Are you free from fear?
In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson declared that “all men are created equal.” Equality as understood by the founding fathers leads to liberty and the emancipation of creative differences. Wrongly understood, it leads first to conformity and then to despotism. A claim for equality of material possessions and outcomes for all can be met only by a government with totalitarian powers. The Constitution does not guarantee equality of conditions and outcomes. It only guarantees equality of opportunity.
Alexis de Tocqueville after his visit to America observed that “Americans are so enamored of equality that they would rather be equal in slavery than equal in freedom.”
Politicians by exempting themselves from the laws they pass, repudiate the declaration “all men are created equal” and affirm their role as elite rulers over an acquiescent servile citizenry.
Jefferson also warned “When people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty.”
Are you free from fear?
Ed Konecnik
Flushing, New York
Avoid union control of bus transportation
My wife and I found out what happens when unions control bus transportation. We were in Las Vegas over the weekend and had walked a few miles down the Strip when we decided to take a bus back to our hotel. We bought two passes for $12 that would allow us to ride the bus for two hours and then we waited for what seemed like a very long time….about 20 minutes. When the bus arrived we saw that it was very large and double decked….and completely full. The bus sat at our bus stop for several minutes while some people tried to exit the bus and a line of about 50 people attempted to board. It was obviously very difficult for people to get off the bus, partly because of the second deck, and very difficult for people to board because of the large numbers and because people who had already boarded would not move to the back of the bus, probably because they were concerned about being able to get off at their chosen bus stop.
The scene was a mad house and we were not able to board. The next bus was not due to arrive for 20 minutes so we decided to give up our $12 investment and walk back to our hotel.
One might wonder why Las Vegas would use such large buses at such infrequent intervals? I believe it is because the unions lobby for large busses that run as full as possible so that unions can justify very high wages for the bus drivers. The public be damned. I hope we can avoid this fiasco in Arizona and maintain some reliance on market forces so we can have a sane transportation system.
Roy Miller
Phoenix
Glenn Beck and David Barton invitation
Dear Arizona Taxpayer,
We want to invite you to two very special events being held here in Arizona on October 11 and 12. Those two days we are excited to welcome both David Barton and Glenn Beck as they educate and challenge us to "Raise The Standard" on the issue of Common Core.
This event will help support the Kimber Academy which is providing an alternative to the NEA-Common Core-dominated government education system. Both Beck and Barton are donating their time for this cause.
Because Americans for Prosperity-Arizona is dedicated to the cause of fighting Common Core and standing up for choice in education, we are encouraging our friends and supporters to attend this event to help make a difference.
This is your opportunity to hear from two of the nation's top speakers on our rich educational history and heritage. You won't be disappointed!
Here are the details:
Friday, October 11
5 – 6 p.m. - Pre-Show
6 – 10 p.m. - Main Event
Comerica Theater
400 W. Washington Street, Phoenix
Map
Saturday, October 12
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Clearview Cultural Center
1355 S. Clearview Street, Mesa
Map
Ticket link: www.raisethestandard.net/promotion
Username: happy25 Password: happy25
For more information on the Raise The Standard events, please visit RaiseTheStandard.net.
EXEMPT ME, TOO!
Please watch for our written and online statewide petition drive that sends the message to Congress that we regular Americans should also be exempt from Obamacare - just like President Obama's friends.
To sign the petition online, follow this link.
Thank You,
Shane Wikfors
Director of Outreach
Americans for Prosperity - Arizona
[email protected]
Are we just second class drone citizens?
Prior to the arrogant Barack Hussein Obama II, presidents use to negotiate with Congress to pass budgets and increase spending limits.
In times of impending financial collapse, the jet-setting Obama seems to enjoy his "in your face" lavish vacations and dubious expensive "official" trips around the world while creating more and more programs we can't afford. The audacity of Obama questioning the most basic premise of our government's Constitution of the House of Representatives controlling our purse strings! Is it not interesting that the EVIL FEDERAL RESERVE and making Senators less responsible to the people of their respective states happened at the same time in 1913! I would like to remind King Obama and his fellow Democrats who sold us into ObamaCare slavery, that ObamaCaretoday is not the ObamaCare which the Supreme Court, ruled favorably on!
All laws are suppose to apply to all of us equally. Congress and their staff are getting their "OBAMACARE" for as little as 25 percent of what we pay and many privileged people are still not forced to get it. Obamabots...Wake UP!
Sincerely,
Joseph DuPont
Towanda, Pennsylvania
Federal government shutdown
Over 30 years ago the United States and the Soviet Union {as well as the World} came face-to-face with the possibility of nuclear annihilation due to risky political and military brinkmanship. So too today the country is now embroiled in yet another risky political, economic and social game of chicken and whistling Dixie; the likes of which bears a strong threat to the survival of our republic as well as what it means to be a government of the people, for the people and by the people. The issues before the American People are clear; according to the United States Treasury the $16.7 trillion debt ceiling must be raised by October 17, 2013 to avoid a potential default on the U.S. debt. The ramifications of this would be a economic Armageddon for the entire planet. We are already witnessing the effects of this shutdown on our country whether it be through government furloughs all the way to the stoppage of government services not to mention the exponential effect on the private sector. The "sticking point" that appears to be the cause of the impasse between the President, Senate Democrats and House Republicans is the issues surrounding the Affordable Care Act also known as "Obamacare." I don't know if this is the first time that a government shutdown was used as leverage to challenge legislation {that is now the law of the land} at the risk of putting the country and the world in serious jeopardy but it certainly seems very foolish to do so.
In retrospect the goal of extending health care to all Americans should have been the result of expanding Medicaid and not this monstrosity of legislation to overhaul many parts of the health care system that simply don't need fixing. The Affordable Care Act was not presented well from the beginning and should have been passed with bi-partisan agreement not rammed down the throats of the opposition party. Regardless of the pure intentions it should have taken second priority to what has been {and is} really ailing America; unemployment. Job 1 for the President and Congress beginning on January 1, 2009 should have been developing the means to getting this country moving again by helping to unleash America's most powerful machine; it's economy. Bailing out Wall Street and the "banks too big to fail" was one of the dumbest policy decisions made by the President and Congress. The Federal Government should have seized control of these financial institutions {much like the FDIC did with banks that defaulted} and then facilitated the selling off of parts to medium size banks that did not engage in the behaviors that resulted in the "mortgage meltdown." Too late now.
As for getting people back to work the solution is not as complicated as it may appear to be. We need to bring back an agency similar {but not identical} to the Work Progress Administration {WPA} which should take a two-pronged approach. One is the most obvious; hire people to perform the very services {and more} that the private sector will never engage in simply because it is not profitable to do so. The second approach is a wee bit more complicated but can be successful by utilizing private-public partnerships. Let the governments {at all levels} develop a plan to share {temporarily} in the salary expense of unemployed people so that they could work full time, re-gain their lost skills and eventually retain a full time position paid by the private company. This would result in a immediate restoration of lost government revenues as well as help to “prime the pump” for the new found consumer demand. Increasing demand will result in the need for increased supply and hence a increase in production which will result in increased employment. You could think of this “stimulus” plan as a rocket booster that slowly fades away as the economy picks up. Isn’t this what government is supposed to do beyond providing safety for it’s citizens? Is it too late now? I hope not; but to continue to waste time over which side wins {while the rest of the country goes to hell} risks moving America’s dissatisfaction with government to the disbelief of the legitimacy of those who do govern. The question before us all is this: how far down must this country sink before it becomes clear and apparent that current government officials have forfeited their right to govern? Time is running out folks; now do the job you were elected to do and end this shutdown before it reaches a point of calamity that breaks our country and unleashes total anarchy. It’s up to you. Let’s put an end to the whistles of October.
Joe Bialek
Cleveland, Ohio
Freedom of speech vs. freedom of action
British Prime Minister David Cameron is presently taking actions designed to shut down the freedom of those committing horrifically unacceptable atrocities dealing with child pornography and sexual violence against women. For this he should be unquestionably commended. However those furthering the cause of freedom of speech have a problem. They do not see the difference between freedom of speech and freedom of action. The freedom of speech is one thing and freedom of action is quite another. And British Prime Minister David Cameron is proving that point. The freedom of speech argument simply has no place in the debate. It should be noted also that the freedom of speech enthusiasts offer no answer to the problem and are interfering with someone that is seeking an answer.
Robert J. Byrne
Waukegan, Illinois
Hope For Horses Annual Gala
Can you help sell 70 more tickets and donate wine for the wine toss?
Below a quick update as to where we stand with the upcoming Hope for Horses Gala at the Carefree Resort and Conference Center on October 19.
*We have procured over 120 items for the silent and live auctions. Our community has been incredibly generous and we've acquired wonderful and interesting items that hopefully will generate excitement at our event. Look to our Facebook page to see some of the interesting live auction items we are featuring. In this vein, we do not need to procure anything further - thank you for your hard work!
• We've secured tremendous sponsors - The Zuiker Family is our stallion level donor followed by The Document House, Beckham Dental, Turn West Design and Big Bronco Home Furnishings.
• We have a great crew of special guests from the tremendous Dr. Sickler of Carefree Equent to the great folks with Rett Syndrome and Horse Rhythm Foundation - The Rosemann Family of Rockaway Hills Ranch - we will welcome and honor these folks at the gala.
• We've worked tirelessly at promoting the event though various media campaigns, press releases and social media.
• We are in the throws of editing a promotional video that will highlight adoptive families as well as our amazing volunteers.
• We are working on an online catalog that thanks sponsors and outlines all donated items for the event.
• We have new, high fashion t shirts in the works that will be available for sale at the Gala.
Because we've journeyed this road together, you know what a tremendous labor of love this has been. We are just a bit more than three weeks out and I need to ask you for two things -
We need to sell approximately 70 more tickets to make our goal - and our ticket sales close in 2 weeks on October 15th. Can you please reach out to friends, family and co-workers and encourage them to attend? Tickets can be purchased through our website www.triplerhorserescueaz.com (Check out the "Hope for Horses" logo).
Can you please help me secure wine for the wine toss? I need to find approximately 4 cases more of mixed vintages. If you can lend me a hand here, please email me or call me 206-948-2271 and let me know!
Finally, we are going to have our final event planning meeting on Wednesday, October 9, 5:30 p.m. at the rescue. If you've been interested in getting to know more volunteers or in helping out and you can attend, please email me.
Thanks again for all that you do and please let me know of any questions or concerns.
Courtney O
[email protected]
Put a Stop To Government Spying …. NOW
We here at the American Political Action Committee are demanding these lists be destroyed immediately and that Congress take action as quickly as possible to restrict the NSA from recapturing and redeploying this capability ever again.
SIGN THE PETITION TODAY.
NO GOVERNMENT GUN LISTS.
NO SPYING ON AMERICANS.
We must put a stop to this.
The National Rifle Association and American Civil Liberties Union have sued the National Security Agency over its phone-tracking program as revealed by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. The program collects and datamines phone records of millions of Americans, purportedly to prevent terrorism.
But, in fact, it allows the government to make lists of law-abiding American citizens. They then categorize us based on our love of not only guns but liberty, patriotism, family or any number of other things the government deems worthy of their prying observation.
The government does not need these lists for any reason, nor do they have a right to make them. The claims that these lists have been used to foil dozens – or even hundreds, depending on the day – of terrorist attacks are highly suspicious at best and irrelevant in any case. It is our constitutional right to associate with whom we want – publicly and privately – and if we don’t stand up for that right soon, programs like this will take it away forever.
The government has no right to single us out because we own guns, belong to organizations or churches it deems potentially dangerous . Their meddling in our personal, professional or interest-group participation is outrageous and totally at odds with the principles this country was founded on.
The NRA’s brief argues the lists could be used to assemble a gun registry – something Congress has explicitly forbidden the government to do. In fact, it would surprise no one if such a list ALREADY EXISTS. The same criminals that brought us IRS harassment of Tea Party and other patriotic groups and eavesdropping of reporters from the AP and Fox News simply cannot be trusted with this information.
Indeed, the founders of the country understood this and built in strong protections against such actions.
Please consider a donation to help AmeriPAC keep the pressure on.
AmeriPAC wishes to join forces with any groups willing to help us in pressuring Congress to end this illegal spying on regular citizens by their government. It is not needed. It is not wanted. And our Constitution expressly forbids it. We demand Congress take action immediately to end this unwarranted, unwanted and clearly illegal violation of our rights.
Defend America,
Alan M. Gottlieb
Chairman, AmeriPAC
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Tea parties and conservatives upset with Ducey, will not support him for governor
We've never received so many responses to one of our newsletters as this one. The angry reactions from readers have been pouring in.
Ducey has co-hosted not just one, but two town halls with John McCain.
In February, he put on one with McCain about the "Gang of 8," the 8 Senators including McCain and Marco Rubio who were pushing for amnesty. He co-hosted a second town hall last Wednesday with McCain, which we have not received any details on yet. This is how we see it: it would be great if we could all get along as Republicans. But McCain is one of the most liberal Republicans in the Senate. If you can't agree to a bare minimum of opposing Brewer's Obamacare Medicaid expansion - not like we're even asking for him to be prolife or something more arch-conservative - how are you very Republican at all?
Here are four of the responses we received:
Amen. He has shown his colors ...
He won't get any support from us. We're done with the RINOs!
TELL DUCKY THAT TEA PARTY SUPPORT IS GONE!!!!
If Doug Ducey follows our current Governor into office and is attached to the same network of corruption, throw in the attitude of our "Build the dang fence" Senator as his sugar daddy, we will be in worse shape than we are now. Our journey to becoming another California will just speed up.
A m e r i c a n P o s t - G a z e t t e
Distributed by C O M M O N S E N S E , in Arizona
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Vietnam Veterans: Is Congress broken or do they just not care
A Congressional Bill, HR-543, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2013, introduced Feb. 6, 2013 by Rep. Christopher P. Gibson (NY-19) is stuck in committee. To date only 148 members of Congress have co-sponsored this Bill. The Bill if passed would recognize Navy and Marines who served at sea for VA benefits including compensation. What is wrong with Congress when it comes to our veterans? Is Congress broken or do they just not care?
As it stands now, the VA only recognizes one disease for Blue Water Navy, Lymphoma non-Hodgkin's of the approximately 12 non-cancerous and 38 cancerous diseases. The Agent Orange Act of 1991 afforded VA benefits including compensation to 534,000 Navy and Marine veterans.
In 2002 the VA stopped awarding benefits to this group of veterans. There are approximately 170,000 of these veterans known to still be living. If a Navy or Marine Vietnam veteran can not prove boots on ground or prove actual contact with Agent Orange they would be denied.
At sea in the territorial waters of Vietnam Navy and Marines did come in contact with the herbicide Agent Orange dioxin in their drinking water and mists of the herbicide as it drifted out to sea has been linked to harmful life threatening health effects.
Vietnam veterans need help, many suffer today with no resolve. The voice of the American people can help. Call, write, e-mail your members of the U.S. Congress, urge them to co-sponsor the Bill and pass legislation for HR-543.
John J. Bury, US Navy, retired, Vietnam War veteran
Media, Pennsylvania
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