Frustration

Frustration is a peculiar thing. It can build up and build up to where the thing that you are frustrated by can seem to envelope your world. This has been true with me lately. Two things have been really frustrating to me of late...Work and Politics. Each for there own reason they have been, well, frustrating to me. I could probably write a complete entry on just how mad and frustrated I am over Congress lately. But I won't.
Instead I want to focus on how, particularly at this time of year, we should look past the frustration at what really matters.
Are you healthy? Do you have a home? Do you have a job? Do you have friends? Do you have family who love you and care about you? Do you have Freedom...freedom to chose what you want to eat...freedom to chose what you want to wear.....freedom to chose where you live, how you work, what you do....Freedom to chose who you pray to, if you will pray?
These are only a few of the real questions we should be asking and concerned about. I am sooo grateful..grateful for what I have. Frustration can sometimes rob us of this.
Frustration is like mistakes. Easy to focus on at the expense of everything else. We need to take great care not to define others by their mistakes or the situation by the frustration we feel during it.
Today I have had to step back several times...take a deep breath...exhale....and remember I can let this define me or not. I can let frustration at others, my perception of their incompetence, ruin my day or not.
We have all heard the story of George Washington crossing the Delaware in December. Remember the picture...we all have seen it. George Washington standing majestically at the bow of the boat, tri-cornered hat upon his head. Gazing forward in triumphant glory.
Most don't know the whole story.
The Continental Army had suffered several defeats over the preceding months, once literally escaping between enemy ships while crossing the east river, after they had abandoned all artillery and most of their supplies. Twice forced to leave their food behind. The Army suffering disease and death and desertion dropping from a force of 6,000 men in August to 2,500 men in December. Half of them with no shoes and clothes threadbare. Infested with body lice, sleeping in manure to keep warm as it decomposes, eating nothing for days and then anything that would come their way. This is the scene leading up to this assault across the Delaware.
Washington had planned a last ditch effort to over take the German mercenaries in New Jersey and the British troops stationed North of them. He had to do this, because as of January 1st most of his Army's enlistments were up and the Army would disband and the Revolution would be over. He literally had to risk everything in order to hopefully get a victory to inspire his men to reenlist so the war for freedom could then continue. The password for that night, to distinguish friend from foe....Victory or Death! Chosen on purpose to motivate the men as to the dire situation the Army and Revolution were in.
So, you had a starving, sick, threadbare Army with little supplies, going up against a well fed, well supplied defensively positioned enemy. Who were considered among the best soldiers in the world.
George Washington planned that the Continental Army would start moving out December 25th, cross the river, and attack the enemy in the middle of the night catching them by surprise. He supposed this was the only way they could possibly stand even a remote chance of victory. He himself planned to die that night.
December 25th came, and with it a growing darkening sky. By the time the troops were to start crossing the river it was a full blizzard, a true Nor-east er was blowing. The river now had large ice blocks floating down it. The roads had turned to freezing slimy mud as bare foot soldiers marched along it. Everyone, including Washington's staff, thought the attack would be called off. The weather was too fierce, too bad, too cold for a threadbare Army with no shoes. It would take several additional hours to cross in this weather, unplanned for hours. Frustrating hours.
Indeed, Washington received news that a third of the attacking Army, stationed 40 miles to the south would not be crossing and engaging the enemy because of the storm.
Now there would be even fewer men! Frustratingly fewer. Dangerously fewer.
What frustration filled this scene. All thought God against them. All but one. Washington prayed to God and thanked him for the storm. He saw in this storm a divinely delivered way that he could win this battle. Because NO ONE thought anyone would be out on a night such as this.
So as freezing, starving, bare foot men, marched. Crossing an icy river. Dragging 1 and 2 ton cannons into and out of boats. Along muddy roads. Slipping, breaking bones, crushing feet. Frustration ever present. Moving slowly...too slowly, much too slowly for the sun would be up soon. A commander found grace in the freezing snow and gave thanks for it. He would not let frustration win the fight or rule the night. He did his part and kept moving forward. While an enemy thought all was calm. No one would be out on a night like this.
We all know the rest!
I have had to remember this story today! To put things in perspective.....the right perspective. Remember the questions I asked earlier? Are you loved? I am. Do I have Freedom? Yes. Will I get to chose what I eat today? Yes. Am I warm? Yes.
Thanks be to GOD!

We Must make a Stand for what is Right!

I am Amazed! Amazed at how we have lost our way as a country. The famous words spoken by John F. Kennedy have been forgotten..."Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." These are not just words. They are the sentiment behind the greatness that has lead this country forward for over two hundred years. For generations the understanding and feeling of sacrifice for the betterment of the country was part of our moral fiber. With great sadness, yet full of pride, wives and parents said goodbye to their sons, and more recently daughters, as they went off to defend the needs and interests of this great land.

This seems to be no longer the case. We have arrived at a place where people can stand willingly in line for several hours for "free" money handed out by the government with no thought at all for where that money came from or what price you are paying for it. The chant "Obama..Obama" can be heard in these lines as though he is some great savior sent to redeem these people from some aweful unfairness. Blindly they follow him with outstretched arms to receive the crumbs falling from his beneficent hands. Like Hansel and Gretel being lead to the ovens while gorging themselves on the "free" goodies provided.

We have reached a place where common decency and a genuine caring for those truly unable to care for themselves no longer satiate our hunger. With good intentions we started programs to help those truly deserving. With great speed the corruption of these programs followed as politicians learned, what Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin warned against, that votes are more easily won by giving from the treasury than by hard decisions and doing what is right for the country. To HELL with the consequences.

We have reached those consequences. We have a debt that can no longer be sustained. We are not talking "choose" to sustain it, but actually, literally cannot sustain it. Just as the Soviet Union fell, not by invasion, but by the laws of economics. We have reached that end. We have a choice to make. We can either do what is right for the country or not. We can make a decision that will leave Freedom and this great Country as an inheritance to our children or we can worry about "what's in it for us". Please take a stand.

I have sent the follwing letter to all of my Representatives. Please, if you agree with me then send your own letter expressing your views and concerns. Become involved. Let them know you will be involved in either their re-election or their defeat. Please....Please....Stand Up!

Dear Senator,
I am writing you to voice my great concern about the upcoming vote concerning Healthcare. I have been in the healthcare industry for over twenty years. Never have I been concerned about the future of healthcare in America until now.

With lightening speed it seems that forces have conspired to not only demonize those in the field of medicine, but the industry itself. They use entities such as the AMA and AARP as examples of the good that this bill contains. They do not publicize the fact that only 17% of all physicians are members of the AMA, they do not speak for physicians, in fact quite the opposite. AARP supports this bill because they are poised to make billions off of providing the now mandatory Medicare Gap insurance. To say they support the bill for any other reasons is disingenuous. Otherwise they would not hide the fact of their making Billions off of the changes.

I know dozens of physicians, from all walks of life and specialties, and to almost a person they agree that with the passing of this bill up to 25% of physicians will retire. It is almost a certainty that 10-15% would retire within 6 months. This would be not only a devastating blow to the healthcare system in terms of waiting times and providing for the sick and injured. But this would add to the unemployment rate of the country as tens of thousands of office staff and support people would be laid off from physician offices that close down. I know this to be true as this is the plan in the office I manage. We would have no choice; if the physician leaves there is no business.

With the retirement of these physicians we would lose the vast majority of the physicians with the greatest amount of experience and knowledge. These are the physicians who have been out of school long enough to pay back their loans and make their money. These are the teaching physicians! This would leave physicians to fill our Emergency rooms and surgical suites who have the least amount of experience to deal with a growing elderly population.

I cannot express how concerned and frightened I am for the future of this Country. This is not what the Founders envisioned. Politicians long ago learned that in order to keep their power all they needed to do was give the people they represented money. They do this by giving one entitlement program after another to the people. Instead of making the tough decisions and telling the people no, like parents of spoiled children they consistently say yes, when the best interest of the child is a strong NO. You are as much to blame concerning this as all the rest.

However, I am writing now in hopes that the lessons have been learned. The spoiled child has run amuck. He is in trouble with the law, the law of economics. The country is literally about to implode, succumbing to its own debt. Let me please remind you that every great country or empire in the past failed not from military conquest but by internal failings, most often economic collapse.

For some reason, lost to me, people seem to think that America will always be here. That we as citizens and elected representatives can do whatever we want and somehow it will not have lasting consequences to the country and the stability of it. The Soviet Union fell by economics not an invasion. We can literally destroy this country. Ask the Romans, Syrians, Greeks, Persians, Britain, Spain, it is very possible for countries to collapse, for empires to cease to exist, for greatness to dwindle.

Senator, unless you vote no to this legislation and continue to vote no to spending, not just diminishing the amount of money, but actually say no more money. We too as a country will fail. The beginnings are already in the works. You have been elected to represent me and my family, as with all the families of Utah. Please sir, do your job and vote no to this bill.

I would quake in my boots and not sleep well at night if I thought that due to my actions and pursuit of power I was involved with the failing of the greatest country that has ever existed. It is more than about you, represent the people who sent you to Washington and vote no to any more spending.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey D. Wood

Things every American should know

There are certain things that each and every American should know to be responsible and good citizens. Unfortunately, most if not all of these things are not taught in public education.


This is not everything you should know, as that requires continuing education and involvement in current politics and government, but the basics that will help you understand your role as a citizen in this, the greatest Country every created by man.


They are:

1. The American Independence movement didn't start in 1776. That is when 37 brave men committed treason by signing their names to a document announcing their commitment to Independence. It had been moving forward for the space of almost 20 years by that time.


2. The war of Independence lasted 5 years. Longer than WWII. From 1776 to 1781. It ended with the treaty of Versailles in Paris.


3. The Constitution did not exist then. We had at the end of the war what was known as the Articles of Confederation. A loosely worded document that gave no power to any central government, just an agreement with the states to TRY and work together.


4. The Articles of Confederation lasted 6 years. With not much if any thing being done because none of the States could agree with one another.


5. The Constitutional Convention began in late spring of 1787 and lasted until early fall 1787. It had 55 delegates attending. Not all States sent delegates. Not all delegates voted for it.


6. It took two years for the States to ratify (agree to) the Constitution, from 1787 to 1789. George Washington was sworn in as the first President in the Spring of 1789. 13 years after the start of the war.


7. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution deal with Slavery and it's abolishment in the Country. For over 100 years it was the Democrat party voicing its opposition to these amendments and trying to subvert them. While the Republican Party were fighting for and advocating for freedom of all blacks.


8. The U.S. Supreme Court failed to uphold these amendments with one of its rulings. Headed by a Democrat Chief Justice and a Democrat President. This allowed the practice of segregation to be used and proliferate for almost 100 years.


9. The 19th Amendment gave the right to vote to Women. This came after Strong opposition by a Democrat controlled Congress and a unsympathetic Democrat President. Several Women went to prison and suffered untold hardships. This process went on for almost 40 years to allow all women the right to vote.

Corruption was one of the greatest worries of the Founding Fathers. A quote:

"He who is void of virtuous attachments in private life, is, or very soon will be void of all regard for his Country. There is seldom an instance of a man guilty of betraying his Country, who had not before lost the feeling of moral obligations in his private connections." Samuel Adams, A letter to James Warren, November 4, 1775.

Take care to pay attention to what is going on. Stand Up for what is right and help save this great Country.

ENOUGH!

I know I need to do better. It has been quite some time since I wrote on this. I encourage all readers to write, non-stop, your Representatives and express similar sentiments.

Dear Senator,
I am very disheartened by what is going on in Washington. I never thought in my wildest dreams that America would be turning to the course that it is. We need to slow down and return to the heading we were on the first 100 years of this country’s existence. Unfortunately, I don’t see you doing that. It seems to me that you are so worried about getting re-elected that it is no longer IF we need the programs, but how do we tweak it in a Republican way. I refute this notion.
We do not need Government health care, and we don’t need government getting in the way….not any longer. What we do need are strong willed representatives who will say STOP IT! And STOP IT NOW. We need representatives who will start cutting and, here’s a novel idea, actually eliminating programs and entire departments.
We no longer have the money…PERIOD! Sadly it seems to me that you are choosing not to be fiscally conservative with my money. Your way of thinking is the same as the Democrats of the 90’s, hollering that if we reduce the amount of growth of a program then it is a cut. That is what Republicans in both houses are sounding like. Instead of saying NO, JUST PLAIN NO, you and your counterparts are saying “let’s have the program just not as big as the Democrats want”.
This is what you and all of the other Representatives need to understand, it is not the size of the program or the degree to which the government is involved with it. IT IS THE PROGRAM!
It is as though poverty, illness, and sadness didn’t exist in the first 150 years of this country. When the Founders were framing the Constitution and stating to what extent the government would get involved they knew people were then, just as they are now, sick, hungry, poor and had the chance to be miserable. It isn’t that they didn’t care, in fact they cared greatly. They knew the best way to help the most was for government to get out of their way and to allow people to experience poverty as the best motivator to self improvement.
Several of the Founding Fathers wrote about this and the problem with government trying to solve it. In essence saying “Once government sees that they can vote themselves a raise and give money to the poor, essentially buying votes, then the Republic is in danger”.
Sir that is what you have done. You have CHOSEN to discard the wisdom of the people who wrote the plan and have backed several attempts at doing precisely what they cautioned against. And now you want to say that “well I’m not at fault for the problem”. Yes you are and you continue to be. Until you have the spine to stand against the Washington Machine and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! And actually start repairing some of the damage, then you are to blame as well as your colleagues.
I am no longer going to be a part of this. Come the first chance that I have I am going to vote you out of office. You might still win, but at least I can hold my head up and know I said ENOUGH! Not anymore, not on my watch. When I die and I meet the Founding Fathers and they ask me what I did to preserve the Constitution and uphold Freedom for the world as a shining example for all. I will know I did my best.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey D. Wood

Hard Work

What is the value of work? It seems to me most of us try to avoid this at all cost's. We do anything to put off or avoid spending any energy or as little as we can anyway. The harder a job is the more likely we are to avoid it at all cost's. I know because I am guilty of this too, just ask my wife.

And yet how foolish! My wife's boss has a saying she signs off of each email with. It says "We can do hard work". This to me is inspired.

In today's culture it seems that no one is willing to sacrifice or do hard work. And yet they hold it against those of us who do. To get an education is hard work. You need to sacrifice time with friends and family and often doing things that you would rather do. Like reading a book you want to instead of have to. Math! For most of us is very hard. This is probably why I am not a physician, math has been a very hard subject to me. And yet science has been a very natural, easy subject for me. Go figure!

We need to do a better job of teaching hard work to our youth. Many are mislabeling racism and lack of opportunity as really an unwillingness to do hard work. Many feel that getting a job at McDonald's is somehow beneath them. Or if they are asked to clean a toilet, mop a floor, empty a garbage that they are somehow being singled out and persecuted. This is nonsense. I am 45 years old. Except for the time I was in Junior High and High School during the school year. I have not had more than 6 months cumulative of being unemployed in my life since being 13 years old. Now I gratefully acknowledge the kindness of a loving Heavenly Father in this, still it is also due to my willingness to take any job I could get to take care of myself and my family. I have cleaned many toilets and done worse in my lifetime. I have never felt like something was beneath me. I have acknowledged early in my life that it is no ones business or duty to take care of me or my family, but me.

So much of this has been lost today. It is the Governments job somehow to take care of us if things become hard. My wife has headed up for several years various charity drives and sub for Santa drives at Christmas. My children and I have often helped her with these. It has never stopped amazing me and my wife how many people come to these for help who are driving brand new, better cars than me. Ladies come with manicured finger and toe nails. Expensive hand bags and cell phones. Somehow the logic has been instilled that "we deserve these things, it is our "right" to have them, if this means spending money on them first and then going to the food bank or sub for Santa because I had to have them first over saving, then so be it".

Now we have people who are saying "If I am poor it is the responsibility of the government to take from the rich so it is more even". How about a novel idea. If you don't like being poor, then work hard! Sacrifice to go to school to make a better life. Does this mean you will ever be "rich", NO! But it does mean that you won't be poor!

I am trying to teach this to my youngest son right now. If it is hard, that doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't do it. Life is not always fair, in fact it usually isn't. Some people may not have to work very hard to make a living, or may have things handed to them. This is the exception. Most people have to work hard for their money, what ever money they get. Most aren't willing to work HARDER still to move from middle class to rich. It can be done. I want him to learn this lesson.

I love the ad on television that shows a pair of young brothers being told by their father to build a brick wall around their dad's business. This wall was expected to be 6 feet tall and all the way around the business and to be done right. Not sloppy. They sacrificed their whole summer building this wall. While friends went off to play or party, they worked. They worked into the night and sweated during the day. But at the end it was done and done well. It looked beautiful. The father came out and said simply "don't ever tell me you can't do something just because it is hard". What a lesson.

Teach your children to work! To not shy away from hard work. This is one of the most valuable lessons you can teach them. After all when God created the world he "rested" on the seventh day; implying it was WORK to build the earth. Even God needed to work to fulfill his plans.

Stand up! And work hard at what you do and don't accept the notion that because others don't want to the results should be equal.

The loss of Words

I have not written in my blog for awhile, quite frankly because I didn't know what to say. That is not to say that there wasn't a lot going on worthy of commentary. More along the lines of "overload"! Overload of how fast things can turn, often for the worse.

I am absolutely amazed at the speed of which things are changing. And I am sadden by it. Never did I think in my youth that I would see this. I just saw an episode of "My three sons", how I long for those days in which we had civil respect and duty. Something in my soul whispers to me there is a purpose behind this, although I'm not entirely sure as to what that may be. I know there have been periods in history where it seems the forces for evil and wrong have moved swiftly, feeling as though their opportunity to instill their vision, plans and will was limited. I think this is one of those times.

Things in Washington D.C. never turn backwards. We can all see the incredible spending and waste that the Federal Government has committed in the areas of education and welfare. And yet these programs are never trimmed back or cut, they are only added too. I think this is what is fueling this time in Washington. (Funny, I believe if George Washington were alive today and saw how things were being done in the city that bears his name, he would immediately sue to have it renamed) The Liberals who have taken over know that their time is limited. They can only do so much and the people will speak and speak out loudly, so knowing this they have to work fast, very fast. Because once passed, once enacted, there will be no turning back.

This is why it is so very important to stay vigilant, focused on what Washington and your Representatives are doing.

The framers of "OUR" Constitution and Country gave us a gift, such a priceless gift that I feel we are not truly aware of it's value most of the time. They gave us Freedom to have Self Determination. Think of it, never before in human history has this happened in as much completeness as it did then....and now. Also, think of it, isn't this the very thing that GOD himself said was inviolate and a war fought over. Freedom to have Self Determination!

Benjamin Franklin was asked after the Constitutional Convention was over, what form of government did the framers give us. He responded...A Republic.....If you can keep it.
He knew that a Republic is the most precious of forms of government. It allows for the greatest amount of Freedom and Self Determination. And yet it also requires the greatest amount of oversight and involvement by its people. This is why so many of our framers were quoted as saying in essence. "It is up to the people to stay educated and informed in order to preserve this form of government and their freedoms". It is up to us to "keep it".

Please I beg of all who read this. Go and purchase, if you can't afford it let me know and I will buy you one, and have your friends purchase one, Glenn Beck's newest book: Glenn Beck's Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine. I am reading this book and it is inspired! I would want every one to read this book. The government is out of control and it is because we have fallen asleep and not kept up our end of the bargain. Brave men and women will die and suffer to give us the gift of freedom and self determination. But it is up to us to watch over and supervise those who represent us. We have let others do the heavy lifting.

Enough is Enough. Won't you Stand Up with me and take back our Constitution and "keep" the Republic that George Washington and Ben Franklin and the others gave us. STAND UP!

The Wonder of a Leader

This is a blog entry that I made several months ago and forgot to hit "publish" so it never went out. I just noticed it today. I don't know if it is done or not.

Leadership! A concept I have been impressed upon to study somewhat lately. Leaders have existed throughtout history, but what is more important is the impact that leaders have upon groups or communities.

I look at Hitler, Stalin, Bob Jones, and Hugo Chavez. How they could have gone another way. They all have leadership qualities but instead of governing by teaching, then allowing the people to govern themselves they fell victim to pride and power.

I look at the media today and their utter devotion to President Barrack Obama. They do not ask the hard questions, I think because it will show his lack of Leadership. Any state senator who votes "present" as much as he did, instead of yes or no, on the bill being voted upon, doesn't have or show the Leadership neccessary to be President.

A famous person, a true Leader said "Teach them correct principles and let them govern themselves". We should look at this in the face of Socialism and Communism and Dictators. The God of Heaven does not require or expect blind following or forced following. We are to "ask" and "study things out" for ourselves. Then if they be true use them to govern ourselves, not by force but by choice.

A Leader makes choices, hopefully based upon sound and true principles, but choices non the less. He Leads. It is impossible to lead from behind, that is called pushing. As such we need to stand as examples of what to do. Choices are not always easy. It is not always "freeing" the Thanksgiving turkey on that fourth Thursday in November. You do not always have the luxury to hold up your finger and see which way the wind of popular sentiment is blowing. Often, usually too often, you will not have all of the facts or know all of the circumstances when you will be required to make a decision. But the decision needs to be made. Usually those who do not know will be critical of the decision they were not forced to make. "Present" is not a choice.

A leader leads and cares for those he is responsible for. General Washington, during the Revolutionary war, got so frustrated with the dire circumstances that his troops were living under. That he threatened Congress he would turn and march on Congress if they failed to respond to his demand for supplies.

The world is lacking true and honest Leaders. Most people worry too much about what the world is thinking or what they will say about your decision or if it will hurt my chances for further office. So they don't lead, they follow public sentiment.

Where would we be today if George Washington had this opinion?

Always Lead! Never Follow! Stand Up!

The loss of Common Sense

During the early moments of the Revolutionary War a poor journalist by the name of Thomas Paine wrote a missive entitled "Common Sense". In it he enumerated many points of the war that were "common Sense" and hence should be endorsed.

Fast forward to today. It seems the loss of common sense has been raised to a new high. Much of Washington's policies fly in the face of common sense. Take debt. It does not take a genius to realize that you can not continue to spend more than you make. You might be able to get by for a little while, while you find people who are still willing to lend you money, but ultimately you can not continue this trend. Eventually the bill comes due and you need to pay.

Somehow Washington has lost sight of this. We have continued to spend more than we make for so long that it is now considered normal and "good", part of being compassionate. However we reached an interesting point last week. We have reached the point where no one is willing to loan us money any more. At least under the same terms as historically in the past. The Federal Reserve announced they are going to buy and or guarantee our debt.

Now think of this, really think of this in the terms of a person. A person spends more money than he makes. Year after year this happens and he survives by each year finding someone who is willing to loan him money, enough to pay off his debt. Now this individual is still spending more than he makes and interest on the loan is always accruing. So each year he gets further and further in the hole. Until finally he can not find any one who is willing to loan him money. So what does he do, he lends himself money. He tells all the people who he owes money to not to worry because he has decided to fund his own debt.

Now it doesn't take a lot of common sense to realize this is insanity. He has no money. How can he fund his own debt. Yet this is what your Federal Government has done last week. This is very, very dangerous. Common Sense tells us so.

Thomas Paine's pamphlet "Common Sense" was hugely popular. George Washington commanded that it be read to all of the troops in the Continental Army. Yet, he was a poor man and still he decided that he would donate all proceeds from this pamphlet to the congress to help fund the war. This helped immensely with servicing the debt of the fledgling nation. Common sense tells us, and told him, that someone needed to pay for the costs, of the then, Federal Government, including fighting a war.

We need to get back to this thinking. We need to stand up and tell our Representatives in Washington D. C. this is our money. Spend it wisely. If we don't have it, don't spend it. Please let them know, speak up loudly!

By the way Thomas Paine died penniless! What is your commitment to FREEDOM!

How did we come to this?

I wonder? I watch with amazement at what is going on. And I think how, how did we come to this? It is with puzzlement that, to me, this is happening at all.

I remember growing up and listening to my parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles sitting around discussing politics. I was young and often didn't understand everything that was being said. Not to mention the often heated nature of the discussions. But what I do remember was the over all consensus that America was and is great! I remember how they discussed Socialism and Communism. I remember sitting in my grandmothers living room while they were reading the Socialist Manifesto. And how it said America would become Socialist with not a shot being fired. I thought this amazing, how could someone write such absurdity. America become Socialist and no one would care? Not a shot fired in her defense. Crazy!

Fast forward to 2009. The government will control or have a vested interest in 35% of the nations GDP. This is up from 27% in 2007. How, how could this happen. One article recently said America is technically a socialist state as of this year. When the government has control over one third of the nations businesses, this is Socialism. So how did we get here?

It seems the old adage is true. The more things change the more they stay the same. This has happened by implementing the same old tried and true methods as countless despot's have in the past. They are.

1. Control the education of the young. It is with the young that possibilities exist for great change. Many social radicals have understood this. Hitler made this one of his top priorities upon taking control of the government. Indoctrinating the young by controlling what is taught to them can and will have profound consequences on the future. I want you to think of a communist or dictator ran country where schools have not been controlled by the government. You can't think of any can you. This is because they realize the strength of utilizing this insidious tool. This might be why so many people over the years have called for the abolishment of the federal department of education and yet have met with stiff opposition to this by liberals. Education has historically been the domain of the states and local communities. This was changed and has resulted in the expenditure of countless billions of dollars and yet America's youth have steadily declined in test scores and the ability to perform well on standardized testing. Currently America's youth rank towards the bottom of all industrialized nations, and some third world nations, in their ability to perform math and science calculations. Reading is sub par and critical thinking is almost unheard of. But what is truly sad and more to the point of this message is that government is not being taught at all. Not really. They do not teach the words of the founding fathers. The history books have been rewritten to vilify them and make their contribution to the world minimised. It used to be that you had to say the pledge of allegiance before class every day. You had to memorize the preamble of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Now these things are used as comedy fodder on late night TV shows to show the ignorance of the American people. Thomas Jefferson said "An educated populace is essential for good government". Diogenes also said "The foundation of every state is the education of its youth". Karl Marx, the founder of the Communist party and system, said "If you can cut the people off from their history, then they can be easily persuaded". Learn about your government, be active in it and hold those elected accountable for what they do.


2. Control the Media. This was something the Third Reich understood very clearly. So much so that one of Hitler's closest supporter was placed in charge of propaganda. People do not choose evil or tyranny very easily. Most people are good. They have to be convinced that "this is the best for them and the country". Slowly they have to be "taught". This is best done by controlling what information they are subjected to. Once again, think of a Communist country with a free press. You can't. Adolf Hitler said "The broad masses of a population are more amenable to the appeal of rhetoric than to any other force". Now think of how infatuated we are with "Pop Culture". What Paris Hilton or Brittany Spears is doing is much more important than how your Congressman voted or even who he is. My kids hate how I try and talk to them about politics. It is not fun for them. What I am trying to tell them is "Flash and Show" don't matter. What is being said is more important than how it is being said. Adolf Hitler also said "How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don't think". Now, couple this with point number one. Have a generation who can not critically think and who do not know their history. Who are obsessed with "Style" not substance. Let us remember what Diogenes said "The foundation of every state is the education of its youth". Indeed through control of the media we can control what information the youth have to learn their history from. And as the old saying goes "Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it".


3. Class Envy. This is probably the most insidious part of the plan because it is often couched in charity and caring. Noble traits that everyone should have and try to do better at. Think of the fable of Robin Hood, some how it seems right that we should be able to take from the rich and give to the poor. After all the poor are suffering and hungry, often cold with little if anything to wear. There is a quote from Thomas Jefferson that I believe sums it up the best "The care of every man's soul belongs to himself. But what if he neglect the care of it? Well what if he neglect the care of his health or his estate, which would more nearly relate to the state. Will the magistrate make a law that he not be poor or sick? Laws provide against injury from others; but not from ourselves. God himself will not save men against their wills". Also, Abraham Lincoln said "Property is the fruit of labor. Property is desirable, is a positive good in the world. That some should be rich shows that others may become rich and hence is just encouragement to industry and enterprise. Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another, but let him work diligently to build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence". It seems class envy has been around forever. We read in the 10 commandments that we should not covet. We shouldn't look at what or who someone else has or is and want it to the point of hurt feelings or misplacing priorities. It should serve as an example of what is possible, what we can become if we work at it. Read this "The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself" –Benjamin Franklin. We are not all guaranteed the same results. If you want to be rich work at it, knowing full well that you might never become rich. This is noted plainly by Thomas Jefferson "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not".

And yet look at what is happening today. Truly the Constitution is hanging by a thread. Under the guise of compassion and caring people can change the very nature of the government. Truly the uneducated, those who don't know their history sit idly by while we have moved ever closer to becoming Socialist and not a shot has been fired.

I would ask everyone to stand up. Start contacting your Representatives in Congress. Let them know how you feel. Watch closely and stay vigilant.