tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38578008845013249742024-03-13T13:52:49.671-05:00Catawissa GazetteerINCOHERENT RAMBLINGS FROM THE WILDS OF FRANKLIN COUNTY MISSOURICatawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.comBlogger1488125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-42365427702654532382014-06-20T08:40:00.000-05:002014-06-25T07:49:48.089-05:00MISSOURI'S AMENDMENTS 1 AND 5: WHOSE INTEREST ARE THEY IN?Boy, but it's been a long time since I've written anything on this blog. I just haven't wanted to spend the time. But we have a couple local issues that I feel compelled to weigh in on and this seems like the best place to do it.<br />
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For some reason, here in my fair state of Missouri, we love our Constitutional amendments. We always seem to have one or two on just about every ballot. The August elections this year are no different. <a href="http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/2014ballot/HJRNos117.pdf">Amendment 1</a> and <a href="http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/2014ballot/SJR36.pdf">Amendment 5</a> are both waiting for our decision. Amendment 1 is titled "Right to Farm" while Amendment 5 is going by the moniker "Right to Keep and Bear Arms".<br />
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I'm not so concerned about the intent of the amendments, at least directly. I'm all for farming and carrying guns. It's the language and the specificity of it that concerns me. One seems to be well written and thought out while the other just seems designed to keep a whole bunch of lawyers busy...at the taxpayers expenses.<br />
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First, the text from Amendment 1:<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> "Section 35. That agriculture which provides food, energy, health benefits, and security is the foundation and stabilizing force of Missouri’s economy. To protect this vital sector of Missouri’s economy, the right of farmers and ranchers to engage in farming and ranching practices shall be forever guaranteed in this state, subject to duly authorized powers, if any, conferred by article VI of the Constitution of Missouri."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, for Amendment 5: <br /><br />"<span style="background-color: #f0e6cb;"></span>Section 23. That the right of every citizen to keep and bear arms, ammunition, and accessories typical to the normal function of such arms, in defense of his home, person, family and property, or when lawfully summoned in aid of the civil power, shall not be questioned. The rights guaranteed by this section shall be unalienable. Any restriction on these rights shall be subject to strict scrutiny and the state of Missouri shall be obligated to uphold these rights and shall under no circumstances decline to protect against their infringement. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the general assembly from enacting general laws which limit the rights of convicted violent felons or those duly adjudged mentally infirm by a court of competent jurisdiction"<br /><br />Amendment 5 does a good job of defining the nature of the right and exactly who it applies to. The right is defined as inalienable, meaning that it is part of our nature and given to us by our creator (Declaration of Independence). This amendment appeals to Natural Law. It goes on to describe the right and to codify and explain the justifiable ways that the state might infringe upon it. In other words, just like the United States Constitution, it does not confer a right but instead recognizes that the right exists apart from government and only attempts to clearly limit the government in its ability to hamper the free exercise of that right.<br /><br />Amendment 1 is a whole different fish. The language is vague. One has to wonder if this is intentional. Because of this, it is open to a wide variation in interpretation. And that will mean plenty of time in court.<br /><br />Let's take a look at some of the areas I see as problematic. To begin with there's the problem of who confers the right. Is it the state? It appears to be since it is "...subject to duly authorized powers, if any, conferred by article VI of the Constitution of Missouri." The state is not subject to the right because the right does not supercede the state. It is not a natural law right but instead a civil right. It is subject to political and judicial whim.<br /><br />What the state gives the state can take away. This is not a right but a privilege granted by the state. In affect it is no different than a drivers license. <br /><br />Secondly, to whom does it apply? According to the text it only protects "...the right of farmers and ranchers...". So, it's a civil right and it has been written narrowly, protecting a certain class of business. It doesn't protect the guy with a few chickens or a garden in his yard. It doesn't protect the right to feed one's self from one's own property as an extension of the natural law right to life. This amendment is designed to protect a special interest group. No more, no less.<br /><br />Unless farmers and ranchers is defined very broadly. But then the only way we'll know how to define it is after the lawyers line their pockets in court.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thirdly, there's this line, "...engage in farming and ranching practices...". Which practices? Subsistence farming on a small scale or giant agricultural operations with arguably destructive practices. Can a massive feed lot or egg operation move in next to my property, claim a right to farm and destroy the value of my land without me even being able to raise an objection? Or, as is more likely, can that operation just say, "Take me to court and we'll argue it there!", knowing full well that I don't have the resources to fight them?<br /><br />Comparing these two amendments, one well written, the other a sloppy and open ended piece of sophistry, I have to ask myself, is the author of Amendment 1 really that incompetent? Or, was this amendment written as it was to open the door to special interests running roughshod over rural communities.<br /><br />I tend to think it was the latter.<br /><br />So, I can't support it. As much as I despise the groups that are backing the opposition.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f0e6cb; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-5082121216465410432012-12-07T10:40:00.001-06:002012-12-07T10:40:18.571-06:00NEW BLOGHey guys. I haven't posted over here for quite awhile. I got tired of all the work involved and all the arguments. I just ran out of time.<br /><br />Anyway, I've got another blog up and running and it has nothing to do with politics or religion. And I'm going to do my best to keep it that way.<br /><br />It's more focused on my ham radio stuff and other things going on around here. Fairly mundane but I miss writing, so there you have it. If anyone wants to stop by I'd be more than happy to see you. The adress is as follows: <a href="http://kd0qkk.blogspot.com/">http://kd0qkk.blogspot.com/</a>. It's titled simply KDØQKK. That's my amateur radio call sign.<br /><br />Anyway, Merry Christmas!<br /><br />And in the words of "The Prisoner", "I'll be seeing you."<br />
Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-67223336751290981792012-06-05T08:39:00.000-05:002012-06-05T10:06:42.058-05:00ARE GOVERNMENT WORKERS OVERPAID?<script src="http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/embed.js?id=1673090854001&w=400&h=230" type="text/javascript">
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Are government workers overpaid? Maybe they are, at least their pension plans are way outside the bounds of reality. But I still have to wonder, besides pensions, are government workers overcompensated? Or, is it more accurate to say that private workers are undercompensated?<br />
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When I was a kid most tradespeople, hell, most skilled blue collar workers, could live a decent middle class lifestyle on one income. My parents did and so did the families of a large number of my friends. But now, after 40 years of inflation, competition with slave labor and lack of regulation from foreign countries and wages that have declined in real terms, a blue collar guy can't do that anymore.<br />
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A government worker, on the other hand, just might be able to because his wages have in part kept up with inflation.<br />
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So is that government guy overpaid? Or is he being paid a wage more in line with economic reality? One that hasn't been depressed by the greed and manipulation that is part and parcel of our hyper-competitive, winner take all, debt based capitalism?<br />
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And if he's not overcompensated then I have to wonder why it is that so many, apart from the pension crap, think he is? Or do they? I wonder how many of my conservative brothers and sisters have thought this one through? Is it possible that capitalism, at least as it's understood in today's economy, really isn't the best way? I'm not saying Marxism is good. It's not. In fact, I'd argue that it's intrinsically evil, something that you can't say about capitalism.<br />
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Still, there's something really wrong with our system. Capitalism, left to it's own devices, will always result in the accumulation of wealth in the hands of the few. And as wealth accumulates so does power. Over time the majority of the people end up as wage slaves carrying crushing debt, owning no property and left to beg at the feet of the wealthy for jobs, loans to rent houses (mortgages) and little or no real ability to change much of that. The best most of us can hope for is to work all our lives to pay off our mortgage so that we can live at least a couple years on property of our own, which in reality still isn't ours. Just don't pay the real estate tax and see what happens.<br />
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Sure, some few break out and make a success of themselves and gain some level of independence but even they, the small business owners, are still chasing dollars to service debt in one form or another. Because unless a person is independently wealthy (free) they will at some point borrow money to grow their business. And generally that debt isn't dependent on the success or failure of the business. It isn't an investment by a third party willing to take a risk. It's a noose around your throat supplied by a friendly banker, all smiles and handshakes. Your business succeeds and you share the profit. It fails and the bank still profits- you take the loss.<br />
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Pretty much the same way the banks have worked us over in the public sector, too. They make themselves too big to fail, or at least they sell that lie to the public, so they can privatize their gains and socialize their loses. They always win, we always take the risk.<br />
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And now the people with the wealth and the power have been busy selling a new meme, the one that is meant to convince us that it's right and proper to take an ever decreasing wage for the same work while the price of everything we buy goes up. And they're doing it by stirring up jealousy and resentment towards government employees. Really, isn't this the same game the Marxists always play with their eat the rich crap. Looks to me like in the end there's very little difference between the strategy of the left and the right. Which makes me wonder just how different their end goals are, too.<br />
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While there are some very legitimate questions to ask about government employee compensation there's no reason for us to get all pitch forky on 'em.<br />
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We're being played by the same people that are stripping us of our own freedom and we're too blinded by ideology to see it.Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-87960649184163806972012-05-19T10:53:00.002-05:002012-05-19T10:53:54.771-05:00I TORE 'EM UP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I stole this from my wife's blog <a href="http://movingontothepast.blogspot.com/">Moving On To The Past</a>. She writes better than I do so why I figure why not just steal her stuff?</div>
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I pushed off from shore, stepping into the khaki green jon boat at the last minute, completely unaware of the struggle that would shortly ensue. The jet skipped us over the rocks and barely submerged logs in mere inches of Meremac river water, glistening as the early evening sun reflected images of trees and sheer bluffs on its banks.</div>
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I sit at the bow facing the stern, hair tentatively pinned atop my head, loosening strands whipping in the wind. I shut my eyes as the boat approaches the most shallow areas. I can see the pebbles on the bottom. If we stop, we're stuck. Finally we reach Fish Trap Rapids where we meet up with neighbors also enjoying the quiet evening. The girls are innocently playing on the gravel beach, swim suits damp from water play. We're going fishing, slowly following the banks rich with grassy vegetation, fallen boulders and trees, bark peeling and sun bleached.</div>
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I am trying artificial bait, using something tiny and white with a treble hook. It has a nickname, which I won't mention in polite company-or impolite for that matter. At any rate, I don't typically use anything but worms so I'm not optimistic but I like to cast, particularly with a spinning reel. It's light, you can feel everything, even the smallest nibble and control is much better. I seem to have pretty good hand-eye coordination. I can usually put it exactly where I am aiming (as long as I don't have a moving target)! </div>
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Suddenly I have a hit.</div>
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I'm fighting it. The rod is bending and my husband is yelling, "Keep the rod tip up" to keep the tension tight. I'm thinking, "Don't lose him!" as I reel and pull. I'm wishing our boat had those deep sea fishing straps,what if this guy starts pulling me in! My brow is full of sweat, I'm bracing myself against the side of the boat. I'm winning.</div>
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The river is pretty clear, aside from the mystery foam, seeds and occasional leaves that float down with the current, I can start to see the beast beneath, struggling as much as I am. I am confident now, I can do this. He breaks the water, caught solidly through the lip. I yell to get the camera, I can't let this opportunity go undocumented. </div>
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I'll warn you, scroll down to see the photo. I'm a mess by this time. My hair is trashed and I'm exhausted. I look like crap. </div>
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I hope you enjoyed my Big Fish Story! LOL :)</div>
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I did catch the first, in fact four of them. We would be lucky to have popcorn fish bites from this but it was fun! A bald Eagle flew overhead. He must live here because the guys tell me he is there every time they go fishing, which is often. A beautiful heron was posing on the beach as we passed, watching us as much as we were marveling at him.</div>
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Neighbor's boat </div>
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One of the many beaches</div>
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Have a wonderful weekend.</div>
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<br />Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-16966750568912388312012-05-18T08:36:00.000-05:002012-05-18T10:35:21.273-05:00OUR PROBLEM IS NOT IMMIGRANTS<blockquote>
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<b>"And why should Hispanics vote Republican?</b> </blockquote>
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<b>The majority of Hispanics are among that half of the population that pays no income tax. Why should they vote for a party whose major plank is that it will cut income taxes?</b> </blockquote>
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<b>Hispanics benefit disproportionately from government programs."</b> </blockquote>
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<a href="http://buchanan.org/blog/has-the-bell-begun-to-toll-for-the-gop-5077">Has The Bell Begun To Toll For The GOP?</a></blockquote>
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If the Republicans want to get the Hispanic vote there's one sure way to do it; embrace the teachings of the Catholic Church instead of Ayn Rand. Unlike many Americans, for the most part Mexicans are very serious about faith and that faith is Catholicism. If the GOP would only stop playing games with the faith issue and embrace it they'd get the Mexican vote. Paul Ryan has been explicit in how his Catholic faith influenced his budget plan. The leader of the house, also a Catholic, should take that ball and run with it. The GOP needs to understand Catholic social teaching and how government properly exercises it's responsibilities. If it can both talk the talk and walk the walk it'll get the Mexican vote and make America a far better country.<br />
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Buchanan is right. America is no longer the white Protestant stronghold it was and it'll never be that again. But that doesn't mean it should lose it's soul, it's historic Christian nature, the thing that has allowed it to prosper. In fact, I'd argue that to embrace Catholicism is to embrace true Christian thought and the philosophical muscle that tore down the pagan world.<br />
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Our real problems today are of a spiritual nature, not a material one. The material problem derives from the breakdown of Christendom. We've moved away from God and towards mammon. We've thrown aside the traditions that supported our society. And with them we've thrown away any chance of an ordered and productive world.<br />
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It doesn't make any difference whether America is white, black or brown. What does matter is that the ideals that America was founded on are preserved and applied. And those ideals are the ideals of Christendom, the ideals of the Catholic Church. Sure, they may have been brought here by Protestants but those Protestants were the beneficiaries of the 1500 years of Western thought that was developed by the Church and before her by the Greeks and the Jews, all the way back to Abraham.<br />
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Our system and the parties that benefit from it are corrupt. They've been corrupted by materialism - power and profit taking the front while the people and their God given rights and responsibilities are trod into the dust. The problem isn't the Mexicans or any other group that comes here. The problem is us. We've bought into the promise of material salvation and now we're going to reap the results of that decision in collapse and misery. America has become a hollow shell. We're no better than all the material wonders we advertise, all glitter and promise but nothing of substance.<br />
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We've gladly traded the transcendence and freedom of Christendom for the rot and decay of materialism. We follow Rand or Marx, both promising happiness through the material world. One holds up the corporation and the other the state, like a priest raising the Blessed Sacrament above the altar.<br />
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So get ready because like the Jewish people in the Old Testament we're about to reap the fruits of our disobedience and disbelief. We have free will and we can choose our own path. But there are consequences for choosing poorly. Salvation doesn't come from a material choice, from politics, power or wealth. It comes from a spiritual choice, choosing truth over lies.<br />
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We've made our choice and we're about to get what we asked for.Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-22836809793006558872012-03-04T08:34:00.001-06:002012-03-04T08:35:51.626-06:00FOLLOWING THE LOGIC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgid03MGd2Tcry2_hc2QuH0_0rMLUW_z5Serfhh0SVH5OfaCs1otULJWbPjkPmqLSu2XdGhZHXiDxSopwir7NSL7NAqI70pFyl1ElLjsFF6Q7YFUuAZE0UeIJ5m7Y7NGK6tiLthP1nboO4/s1600/418271_223375027761676_101173139981866_382858_1307334354_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgid03MGd2Tcry2_hc2QuH0_0rMLUW_z5Serfhh0SVH5OfaCs1otULJWbPjkPmqLSu2XdGhZHXiDxSopwir7NSL7NAqI70pFyl1ElLjsFF6Q7YFUuAZE0UeIJ5m7Y7NGK6tiLthP1nboO4/s1600/418271_223375027761676_101173139981866_382858_1307334354_n.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/USA.RSC">Republican Security Council</a>Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-79662390321125986352012-02-17T08:22:00.001-06:002012-02-17T10:45:17.944-06:00STOP PLAYING THEIR GAME - FIGHTING THE CONTRACEPTION MANDATE<script src="http://video.foxnews.com/v/embed.js?id=1456549952001&w=400&h=230" type="text/javascript">
</script><noscript>Watch the latest video at &amp;amp;lt;a href="http://video.foxnews.com"&amp;amp;gt;video.foxnews.com&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;</noscript><br />
<br />
It's time our side stops engaging these people on the left in this way and here's the reason why. We're playing into their strength, just as they want us to. We need to make our case, which we have, inform the government that we will not follow their dictate, which we have, move on and prepare for the arrests and other persecutions that will come.<br />
<br />
By continuing to have these arguments, both in the Congressional hearings and on news outlets, we're allowing the administration to keep every one focused on social issues and away from the economic issues they fear most. In the end, I believe this is the real reason, or at least the primary reason at this point in time, for this attack on the First Amendment. It's mostly about re-election and getting us to watch the one hand while the other hand does the magic. Classic misdirection.<br />
<br />
The best argument against the administration is to stand quietly against them. Just refuse to move. Now, they've tried to sidestep this tactic by making sure enforcement of their dictates won't happen until after the election. That's why they gave the Church a year to fall in line. So the way around that is to force the issue of government over reach but from different directions. Begin to exercise REAL freedom of religion. Speak directly against the administration from the pulpit. Draw the ire of the IRS and all the other dogs of government that will be set lose. Jab and punch but stay on our toes, bob and weave, don't let 'em rest.<br />
<br />
Make them follow their nature and open the door to the real beast that they've kept bottled and in the closet. Let the people see what we've put into power. Not the sugar coated "social justice" - kumbya lie of Progressivism but the dark Hitler/Stalin reality. We'll never remove the cancer if we don't know it's there.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU80sQRelbeqUcGdr53wIVPXGshrZV1S2DlCNwuUAnf0Tk_hfFrrkVlQxYZIWsXO8duflNsjQpcYrM3lvUD_UkJ6JBN3Mar7iwfEZKbJfkyNqaCRJM1yXvGf09D7cqJgJTiAbCtvex7gQ/s1600/willnotcomply.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="340" width="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU80sQRelbeqUcGdr53wIVPXGshrZV1S2DlCNwuUAnf0Tk_hfFrrkVlQxYZIWsXO8duflNsjQpcYrM3lvUD_UkJ6JBN3Mar7iwfEZKbJfkyNqaCRJM1yXvGf09D7cqJgJTiAbCtvex7gQ/s400/willnotcomply.jpg" /></a></div>Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-27002030415882793742011-12-05T12:57:00.003-06:002011-12-05T13:30:58.999-06:00UPDATE ON GINGRICH AND WHEN LIFE BEGINS<a href="http://www.lifenews.com/2011/12/05/gingrich-restates-pro-life-views-says-life-begins-at-conception/">Lifenews.com</a> posted an article today with this clarification of the <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/12/gingrich-breaks-from-some-in-anti-abortion-community-on-when-life-begins/">implantation issue</a> by Gingrich:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"“As I have stated many times throughout the course of my public life, I believe that human life begins at conception,” Gingrich said in the statement. “I believe that every unborn life is precious, no matter how conceived. I also believe that we should work for the day when there will be no abortions for any reason, and that every unborn child will be welcomed into life and protected by law.”<br />
<br />
“That is why I have supported, and will continue to support, pro-life legislation that not only limits, but also reduces, the total number of abortions, with a view to the eventual legal protection of all unborn human life,” Gingrich continued."</blockquote><br />
I have to wonder if the most brilliant man in the room is really capable of being so clear and unambiguous in his comments regarding implantation only to turn around, and doing his best Emily Latilla, say, "Never mind!"<br />
<br />
Something's just not right here. Either he was caught with his pants down and let the truth show or he's really not as brilliant as he'd like us all to believe. That the implantation remark could be just a simple foul up is impossible for me to believe, at least if he has any real convictions or principles regarding life issues.<br />
<br />
And that's why I don't trust him. He's just another politician looking for votes and he'll say anything he has to or sit next to Pelosi on any couch he needs to if it'll help him get those votes.<br />
<br />
In the end, all of the candidates have strengths and weaknesses. All I'm looking for is the one that is honest, that shows true character and that says what they believe and believes what they say. Gingrich isn't the one.Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-517625790728970242011-12-04T06:27:00.000-06:002011-12-04T06:27:47.726-06:00GINGRICH ON THE BEGINNING OF LIFE - POLITICS OR PRINCIPLE?<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/12/gingrich-breaks-from-some-in-anti-abortion-community-on-when-life-begins/">ABC News</a> is reporting that in an interview with Jake Tapper, Newt Gingrich states that he believe life begins at implantation, not conception, a break with both Catholic teaching and many if not most in the anti-abortion movement.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"TAPPER: Abortion is a big issue here in Iowa among conservative Republican voters and Rick Santorum has said you are inconsistent. The big argument here is that you have supported in the past embryonic stem cell research and you made a comment about how these fertilized eggs, these embryos are not yet “pre-human” because they have not been implanted. This has upset conservatives in this state who worry you don’t see these fertilized eggs as human life. When do you think human life begins?<br />
<br />
GINGRICH: Well, I think the question of being implanted is a very big question. My friends who have ideological positions that sound good don’t then follow through the logic of: ‘So how many additional potential lives are they talking about? What are they going to do as a practical matter to make this real?’<br />
<br />
I think that if you take a position when a woman has fertilized egg and that’s been successfully implanted that now you’re dealing with life. because otherwise you’re going to open up an extraordinary range of very difficult questions"</blockquote><br />
Many may see this as a case of semantic silliness but it isn't. In my opinion it signifies a certain cowardice which is betrayed by the last sentence in the quote above. Gingrich is right that to believe life begins at conception does open the door to many questions that are difficult, questions that have a direct bearing on whether the many medical procedures that create embryos for implantation or in fact creating babies, tiny human beings that are then used as things to be implanted, frozen, thrown away or experimented on. <br />
<br />
For a man like Gingrich, one that never seems to shy from a fight about ideas, it's nearly impossible to believe that just the fact that difficult questions are created would be enough to preclude him from accepting something as true. I don't believe this is the reason he takes the stand that he does in the interview.<br />
<br />
Gingrich goes on to say:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>"Implantation and successful implantation. In addition I would say that I’ve never been for embryonic stem cell research per se. I have been for, there are a lot of different ways to get embryonic stem cells. I think if you can get embryonic stem cells for example from placental blood if you can get it in ways that do not involve the loss of a life that’s a perfectly legitimate avenue of approach.<br />
<br />
What I reject is the idea that we’re going to take one life for the purpose of doing research for other purposes and I think that crosses a threshold of de-humanizing us that’s very very dangerous."</blockquote><br />
This is where we get to the heart of the matter; he's trying to have it both ways. If he honestly accepts the argument that he's put forth, that life begins at implantation, not conception, then he shouldn't have any problem at all with any use of none implanted embryos. But in the above quote he says that he's nearly always opposed embryonic stem cell research. Why?<br />
<br />
I think I know. He's trying to walk a fine line. He doesn't want to offend the pro-aborts in the Republican party, the big pharma and medical research firms that donate money or the Dems that just might cross the line because they've become so frustrated with the direction their party has taken. But at the same time he's throwing a bone to the pro-life camp, giving them something to hang their hats on so they can still vote for him with a clear conscience. He figures he's probably got their vote anyway when it comes right down to it so he just has to give 'em a friendly nudge.<br />
<br />
This is the kind of thing I'm watching for with Gingrich. He's showing his true colors here. He's more interested in politics than principle in the abortion battle.<br />
<br />
And, if he's willing to throw babies under the bus to get elected, what else will he do?<br />
<br />
So the question remains - has Gingrich changed? It's not looking good so far.Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-3552303492471673152011-12-02T07:32:00.000-06:002011-12-02T07:32:49.800-06:00HAS GINGRICH CHANGED?<script src="http://player.ooyala.com/player.js?embedCode=45Z2QxMzrW3LOI_-R71Sc0XYgjw51Emy&deepLinkEmbedCode=45Z2QxMzrW3LOI_-R71Sc0XYgjw51Emy"></script><br />
<br />
OK, so the player doesn't fit the page. Honestly, I'm not much in the mood to figure out the code changes I need to make to fix it. And it's an audio file once you get past the commercial anyway so who cares.<br />
<br />
I've been listening to a lot of Gingrich over the past few weeks. I gotta admit that I'm a bit leery of him. Fool me once... Anyway, after listening to this clip and reading his comments on the Eucharist I have to wonder - has he changed?<br />
<br />
I'm Catholic. I was born Catholic and raised, more or less (probably less in the long run) Catholic. By the time I was thirteen we no longer went to church. I grew up, got married, had kids and still I didn't really go to church any more than absolutely necessary. Too busy drinking and smoking dope, working, dealing with life and all the other excuses one normally comes up with.<br />
<br />
I did come back, though. There were a number of reasons, some powerfully spiritual and some purely based on reason. It's the latter that makes me think that Gingrich may have undergone a profound change.<br />
<br />
Gingrich is a man of letters. He writes and lectures. He seems to be deeply attracted to debate, both as sport and as a learning tool. He generally uses logic in his arguments which is why he is so very good at winning them. I've watched him systematically dismantle the arguments of others by finding the weaknesses and exploiting them simply by pointing them out and opening them to question. Very much like so many great Catholic scholars have over the last 2000 years, Aquinas coming immediately to mind.<br />
<br />
In this love of logic and argument Gingrich and I are very similar. Obviously, he's way smarter than I am (not false modesty but observable reality). And in the end, it's my personal predisposition towards debate that brought me back to the church and created a fundamental change in me.<br />
<br />
I was challenged by co-workers, all of a Pentecostal persuasion, about the legitimacy of Catholic belief. Not being one to shy from an argument but also not being one to advance into battle without arms, I set about to learn as much about the faith of my birth as I could. Not because I planned on returning to it but because I wanted to win a fight.<br />
<br />
What I found was not some superstitious, lock step belief system based on power and authority of the political or human type but a system of teachings over 2000 years old, never changing but always growing, based first on logic and reason but then, based on the irrefutable findings of that reasoning, willing to step off the cliff of faith, knowing that no other honest response was possible. I found a faith that worships God, not because a book of dubious origin (at least that's what I thought when I heard the Protestant explanation for why I should trust it) commands it, but because reason, moving in the river of revealed knowledge, demands it.<br />
<br />
This changed me and everything about me, completely and irrevocably. I would never be able to think or act the same way again. Once presented with truth we are forced to decide whether to follow it or not. We're either all in or out. There's no middle ground. That doesn't mean we don't fall every now and then. It means we keep our eyes on the prize, get up and keeping working towards the truth.<br />
<br />
I'm not the same guy I was 20 years ago. Not by a long shot.<br />
<br />
Which forces me to ask this question about Gingrich; has he undergone the same sort of fundamental change because of his faith? If he has then I would have to think that he isn't the same person that lived the life he lived long ago and that knowing what he knows and understands to be the truth now he wouldn't have done many of the things he did.<br />
<br />
That doesn't mean he won't do them again. I know I have certain predispositions built into me by constant involvement in pointless stupidity over a big chunk of my life. We all have weaknesses and we all have certain responses that we fall back on in given situations that need to be unlearned. And that's a time consuming process.<br />
<br />
I know that in my case, learning to think like the Church after these last 10+ years of reading Church history, Papal Encyclicals and so many of the works of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church has fundamentally altered the way my brain works. I think in a different way now. Catholicism does that to you if you avail yourself of the treasure trove of knowledge it's generated over 2000 years.<br />
<br />
I'm thinking, based on what I know about Gingrich, that his journey to the Church probably involved a good deal of reading, research and debate. And I would guess that all of this has caused a change in him that will be reflected in his life, his decisions and the way he sees everything around him.<br />
<br />
I'll be watching him more closely. I still have a bunch of questions. But the things I'm hearing from him on issues such as immigration make me think that he's been changed, that the teachings of Holy Mother Church have taken root.<br />
<br />
I may find myself able to vote for him after all.Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-80650373864121689262011-11-04T06:45:00.000-05:002011-11-04T06:45:23.019-05:00SOCIAL INJUSTICE: CCHD CORRUPTION EXPOSED BY REAL CATHOLIC TV<iframe width="400" height="230" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pP1lDiDygtI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br />
To see the documentation for the charges leveled in the show above <a href="http://www.realcatholictv.com/cia/10socialinjustice/links.php">click here</a>.Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-2704731911337229892011-10-25T08:27:00.002-05:002011-10-25T08:28:23.950-05:00MORE ON THE VATICAN AND GLOBAL ECONOMICSGo to the <a href="http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?singlepost=2760442">Market Ticker</a> and read his post about the paper released by the Vatican yesterday. I agree with him and his assessment of the Vatican's position. And since he's a financial professional and a much better writer than I am he can explain it a whole lot better.Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-19463368919738251632011-10-24T12:54:00.000-05:002011-10-24T12:54:27.049-05:00THE POPE CALLS FOR ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT? IN YOUR DREAMS MR. MARX<b>"What is valid on the national level is also valid on the global level. A person is not made to serve authority unconditionally. Rather, it is the task of authority to be at the service of the person, consistent with the pre-eminent value of human dignity. Likewise, governments should not serve the world Authority unconditionally. Instead, it is the world Authority that should put itself at the service of the various member countries, according to the principle of subsidiarity. Among the ways it should do this is by creating the socio-economic, political and legal conditions essential for the existence of markets that are efficient and efficacious because they are not over-protected by paternalistic national policies and not weakened by systematic deficits in public finances and of the gross national products – indeed, such policies and deficits actually hamper the markets themselves in operating in a world context as open and competitive institutions."</b><br />
<a href="http://www.news.va/en/news/full-text-note-on-financial-reform-from-the-pontif">TOWARDS REFORMING THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL AND MONETARY SYSTEMS IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBAL PUBLIC AUTHORITY</a><br />
<br />
This is one key paragraph from the recent paper published by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace that will be roundly ignored by the media. This isn't a call for one world government. In fact, it's just the opposite. It's a call for a distributive (not re-distributive) form of economics that pushes the means of production and the wealth as close to the family as possible.<br />
<br />
The media on both sides of the spectrum are too lazy to actually read the paper and then put it in the context of Catholic Social Teaching. That wouldn't give them the sensational story they're looking for.Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-60664406682090659362011-10-18T08:51:00.002-05:002011-10-18T08:51:41.655-05:00SETTING THE STAGE<iframe width="400" height="230" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NIlRQCPJcew" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-53111224214744912192011-10-18T08:30:00.000-05:002011-10-18T08:30:42.564-05:00IS IT TIME FOR A RADICAL SOLUTION?<a href="http://commentarius-ioannis.blogspot.com/2011/10/law-to-remedy-distress-of-people-of.html">From Ioannes at Commentarius de Prognosticis</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><b>Law to Remedy the Distress of the People of the United States of America<br />
</b><br />
The House of Representatives has enacted the following law, which is hereby proclaimed with the assent of the Senate, it having been established that the requirements for a constitutional amendment have been fulfilled:<br />
<br />
Article 1<br />
<br />
In addition to the procedure prescribed by the constitution, laws of the Nation may also be enacted by the government of the United States. This includes the laws referred to by the Constitution. <br />
<br />
Article 2<br />
<br />
Laws enacted by the government of the United States may deviate from the Constitution as long as they do not affect the institutions of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The rights of the Speaker of the Senate remain undisturbed.<br />
<br />
Article 3<br />
<br />
Laws enacted by the United States’ government shall be issued by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and announced in the Congressional Gazette. They shall take effect on the day following the announcement, unless they prescribe a different date. Articles of the Constitution do not apply to laws enacted by the United States government.<br />
<br />
Article 4<br />
<br />
Treaties of the United States with foreign states which affect matters of United States’ legislation shall not require the approval of the bodies of the legislature. The government of the United States shall issue the regulations required for the execution of such treaties.<br />
<br />
Article 5<br />
<br />
This law takes effect with the day of its proclamation. It loses force four years from enactment or if the present United States’ government is replaced by another.</blockquote><br />
Is this for real? Could a law like this be proposed? Has one like this ever been proposed before anywhere? Did it pass? What sort of problems could lead up to this? Are any of these problems facing us today?<br />
<br />
Click on this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enabling_Act_of_1933">link</a> and find out.Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-89567569753156563172011-10-18T06:29:00.000-05:002011-10-18T06:29:03.869-05:00BANKS REFUSE TO ALLOW PROTESTERS TO WITHDRAW THEIR OWN MONEY<a href="http://www.theblaze.com/stories/banks-are-getting-good-at-turning-away-customers-who-try-to-close-accounts-while-protesting/">The Blaze is reporting</a> that #OWS protestors in Santa Cruz, part of Occupy Santa Cruz, were not allowed to close their accounts at Bank of America. The reason given by the bank was that because they were protesters they could not at the same time be customers. Really?<br />
<br />
I understand that there is a push among the protesters to get people to withdraw their money from the big banks and put it into local Credit Unions. And I also think that there is more to this than just a simple act of protest. I think that the intent of protest organizers is to cause a collapse of the banking system with the intent of bringing down the entire financial system in America and then the world.<br />
<br />
But, if a protester has money in a bank then he should be able to withdraw it any time he wants. It's his money - his property. The bank is merely providing a service to the property owner. It doesn't have any control over the property.<br />
<br />
I can understand a bank asking to have a bit of advance notice for really large withdrawals but they ought'a make that clear up front. Outside of that, hand over the property to the property owner.<br />
<br />
I'm also curious about the legal foundation that the police are standing on when they back the bank up. I mean, if I had my car parked in a private pay lot and the owner of the lot refused to give it to me because he didn't like the way I looked would the police deny me my property rights there, too?<br />
<br />
I'm opposed to these protests for many, many reasons but I'm also opposed to the violation of basic natural law rights. Further, I think that it's a great idea to pull all of your money from these giant banks and move it to your local credit union or locally owned bank. I think that we should be doing all we can do to move from global to local.<br />
<br />
And that's the glaring contradiction that I see in these protests. They say one thing yet lead to another. They preach localism and then turn around and protest in favor of policies and beliefs that will have the affect of transferring power away from the individual and to the state, policies such as universal healthcare, housing and college tuition.<br />
<br />
I think that most of the protesters, while they may have what they consider to be good intentions, are in reality useful idiots being manipulated by larger forces that in the end will turn on them and drive them and us into slavery.Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-68854370499045891912011-10-17T17:33:00.000-05:002011-10-17T17:33:57.433-05:00QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWEREDThis is an excellent set of questions posted on <a href="http://www.glennbeck.com/2011/10/17/questions-for-the-occupy-wall-street-crowd/">Glenn Beck's website</a> this afternoon. These are the questions that we should all be asking because the time is coming, hell, it's already here, when we'll have to choose and make a stand. We need to understand the choice we're making because it will have consequences.<br />
<br />
I understand the frustrations of many that are protesting around the world. That being said I also believe that what they're doing will lead to chaos. Unlike the TEA Party, these groups seem intent on revolution, not restoration.<br />
<br />
<b>WHO STARTED OCCUPY WALL STREET?</b><br />
>> WHO IS THE FATHER OF OWS?<br />
>> HOW DID THIS MOVEMENT START?<br />
>> WHO PLANNED THIS EVENT?<br />
>> WHO IS PAYING FOR THE MADISON AVENUE MARKETING FIRM? THE NEWSPAPERS? THE FLYERS?<br />
>> WHAT ROLE DID SEIU PLAY IN THE PLANNING OF THIS EVENT?<br />
>> WHO IS STEPHEN LEARNER?<br />
>> WHO IS VAN JONES?<br />
>> WHAT IS THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS?<br />
>> WHO IS GEORGE SOROS?<br />
>> WHAT IS HIS RELATIONSHIP TO CAP?<br />
>> IS HE A CRONY CAPITALIST?<br />
>> DOES HE PAY HIS FAIR SHARE?<br />
>> IS HE GETTING RICH OFF OF THE CORRUPT SYSTEM OF WALL STREET SPECULATION?<br />
>> HOW DOES HE MAKE HIS MONEY?<br />
>> HE MADE $7 BILLION DOLLARS LAST YEAR PERSONALLY THROUGH HIS HEDGE FUND AND INVESTMENTS — IS THAT OKAY? IF YES, WHY? IF NO, WHY?<br />
<br />
<b>ECONOMY</b><br />
>> NAME THE TIME IN HISTORY THE GLOBAL ECONOMY COLLAPSED (AS IT IS SHAPING UP TO DO NOW)<br />
>> IF YOU CANNOT… PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME… WHY NOT?<br />
>> IF YOU WERE TO PLAN A GLOBAL ECONOMIC COLLAPSE – HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE BETWEEN THE CORRUPT SYSTEM WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND THE NEW SYSTEM YET TO BE CREATED?<br />
>> WOULD THERE BE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES?<br />
>> COULD PEOPLE DIE?<br />
>> IF NONE, WHY?<br />
>> IF YES, ESTIMATE HOW MANY — AND HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY THOSE DEATHS?<br />
>> BY COLLAPSING THE SYSTEM (WALL STREET) AND CAUSING ECONOMIC CHAOS – HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU DIFFERENT THAN ONE OF THE CORPORATIONS YOU ARE PROTESTING?<br />
<br />
<b>FAIR SHARE:<br />
AGREED: PEOPLE SHOULD PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE IN TAXES.<br />
QUESTIONS</b><br />
>>WHAT IS THAT NUMBER? WHAT IS FAIR?<br />
>>IF IT’S NOT ZERO – PLEASE EXPLAIN GE (AND WHY WASN’T IMMELT ON THE RICH HOMES TOUR?)<br />
>> WHAT ABOUT GEORGE SOROS?<br />
>>RUSSELL SIMMONS?<br />
>>KANYE WEST??.<br />
>>ARE THEY WALL STREET CRIMINALS? ARE THEY NOT AN EVIL CORPORATION IN BED WITH GOV?<br />
>> CAN THERE BE GOOD PEOPLE IN AN EVIL CORPORATION? IF SO, HOW DO YOU JUDGE WHO IS WHO?<br />
>> GE PAYS NO INCOME TAX, THEIR CEO IS ON THE PRESIDENTS ECONOMIC COUNCIL – WHY DO YOU NOT PROTEST GE? DO YOU SUPPORT THIS PRESIDENT OR ADMINISTRATION?<br />
>>EXPLAIN GREEN WEEK on NBC<br />
>> IF YES IN ANY WAY…WHY?<br />
>>IF HE IS IN BED OR EXCUSES BEHAVIOR SO BAD THAT THE SYSTEM SHOULD BE COLLAPSED SHOULDN’T HE BE DEEMED GUILTY AS WELL?<br />
>> IF YES, EXPLAIN WHY.<br />
>> IF YES COMPARE GE GREEN WEEK ANSWER ABOVE<br />
<br />
<b>CAPITALISM IS DESTROYING AMERICA</b><br />
<br />
<b>ROCKEFELLER, ASTOR MELLON, AND CARNEGIE ARE KNOWN AS “ROBBER BARRONS” AND WOULD PROBABLY BE TARGETS OF OCCUPY WALL STREET.</b><br />
<br />
>>WHO BUILT THE LINCOLN CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS?<br />
>> WHO BUILT MOMA?<br />
>> THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY?<br />
>> CARNEGIE HALL?<br />
>> CARNAGE MELLON UNIVERSITY<br />
>> THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART?<br />
>> WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ROCKEFELLER CENTER AND COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY?<br />
>> DOES THIS MEAN CAPITALISM HELPED COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY?<br />
>>HOW DID CAPITALISM HELP COLUMBIA?<br />
>>DOES CAPITALISM HELP OR HURT COLUMBIA TODAY?<br />
<br />
<b>OBAMA ADMINISTRATION:</b><br />
>> DOES YOUR UNIVERSITY SUPPORT THIS ADMINISTRATION AND ITS POLICIES?<br />
>> DID YOU OR THOSE YOU ARE WITH VOTE OR CAMPAIGN FOR THIS PRESIDENT IN THE PAST?<br />
>> ARE YOU CAMPAIGNING FOR HIM NOW?<br />
>> IF SO, ARE YOU BETRAYING YOUR IDEALS BY HELPING SOMEONE WHO HAS COMPROMISED ON IMPORTANT ANTI-CORRUPTION PRINCIPLES?<br />
>> IF HE HAS NOT DONE ALL THAT HE PROMISED TO DO AND IN FACT BETRAYED HOPE AND CHANGE WHAT STOOD IN HIS WAY?<br />
>> COULD YOU NAME SPECIFIC EXAMPLES?<br />
>> HE CLAIMS THAT HE IS NOT IN BED WITH BANKERS AND BIG CORPORATIONS. IS HE LYING?<br />
>> IS HE JUSTIFIED FOR NOT TELLING THE TRUTH IF IT FURTHERS YOUR OR HIS AGENDA?<br />
>> WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS A LEADER CAN LIE TO YOU AND IT BE JUSTIFIED?<br />
<br />
<b>INVESTIGATIONS/FINANCIAL</b><br />
>> WHY HAS THIS ADMINISTRATION NOT DONE INVESTIGATIONS ON BANKS AND BANKERS?<br />
>> WHY HASN’T THIS ADMINISTRATION DONE INVESTIGATIONS ON THE FED?<br />
>> WHY HASN’T THIS ADMINISTRATION DONE INVESTIGATIONS ON FREDDIE OR FANNIE OR SALLY MAC?<br />
>> WHY HAS NO ONE EXCEPT BERNIE MADOFF GONE TO JAIL UNDER THIS OR THE LAST PRESIDENT?<br />
>> WASN’T THE HOPE WE WERE LOOKING FOR AND PROMISED SUPPOSED TO COME FROM A PRESIDENT THAT WAS DIFFERENT? THAT WAS BEYOND POLITICS?<br />
>> WASN’T THE CHANGE THAT AMERICA WAS LOOKING FOR AN END TO CRONY CAPITALISM?<br />
>> WERE YOU WRONG ABOUT THIS PRESIDENT LAST TIME ELECTION?<br />
>> HOW ARE YOU SURE THIS TIME?<br />
>> DID AMERICA LEARN FROM ITS MISTAKE OF NOT DEMANDING A CLEAR DECLARATION OF WHAT HOPE AND CHANGE MEANT?<br />
>> SHOULD THERE HAVE BEEN A CLEAR PLAN TO ENSURE THAT THIS NEW PRESIDENT REMAINED ON COURSE TO DELIVER THE CHANGE PROMISED AND HOPED FOR OF AN END OF CORRUPTION AND CRONYISM?<br />
>> WHAT IS SOLYNDRA? WHAT IS LIGHT SQUARED?<br />
>> DO YOU THINK THOSE WHO HAVE DESIGNED THIS EVENT (COLLAPSE WALL STREET) SHOULD HAVE A CLEAR PLAN TO MAKE SURE AFTER THE COLLAPSE THEY WILL DELIVER THE CHANGE OF AN END OF CORRUPTION AND CRONYISM?<br />
>> DID IT DISCREDIT THE TEA PARTY MOVEMENT THAT IT WAS SAID TO BE FUNDED, ORGANIZED AND OR CO-OPTED BY THOSE WHO HAD DIRECT TIES AND INTERESTS IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY?<br />
WOULD IT TAINT OR HURT OCCUPY WALL STREET IF THAT WERE THE CASE HERE?<br />
<br />
<b>EQUAL JUSTICE/SOCIAL JUSTICE</b><br />
>> CAN SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUAL JUSTICE CO EXIST?<br />
>> IS EVERYONE ON WALL STREET PUNISHED FOR THE CRIMES OF THE GUILTY?<br />
>> IS EVERYONE ON WALL STREET GUILTY?<br />
>> IF NO, ARE YOUR ACTIONS TO COLLAPSE WALL STREET PUNISHING THOSE WHO ARE INNOCENT?<br />
>> IF YES, IS THAT EQUAL JUSTICE IN SEEING THAT YOU WOULD BE PUNISHING THE INNOCENT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE?<br />
>>DO YOU BELIEVE IN FAIR TRAILS? A JURY OF YOUR PEERS? A CHANCE TO FACE YOUR ACCUSERS? GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT?<br />
>>SHOULD WALL STREET BANKERS:<br />
A). LOSE THEIR JOBS<br />
B). HAVE ALL OF THEIR WEALTH TAKEN?<br />
C). GO TO JAIL? IF YES, HOW LONG? IF YOU WISH FOR A JUDGE AND JURY TO DECIDE, WHY?<br />
D). IF YES TO BOTH IN C. SEE EQUAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE INCOMPATIBLY ABOVE.<br />
<br />
<b>LYNCH MOBS THEN AND NOW</b><br />
>> DO YOU BELIEVE LYNCH MOBS (IN CIVIL RIGHTS ERA) ARE/WERE WRONG? IF SO, WHY?<br />
>> WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LYNCH MOB AND WHAT YOU ARE BEING ENCOURAGED TO DO NOW? (LEWIS, HOMES OF WEALTHY)<br />
<br />
<b>COPS:</b><br />
>> ARE COPS GOOD OR BAD?<br />
>> ARE THERE GOOD COPS AND BAD COPS?<br />
>> IF THERE ARE BOTH GOOD AND BAD POLICEMEN HOW DO YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE?<br />
>> IF YOU WERE A COP, A GOOD ONE NOT BAD, WHAT WOULD YOU DO RIGHT NOW IN THIS SITUATION ON WALL STREET?<br />
>> IF YOU WALKED AWAY (AS A COP) AND ALLOWED THE CROWD FREEDOM TO DO AS IT WISHED, WOULD YOU BE A HERO OR A COWARD?<br />
>> WOULD DAMAGE TO PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PROPERTY BE DONE IF THE POLICE WOULD LEAVE? DOES THAT MATTER?<br />
>> COULD INNOCENT PEOPLE BE HURT? DOES THAT MATTER?<br />
>> IF YOU OR ANYONE IN YOUR GROUP ANSWERED THERE ARE NO INNOCENT HERE — DOES THAT MATTER?<br />
>> IF NO ON ABOVE PLEASE CHECK ANSWER FOR CONSISTENCY ON LYNCH MOBS AND JURY TRIALS?<br />
>> DEFINE MOB RULE – IS THIS GOOD OR BAD?<br />
>> THERE ARE MANY PRISONERS THAT HAVE BEEN WRONGLY ACCUSED AND CONVICTED. IT HAPPENS THE WORLD OVER BUT ESPECIALLY IT SEEMS IN AMERICA. THE RECENT EXECUTION IN GA (ACCORDING TO YOU) IS MERELY ONE EXAMPLE. IN LIGHT OF THIS AND KNOWING WHAT WE KNOW, WHAT SHOULD BE DONE WITH THOSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY INCARCERATED?<br />
>> IF THE SYSTEM IS CORRUPT, HOW WILL YOU ASSESS AND FIX IT?<br />
>> IS IT FAIR TO LEAVE THE POSSIBLE INNOCENT BEHIND BARS WHILE THAT PROCESS IS GOING ON?<br />
<br />
<b>COLLEGE: Many of the signs on Occupy Wall Street complain about student loans.<br />
<br />
WE AGREE:<br />
>> MANY HAVE STOLEN FROM US<br />
>> NO ONE SHOULD PAY WHAT YOU ARE PAYING (HAVE PAID) FOR HIGHER EDUCATION</b><br />
<br />
>> WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PRICE OF EDUCATION?<br />
>> WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PRICE OF THAT PRIVATE COLLEGE EDUCATION RISING 8 % JUST LAST<br />
>> HOW MUCH MONEY IS IN YOUR UNIVERSITIES ENDOWMENT FUND?<br />
>> IS THERE NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO LOWER TUITION COSTS?<br />
<br />
<b>MOM & DAD</b><br />
<br />
>> ARE YOU SINCERELY WORRIED ABOUT YOUR PARENTS AND WHAT THEY FACE AS WELL AS WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR YOU?<br />
>> HAVE YOUR PARENTS WORKED HARD FOR THEIR HOME AND WHAT LITTLE MONEY THEY HAVE SAVED DURING THEIR LIFETIME?<br />
>> IF YOU SUCCEED IN COLLAPSING WALL STREET, WHO IS HURT AND WHO IS HURT THE MOST?<br />
>> ARE YOUR PARENTS HURT? YOUR FRIENDS PARENTS?<br />
>> UNION PENSIONS ARE INVESTED IN WALL STREET<br />
>> YOUR UNIVERSITY ENDOWMENT<br />
>> THE AVERAGE AMERICAN (401K) IS INVESTED IN WALL STREET.<br />
>> WHAT HAPPENS TO THE LIFETIME OF WORK BY YOUR PARENTS IF YOUR ACTIONS CAUSE A COLLAPSE OF THE SYSTEM?<br />
<br />
<b>FOREIGN COUNTRIES</b><br />
>> DO YOU BELIEVE THAT ANY GOVERNMENT ABROAD WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AN ECONOMIC COLLAPSE OF THE UNITED STATES THAT WOULD HAVE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON YOUR FREEDOMS?<br />
>> DO YOU BELIEVE THAT US TROOPS SHOULD BE CALLED HOME?<br />
>> DO YOU BELIEVE TOUR TROOPS ARE BABY KILLERS? OR PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO WERE EITHER MISGUIDED OR USED?<br />
>> WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE TROOPS OVERSEAS IF THERE WAS AN ECONOMIC COLLAPSE?<br />
>> DO YOU BELIEVE IF YOU DON’T PULL THE TROOPS OUT BEFORE A COLLAPSE THERE WOULD BE A GREATER OR LESSER CHANCE OF MORE KILLING?<br />
>> DO YOU BELIEVE THAT FORCES ON EITHER SIDE COULD OR WOULD USE AN ECONOMIC COLLAPSE AS AN EXCUSE FOR MORE KILLING?<br />
>> WOULD YOU HAVE PLAYED ANY ROLE IN THAT POSSIBLE KILLING BASED ON YOUR ACTIONS HERE TO COLLAPSE WALL STREET?<br />
>> IF NO; DO THE ENDS JUSTIFY THE MEANS?<br />
>> IF YES; IF THE ENDS JUSTIFY THE MEANS… DOES THAT INCLUDE THE DEATH OF INNOCENTS?<br />
>> IF NOT WHY?<br />
>> IF YES, EXPLAIN WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT THAT GEORGE W BUSH, WHO ALSO THOUGHT HE WAS RIGHT.<br />
<br />
<b>EGYPT</b><br />
>> HOW DID THE EGYPTIAN REVOLUTION TURN OUT?<br />
>> IS IT BETTER THAN WHAT THEY HAD?<br />
>> FREE, FAIR AND DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS WERE PROMISED TO BE HELD BY AUGUST OF THIS YEAR, WHAT DATE WERE THEY ACTUALLY HELD?<br />
>> WHO IS CURRENTLY IN CHARGE OF EGYPT?<br />
>> DO YOU BELIEVE IN MILITARY RULE?<br />
>> WOULD YOU WANT TO LIVE UNDER IT HERE?<br />
>> WHAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MILITARY RULE HERE AND IN EGYPT?<br />
>> THE MEDIA CLAIMS YOU ARE THE SAME AND ARE STRIVING FOR THE SAME IDEALS AS THE YOUTH THAT OVERTURNED THEIR OPPRESSIVE AND CORRUPT SYSTEM. IS THIS TRUE?<br />
>> IF YES, IF YOU WOULDN’T WANT TO LIVE UNDER MILITARY RULE WHAT RESPONSIBILITY DO YOU HAVE TO CORRECT THE INJUSTICE OF THEIR SYSTEM?<br />
>> IF YOU ANSWER THAT YOU DO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY.<br />
>> WASNT AMERICAN INSERTION INTO GLOBAL POLITICS WHAT CAUSED THE HATRED FOR THE WEST?<br />
>> HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE FIGHTING ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND NOT HELPING THOSE WHO WILL DEVELOP A REPRESSIVE REGIME?<br />
>> IS IRAN A REPRESSIVE REGIME?<br />
<br />
<b>POST REVOLUTION</b><br />
>>IF THOSE WHO TAKE POWER, AFTER THE SUCCESSFUL OCCUPY WALL STREET COLLAPSE, BETRAYED THE REVOLUTION AND THE PEOPLE BY NOT FOLLOWING THE PLAN (THAT HAS NOT YET BEEN DEVELOPED) WHAT SHOULD THE PEOPLE DO?<br />
>>WOULD THOSE NEW LEADERS STEP DOWN OR WOULD AN EVENT LIKE THIS NEED TO BE STAGED AGAIN TO FORCE THEM OUT?<br />
>>IF THEY DIDN’T VOLUNTARILY STEP DOWN WOULD YOU SEEK TO HAVE THEM ARRESTED?<br />
>>IS VIOLENCE AN OPTION TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF REVOLUTION?<br />
>>CAN YOU SOLVE VIOLENCE WITH VIOLENCE?<br />
>>SHOULD THE PEOPLE BE ALLOWED TO HAVE A GUN IN CASE THOSE IN CHARGE DID BETRAY THE REVOLUTION?<br />
>>IF YES, WHY.<br />
>>IF YES, WHY DOES THIS NOT APPLY TODAY?<br />
>>IF NO, WHO AUTHORIZES THE USE OF FORCE AND WHAT FORCE IS ALLOWED?<br />
>>WHO PROTECTS THE IDEA OR YET TO BE FORMED IDEAS OF THE NEW REVOLUTIONARY DEMOCRACY?<br />
>>WHO WOULD ARREST THOSE WHO BETRAYED THE REVOLUTION IF THE SYSTEM HAS COLLAPSED AND THE COPS WERE >>ALL EITHER FIRED OR JAILED?<br />
>>ARE JAILS NEEDED?<br />
>>IF YES, WHO RUNS THE NEW DEMOCRATIC JAILS FORMALLY KNOWN AS THE PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX?<br />
<br />
>>ASSUMING THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE CITIZENS POLICE FORCE ENACTED TO REPLACE THE CORRUPT SYSTEM THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, WHAT SYSTEM OF TRIAL WOULD YOU ENGAGE?<br />
>>CHE SAID “WE DON’T NEED A TRIAL TO CONVICT THE GUILTY”. DO YOU AGREE?<br />
>>IF NO, WOULD THERE BE A JURY?<br />
>>WHO WOULD BE THE JUDGE?<br />
>>WHAT WOULD THE RULES OF EVIDENCE BE?<br />
>>WILL THE PEOPLE HAVE RIGHTS?<br />
>>WHAT ARE THEY?<br />
>>HAVE THEY BEEN WRITTEN DOWN ANYWHERE?<br />
>>IF NO, BECAUSE YOU WERE PLANNING ON DOING THAT AFTER THE COLLAPSE, IF THE ABOVE SCENARIO PLAYED OUT WOULD YOU REGRET THAT DECISION?<br />
>>IF YES, WHAT WERE THEY BASED ON?<br />
<br />
>>WHERE DO MANS RIGHTS COME FROM?<br />
>>IF THEY COME FROM A COMMITTEE OR LEADERS, WHY THEN CANT THE LEADERS YOU NOW SAY BETRAYED THE REVOLUTION CHANGE YOUR RIGHTS AND DECLARE YOU A TRAITOR TO THE REVOLUTION?<br />
>>HAS THIS EVER HAPPENED IN HISTORY?<br />
>>IF YES, WHERE?<br />
>>WHAT WERE THE CONDITIONS?<br />
>>WHERE THERE WARNING SIGNS?<br />
>>DO ANY OF THOSE SIGNS EXIST NOW?<br />
<br />
<b>ENERGY</b><br />
>>NOW THAT THE ECONOMY HAS COLLAPSED IN AMERICA BUT NOT SOMEHOW EFFECTED THE REST OF THE WORLD, HOW >>CAN WE AFFORD MIDDLE EASTERN OIL TO BUY GASOLINE?<br />
<br />
<b>IF YOU SAY WE CANNOT AFFORD GASOLINE AND THAT IS A GOOD THING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, LET’S FOR ARGUMENT SAKE AGREE:</b><br />
<br />
>> HOW DO WE FUEL TRACTORS FOR FARMING ON THE SCALE NEEDED TO FEED THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES AND ELSE WHERE?<br />
>> HOW IS SAID FOOD TRUCKED TO STORES HERE IN NEW YORK IF TRUCKERS COULDN’T AFFORD FUEL?<br />
>> HOW DO YOUR PARENTS GET FOOD FROM THE STORE TO THEIR HOME?<br />
<br />
>>NOW THAT THE POLICE FORCE HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A CITIZEN PATROL, ARE YOUR PARENTS SAFE WALKING THE STREETS WITH FOOD IN AN AREA AFTER THE CURRENCY HAS JUST COLLAPSED?<br />
>> IF ONE OF THEM WERE HURT OR KILLED DUE TO A SCENARIO LIKE THIS, WOULD YOU BE IN ANYWAY RESPONSIBLE?<br />
>> IF THEY WERE HURT AND COULDN’T RECEIVE MEDICAL TREATMENT IN TIME BECAUSE THE EMS COULDN’T AFFORD GAS FOR THE AMBULANCE WOULD YOU IN ANY WAY BE RESPONSIBLE?<br />
>> HOW WOULD THE HOSPITALS PAY DOCTORS AND EMS WITHOUT A CURRENCY?<br />
>> WHY WOULD DOCTORS OR NURSES BE AT WORK?<br />
>> TO ENSURE THEY DID GO TO WORK, WHO WOULD PROTECT AND FEED THEIR FAMILIES WHILE THEY SERVED?<br />
> HOW DO THE DOCTORS AFFORD GAS TO GO TO WORK?<br />
>> WHAT SYSTEM OF ELECTRICITY IS RUNNING THE HOSPITALS?<br />
<br />
<b>CRONY CAPITALISM<br />
DEFINE CRONY CAPITALISM.</b><br />
>> WHEN THE GOVT TOOK OVER GM, GAVE ALL THE BANKS TARP MONEY AND ALLOWED COMPANIES LIKE GE PAY NO TAXES WHILE MAKING BILLIONS AND SHIPPING JOBS OVERSEAS – IS THAT CRONY SOCIALISM, CRONY CAPITALISM OR CRONY STATISM?<br />
>> IS THERE A DIFFERENCE?<br />
<br />
<b>IN ALL THREE SCENARIOS WHAT IS THE PROBLEM, THE SYSTEM OR THE CRONYISM?</b><br />
>> WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO END CRONYISM?<br />
>> HAS YOUR APPROACH EVER BEEN TRIED BEFORE?<br />
>> IF YES, LIST ALL EXAMPLES OF ATTEMPTS FAILED AND SUCCESSFUL.<br />
>> WHY DID THEY FAIL?<br />
>> HOW DID THOSE THAT FAILED BEGIN?<br />
>> WHO LEAD THE WAY ON THOSE FAILED ATTEMPTS?<br />
>> HOW DID THOSE WHO BEGAN THE REVOLUTION FAIR IN THE NEW SYSTEMS?<br />
>> WHO IS THOMAS PAINE?<br />
>> WHAT WAS HIS ROLE IN THE FRENCH REVOLUTION?<br />
>> WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM?<br />
>> WHAT DID HE LEARN ABOUT REVOLUTIONS?<br />
>> HOW DID THE FRENCH REVOLUTION END?<br />
>> WHO TOOK POWER IN FRANCE?<br />
>> WAS THAT GOOD OR BAD FOR THE PEOPLE OF FRANCE?<br />
>> WHAT DOES THIS TELL US ABOUT THE CURRENT SITUATION WE FIND OURSELVES IN AMERICA?<br />
>> DO YOU HAVE HOSTILE FEELINGS ABOUT THESE QUESTIONS? WHY?<br />
<br />
<b>IF YOU ARE READING IN A GROUP OF LIKE MINDED, OPEN MINDED AND EDUCATED PEOPLE — TAKE NOTE – HAVE THEY PROVOKED ANY SERIOUS DISCUSSION. IF NOT WHY?</b><br />
>> IF SO, DID YOU DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER TO GET THOSE IN WASHINGTON TO INVESTIGATE AND ARREST THOSE WHO WILL NOT “CHANGE” AND BEGIN TO DO BUSINESS IN A LEGAL AND NON CORRUPT WAY?<br />
>> WHY DIDNT THAT WORK?<br />
<br />
<b>IF YOU ARE NOT PLANNING ON THEM HOLDING ON TO POWER PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING:</b><br />
A). WHO WILL BE IN CHARGE? WILL THEY BE YOU? OR THE LEADERS YOU HAVE NOT YET CHOSEN?<br />
B). HOW WILL YOU ENSURE THAT THOSE WHO DO TAKE POWER ARE NOT CURRENTLY PART OF THE PROBLEM?<br />
C). WHO WILL FUND THE UNIVERSITIES, HEALTHCARE, K-12 EDUCATION, HOMELESS, AND POOR WHILE A NEW SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO STABILIZE THE POPULATION, REPLACE THE CORRUPT SYSTEM OF CORPORATISM, BIG MEDICINE, BIG OIL AND BIG FARMS<br />
D). WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE MILITARY AND THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX.Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-72180538596559681812011-09-10T06:35:00.001-05:002011-09-10T06:37:51.713-05:009/11 AND WHY I'M JUST NOT FEELIN' ITSitting here, on the eve of 9/11, I have a terrible admission to make - I don't get it. I don't get the self pity, the commercialization, the angst. I have the feeling that once again we're seeing the outward manifestation of the inner workings of the most self centered generation in the world, the baby boomers.<br />
<br />
Look, I understand the historical importance of the attack. I understand the loss and tragedy on a personal level for the families of the victims. I realize that the attack changed America forever, mostly for the worst and mostly due to the actions of our own government.<br />
<br />
I know the toll in lives since the attack, both for our soldiers and for all those we've killed on foreign soil. If there was some need for vengeance I'd think that we've just about satisfied it, though it's a hollow victory. I know that we've done some damage to Al-Qaeda, but that we haven't completely taken them out. And I know that the world is more dangerous today than it was in 2001, regardless of the number of lives lost and the treasure spent - or wasted.<br />
<br />
But I don't understand why the country, at least if one is to believe the New York media, is coming to a stop. <br />
<br />
That's the thing, though, isn't it. The country isn't coming to a stop. Most of us know what day it is and we'll say a silent prayer for the victims, the attackers, the country and the world and then we'll get on about our lives. 9/11 isn't a truly defining moment for most of us. It's a pivot point in history, just like Pearl Harbor or the Battle of Hastings.<br />
<br />
It is a defining point, however, for the people of New York, including the media. And that's why the rest of us are being subjected to non-stop hyperbole and sensationalism. Did we see this sort of hoopla on the tenth anniversary of the bombing of the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City? A minor event in comparison, to be sure, but still a significant terrorist attack on American soil that resulted in a large loss of innocent life. We still hear more about the '93 attack on the Trade Center every year than about Oklahoma City. Again, because that's where the media lives.<br />
<br />
Don't get me wrong. I think that it's important that we remember the attack in 2001. But I think that it's equally important that we remember Pearl Harbor and the firing on Fort Sumter. All three of these events caused fundamental changes to America.<br />
<br />
That being said, I think that 9/11 has become less about remembering and more about promotion. To me it feels far more like a circus than a memorial. More about the people that are alive than the ones that are dead.<br />
<br />
More focused on the self than on others.<br />
<br />
But then, that's what my generation has always been about.Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-47346532425346506432011-09-05T07:55:00.001-05:002011-09-05T16:23:13.181-05:00MISSOURI AND THE CHINA HUBWow, it's been so long since I've written anything on here that I'm forgetting how to use the controls so bear with me.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow the Missouri Legislature starts debate in a special session to decide whether to approve the <a href="http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/article_be77ea40-90d3-5ce2-98e2-af05d0ce5a3f.html">China Hub</a> bill. This thing is dirty from top to bottom.<br />
<br />
First a bit of background. St. Louis is rolling in unused airport capacity. Over on the Illinois side we've got <a href="http://www.flymidamerica.com/">Mid-America Airport</a>, a group of shiny new buildings and a nifty tower with a big long strip of asphalt road running in front of it. We've been told that the road is supposed to be used to land airplanes on but it's never really been tried so we're not sure it'll work yet. But, everyday, the buildings are opened and the lights turned on while all eyes are cast skyward and all ears strain, listening for the drone of an engine. And they do hear them. Unfortunately, they all tend to land next door at Scott Air Force Base. Oh well, maybe someday Scott'll be filled up and they'll need to come over to Mid-America.<br />
<br />
Because of the overcrowding at Mid-America, Lambert (used to be international, now not so much) Airport in St. Louis decided it needed to expand. And it did. It (we) spent over a billion dollars gobbling up neighborhoods and the better part of Bridgeton, burying Lindbergh Blvd. in a tunnel and moving vast amounts of earth. And now, just like across the river, we've got a really nice stretch of brand new road that nobody drives on that we are told is supposed to be a landing strip.<br />
<br />
Up 'til a few years ago Lambert was an international airport and TWA's home base. It was also a hub for Southwestern. But when TWA went under it took Lambert down, too. Not completely, there's still a bunch of traffic, but it lost it's international routes and became more of a second tier airport, just like the city it serves has become a second, no, third tier city.<br />
<br />
And that's the real problem. St. Louis, once the home to a number of Fortune 500 company headquarters has dwindled away. <br />
<br />
I'm old enough to remember the good days. At one time, St. Louis was second only to Detroit in auto production. The Big Three all had plants here. We had shoe factories and breweries. Ralston Purina was home owned. Monsanto is still here but they're one of the few left. It wasn't hard to make a decent living here or across the river where the meat packing plants and foundries ran day and night.<br />
<br />
When I was a kid, carpenters and doctors, factory workers and bankers pretty much lived in the same neighborhoods because everybody was making decent money. And the reason for this was manufacturing. We were a city that built things the world needed. And building those things created good jobs that paid good wages, real wealth that was then spent in the community supporting other businesses. Sure, business owners got rich but then their employees did pretty well, too, because they had the skill needed to make the products that the business sold. The means of production were dispersed across the society as a whole.<br />
<br />
But now we've become a service sector city, building nothing, just filling out spreadsheets and moving things that others built around warehouses. We try to skim a little of the real wealth created by others off the top to put in our pockets. Most of the wealth goes to the business owners because, when you get right down to it, it doesn't take much skill to do most of the work that gets done in a service economy so finding people to do it at low wages is relatively easy. The day of the skilled trade have drawn to a close. And even for the few skilled trades people left the wages have collapsed because the service sector workers can't afford to pay them.<br />
<br />
So what's the solution for this dilemma? Well, if one is to believe our state government, the way to fix the problem is to spend hundreds of millions of our tax dollars to line the pockets of a few special interests all in the hopes of creating more service jobs to support Chinese slaves manufacturing cheap goods to sell to us. We're being told that skimming a little off the top of an increasingly diminishing pie using low paying jobs that create no real wealth is the answer to our problems.<br />
<br />
If you believe that I've got a couple of slightly used runways to sell you.<br />
<br />
If you live in Missouri call your Reps and Senators and tell them to vote no on the China Hub Bill. My guess is that the fix is already in but we can dream, can't we?Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-28501308564359163672011-07-19T08:33:00.001-05:002011-07-19T10:30:32.802-05:00BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT<i>I haven't posted anything in quite a while because I'm just running out of things that I care to write about...and it's summertime with gardens and fishing to consider.<br />
<br />
That being said, I'm getting tired of the political spin surrounding the current push by the Republicans for a Balanced Budget Amendment so I thought I'd post the actual bill language so we can all make up our own minds. <br />
<br />
Here it is:</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote><b>JOINT RESOLUTION</b><br />
<br />
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to balancing the budget.<br />
<br />
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States:<br />
<br />
`<b>Article--</b><br />
<br />
`Section 1. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless two-thirds of the duly chosen and sworn Members of each House of Congress shall provide by law for a specific excess of outlays over receipts by a roll call vote.<br />
<br />
`Section 2. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall not exceed 18 percent of the gross domestic product of the United States for the calendar year ending before the beginning of such fiscal year, unless two-thirds of the duly chosen and sworn Members of each House of Congress shall provide by law for a specific amount in excess of such 18 percent by a roll call vote.<br />
<br />
`Section 3. Prior to each fiscal year, the President shall transmit to the Congress a proposed budget for the United States Government for that fiscal year in which--<br />
`(1) total outlays do not exceed total receipts; and<br />
`(2) total outlays do not exceed 18 percent of the gross domestic product of the United States for the calendar year ending before the beginning of such fiscal year.<br />
<br />
`Section 4. Any bill that imposes a new tax or increases the statutory rate of any tax or the aggregate amount of revenue may pass only by a two-thirds majority of the duly chosen and sworn Members of each House of Congress by a roll call vote. For the purpose of determining any increase in revenue under this section, there shall be excluded any increase resulting from the lowering of the statutory rate of any tax.<br />
<br />
`Section 5. The limit on the debt of the United States shall not be increased, unless three-fifths of the duly chosen and sworn Members of each House of Congress shall provide for such an increase by a roll call vote.<br />
<br />
`Section 6. The Congress may waive the provisions of sections 1, 2, 3, and 5 of this article for any fiscal year in which a declaration of war against a nation-state is in effect and in which a majority of the duly chosen and sworn Members of each House of Congress shall provide for a specific excess by a roll call vote.<br />
<br />
`Section 7. The Congress may waive the provisions of sections 1, 2, 3, and 5 of this article in any fiscal year in which the United States is engaged in a military conflict that causes an imminent and serious military threat to national security and is so declared by three-fifths of the duly chosen and sworn Members of each House of Congress by a roll call vote. Such suspension must identify and be limited to the specific excess of outlays for that fiscal year made necessary by the identified military conflict.<br />
<br />
`Section 8. No court of the United States or of any State shall order any increase in revenue to enforce this article.<br />
<br />
`Section 9. Total receipts shall include all receipts of the United States Government except those derived from borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of the United States Government except those for repayment of debt principal.<br />
<br />
`Section 10. The Congress shall have power to enforce and implement this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely on estimates of outlays, receipts, and gross domestic product.<br />
<br />
`Section 11. This article shall take effect beginning with the fifth fiscal year beginning after its ratification.'.</blockquote><br />
<i>At first read it seems fairly sensible to me but then I'm not a lawyer and we all know how even the simplest language can be twisted. That being said, I'd be interested to hear the opinions of others about specific problems that they may think are not addressed in the bill.<br />
<br />
The one thing I do know is that America is broke and on the verge of financial and political collapse. If we don't get our act together and start living within our means, no matter how painful this is going to be, we're done. I think that a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution is the only way to bind the hands of our politicians, both current and future.<br />
<br />
Like it our not, the days of big government are over because we simply can't afford it. Better to take the hit on our own terms than to have it forced on us by others.<br />
<br />
Well, enough writing, time to go back to the garden.</i>Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-41130290673103818562011-06-03T09:24:00.000-05:002011-06-03T09:24:15.778-05:00KLAVAN'S ONE STATE SOLUTION<iframe width="400" height="230" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uIEeiDjdUuU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-73409283165227513412011-05-26T12:21:00.000-05:002011-05-26T12:21:50.246-05:00MUSLIM CULTURE MEETS GERMAN ENGINEERING<i>Sorry, I haven't posted in a while. It's spring and the garden and the house need lots of work. I'll get back to this eventually.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, I just had to put this up!</i><br />
<br />
<iframe width="400" height="230" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Q51hVC0Lgwg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-60930588623161119372011-05-04T17:40:00.000-05:002011-05-04T17:40:31.982-05:00FOX NEWS CLAIMS BIN LADEN IS DEAD - DECEMBER 26, 2001<blockquote>"Usama bin Laden has died a peaceful death due to an untreated lung complication, the Pakistan Observer reported, citing a Taliban leader who allegedly attended the funeral of the Al Qaeda leader.<br />
<br />
"The Coalition troops are engaged in a mad search operation but they would never be able to fulfill their cherished goal of getting Usama alive or dead," the source said.<br />
<br />
Bin Laden, according to the source, was suffering from a serious lung complication and succumbed to the disease in mid-December, in the vicinity of the Tora Bora mountains. The source claimed that bin Laden was laid to rest honorably in his last abode and his grave was made as per his Wahabi belief."<br />
<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,41576,00.html">Fox News</a></blockquote>Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-5241435469238675602011-05-04T09:08:00.002-05:002011-05-04T11:53:47.752-05:00RIDING THE PEAK OIL ROLLER COASTER<iframe src="http://www.businessinsider.com/embed?id=4dc140ccccd1d56158750000&width=400&height=430" width="400" height="430" border="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><br />
<br />
<blockquote>"If you're searching for early signs that higher gasoline prices are starting to weigh on consumer demand, you might want to look at the latest SpendingPulse report from Mastercard Advisors..<br />
<br />
Overall, April sales trends are mixed, with some sectors showing continued year-over-year growth, while others are flat or even negative, according to the report, which tracks sales across all payment methods.<br />
<br />
The late timing of Easter, which shifted some sales from March into April, may make intepretations a little bit murky, but there are a few datapoints that suggest high gasoline prices—which are now topping an average of $3.96 a gallon nationwide—are starting to have an impact on consumer behavior."<br />
<a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/42880852">CNBC</a><br />
<br />
"U.S. retail gasoline demand fell last week as prices continued to climb, MasterCard Advisors' SpendingPulse report showed on Tuesday.<br />
<br />
Average weekly gasoline demand dropped 1 percent from the previous week, MasterCard said."<br />
<a href="http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFEGE7DB01F20110503">Reuters</a></blockquote><br />
<i>I've been wondering where the breaking point would be this time, where the price of fuel would intersect with the ability of people to pay it and then it would begin to depress the economy like it did in 2008. Then it had to get to $147.00 a barrel. This time it appears that somewhere around $112.00 will do it.<br />
<br />
I knew that we'd never get to $147.00 because the economy is in tatters. It's not the debt fueled, high speed machine it was prior to the first run up in oil. So what's the next step?<br />
<br />
I heard Stuart Varney say on Fox this morning that he thought we were going to see the price of gas plateau somewhere around $4.00 a gallon and them begin to drop off. He said that supply is high and demand is falling and he's right on both points. And we should expect to see this sort of see-saw pricing, the price of fuel going up and down, with each peak coming sooner and doing more damage as the economy grinds to a halt and demand for fuel falls, along with demand for everything else not essential to survival. I expect the low points in pricing will become higher and higher with each cycle, too. The dollar is collapsing at the same time the price is falling so regardless of demand and supply the cost of crude will continue to rise.<br />
<br />
And then we have China. Can they survive without America buying their goods? I don't know. I do know that our good friends Saudi Arabia are </i><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/business/global/21energy.html">busy right now cutting a deal with them</a> <i>to supply them the oil they used to send our way. I know that part of this deal will, in probably fairly short order, replace the dollar as the worlds reserve currency with the yuan. And our ability to buy oil on the open market will dwindle. And honestly, if we can't pay the price we're not going to get the product. It'll go to the countries that can.<br />
<br />
When we lose our ability to get oil, cheaply and abundantly, everything changes in America and we haven't done a thing to get ready for it. If we are forced to live off what we can produce then just get ready to lower your lifestyle expectations. And believe me, the day of reckoning is coming like a freight train full of coal.<br />
<br />
So, short term get ready to see the price of fuel fall a bit and then to see an uptick in the economy. The press and the government (the same thing, really) will tout this as evidence of a recovery and we'll be told happy days are here again. Don't believe it. Act and prepare like everything is about to change and the economy is still collapsing because it will be. It'll just be hidden for a very short while.<br />
<br />
The next cycle we'll see a slowdown at a lower cost per barrel. How many more cycles can we ride this roller coaster? I don't know but I think not many.<br />
<br />
So get prepared and pray because the worst is yet to come. </i><br />
<br />
<b>UPDATE: DOLLAR AT THREE YEAR LOW</b><br />
<br />
<blockquote>"The dollar fell to a fresh three-year low on Wednesday and the euro briefly rose above $1.49 as weaker-than-expected U.S. employment data convinced investors that U.S. interest rates would remain low this year.<br />
<br />
The yen also hit a six-week high against the dollar after data showed the pace of growth in the dominant U.S. services sector also slowed unexpectedly in April, another sign the U.S. economy may be hitting a soft patch. See [ID:nN04186623]<br />
<br />
With markets worried about a yawning U.S. budget deficit, traders said signs of slower growth will only add to trouble for the dollar, which fell to a three-year low against major currencies Wednesday. It has lost 7.7 percent in 2011. <.DXY><br />
<br />
"The dollar got beat up pretty badly against the euro," said Firas Askari, head of foreign exchange trading at BMO Capital Markets. "The U.S. fiscal situation is a concern. Now it seems the U.S. economy isn't just tepid but actually cooling off again. That's not encouraging."<br />
But Askari and others said concerns about slower U.S. growth also dulled appetite for commodities and higher-yield assets for fear a U.S. slump would reverberate globally."<br />
<a href="http://my.news.yahoo.com/forex-dollar-rises-investors-trim-stretched-positions-053234273.html">Yahoo</a></blockquote><br />
<i>All this means is that regardless of demand it will take more dollars to buy a barrel of oil. I can see two results that will come of this. One, the demise of the dollar as the worlds reserve currency is getting closer and closer. The rest of the world is losing faith in it and there is considerable pressure from China and Russia to create a basket of currencies to replace it. And two, as the dollar weakens and takes our economy with it the price of oil will rise at the same time the demand shrinks here in America, which should drive the cost at the pump down, narrowing the margins for the oil companies. At some point, and I really don't know when this will happen, they'll decide that they can make more money elsewhere and pretty much leave us sucking hind tit.<br />
<br />
The result will be fuel shortages which will destroy our economy and way of life. When the trucks that carry the food can't get fuel to bring it to the stores what do you think is going to happen? When we can't get fuel to go to work what's going to happen? When manufacturers can't get fuel to move their products what do you think will happen? What happens when utility companies can't get fuel to run the trucks that keep our infrastructure up and going?<br />
<br />
It won't take long at all for everything we take for granted to just go away. And that time is right around the corner.<br />
<br />
And when it happens, and I'm convinced it will, will some one or some group try to use the pain and confusion to leverage a new political system, something that voids the Constitution and the rights it protects? If the pain is bad enough most people will accept anything.<br />
<br />
Remember the North American alliance and the new currency, the Amero? I wonder whatever happened to that? </i>Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3857800884501324974.post-53475777172277290812011-05-03T09:38:00.001-05:002011-05-03T09:42:35.456-05:00TIME TO PICK UP OUR BALL AND GO HOME<i>This guy gets it:</i><br />
<br />
<blockquote>"A lot of people believe the world as we know it is going to end on December 23, 2012. Nonsense, I say. The far more honest answer is that the end of the world as we know it has already begun. And it doesn't mean the end of the world; it means the closing of one era and the birth of a new one. It is a transition between the ages. This particular transition, however, promises to be the most tumultuous and costly transition humankind has ever seen.<br />
<br />
But don't wait around for December 2012 to look for the signs. Here are 14 signs that the world as we know it is unraveling right now. We are living through the end of one era and the birth of a new one. In the future, they'll look back and call this all one moment in history, but when you're living through it, it seems to move forward at almost a snail's pace. But make no mistake: We are living through the opening chapters of the end of the world as we know it, and on the other side of all this will emerge a new world that's very different from the one we know today..."<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/032258_economic_collapse_2012.html">To read more go to Natural News.</a></blockquote><br />
<i>All the end of the world predictions are wrong. It's not ending, just changing. And the period between now and then is going to become increasingly chaotic. We are just in the beginning stages.<br />
<br />
The powers that be, both in the corporate world and governmental, which are pretty much the same thing, will try to use this period of transition to consolidate power and control. The New World Order that we've all been hearing about is real and it's coming. Order, defined as a forced imposition of structure, is the key word. Our freedom is being eroded at an increasing rate, whether through major changes such as the devaluation of currency or the little things like being forced to submit to the most demeaning abuses just to get on a plane. We're being trained slowly, piece by de-humanizing piece, to accept control, so when the real restrictions come we won't fight them.<br />
<br />
The one small hope that we have to come through this, not painlessly but free, is to resist all the power arrayed against us. To tell the politicians and CEO's that we don't like the way they've changed the rules of the game and it's our ball anyway so we're just going to pick it up and go home. And do it.<br />
<br />
How? Opt out as much as you can. This starts with mental preparation. Get used to the idea that life is going to change. Learn to live as independently as you can. Grow your own food to the extent you can and for those things you can't, such as meat, look for local farmers that you can buy it from. It supports the local economy and disconnects you and the farmer from the agricultural system built to support corporate farms and giant petrochemical concerns.<br />
<br />
Learn the old ways because they're going to become vital once again. How many can sew, can, make candles, heat with wood or use tools effectively anymore. How do you get potable water when the water plant stops working? Have you got some chickens? What about stores of useful pieces of what most would consider trash but in reality are pieces of reusable stuff that can be used for repairs or building the things you need. Remember how our grandparents saved stuff because, "You just might need it someday?"<br />
<br />
Create local networks because as our old giant world comes apart, and if you want to retain your freedom, your world will have to shrink to a local and manageable level. In our new/old world oil won't be available at the levels it is now so transportation options will return to a more limited group, such as walking, bicycles (until the tires go and we can't replace them because they're made of oil) and for those that can afford them and have the ground and barns, horses. The local network will be vital because in our old/new world things will be like they've been through most of human history and most people may never get more than a couple days walk from where they were born, live and die.<br />
<br />
In short, read your history and start to think in terms, if we're lucky, of the lifestyle of the average American in the 1880's - 1890's. Of course, it may take us a while to get back to that level of comfort because we're going to have to pass through hell first as the riots and unrest consume society during the collapse.<br />
<br />
But the thing is, we don't have to go through hell if we just accept reality and force the issue in our favor by not going along with the program. Pick up our ball and go home. Just say no. It's really that easy. Want to stop the full body scans at airports? Stop flying. If everyone would just, say for a week or two, absolutely refuse to board a plane, the laws would change. The oligarchy that controls our government can't stand to lose the money.<br />
<br />
Tired of the controls the pharmaceutical oligarchy places on our ability to use the drugs that nature provides instead of the manufactured variants they control? Stop using so many drugs. Some people need them to live so their choices are limited. But really, we've become a country of addicts, addicted to pain pills, diet pills and psychoactive happy pills just because we won't man up and deal with life's little problems. Most of these drugs weren't available even 40 years ago yet somehow we got along just fine. STOP TAKING THEM! Learn to use the natural alternatives as much as possible or take nothing at all. If you hurt or feel down, what's wrong with a beer or two? Beats the hell out of Prozac. And you can make your own beer, too.<br />
<br />
By the way, how come your local pharmacist can't go back to making and supplying the drugs the way they used to? Why do we have to have a doctors prescription for everything we buy? Aren't the pharmacists trained to make, manage and supply pharmaceuticals like they used to be? If not, what happened? <br />
<br />
Barter or trade. Disconnect from the Fed's fiat currency as much as possible. Get out of debt. Tear up the credit cards. <br />
<br />
Pick up our ball and go home.<br />
<br />
If it's possible we need to do this on a national level by forcing our reps to disengage our troops and bring them back. All of them. We were never meant to be an empire and we're not suited to it. Stop defending Europe. Let them bear the cost. Without us there Europe will return to form with wars between families, towns and countries but that seems to be their way. Why should we care? The Middle East will go the same way but again, how is that our problem? Israel can defend herself.<br />
<br />
We're going to have far less ability to maintain our defense oligarchy so we need to reduce it back to a level that can defend our country and nothing more. Tell the rest of the world to stay out of our business and we'll stay out of theirs. And remind them that we still have our nukes.<br />
<br />
Pick up our ball and go home.<br />
<br />
We each have a ball and we each need to make the decision. If each individual, then each family, then each community refuses to play then the game will end. Then a new game will start and because we have the ball we can set the rules. If we give the ball away then the oligarchy will set the rules.<br />
<br />
Pick up YOUR ball and go home. <br />
<br />
Then get ready to sit it out 'til the new game starts. It's going to be really hard and the oligarchy will offer you all kinds of things to bring the ball back. Don't do it. The ball is all you've got. <br />
<br />
The ball is freedom.<br />
</i>Catawissa Gazetteerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939761313614220536noreply@blogger.com1