.
I am sure that you have listened to one our esteem leaders speaking at one time or another and thought, "What the heck are they thinking?". Now let us first admit that if you are in a position to where, at any given moment someone may be surreptitiously recording your every word, you may at times sound, let us say, less than eloquent. However, in today's world we must be vigilant in ascertaining what our leaders are trying to say. I will first list some quotes by prominent leaders from all political backgrounds that should make you cringe. Then we will analyze what it means when they make these gaffs. And, for the small minded amongst us, sorry...I will not be including any Joe Biden quotes. It's just too easy with him. This is a higher form of intellectual intercourse.
"You're doing a great job, Brownie!" George W. Bush enthusiastically shaking the hand of perhaps the most inept department director in U.S. history. (I'm sorry, he even lied on his resume.)
Chris Dodd D-CT "If you take out the killings Washington actually has a really low crime rate."
"But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy." Nancy Pelosi D-CA.
"UPS and FedEx are doing just fine, right? It's the Post Office that's always having problems." Barack Obama, President of the United States of America 2009, attempting to make the case for government run healthcare.
"{I’ve told people that if you’re interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them (Iran) from having the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.} –President George W. Bush, despite the fact that it would later be revealed that U.S. intelligence had already concluded that Iran abandoned its nuclear program in 2003."
www.thisisjuststupid.com trying to make Bush look bad - 2007.
Now 3 years later, who was the stupid one? Right...U.S. Intelligence.
"First Bush cut taxes for the rich and the economy has rebounded with new record low unemployment rates, which only means wealthy employers are getting even wealthier at the expense of the underpaid working class." Nancy Pelosi D-CA.
"I can practically see Russia from my house." Sarah Palin on her foreign policy experience. (This quote may not be exact, but I'm sure you remember the interview with Katie Couric.)
“I believe myself that the secretary of state, secretary of defense and — you have to make your own decisions as to what the president knows — that this war is lost and the surge is not accomplishing anything as indicated by the extreme violence in Iraq.” Harry Reid D-NV Dec. 2007.
Excerpt from committee hearing in the House of Representatives 2004.
REP. Barney Frank, D-MASS.: "I think this is a case where Fannie and Freddie are fundamentally sound, that they are not in danger of going under. They're not the best investments these days from the long-term standpoint going back. I think they are in good shape going forward." July 14, 2008. The U.S. economy tanked in Aug. 2008 mostly because of sub prime lending by Fannie and Freddie.
Rep. Maxine Waters D-CA: "However, I have sat through nearly a dozen hearings where, frankly, we were trying to fix something that wasn’t broke. Housing is the economic engine of our economy, and in no community does this engine need to work more than in mine. With last week’s hurricane and the drain on the economy from the war in Iraq, we should do no harm to these GSEs (Government owned corporation). We should be enhancing regulation, not making fundamental change. Mr. Chairman, we do not have a crisis at Freddie Mac, and in particular at Fannie Mae, under the outstanding leadership of Mr. Frank Raines. Everything in the 1992 act has worked just fine. In fact, the GSEs have exceeded their housing goals."
Rep. Frank: "Let me ask [George] Gould and [Franklin] Raines on behalf of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, do you feel that over the past years you have been substantially under-regulated? Mr. Raines?"
Mr. Raines: "No, sir."
Mr. Frank: "Mr. Gould"
Mr. Gould: "No, sir."
Mr. Frank: "OK. Then I am not entirely sure why we are here. . . .I believe there has been more alarm raised about potential unsafety and unsoundness than, in fact, exists."
Now these types of things go on all the time especially in the 24 hour news cycle and the age of the cell phone video. However, my point is this; how do these people get to positions of such power? The simple answer? Because we don't pay attention.
I could analyze these one at a time but I will not. The salient point is; there is a common thread to all of these quotes. They were all made by people who were calculating the political response to the words that they would say. In other words, they did not speak with conviction from heartfelt principles. They were simply calculating how their response would be viewed in the public eye, more importantly in the media. Doing this on the fly, caused them to slip into Idiotsville. Why?-----------Because you vote for them based on your view of them from the media, NOT on their principles and character.
The stakes are too high. We are at the precipice of losing the greatest political structure in the history of mankind. We must take our vote seriously and with the reverence it deserves. No one should get your vote unless you believe them to be a person of great character. One who understands and believes in the principles of the Founding Fathers. Which by it's very nature means that they go to Washington D.C., not to make new laws, but to repeal bad laws. To diminish their very role in your lives. To reduce the power of the federal government. To lower the burden on you the FREE individual. To give you the liberty to succeed or fail on your own terms. ANY person who does not completely convince you of these principles deserves not your vote, but your contempt, for trying to take you for a fool.
WE MUST VOTE SMARTER!!!
by: Keith D. Rodebush
June 30, 2010
June 26, 2010
We Must Vote Smarter
Recently in the news is the hilarious account of the Milwaukee county board debating on the proposed boycott of Arizona for being so brash as to actually enforce the law. The supervisor, yes the supervisor Peggy West, makes an astonishing statement. Her ideaology overcame her intelligence and she 'mispoke' about Arizona not bordering Mexico...yeah, okay. (here) The broohaha that has erupted over the internet hides the more disturbing truth. Her statement was to the affect that if Arizona bordered Mexico and had the kinds of problems Texas has with illegal immigrants, then she might reconsider. Well, DUH! Phoenix is overrun with drug cartel members fighting and kidnapping and wreaking havoc on that community. Border patrol agents are being killed. Ranchers are being killed. Sheriffs have lost control of large portions of their counties. A national park in Arizona has a 3-5% section closed to the public because they do not have 'control' of it and drug traffickers and human smugglers have innundated the area. It is too dangerous for an American citizen to visit a part of a National Park, paid for and maintained with that American's tax dollars, because persons from a foreign country have invaded and taken control of it through violence. And yet this idiot board supervisor; I'm sorry I know she's just spewing the talking points, but you can be an idealogue and an idiot at once; this idiot wants to boycott Arizona because they don't have real problems with illegal immigration!
My friends, we must be more vigilant in selecting our representative government. People like this need to be run out of town on a rail. That such an ignoramus could rise to such a position is an indictment of the people of that community. Get involved, do research, pay close attention to what people say and more attention to what they do. Read your history. Read philosophy. Learn that the answers to your problems lie not with your government. Liberty at all cost! Run the idiots out of town. They will find other employment. Someone has to ask me if I want an Apple Fritter with that order...
by: Keith D. Rodebush
My friends, we must be more vigilant in selecting our representative government. People like this need to be run out of town on a rail. That such an ignoramus could rise to such a position is an indictment of the people of that community. Get involved, do research, pay close attention to what people say and more attention to what they do. Read your history. Read philosophy. Learn that the answers to your problems lie not with your government. Liberty at all cost! Run the idiots out of town. They will find other employment. Someone has to ask me if I want an Apple Fritter with that order...
by: Keith D. Rodebush
June 22, 2010
The Brutal Truth...
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What is so hard about telling the truth? Do you realize that the mindset of the average American is that politicians routinely lie and that is normal? Please, think about that for just a second. That's normal? Oh my God, you just answered yes! Are you insane? If you believe that then YOU are the reason the Great Experiment may end forever.
Grandpa Rodebush always taught me that a man's word was his bond. There is nothing more important. They can take your money, they can take your life; but they can never take your reputation. Only YOU can destroy that.
Please teach your children, there is nothing more important than your word. It is your character. Think about it; if you can't trust someone, are they ever really your friend? We miss these basic principles so much these days. The president of the United States of America, lies right to our face, and we shake it off like a mosquito buzzing our face.
I don't care who it is in your life, if they lie, get away. We must be able to be honest and trust one another. Then, we can disagree, we can debate, but at least we know for sure where each of us stands. If we lie, we know nothing. Ignorance Breeds Tyranny. We must know where we all stand. If you lie once, you are a liar. You cannot be trusted. I am not perfect. I fall short of the Grace of God as we all do. But I try very hard to be honest and it has cost me in my life. You see, some folks don't want to hear the truth. But I tell you my friends, the truth is always better than a lie. Can you argue otherwise? Really? Not long term. For me and mine...give us truth!!
Regardless of the niche we may place each other in; if you can't trust what they say; they are worthless. No, really. Worthless.
Don't LIE TO ME. I may disagree, but I will respect you.
by: Keith D. Rodebush
What is so hard about telling the truth? Do you realize that the mindset of the average American is that politicians routinely lie and that is normal? Please, think about that for just a second. That's normal? Oh my God, you just answered yes! Are you insane? If you believe that then YOU are the reason the Great Experiment may end forever.
Grandpa Rodebush always taught me that a man's word was his bond. There is nothing more important. They can take your money, they can take your life; but they can never take your reputation. Only YOU can destroy that.
Please teach your children, there is nothing more important than your word. It is your character. Think about it; if you can't trust someone, are they ever really your friend? We miss these basic principles so much these days. The president of the United States of America, lies right to our face, and we shake it off like a mosquito buzzing our face.
I don't care who it is in your life, if they lie, get away. We must be able to be honest and trust one another. Then, we can disagree, we can debate, but at least we know for sure where each of us stands. If we lie, we know nothing. Ignorance Breeds Tyranny. We must know where we all stand. If you lie once, you are a liar. You cannot be trusted. I am not perfect. I fall short of the Grace of God as we all do. But I try very hard to be honest and it has cost me in my life. You see, some folks don't want to hear the truth. But I tell you my friends, the truth is always better than a lie. Can you argue otherwise? Really? Not long term. For me and mine...give us truth!!
Regardless of the niche we may place each other in; if you can't trust what they say; they are worthless. No, really. Worthless.
Don't LIE TO ME. I may disagree, but I will respect you.
by: Keith D. Rodebush
June 20, 2010
Thanks Dad; not a day goes by...
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It was a wonderful day in Washington state. The early threat of showers had passed and the sun peaked through the breaking clouds streaming down like golden ribbons. The morning air warmed with the welcomed sunlight. Some of the neighborhood kids and I were anxious to take a hike around the 'point'. We lived on the Makah Indian reservation at the northwest tip of Washington. There was a listening post there and dad was an Air Force staff sergeant assigned to that base. This was one of many interesting places that we lived during dad's service, including Alaska and Biloxi Mississippi. Service brats have a different mindset sometimes due to the fact that you are moving every two or three years. You tend to look at friendships as special but fleeting. You know that you're not going to see most of these people ever again in a short while. Nevertheless, I made some special friends including Robert and Trey, two Indian kids I had met at school. No they weren't 'Native-Americans', no one worried about political correctness in those days. They were just Americans of Indian heritage. They were very proud of their heritage and we always enjoyed the festivals they had celebrating such. Robert and Trey were set to join us today as well as a few service kids from the base housing area we lived in. Dad was a military man and when he wasn't working on the base he worked around the house. He kept his time organized with lists of things to do, daily or weekly. The lists were ongoing and flexible. He was always good for a short wrestling match or some catch, but something like todays hike would have to go on the list. We were proud to make the list and looked forward to this time with him. We made our way to the point and began the rugged portion of the hike. The village of Neah Bay was only about 5 miles from the point but it was a days worth of hiking to make the point and back. Much of the area was part of the national forest and the coastline was very rugged around the point of Cape Flattery. This was the most northwestern spot in the continental United States. The rain forest gave way to sharp rocky cliffs overlooking the beach below or in some cases straight down to the ocean. The ocean was a little rough in this area and the waves were large enough to provide a constant roar in the distance when you were anywhere near it. One could actually hike around the tip that turned from the Pacific Ocean into the Strait of Juan de Fuca between the U. S. and Canada. In some areas the misty spray from the violent clash between ocean and rock would caress your face with welcome coolness. It was an awesome place to be, staring at the endless Pacific to your left, Canada to your north and the mouth of the Straight to your right. Tatoosh Island was about a half mile out to the WNW, its rugged coastline bombarded by the ocean waves. We would always stray off of the Cape Trail and forge our own way along the rocky crest. On this day we were like a little scout troop with dad leading the way and this ragtag bunch of kids following along giddy with excitement at the adventure ahead. Suddenly we came to an area where the trail we were on went along a rock shelf. The ground rose sharply to the right and to go around this area one would have to backtrack and go up the hill and around. Some spots were very tight with a sharp cliff to the left. There were scraggy trees clinging to rocks, roots spread out seeking any crevice to anchor the desperate timber to uneven landscape. These were comforting and provided some hand holds as well as a bit of a barrier between the traveler and the steep fall to the loud ocean below. Dad stopped and began to reconnoiter our situation with the intensity typical of a military mind. After several minutes of silence he turned to this band of small boys, none over 12 years of age, full of vim and vinegar and soaking in the day, and made a stunning announcement. "The trail ahead is very treacherous. We are going to have to be very careful. I think that we need a leader to take us through this area. You boys need to elect that leader." After a few seconds to recover from our surprise, Robert offered the obvious answer. "We think you should lead us Mr. Rodebush." Dad was not cooperative however. "No. Not this time. It needs to be one of you. Ya'll talk it over for a few minutes and let me know what you decide." With this he simply walked away several feet back to a vantage point and began staring out at the ocean, disinterested in the process. Slowly we boys began to talk and it really wasn't that tough of a decision. Trey was the oldest and more importantly the toughest one amongst us. This indeed was one of the reasons we had become friends. As a military kid the prejudice I experienced was civilian prejudice to military brats. It was quickly my strategy to befriend a tough local kid to help protect me from the taunting at school. Trey was my protector here and I and others were happy to have him lead us. We informed dad of our decision and he nodded in approval. "Okay." dad stated, "Everyone do exactly what Trey tells you. I'll be the rear guard." With much pride Trey began telling us all to follow him slowly and watch our step. Everyone be ready to help the one in front or behind if needed." With that the trepidacious band of disparate fellows quietly headed down the thin rugged trail. We stayed close but allowed some separation to prevent tripping over each other. The silence occasionally broken by a warning from Trey. "Look out for those rocks, they're loose." These warnings were quietly passed from child to child and finally to dad who would feign surprise. "Oh thanks." he would say. The ocean below seemed deafening at this point. There was no beach below and the cliff went straight to the water. White foam churned in the water close to the coast from the crashing waves. Moisture oozed from the rocks in many places making the trail slick. We were all being very careful and slowly made our way along the inclined trail. Finally the trail leveled out and the rocks to the right began to fade inland giving breathing room. A grassy area ahead was the perfect place to stop and reflect on the accomplishment. Handshakes all around for Trey who beamed with pride. But it wasn't just Trey. All of us boys shared this triumphant moment with him. We had conquered the trail! And most importantly we had done it on our own, without the help of an adult. For young boys just about to enter the teen years this was priceless freedom! Dad sat down on a rock after congratulating Trey. "You all did a great job." he said. " Always remember, that you must always be prepared to be a leader or a follower. Both are just as important in life. The best leader is one who also knows how to follow when it's needed." In hindsight, the trail in question was probably not that treacherous. Dad certainly would have never put us in any real danger. But that didn't matter. It was bad enough that we would have never guessed that he would want one of us take the lead. At that age none of us expected that from an adult. Trey and Robert came from very poor yet proud families living on a reservation. Having left shortly after that summer of 1969 I never really knew what became of them. I did notice a sense of pride and confidence in them both that I had not before. I don't think it's a stretch to say that every boy on the hike was affected that day in a very positive way. The American male longs for individuality and a sense of pride in oneself. These qualities are carried through our lives and help define who we become. I have been up and down throughout my life as most people have. But one thing has been constant, and that is the unwavering sense that I can do whatever I put my mind to. That day went a long way in reinforcing that mindset. I'm sure it did for my friends as well. Thank you, Dad. This is what being a dad is all about. Teaching positive lessons that make ones life better and more successful. Sometimes we don't understand what our fathers do, but many years later we realize how important they were to who we have become.
by: Keith D. Rodebush in honor of Loren C. Rodebush
It was a wonderful day in Washington state. The early threat of showers had passed and the sun peaked through the breaking clouds streaming down like golden ribbons. The morning air warmed with the welcomed sunlight. Some of the neighborhood kids and I were anxious to take a hike around the 'point'. We lived on the Makah Indian reservation at the northwest tip of Washington. There was a listening post there and dad was an Air Force staff sergeant assigned to that base. This was one of many interesting places that we lived during dad's service, including Alaska and Biloxi Mississippi. Service brats have a different mindset sometimes due to the fact that you are moving every two or three years. You tend to look at friendships as special but fleeting. You know that you're not going to see most of these people ever again in a short while. Nevertheless, I made some special friends including Robert and Trey, two Indian kids I had met at school. No they weren't 'Native-Americans', no one worried about political correctness in those days. They were just Americans of Indian heritage. They were very proud of their heritage and we always enjoyed the festivals they had celebrating such. Robert and Trey were set to join us today as well as a few service kids from the base housing area we lived in. Dad was a military man and when he wasn't working on the base he worked around the house. He kept his time organized with lists of things to do, daily or weekly. The lists were ongoing and flexible. He was always good for a short wrestling match or some catch, but something like todays hike would have to go on the list. We were proud to make the list and looked forward to this time with him. We made our way to the point and began the rugged portion of the hike. The village of Neah Bay was only about 5 miles from the point but it was a days worth of hiking to make the point and back. Much of the area was part of the national forest and the coastline was very rugged around the point of Cape Flattery. This was the most northwestern spot in the continental United States. The rain forest gave way to sharp rocky cliffs overlooking the beach below or in some cases straight down to the ocean. The ocean was a little rough in this area and the waves were large enough to provide a constant roar in the distance when you were anywhere near it. One could actually hike around the tip that turned from the Pacific Ocean into the Strait of Juan de Fuca between the U. S. and Canada. In some areas the misty spray from the violent clash between ocean and rock would caress your face with welcome coolness. It was an awesome place to be, staring at the endless Pacific to your left, Canada to your north and the mouth of the Straight to your right. Tatoosh Island was about a half mile out to the WNW, its rugged coastline bombarded by the ocean waves. We would always stray off of the Cape Trail and forge our own way along the rocky crest. On this day we were like a little scout troop with dad leading the way and this ragtag bunch of kids following along giddy with excitement at the adventure ahead. Suddenly we came to an area where the trail we were on went along a rock shelf. The ground rose sharply to the right and to go around this area one would have to backtrack and go up the hill and around. Some spots were very tight with a sharp cliff to the left. There were scraggy trees clinging to rocks, roots spread out seeking any crevice to anchor the desperate timber to uneven landscape. These were comforting and provided some hand holds as well as a bit of a barrier between the traveler and the steep fall to the loud ocean below. Dad stopped and began to reconnoiter our situation with the intensity typical of a military mind. After several minutes of silence he turned to this band of small boys, none over 12 years of age, full of vim and vinegar and soaking in the day, and made a stunning announcement. "The trail ahead is very treacherous. We are going to have to be very careful. I think that we need a leader to take us through this area. You boys need to elect that leader." After a few seconds to recover from our surprise, Robert offered the obvious answer. "We think you should lead us Mr. Rodebush." Dad was not cooperative however. "No. Not this time. It needs to be one of you. Ya'll talk it over for a few minutes and let me know what you decide." With this he simply walked away several feet back to a vantage point and began staring out at the ocean, disinterested in the process. Slowly we boys began to talk and it really wasn't that tough of a decision. Trey was the oldest and more importantly the toughest one amongst us. This indeed was one of the reasons we had become friends. As a military kid the prejudice I experienced was civilian prejudice to military brats. It was quickly my strategy to befriend a tough local kid to help protect me from the taunting at school. Trey was my protector here and I and others were happy to have him lead us. We informed dad of our decision and he nodded in approval. "Okay." dad stated, "Everyone do exactly what Trey tells you. I'll be the rear guard." With much pride Trey began telling us all to follow him slowly and watch our step. Everyone be ready to help the one in front or behind if needed." With that the trepidacious band of disparate fellows quietly headed down the thin rugged trail. We stayed close but allowed some separation to prevent tripping over each other. The silence occasionally broken by a warning from Trey. "Look out for those rocks, they're loose." These warnings were quietly passed from child to child and finally to dad who would feign surprise. "Oh thanks." he would say. The ocean below seemed deafening at this point. There was no beach below and the cliff went straight to the water. White foam churned in the water close to the coast from the crashing waves. Moisture oozed from the rocks in many places making the trail slick. We were all being very careful and slowly made our way along the inclined trail. Finally the trail leveled out and the rocks to the right began to fade inland giving breathing room. A grassy area ahead was the perfect place to stop and reflect on the accomplishment. Handshakes all around for Trey who beamed with pride. But it wasn't just Trey. All of us boys shared this triumphant moment with him. We had conquered the trail! And most importantly we had done it on our own, without the help of an adult. For young boys just about to enter the teen years this was priceless freedom! Dad sat down on a rock after congratulating Trey. "You all did a great job." he said. " Always remember, that you must always be prepared to be a leader or a follower. Both are just as important in life. The best leader is one who also knows how to follow when it's needed." In hindsight, the trail in question was probably not that treacherous. Dad certainly would have never put us in any real danger. But that didn't matter. It was bad enough that we would have never guessed that he would want one of us take the lead. At that age none of us expected that from an adult. Trey and Robert came from very poor yet proud families living on a reservation. Having left shortly after that summer of 1969 I never really knew what became of them. I did notice a sense of pride and confidence in them both that I had not before. I don't think it's a stretch to say that every boy on the hike was affected that day in a very positive way. The American male longs for individuality and a sense of pride in oneself. These qualities are carried through our lives and help define who we become. I have been up and down throughout my life as most people have. But one thing has been constant, and that is the unwavering sense that I can do whatever I put my mind to. That day went a long way in reinforcing that mindset. I'm sure it did for my friends as well. Thank you, Dad. This is what being a dad is all about. Teaching positive lessons that make ones life better and more successful. Sometimes we don't understand what our fathers do, but many years later we realize how important they were to who we have become.
by: Keith D. Rodebush in honor of Loren C. Rodebush
June 13, 2010
We Must Vote on Principle
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This is an intellectual exercise, so relax and clear your thoughts and put your thinking cap on. Today we are going to look at a politician's vote on one bill and analyze that bill and that vote in the context of who this politician really is. Next, we will analyze you the voter in the context of who you think this politician is. I don't like picking on individual persons as there are so many targets in Washington that it's like shooting fish in a puddle, but in this case it is necessary for the point to be made.
The bill in question is HR4 of the 109th Congress in August of 2006. As always they gave it a wonderful name that we can all get behind; The Pension Protection Act (PPA) of 2006, signed into law by President George W. Bush on August 17, 2006 (1). Now on the initial reading most Americans would be perplexed as to why I would pick this bill to write negatively about. After all it simply allows the government to force businesses to honor their pension plans and to ensure that the plans are being properly funded for the obligations for which they are liable. And therefore the politician in question voted for this bill. In fact a Republican house member sponsored the bill. I feel better already. The federal government is going to make sure that my pension plan is solvent. Really? Not so fast. As with all things politic, there is more here than meets the eye. This is complicated and I apologize if your brain hurts should you have the intellectual fortitude to actually read the bill and other references here and see the true depth of the issue.
This bill allows the federal government through law and tax code to force private businesses to fund pension plans as the government sees fit, specifically setting minimum contributions dependent on fund liabilities. It also limits the benefits that certain members of a business can take at certain times. Of course it's only the 'rich' guys we're after here so we can all get behind that as well. This bill was a typical Washington D.C. knee jerk response to the United Airlines default on their pension plan in 2005. After this incident the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC) was required to pick up the pension liabilities. The PBGC was created as part of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974 (2). ERISA was created to force businesses to file reports with the federal government concerning their pension plans. The enforcement wing is of course the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as usual. I could go on, but this is hard enough as is so lets wrap it up.
What we have here is a government program ERISA set up to make business accountable for their pension plans to the federal government. This bill required the creation of another government body PBGC to in turn guarantee said pension plans in case the company defaulted. As always these kinds of government interference create unintended consequences. In this case you have a corporation run by the government to guarantee pensions, therefore, the incentive for business to ensure solvency is actually lessened. After all, the fund will be bailed out by the taxpayer if it should default. So guess what? They began defaulting. This in turn caused more regulation to prevent the PBGC from having to pick up the tab. And for good measure let's make sure that company bigwigs can't gain from plans about to default. Again, what may sound good is not so good. At the core is the federal government having power over the way businesses are run. This requires businesses to make large donations to politicians to gain access into the writing of future bills. This makes politicians beholding to the big money men. This type of legislation is typically much more destructive to smaller companies thereby diminishing the competition for the larger ones. While these bills appear to be punishing large business they always have caveats to allow the companies liability to be taken over by the government and are therefore ultimately beneficial to the bigwigs in the corporation that we think we are punishing. Further research shows that many organizations want changes to the latest legislation (3). And that in turn will require future regulation to fix whatever they come up with next. It never ends, and more importantly, it never fixes the original problem; it simply diverts liability to us the taxpayer, because once government gets involved, then government is responsible. Currently there is a real danger that the PBGC will itself default leaving us to once again pick up the tab (4).
Now, lets review. We have a politician who votes for a bill to allow federal control of private business pension plans. The stated goal of all of the government interference is to protect the public from defaulting plans. Plans have been defaulting at an ever greater rate. The government programs themselves are becoming insolvent. Ask yourself, what kind of a politician does this? One of three. Socialist. Short sighted career politician. Idiot. For sure, it is not a small government conservative or traditionalist libertarian. So who is this politician? Senator John McCain. And the bills sponsor? None other than John Boehner the current Republican minority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives. Now I ask you; is this the impression that these gentlemen have given to their constituents over the years? Ones who believe that the federal government has the constitutional authority and expertise to run the pensions for all American business? Or do they pretend to be small government conservatives, especially around election time?
And now to you the voter. Who did you think these men were? John McCain won the presidential primary for President of the United States in the Republican party; the party of small government. John Boehner continues to win handily, usually unopposed in his district. Again, a Republican. Obviously, there are enough conservatives out there who believed that these men were small government conservatives. They are anything but. What, you may ask, is the conservative solution to pension problems? The constitutional solution is that fraud is against the law and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. If individuals within a business knowingly underfund a pension for the purpose of increasing their own profit, they should go to prison for a very long time. Lawsuits should be filed to recover whatever assets possible to cover a pensions liabilities. But wait, officers of corporations are exempt from some of this liability. In most cases their personal assets cannot be used to pay these lawsuits. And who gave them that illogical protection? Why the federal government of course. The question for you the voter is this; is the cure better or worse than the problem? In 99.9% of the cases where the federal government gets involved, the answer is no. In fact government intervention requires more government intervention until the inevitable complete collapse and bail out by the tax payer. The damage really can't be quantified because it must be taken congruently with the increase of power by politicians who turn around and do it all over again in another aspect of our lives, while being bribed by people who want them to use that power to their benefit.
The above demonstration of the complete inadequacy of government to solve problems is complicated. The solution is simple. If your legislator votes for a single bill that exceeds the constitutional authority of the U.S. government, they should be summarily voted out of office. Shouldn't they get one or two breaks if they are otherwise voting right and going to prayer breakfasts? If your pet relieves themselves on the rug, do you only punish them occasionally? If so, I understand why your pet relieves themselves on your rug. No; one strike and your out! All voters need to review their expectations of the federal government. The job of the government is to level the playing field and give you the opportunity to have your day in court. Otherwise, they should stay completely out of private business. If you do not understand the damage done by the voters returning these people to power, this republic will fall. Future generations will lose their liberty and prosperity. Millions will suffer. In the end it will only be returned by the sacrifice of much blood and treasure. Is your temporary comfort worth that cost?
by: Keith D. Rodebush
References:
(1) - http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:H.R.4:@@@D&summ2=m&
(2) - http://aging.senate.gov/crs/pension7.pdf (The 'Summary' takes 76 pages)
(3) - http://www.nysna.org/images/pdfs/union/ppa_info/ppa_brochure.pdf
(4) - http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/government/pbgc-line-ask-bailout/
.
This is an intellectual exercise, so relax and clear your thoughts and put your thinking cap on. Today we are going to look at a politician's vote on one bill and analyze that bill and that vote in the context of who this politician really is. Next, we will analyze you the voter in the context of who you think this politician is. I don't like picking on individual persons as there are so many targets in Washington that it's like shooting fish in a puddle, but in this case it is necessary for the point to be made.
The bill in question is HR4 of the 109th Congress in August of 2006. As always they gave it a wonderful name that we can all get behind; The Pension Protection Act (PPA) of 2006, signed into law by President George W. Bush on August 17, 2006 (1). Now on the initial reading most Americans would be perplexed as to why I would pick this bill to write negatively about. After all it simply allows the government to force businesses to honor their pension plans and to ensure that the plans are being properly funded for the obligations for which they are liable. And therefore the politician in question voted for this bill. In fact a Republican house member sponsored the bill. I feel better already. The federal government is going to make sure that my pension plan is solvent. Really? Not so fast. As with all things politic, there is more here than meets the eye. This is complicated and I apologize if your brain hurts should you have the intellectual fortitude to actually read the bill and other references here and see the true depth of the issue.
This bill allows the federal government through law and tax code to force private businesses to fund pension plans as the government sees fit, specifically setting minimum contributions dependent on fund liabilities. It also limits the benefits that certain members of a business can take at certain times. Of course it's only the 'rich' guys we're after here so we can all get behind that as well. This bill was a typical Washington D.C. knee jerk response to the United Airlines default on their pension plan in 2005. After this incident the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC) was required to pick up the pension liabilities. The PBGC was created as part of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974 (2). ERISA was created to force businesses to file reports with the federal government concerning their pension plans. The enforcement wing is of course the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as usual. I could go on, but this is hard enough as is so lets wrap it up.
What we have here is a government program ERISA set up to make business accountable for their pension plans to the federal government. This bill required the creation of another government body PBGC to in turn guarantee said pension plans in case the company defaulted. As always these kinds of government interference create unintended consequences. In this case you have a corporation run by the government to guarantee pensions, therefore, the incentive for business to ensure solvency is actually lessened. After all, the fund will be bailed out by the taxpayer if it should default. So guess what? They began defaulting. This in turn caused more regulation to prevent the PBGC from having to pick up the tab. And for good measure let's make sure that company bigwigs can't gain from plans about to default. Again, what may sound good is not so good. At the core is the federal government having power over the way businesses are run. This requires businesses to make large donations to politicians to gain access into the writing of future bills. This makes politicians beholding to the big money men. This type of legislation is typically much more destructive to smaller companies thereby diminishing the competition for the larger ones. While these bills appear to be punishing large business they always have caveats to allow the companies liability to be taken over by the government and are therefore ultimately beneficial to the bigwigs in the corporation that we think we are punishing. Further research shows that many organizations want changes to the latest legislation (3). And that in turn will require future regulation to fix whatever they come up with next. It never ends, and more importantly, it never fixes the original problem; it simply diverts liability to us the taxpayer, because once government gets involved, then government is responsible. Currently there is a real danger that the PBGC will itself default leaving us to once again pick up the tab (4).
Now, lets review. We have a politician who votes for a bill to allow federal control of private business pension plans. The stated goal of all of the government interference is to protect the public from defaulting plans. Plans have been defaulting at an ever greater rate. The government programs themselves are becoming insolvent. Ask yourself, what kind of a politician does this? One of three. Socialist. Short sighted career politician. Idiot. For sure, it is not a small government conservative or traditionalist libertarian. So who is this politician? Senator John McCain. And the bills sponsor? None other than John Boehner the current Republican minority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives. Now I ask you; is this the impression that these gentlemen have given to their constituents over the years? Ones who believe that the federal government has the constitutional authority and expertise to run the pensions for all American business? Or do they pretend to be small government conservatives, especially around election time?
And now to you the voter. Who did you think these men were? John McCain won the presidential primary for President of the United States in the Republican party; the party of small government. John Boehner continues to win handily, usually unopposed in his district. Again, a Republican. Obviously, there are enough conservatives out there who believed that these men were small government conservatives. They are anything but. What, you may ask, is the conservative solution to pension problems? The constitutional solution is that fraud is against the law and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. If individuals within a business knowingly underfund a pension for the purpose of increasing their own profit, they should go to prison for a very long time. Lawsuits should be filed to recover whatever assets possible to cover a pensions liabilities. But wait, officers of corporations are exempt from some of this liability. In most cases their personal assets cannot be used to pay these lawsuits. And who gave them that illogical protection? Why the federal government of course. The question for you the voter is this; is the cure better or worse than the problem? In 99.9% of the cases where the federal government gets involved, the answer is no. In fact government intervention requires more government intervention until the inevitable complete collapse and bail out by the tax payer. The damage really can't be quantified because it must be taken congruently with the increase of power by politicians who turn around and do it all over again in another aspect of our lives, while being bribed by people who want them to use that power to their benefit.
The above demonstration of the complete inadequacy of government to solve problems is complicated. The solution is simple. If your legislator votes for a single bill that exceeds the constitutional authority of the U.S. government, they should be summarily voted out of office. Shouldn't they get one or two breaks if they are otherwise voting right and going to prayer breakfasts? If your pet relieves themselves on the rug, do you only punish them occasionally? If so, I understand why your pet relieves themselves on your rug. No; one strike and your out! All voters need to review their expectations of the federal government. The job of the government is to level the playing field and give you the opportunity to have your day in court. Otherwise, they should stay completely out of private business. If you do not understand the damage done by the voters returning these people to power, this republic will fall. Future generations will lose their liberty and prosperity. Millions will suffer. In the end it will only be returned by the sacrifice of much blood and treasure. Is your temporary comfort worth that cost?
by: Keith D. Rodebush
References:
(1) - http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:H.R.4:@@@D&summ2=m&
(2) - http://aging.senate.gov/crs/pension7.pdf (The 'Summary' takes 76 pages)
(3) - http://www.nysna.org/images/pdfs/union/ppa_info/ppa_brochure.pdf
(4) - http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/government/pbgc-line-ask-bailout/
June 3, 2010
The Founders Depended On Us.
I contend that the most important public activity in the history of Man has also been the most ignored. It is the United States primary process. How tiring to hear the pseudo intelligencia spew their drivel about the inadequacies of the Founding Fathers. John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Samuel Adams et al, (in no specific order) were millenia ahead of their time and had more collective knowledge in my opinion than 80% of the college professors amongst us today. Okay, it's really 97% but I was trying to be kind as Jesus charges me to be. Nevertheless, they knew that we would go through exactly what we are experiencing today. Now, I'm not going to drone on with a bunch of quotes to impress you with my breadth of knowledge. I prefer to leave that to you, the reader. I hope that what I write will inspire you to engage in a modicum of research to see just exactly what the truth about these men and women really is. Yes, I said women. Abigail Adams is as much a Founding Father as any of the aforementioned males. If you don't know this, then indeed, research is prudent. Alas, I have strayed from the main point of this post. The Founding Fathers were consumed with the ideal of chaining government and protecting personal liberty. The structure of our government is not happenstance. It is a meticulously crafted system in which no tyrant can long survive. I could go on for hours on the nuances of this system of checks and balances but for the purpose of this writing I will concentrate on one thing only; the length of term of the House of Representatives.
To think that the Founding Fathers did not understand politics, even as it is engaged in today is at the very least naive. They understood very well the naked aggression and constant positioning required by the politic at any given time. The two year term of the House was specifically designed so that little harm could be done even by the worst tyrants imaginable. Of a two year term, it is understood that a significant aportionment would be dedicated to campaigning for re-election. While they may not have foreseen year long campaigns or even more, they certainly knew that it would be a substantial amount of the term. Now; sit back, relax, and put on your thinking cap. (Seriously, read the next slowly....) If you were designing a system of government, and your intent was for that government to be very active in the lives of the people, would you set the term of office, such that a significant portion of the time would be spent seeking re-election?
Of course not. Therefore logic and reason infers, that the opposite is true. Their intent was that government would never become integral to peoples daily lives. Now, to the patriot, this is obvious from any dispassionate reading of the Founding Fathers extensive musings on government, but many a recent historian (term used very loosely) has attempted to retard diminish the intent of our founders. So what are we to learn from this historical fact? The United States of America was founded on the principle of individual freedom and the concept that all government is force and corruption; therefore the will of the people can only be preserved by the continual overturn of legislators whose true motivation is the money and power associated with their prospective position. It's not complicated folks. They get power from their positions and they turn it into money. The only means we have to stop them is to diminish their power. We do that by making their positions short term. Understand? A person with power for two years in Washington D.C. has no real power. One with power for 20 years is a real player. Do you know a single life time politician who is not very wealthy?
Do You See Where I'm Going?
You could vote against the incumbant every time and on balance you would be better off.
Politicians have successfully convinced us that they are soley qualified to hold their positions. The truth is that anybody with a clear understanding of history and the U.S. Constitution will know how to vote on almost any bill. The truth is that complicated 2000 page bills are unnecessary and are long and complicated precisely to hide their true intent. Anyone with a little common sense would vote against any such bill and rightly so. The truth is that any decent politician today would go to Washington D.C. to repeal legislation not write more. Our laws are unnecessarily complicated. Our tax code is oppressive. Government programs are insolvent. Government work has become a national joke about lazy workers with attitudes who never miss a break. Unions have corrupted the hiring and firing process to the point that it's almost practicle to fire everyone and start all over. In our hearts the vast majority of us know this. And yet, the very people who give us this abject failure; the very people who perpetuate this corrupt, unethical and incompetent system come to us every two years and ask for our vote. And at least 95% (1) of the time we say, "Sure. Do some more damage,please!" Why? Why on earth would a people return these idiots to office over and over again? The only logical answer is that we the people as a bloc have become completely uneducated when it comes to government, it's role in our lives, and the process of diminishing power to the federal legislators.
The long term solution is educating our children on the truth of our founding and the miraculous gathering of such great minds in one place at one time, all so well read in history as to understand human nature and it's relation to governance. We must teach them that liberty is the greatest gift of the Creator and it must be protected at all costs. We must teach them that all of the truly good accomplishments by civilization to date have been done by free thinking virtuous people. We must teach them that to reach their potential they must be unfettered by government, but bound by God. In the meantime we must educate ourselves to break out of the sheep mentality that has been programmed into our subconscious minds. Most importantly, we must learn the lesson of the last century. That giving power to a centralized government is to put ourselves in chains and enslave our minds and potential with disastrous affect on future generations worldwide. All government is inherently corrupt. That is not to say that all politicians are so. It simply means that human nature is what it is. It means that with power comes the potential for corruption. The more power, the more potential. History has shown over and over that human nature will succumb to that temptation. Therefore, all logic and reason tells us that our only hope to secure our freedom and thereby this great nation, is to keep the chains on government instead of ourselves. There is a price to pay for freedom as well, but the cost is nowhere near the cost we pay for a tyrannical government.
Recent history shows us what happens when we simply vote for the other party when we are disgusted with our legislators. We foist upon the people an even greater evil. We must work within the party that more closely represents our principles and protects our liberty. We must change within. If you hire a builder with a proven technique that has been successful for hundreds of years and it turns out that he/she doesn't have the ability to build your house; does it make sense to then hire another experienced builder with a different technique that has been proven many times over to be a complete failure? Of course not. You would hire someone else with the same technique yet more ability. Work within your party.
The designers of this Constitutional Republic of the United States of America gave us the chains to put on government, the two year term of the House of Representatives. The party system enhanced this tool with the primary process. We the People, in order to preserve liberty and prosperity for future generations, are duty bound to use these tools to protect our rights at all costs. Every primary should be eagerly and vigorously engaged in by all members of the precincts in which we live to ensure that career politicians become an antiquated novelty of a past ignorant and indifferent age, giving way to a modern age of renewed enlightenment and sweet freedom.
by: Keith D. Rodebush
1. http://faculty.chicagobooth.edu/richard.holden/papers/Incumbents%20JOP.pdf
To think that the Founding Fathers did not understand politics, even as it is engaged in today is at the very least naive. They understood very well the naked aggression and constant positioning required by the politic at any given time. The two year term of the House was specifically designed so that little harm could be done even by the worst tyrants imaginable. Of a two year term, it is understood that a significant aportionment would be dedicated to campaigning for re-election. While they may not have foreseen year long campaigns or even more, they certainly knew that it would be a substantial amount of the term. Now; sit back, relax, and put on your thinking cap. (Seriously, read the next slowly....) If you were designing a system of government, and your intent was for that government to be very active in the lives of the people, would you set the term of office, such that a significant portion of the time would be spent seeking re-election?
Of course not. Therefore logic and reason infers, that the opposite is true. Their intent was that government would never become integral to peoples daily lives. Now, to the patriot, this is obvious from any dispassionate reading of the Founding Fathers extensive musings on government, but many a recent historian (term used very loosely) has attempted to retard diminish the intent of our founders. So what are we to learn from this historical fact? The United States of America was founded on the principle of individual freedom and the concept that all government is force and corruption; therefore the will of the people can only be preserved by the continual overturn of legislators whose true motivation is the money and power associated with their prospective position. It's not complicated folks. They get power from their positions and they turn it into money. The only means we have to stop them is to diminish their power. We do that by making their positions short term. Understand? A person with power for two years in Washington D.C. has no real power. One with power for 20 years is a real player. Do you know a single life time politician who is not very wealthy?
Do You See Where I'm Going?
You could vote against the incumbant every time and on balance you would be better off.
Politicians have successfully convinced us that they are soley qualified to hold their positions. The truth is that anybody with a clear understanding of history and the U.S. Constitution will know how to vote on almost any bill. The truth is that complicated 2000 page bills are unnecessary and are long and complicated precisely to hide their true intent. Anyone with a little common sense would vote against any such bill and rightly so. The truth is that any decent politician today would go to Washington D.C. to repeal legislation not write more. Our laws are unnecessarily complicated. Our tax code is oppressive. Government programs are insolvent. Government work has become a national joke about lazy workers with attitudes who never miss a break. Unions have corrupted the hiring and firing process to the point that it's almost practicle to fire everyone and start all over. In our hearts the vast majority of us know this. And yet, the very people who give us this abject failure; the very people who perpetuate this corrupt, unethical and incompetent system come to us every two years and ask for our vote. And at least 95% (1) of the time we say, "Sure. Do some more damage,please!" Why? Why on earth would a people return these idiots to office over and over again? The only logical answer is that we the people as a bloc have become completely uneducated when it comes to government, it's role in our lives, and the process of diminishing power to the federal legislators.
The long term solution is educating our children on the truth of our founding and the miraculous gathering of such great minds in one place at one time, all so well read in history as to understand human nature and it's relation to governance. We must teach them that liberty is the greatest gift of the Creator and it must be protected at all costs. We must teach them that all of the truly good accomplishments by civilization to date have been done by free thinking virtuous people. We must teach them that to reach their potential they must be unfettered by government, but bound by God. In the meantime we must educate ourselves to break out of the sheep mentality that has been programmed into our subconscious minds. Most importantly, we must learn the lesson of the last century. That giving power to a centralized government is to put ourselves in chains and enslave our minds and potential with disastrous affect on future generations worldwide. All government is inherently corrupt. That is not to say that all politicians are so. It simply means that human nature is what it is. It means that with power comes the potential for corruption. The more power, the more potential. History has shown over and over that human nature will succumb to that temptation. Therefore, all logic and reason tells us that our only hope to secure our freedom and thereby this great nation, is to keep the chains on government instead of ourselves. There is a price to pay for freedom as well, but the cost is nowhere near the cost we pay for a tyrannical government.
Recent history shows us what happens when we simply vote for the other party when we are disgusted with our legislators. We foist upon the people an even greater evil. We must work within the party that more closely represents our principles and protects our liberty. We must change within. If you hire a builder with a proven technique that has been successful for hundreds of years and it turns out that he/she doesn't have the ability to build your house; does it make sense to then hire another experienced builder with a different technique that has been proven many times over to be a complete failure? Of course not. You would hire someone else with the same technique yet more ability. Work within your party.
The designers of this Constitutional Republic of the United States of America gave us the chains to put on government, the two year term of the House of Representatives. The party system enhanced this tool with the primary process. We the People, in order to preserve liberty and prosperity for future generations, are duty bound to use these tools to protect our rights at all costs. Every primary should be eagerly and vigorously engaged in by all members of the precincts in which we live to ensure that career politicians become an antiquated novelty of a past ignorant and indifferent age, giving way to a modern age of renewed enlightenment and sweet freedom.
by: Keith D. Rodebush
1. http://faculty.chicagobooth.edu/richard.holden/papers/Incumbents%20JOP.pdf
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