Sunday, July 31, 2011

Not a new topic for Newt Gingrich

Pamela Geller in a posting from her blog, http://t.co/9J4zNA9, stated:

Does it strike anyone else that this next presidential election feels less like an election and more like two opposing countries fighting for victory? Obama's idea of America is positively un-american (collectivist, socialist, transnational). The Republican mavericks (no, not the RINOs) are channeling our founding fathers, fighting for individual rights, less government, and our unalienable rights endowed by our Creator.
The battle is for America, exceptional, sovereign and free, vs. America, unexceptional, transnational, Statist.
This isn't so much an election but a fight for America. The Individual vs the State -- it's a non-violent civil war.


Newt Gingrich explains why:

The Founders of this great nation envisioned an economic system comprising a wide variety of energetic private interests, all pursuing their own enlightened self-interests under a carefully constructed system of federalism. The government they created was charged with creating a legal and policy environment that would allow the American economy and civil society to flourish. That government was not authorized to become the producer and director of the great drama that is America. And yet the Progressive movement, strongly influenced by the purported “efficiency” of nineteenth-century Prussian “planning,” and later of Soviet “planning,” has embraced a top-down director’s role for the government over the lives of the American people.

One of the two great political parties in the United States has essentially abandoned its responsibility to represent the private sector. It is now focused almost entirely on the demands of the public sector—state and federal government employees, their unions, and to the extent the Democrats listen to the private sector at all, the crony capitalists who profit from influencing government.

The political power of this party depends on increasing the percentage of the population that depends on Big Government and that votes to keep it in power. It is now imperative that the American people, who value and honor the legacy of freedom they have received from the Founders, step forward and restore the traditional American commitment to work and independence—or settle for a life of dependency on Hayek’s road to serfdom.

~ excerpts from Newt Gingrich "A Nation like no Other"

Gingrich: I'm not giving up

Gingrich: I'm not giving up: "MARIETTA - In a wide-ranging interview with the Journal's editorial board on Thursday, presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich spoke of why his campaign had trouble launching, how he intends to overcome..."

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Thoughts from my walk

Every day my dog walks me through the neighborhood which gives me time & opportunity to reflect and to think about my writing as well as getting to practice using my stern words- No! Stop! Come back! Don't pee on that!

Today I was thinking of yesterdays segment on Fox about 1994 and how it compares to today.  Great segment, featured Newt Gingrich quite a bit since he was the author of the entire revolution then.  Upon reflection, when those events are remembered or even viewed for the first time, it looks very much like the Tea Party before there was a Tea Party.

Hillary and Bill Clinton were the Obama's of their time (all Socialists, just different faces).  If Bill had the blank check that Obama had, then, what is happening today would have happened then.

But Newt Gingrich stopped it in its tracks.  He wrote the bills, he recruited the Congressional candidates, he then passed everything he said he would within the first 100 days.  No one else can claim anything like that, not even close to that.

This time we have not had a Newt Gingrich to stop those who choose to Change us for the worse.  Thankfully something almost as powerful has arisen and that is the modern day Tea Party.  Just think how powerful they would be together though.  The original Revolutionary (1994) with the present day Revolutionaries would do to the Socialists as the Originals did to the British.

History shows, its been done before, it can be done again.

Volunteering for Newt 2012 at the HQ

As many might have noticed, I have been posting quite a few excerpts from Newt's new book "A Nation like no Other". 

What resonates with me in this book, is that this is the type of message that brought us to America and made us want to be Americans.  It is a message that was taught to us in school but haven't heard since leaving childhood, except briefly again with Reagan & then in the Contract with America authored by Newt Gingrich.  It is that America that I want to see again which is why I decided to volunteer for Newt Gingrich.

Yesterday was a kickoff for Newt's campaign to reach out to Iowa voters in order to listen to their thoughts and concerns about the upcoming election.  Not a call for money.  Nor to convince them how to vote.  Just genuine concern for their issues, if they've been spoken about or haven't and what they personally think.

A small group of +35 people consisting of a high school student, some employed & some unemployed, small business owners, moms & wifes, as well as lifelong staffers and family members. 

Some came from across town and some from as far away as North Carolina.  All were volunteers, most all first timers.  Yet when I spoke to each, the common themes I heard were how this guy, Newt, is the smartest man in the room wherever he goes and that is what we need for America today.  That he had done it before and can do it again.

I would add for me personally that his Historical & Philosophical perspectives, which he bases his solutions upon, are unmatched by any of his declared or undeclared rivals.  Especially so versus our Community Event planner who is always on holiday.

The energy in the room was unlike any I've felt before.  Even before Newt arrived.  Similar to a religious meeting,  yet in quite a different way but just as strong.  Almost like being at a championship college basketball or football game.  People were pumped, they were happy to be there, they were ready to work with Newt.

The phone calling was non-stop.  I did not see anyone take a break until Newt arrived.  Everyone was on a phone having a great time speaking with people in Iowa.  Quite a few lively discussions but always positive.  No, not everyone supported Newt but all were impressed that his volunteers were calling to listen to them and their issues.

When Newt did arrive, the room went silent.  Unfortunately I had a lively person on the phone and could not break away but I did see him take calls personally.  I did get to hear his speech to us which further cemented in our minds why we were working with him and not for him.  So unlike the soundbites and popular references that you hear from his rivals.

Afterwards people hit the phones again, inbetween bites of pizza.  The room continued to buzz along with lively conversations all around.  Camera's were walking around as well, interviewing each and every one of us.  And in the end, we all got a one on one with Newt and our pictures taken with him.  Truly, a great day had by all.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

More Historical Perspectives from Newt

James Madison argued that “democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security, or the rights of property; and have, in general, been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.”2 According to John Adams, “[D]emocracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide,
~ "A Nation like no Other" by Newt Gingrich

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Newt Gingrich has Historical Perspectives

The Founders recognized that citizens of a free republic would have to accept extraordinary responsibilities. In European monarchies, the people were subjects who owed loyalty and obedience to their superiors, while the Court and the aristocrats were duty bound, at least in theory, to guard the best interests of commoners and of society as a whole. A republic, by contrast, required that each man, serving as his own sovereign, act not only in his own best interest but also in the interest of his fellow countrymen.

~ "A Nation like no Other" by Newt Gingrich

Monday, July 25, 2011

Newt Gingrich schooling Liberals

Radical secularists often seek to undermine the moral legitimacy of America’s religious heritage by pointing to occasions in our history when we Americans have failed to live up to our own ideals—whether in the case of slavery, the denial of civil rights, or other instances in which our historic commitment to liberty for all was radically compromised by other political agendas and pursuits. But in each of these instances, it was our very commitment to moral and religious principle, to an authority and law higher than our own, that impelled us to self-correct and to use our greatest mistakes as the greatest opportunities to reassert the dignity of every human being and the cause of human freedom ~ "A Nation like no Other" Newt Gingrich

Thought for the Day

A civilization without memory ceases to be civilized. A civilization without history ceases to have identity. Without identity there is no purpose; without purpose civilization will wither ~ Michael Kammen

Founding Fathers thoughts on Democracy

James Madison argued that “democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security, or the rights of property; and have, in general, been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.” According to John Adams, “[D]emocracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.”
~excerpt from Newt Gingrich's  "A Nation like no other"

Sunday, July 24, 2011

More insights from Newt Gingrich

The Declaration of Independence was not radical in thought but in action. It took bold steps to enshrine these sacred principles as the basis of a new country. With the Declaration, America set itself apart, an exception from the ways of the other nations of the world, and embarked on a radically new course in history, in pursuit of neither wealth, nor power, nor racial or ethnic purity, but an idea: God-given liberty for all.
~Newt Gingrich

Good insight by Newt Gingrich

Now consider this: did any of our foes engage in war to secure equality and individual rights? They might declare the superiority of their race or social class, or demand that all must submit to their religion. But never did one of our foes fight for the simple, self-evident truth that all men are created equal.
~ Newt Gingrich

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Thoughts on the Oslo Shooter

There is absolutely nothing even remotely resembling Christianity in the acts committed by the Oslo shooter.  To believe otherwise is to believe so out of utterly blind hatred or complete, total ignorance of Christianity.  No American Conservative or Classical Liberal or Christian would act this way.  These belief systems are not in name only, they are a way of Life.

Throughout history, even the most insane murders (Fascists, Marxists, French Revolution) have shown  that they know how to wipe out the ones they hate.  To say that the Oslo shooter was anti-Islam is one thing but to have us believe that he committed those atrocities because of that hatred by murdering children completely unconnected to Islam is absurd.

Another form of absurdity will be that the domesticated people of Norway will accept whatever they're told and move in the wrong direction.  Just as it was predicted they would thus enlisting this dupe to do their dirty work.  Score one for the Facists & Marxists & Jihadists along with their playbook that the West keeps ignoring. 

I grieve for Norway's losses as much as I grieve for Norway's future which will be the way of Europe as well.

More parts of the Radical & Real American Dream

If all men are created equal, then all human beings are equally flawed and equally susceptible to the appeal of power and to the inherent temptation to dictate how others should live their lives. Thus, the best government is a limited one; one that restricts the rule of man by instituting the rule of law, which applies to everyone from presidents to parking lot attendants ~ Newt Gingrich

Part of the Radical & Real American Dream

Instead of looking to entrenched clergy to define religious doctrine, early Americans studied the Bible themselves to learn spiritual truth first-hand. To defend this tradition, they needed a political system that protected the right to discover truth, to openly exchange ideas, and to dissent. This is the foundation of freedom of conscience, which protects believers and non-believers alike ~ Newt Gingrich

Friday, July 22, 2011

Something to Think about

It is hard to fight with one's heart's desire. Whatever it wishes to get, it purchases at the cost of soul.' 'It is not good for men to get all that they wish to get.' One may say that Heraclitus values power obtained through self-mastery, and despises the passions that distract men from their central ambitions ~ Bertrand Russell

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Politics in Ancient Greece, now those were the days!

In most Greek cities, and especially in those of Sicily, there was a constant conflict between democracy and tyranny; the leaders of whichever party was at the moment defeated were executed or exiled ~ Bertrand Russell


Sometimes the old ways are the best ways!

3 Excerpts on a Struggle unchanged throughout History

Excerpt from Russell's views with my {thoughts} thrown in:

He tells (as Plato also does) how Socrates was continually occupied with the problem of getting competent men into positions of power ~ Russell

{This then led to these accusations which then led to his death sentence}

Socrates is an evil-doer and a curious person, searching into things under the earth and above the heaven; and making the worse appear the better cause, and teaching all this to others ~ The filed complaint

{making the worse appear the better is a specialty of Socialists, yet they get to live, but I digress}

The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways—I to die, and you to live. Which is better God only knows ~ Socrates

{and the Rulers were saved - hooray!}



Note: for the simple or weak minded, I am not advocating life or death in any of these writings.

Excerpts of Madness

Modern philosophy, however, has retained, for the most part, an individualistic and subjective tendency. This is very marked in Descartes, who builds up all knowledge from the certainty of his own existence, and accepts clearness and distinctness (both subjective) as criteria of truth.

Rousseau and the romantic movement extended subjectivity from theory of knowledge to ethics and politics, and ended, logically, in complete anarchism such as that of Bakunin. This extreme of subjectivism is a form of madness.

The philosophies that have been inspired by scientific technique are power philosophies, and tend to regard everything non-human as mere raw material. Ends are no longer considered; only the skilfulness of the process is valued. This also is a form of madness.  (highlight added by me)

~ Bertrand Russell

Excerpts from the same chapter from the previous posting on the comparison of Science & Religion (old world style).  They are cut/paste, spelling errors are his or his editors.  :-D


Unfortunately, later in his life, he too fell for the madness.

Commentary of the Day

The modern world, at present, seems to be moving towards a solution like that of antiquity: a social order imposed by force, representing the will of the powerful rather than the hopes of common men. The problem of a durable and satisfactory social order can only be solved by combining the solidity of the Roman Empire with the idealism of St Augustine's City of God. To achieve this a new philosophy will be needed ~ Bertrand Russell

This is the conclusion from a chapter dealing with Science (Modern) vs Religion (Medieval) although the Modern is defined not in today's standards but from its beginnings, if I remember correctly, which is 16th or 17th century.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Thought of the Day

"The close connection between virtue and knowledge is characteristic of Socrates and Plato. To some degree, it exists in all Greek thought, as opposed to that of Christianity. In Christian ethics, a pure heart is the essential, and is at least as likely to be found among the ignorant as among the learned. This difference between Greek and Christian ethics has persisted down to the present."  ~ Bertrand Russell

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

America

I say it quite a bit... America is supposed to be different, its supposed to be better.  And it was.  It gave people hope through power.  Power to live.  Power to be free from the foolishness of Humanistic directions and solutions mandated by a diminutive ruling class who "loves" them.

No competing Philosophical system could match the success of America and this caused great resentment from the losers.  Although the hatred for America was not based upon its success but that it was successful due to its belief in a Judeo-Christian morality that became the foundation & underpinnings of America's existence. 

America outshone every rival on every level.  There was a time when America made Canada and every European country look like amateur hour in a dive bar in an undeveloped part of the world. 

Thanks to Liberals and their decades of "loving" efforts, also known as sedition,  America no longer is different or better.  America is lost in a crowd of pompous, self-righteous, educated idiocracy that you would find at any alternative poetry reading, smelling of patchoulie & burnt rope,  just like them.

Kruschev was right, the only way to take down America was from the inside.   And from the inside America has been Changing... crumbling, falling, becoming like all the rest.  This is why modern day Liberals, a mishmash of  Humanistic denominations (Socialism, Fascism, Communism, Corporatism), have worked so hard to convince the weak minded that Change is good.  Their Change that is, not the true radical change that brought about the birth of this nation. 

We are now living with the fruits of their labor yet they continue to labor and it must be stopped.

If America is not restored then there will be no more light that can be shone into the darkness of the Humanistic sewer of direction and solutions.  It awaits all those not in power while the insane saviors of mankind, our beloved ruling class, congratulate themselves with the fruits of a dieing America. 


*****Rough draft written with bleary eyes at midnight*****

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Thought of the Day

Human history is the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy ~ CSLEWIS

Monday, July 11, 2011

Quote of the Day

King of Hearts: Rule 42: All persons more than a mile high must leave the court immediately. 
Alice: I am not a mile high, and I'm not leaving. 
Queen of Hearts: Sorry. Rule 42, you know.




Alice in Wonderland

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Quote of the Day


“We are like dwarfs seated on the shoulders of giants; we see more things than the ancients and things more distant, but this is due neither to the sharpness of our own sight, nor to the greatness of our own stature, but because we are raised and borne aloft on that giant mass" ~ Bernard of Chartres

Friday, July 8, 2011

Open letter to Newt Gingrich

Mr. Gingrich,

You have some core strengths that can propel you to the Presidency of the United States of America.  Strengths unseen from your fellow candidates.  My proposal is that you should use these core strengths more.  I've seen a glimmer of them but they could shine oh so much brighter.

There are many similarities that you share with your fellow candidates though.  Some are necessary but should be dimmed in order to let your core strengths shine through.

You and your fellow candidates all have plans.  You all have plans one-upping each other.  Yet, basically, the plans are all the same.  Anyone can form a plan.  Anyone can identify problems.  Anyone can hire experts to advise them.  And everyone does.  Set yourself apart.

You are different, you created a plan, you were elected based upon that plan, you created the first Republican majority in over 40 yrs, you then passed that plan, then you implemented it.  That is truly different from your fellow candidates.  That is what should shine through.  It is a core strength.

A core strength you have is your knowledge of History & Philosophy.  Use it as you did during the CNN debate.  Even Dick Morris noticed that you were only one of two that had original answers vs. soundbites from the others.

Argument is another core strength that you have.  You know how to argue.  But like the rest, you're assumptions are incorrect.  Obama is not the problem.  He is not stupid.  He is just the latest face on a real problem, a real danger to America thats been around for quite some time.

During the debate all the candidates kept harping on Obama and his job performance, or lack thereof, never even giving thought that Obama actually was accomplishing exactly what he set out to do.  The man is not stupid & when that is taken out of the equation all that is left is that all that he does is on purpose.

When you come to this realization then you must change the argument as well.  With this realization you actually begin to define and then argue correctly as to how/what/why is happening to America, why its bad for America, and how it can be fixed and why it should be fixed.

With the proper argument, with your reasoning skills, knowledge of history & philosophy, and actual accomplishment in the political swamp of DC, you can defeat the latest face that has been placed over the subversive threat to America.

These are all your core strengths.  Use them.

The book is a core strength. Use the positive message in your new book, the uplifting messages throughout its pages to inspire the American people to want Freedom again.

Be the next Reagan.  Inspire.  You have the same beliefs as he, use them.

So, put the details of your plans on a webpage but paint the broad picture of America to the Public.  Use your core strengths in each stroke of the brush, in each color mixture to bring us a painting that we can all hang on a wall in our homes.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Quote of the Day

Mad Hatter: Would you like a little more tea?
Alice: Well, I haven't had any yet, so I can't very well take more.
March Hare: Ah, you mean you can't very well take less.
Mad Hatter: Yes. You can always take more than nothing

More Bad Business

I had a Doctor's appt. today.  During the conversation I mentioned all the thoughts I had as written in my previous essay entitled "Bad Business".

What floored me was her response, that all her patients we're complaining about this as well.  That everyone of them were upset with Business and how it seemed they were taking advantage of the economic situation.

I thought I was alone.  Unfortunately there are many out there that feel the same as I do but probably don't think the same.  I am pro-Business but not the impersonal - "its not personal, its just business" - profit driven at any cost shareholder model that is actually Humanism instead of Judeo-Christian, i.e. Capitalism.

Today's Business is not Capitalism.  Capitalism is supposed to be a win/win situation for the provider & the consumer.  But its also supposed to be a win/win for employer & employee.  There is no win/win for anyone.

A stunning example of this is the IT industry (my bread & butter for over a decade).  The consumer does not own what they buy.  They are not allowed to use the product as they wish.  They are at the whim of the provider whether the product will be fixed, upgraded, or even continued.

On the employee side it is worse.  As an example, I worked for a cable company, one of the 10 best companies to work for in America according to Forbes.  Their employee satisfaction rating was almost 90% in every dept except the IT dept (a major part of the company) it was just under 30%.

60+ hour weeks, never enough staff, 24/7 availability, mismanaged projects, entire teams fired after the project, uncomprehending management, huge design flaws, the list goes on.  It is truly a Dilbert world which explains the poor rating.  Worse still, management, HR, & their consultants never could figure it out.  More Dilbert.  More experts being wrong.

Today's Business is only focused on what is in their best interest and that leads to Government intervention & bad solutions.

If Business would return to their Judeo-Christian roots then the putrid swamp of Humanistic solutions could finally be laid to rest and everyone could actually get back to having a Life & a job.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Bad Business

Older interns signal gloomy labor market | Reuters http://t.co/dvdZqkS

This story is just the latest of what I term "Bad Business" in America.

I've always said that the anti-business attitude in America today is mostly thanks to Business.

There was a day when the working conditions were so bad that something had to fill the gap or vacuum & that is how Unions gained a massive toe-hold in America.  What a mess that has become.

Today's Business is sliding back to a place where the worker is being taken advantage of in the form of lower wages, longer hours, reduced staff = more job responsibilities, or even any new positions with cut-rate salaries.

Business is taking advantage of the economic situation and like the mistakes of the past it will lead to more long-term consequences that helps the few (Union leadership) & not the many (the actual worker).  I cringe at what is going to fix the situation.

Business cry's about Government intervention but they are actually inviting it through their short-sighted policies & practices.

The Left jumps on this & creates a perception of Business being Business taking advantage of the worker while making a quick buck.

Whereas its actually a failure of Business by forgetting its Judeo-Christian roots while storming towards the Ayn Rand model of the superman utopia which invites the other Humanistic swamp of Socialism to step in to solve that problem.  And round it goes, the very definition of Insanity.

When viewed through the lens of Human Nature both Rand as well as other Humanist philosophies fall short, straight into a quagmire of failed dreams & fantasies.  The death & destruction that these fantasies have actually caused are far greater than the falsely accused problems it was supposed to solve or replace, Judeo-Christian beliefs.

Until Business and Americans understand the context of our problems we will be doomed to unrealistic, short-sighted, & more times highly destructive "solutions".