Life is Political

Cool Teachers' Resource - Classroom Videos on entrepreneurship, property rights, free trade, global warming, and personal responsibility

2011-11-22T08:49:00.000-06:00

I found out about "izzit.org" reading a Heritage Foundation publication; it's for teachers of 4th - 12th grade students.

Ultimately, Chitester and Mead want to help teachers get their students to think for themselves about the role of government in their lives; they want the kids to always ask themselves: Who’s choosing?

izzit.org provides teachers with high-quality educational videos and accompanying lesson plans on range of topics. These include entrepreneurship, property rights, free trade, global warming, and personal responsibility.

Read an entire interview with the creators of izzit.org here.

Two Billboards on I-44 Highlight Troop Donations to Ron Paul

2011-11-21T11:11:00.000-06:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Lloyd Sloan
lloyd_sloan@yahoo.com

Two Billboards on I-44 Highlight Troops Support for Ron Paul

Two bill boards--believed to be the first billboards of the presidential cycle here in Missouri--were installed along I-44 by Ron DeClue, the owner of Alpha Display Inc, a Missouri sign company. The signs promote Ron Paul, who during the last quarter, received more in campaign donations from Missourians than each of the other Republican candidates. These signs were not paid for by Paul's official campaign, however. A group of local supporters worked in conjunction with the American Liberty Coalition out of Wisconsin to design, place and fund the billboards.

One sign which is viewed by westbound drivers leaving Sullivan, MO reads “Our Troops Support Paul.” The sign uses a bargraph to show that Ron Paul is apparently the US Military’s choice for president. He receives more in donations from active troops than Obama and more than all of the other GOP candidates put together. In fact, www.supportthemnow.com, the website featured on the sign, links to OpenSecrets.org to show that the US Army, the US Air Force and the US Navy were the top three contributors to Ron Paul’s campaign during the 3rd quarter of 2011.

The other billboard, viewed by eastbound drivers just passing Leasburg, features the official campaign website: www.ronpaul2012.com where Ron Paul's "Restore America Plan" is outlined. This plan would balance the US federal budget by 2015, during the first three years of Paul's presidency, by cutting five federal departments and $1 trillion of spending--mostly US spending abroad. The plan would not cut Social Security or Medicare.

A recent Bloomberg poll shows Ron Paul statistically tied for first place in Iowa. Ron Paul won the NFRA straw poll a few weeks ago in the first-to-vote state of Iowa.

Hear from the pharmacist who took on Gov. Rod Blagojevich and won for Rights of Conscience

2011-11-17T13:28:00.000-06:00

I'm looking forward to hearing Luke Vander Bleek, the pharmacist who took on Gov. Rod Blagojevich and won for Rights of Conscience, on December 1st out at Pillar in the Valley. Not only is it for a good cause, but it's a story worth hearing and knowing about.

Join

Ed Martin

Candidate for US Congress, 2nd District

for a

“No Truce on Life”

Pro Life Dinner

Thursday, December 1st

Keynote Speaker: Luke Vander Bleek, Pharmacist who took on Gov. Rod Blagojevich and won for

Publish Post

Rights of Conscience

The Pillar in the Valley

229 Chesterfield Business pkwy

Chesterfield, MO

Doors open at 6:30 pm, Dinner at 7:00 pm

$30 per person, $50 per couple

Click Here to RSVP Online

Wealth isn't Created by Government; It's Created by YOU

2011-10-10T10:19:00.000-05:00

I remember as a kid talking to my brother about how the government should print money to pay for everything and get rid of the national debt. It's funny how some adults still think like children: wealth is just paper.

Wealth isn't paper: it's stuff people value enough to give up free time to work for. Even more, people that create wealth don't do it simply by wanting it, but by actualizing it--without nagging (or government subsidies).

Gary North writes in one of his weekly tips on "How You Can Earn a Bachelor's Degree from an Accredited College in 3 Years for Under $15,000":

I encourage you in your efforts to improve your skills. But the power of the Day Timer and the Palm Pilot to increase Americans' productivity tells us that it is not our skill sets that are our personal key to success; it is our ability to meet deadlines without letting things fall through the cracks.

This is why a college education really does pay off. College removes external nagging, which still exists in high school. College leaves the student on his own. If he survives this last test -- deadlines without nagging -- he is ready for adulthood.

Businesses hire college graduates, not because of their skill sets, but because of their ability to survive an inefficient bureaucratic system that imparts little formal knowledge that is as important as the ability to meet deadlines without being nagged. College is the first nagging-free environment for about one-third of Americans. Half of them don't graduate.

You can sign up for Gary North's tip of the week at http://garynorth.com/.

Steve Jobs, an entrepreneur who experienced winning and losing

2011-10-06T10:01:00.000-05:00

NPR featured a great short piece on Steve Jobs's life, and one thing that strikes me: we live in a world full of businesses who "need" subsidizing, but he didn't.

The greatest enemy of the entrepreneur is government intervention.

Perry E. Gresham
Liberty and the Entrepreneur

We keep hearing that businesses are "too big to fail" and about companies who "need" subsidies so they can "scale" production to "break in" to the market.

What if the companies that are "too big" are just sucking up capital that could be reinvested?

The entrepreneur, moreover, must be able to face failure and be resourceful enough to learn from it. Some of the most successful companies in America are the result of early entrepreneurial failures. The imaginative and creative business person learns by failure, as well as by success.

Perry E. Gresham
Liberty and the Entrepreneur

The best way to change government...

2011-09-09T09:10:00.000-05:00

...is to change the people in government!

(And keep the few willing to fight against status quo...)

I'm passing along a notice about a Missouri Precinct Project (MOPP) training session in Jeff City on Oct. 1, which focuses on teaching YOU how to meet your neighbors to find like-mind voters to influence, and ultimately, change (hold accountable) who is in Washington (and in all the other little offices too.)

MOPP is hosting a training session in Jefferson City on Saturday, Oct 1., and I encourage you to attend. We cannot rely on the Party system to pick and elect our candidates any longer. Change requires YOUR action. I'll be there and I hope you can make it too.

Volunteers and friends of MOPP:

You probably have heard or seen the announcements by American Majority, a national non-profit, non-partisan political training institute and that they are starting national training seminars across the country on September 17, 2011. Well, the Missouri Precinct Project (MOPP) is one of the first organizations to have a joint training session with American Majority on Saturday, October 1, 2011 in Jefferson City. Go to our website www.moprecinctproject.org - it also has a link to American Majority and sign up for this fabulous training online as soon as possible.

American Majority is a national organization that has developed state of the art training tools that our volunteers can use and they will benefit from the expertise that American Majority has developed. It would be well worth your time to come to this training and learn the latest strategies of how to take back our country one neighborhood at a time. I would love to see you there.

I know - there is a debate scheduled for that date between Ann Wagner and Ed Martin. They are both running for Congress from the 2nd Congressional District. But they'll have more debates. I know, because I already scheduled their debate for Bonhomme Township in December. So you won't have to miss our favorite candidate for this important office.

Hope to see you in Jefferson City on Saturday, October 1, 2011 and really find out how to walk your neighborhood.

Frieda Keough
Missouri Precinct Project (MOPP)
"Let's MOPP 'em up in '12"
www.moprecinctproject.org
missouriprecinctproject@gmail.com
for more information call:
314-229-8720
Now...Join us on Facebook and FreedomConnector

PS....to my friends who are elected officials, I hope you do not take offense to my suggestion that you should be removed from office. The point is not that everyoneshould be removed, but that the people in government are who shape its actions.

Video of "Protest" for Status Quo Outside of Sen. Blunt's Office

2011-07-07T22:11:00.002-05:00

There were pre-printed (and a few hand written) signs and people, but not much energy. A couple of times the crowd started yelling "no cuts," but not full participation. Really, a call for "no cuts," is a call for status quo.

Someone handed me a little sheet that said "People Before Profits" and then listed opposition to "across the board cuts." My frustration with suggesting that there should be "no cuts" is focused on why I--or anyone else under 40--should pay into a broken system. At this point, we're not talking about providing a "safety net," we're talking about a national debt crisis.

By 2020, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid will CONSUME the entire federal budget. Period.

The cuts will come. It's just a matter of on what terms. Period.

Money does not grow on trees--no matter how loud you protest.

Also check out footage at sharpelbowsstl.blogspot.com: http://sharpelbowsstl.blogspot.com/2011/07/leftists-rally-for-higher-debt-higher.html

Link for Bills Signed or Veto by Gov. Nixon this Year

2011-07-05T19:32:00.002-05:00

http://www.senate.mo.gov/11info/BTS_Web/GovActionTAT.aspx?SessionType=R

Tonight: Phyllis Schlafly Explains “How Feminism Causes Big Government”

2011-06-09T01:06:00.001-05:00

You can hear Phyllis Schlafly, one of the founders of The Discussion Club, explain “How Feminism Causes Big Government” at this Thursday night's Discussion Club meeting at 7:00 p.m.

Attending the Discussion Club is easy. You do not have to be a member to attend.
Just call 314-416-7722 to let us know you are coming. The meeting costs non-members $37.00 and includes dinner at 7:00 p.m. You can also attend the meeting only at 8:00 p.m. at a cost of $5.00. Reservations are required at least 48 hours in advance if coming to the dinner. Reservations are not required if coming to the meeting only. The meetings are held at the Hilton Frontenac.
The Hilton Frontenac is at the corner of HWY 40 and Lindbergh.

BIO:

Phyllis Schlafly was named one of the 100 most important women of the 20th century by the Ladies' Home Journal. She has been a national leader of the conservative movement since the publication of her best-selling 1964 book, A Choice Not An Echo, and a leader of the pro-family movement since 1972, when she started her national volunteer organization now called Eagle Forum. In a ten-year battle, Mrs. Schlafly led the pro-family movement to victory over the principal legislative goal of the radical feminists, called the Equal Rights Amendment, and she is America's most articulate and successful opponent of the radical feminist movement.

Mrs. Schlafly's monthly newsletter call The Phyllis Schlafly Report is now in its 44th year. Her syndicated column appears in 100 newspapers, her radio commentaries are heard daily on 500 stations, and her radio talk show on education "Phyllis Schlafly Live" is heard on 70 stations.

Mrs. Schlafly is the author or editor of 20 books on various topics and her latest book is The Flipside of Feminism. She has served as a member of the Commission on the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution, appointed by President Reagan and has testified before more than 50 Congressional and State Legislative committees on constitutional, national defense, and family issues.

Mrs. Schlafly received her J.D. from Washington University Law School and her Master's in Political Science from Harvard University. In 2008 she was awarded an honorary degree: Doctor of Humane Letters from Washington University.

Title: “How Feminism Causes Big Government”

Find Info on Missouri Gov't in the "Blue Book"

2011-06-07T15:50:00.000-05:00

Everything you want to know about Missouri government from salaries to elections:

2009-2010 Official Manual

MO Supreme Court to Hear Important Free Speech Case Next Week

2011-05-04T17:31:00.002-05:00

An important case regarding Free Speech will be heard in Jefferson City at 9:30am next Tuesday regarding the Missouri government making useful, truthful and harmless information communicated by Kansas City Premier Apartments a criminal offense.

Dave Roland, Director of Litigation for Freedom Center of Missouri will argue the case for every Missourians right to free speech. He describes the case like this:

The Missouri Real Estate Commission has admitted that Kansas City Premier Apartments provides the public with useful, truthful, and harmless information about rental properties, but in spite of this it insists that the government is within its rights to make the communication of this information a criminal offense unless you are part of a governmentally-approved group. The commission has also specifically argued that the Missouri Constitution's unique protections for free speech no longer have any independent meaning and cannot provide protections above and beyond those provided by the First Amendment. We hope to persuade the Court that the Missouri Constitution means what it says when it guarantees "that every person shall be free to say, write or publish, or otherwise communicate whatever he will on any subject, being responsible for all abuses of that liberty."

If anyone is interested in attending the argument or in showing up for a pre-argument rally in support of KCPA, please contact Dave Roland: dave [at] mofreedom.org

Please post on your Facebook and retweet to build up support for our right to free speech!

Like Freedom Center of Missouri on Facebook

CORRECTION: the hearing is on Tuesday, May 10

SB113 is not a Repeal of Prop B. Talking Points on SB113

2011-04-21T17:24:00.001-05:00

Representative Kurt Bahr sent out the best explanation on SB113 one could read before calling Gov. Nixon (573-751-3222) to ask him to sign SB113. See below:

--------

“What’s right isn’t always popular. What’s popular isn’t always right.” Howard Cosell

....Some claim SB113 repeals Prop B, ignores the will of the people, and the General Assembly has no right to change it. They are wrong on all accounts.

First, SB113 is not a repeal of Prop B. SB113. SB113 is a compromise which respects the will of the people to protect dogs while also protecting the rights of the individuals who choose to breed them. Last November 51.6% of the voters passed Prop B. The stated reason for the bill was to protect dogs. SB113 actually increases the funding and enforcement of Prop B, and does not weaken any penalties for violating it.

What SB113 does repeal is the unconstitutional and arbitrary limitation of 50 dogs per breeder. This is the single most important aspect of the debate. SB113 brings up a bigger issue than the protection of dogs. It asks the question “What is the proper role of government?”

According to Missouri’s constitution, “All persons have a natural right to the enjoyment of the gains of their own industry…that to give security to these things is the principal office of government, and that when government does not confer this security, it fails in its chief design. (Art 1, Sec 2)”

The fundamental role of government is to “give security” to the rights of its individual citizens. Prop B limits an individual’s right to own property. No one, not the legislature, and not a majority of citizens, has the right to vote away the constitutional liberties of another individual. It was my sworn duty, in order to uphold the constitution and to defend the individual rights of all Missourians, to vote in favor of SB113.

So, for those of you who voted for Prop B because you wanted to protect dogs, SB113 does exactly what you wanted, and it does a better job.

For those of you who voted against Prop B, SB113 is a good bill that protects both dogs and their breeders and will not harm the agricultural community in our state.

And for the few of you who voted for Prop B because you wanted to put dog breeders out of business with this unconstitutional provision – shame on you. But rest assured I will vote to protect your individual rights just as I voted to protect the rights of the dog breeders.

If you need to communicate with me, you may call 573-753-9768 or email kurt.bahr@house.mo.gov. I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Should MO allow non-English speakers to use interpreters while taking the English driver’s exams?

2011-04-21T16:55:00.000-05:00

Here's an alert from Pro-English:

Driver's license bill advances in MO Senate!

MO: Keep up the pressure until the full Senate votes and passes HB 167!	Take Action!
April 20, 2011

Your phone calls and emails into the state Senate must be working, because yesterday, the Senate Committee on General Laws voted 6 to 2 to pass the bill out of committee and send it directly to the Senate floor for an up-or-down vote! The committee did, however, adopt a bill-weakening amendment that would allow non-English speakers to use interpreters while taking the English driver’s exams. This flawed amendment was offered by Sen. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph, and it was unfortunately agreed to by the committee. The House author of the bill, Rep. Jerry Nolte, R-Gladstone, was right to include a ban on interpreters in the original version of his bill. The whole idea behind eliminating foreign language driver’s exams is that English proficiency should be a minimum requirement for motorists seeking to drive on U.S. roads where only *one* language is used—English. Does this mean that the foreign language applicants who rely on interpreters to pass the test will promise to keep an interpreter with them at all times in their cars to translate the meaning of the road signs while they drive? Of course not! This amendment is a dangerous one and it jeopardizes public safety. It should be corrected prior to final passage. TAKE ACTION! ProEnglish supports restoring the interpreter ban on the Senate floor before the final vote. Please urge your state Senator to push to restore the prohibition on the use of interpreters during driver's exams! HB 167 will simply require driver’s license written and skills/road test exams to be administered in no languages other than English. Administering taxpayer-funded state driver’s license exams in foreign languages violates the official English law of Missouri (2008). Missouri currently allows the test to be taken in 12 different languages. Be sure to check out this video from KOMU News TV in Missouri summarizing the opposition arguments made during yesterday’s committee hearing. Stay tuned to ProEnglish email because we’ll have a detailed rebuttal to these opposition claims coming your way tomorrow! TAKE ACTION! Continue calling, emailing and writing to your state Senator to urge them to: 1. Restore the ban on the use of interpreters, and then 2. Vote YES on HB 167 on the Senate floor!

Abortion provider closes Bridgeton Office

2011-03-04T16:49:00.000-06:00

There will be a prayer service at the Bridgeton abortion mill, located at 3394 McKelvey Rd. on Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. Congressman Todd Akin will speak at the prayer service. Please join with other pro-life Missourians in giving thanks for the end of this abortion business and asking God's mercy for all those who worked at the mill and for the mothers who were victims of this abortion business.

Here is a press release from MO Right to Life:

The prayers of many have been answered with the closing of the Women's Care Gynecology abortion clinic in Bridgeton, Missouri. "This is great news for Missouri. There is one less location killing unborn children," said Pam Fichter, President of Missouri Right to Life. The clinic, owned and operated by long-time abortionist Allen Palmer, closed its doors last Monday. Palmer is retiring, and a spokesperson for the clinic confirmed that no replacement doctor would continue his abortion business. Only two Planned Parenthood abortion clinics in Missouri perform abortions at this time, one in Kansas City and the other in St. Louis. The Kansas City clinic does only chemical abortions. A Planned Parenthood clinic in Columbia has done abortions in the past but has no abortionist at this time. "More and more people, in Missouri and elsewhere, are recognizing that unborn children have a right to life," said Fichter. "Many people, who previously were conflicted about the abortion issue now recognize that too many abortions are being performed. A recent poll of New Yorkers found that 64%, including a majority of those who identified themselves as "pro-choice," believe that too many abortions are taking place in New York City. Those feelings are even more prevalent in other parts of the country," Fichter continued. See the complete story here.

A Breakfast For Courageous Pastors --Invite Yours to Attend!

2011-01-13T23:32:00.000-06:00

Not to speak is to speak;

not to act is to act.

- Bonhoeffer

Breakfast for Courageous Pastors

featuring

Eric Metaxas

Come be encouraged by the author of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, who will provide insight into efforts of Dietrich Bonhoeffer to stand against evil.

Thursday, Jan. 27, 2011

7:30am - 9:00am

Frontenac Hilton

1335 South Lindbergh

Cost: $20 per pastor

Download Flyer to give to your pastor.

RSVP: Lois Linton 314-795-8508 or lslntn [@] att.net

Sponsored by the Constitutional Coalition

Pastors Host Committee

Harold Hendrick

Bruce McCoy

John Splinter

Joe Ortwerth

Ron Steel

and more coming....

Watch the RNC Debate Today at 12pm Central

2011-01-02T23:57:00.001-06:00

DATE: Monday, Jan. 3WHEN: 1 PM (East Coast time, Noon Central Time)
WHERE: Watch live at www.C-SPAN.org or at www.DailyCaller.com

To submit a question or vote on questions others have submitted, follow these easy steps:

Complete the FREE registration at www.RNCdebate.org by entering your email and creating a password. (Your email will not be used for any other purpose — just to log in.)
Check your email for a return email and confirm your account.
Hit the "up" symbol to vote for pro-life questions which you support.
Also vote on other questions which reflect concerns you have regarding the RNC, if you wish to do so.

Don't forget that after registering, your must check your email to confirm your account before voting. And after watching the debate, be sure to let your RNC representatives (State GOP Chair and National Committee Man and Woman on your state's GOP website) know which candidate(s) you support.

An "Article V" Convention is a Constitutional Convention (Con Con)

2010-12-29T01:00:00.005-06:00

Two reasons:

1. Groups like Eagle Forum and others, which have led the fight against using Article V to amend the the U.S. Constitution, refer to an "Article V" Convention as a Con Con. It's that simple; there are different ways to refer to the type of convention Article V is talking about. Why is there a distinction trying to be made between an "Amendment" Convention and a "Constitutional Convention"? To me, it seems that we want to view the applying to Congress to call a Convention as less serious because it involves only "amendments," yet there is no evidence that it would only involve adopting amendments conservative like, or worse, that our U.S. Constitution would significantly change. (Note: Obama's radio interview about "wealth redistribution" relating to our Constitution, and even though the president wouldn't be involved in the "Article V" Convention according to the Constitution, his views are widely held by the Left in Congress and in our state legislatures.)

2. Using the logic that an "Article V" Convention is not a Constitution Convention would be the same as arguing that the Convention in 1787 that produced our current Constitution was not a Constitutional Convention because it wasn't convened with the intention to be a "constitutional convention."

The original Constitutional Convention itself was a convention called to "improve"--not to completely re-write the Articles of Confederation. In the same vain, an "Article V" convention may be called to merely improve the current Constitution, but there's nothing that stops that body from passing as many amendments as it wants or re-writing the Constitution. There is no difference simply because there is nothing that keeps an application to call an "article V" from convening and resulting in a Constitutional Convention.

Well-intentioned legislators and activists are ready to get radical with the US Constitution before taking other more effective radical steps like sending the federal government's money back to them. It sounds nice to think a new amendment, whether a balanced budget amendment or the repeal amendment, would solve all of our problems, but we must remember, the law can't make people or leaders love freedom and hate debt.

People in America must desire self-government and stop taking money from the government. WE must encourage the state government to send the federal money back or vote them out, even if they are our friends. This is radical.

There's nothing that speaks louder than money.

Major problems barriers to an "Article V" Convention being effective:

1. The fact that Congress would write up the call and set the rules. The rules would highly influence the outcome (like how the delegates are appointed/elected, who would be the temp. chair, who would be on the convention rules committee etc.

2. Our broken court system and whatever happens, there would be disputes that end up being decided by unelected judges.

3. The Left wants a Con Con too! Here's just one example: http://convention.ideascale.com/

4. The media would have an influence simply because an "Article V" convention is a big deal! What kinds of ideas to you think the political pundits would think should be passed?

5. If the will of the people isn't present to vote out the bad members of Congress, how will the will of the people be there to stop the states from ratifying whatever comes out of the Constitutional Convention. (I can hear it now, "we've got to ratify or there's be a civil war...and we don't want war...or whatever scary thing that might happen.)

6. Would 3/4th states ever veto Congress? Why work hard for something that sets the bar so high!! Passing the Health Care Freedom Act in Missouri gave Republican candidates lots of ammunition to ousts liberals from office. If 10 or 15 more states pass it, the public momentum is the message. Why push the number up to 38 to have "teeth," when state governments can pass legislation barring federal involvement now. (Oh, wait, because that means giving up federal funding. Why did the states take stimulus money??)

7. The notion that we don't need to worry because 38 states would have to ratify whatever comes out of that convention makes the assumption that bad ideas don't get passed into law every day and that our legislators aren't swayed into passing compromised legislation all the time. Fighting bad ideas takes times, money, and resources.

I can hear it now: "Well, it's the best we could do! If we don't ratify, we don't get federal money! Our schools will lose funding. Our jails won't be able to keep bad people off the streets. Our bridges will fall. We'll have to cut our beloved tax credits!!" And while this might be a great opportunity for courageous legislators to say "no"; in our experience, federal money causes even the best to crumble.

Last note: One of Phyllis Schlafly's Con Law professors believes her most significant work was to stop an "Article V" convention (or sometimes called "Con Con") over all the work she poured into defeating ERA. If you know history, this is a significant statement.

I recommend articles at www.eagleforum.org/concon

P.S. If we don't want to be controlled by the federal government, let's give it money back to them.

P.S.S. I wonder if I should start writing under a pen name.

Submit Questions for RNC Chairman Candidates to Answer

2010-12-27T23:59:00.004-06:00

What kinds of candidates will the new RNC chair work to elect?

I'm going to submit that question here. If you've got your own questions, go here, and submit!!

There are some great questions posted already.

Why does it matter? Well, this is the person who is the "face" of Party most conservatives vote for most of the time. What do you want our "face" to look like?

Below are the full details of the Monday, January 3, 2011 debate:

What: Debate among candidates for the Chairmanship of the Republican National Committee (RNC).

When: Monday, January 3, 2011 from 1:00 pm – 2:30 p.m. ET

Where: National Press Club, Ballroom (529 14^th St. NW, 13^th Floor)

RSVP Required: Please send name and organization to debate@atr.org

Metro, driving directions, and parking information: Click here

Debate Website: Anyone may submit and vote on questions to be asked during the debate at www.RNCdebate.org

Live Streaming: The debate is open to C-SPAN and also will be streamed live at RNCdebate.org

Note: ATR hosted a similar debate on January 5, 2009, drawing 600 attendees and 70 members of the media, including C-SPAN. The dedicated website for the event – RNCdebate.org – allowed activists to propose and vote on debate questions. The site drew 60,000 votes on 925 different questions.

The C-SPAN coverage of the 2009 debate can be viewed by clicking here.

Starting on Jan. 11: Current Events Discussion & The 5000 Year Leap Book Study

2010-12-23T22:11:00.002-06:00

Tuesday Evenings-beginning Jan. 11 thur Mar. 29 7:00 pm until no later than 8:30pm.

Eagle Forum Education Center at 7800 Bonhomme Ave., Clayton, MO

Learn where the Founding Fathers got their ideas for sound government and how a return to these ideas can solve our nation’s problems today. Each week participants will talk about how principles presented in The 5000 Year Leap by Cleon Skousen (and other handouts), current events, and generally debate how we can best restore these principles to government today.

A door prize each week will include either a conservative book, CD, or DVD.

The cost of participation is $6 to cover the cost of your book. If you already have a copy, there is no charge.

Discussions led by Ruth Carlson, Jackie Coleman, and sometimes special guests. Questions: ruth [@] eagleforum.org or call 314-721-1213.

You must RSVP to receive a copy of the book at the first class. (shipping takes time, so try to do it by Jan. 4) RSVP is required to receive special instructions before first meeting. You may also RSVP on Facebook, email or phone.

Jan. 11 Receive books, Introduction, Discuss: Why Read and Discuss Books?

Jan. 18 Part 1: Structuring a Government with all the Power of the People pp 1-32

Jan. 25 Principles 1, 2 pp 1-57

Feb. 1 Principles 3, 4 pp 59-93

Feb. 8 Principles 5, 6 pp 95-113

Feb. 15 Principles 7, 8, 9 pp 115-139

Feb. 22 Principles 10, 11, 12, 13 pp 141-167

Mar. 1 Principles 14, 15 pp 169-191

Mar. 8 Principles 16, 17, 18, 19 pp 193-227

Mar. 15 Principles 20, 21, 22, 23 pp 229-257

Mar. 22 Principles 24, 25 pp 259-279

Mar. 29 Principles 26, 27, 28 pp 281-310

http://freedomactionclub.blogspot.com

Why do we rally?

2010-12-22T23:59:00.023-06:00

Have you ever thought about that? Why rally? And why do we keep doing it?

Why should we attend the Consent of the Governed Rally at the State Capitol on the first day of session (Jan. 5 at 10am)?

Sure, speeches that are longer than about 2 minutes boring and many times, even good speakers, use empty, worn-out sound bites more than than needed.

Yet we we rally because it's a celebration of common beliefs and victories to affirm our common goal: a return to freedom and prosperity.

The sponsors of this rally, the Missouri Leadership Project, is collaboration of independent groups who want to make sure all the incoming and veteran lawmakers know that we* haven't lost interest yet.

Remember, as I always tell myself, solutions don't come from rallies, but the rallies provide the place for connections and for the real leaders to stand out--either in the speeches they give or their organization skills (and what our movement lacks are leaders we can elect to office).

Now of course, sprinkled in-between a few outstanding speakers, there are lots people who could good speakers giving bad speeches simply because can. They get so used to public speaking, and we're so desperate to hear some sanity come from the pulpit, we tolerate the ramblers (and yes, the just bad speakers...)

We keep participating because it's moving the ball forward. Our country didn't get here over night, and it takes lots of solidifying the troops (figuratively speaking) before solid action can be taken.

Even more, rallies are about showing up in big numbers, so even if you have a contrary outlook on rallying, protesting, and anything else that basically boosts egos (like I do), you still should go to rallies, protests, and speeches--especially the the rally at the state capitol in Jeff. City on Jan. 5 where legislators need to see our faces.

Really, this is an excuse to go the Capitol and reminder our lawmakers: the people who elected you are watching.

note to audience: "we" refers to citizens who are concerned that our nation is both financial and morally bankrupt
note to self: re-read tomorrow and fix typos

What kinds of candidates should the RNC chair support?

2010-12-16T23:10:00.002-06:00

Any kind of talk about who should lead the RNC should include what kinds of candidates the RNC should and should not be supporting.

Why?

America's problems stem not from an inability to elect Republicans into office; history shows America can do that. (Note: we just did with Steele in charge of the RNC...)

The real question is: can we get the *right* kind of Republicans in Congress?

Has anyone noticed that Ann Wagner’s agenda doesn’t mention what *kinds* of Republicans the RNC, under her leadership, would help elect and raise money for?

Is Ann’s goal to get the *right* kind of Republicans in?

Now, I suppose it's unfair to pick on Ann Wagner because she is probably no different than the other candidates, including Steele. However, Saul Anuzis from MI, who is also running, is endorsed by Tea Party nation (last point). But like Ann Wagner, his "Why Support Saul" page does not mention the kinds of candidates he would support. At the same time, Ann Wagner has a history of supporting candidates like Rep. Roy Blunt, who led the way for using taxpayer money to bailout the "too big to fail" via TARP while Saul Anuzis has connections to Reps like Rep. McCotter (MI-R), who was one of the few disenting Republicans who voted not once, but twice against the big bill authorizing lots of stuff including TARP.

Thus, maybe it's not politically savvy to mention that you want to support the outsiders who will do the right thing on your website. Maybe it's up to conservatives to connect the dots to know which candidate is more likely to support truly conservative candidates.

Even more, the entire purpose of the RNC should be in question but those who have spent time fighting to end out-of-control government spending. The best candidate to support is one that can articulate why supporting Republicans who can win is not a legitimate long-term strategy for saving our country.

The goal should be limiting government not electing Republicans (without definition). I call this “sticking fingers in the leaks of the dam” to hold off the inevitable. But maybe this is the best we can do. Yet something inside of me says “give me liberty or give me death”!!!!

Side note:

This post is already too long, but...

At an RNC meeting in Hawaii last January, conservative members united to try to pass a resolution prohibiting RNC funding for candidates who don't support eight of ten key conservative issues, a proposal that Steele opposed. A compromise resolution was passed that was similar, but didn't really affect the types of candidates that the RNC supported, as there are plenty of examples of the RNC supporting incumbents who voted for deficit spending and earmarks. You would think this would go against the Republican National Platform, but the platform really isn't that great; no where can one link to principles the TEA Parties have spent over 1.5 years articulating. But then, that's why people people are TEA Partying.

What should be obvious is that while the RNC chair will say he or she is neutral and should support all Republican candidates; this isn't true. The RNC supports incumbents first, and follows what it is typical of politics: financial support is linked to how likely it is that you will win and able to raise money for the RNC in the future. The RNC is about it's own survival--not yours.

Trust Is the Lifeblood of Any Organization or Relationship

2010-12-10T13:43:00.000-06:00

I'm stealing this idea from many sources, but I'll reference John Maxwell because I'm reading a book by him right now.

In the Law of Solid Ground in his book 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Maxwell says that trust is the foundation of leadership, and I'd expand on that to say, it's the foundation of all of our relationships.

The way this plays out in the business world is finding ways to build trust. And here's an example of Walgreens doing that after someone hacked into their email database:

As a company, we absolutely believe that all customer relationships must be built on trust. That is why we believe it is important to inform you of this incident. Online security experts have reported an increase in attacks on email systems, and therefore we have voluntarily contacted the appropriate authorities and are working with them regarding this incident.

The email also included tips on not sharing personal information through email links and that no other information beyond the email addresses were stolen.

“To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved.”
~George MacDonald

Learn How to be an Effective Citizen Lobbyist

2010-12-08T22:53:00.001-06:00

All I can say is: go. If you care about how laws affect your family and neighborhood, then you need to understand how the process works and how you can effect it.

Register here.

Capitol Legislative Academy

Tuesday, January 4, 2011
10:00 a.m. - 3:0 p.m.
Jefferson City, Missouri Capitol
House Hearing Room 7

Find your way through the Legislative maze and PROMOTE YOUR ISSUE.
Learn the most effective way to approach your legislature.
Gain knowledge from a mock hearing.
Become skilled on how to present your subject matter.
NETWORK with other like-minded Missourians.
Lunch and materials included.

RSVP by December 20th to 314-983-0680, moeagleforum@gmail.com or online
Money must be received in advance to be assured of lunch.
$12 per person; children under 12 - $5

Van Jones's Plan = 3 Pay Checks for Red-State Farmers

2010-11-30T17:08:00.001-06:00

Van Jones, who worked with the Obama Admin to redistribute tax payer money via "Green Jobs," talked to undergraduates and law students as well as the public at Washington University today.

While I was only able to video tape the last 15 minutes of his speech, I can say two things about Van Jones:

1. He's an inspiring speaker who is motivated by a deep moral conviction that it's important for the strong to stand up for the weak.

2. He believes the best way to stand up for the weak is through government programs that implicitly require the redistribution of wealth using a 21st-century code word for it: green jobs.

Watch Van Jones describe the three pay checks (from who?? YOU minus money to pay politicians and bureaucrats) that "Red-State farmers" would get if his plan was enacted. Note: he is about real equality; he's not just giving taxpayer money to the inner city communities, he wants to give it to the rural communities too!

In sum:

1. Farmers would get paid by the government via subsidies needed to support windfarms and turbine technology that requires huge capital investments

2. Farmers would get paid to grow "energy crops" via substidies given to business that can't support themselves without help because their energy costs MORE than coal, gas or nuclear energy

3. Farmers could sell carbon from the ground to companies who need carbon credits if "Cap and Tax" passes!

Yes, there might be "Green Jobs" out there, but my question for Van Jones is: where's the pay check coming from?

Amdt 3: An Afterthought on Special Interests Tax Exemptions

2010-11-01T09:19:00.001-05:00

Here is a letter from former State Rep. Ed Emery who is steadfast in his zeal to honor God and support the principles that made our country great. This information conflicts with earlier information I posted in support of Amdt. 3. After reading this letter, it's more clear than ever in mind that learning to ask the right questions is key to deciding how to vote. The main question in my mind is: why is Amdt 3 on the ballot now? We've been buying and selling homes in this area almost as far back the Lewis and Clark expedition...

Why is Amendment 3 on the ballot?

Ed Emery has part of the answer:

To the Citizens of Missouri,

Numerous conservative organizations across the state have asked whether or not Amendment 3 will hurt efforts to end the state income tax. Ed Emery, sponsor of MO Jobs and Prosperity Act 2010, responded to that question and to a charge of deception concerning his position. Mr. Emery is urging a ‘no’ vote on Amendment 3 for the following reasons:

“I have not tried to be deceptive but informative. I have fully supported (I think even co-sponsored) Missouri Association of Realtors efforts to ensure that transfer fees are not imposed, but for whatever reason we have not been able to pass that legislation. MAR can probably fill in the blanks on who has been responsible for killing the anti-fee proposals. I also have not opposed their efforts to accomplish the same thing via Missouri's petition process because I was told by their representatives that the petition was confined to their fee issue and did not impact efforts to eliminate the income tax in Missouri.

Once I took time to read the ballot language, it was clear I had been misled.

Amendment 3 imposes a special industry-specific exemption from the provisions of SJR 29 (or its legislative successor). It invokes a serious flaw into meaningful tax reform. Not only will passage of Amendment 3 increase the consumption tax rate needed to eliminate the income tax and remain revenue-neutral, but it will be followed by a long line of similarly "important" exemptions. Missouri will be thrown right back into the process of government picking winners and losers by tax code. That's the taxation model that always favors the powerful elite over small business, punishes economic success, and ultimately penalizes the consumer.

The consumption tax model (SJR 29) is not a tweak or even major modification of the income tax model. It represents a step-function transformation: a paradigm shift. MAR, with Amendment 3, is threatening this strategic transformation in the economic climate and prosperity of Missouri for a tactical victory that is trivial in comparison and that benefits only a few Missourians. True tax reform benefits all Missourians.

That is my view and why I am passionately opposed to Amendment 3. I am happy to do whatever I can to help ensure that the transfer fee issue is fixed, but not at the cost of meaningful tax reform. Whatever the people choose on Nov. 2nd, my goal is that they be fully informed on both the surface and the strategic impacts before they vote.

I would say fully informed on the "secondary effects," but after reading the Amendment 3 language, I don't think the confrontation with SJR 29 is a secondary effect, but the primary purpose. I think the proposed special treatment of one industry relative to SJR 29's proposed tax reforms is MAR's primary purpose even though they have told membership the primary purpose is the threat of new fees.

As always - frequently mistaken, but seldom without an opinion,

I remain sincerely yours,

Ed Emery

Leadership Drives the Agenda: Why You Should Care Who is Senate Pro-Tem in MO

2010-10-21T23:52:00.000-05:00

When it comes down to it, Missouri's Republican-controlled legislature has no excuse for not passing conservative legislation except that the leadership positions are so powerful, there are big incentives for playing favorites--with our tax dollars.

You can help change politics in Missouri by signing a petition in favor of not electing Sen. Engler to the highest post in the Senate. Sen. Engler is a nice guy but he also has a record of handing out taxpayer dollars to corporate interests and Unions, and avoiding Democratic filibusters. Moreover, during the Republican reign, why hasn't there been school choice reforms? a simpler tax code adopted? a constitutional amendment protecting our health care freedom passed? property rights protections adopted?

Why not?

Sign the petition to say loud and clear: we're tired politics as usual; tired of doing the same things and expecting different results; tired of Republicans acting like Democrats.

Sign the petition

Basically this is an effort to let our Senators in Jefferson City know that people are watching, and that there is support for a conservative agenda in Missouri. While it's not common for "the people" to be involved in how the Senators choose their leadership, it's time to at least try something different. Doing the same things over and over doesn't seem to be working.

Consider the laws past last session: a watered down Health Care Freedom Act, a phony ethics bill (that favors Unions and Party control), corporate welfare, a law that will make insurance premiums in MO go up, support for Race-to-the-Top...

While Missouri isn't in deep in debt, there are important issues that aren't being addressed because there are powerful lobbying interests against what's in the best interests of the masses.

Sign the petition to speak out!

You can read more at the links provided as well.

Did you know Missouri will likely lose a congressional seat soon?

2010-10-01T09:54:00.001-05:00

1. Listen to this great conversation on the Missouri Minute between Carl Bearden, Woody Cozad, and Larry Stendebach on how redistricting helps incumbents, how past redistricting in Missouri has played, and predictions for this time.

2. I got an email from State Sen. Steve Rupp that I'd like to share with you one the beginning stages of the redistricting process in Missouri:

Households...have filled out and returned their forms...for the 2010 U.S. Census....Data collected from these forms will help determine the number of seats our state occupies in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Currently, Missouri has nine Congressional districts....

According to a 2010 Census map representing mail participation rate by counties in our state, Lincoln County had a 73-78 percent participation rate and St. Charles County had a participation rate of 79-84 percent. However, even with these high percentage rates reported out of our district, news forecasts have Missouri losing one of our nine Congressional seats. According to a Boston Globe article, Missouri is one of eight states projected to lose a seat as a result of a shifting population base throughout the country.

A St. Louis Post-Dispatch article reports that Missouri’s 72 percent return rate matched the nation’s overall number; however, our state’s growth rate (about 7 percent since 2000) has not kept pace with the nation’s 9 percent increase.

...couple of months before the Census Bureau releases its report....The first data released from the 2010 Census will be the official national and state population count, which will be used to apportion seats in the U.S. House. As mandated by the U.S. Constitution, this data must be delivered to the President of the United States by the U.S. Census Bureau on or before Dec. 31, 2010.

The work then falls on each state to draw new congressional districts in time for the 2013 elections. In Missouri, Congressional redistricting is the responsibility of the State Legislature. As chair of the Senate Select Committee on Redistricting, created in 2009, it is my job to help prepare the General Assembly for its role in redrawing Congressional districts in 2011. The task of redrawing the state’s 34 Senatorial districts and 163 House districts is assigned to two bipartisan commissions appointed by the governor. The Legislature must draw and approve new Congressional districts during the 2011 regular session, or face a special session, to ensure proper filing in February 2012 for Congressional District candidates.

As work progresses on this issue, I will keep you informed on any changes regarding how the boundary lines are drawn for your legislative districts. If you have any questions regarding this matter or any other issues within state government, please visit my website at www.senate.mo.gov/rupp. You can also e-mail me or call my office toll-free at (866) 271-2844.

Emphasis mine.

The point: to follow this issue means following what's going on in both the Senate and House versions of the Select Committee on Redistricting.

Election Day Education - Prop. B is about Control not Puppies

2010-09-30T23:36:00.013-05:00

Vote NO on Prop B on Nov. 2 to protect private businesses owners, in particularly dog breeders who obey the law and have dedicated their lives to caring for dogs.

A select group of the "intellectual elite," who don't believe dogs showed be owned, are behind Prop. B.

Prop. B will lead many dog breeders to close their doors⎯or worse⎯choose bankruptcy. Prop. B does not provide additional protection for dogs over and above laws already on the books. Instead, it requires changes that are artificial, not helpful, and costly, which will put dog breeders out of business

Prop. B is more about controlling private businesses based on a false view that the elite "no better" than the "the People."

Missouri Department of Agriculture has been criticized for lax enforcement, and the recent dog rescues show that even without Prop. B dogs properly are being properly rescued (stltoday.com). Prop. B is a phony puppy mill protection bill.

Since our culture is more likely to make choices based on emotion instead thoughtful research, showing puppies on commercials makes volunteering or donating money to oppose Prop. B seem like a losing proposition. However, the only way to change our culture is too engage it by starting with our friends in simply conversations about emotional charged images, confusing names ("Human Society"), and role of government.

But you still might be thinking?

Will Prop B improve conditions in our kennels?

What are the real consequences of Prop B to dog breeders and pet owners?

Invite your friends and find out the answers at these events:

Oct. 4th at 7 pm in Washington, MO at the Senior Center at 1459 5th street, Guest speaker will be Kelly Smith with the Missouri Farm Bureau.

Oct. 16th at 2:30 pm at Pillar In The Valley, Chesterfield, Guest speaker will be Chris Chin, 6th generation hog farmer.

Events sponsored by the CWA of MO, I Heard the People Say, and Show Me Patriots.

For more info: http://www.thealliancefortruth.com/

Read: Who Isn’t Against Animal Cruelty? But Proposition B Is Not the Answer (United for Missouri) and Does Prop B Violate Our Liberties? (Franklin County Patriots)

Election Day Education - What would Amendment 3 do?

2010-09-29T23:51:00.002-05:00

Vote YES on Nov. 2 to protect Missouri property owners from double taxation.

Information below is from: http://www.yestosavehomes.com/

What would Amendment 3 do?
It would amend the Missouri Constitution to prevent double taxation on homes and other properties by barring transfer taxes on real estate transactions.

What is a real estate transfer tax?
It’s a tax imposed by state or local governments, or both, that is collected when you transfer ownership of your home, land or other real estate. Typically, once the tax is on the books, the rate can be increased by the state, city or county without a vote of the people.

What is the specific language of Amendment 3?
Amendment 3 is simple and straightforward: “Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to prevent the state, counties, and other political subdivisions from imposing any new tax, including a sales tax, on the sale or transfer of homes or any other real estate?”

Do Missouri or its local governments now impose real estate transfer taxes?
These unfair taxes are currently allowed under the Missouri Constitution. Even though these unfair taxes are not now being collected in Missouri, 37 states and the District of Columbia are imposing some variation of a real estate transfer tax. Missouri needs to head off this temptation to politicians that amounts to unfair double taxation.

Deadline for Voter Registration in 7 Days - Oct 6

2010-09-28T23:00:00.003-05:00

You can't vote if you're not registered!

The last day to register to vote in Missouri is days away on Oct. 6. Those not registered to vote by October 6 will not be able to vote in November.

Find out how here: http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/s_default.asp?id=voter

I try to get an announcement in my church bulletin, along with instructions available to hand out, the Sunday before the deadline.

Will you be in Missouri on Nov 2? Will you be working a poll?

You can vote absentee by going in person to the Board of Election Commissioners in your county or by requesting an absentee ballot.

Check out Kerry Messer's ballot measures guide before you go: http://missourifamilynetwork.net/

Highlights of the Ed Martin v. Carnahan Debate - Sept. 24, 2010

2010-09-25T00:08:00.002-05:00

With great anticipation I attended the first debate, hosted by conspicuously named "League of Women of Voters." There were definitely more Ed Martin supporters than Rep. Russ Carnahan supporters.

Here's a contrast between how Russ handle tough questions and how Ed responded:

Ed Martin established a very comfortable demeanor during the debate while Rep. Russ Carnahan seemed overly focused on his notes at times. Here is Ed's closing statement:

Here are statements by Ed Martin and Russ Carnahan on how the government should protect human life or support taxpayer funding to end it.

Courageous Missouri Senators - Protecting the Invisible People Who Want Affordable Medical Insurance

2010-08-21T21:01:00.011-05:00

In the 2010 Legislative session, a bill was passed that will affect health insurance premiums for all Missourians. Yet only those who would benefit from the bill were in the spot light: children with autism, generally defined. Too often the "invisible" people or groups affected by a law or policy are overlooked because emotional arguments are presented in favor of a bill, which may or may not help a specific few.

Here is a review of how Missouri Senators voted.

I've also included a letter of object by State Rep. Ed Emery pointing out the constitutional violations of the bill, along with a list of how the state representatives voted. Check it out. You might be surprised.

Twenty-fifth Day–Thursday, February 18, 2010 - Official Record page 1505

YEAS—Senators
Barnitz Bray Callahan Champion Clemens Crowell Days Dempsey
Engler Goodman Green Griesheimer Justus Keaveny Lager Lembke
Mayer McKenna Nodler Pearce Rupp Schaefer Schmitt Shields
Shoemyer Stouffer Vogel Wilson Wright-Jones—29

NAYS—Senators
Bartle Cunningham Purgason Scott—4 Friends of Liberty!!

Absent—Senator Ridgeway—1
Absent with leave—Senators—None
Vacancies—None

Representative Emery offered an objection to CCS SCS HCS HBs 1311 & 1341, which was
appended to the bill.

LETTER OF OBJECTION

May 2010
Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon
Governor
State Capitol, Room 216
105 West Capitol Avenue
Jefferson City, MO 65101

RE: CCS SCS HCS HBs 1311 and 1341 Establishes provisions regarding health insurance coverage for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders and the licensure of applied behavior analysts.

Dear Governor Nixon:

I submit this objection to the signing of CCS SCS HCS HBs 1311 and 1341 pursuant to article III, section 30 of the Constitution of Missouri.

This bill violates the fundamental and natural right to life of all Missouri citizens by inhibiting the freedom to choose and acquire health care that is necessary to preserve one's life and health from any source capable of providing medically efficacious health care. Any state mandate to provide coverage increases the cost of health care thereby making it less affordable. Furthermore, House Bill No. 1311 prohibits the sale of health insurance to Missouri residents by out-of-state providers unless they conform to Missouri law. This violates the right of Missouri citizens to acquire medically efficacious health care from any source.

In general term, the distinction between Missouri residents and non-residents with regard to the availability and choice of health care lacks any rational basis whatsoever and is a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the federal constitution. The restriction on the sale of health insurance to Missouri residents violates the fundamental rights to life and acts medical self defense by Missouri residents preserved by both the federal and state constitutions. The restriction on the sale of health insurance policies to Missouri residents by out-of-state health carriers violates the Supremacy Clause of the federal Constitution because the state of Missouri lacks jurisdiction to impose any extraterritorial restriction on the activities of Missouri residents and out-of-state health insurance carriers conducting transactions substantially outside of the state of Missouri.

The proposed legislation also violates the Commerce Clause of the federal constitution by inhibiting the sale of interstate goods and services to residents of Missouri. Missouri has unconstitutionally exempted its own health care plan, Missouri Health Net, as well as numerous small, in-state businesses from its mandate. These waivers and exemptions are unavailable to out-of-state companies thereby creating a competitive advantage for the state of Missouri and certain in- state businesses at the expense of a national free market in health care services.

Because of these numerous constitutional violations, I ask the Governor to act for the good of the people of Missouri and to veto House Bill No. 1311.

Sincerely,

/s/ [State Rep.] Ed Emery

Sixty-ninth Day–Wednesday, May 12, 2010 1493

On motion of Representative Scharnhorst, CCS SCS HCS HBs 1311 & 1314 was read the
third time and passed by the following vote:

AYES: 144
Allen Atkins Aull Ayres Biermann
Bivins Brandom Bringer Brown 30 Brown 50
Brown 149 Bruns Burnett Calloway Carter
Casey Chappelle-Nadal Colona Conway Cooper
Corcoran Cunningham Curls Deeken Denison
Dieckhaus Diehl Dixon Dougherty Dusenberg
Englund Faith Fallert Fischer 107 Fisher 125
Flanigan Flook Frame Franz Funderburk
Gatschenberger Grill Grisamore Harris Hobbs
Hodges Holsman Hoskins 80 Hoskins 121 Hughes
Hummel Icet Jones 63 Jones 117 Kander
Keeney Kelly Kingery Kirkton Komo
Kratky Kraus Kuessner Lair Lampe
Largent Leara LeBlanc LeVota Liese
Lipke Loehner Low McClanahan McDonald
McGhee McNary McNeil Meadows Meiners
Molendorp Morris Munzlinger Nance Nasheed
Newman Nieves Nolte Norr Oxford
Pace Parkinson Pratt Quinn Riddle
Roorda Rucker Ruestman Ruzicka Salva
Sander Scavuzzo Schaaf Schad Scharnhorst
Schieffer Schlottach Schoemehl Schupp Shively
Silvey Skaggs Smith 14 Smith 150 Spreng
Still Storch Stream Sutherland Swinger
Talboy Thomson Tilley Todd Tracy
Viebrock Vogt Wallace Walsh Walton Gray
Wasson Webb Webber Wells Weter
Whitehead Wilson 119 Wilson 130 Witte Wright
Yaeger Zerr Zimmerman Mr Speaker

NOES: 016
Burlison Cox Davis Day Dethrow
Dugger Emery Ervin Guernsey Guest
Jones 89 Koenig Parson Sater Schoeller
Self

PRESENT: 000
ABSENT WITH LEAVE: 002
Pollock Stevenson
VACANCIES: 001

Speaker Pro Tem Pratt declared the bill passed.

Talk of "change" is a shame; Dodd's Restoring American Financial Stability Act

2010-05-10T18:09:00.003-05:00

Just got this email from Ron Paul on Dodd's Restoring American Financial Stability Act:

The talk of "change" in Washington, D.C. is, as you know, a sham.

Nothing proves this more than the current debate on Senator Dodd's Restoring American Financial Stability Act, which you and I know should be called the Fed Empowerment Act. Senate leadership is hoping to cram more big government down our throats to cover up for the economic problems caused by – you guessed it – big government.

Our nation faces major challenges for which the freedom movement has the solutions, and this is no time to back down. While the Sanders amendment takes important steps toward more transparency, the thorough audit language we fought to pass in the House last year is no longer present.

But there is good news. Senator David Vitter will offer a strong Audit the Fed amendment to restore that language, but it needs all the help we can give it to pass.

So call

Bond: (202) 224-5721
McCaskill: Phone 202-224-6154

Should Public Funding of Early Childhood Education Be A High Priority?

2010-04-14T20:31:00.007-05:00

Yes, according to Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Chris Nicastro. But what exactly is "early childhood education"?

The last question from the audience at the Holden Public Policy Forum at Webster University to DESE Commissioner Chris Nicastro was basically this: if you the commissioner had stable, and even increasing money flow (which is certainly not the case at the present time), what would she do with it?

Without hesitation, she answered: "early childhood education."

Now, why would that bother me over and above many other issues including Race to the Top funding?

Don't I think children should be educated, and certainly as early as possible?

I'm bothered because parents are responsible for "educating" their children by reading with them and doing other basic learning activities. It's called "parenting."

To Commissionor Nicastro credit, she seems to understand the notion that "school" should not be narrowly defined as only time in the "classroom," but rather, "school" is much more broader in scope and includes all educational activities. Homeschool parents understand this concept well.

To me, it seems, that will all the talk about the need for "educational reform," what we need is a revolution in returning to the basics (no I'm not very creative in my proposed solutions), and not fads and continually defining and redefining "standards."

Learning how to read, write, and add as well as many other tasks are not group activities. Why are we trying to make them group activities? Maybe because our society has tried to make them group activities, some children fall behind?

More over, the pre-kindergarten push is based on false assumptions that beg the question: is there research showing that a structured (or possibility out-of-control) classroom is better "early child education" than parents can provide their children at home or no classroom instruction at all?

Ok, now, I'm sure some of you are thinking, "Ruth, it's great that well-to-do parents might have the intuition and resources to "educate" their children at home before Kindergarten, but what about the 'poor'?"

Let's look at how well Head Start, a program focused on early childhood education for lower-income children, has preformed. Head Start serves approximately 900,000 low-income children at a cost of $9 billion per year. An experimental evaluation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that

"Head Start has had little to no effect on cognitive, socio-emotional, health, and parenting outcomes of participating children. For the four-year-old cohort, access to Head Start had a beneficial effect on only two outcomes (1.8 percent) out of 112 measures. For the three-year-old cohort, access to Head Start had one harmful impact (0.9 percent) and five (4.5 percent) beneficial impacts out of 112 measures," according to by David B. Muhlhausen, Ph.D. and Dan Lips.

To sound like a progressive, in part, the solution is more discussion on what is "early childhood education." And to sound like a conservative, I don't think the main problem is not enough publicly funded structured (or not so structured) classroom snacks, naps, and diversity training.

From the Inside Out

2010-04-11T07:49:00.001-05:00

One of the most devastating but liberating discoveries, according John Piper, is that we can't make ourselves love God.

Love, by definition, is something that can't be forced. We have to want to love.

What do we do if we don't love God from the inside out, wholly and totally, with our all of our hearts and minds?

A. W. Tozer, in his book The Pursuit of God, writes that "if we cooperate with Him in loving obedience, God will manifest Himself to us, and that manifestation will be the difference between a nominal Christian life and a life radiant with the light of His face."

I wonder: Where does the "loving obedience" come from?

Tozer asks: "Why do some persons 'find' God in a way that others do not?"

Tozer defines "finding God" as "becoming more closely united in mind and heart" with God. And those who exercise and not neglect the longing within to know God in the deepest ways possible this side of Heaven will develop "spiritual receptivity."

This "spiritual receptivity" is a gift from God and requires a "determined heart" and "courage to wrench ourselves loose from the grip of our times."

"Let any man turn to God in earnest, let him begin to exercise himself unto godliness, let him seek to develop his powers of spiritual receptivity by trust and obedience and humility, and the results will exceed anything he may have hoped in his leaner and weaker days," writes Tozer.

I pray Tozer's words:

O God and Father, I repent of my sinful preoccupation with visible things. The world has been too much with me. Thou hast been here and I knew it not. I have been blind to Thy presence. Open my eyes that I may behold Thee in and around me. For Christ's sake, Amen.

Hillsong's From the Inside Out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-afZJ9_TIM

Re-posted from l0-6-09

Missouri U.S. Senate Candidate Forum: Lightning Round

2010-03-25T23:48:00.003-05:00

After reviewing answers, go vote at MODecides.com for who you think would be the best candidate to represent Missourians in the U.S. Senate.


.		Davis Conway	Sen. Chuck Purgason	Deborah Solomon	Hector Maldonado	Kristi Nichols	James H. Schmidt
.	Would you vote to repeal the 17th amendment?	yes	yes	need to research/not sure	yes	yes	yes
.	Would you vote to audit the Federal Reserve System?	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
.	Would you support legislation to require all bills to include provisions only germane to the bill?	Yes	Yes	need to research/not sure	no	no	yes
.	Do you believe that the best way to protect Americans from terrorism is by the provisions within the USA Patriot Act including surveillance of US citizens and suspension of due process?	no	no	yes	yes	yes	no
.	Would you vote to repeal the USA Patriot Act?	yes	yes	no	no	no	yes
.	Would you vote to repeal the 16th amendment?	no	yes	need to research/not sure	need to research/not sure	need to research/not sure	yes
.	Do you think that non-citizens should be provided with entitlements like Social Security and Medicare?	no	no	no	no	no	no
.	Would you be in favor of withdrawing from the United Nations?	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
.	Do you support 10th Amendment legislation that resists the federal government usurping the constitutional rights of the states?	yes	yes	need to research/not sure	yes	yes	yes

Wondering What's Up in Jefferson City?

2010-03-25T16:21:00.005-05:00

I just got a great email from Sen. Chuck Purgason on what's been going on in our state capital:

This week your Missouri Senate pushed back again working for the passage of “The Health Care Freedom Act” (SJR 25). This important legislation would allow the people of Missouri an opportunity to vote for a constitutional amendment that would block mandatory participation in Washington’s total government-run health care proposal.
This measure, if passed by the voters, would not allow fines or penalties to be levied against employers and individuals who opt out of government-run care and pay for their own health care. I believe we should protect our individual freedom and not let government bureaucrats gain more control over our lives. I think it is very unfortunate that the states are put into this position. I wish our congress would have addressed some of these issues before it got to the point that it is today, but those opportunities have passed us by.

The Senate Appropriations Committee continued its work this week with discussions on spending priorities and spending cuts to the Governor’s recommendations for the state’s Fiscal Year 2011 budget which begins July 1. It is no secret that deeper spending cuts will have to be made for next year’s budget, but thus far we are just trimming around the edges and rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

At some point in the budget process, the politicians will have to accept the facts, make the spending cuts and balance the budget. However, I expect it may take a little longer than the regular legislative session for the Governor and the General Assembly to come to an agreement on difficult budget cuts. It looks like I may need to contact my landlord and extend the lease on my apartment.

I cannot stress to you enough the severity of the budget this year and even greater problems next year. With that in mind, the Senate this week broke from tradition on floor debate and split up into groups of four to study reforms to our state government. The group to which I was assigned dealt with tax credits and economic development. The department put forth a plan to rearrange our 61 tax credit programs into six more easily managed tax credit departments.

. . . .The only jobs we [government] create are ones that produce more red tape and bureaucracies. The private sector is the area that creates jobs --- our small business owners across the state. 92% of the jobs created in this state are created by small businesses, but we spend millions of dollars per year dangling out tax credits and incentives to lure 8% of the businesses to the state at the expense of the ones that are already here.

. . . . Given the current job situation, apparently what we have been doing in economic development is not proving to be successful. Sometimes simple answers for complex problems are better because we as a government have allowed simple problems to become so complex.

As always, I appreciate hearing your comments, opinions and concerns. I can be reached in Jefferson City at (573)751-1882, e-mail to chuck.purgason@senate.mo.gov or write to me at 201 West Capitol Avenue, Room 420, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

###

MO U.S. Senate Forum Recap - Questions 1, 2, & 3

2010-03-21T15:52:00.006-05:00

I typed these notes as I listened on Saturday; I do not claim to be unbiased in my recap. Please watch Michelle Moore's video for the most accurate account. Pictures posted on flicker by http://rebootcongress.blogspot.com.

I could not "live blog" because I couldn't catch a connection strong enough or long enough to upload this from the Forum. I've only included the first three questions in this post because including all of the responses to all 9 questions would result in a extraordinary long post.

Only 7 of the 9 candidates running for U.S. Senate showed up at the MO Decides. On the outset, it was clear the Rep. Roy Blunt would be unlikely to attend, but since the so-called Health Care Reform vote is today, he did have a legitimate reason for not attending. Mike Vontz also did not attend because he traveled to DC to rally against the bill.

Question #1 : The U.S. Senate is one of the most powerful legislative bodies in these United States. Please explain why youʼre qualified to be a U.S. Senator. Please include if you have run for a political ofﬁce, and which public offices you have held.

I really wasn't impressed with most the answers I heard and didn't start logging my thoughts until Sen. Chuck Purgason gave the response:

"because I've helped balanced the budget in Missouri for the last 8 years."

Davis Conway:

"Basically my qualifications are the Constitution."

He did not say what it was, but I'm assuming he means that Art. 1 Sec. 2 sets a standard that he fits: he is a U.S. Citizen and has obtained the age of at least 25 years.

He's never run for office.

Question #2 : What would be your solution to solving the immigration crisis in America?

Sen. Purgason says...follow Art. 1, Section 8: Closed the border. He's a "proponent of a real fence."

#1 thing for our security; supports aggressive immigration enforcement policy. "If you come across illegally, we should send you back."

He's like to see campaign promises fulfilled campaign promises to build a fence.

Deborah Solomon:

Believes "we" [Republican Party] need to reach out to people of minority races.

She then reads direction from Christianity Today - America should grant legal status for illegal aliens.

[Each candidate could give two :30 second rebuttals; Solomon took an opportunity after a few other candidates answered to add:]

She agrees with encouraging businesses to use E-verify; "people should come to America if they want to be of help"; favor of English in all the schools because it "unties us all"; "many Hispanic people have made great contributions to our society

Hector Maldonado:

He became a nationalized Citizen in 1995; his Dad used visa to be migrant field worker starting in 1955. The same program my Dad used to come here doesn't make now.

He does not support "overnight" amnesty; but seems to support gradually granting amnesty with the caveat: "citizenship to those who want it." He seemed to imply that some illegal aliens don't deserve amnesty but some do but didn't give clear distinction here.

He later gave a rebuttal with some clarity: He's for strong borders, and national defense, but not for giving amnesty to those violating the liberties of other people; but honestly, hardworking illegals should be allowed to live the American dream.

Kristi Nichols

Said: Illegal immigration is illegal. There is a process to come into this country...we pay $30,000 per year for keeping illegal aliens in our prisons.

Wants more usage of E-verify.

Supports building a wall.

Sends a strong message: "I'm not for any kind of amnesty."

James H. Schmidt:

"we don't have a physical border"; we need to put up fences or physical borders; we need to remove the incentives for coming here; we need to prosecute illegal aliens

Davis Conway:
policy changes aren't going to help; we need to enforce current policies
1. secure borders
2. enforce current policies

sending people back? 100 million? It would be difficult to send illegals back.

Question #3: According to the United States Constitution, under what circumstances may the federal government authorize military action?

Deborah Solomon:

peace through strength
pay fair wages for military (they did not get a pay increase in the last military budget appropriations bill apparently)
we need to build "strong friendships and relationships" with the international community [but later she did say she would vote for the U.S. to pull out of the U.N.]
work with the international community
we cannot be isolationists

Hector Maldonado:

He quoted from Article 2; the Constitution gives the president the right to declare war with consent of Congress. He said the president can do whatever he finds necessary in the first 100 days, but then Congress must declare war.

Kristi Nichol is for strong defense, diplomacy is a good tool. Mr. Obama propose a Cap & Trade tax greater than our national defense budget. We can't stand around all day without taking action.

James Schmidt
Founders wisely gave the President the ability to respond to immediate threats.

All wars should be declared by Congress.
Keep military well funded to show our strength
We've spread ourselves all around the world that maybe we could bring home.

Davis Conway:
Congress has the right to declare war.
Belief: finish what we start and always protect ourselves
global camaraderie is nice but the US is where we live and its what we need to protect; protect swiftly

Chuck Purgason:
Situation where we are not allowed to "win" wars anymore. We refused to have an energy policy that allows America to be energy independent.

500,000 people died in a 3rd-world country because but we didn't go into defend them; we didn't go because that country doesn't produce oil

need to be aggressive countries developing Nuclear weapons

God...I'm 'k-kinda busy' (Telephone by Lady Gaga)

2010-02-24T19:58:00.007-06:00

As I was listening to the lyrics of Lady Gaga's song Telephone yesterday, I realized that I've been giving God the same line: "You called, I can't hear a thing."

Why can't I hear anything?

"I got no service in the club..."

Yes, God, I'm just too busy right now. I doing so many things at the moment that I'm just unavailable.

"Wha-Wha-Waht did you say, huh?"

I'm not sure what you want from me at the moment, God.

"Your're breaking up on me; I can't hear you."

You see, "I'm kinda busy.

K-kinda busy
K-kinda busy
Sorry, I cannot hear you, I'm kinda busy.

Could you hold on, God? I just need a moment to catch my breath.

Just a second,
It's my favorite song they're gonna play
And I cannot text you with
A drink in my hand, eh?

Yes, I'm doing too much right now to slow down and spend time with you. I might drop something, and I need time to relax.

"You shoulda made some plans with me,
You knew that I was free.
And now you won't stop calling me;
I'm kinda busy."

God, I'm doing all the things you've called me to do and I just time for anything more...

"Stop callin', stop callin',
I don't wanna think anymore!"

I'm feeling very worn out...

"I left my head and my heart on the dance floor.
Stop callin'', stop callin,"

God, I'm just too wrapped up in other things and just don't have any more of myself to give.

"I don't wanna talk anymore!
I left my head and my heart on the dance floor."

God, I don't want to be too busy for you anymore but my flesh is weak is being draw to other things. It's not that I don't want to talk, I've just got so many others things on my mind. I've got big plans, you see...

Lord, please, awaken my soul to your calling. Give me a desire to want you above anything in this world.

John Piper, in his book God is the Gospel, includes a section from a sermon by J.C. Ryle called “Christ Is All” based on Colossians 3:11. In it he said:

"But alas, how little fit for heaven are many who talk of ‘going to heaven’ when they die, while they manifestly have no saving faith, and no real acquaintance with Christ. You give Christ no honor here. You have no communion with Him. You do not love Him. Alas! what could you do in heaven? It would be no place for you. Its joys would be no joys for you. Its happiness would be a happiness into which you could not enter. Its employments would be a weariness and burden to your heart. Oh, repent and change before it be too late!"

John Piper then expounds that

"Nothing fits a person to be more useful on earth than to be more ready for heaven. This is true because readiness for heaven means taking pleasure in beholding the Lord Jesus, and beholding the glory of the Lord means being changed into his likeness (2 Cor. 3:18). Nothing would bless this world more than more people who are more like Christ. For in likeness to Christ the world might see Christ."

Oh Lord, draw me to you. Awaken in my heart a passion to know you and treasure you above all things on this earth. Open my eyes to behold your goodness and embrace you above your great gifts. In Jesus name, Amen.

Spending More DOES NOT Equal Spending Less

2010-02-06T09:26:00.003-06:00

From the Office of Budget and Management Blog:

A Short History of Deficit Reduction
"It’s been a day since the 2011 Budget was released, and analysts and journalists have written about what it means for individual agencies, specific issues, and states. But let’s not lose sight of the big picture. The President’s Budget represents an important step towards fiscal sustainability: it put forward $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction over the next ten years, even excluding savings from the assumed ramp-down in war funding over time. Including these war savings, the deficit reduction proposed in the President’s Budget rises to $2.1 trillion."

What? The big picture is reducing the budget by increasing our debt?

"The Administration strongly supports passage of an increase in the public debt limit. Such an increase is critically important to make sure that financing of Federal Government operations can continue without interruption and that the creditworthiness of the United States is not called into question." - White House

What? We are more creditworthy because spend more money than we have?

Question: Can you RT on Facebook? Sort of...

2010-01-26T17:52:00.003-06:00

Question:
"I'm trying to figure out how you basically do a "retweet" in facebook where you can get someone else's comments to repeat on your facebook page...can you explain how you did this?"

Example:

Ruth Carlson RT: @LouieGiglio Refuse to be average. Let your heart soar as high as it will. -- AW Tozer

Short anwser:

1. copy [control + C] what you want to forward to your FB friends: "RT: @LouieGiglio Refuse to be average. Let your heart soar as high as it will. -- AW Tozer"

2. type "thanks" and then "@" and then the name of your FB friend

3. paste [control + V] the content you want to share

Done--

thanks [@]RuthCarlson for sharing: RT: @LouieGiglio Refuse to be average. Let your heart soar as high as it will. -- AW Tozer

Long anwser:

First, it's a bit confusing because some people like me have my twitter account set to automatically set my "tweets" as my FB status. So in for me, I'm not friends with @LouieGiglio on Facebook but I still post items that might seem like I'm trying to link to him.

You can use the "@" sign when you are friends with someone on Facebook to "link" your comment to their page. If use the "@," a autofill box will pop up when you start typing a friends name, and then your comment will show up on his or her page.

To your question, it's not possible to Retweet on FB. You can "share" [post on your page or email to a specific FB friend] items that are posted, but you can not "share" status updates like the one I did below.

Therefore, you must just copy & paste what you want to put in your post and manually link it using the "@" feature in FB.

Setting Your Sight Higher and How to Win the Battle Against Sin

2010-01-24T20:35:00.004-06:00

If you need some encouragement, here are two amazing sermons by John Piper.

"Don't be like the person who goes to the Grand Canyon with a little garden shovel in his hand, and on the precipice of that majesty turns his back to the Canyon, kneels down, and digs a little trough with his shovel and shouts, "Hey, look at this! Look at my trough! Isn't that cool!" I know that the pressing and desirable things of your life seem big. But just a little clearheaded thought will show you they are not. Get up and turn around and look at the Canyon."

Do Not Let Sin Reign in Your Mortal Body, Part 1

The Battleground and Its Participants

1. Verse 12: There is a throne or a reign. "Do not let sin reign in your mortal body."

2. Verse 12: There is a challenger to the throne: sin. "Do not let sin reign in your mortal body."

3. Verse 12: There is a castle where sin threatens to reign: the human body. "Do not let sin reign in your mortal body."

4. Verse 12: There are loyal servants in the castle who may go over to the other side and join the conspiracy as enemy agents inside the walls of the castle: desires. "Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its (that is, the body's) desires."

5. Verse 12: There is incremental surrender possible in this conflict: obedience to disloyal desires. "Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires."

6. Verse 13: There is a true king on the throne who has the reign in the castle: God. "Do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments [weapons] of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments [weapons] of righteousness to God."

7. Verse 13: There are weapons in the castle that can be used to advance the cause of the true king, God, or the cause of the pretender to the throne, sin: members [parts] of the human body. "Do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments [o[pla, weapons] of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments [o[pla, weapons] of righteousness to God."

8. Verse 14: There is a constitutional authority in the kingdom: grace, not law. "For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace."

Do Not Let Sin Reign in Your Mortal Body, Part 2

Monday Morning Email: 'Investigating Christian Privilege and Religious Oppression in the United States'

2010-01-18T10:05:00.004-06:00

Ok, so my inbox is always full on Monday mornings. I always find spam and...

I got an email from a professor in the "Multicultural and International Curriculum Studies Department of Curriculum and Instruction" at Iowa State University trying to publicize a book he helped edit called Investigating Christian Privilege and Religious Oppression in the United States.

According to Dr. Warren J. Blumenfeld, "Christian denominations and their cultural manifestations, however, often function to marginalize, exclude, and deny members and institutions of other religions and non-believers the privileges and access that accompany a Christian affiliation. Christianity is the privileged religious perspective in the United States since Christian groups, people, and organizations often have the power to define normalcy....Investigating Christian Privilege and Religious Oppression in the United States addresses Christian privilege as well as religious oppression since the two are in symbiotic relationship: oppression toward non-Christians gives rise to Christian privilege in the United States, and Christian privilege maintains oppression toward non-Christian individuals and faith communities. This anthology also provides historical and contemporary cases exposing Christian privilege and religious oppression on the societal, institutional, and personal/interpersonal levels. A number of chapters include sections suggesting change strategies, and in particular, ways to achieve the national goal of religious pluralism in the United States" (emphasis mine).

Does the religion with the most adherents have the ability to define every area culture within a country?

Reasons Why the "Healthcare Reform" in Congress is Unconstitutional

2010-01-16T15:38:00.006-06:00

Missouri State Representative Tim Jones gave 3 reason why the "Healthcare Reform" bill in Congress is unconstitutional at a recent meeting.

1. The federal constitution does not give the Congress the power to require citizens to buy a product, in this case medical insurance.

A. This is not a tax and spend provision, not an enumerated power listed in our Constitution.

B. 2 Clauses
-commerce clause - not designed to protect anything the federal government wants to do like forcing citizens to purchase a product
-general welfare clause - this is forcing the citizens to purchase a product not the government providing

2. Equal Protection: All of the promises and deal cutting that gave certain states (Florida, S. Dakota, Wisconsin, Nebraska) means that all Americans are not receiving the same protections

3. Sovereignty - 10th Amendment
Federal / State model - the current health care reform plan violates our basic form of government by using the federal government to tell the States what to do

You can also google this topic to learn more.

2 quotes that sum up 2009 for me

2009-12-23T15:24:00.003-06:00

I've learned to love my family more and how to take deep breaths on the journey of life.

"Only love has eyes. To understand the world of things, you need science and suspicion and the method of doubt; accept nothing until proved. Every idea is guilty until proved innocent. But to know people, you need the opposite method: trust, love, openness. Persons are innocent until proved guilty. You cannot bear them unless that is your attitude. Suspicion never reaches the other's heart."
~Dr. Peter Kreeft, Three Philosophies of Human Life

"There are many people who reach their conclusions about life like schoolboys: they cheat their master by copying the answer out of a book without having worked the sum out for themselves."
~ SØREN KIERKEGAARD, The Journals

Using Sex or Reason: Where do you stand on health care reform?

2009-12-21T13:07:00.005-06:00

Rock the Vote suggests young voters use flirting and sex to persuade opponents of the Obama/Reid/Pelosi health-care-reform bill to change their position.

As a young person, I find such a video degrading to suggest my political philosophy is as whimsical as sexual attraction or that sex should be used as method of political persuasion.

How Americans obtain and pay for health care is an important topic that deserves open and honest debate about the real costs of adding hundreds of pages to the law books.

It's too bad that Rock the Vote is probably encouraging young people to disengage from this important debate because it's over-the-top desperate attempt to garner support for an unpopular bill.

Dick Morris points to a study by Oliver Wyman that suggests that the proposed health care reforms will increase premiums for young people by as much as 35 percent.

He writes:

"These increases will stem from the bill's provisions that bar insurance companies from raising rates on sick people and from excluding people based on pre-existing conditions. Both of these mandates will mean higher costs for the younger and healthier population. This bill is, in effect, a tax on the young."

Instead of engaging young voters on the topic, Rock the Vote reveals how weak the Obama/Reid/Pelosi health-care-reform bill really is in terms of helping reduce the inflated costs of health and medical care in America.

I think more young people would engage in politics if they weren't treated like sheep. People respond to expectations...

We need more intelligent discussions about what can be done to help improve our current system, which happens to be better than any system in the world.

For example, why aren't we looking at how the Federal Reserve Banks' "lending" affect health care costs?

Using YouTube To Share Your Message

2009-12-18T08:48:00.003-06:00

Ok, this is kinda like a, "duh," post, but I can't help but point out some creative examples of using YouTube to send a loud message:

Example 1:

A musician named Dave Carroll recently had difficulty with United Airlines.
United apparently damaged his treasured Taylor guitar ($3500) during a flight. Dave spent over nine months trying to get United to pay for damages caused by baggage handlers to his custom Taylor guitar. During his final exchange with the United Customer Relations Manager, he stated that he was left with no choice other than to create a music video for You Tube, exposing their lack of cooperation. The manager responded, "Good luck with that one, pal." He posted the following retaliatory video on You Tube. The video has since received over 5.5 million hits. United Airlines contacted Carroll and attempted settlement in exchange for pulling the video. Naturally, his response was, "Good luck with that one, pal."
Taylor Guitars sent Carroll two new custom guitars in appreciation for product recognition resulting from the video that has led to a sharp increase in orders.

It is now up to 6.5 million.

Example 2:

In a landmark speech, the late Governor Robert Casey, Senior said "Nothing could be more foreign to the American experience than legalized abortion. It is inconsistent with our national character, with our national purpose, with all that we've done, and with everything we hope to be."

But right now, Robert Casey, Junior is poised to vote in the Senate for a health care bill with federal funding for abortion. The bill will result in more abortions—abortions that Americans will be required to finance. Senator Casey, trading the lives of unborn children for a health care bill is inconsistent with our American character.

"The abortion debate is not about how we shall live, but who shall live. And more than that, its about who we are."

Contact Bob Casey, Junior today and tell him to vote NO on any health care bill that funds abortion.

Paid for by Susan B. Anthony List, Inc.

'When did $98,560 household income qualify for welfare in Missouri? '

2009-12-17T15:36:00.002-06:00

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release - Time Sensitive issue

For interviews contact:
Paul Hamby 816 632 0602
Robyn Hamlin 314-438-0222

Missouri Campaign for Liberty www.campaignforliberty.com/usa/MO/ strongly opposes the giveaway of 15 million dollars through the MHDC, Missouri Housing Development Commission.

Last month, Gov. Jay Nixon and State Treasurer Clint Zweifel proposed that MHDC would pay the property tax for anyone who buys a house in Missouri in 2010. The only limitation is income. You would need to make less than $98,560. Nixon and Zweifel announced they would bring the plan before the Missouri Housing Development Commission on Dec. 18th at the MHDC meeting in Jefferson City.

Quoting from Zweifel’s press release “The funding would come from a [$15 million] reserve fund held by Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) earned through successful management of mortgage loans made to low- and medium-income individuals and families. These reserve funds are not from general revenue, nor subject to the legislature's appropriation process.” MHDC is a commission operated by the State of Missouri. It is funded by federal and state tax payer dollars. It is just plain wrong to tax low and middle income Missourians and then pay someone else’s 2010 property tax with their money. When did $98,560 household income qualify for welfare in Missouri?

The economic crisis of 2008 was created in part by a housing bubble that pushed folks into home ownership who should have never had loans, and then defaulted on their loans. Why are Governor Nixon and Treasurer Zweifel trying to re-create the housing bubble in 2010?

Missouri has a 1 billion dollar Budget Deficit. Did our Governor suddenly have a bout of amnesia regarding the 1 billion dollar income shortfall in the Missouri State Budget?

If the goal is to get more Missourians into housing, there is a simple proven formula for that: Good paying jobs for Missourians. A business climate to create more jobs is where the Governor should be focusing. That means Less Government Regulation, Less Taxes on Small Businesses and Families, and Less Federal Mandates. When government starts meddling, fairness goes out the window. Please call the MHDC board and tell them to Vote No on redistributing the 15 million slush fund. Their numbers are 816-759-6600 and 314-877-1350.

###

Obama says it will keep America from going Bankrupt; Howard Dean says kill it

2009-12-17T09:05:00.009-06:00

FEE sent out a great link to an VPR interview with Howard Dean on the lack of support for the monstrous health-care-reform Senate bill means its death. Dean suggests that "the best thing to do right now is kill the Senate bill and go back to the House and start the reconciliation process, where you only need 51 votes and it would be a much simpler bill."

Ok, so Howard Dean isn't suggesting that the recent polls showing opposition to health care reform (almost 56% oppose it; only 19% strongly favor it) makes it a dead duck, but that certain characteristics of current 'reform' plans aren't really 'reform' to make it real 'reform' to get public support. Congress should just start over in the House, he suggests, and make it more simply--a.k.a. more centrists and get rid of the bribes.

Meanwhile, Obama said during an ABC interview that if we don't spend trillions of dollars on this 'reform,' the government will go bankrupt. He's built a straw-man case for passing costly reform. Is it possible that there are other ways that new government programs to "rein in" health and medical costs? Maybe the free market?

Both are half way right. Dean is picking up on the fact that Americans--right or left--don't really trust +2000 page monstrosity of health care 'reform' and Obama's picking up on the fact that our unfunded liabilities--medicare, medicate, and social security--are on the brink of bankruptcy.

Baby steps.

Missouri State Medical Association & St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society Oppose Obamacare

2009-12-09T17:02:00.002-06:00

I went to a press conference today in the Chesterfield Valley to find out more about an effort by at least 22 states to pass constitutional amendments to protect the medical care choices of individual Americans.

It was great to find out that the St. Louis Metropolitan medical Society and the Missouri State Medical Association oppose the bill in the US Senate, called the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" (HR 3590) because it "does not adequately address some of the most important problems in the current system." These organizations "fear that the proposal would increase the cost of health care and allow unaccountable government bureaucrats to stand between patients and their physicians."

Wow.

See more on Eagle Forum's blog.

'Mmm that you only meant well?' - Why My Good Intentions Aren't Good Enough

2009-11-29T14:53:00.008-06:00

Jason Derulo's new song "Whatcha Say" is catchy and clearly illustrates how our good intentions don't trump reality, especially in the long run.

Often times, it's not that we can't make rational decisions; it's that we often don't have all the facts or don't want to take into account all the facts, especially the long term ramifications.

We're shortsighted.

We have a self-focused, limited vision that hinders our rational abilities above and beyond the limits on our access to information. We act for ourselves first without clearly considering how it affects God or others. And of course, this is not our intention.

Jason Derulo cheats on his girlfriend, and of course his intentions were not to hurt to his girlfriend:

I was so wrong for so long
Only tryin' to please myself (myself)
Girl, I was caught up in her lust
When I don't really want no one else

In the moment, he did not fully consider that he didn't want the long-term affects of choosing the fleeting pleasures of sin.

The chorus brings reality to the forefront: it's not enough to say that "you only meant well" because that doesn't make cheating okay.

Mmmm whatcha say,
Mmm that you only meant well?
Well of course you did
Mmmm whatcha say,
Mmmm that it's all for the best?
Of course it is

This theme reminds me of Madonna's song "4 Minutes to Save the World" with the line:

The road to hell
Is paved with good intentions

Of course, we mean well.

If you feel it
It must be real

Right?

There many reasons why "good intentions" are not good enough to maintain our relationships with God or with one another. Henry Hatlitz's One Lesson in Economics applies here, as we must learn not to look at reality as we want it to be, but how it is, which includes how the consequences of our actions affect not only on ourselves, but others. Good intentions do not change outcomes.

The art of economics consists in looking not merely at the immediate but at the longer effects of any act or policy; it consists in tracing the consequences of that policy not merely for one group but for all groups. (One Lesson in Economics)

One a larger scale, intellectual honest requires following our chosen belief system--what guides our decisions--to its logical conclusions and avoid limiting our perspective to our good intentions for desired outcomes. Bojidar Marinov from American Vision wrote an article titled "But that Doesn't Mean What It Means" with the same theme:

To say it simply, if the thing looks, swims, waddles, quacks like a duck, the disclaimer “but it doesn’t mean” doesn’t make it a hawk. It only reveals the unwillingness of those who use it to face reality and become intellectually consistent with their own beliefs.

It doesn't matter if you want ducks to be hawks.

"Mmm that you only meant well?"

It doesn't matter what your intention is. "Direction, not Intention, determines your destination," counsels Andy Stanley.

"We can't travel North towards Canada and arrive in Mexico."

That's not the reality we live in.

My first iPhone Video

2009-11-25T09:48:00.003-06:00

Ok, so I shot this two times, and then just decided, "hey, the point isn't perfection, but learning how to get information out."

I plan to take my iPhone with me to the TEA Party on Saturday at Kiener Plaza at Noon and 3:00 p.m.

It takes a little time for YouTube to post the video after I upolad it, and I haven't quite figured out how to get the link from YouTube and then post using only my iPhone. But I'm sure I'll figure out an easy way soon. (Suggestions welcome!)

I also plan to check out video sites that might let me upload feed directly, and only have about 5 second delay, instead of 5 hour delay. But it all depends on the purpose of shooting the video, and how important it is post right away verse posting to inform the public.

NY-23 race not over; inspectors found a problem in four districts

2009-11-18T11:07:00.001-06:00

From my inbox:

Dear Fellow Conservative,

As evidence surfaces, we find out that reported results from election night were far from accurate. ACORN and the unions did their best to try and sway the results to Obamacare supporter Bill Owens.

I was forced to concede after receiving two pieces of grim news - - down 5,335 votes with 93 percent of the vote counted on election night - and barely won my stronghold in Oswego County.

Get every vote counted in NY-23 Election Night, the information we received was far different from what we received this week!

Rest assured, they will not succeed, and I am therefore revoking my statement of concession.

That is why I am writing you today. Recent developments leave me to wonder who is scheming behind closed doors, twisting arms and stealing elections from the voters of NY-23.

I'm sure you are as dismayed as I am to learn of the mischief that took place in Oswego and neighboring counties. We know this would not be the first time for the ACORN faithful to tamper with democracy.

Now it's time to actually count every legal ballot and I need your help to ensure the people of NY-23 get the Congressman THEY ELECTED. Please donate now to help me ensure every vote is counted!

A recanvassing in the 11-county district shows Owens' lead has narrowed to 3,026. In Oswego County, I was reported to lead by only 500 votes with 93 percent of the vote counted election night, but inspectors found I actually won by 1,748 votes

Let’s force them keep this recanvassing active! Let’s give this election a chance to end differently!

Oswego County elections officials blame the mistakes on "chaos" in their call-in center that included a phone system foul-up, and on inspectors who read numbers incorrectly when phoning in results. This sounds like a tactic right from the ACORN playbook.

The district's second biggest voter turnout was in Jefferson County, where I had also benefited from a turnaround since election night, gaining another 700 votes. Owens led by 300 votes on the final election night tally, but after recanvassing, I'm now leading by 424 votes.

Jerry Eaton, the Republican elections commissioner for Jefferson County, said inspectors found a problem in four districts where my vote total was mistakenly entered as zero.

The new vote totals mean the race will be decided by absentee ballots, of which the state Board of Elections distributed about 10,200.

The people of NY-23 deserve to have their ballots counted properly, but we can't let ACORN or the unions keep that from happening. They have more lawyers and more experience tampering with democracy.

State Board of Elections Communications Director John Conklin said the state sent a letter to the House Clerk last week explaining that no winner had been determined in the 23rd District.

Now it's time to actually count every legal ballot and I need your help to ensure the people of NY-23 get the Congressman THEY ELECTED. Please donate now to help me ensure every vote is counted!

We need to make sure that fair elections are a reality in NY-23, just like our Founding Fathers envisioned.Â So long as we remain the "land of the free," we MUST ensure every vote is counted.

Help us today so we may be the first of many conservative victories during the Obama Regime.

Yours in Freedom,

Doug Hoffman

P.S. I ran a different kind of campaign, one where Conservatives, Republicans, Libertarians, Tea Party and 9/12 activists rallied around. ACORN, the unions and the Democratic Party were scared, and that's why they tampered with the ballots of voters in NY-23. Will you please contribute today so we can show them that fair elections are the Will of the People? Thank you.

Comments on the Stupak Amendment

2009-11-12T11:16:00.003-06:00

So, what's all the chatter in the "pro-life" arena about the Stupak amendment to Obama's health care transformation plan?

Basically, the Stupak amendment means that taxpayer money can't be used to pay for abortions for women who are insured through the health insurance "exchange." So, what's the problem? (besides the obvious conflict in moral values between various groups...)

Some say that the Stupak amendment gave cover to the pro-life Dems to vote for nationalized health care since the amendment made it "pro-life."

But, as a friend of mine said, the "Stupak Amendment didn’t go far enough," as it didn’t address end-of-life issues, rationing, protection of conscience and all the other life-aspects involved in the long 2,000 page transformation.

Moreover, some argue, why try to improve a bad bill? Why not just let it die?

So, I suppose the question is why was the amendment offered? Maybe in reaction to the fake "pro-life" amendment offered previously. If that amendment had passed, it probably would have given same glitzy appearance virtue of the Stupak amendment, but not as good.

As it stands, it's a question of whether pro-choice Dems will be able to strip the Stupak amendment, or vote for the health care transformation despite the amendment. Sen. Claire McCaskill doesn't seem to think the amendment is a deal breaker...or maybe she does.

As Phyllis Schlafly wrote in 1964: "The strategy of politics, like an iceberg, is eight-ninths under the surface."

And she wasn't saying how it should be...but merely how it is.

How to Contact Sen. Claire McCaskill

2009-11-11T09:17:00.000-06:00

Missouri Office Locations

Cape Girardeau
555 Independence Room 1600
Cape Girardeau, Missouri 63703
Phone 573-651-0964
Fax 573-334-4278

Columbia
915 E. Ash St
Columbia, Mo 65201
Phone:573-442-7130
Fax:573-442-7140

Kansas City
4141 Pennsylvania, Ste. 101
Kansas City, MO 64111
Phone 816-421-1639
Fax 816-421-2562

Springfield
324 Park Central West
Suite 101
Springfield, MO 65806
Phone 417-868-8745
Fax 417-831-1349

St. Louis
5850 A Delmar Blvd
St. Louis, MO 63112
Phone:314-367-1364
Fax: 314-361-8649

Washington D.C.

For those visiting D.C., please stop by our office at:

Office of Senator Claire McCaskill
United States Senate
Hart Senate Office Building, SH-717
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-6154
FAX (202) 228-6326

Stupak-Pitts Amendment Seems to be a good thing.

2009-11-10T12:36:00.005-06:00

There is a little bit of debate as to whether the Stupak-Pitts Amendment will be strong enough to prevent the government from forcing taxpayers to pay for ending human lives.

Here's is a opinion piece by a feminist who wants taxpayers to pay for abortion. She writes about how the Stupak-Pitts amendment will ban "abortion coverage across the entire exchange, for women with both subsidized and unsubsidized coverage."

I couldn't help but click on some of the other links on the "reality check" site.

Wow.

Apparently, being a champion for life means that one is taking part in a "molester-enabling, coathanger-selling, health-shattering, woman-hating, forced-pregnancy campaign."

Wow.

The good news is that when activists who don't support human rights for pre-born believe legislation is bad, that's a good thing!

Moreover, it seems that prohibiting Obama's health care plan from covering abortions helped it pass in the House, and might keep it from passing in the Senate.

How ironic.

Preparation Is Key

2009-11-10T06:25:00.001-06:00

From A.W. Tozer's Daily Devotional For Today:

To be entirely safe from the devil's snares the man of God must be
completely obedient to the Word of the Lord. The driver on the
highway is safe, not when he reads the signs but when he obeys them.

That Incredible Christian, 51.

November 10

Spiritual Warfare and Sin: Preparation Is Vital

Moreover David said, "The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the
lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand
of this Philistine."
--1 Samuel 17:37

The whole Bible and all past history unite to teach that battles are
always won before the armies take the field. The critical moment for
any army is not the day it engages the foe in actual combat; it is
the day before or the month before or the year before....

Preparation is vital. The rule is, prepare or fail. Luck and bluster
will do for a while, but the law will catch up with us sooner or
later, usually sooner....

It did not take Moses long to lead the children of Israel out
through the Red Sea to deliverance and freedom; but his fittedness
to lead them out was the result of years of hard discipline. It
took David only a few minutes to dispose of Goliath; but he had
beaten the giant long before in the person of the lion and the
bear....

Preparation is vital. Let this be noted by everyone. We can seek
God today and get prepared to meet temptation tomorrow; but if we
meet the enemy without first having met God, the outcome is not
conjectural; the issue is already decided. We can only lose. The
Next Chapter After the Last, 77-79.

"Lord, quiet my heart this morning and feed me from Your Word. I
can't enter the battle of today without this vital preparation.
Help me even in the busiest of days to maintain this discipline of
preparation. Amen."

Playground or Battlefield?

2009-11-05T21:29:00.000-06:00

A.W. Tozer:

Spiritual Warfare and Sin: Irreconcilable Hostility

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the
heavenly places.
--Ephesians 6:12

In the early days, when Christianity exercised a dominant
influence over American thinking, men and women conceived the
world to be a battleground. Our fathers believed in sin and the
devil and hell as constituting one force, and they believed in
God and righteousness and heaven as the other. By their very
nature, these forces were opposed to each other forever in deep,
grave, irreconcilable hostility. Humans, our fathers held, had to
choose sides-they could not be neutral. For them it must be life
or death, heaven or hell, and if they chose to come out on God's
side they could expect open war with God's enemies. The fight
would be real and deadly and would last as long as life continued
here below. People looked forward to heaven as a return from the
wars, a laying down of the sword to enjoy in peace the home
prepared for them....

How different today. The fact remains the same, but the
interpretation has changed completely. People think of the world,
not as a battleground, but as a playground. We are not here to
fight; we are here to frolic. We are not in a foreign land; we
are at home. We are not getting ready to live, but we are already
living, and the best we can do is rid ourselves of our
inhibitions and our frustrations and live this life to the full.
This World: Playground or Battleground?, 4-5.

"Lord, we've lost too much by becoming friendly with the enemy.
Help me to be willing to take a stand for righteousness, to
choose clearly to be on Your side against the enemy, to pay any
price--and then to look forward to laying down my sword later in
heaven. Amen."

Perseverance

2009-10-31T08:44:00.001-05:00

Sometimes I wonder how it is that I can still struggle with the same sins but feel as though I have a sincere faith in Christ. Why is it that we struggle so much?

I found a great passage in Sam Storms book Signs of the Spirit that points to a great theme of Christianity: perseverance.

"There is hardly anything more explicit in the teachings of Jesus himself than the rules by which we are to judge the sincerity of someone's profession o faith. we must judge the nature of the tree by the quality of its fruit. But if the fruit of saving virtue is subject to being counterfeited, what good is this as a rule for discerning true from false? The answer is found not in the mere presence of what appears to be fruit, but in its perseverance. If the fruit shows itself not merely once, no matter how fervently and sweetly, but endures and matures over time and through trial, we can more solidly judge whether they are be truly of God (although even then our judgement is still fallible).

I quote Same Storms not because I'm particular interested in judging (or meditating) on whether others are sincere in their faith, but whether I am.

Paul writing in his 1st letter to the Corinthians:

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, [2] lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified (ch. 9).

Father, give me the strength to run the race with perseverance. Give me endurance, Father. In Jesus name, Amen.

How long can you go without praying?

2009-10-30T20:28:00.000-05:00

Gary A. Haugen does a wonderful job of working up to the following statement and question in his book, Just Courage. Haugen explains how taking the "safe" route will not satisfy our "desire for ...significant and meaningful" experiences on this earth and now "we're created by God for adventure."

"Mother Teresa said that she couldn’t imagine doing her work for more than thirty minutes without prayer. Do you and I have work that we can’t imagine doing for thirty minutes without prayer?"

You can read the first chapter here: http://www.ivpress.com/title/exc/3494-1.pdf

This question is near the end...and it is really making me think about my priorities.

Needs and Wants

2009-10-30T06:38:00.004-05:00

My friend Amy is serving for one year in a basic medical clinic in the Sudan and I just have to share the email she just sent out. She has been there about one month now. Here is her latest report, which gives me much to reflect upon, and to give thanks to God for!

The majority of my last two weeks have been spent learning as much Arabic as I can. I’ve spent a few hours with my wonderful Sudanese tutor Andrew, lots of time with my language books (in case you were wondering, studying grammar is NOT any more fun than you remember), and some practice time in the markets or visiting with people. It’s a great thing to be able to go out for lunch and call it educational. :)

My goal for these 2 weeks has been to acquire enough language in order to shop on my own in the market. Praise the Lord I have been able to achieve that and more! I put a lot of time into learning words for foods and how to ask for things/prices, etc. As I slowly walked home in the rain one day with 3 inches of thick mud stuck to the bottom of my flip-flops I had some time to think and realized something. When shopping I always used the word for “want” when asking for items, but rarely did I hear the Sudanese use that word. Instead nearly everyone used the word for “need”. It made me think about the people I am working with and getting to know. The average person here does not think of food in terms of calories or indulgences but rather in terms of hunger and survival. Needs. Fruit is a somewhat expensive treat because the cheaper grains and starches can feed more mouths. Life does not come easy here. It’s hard work. The idea of exercise for fun is completely foreign. Someone tried explaining the concept of a gym and exercise to my language tutor. He had quite a laugh. So as I prepare to set my goals and expectations for the rest of this year I’ve been asking myself, what are the essentials? Wants are nice, and I could really go for some thin mint ice cream right now but what is needed?

I've have enjoyed rest and a more relaxed pace of life while in Malakal which has been a great blessing as I adjusted to Sudan. In the morning, however, the time comes to say good-bye and leave for Doro. It’s about an hour ride in a small plane, and then I’ll start settling in to my home for the next year. The clinic awaits!

...not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved. 1 Cor. 10:33

Wow, that makes me think...

Heavenly Father, I ask that you open my eyes to see all the wonderful things you given me not because I "need" them, but simply "want" them. You are such a good God! Thank you. Open my eyes to see where I've been overindulgent and can better as serving you and your people more with the abundance you've given me. In Jesus name, Amen.

Expressions of Faith

2009-10-27T19:40:00.002-05:00

My pastor Doug Hon posted a great blog entry on how easy it is to judge how others express their faith when we compare it to how we prefer to express our "religious affections," as Jonathon Edwards would say.

Doug writes:

"I have personally chosen to reject any idea that I have a corner on intimacy with Christ. I also reject the idea that I am an expert in intimacy. But what does fascinate me is what all of these expressions have in common, faith."

But even more, when we are not experiencing Christ fully, Doug suggests that

"If you feel that you are lacking in intimacy with Christ, don’t look to your church’s song leaders, Sunday school teachers, or pastors to give you the formula for intimacy. Look to Christ in the assurance of faith—there are no formulas, only faith."

Read his entire post here: http://www.risenlordstl.com/content.cfm?id=151&blog_id=32

Signs of the Spirit

2009-10-27T19:14:00.002-05:00

Why am I not stirred more to know God?

Sam Storms writes:

If the great things of religion are rightly understood, they will affect the heart....

If our thesis is correct, and true spirituality lies in the experience, enjoyment, and expression of holy affections, it is to our shame that we are no more affected with the great truths of Scripture than we are. This is especially the case when we consider how profoundly moved and affected people are by world things that have little if anything to do with God and the revelation of himself in the face of Jesus Christ.

Oh, how easily I am distracted and blind to the greatness of the gospel.

Jonathon Edwards asks:

But is there anything which Christians can find in heaven or earth, so worthy to be the objects of their admiration and love, their earnest and longing desires, their hope, and their rejoicing, and their fervent zeal, as those things that are held forth to us in the gospel of Jesus Christ?

....All the virtues of the Lamb of God, his humility, patience, meekness, submission, obedience, love and compassion, are exhibited to our view, in a manner the most tending to move our affections, of any that can be imagined; as they all had their greatest trial, and their highest exercise, and so their brightest manifestation, when he was in the most affecting circumstances; even when he was under his last sufferings, those unutterable and unparalled sufferings he endured, from his tender love and pity to us."

Quotes are from Signs of the Spirit: An Interpretation of Jonathan Edwards' Religious Affections by Sam Storms.

blind to my own blindness

2009-10-12T17:13:00.002-05:00

John Calvin’s Institutes, begins with this sentence:

“Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves.” What we may need reminding of in our day is not that the knowledge of God is difficult to comprehend and to embrace—that’s more or less obvious—but that the knowledge of ourselves is just as difficult to comprehend and to embrace. Indeed, it may be more difficult, first, because a true knowledge of ourselves assumes a true knowledge of God, and, second, because we tend to think we do know ourselves, when, in fact, the depths or our condition are beyond our comprehension without the help of God (emphasis mine).

Blind. I'm utterly blind without God's grace...

needing perspective

2009-10-12T09:51:00.000-05:00

I get bogged trying to figure out life. I'm on of those types that tries to "reduce the mystery of life manageable strategies and following them." Why can't it be that easy?

But this begs the question, where is my confidence: in myself to figure everything out or trust in the God who made it all?

"For those who enjoy discovery because they know a good God is moving through the chaos towards a wonderful conclusion, mystery is no problem."

You see, I want to have the complete plan, right now. I don't like the feeling that I'm "keeping busy" until I eventually marry or die.

Yes, I fall prey to what I call "singleness syndrome" common in Evangelical Christian circles where "marriage" is deemed by women "the solution" to all of life's problems. Funny how it didn't work that way for my parents or for most married people I know.

Ok, no, I really don't think the complete plan is marriage. ; )

But I don't like the idea of just finding things to do with my time to make myself feel like I'm moving forward. I want to put my hands to do those things that have eternal value.

What is it that I'm suppose to be doing with my time? (Note to self: marriage is not eternal.)

To know what to do, I feel I need to know where I'm going. What is all of history moving towards? (This assumes history moves forward, not backwards, and not in circles...)

John Piper expanded my perspective this afternoon when on how the regeneration of our souls is our hope for things to come. John Piper suggests, "the newness we have by virtue of our regeneration now is the firstfruits of the greater newness we will have when our bodies are made new as a part of the universe being made new."

19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Romans 8, ESV)

Lord, please give me a renewed perspective that isn't "me" focused. Amen.

Suffering & Perspective

2009-10-12T06:15:00.002-05:00

God grants us perspective though suffering.

Jack Crabtree explains

Suffering is intended by God to lead to my resolving my sorrow and disappointment into wisdom and true perspective. I am not so likely to resolve sorrow and disappointment into wisdom and true perspective if and when I do not allow myself to feel it.

Lord, thank you for the ability to feel. Grant me the the strength to move from feeling to conviction through the beautiful experiences you lead me through.

flexibility not formulas

2009-10-11T17:21:00.002-05:00

A Spirit led life demands flexibility not formulas. By flexibility, I mean learning to be led by God and not trying to lead him using some thought process like, "if I do this, then God will do that." Or probably more like, "if I do this, God owes me that." Or even worse, "God owes me this."

A couple of days ago, woman exhorted me something to "tell God what you want so that he can give it to you, know you, his will."

I'm serious. Really, I am.

Any yet even though it sounds silly to my ears, my heart also echos silliness like:

"How do I let God lead me to what I want?"

"How to I find peace in his plan when I don't want to see my plan executed right now"

"How do I desire his will over my own seeing that I certainly know what I want."

Would Jesus use "what about me" rhetoric?

2009-10-10T20:25:00.001-05:00

I found this short article on LewRockwell.com called "My Personal National Healthcare Plan" by Todd Steinberg. It's good, but missing a helpful component: reaching out to those who find the "what about me" rhetoric used by conservatives and libertarians none compelling.

What many conservatives and libertarians, myself included, are not doing well is explaining why it's okay to think about "me" when were discussing coercion by the State. The phrase "coercion by the State" refers to the fact that that the State (government) is required to enforce all laws, and may use force (police, imprisonment, fines etc.) to carry out laws.

As Christians or compassionate people, I agree that we are not suppose to merely think about "me" and "my health care" and "my money," but consider the poor and less fortunate--like Jesus commands us to do. However, Jesus did not force--neither personally nor through the Roman Empire--anyone to be charitable. He did not advocate forcing people to love and care for other people.

The most devastating aspect of the gospel is you can't make yourself genuinely believe the gospel, authentically love God or thoroughly want to reflect his character. In like manner, people can't make others genuine believe or authentically love God or want to reflect his character.

Similarly, only genuine display of compassion for the poor by its nature is voluntary. If it's not voluntary, it's not compassion.

Jesus would not use rhetoric like Steinberg uses in his essay emphasizing "me first" but that doesn't mean he would support use of the State to coerce or force people not be selfish.

But this then begs the question: is doing something for a oneself wrong? Who says when an action is "selfish" and when it's not? By who's standard do we decide?

Intimacy with Christ

2009-10-09T17:15:00.000-05:00

"I have personally chosen to reject any idea that I have a corner on intimacy with Christ. I also reject the idea that I am an expert in intimacy. But what does fascinate me is what all of these expressions have in common, faith."

Great blog post by my pastor on developing intimacy with Christ: http://www.risenlordstl.com/content.cfm?id=151&blog_id=32

From the Inside Out

2009-10-06T19:28:00.006-05:00

One of the most devastating but liberating discoveries, according John Piper, is that we can't make ourselves love God.

Love, by definition, is something that can't be forced. We have to want to love.

What do we do if we don't love God from the inside out, wholly and totally, with our all of our hearts and minds?

A. W. Tozer, in his book The Pursuit of God, writes that "if we cooperate with Him in loving obedience, God will manifest Himself to us, and that manifestation will be the difference between a nominal Christian life and a life radiant with the light of His face."

I wonder: Where does the "love obedience" come from?

Tozer asks: "Why do some persons 'find' God in a way that others do not?"

Tozer defines "finding God" as "becoming more closely united in mind and heart" with God. And those who exercise and not neglect the longing within to know God in the deepest ways possible this side of Heaven will develop "spiritual receptivity."

This "spiritual receptivity" is a gift from God and requires a "determined heart" and "courage to wrench ourselves loose from the grip of our times."

"Let any man turn to God in earnest, let him begin to exercise himself unto godliness, let him seek to develop his powers of spiritual receptivity by trust and obedience and humility, and the results will exceed anything he may have hoped in his leaner and weaker days," writes Tozer.

I pray Tozer's words:

O God and Father, I repent of my sinful preoccupation with visible things. The world has been too much with me. Thou hast been here and I knew it not. I have been blind to Thy presence. Open my eyes that I may behold Thee in and around me. For Christ's sake, Amen.

Hillsong's From the Inside Out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-afZJ9_TIM

Ron Paul's Thoughts on the "Cash for Clunkers" Program

2009-08-13T12:00:00.000-05:00

Ron Paul writes:

I have introduced a somewhat similar bill that would have provided a much better alternative to Cash for Clunkers because it does not rely on increased government bureaucracy or spending. My bill HR 1768 provides tax credits to people trading in used cars for new cars with better fuel economy. There is a big difference, in my mind, between letting people keep their own money versus giving them someone else’s. It is clear which one a free and fair society would choose. Not only that, but my bill would not have required working, serviceable cars to be destroyed for scrap metal. (Emphasis mine).

Read the entire commentary here: Cash for Clunkers: Artificial Boom and Environmental Disaster

U.S. Constitutional Convention Wasn't a Transparent Political Convention

2009-08-05T22:33:00.002-05:00

Did you know that...

The Convention was assembled under false pretenses. (It was convened to amend the Articles of Confederation, not adopt a new document.)
All attendees took a vow of lifetime silence.
They held their meetings on the second floor: no eavesdroppers
The press was barred from attending.
The legislatures’ instructions were deliberately violated.

Imagine if such a political convention were held today?

Source: www.GaryNorth.com/philadelphia.pdf pgs. xx-xxi

'march into hell for a heavenly cause'

2009-08-04T19:39:00.001-05:00

I just started reading Sen. Jim DeMint's new book Saving Freedom. In the acknowledgments, Sen. DeMint thanks his "dedicated staff that God gave me in Congressional and Senate offices. Their youthful energy and optimism inspired me to keep fighting even when I knew I was beaten. Their commitment to American and belief in freedom gave me the courage to 'march into hell for a heaven cause.'" (emphasis mine.)

Well said--our fight is for a heaven cause, our sight is set on things unseen, our journey is hard, but the reward is great.

In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. - James Madison, The Federalist 51

Townhall Meeting with MO Sen. McCaskill's Aid on 7-27

2009-07-28T10:48:00.004-05:00

Americans for Prosperity organized a townhall meeting MO Sen. McCaskill's aid yesterday night. The turnout was around 500 people! I hope that during the August recess that citizens across the country will take the time to attend townhall meetings in their area to voice their opposition to not only nationalizing American healthcare, but the thought-crimes legislation and Cap-&-Tax.

A soldier asked for an apology from the Senator for supporting nationalized healthcare, which isn't the Constitution she swore to uphold as part of her oath to office. Great comment about the general welfare clause...

Well said!

John Bubb and Steve Nowel, two Campaign for Liberty members, express their concerns about the nationalizing the distribution of health care in America in the beginning of this footage.

Not a Fan of Tiptoeing

2009-07-26T16:04:00.000-05:00

All around you, people will be tiptoeing through life, just to arrive at death safely. But dear children, do not tiptoe. Run. Hop. Skip, Dance...just don't tiptoe. -Shane Claiborne

Moses...choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. Heb. 11:24-25

Where are the young men and women of this generation that will how their lives cheap? - John Piper

Jesus: Captain of Our Salvation

2009-07-25T13:16:00.005-05:00

As I was following footnote in my Bible this morning, I found a verse that didn't get:

10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain ["founder," ESV] of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Hebrews 2, KJV)

It seems like this verse is saying that Jesus was made perfect through suffering. But this couldn't be if Jesus knew no sin (2 Cor. 5:21, Heb. 4:15) from the beginning (Jn. 1:2).

While I was reading Matthew Henry to understand this verse, I was encouraged by the KJV rendering of Greek word "Archegos" as "captain" rather than "founder" in the ESV.

Jesus leads us through the battle against temptation; he is our caption and he's got a winning a battle plan. Even more, it's through the battle against unbelief and sin that we are purified and perfected.

Matthew Henry writes:

[1.] In finding out such a person as should be the captain of our salvation; those that are saved must come to that salvation under the guidance of a captain and leader sufficient for that purpose; and they must be all enlisted under the banner of this captain; they must endure hardship as good soldiers of Christ; they must follow their captain, and those that do so shall be brought safely off, and shall inherit great glory and honour.

[2.] In making this captain of our salvation perfect through sufferings. God the Father made the Lord Jesus Christ the captain of our salvation (that is, he consecrated, he appointed him to that office, he gave him a commission for it), and he made him a perfect captain: he had perfection of wisdom, and courage, and strength, by the Spirit of the Lord, which he had without measure; he was made perfect through sufferings; that is, he perfected the work of our redemption by shedding his blood, and was thereby perfectly qualified to be a Mediator between God and man. He found his way to the crown by the cross, and so must his people too. The excellent Dr. Owen observes that the Lord Jesus Christ, being consecrated and perfected through suffering, has consecrated the way of suffering for all his followers to pass through unto glory; and hereby their sufferings are made necessary and unavoidable, they are hereby made honourable, useful, and profitable.

Mo. Sen. Purgason expected enter the GOP Primary for open U.S. Senate seat

2009-07-23T17:51:00.000-05:00

State Sen. Chuck Purgason, who is term-limited, will join Cong. Blunt in GOP primary to replace Sen. Bond.

Both Blunt and Robin Carnahan have well over $1 million in their campaign coffers, according to the AP.

I'm not sure that Purgason can beat Carnahan in the general because of her high name recognition. (How is that we've become an aristocracy?) But then, I don't think Blunt, who voted for the first bailout, can either. While Robin Carnahan will likely vote like her brother Russ, who represents Missouri's 3rd District in Congress and has voted with Obama 100% of the time, she can portray herself "representing Missouri in Washington DC instead of representing DC in Missouri" because she's not currently in Congress. But so it goes with most campaign mumbo jumbo; it's not really about the people, it's about the Parties keeping power.

But it's nice that someone is courageous enough to stand up for taxpayers even if victory is a long shot.

"Healthcare is a good, not a right"

2009-07-20T17:02:00.005-05:00

Ron Paul's weekly column opens with an important distinction between "goods" and rights."

Political philosopher Richard Weaver famously and correctly stated that ideas have consequences. Take for example ideas about rights versus goods. Natural law states that people have rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. A good is something you work for and earn. It might be a need, like food, but more “goods” seem to be becoming “rights” in our culture, and this has troubling consequences. It might seem harmless enough to decide that people have a right to things like education, employment, housing or healthcare. But if we look a little further into the consequences, we can see that the workings of the community and economy are thrown wildly off balance when people accept those ideas.

First of all, other people must pay for things like healthcare. Those people have bills to pay and families to support, just as you do. If there is a “right” to healthcare, you must force the providers of those goods, or others, to serve you.

What I think is the most disturbing about Obama's nationalize healthcare plan is that it is moving us towards the most inefficient possible why to distribute the "good" of healthcare.

A friend once said to me, "Healthcare shouldn't be about efficiency." I didn't know how to respond at the time. Now I'd say, "Of course it is. If it's not efficient, then less people get cared for. Isn't the whole point of the reform is that more people should have access to healthcare?"

Read Dr. Paul's entire column.

What was your purpose in making that comment to me?

2009-07-14T12:27:00.000-05:00

When someone makes a critical remark, what do you think is the best way to respond?

I think I'm going to start responding with a question like "What was your purpose in making that comment to me?"

What do you do when people make critical remarks to you?

College Students Talk About Campus Activism at EFSummit09

2009-07-09T15:21:00.008-05:00

Every year, Eagle Forum invites students to speak who have promoted a conservative message on their college campuses at the Collegian Summit.

Kevin DeAnna from American University gave a great speech about why he believes changing culture is as important as winning elections. He discussed how students must be actively promoting conservatism on campus and should not be deterred by protesters. He also encouraged conservatives not to accept the Left's narrative, their definitions. Conservatives should be on the offense rather than the defense: "campus is where you can make history." He suggested students read Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals.

Mary Daly from Norte Dame shared how a coalition of students worked together to oppose Obama speaking at the commencement last Spring.

Amie & Katie Kieffer shared about the difficulties they had sponsoring the conservative speaker Star Parker at U of St. Thomas. The students contacted local media to expose the administrators biased decision to block Parker from speaking.

Question from a student: why oppose keeping health records in a federal online database

2009-07-09T14:49:00.003-05:00

Phyllis Schlafly responded to this question, but there is something I would have added if I were responding to this question.

As vaccinations for sexually transmitted diseases like HPV--which haven't been well tested--are mandated, I worry that as some students cannot attend public schools with out such vaccinations, citizens might not be able to renew driver's licenses or board planes.

This is only one example of how allowing the federal government to keep and access our health records would make it tempting to "encourage" citizens to get their vaccinations by excluding them from privileges like travel, driving, or something else.

Rep. Tom Price on Healthcare Reform

2009-07-09T14:36:00.007-05:00

I finally connected to the internet to attempt "live blogging" from this year's Eagle Forum Collegians Summit at the Heritage Foundation in DC.

Rep. Tom Price from Georgia just finish talking about Healthcare Reform. He covered a lot but I think his best point is that there is a false dichotomy between letting insurance companies or the federal government provide our healthcare. What about putting the patient in charge!

The question is...how.

Rep. Price suggests that the federal government could provide some incentives to families and individuals through the tax code to purchase medical insurance among other comments.

He finished by saying that a fairly liberal health care reform bill will pass the U.S. House this session and it will be up to the U.S. Senate to defeat it.

Why calling a Constitutional Convention is like playing Russian Roulette with the Constitution

2009-07-09T14:24:00.004-05:00

In-between speakers at the Collegians Summit, Phyllis Schlafly, president of Eagle Forum, took a few minutes to explain the why calling a Constitutional Convention is like playing Russian Roulette with the Constitution.

She covered a short history of previous attempts to call a Con Con to add a Balanced Budget Amendment, but the two big reasons that calling a another Constitutional Convention is a bad idea are:

1. The Likelihood of a Runaway Convention

Would the Constitutional Convention have a wide-open agenda in which any constitutional amendment could be considered, or even an entire substitute Constitution offered in place of our present one? Does Con Con provide the opportunity for those who would like to make major alterations in our government?

2. Liberal Delegates Controlling It
How would we elect the persons who would decide which amendments to consider, to propose to Congress and then the states? Nobody knows how the delegates would be selected, who would be eligible, or from what districts they would be chosen. Moreover, it's like that the Democratic majority in Congress would play a large part in that deciding that process.

Doing the Impossible: Removing the "hazards and vicissitudes" of Life

2009-07-07T13:51:00.002-05:00

My roommate subscribes to Time magazine, and why I let that magazine distract me, I don't know.

Distraction #1 - an article on FDR:

It's old news that F.D.R.'s New Deal did not end the Depression. On that score, there was little difference between Roosevelt and Herbert Hoover.

Ok, maybe the White House needs a copy of this week's Time magazine. I don't think it's old news since nationalization of banking and the car industry, bailouts, Cap & Trade, and National Health Care will be our generation's "New Deal" and is being sold as THE solution to our problems. That's why we needed to pass these solutions right away--even before anyone reads them. (And why isn't there a name for it yet? Maybe, "Our Turn, Our Deal"...)

But unlike Hoover, F.D.R. seized the occasion to shape a legacy of durable reforms. For that accomplishment — along with winning World War II — historians routinely rank him among the greatest Presidents.

Ah ha, so today's bailouts are not about reviving our dead economy, but about "durable" reforms. They why all the hype to pass this urgent legislation?

...F.D.R.'s greatest achievements came later. Their essence can be summed up in a single word: security.

But how safe did FDR make us? Our economy tanked again--this isn't the first time--and there are still citizens are still that qualify as being in poverty. Social security is nothing more than a ponzi scheme.

All the major New Deal reforms that endured had a common purpose: not simply to end the immediate crisis of the Depression but also to make America in the future a less risky place, to temper for generations thereafter what F.D.R. called the "hazards and vicissitudes" of life.

The only value of this article is makes FDR's political philosophy crystal clear: the federal government should play all-provident God.

That is, it is impossible to remove the "hazards and vicissitudes" of life unless you're God.

In an inaugural address in Jan. 20, 1937, he said:

Such symptoms of prosperity may become portents of disaster! I see one-third of a nation ill housed, ill clad, ill nourished.

Time's interpretation:

The address in its entirety makes it clear that when he spoke of that "one-third of a nation," F.D.R. was not referring primarily to the victims of the Great Depression, which he thought was ending. He was speaking, rather, about the accumulated social and human deficits spawned by more than a century of buccaneering, laissez-faire American capitalism — deficits that he considered not yet fully redeemed in 1937.

Free markets--deciding who you want to sell to, how much you want to produce and what to charge--leads to freedom, not disaster. Disaster comes through regulated markets, which is why there are was a crash in 1929--the government mandated how much farmers could produce and how much to charges for their products, as well as enacting other types of regulation.

Why don't we hold hearings to review why the Federal government has not kept us safe from the "hazards and vicissitudes" of life? For that matter, shouldn't we be able to sue the Federal government for any and every loss? Wouldn't this be the end conclusion of FDR's line of reasoning?

But this is all old news.

True Woman Conference 2010

2009-07-02T08:09:00.005-05:00

I'm not sure that I'll be able to go to any of the 2010 True Woman conferences, but I find the below video deeply encouraging. To think that there is a movement of women who desire to reflect a biblical view of womanhood leaves me hopeful for the future. Strong families depend upon strong women and men who desire to see God glorified in their lives and families.

http://www.truewoman.com

Real Women Worry Not

2009-06-27T19:53:00.003-05:00

Candance Parker's perspective on being a successful woman basketball player reminds me of Phyllis Schlafly's attitude about how real women work hard to perfect their talents and worry not about how they measure up against men.

Excerpts from Time Magazine interview with Candance Parker, WNBA MVP:

Growing up playing basketball, did you ever have to deal with negative or sexist comments? Minnesa Khan, JAMAICA, N.Y.

I never really had to. When I would go to the park, maybe initially they would be like, She's a girl, she can't play. But then the next time, they were picking me first for their team. Let your actions speak for themselves. Don't worry about what everybody else is saying. Just concentrate on playing basketball and embrace being a woman and being in sports.

Do you think they should create coed-league sports on a professional level? Luke Denker, BELTON, MO.

I don't think it's necessary. I think it's neat that women play our game. Obviously, the strength of men--I really don't feel like we could play in a professional league with them. I think it's great that young girls have the WNBA to look up to now.

How are you doing with your new daughter? Has your coach at Tennessee, Pat Summitt, started recruiting her yet? Brenda Goodman JOHNSON CITY, TENN.

When I first told Coach Summitt that I was pregnant, she was like, Where can we send the papers? I had to remind her that my husband [Minnesota Timberwolves forward Shelden Williams] went to Duke, so he's pushing for her to go there. But I'm doing great. My baby is the joy in my life. Obviously, I'm suffering from lack of sleep, but it truly is a blessing to be a mother.

Piper: Why I Don't Have a Television and Rarely Go to Movies

2009-06-26T08:01:00.006-05:00

The quotation below is from an article by John Piper blog on the relevance of TV and being relevant in our culture. While this is an area for each to examine for oneself, I've found that while I often can't talk to someone about the latest movie release or who's broken up with who on the Hills, I can relate as a human to other humans who live in a broken, lonely world.

Piper writes,

"I think relevance in preaching hangs very little on watching movies, and I think that much exposure to sensuality, banality, and God-absent entertainment does more to deaden our capacities for joy in Jesus than it does to make us spiritually powerful in the lives of the living dead. Sources of spiritual power—which are what we desperately need—are not in the cinema. You will not want your biographer to write: Prick him and he bleeds movies.

If you want to be relevant, say, for prostitutes, don’t watch a movie with a lot of tumbles in a brothel. Immerse yourself in the gospel, which is tailor-made for prostitutes; then watch Jesus deal with them in the Bible; then go find a prostitute and talk to her. Listen to her, not the movie. Being entertained by sin does not increase compassion for sinners.

There are, perhaps, a few extraordinary men who can watch action-packed, suspenseful, sexually explicit films and come away more godly. But there are not many. And I am certainly not one of them" (emphasis mine).

The quote is taken out of the context of another pastor suggesting that Christians should watch more movies to be relevant. I think this comes down to discernment of which movies are helpful, but the heart of the issue I think has less to do with watching more or less, but seeking those things to do that give life not death to our souls. Dead souls can't lead people to Christ.

And I am much like Piper. Maybe some can let trash in, and good comes out, but it doesn't seem to work so well for me.

Who are you connected to?

2009-06-25T12:26:00.002-05:00

"A healthy community is built on friendship, on people who are committed to the art of caring engagement, an art that only the gospel makes possible in its riches form. It is built on shepherding, on people committed to the art of mentoring or passing along hope. Shepherds are simply older friends whose experience allows them to give hope that whatever is happening can be well survived." Larry Crabb, Connecting: A Radical New Vision

"The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are." - C.S. Lewis

There are different levels of connection. I often reflect upon how I'm engaging people in my life. I constantly sense a lot of selfishness behind why and how I connect or don't connect with people. I often find my own pursuits more exciting or interesting than pursuing relationships with others because meaningful connection and "caring engagement" takes time. It means bearing the burdens of others with grace, which means more time praying. It means being willing to be wrong even when you think your right, which means giving up of oneself.

Paul described level of connection with the Philippian church as being "poured out as a drink offering" for their sake (2:17). He did it with joy.

That's where I find the desire to connect with others: joy. Paul writes that his joy will be complete by "being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind" (2:2). How do we come to be of the same mind? In part, giving up of self and engaging one another in deeper way than merely going to the same church or rooting for the same sports teams.

I often struggle in social situations because I don't really care so much about where people work but why they want to work where to do. I want to the passions that inspire people to get up everyday. Or maybe what lack of passion that keeps them in bed. But who talks about that kinda stuff?

I have a hard time finding any satisfaction in surface level contact that avoids all points that might create disruption--like politics and theology. Or maybe I just like to argue. Maybe that's why I don't connect sometimes: I'm always right and people can't handle that. ; )

How Far Down the Road?

2009-06-24T09:31:00.005-05:00

The Eagle Forum Education Center—where I work—houses tons of books. So many that we are starting to throw some away. Sure, this sounds like heresy, but there is no market for some books written about politics 30 - 40 years ago by relatively unknown authors.

Searching through some boxes before they head off to book heaven, I found a book titled How Far Down the Road? by Edward R. Sneed under the 1055-page tome Moscow Bound: Policy, Politics and the POW/MIA Dilemma by John M.G. Brown and Pat Buchanan's 1990 book, Right From the Beginning.

How Far Down the Road? was written in 1961. Yes, in 1961 some people were asking the same questions and digging in their heels to slow the move towards socialism. I frequently find books condemning out-of-control spending (spending has never been so high!) and immorality (it's never been this bad) in paper back volumes with questions for titles.

It's humbling to realize that we are fighting a battle that's been raging not since the 1960s—choosing between Goldwater and Johnson—not since the 1930s—the beginnings of federal government as a safety net—not since the American Revolution—“taxation without representation"—but since the beginning: what's the proper role of the individual, family, church, and civil government in society.

We don't need more books about this. We need the strength and conviction to live out what we want to write books about.

"Everyone guessed wrong."

2009-06-21T21:59:00.002-05:00

"Everyone guessed wrong." -Joe Biden, acknowledging that the Administration's $787 billion economic-stimulus plan has failed to reduce the unemployment rate

Found in Time Magazine, June 29, 2009

No. I don't believe this. The hope I have in government is for what is not seen. Even if the unemployment rate is the same, $787 billion must have done something good! Something to be hoped in, right?

Twitter: Another Way to Glorify God

2009-06-13T22:45:00.002-05:00

John Piper's recent blog post and how and why he is tweeting is worth reading because he get's to deeper truth about why we do anything, including "tweeting": “All things were created through Christ and for Christ” (Colossians 1:16).

Piper writes:

"I see two kinds of response to social Internet media like blogging, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and others.

One says: These media tend to shorten attention spans, weaken discursive reasoning, lure people away from Scripture and prayer, disembody relationships, feed the fires of narcissism, cater to the craving for attention, fill the world with drivel, shrink the soul’s capacity for greatness, and make us second-handers who comment on life when we ought to be living it. So boycott them and write books (not blogs) about the problem.

The other response says: Yes, there is truth in all of that, but instead of boycotting, try to fill these media with as much provocative, reasonable, Bible-saturated, prayerful, relational, Christ-exalting, truth-driven, serious, creative pointers to true greatness as you can."

Amen!

Read the rest of his post to find out why he is "leaning" towards using twitter more, not "leaping."

He's your Lord. He's your Savior. But is He your Treasure?

2009-06-13T10:15:00.004-05:00

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBJzUnxiKwA&

4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.

The Don't Waste Your Life Tour is using this video this summer to kick off each concert.

Resolved

2009-06-12T08:29:00.004-05:00

Jonathan Edwards wrote 71 resolutions to read each week he was 19. To imagine that someone at 19 would be set such a high standard for this life humbles me.

Here are a few that challenged me. (I wanted to copy and paste whole list, but if you're truly interested in being challenged, you can click the link.)

6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.

15. Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger towards irrational beings.

17. Resolved, that I will live so, as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.

67. Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what am I the better for them, and what I might have got by them.

What We Don't Say

2009-06-10T17:32:00.001-05:00

Sometimes it's more important to think about what people don't say than what they do.

Newt Gingrich made the following comment during a speech at a big Republican fundraiser. CNN quotes Gingrich as saying:

"I am happy that Dick Cheney is a Republican," he said. "I am also happy that Colin Powell is a Republican. A majority Republican Party will have lots of debates within the party. That is the nature of majorities."

Why didn't Gingrich mention the moderates like Cheney and Powell but not libertarians like Ron Paul? Is the party open for debates only about why we should be more moderate but ignore the raging debate about why we should be more dedicated to capitalism? or non-interventionist foreign policy? or a conservative monetary policy?

Quotes that Made Me Think Recently

2009-06-09T18:40:00.000-05:00

"We know each other by our stories." - Doug Merkey, Churches for Life

Someone once said that your humility can be measured by how quickly you admit you are wrong. -Leslie Ludy, Noble Beauty

"Be effective where you are at. Endure. Persevere." ~ co-worker Deb

"You might want to leave legacy, but you got think about what God's plan is for your life, not your plan for your life." - HS

"It goes back to sin." ~ co-worker Deb

"Your friends determine the direction and quality of your life." -Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast "Effective Communication"

"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and the corporations which grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered." -Thomas Jefferson

What Makes Women Happy?

2009-06-05T12:15:00.000-05:00

I came across a post by Greg Mankiw linked to a study by Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers a couple weeks back but didn't have time to post...probably sent it out as a "tweet."

The Paradox of Declining Female Happiness
By many objective measures the lives of women in the United States have improved over the past 35 years, yet we show that measures of subjective well-being indicate that women's happiness has declined both absolutely and relative to men. The paradox of women's declining relative well-being is found across various datasets, measures of subjective well-being, and is pervasive across demographic groups and industrialized countries. Relative declines in female happiness have eroded a gender gap in happiness in which women in the 1970s typically reported higher subjective well-being than did men. These declines have continued and a new gender gap is emerging -- one with higher subjective well-being for men.

To me, it doesn't seem that surprising that a study would show worldly success doesn't always bring substantive happiness along with it. Even if in life, we do along with the lie.

While this study may shows that the feminists were wrong to suggest that women could find true happiness if they achieved the same success in the workforce as men, I don't think that men achieve happiness and fulfillment through material successes any more or less than women do.

Thoughts?

political rant about fear-driven politics

2009-05-29T07:24:00.005-05:00

I'm tired of what I like to call "fear-driven" politics, which is simply politicians acting like it's the end of the world if we don't do something right now.

Boston Globe article (google it because I'm not linking to it) this morning:

"In a call from Air Force One as he returned from a western fund-raising swing, Obama said that if Congress doesn't pass a healthcare overhaul this year, the opportunity will be lost, perhaps forever."

Yes, if we don't pass nationalized healthcare right now the Republicans...err...anti-healthcare forces have won--forever--on this topic. If only it were that easy. Oh, if only it were that easy.

And of course I concede that, yes, Republicans use the same fear-driven antics too. But I suppose I find it ironic that Obama said that he was about hope, not fear. Why isn't he more hopeful about "healthcare overhaul"?

Is there room on college campuses for male advocacy groups?

2009-05-28T14:26:00.003-05:00

What started as satirical article in University of Chicago's The Chicago Maroon quickly inspired the first male-student-advocacy group in the country.

Third-year student Steven Saltarelli, author of the article and founded of the club Men in Power, noticed that there were 11 women’s advocacy groups but no men's groups on campus.

Ali Feenstra, a fourth-year student and member of the Feminist Majority club, opposes the idea that men need their own club. Students need "to think about the reason for the creation of female-only spaces, queer-only spaces, an independent reason why people might need to go there to feel safe,” she said. “It can’t just be ‘Because it exists for women, it should exist for men.’”

But why not? Don't feminists argue that because men are presidents of companies, women should be too?

Saltarelli isn't alone on his campus, as 25 other students attended the first meeting, and he's not alone in recognizing that being born male doesn't mean instant success. Studies predict that men will become more and more of minority on college campuses and statistics showing that “men have far higher instances of suicide and drug use than women” to support a group dedicated to raising awareness about men's issues.

Roy F. Baumeister, a social psychology professor at Florida State University, observes that "a few lucky men are at the top of society and enjoy the culture’s best rewards. Others, less fortunate, have their lives chewed up by it," in an article he wrote titled, "Is There Anything Good About Men?"

Men in Power was highlighted recently in a Chicago Tribune article and is on Facebook.

Are Impartial Judgments Possible?

2009-05-26T17:21:00.006-05:00

What do you think about the following quote:

“I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.”

The New York Times included the above quote from Judge Sotomayor, who's Obama's current choice from the Supreme Court vacancy in article today.

Does ethnicity or gender affect our judgments? Do our experiences trap us in a box that makes it impossible to make impartial judgments?

How to we know if our conclusions are better? Maybe our experiences give us tunnel vision and help us justify our opinions and beliefs and conclude that our decisions are better.

What about white men who've grown up in poverty. Would they have better discernment skills than those who did not?

What are the implications of this quote?

'Pray it won't fade away'

2009-05-25T10:17:00.004-05:00

Searching fulfillment and satisfaction consumes our lives. When we find it, or think we've find it, we might pray, as Beyonce does in her song "Halo," that it would never "fade away."

She sings about a man who is her "saving grace." This man inspires sensations that make her feel like she's "been awakened" that are all consuming: "You're everything I need and more."

She views her whole world through her "angel." He lightens the dark areas of her life and she "addicted" to him.

She's got no more worries or fears.

Beyonce's song "Halo" exposes how it's all to easy to enthrone mere humans on the throne of our hearts and let them rule our emotions.

The problem with idols, especially human ones, is that they can't deliver. Relationships, especially sexual relationships, can't take the place of God in our lives because they will eventually fail us in every way. Even with the greatest of intentions, people hurt us as they pursue self-fulfillment in their lives. The temporary feelings will fade and leave us empty, possibly more empty than before meeting our false "savior."

When we feel the bitter sting of reality, we can either question whether the "fleeting pleasures of sin" are worth it or pray that our senses are dulled to allow the fleeting pleasures to satisfy us.

Beyonce's song "If I were a Boy" reveals the bitterness that results from lifting up broken people in undeserving ways.

Beyonce's songs "Halo" and "If I Were A Boy" show different sides of sensual love; both views miss the mark but highlight people cannot satisfy the deepest longings of our souls.

Let us fix our eyes on a love that's greater than sensual love. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:2).

Let him captivate you with a love that will never fail or fade.

Edited on 6/3/09