durbin's dumb amendment to the Dodd bill, limiting bank transaction fees -- now raising costs for banking customers and consumers -- is surely making the economy even worse. Indeed, what part of economic dumb, dumber and dumbest does Durbin and Democrats not understand?

Re: Obama-style democracy: Bureaucrats know best
The Washington Examiner - Editorial
September 29, 2011

Indeed, President Obama's administration of establishing commissions and positions of 'bureaucrats know best' -- and his constant campaign for aggressive government growth -- is turning up the fire and stirring the pot until it boils over, diminishing democracy and scalding his opponents.

Surely, Obama-style democracy is being practiced by Governors -- such as North Carolina's Bev Perdue, and California's Jerry Brown -- who are intent on elected officials and representatives ignoring the Constitution, and the collective judgment of the people.

Liberal activism has turned America's unique constitutional limited government and free-market republic from a melting pot of assimilation to a boiling pot of multiculturalism, harsh political factions, class warfare and large government socialism.

Hopefully, those who practice over-bearing government against representative democracy, will be reminded otherwise by voters. Clearly, we are in the constitutional and fundamental position to decide what is best for us.

Daniel B. Jeffs, founder DDC

HISTORY UNFOLDING
by Dr. David E. Kaiser

http://historyunfolding.blogspot.com/

David Kaiser is a respected historian whose published works have covered a broad range of topics, from European Warfare to American League Baseball. Born in 1947, the son of a diplomat, Kaiser spent his childhood in three capital cities: Washington D.C., Albany, New York, and Dakar, Senegal .. He attended Harvard University, graduating there in 1969 with a B.A. in history. He then spent several years more at Harvard, gaining a PhD in history, which he obtained in 1976. He served in the Army Reserve from 1970 to 1976

He is a professor in the Strategy and Policy Department of the United States Naval War College . He has previously taught at Carnegie Mellon, Williams College and Harvard University. Kaiser's latest book, The Road to Dallas, about the Kennedy assassination, was just published by Harvard University Press.

Dr. David Kaiser:

History Unfolding. I am a student of history. Professionally, I have written 15 books on history that have been published in six languages, and I have studied history all my life. I have come to think there is something monumentally large afoot, and I do not believe it is simply a banking crisis, or a mortgage crisis, or a credit crisis. Yes these exist, but they are merely single facets on a very large gemstone that is only now coming into a sharper focus..

Something of historic proportions is happening. I can sense it because I know how it feels, smells, what it looks like, and how people react to it. Yes, a perfect storm may be brewing, but there is something happening within our country that has been evolving for about ten to fifteen years. The pace has dramatically quickened in the past two.

We demand and then codify into law the requirement that our banks make massive loans to people we know they can never pay back? Why?

We learned just days ago that the Federal Reserve, which has little or no real oversight by anyone, has "loaned" two trillion dollars (that is $2,000,000,000,000) over the past few months, but will not tell us to whom or why or disclose the terms. That is our money. Yours and mine. And that is three times the $700 billion we all argued about so strenuously just this past September. Who has this money? Why do they have it? Why are the terms unavailable to us? Who asked for it? Who authorized it? I thought this was a government of "we the people," who loaned our powers to our elected leaders. Apparently not.

We have spent two or more decades intentionally de-industrializing our economy... Why?

We have intentionally dumbed down our schools, ignored our history, and no longer teach our founding documents, why we are exceptional, and why we are worth preserving. Students by and large cannot write, think critically, read, or articulate. Parents are not revolting, teachers are not picketing, school boards continue to back mediocrity. Why?

We have now established the precedent of protesting every close election (violently in California over a proposition that is so controversial that it simply wants marriage to remain defined as between one man and one woman. Did you ever think such a thing possible just a decade ago?) We have corrupted our sacred political process by allowing unelected judges to write laws that radically change our way of life, and then mainstream Marxist groups like ACORN and others to turn our voting system into a banana republic. To what purpose?

Now our mortgage industry is collapsing, housing prices are in free fall, major industries are failing, our banking system is on the verge of collapse, social security is nearly bankrupt, as is Medicare and our entire government. Our education system is worse than a joke (I teach college and I know precisely what I am talking about) - the list is staggering in its length, breadth, and depth.. It is potentially 1929 x ten...And we are at war with an enemy we cannot even name for fear of offending people of the same religion, who, in turn, cannot wait to slit the throats of your children if they have the opportunity to do so.

And finally, we have elected a man that no one really knows anything about, who has never run so much as a Dairy Queen, let alone a town as big as Wasilla , Alaska .. All of his associations and alliances are with real radicals in their chosen fields of employment, and everything we learn about him, drip by drip, is unsettling if not downright scary (Surely you have heard him speak about his idea to create and fund a mandatory civilian defense force stronger than our military for use inside our borders? No? Oh, of course. The media would never play that for you over and over and then demand he answer it. Sarah Palin's pregnant daughter and $150,000 wardrobe are more important.)

Mr. Obama's winning platform can be boiled down to one word: Change. Why?

I have never been so afraid for my country and for my children as I am now.

This man campaigned on bringing people together, something he has never, ever done in his professional life. In my assessment, Obama will divide us along philosophical lines, push us apart, and then try to realign the pieces into a new and different power structure. Change is indeed coming. And when it comes, you will never see the same nation again. And that is only the beginning..

As a serious student of history, I thought I would never come to experience what the ordinary, moral German must have felt in the mid-1930s In those times, the "savior" was a former smooth-talking rabble-rouser from the streets, about whom the average German knew next to nothing. What they should have known was that he was associated with groups that shouted, shoved, and pushed around people with whom they disagreed; he edged his way onto the political stage through great oratory. Conservative "losers" read it right now.

And there were the promises. Economic times were tough, people were losing jobs, and he was a great speaker. And he smiled and frowned and waved a lot. And people, even newspapers, were afraid to speak out for fear that his "brown shirts" would bully and beat them into submission. Which they did - regularly. And then, he was duly elected to office, while a full-throttled economic crisis bloomed at hand - the Great Depression. Slowly, but surely he seized the controls of government power, person by person, department by department, bureaucracy by bureaucracy. The children of German citizens were at first, encouraged to join a Youth Movement in his name where they were taught exactly what to think. Later, they were required to do so. No Jews of course,

How did he get people on his side? He did it by promising jobs to the jobless, money to the money-less, and rewards for the military-industrial complex. He did it by indoctrinating the children, advocating gun control, health care for all, better wages, better jobs, and promising to re-instill pride once again in the country, across Europe , and across the world. He did it with a compliant media - did you know that? And he did this all in the name of justice and .......... change. And the people surely got what they voted for.

If you think I am exaggerating, look it up. It's all there in the history books.

So read your history books. Many people of conscience objected in 1933 and were shouted down, called names, laughed at, and ridiculed. When Winston Churchill pointed out the obvious in the late 1930s while seated in the House of Lords in England (he was not yet Prime Minister), he was booed into his seat and called a crazy troublemaker. He was right, though. And the world came to regret that he was not listened to.

Do not forget that Germany was the most educated, the most cultured country in Europe . It was full of music, art, museums, hospitals, laboratories, and universities. And yet, in less than six years (a shorter time span than just two terms of the U. S. presidency) it was rounding up its own citizens, killing others, abrogating its laws, turning children against parents, and neighbors against neighbors.. All with the best of intentions, of course.. The road to Hell is paved with them.

As a practical thinker, one not overly prone to emotional decisions, I have a choice: I can either believe what the objective pieces of evidence tell me (even if they make me cringe with disgust); I can believe what history is shouting to me from across the chasm of seven decades; or I can hope I am wrong by closing my eyes, having another latte, and ignoring what is transpiring around me..

I choose to believe the evidence. No doubt some people will scoff at me, others laugh, or think I am foolish, naive, or both. To some degree, perhaps I am. But I have never been afraid to look people in the eye and tell them exactly what I believe-and why I believe it.

I pray I am wrong. I do not think I am. Perhaps the only hope is our vote in the next elections.

David Kaiser
Jamestown , Rhode Island

The Washington Examiner

September 19, 2011

Americans need to get nation back on track

Instead of listening to bloviating about the meaningless madness of today's petty and vile politics, voters ought to be thinking about how to return to the pride they had in America two or three generations ago -- before socialism sank its teeth into our public education system, our government and our liberty.

The only way to recover our heritage is to privatize education and restore moral self-reliance in the people. To revitalize capitalism, reform taxation, eliminate all anti-economic regulations, and reduce the size, scope and power of government.

Tea Party-minded Republicans and independents can do that. Democrats won't.

Daniel B. Jeffs

Apple Valley, Calif.

Original letter:

We need a cleansing of Washington

Instead of listening to those bloviating in the deepening, meaningless madness of today's petty-vile politics, voters ought to think about how to return to the pride in America of two or three generations ago -- before socialism sunk its teeth into our public education system, our government and our liberty.

There is only one way to recover our heritage: Privatize education. Reform taxation. Eliminate all anti-economic regulations. Reduce the size, scope and power of government. Revitalize Capitalism. And restore moral self reliance in the people. Tea-Party-minded Republicans and independents can do that. Democrats won't.

Indeed, the only program voters need is to engage in a social, political and economic cleansing of Washington, with a new declaration of independence, a restoration of our Constitution, our unique republic and real democracy.

KEEP THE REPUBLIC:

Saving America by Trusting Americans

Author: Mitch Daniels

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)

September 2011

Overview

Upon leaving the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin was asked what sort of government the delegates had created. His reply to the crowd: "A republic, if you can keep it." Now America's most respected governor explains just how close we've come to losing the republic, and how we can restore it to greatness.

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels has been called "the most presidential man in America." He has brought more change to his state in a few years than most see in decades.

During his tenure, Daniels turned a $700 million deficit into a billion dollar surplus, balanced Indiana's budget even during the recession, converted its once unattractive business climate into one of the strongest for private sector job growth.

The Hoosier state is now a model of good and efficient governance. Its public sector payroll is now the smallest per capita in the nation. And yet services have improved across the board. Even its Bureau of Motor Vehicles -- the ultimate symbol of dysfunctional bureaucracy - has been rated the best in the country.

Daniels has done this by focusing on government's core responsibilities, cutting taxes, empowering citizens, and performing what he calls an "old tribal ritual" - spending less money than his state takes in, while distinguishing between skepticism towards big government and hostility towards all government.

Unfortunately few politicians have the discipline or courage to follow his lead. And worse, many assume that Americans are too intimidated, gullible or dim-witted to make wise decisions about their health care, mortgages, the education of their kids, and other important issues. The result has been a steady decline in freedom, as elite government experts -- "our benevolent betters", in Daniels' phrase -- try to regulate every aspect of our lives.

Daniels bluntly calls our exploding national debt "a survival-level threat to the America we have known." He shows how our underperforming public schools have produced a workforce unprepared to compete with those of other countries and ignorant of the requirements of citizenship in a free society. He lays out the risk of greatly diminished long term prosperity and the loss of our position of world leadership. He warns that we may lose the uniquely American promise of upward mobility for all.

But, the good news is that it's not too late to save America. However, real change can't be imposed from above. It has to be what he calls "change that believes in you" -- a belief that Americans, properly informed of the facts, will pull together to make the necessary changes and that they are best- equipped to make the decisions governing their own lives. As he puts it:

"I urge great care not to drift into a loss of faith in the American people. We must never yield to the self-fulfilling despair that these problems are immutable, or insurmountable. Americans are still a people born to liberty. Addressed as free-born, autonomous men and women of God-given dignity, they will rise yet again to drive back a mortal enemy."

Meet The Author

Mitch Daniels was elected Governor of Indiana in 2004 and re- elected in 2008. He was previously the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (a cabinet-level position) under President George W. Bush and a senior aide to President Ronald Reagan. He also spent many years in the private sector as a senior executive at Eli Lilly and Company and the CEO of one of the nation's most influential research centers, the Hudson Institute. He and his wife Cheri have four daughters and live in Indianapolis.

FHFA's bogus lawsuits against banks

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) lawsuits against the Bank of America, J.P. Morgan Chase and 15 of the largest banks on behalf of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is nearing the last straw of government extortion and malfeasance in covering up the government-caused housing, finance and economic meltdown.

Indeed, it was former president Jimmy Carters Community Reinvestment Act, which was used by former president Bill Clinton to have his Housing and Urban Development Secretary, Andrew Cuomo, and then-Attorney General Janet Reno intimidate banks and mortgage lenders to lower standards for affordable housing. Of course, that was exacerbated by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac knowingly purchasing, bundling and reselling the toxic mortgages to Wall Street and others.

Congressional finance and banking oversight committee leaders Rep. Barney Frank and Sen. Chris Dodd are equally responsible for prompting Fannie Mae CEO Franklin Raines and Freddie Mac to perpetuate the affordable housing fraud, victimizing unqualified home buyers, which created the housing boom and bust thus the near financial collapse, job losses and foreclosures.

Yet it continues, and as usual, this is the worst possible time for government to stir the boiling economic pot. What is it going to take for the federal government to stop jerking around banks, mortgage lenders, homeowners, businesses and the American people? A good start would be the aforementioned violators to forfeit their government-paid retirements and benefits.

Daniel B. Jeffs, founder
DDC
September 6, 2011

The Washington Examiner

August 12, 2011

S&P responded to Obama's war on capitalism

President Obama and others' rhetoric demonizing Standard & Poor's and the Tea Party movement in response to the U.S. credit downgrade does little or nothing to alleviate government's feeble attempt to curb reckless debt and spending, removing any and all doubt that Obama and liberal Democrats in Congress have been engaged in an endless war against capitalism.

The majority of Americans who represent the Tea Party movement are now reining in government. The 2012 elections will send a new sheriff and posse to town to clean up Washington.

Daniel B. Jeffs

Apple Valley, Calif.

San Bernardino Sun
August 9, 2011

Dirty debt deal

Double-dealing Democrats and compromising Republicans made a dirty deal with the government debt devil, and gave President Obama and congressional Democrats what they wanted for the 2012 election. Putting off dealing with the real debt problem until 2013 means House and Senate Democrats and President Obama won't have the immediate debt problem hanging over the heads until after they are hopefully re-elected.

However, $2 trillion in cuts, coupled with a $2 trillion increase in the debt ceiling is a zero gain in debt reduction and spending cuts. Indeed, the only way out of being mired in national debt is to pass a zero-based balanced budget amendment, and making serious cuts in the size and scope of government until the enormous debt is relieved. Meanwhile, the declining economy and loss of jobs will make short work of many congressional Democrats, and Obama's hope of remaining on the presidential throne.

Kicking the can down the liberal road to socialism has long been the most serious threat to our liberty, the free market and our future. Our government must be changed from a welfare state back to the constitutional republic that made America the leader of the free world. The United States simply cannot survive being diminished by the sustained abuse of government power.

The mob mentality of the liberal media and Vice President Biden calling the tea party movement terrorists, while supporting the regulatory terrorism of the EPA and Dodd-Frank financial regulations, is tantamount to aiding and abetting economic suicide and voters know it.

DANIEL B. JEFFS
Apple Valley

Sacramento Bee
August 9, 2011

Bring back Calvin Coolidge

If the Republican House proposal to cut, cap and balance budgets with a constitutional amendment had not been rejected by the Democratic Senate and president, there would have been no downgrade.

Alas, the anemic deal raising the debt limit by $2.4 trillion and cutting spending by $2.4 trillion over the next 10 years is a zero gain that will do little or nothing to keep the national debt from increasing by $10 trillion over that time.

Clearly, the way to resolve this unsustainable mess is to eliminate the sources of the suppressed economy and stimulate growth and jobs with real tax reform; by cutting business- and energy-inhibiting regulations and litigation; slashing the size, scope and overreaching power of government; and by passing a balanced budget amendment with teeth.

That can only be done with a 2012 Republican Congress, and a 21st-century Calvin Coolidge-style Republican president. Only then can we open the road to recovery, prosperity and the American legacy of freedom.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley

The Boston Globe
August 5, 2011

Demonizing Tea Partiers will only fuel this vital movement

Calling the Tea Party movement "terrorists" is grossly misplaced. Indeed, the real domestic terrorism going on in our country is our socialist government's confiscatory taxation, public education indoctrination, economy crushing regulations, and the extreme environmental movement raising the cost of living.

The spontaneous Tea Party movement is a reaction to the way most American voters feel about big, intrusive, out of control government. Demonizing the movement will only make it grow to be heard loud and clear in the 2012 elections, and beyond, until the people and the states take America back.

A push from two-thirds of the states for a constitutional convention to propose amendments is long overdue. A balanced budget amendment with teeth should be first on the agenda.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley, Calif.

U.S. Credit downgrade overdue

The downgrade of the U.S. credit rating comes as no surprise. Indeed, I, as an American citizen could never have maintained a high credit rating while borrowing and spending twice the value of my assets and income. Nor could I have borrowed or spent more than my income, without stealing money from others, which is exactly what government is doing to current and future taxpayers.

Surely, the rating agencies did us no service by doing nothing when the national debt ceilings were raised, unabated -- and the housing and financial industries crashed in 2007-2008 -- or when the spending was increased by $4 trillion during the next two years -- including President Obama's worthless stimulus package -- not to mention the enormous potential cost of Obamacare.

If the Republican House proposal to cut, cap, and balance budgets with a constitutional amendment had not been rejected the Democrat Senate and the president, there would have been no debt default crisis or a downgrade. Alas, the anemic deal struck by Congress and President Obama, raising the debt limit by $2.4 trillion, and cutting spending by $2.4 trillion over the next 10 years, will do little or nothing to keep the national debt from increasing by $10 trillion over that time.

Clearly, the way to resolve this unsustainable mess is to eliminate the sources of the suppressed economy and stimulate growth with real tax reform, cutting business inhibiting regulations and litigation -- slashing the size, scope and over-reaching power of government -- and passing a balanced budget amendment with teeth.

That can only be done with a 2012 Republican Congress, and a 21st Century Calvin Coolidge-style Republican president. Only then, can we open the road to recovery, prosperity and the real legacy of freedom we can believe in.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Founder, DDC
August 6, 2011

Dirty debt deal

The mob-mentality of the liberal media and Vice President Biden calling the Tea Party movement terrorists, while supporting the regulatory terrorism of the EPA and Dodd-Frank financial regulations, is tantamount to aiding and abetting economic suicide -- and voters know it.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Founder, DDC
August 1, 2011

FDR, LBJ, Carter and Clinton built the housing market time bomb, Frank, Dodd and Obama lit the fuse

Why have we not heard a peep from Rep. Barney Frank during the debt crisis? Because he and Sen. Dodd lit the fuse of a housing and financial market time bomb built by FDR and LBJ, with a trigger manufactured by Carter and Clinton.

FDR established Fannie Mae as part of the New Deal to provide a national savings and loan for a secondary mortgage market and affordable housing. Fannie Mae had a monopoly on the housing market until 1968, when LBJ privatized Fannie Mae as a GSE to take it off the federal budget, then created as second GSE, Freddie Mac in 1970.

On their way to controlling 90 percent of the nation's secondary mortgage market, they were stimulated by President Carters Community Reinvestment Act, which was used by President Clinton to intimidate Fannie, Freddie, and private lenders to lower their loan standards for affordable housing. That triggered the government-backed mortgage securities mania that followed.

The Bush administration was concerned about Fannie and Freddie's financial condition, However, Rep. Barney Frank and Sen. Chris Dodd, said there was no need for concern, which lit the fuse to a spike in sub-prime lending, and the eventual explosion and implosion of the housing and financial markets. Now the national debt crisis is upon us, half of which is accountable to Fannie and Freddie, thus the taxpayers.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the Dodd-Frank financial regulation nightmare is about to get real nasty, which could be the straw that breaks the nation's back -- if Congress and President Obama national debt crisis contributors let it happen. The 64 trillion-dollar question is: How could the American people allow the malfeasance of Presidents and Congress pull off a giant Bernie Madoff-style Ponzi scheme on our country and let it go unaccountable? The answer is, it's never too late.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Founder, DDC
July 31, 2011

Time to declare independence again
July 4, 2011

This July 4th Independence Day highlights America's economic crisis and deepening recession, which is making it painfully clear that the nation's liberal/socialist evolution -- away from our founding principles and constitutional security -- has dangerously eroded our freedom and liberties.

The last half of the existence of our United States of America has been wrought with excessive taxation, unabated government growth, constitutional circumvention, over-regulation and the abuse of power.

Indeed, liberal-power-politics produced ideological infections that evolved into a monarchial presidency, a kangaroo Congress, and star-chamber courts, which have become nearly as tyrannical as the government from which we separated.

Surely, the unconstitutional cancers have metastasized throughout most state governments -- particularly the largest tumors such as California and New York -- that will certainly become terminal, along with nationalized monopolies in public education which have indoctrinated our children and sustained the assaults on freedom.

It is clearly time for voters in every state to declare independence again -- call for a repeal of the 16th (income tax) Amendment, the enactment of a "Fair Tax," and a balanced budget amendment -- to reduce the size, scope and power of government -- and restore the limited government intent of our Constitution. Only then can the promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness be fully realized.

Daniel B. Jeffs, founder
DDC

INDEPENDENCE DAY REVIVAL

By Ted Nugent

Washington Times - June 30, 2011

Thomas Jefferson would be shocked and appalled if he could see what America has done to this grand experiment since he drafted the Declaration of Independence. On Independence Day 2011, Mr. Jefferson would not be celebrating our independence but rather encouraging Americans to revolt once again.

America has compromised the Founding Fathers dreams of a limited federal government for a centralized federal government that is bloated, grossly ineffective, putridly expansive, irresponsible, tremendously expensive and soullessly bureaucratic.

Our federal government is more burdensome, costly and controlling than the British government of King George 235 years ago, the very beast that our Founding Fathers took up arms against and fired a freedom shot that was heard around the world.

The Founders recognized the costly quagmire of an all-powerful and centralized federal government. Mr. Jefferson, who arguably was the smartest man ever to have taken up residence in the White House, wrote, My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.

Our Founders wrote our Constitution to limit the powers of the federal government. That hasnt stopped our professional politicians from violating the Constitution and doing what they want when they want and to whom they want from their gilded mahogany thrones in Washington. They have zero respect for the Constitution. They pay lip service to it when it serves their political need.

On our embarrassing, apathetic watch, we have allowed our republic to be financially raped, pillaged and plundered by our King George-like professional politicians, who buy our votes with our tax dollars by creating vast federal handout programs, departments and agencies that Uncle Sugar Daddy was never intended or designed to create or manage. The result: America is tens and tens of trillions of dollars in debt.

Statesmen such as Mr. Jefferson, James Madison, George Washington and others would not have condoned this grotesque financial irresponsibility emanating out of the toxic swamp of Washington. Again quoting Mr. Jefferson, It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes.

Those patriots, Tea Party members and other concerned Americans who speak about financial responsibility, champion limited government and promote the ideals of our Founding Fathers are often maligned, lampooned and condemned as intellectual lightweights, radicals and even racists by various cowards.

The Tea Partyers have it right. They understand that our republic can only be saved by advocating the very principles, vision and ideals of those men and women who risked their lives, sacred honor and fortunes to give birth to America.

Tea Partyers, members of various other patriotic organizations and other rank-and-file concerned Americans should take solace in the words of John Adams when he wrote about the American Revolution in 1818, This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution.

On this Independence Day, sit down with your children, loved ones, friends, neighbors and co-workers and read the Declaration of Independence and discuss it. Get them to commit to a new uprising in which our King George politicians are dethroned and run out of Washington. Be a patriot and save America.

When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another

Happy Independence Day. God bless America.

Ted Nugent is an American rock n roll, sporting and political activist icon. He is the author of Ted, White and Blue: The Nugent Manifesto and God, Guns & Rock N Roll (Regnery Publishing).

ANDREW BREITBART
Author: Righteous Indignation
http://www.breitbart.com
Exposing Big Government, Big Hollywood and Big Journalism

USA TODAY
April 12, 2011

Time to make real headway on cutting the budget

Follow GOP plan

While President Obama, Senator Reid and House Speaker Boehner pat themselves on the back for avoiding a government shutdown by making a deal on $38.5 billion in budget cuts, they lose sight of the real deal. $38.5 billion is political chump change, and the people lose.

Why? There is a $14.3 trillion public debt gorilla in the people's room fed by political ideology and the malfeasance of personal power.

Indeed, according to U.S. Treasury and budget office reports, the federal debt will reach $19.6 trillion by 2015. The interest on the debt this year will be over $530 billion, and the federal deficit will be over $1.6 trillion.

Contrary to popular political belief, the people are not stupid. We are more informed than ever. Government growth means loss of freedoms. We recognize the abuse of power, fraud and deceit -- and we are not going to take it anymore.

If our elected representatives and officials don't get their act together and work out something like the "Path to Prosperity" budget plan put forth by House Budget Committee Chairman, Paul Ryan, the changes made in Congress in 2010 will be expanded by voters in 2012 and beyond until Washington gets it right.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley, Calif.

USA TODAY
March 3, 2011

Government officials share the blame in financial crisis

Its curious that USA TODAYs editorial "Why arent more meltdown moguls charged with crimes?" was published the day after filmmaker Charles Ferguson received the Academy Award for his documentary, Inside Job (Monday). In his acceptance speech Ferguson said, "I must start by pointing out that three years after a horrific financial crisis caused by massive fraud, not a single financial executive has gone to jail and thats wrong."

USA TODAYs rogues gallery of major 2008 financial meltdown players is misguided, just as the biased Inside Job misplaced the blame on Wall Streets financial mortgage industry, which was the result of the crash, not the cause.

Indeed, the rogues gallery for the cause begins with former president Jimmy Carters Community Reinvestment Act, which was used by former president Bill Clinton to have his Housing and Urban Development Secretary, Andrew Cuomo, and then-Attorney General Janet Reno intimidate banks and mortgage lenders to lower standards for affordable housing. Of course, that was exacerbated by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchasing and reselling the toxic mortgages to Wall Street and others.

To complete the rogues gallery, congressional Democratic leaders Rep. Barney Frank and former senator Chris Dodd must be included for failing to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. They helped perpetuate the affordable housing fraud, victimizing unqualified home buyers, which created the housing boom and bust thus the financial collapse and foreclosures. Sadly, biased media, Hollywood, and left-wing ideologues end up being the false and superficial finger-pointers, when government is the guilty wild bunch.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley, Calif.

Los Angeles Times
Opinion LA
February 21, 2011

Re: In Wisconsin: This time Democrats are obstructionists

By Dan Turner - Feb. 18, 2011

Wag the dog? NO!

Wisconsin Democrat legislators walking out of state in defiance of the governor, the intrusion of President Obama's political machine -- Organizing for America -- and the Democrat National Committee's interference in state employee matters are unconscionable actions against Wisconsin's state sovereignty, taxpayers and voters, there and across the nation.

Indeed, there was a time when public employees were paid equal to or less than the private sector and not unionized. Now, they are unionized and paid much more for being far less efficient. Particularly, failed public school teachers who frequently go on strike somewhere in the nation without justification.

Our economic crunch is making it painfully clear that public employees should never have been unionized, nor be allowed to strike or conduct job actions against taxpayer/public employers.

Unfortunately, in a past life as California governor, Jerry Brown approved state employee unions, including the teachers' union, which have become the selfish interest monsters raising the cost of government far beyond reason. Question is, are lemming voters still foolish enough to keep Gov, Brown and the Democrat Legislature in power long enough to lead the state and Californians over the economic cliff?

What public employees fail to understand is that -- along with their salaries and benefits -- their union dues are paid with taxpayer funds, which are used by untouchable unions against public interests and the public good. Wag the dog? NO! That is unacceptable and must be stopped.

Dan Jeffs
Apple Valley, CA

The Washington Times
February 18, 2011

Re: Obama's budget blarney - editorial

Obama's economic snake oil

Extension of the George W. Bush tax cuts was the only good thing that came out of the previous Congress and President Obamas White House, but now the president is back to his overspending ways with his fiscal 2012 budget (Obamas budget blarney, Comment & Analysis, Wednesday). The previous Democrat-controlled Congress hid behind closed doors to concoct a plan to take over health care. It drove up the national debt so high that monthly interest payments are in the billions. It put America on the path to insolvency with economy-busting rules and regulations for finance, industry and energy. Overall, the size of government and its spending increased 25 percent.

Now, after voters rejected the lame-duck Congress and passed control of the House to Republicans, Mr. Obama is making a veiled attempt at political triangulation. Hes using a dash of snake-oil doublespeak and budget blarney while wasting tax dollars on ineffective green energy, the rapid-rail-to-nowhere project and our failing education system. Thus, he is playing voters for fools, which makes his re-election chances even dimmer.

DANIEL B. JEFFS

Apple Valley, Calif.

Original letter:

Kangaroo Congress and presidential shell games

Lest we forget, extending the Bush tax cuts was the only good thing that came out of the previous Congress and beyond President Obama's White House desk, but it will only last until just after the 2012 presidential election.

Meanwhile, the Democrat-controlled Congress cranked out a costly grab at national health care from behind closed doors, cranked up the national debt to where It's costing $200 billion per month in interest payments, and put America on the presidential path to insolvency with economy-busting rules and regulations over finance, industry and energy -- not to mention a 25 percent increase in government size and spending.

Now, after voters rejected the Kangaroo Congress and passed control of the House to Republicans, President Obama is making a veiled attempt at the triangulation shell game, with a dash of snake oil double-speak and a blarney budget proposal, to cut spending here and increase spending there -- with tax increases on the wealthy (loss of more jobs) and oil companies (increasing gas prices) -- while wasting tax dollars on ineffective green energy (increasing energy prices), infrastructure (rapid rail to nowhere) and miseducation.

Indeed, with the shell game's public pea up his sleeve, Obama is playing voters for fools, which makes his re-election chances even dimmer.

San Bernardino Sun
February 17, 2011

Reagan had 'right stuff'

Comparing the presidencies of Reagan and Obama does little if anything to bolster Obama's image, particularly when liberals cannot escape the underlying contempt they have for conservatives. (Re: "Differently similar presidencies of Reagan and Obama," by Clarence Page, Feb. 7.)

Indeed, the condescending language is glaringly evident no matter how they attempt to mask it by likening President Obama's ability to restore Americans' faith in themselves as President Reagan did. That cannot be done, simply because Reagan had the "right stuff" of a patriot leader of the United States. Obama hasn't come close to claiming the same. When that happens, the American people know it.

The Washington Examiner
February 14, 2011

Our real problem is an overly intrusive government

Re: "Does America have a lawyer problem, or a law problem?" Sunday Reflection, Feb. 4

When there is one lawyer for every 272 people, we have a problem, one that is largely responsible for our deeply rooted social, political and economic dilemmas.

Our laws were meant to be simple and understandable, and to control criminal and civil behavior under constitutional limitations. They were never meant to be so numerous and complicated that they adversely effected our society. The Constitution never intended that laws would diminish our freedoms and control nearly every aspect of our lives, liberty and property. But over the decades, our system has become corrupted by political ideology, the unbridled growth of government, and selfish interests.

Lawyers are not the problem, but the proliferation of an overly expanded, insidious government legal system that passes too many laws, makes too many legislative decisions in court, and allows too many unreasonable product liability, medical malpractice, and class action cases wherein lawyers are the only winners.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley, Calif

Original letter:

Re: Does America have a lawyer problem, or a law problem?
By Glenn Reynolds

America has a legalized injustice problem

When America has one lawyer for every 272 people, we have a legal problem. Indeed, legal problems in the United States are largely responsible for our deeply rooted social, political and economic dilemmas. Which means that -- though we are a free constitutional republic under the rule of law, not man -- the Constitution never intended that laws would diminish our freedoms and control nearly every aspect of our lives, liberty and property.

Over the years and decades, our legal system has become corrupted by political ideology, the unbridled growth of government, and selfish interests. Our laws were meant to be simple and understandable. They were meant to control criminal behavior and civil behavior under constitutional limitations. They were never mean to be so numerous and complicated that they adversely effected our society.

Unfortunately, it's not the lawyers who are the problem, it's the proliferation of an overly expanded, insidious legal system of government passing too many laws, too many legislative court decisions -- court systems handling too many environmental and selfish interest litigations -- and law firms prosecuting too many unreasonable product liability, medical malpractice, and class action cases wherein lawyers are the only winners.

And that's why the costs of living, government, contracts, healthcare, doing business, probate and estates, patents, and legalized injustices in our lives are so high.

Riverside Press Enterprise
February 10, 2011

Just like Reagan? Hardly

Comparing the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama, as is being done in the media, does little if anything to bolster Obama's image, particularly when liberals cannot escape the underlying contempt they have for conservatives.

Indeed, the condescending language is glaringly evident no matter how liberals attempt to mask it when they try to say President Obama is restoring the faith of Americans in the nation as President Reagan did.

Furthermore, Obama hasn't come close to leading like Reagan, and the American people know it.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley

The Next Decade: Where We've Been . . . and Where We're Going

by George Friedman

Synopsis

The author of the acclaimed New York Times bestseller The Next 100 Years now focuses his geopolitical forecasting acumen on the next decade and the imminent events and challenges that will test America and the world, specifically addressing the skills that will be required by the decades leaders.

The next ten years will be a time of massive transition. The wars in the Islamic world will be subsiding, and terrorism will become something we learn to live with. China will be encountering its crisis. We will be moving from a time when financial crises dominate the world to a time when labor shortages will begin to dominate. The new century will be taking shape in the next decade.

In The Next Decade, George Friedman offers readers a provocative and endlessly fascinating prognosis for the immediate future. Using Machiavellis The Prince as a model, Friedman focuses on the worlds leadersparticularly the American presidentand with his trusted geopolitical insight analyzes the complex chess game they will all have to play. The book also asks how to be a good president in a decade of extraordinary challenge, and puts the worlds leaders under a microscope to explain how they will arrive at the decisions they will makeand the consequences these actions will have for us all.

Biography

GEORGE FRIEDMAN is the founder and CEO of Stratfor, the worlds leading publisher of global geopolitical intelligence. He is the author of six books, including the New York Times bestselling The Next 100 Years. He has appeared on all the major television networks and has been featured in several national publications.

Dear Reader:

Let me begin with a confession: I've written another book. This must surely violate some federal law, given that I published my last book less than two years ago.

The new book is called The Next Decade. Titles notwithstanding, this book is very different from its predecessor, The Next 100 Years. The last book was about a century, a time frame in which all things are impersonal. A decade is the opposite, because it is filled with individual decisions and uncertainty. It not only requires a very different type of forecasting, it requires the opposite sensibility. In a century, leadership counts for little. In a decade, it counts for a great deal.

The book is framed by two concepts. The first is the idea that the United States is an unintended empire of vast power, deeply interlocked with the affairs of most of the world. It is not a question of whether Americans want this empire; it is impossible to let go. The question is what to do with it. Like a child you did not expect and may not have welcomed, it is still your responsibility.

The second concept is what I call the Machiavellian Presidency. I consider three presidents exemplary: Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt and Reagan. Each possessed a deep moral core. Each fully understood the uses of power, lying and violating the Constitution and human rights to achieve the respective moral necessities of the abolition of slavery, the destruction of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, and the destruction of the Soviet Union. When we recall that Roosevelt allied with Stalin to defeat Hitler, we capture the Machiavellian President.

The United States has stumbled into empire. It now faces the crisis of Rome that the empire will annihilate the republic. I argue that of all the institutions of our Constitution, it is the president who can preserve the republic while managing the empire. I also argue that the greatest threat to the republic is living in denial about what the United States has become. The issue, then, is how to manage the unintended and unwanted in the next decade.

It is a privilege to have the opportunity to write and an even greater privilege to be read. For me, STRATFOR and this book are part of a single fabric of thought.

Sincerely,

George Friedman
Founder and CEO of STRATFOR

Feds In The Classroom:

How Big Government Corrupts, Cripples, and Compromises American Education

By Neal P. McCluskey

Challenges the constitutionality of how deeply entrenched the feds have become in the classroom, which was, until recently, the function of state and local governments.

About the Book:

Thomas Jefferson warned that "the natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." American elementary and secondary education shows how right he was. Two centuries ago the founders rejected federal participation in education and even rejected George Washington's plans on establishing a national university. It should be of little surprise, then, that the term "education" appears nowhere in the Constitution. Few early Americans would have considered providing education a proper function of local or state governments, much less some distant federal government. Federal control of the nation's schools would have simply been unthinkable. This view was the prevailing one well into the 20th century. In the 1980s, Ronald Reagan campaigned, in part, on a proposal to close the federal department of education. How things have changed in a few short decades. Today, every state requires children to attend school, and most dictate precisely what the children will learn. Parents, in contrast, are able to make very few choices about their children's education.

And what role does the federal government have now? It has drilled deep into almost every public classroom in America. Washington can now tell public schools whether their teachers are qualified, their reading instruction acceptable, and what they must do when their students do not achieve on par with federal demands. At the outset of his presidential administration, for example, George W. Bush pushed for the largest federal encroachment in education in American history. Through his No Child Left Behind Act, the federal government can dictate what will be taught, when, and by whom, to most of the 15,000 public school districts and 47 million public school children. Why the change? Is it a change? What's the cost to the taxpayers? What are the benefits to public school students? To public schools?

Today, with the almost-complete consolidation of education authority in the hands of policy makers in Washington, the last of our educational liberty has been pushed to the brink of extinction. Thankfully, there is still hope: Over just the last decade-and-a-half, school choice - public education driven by parents, not politicians and bureaucrats - has become a force to be reckoned with. Feds in the Classroom will challenge much of the conventional wisdom surrounding federal involvement in education. The author considers all federal activities-legislation, funding, regulations, and judicial oversight-and then makes a cost-benefit and constitutional assessment.

About the Author

Author:

Neal McCluskey is a policy analyst with Cato's Center for Educational Freedom. Prior to arriving at Cato, McCluskey served in the U.S. Army, taught high school English, and was a freelance reporter covering municipal government and education in suburban New Jersey. More recently, he was a policy analyst at the Center for Education Reform, where he published papers on subjects ranging from cyber charter schools to class size reduction.

The San Diego Union-Tribune

January 26, 2011

Letters: State of the Union address, creating jobs and more

The presidents speech, pro and con

President Obama, in my opinion, struck the correct and proper note in his State of the Union speech, with nothing for the left or the right to get too excited about. He wants jobs, competition, innovation and creativity to get our economy out of the doldrums. His message was bipartisan and middle of the road, a common-sense road map to our future. Good luck if the GOP tries to demonize his message to the American people.

G.D. Morrill

Escondido

Masked by eloquent speaking skills and citizen props, President Obamas speech was little more than empty gestures and devious rhetoric, launching his 2012 re-election campaign. The speech most Americans would like to have heard would have been an admission that he has been out of touch with the real social, political and economic problems in America, that he would wipe the slate clean of unconstitutional government actions, and that he would back off the insidious ideology undermining the country.

Daniel B. Jeffs

Apple Valley

NewsMax Magazine
January 2011 Issue

Obama's Power Grab

President Obama and company are an ideological malignant cancer metastasizing in America ("An Arrogant President," November). The Most disturbing realization for voters is that Obama's is becoming dictatorial, with monarchial declarations, edicts and executive orders.

The White House, coupled with the legislative mania of the Democratic-controlled Congress, grabs power over health care, the auto industry, finance and energy, leaving our failing economy and our country steeped in fear, anxiety and uncertainty.

I am afraid this malignant cancer will likely become terminal with a second term

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley, Calif.

How to Resist Federal Tyranny in the 21st Century,

Author: Thomas E. Woods Jr.

Publisher: Regnery Press

June 2010

Synopsis

Citizens across the country are fed up with the politicians in Washington telling us how to live our livesand then sticking us with the bill. But what can we do? Actually, we can just say no. As New York Times bestselling author Thomas E. Woods, Jr., explains, nullification allows states to reject unconstitutional federal laws. For many tea partiers nationwide, nullification is rapidly becoming the only way to stop an over-reaching government drunk on power. From privacy to national healthcare, Woods shows how this growing and popular movement is sweeping across America and empowering states to take action against Obamas socialist policies and big-government agenda.

Unconstitutional laws are pouring out of Washingtonbut we can stop them.

Just ask Thomas Jefferson. There is a rightful remedy to federal power grabsits called Nullification.

In Nullification: How to Resist Federal Tyranny in the 21st Century, historian and New York Times bestselling author Thomas E. Woods, Jr. explains not only why nullification is the constitutional tool the Founders envisioned, but how it worksand has already been employed in cases ranging from upholding the First Amendment to knocking down slave laws before the Civil War. In Nullification, Woods shows:

How the states were meant to be checks against federal tyrannyand how a growing roster of governors and state attorneys general are recognizing they need to become that again
Why the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution reinforces the rights of states to nullify unconstitutional laws
Why it was left to the states to uphold the simple principle that an unconstitutional law is no law at all
Why, without nullification, ordinary Americans will continue to suffer the oppression of unjust, unconstitutional laws
PLUS thorough documentation of how the Founding Fathers believed nullification could be applied

Nullification is not just a bookit could become a movement to restore the proper constitutional limits of the federal government. Powerful, provocative, and timely, Nullification is sure to stir debate and become a constitutional handbook for all liberty-loving Americans.

The Washington Examiner
December 20, 2010

A return to limited government is up to us

Re: "The GOP finds some backbone, but will it last?" editorial, Dec. 19

The answer to your editorial's question is: We'll see. During the past hundred years, America has been subjected to a liberal/progressive/socialist ideology and expanding government power.

That power is administered by unconstitutional social programs, public education indoctrination, punishing taxation, tyrannical lawmaking and regulations, and a legislating judiciary.

The ever-expanding federal government, which has usurped power from the states and shattered our liberties, peaked under a power-mongering 111th Congress and President Obama.

Fortunately most Americans have not forsaken our unique history and founding principles. It's time for a reckoning, as evidenced by spontaneous resistance to overreaching government exploiting an economic crisis in an era of extreme terrorism directed against us.

What's next is up to us.

Daniel B. Jeffs
Apple Valley, Calif.