Glen Beck’s rally

Glen Beck’s Restoring Honor Rally 8/28

I was able to attend the Glen Beck rally in Washington DC this past weekend along with several other busloads of patriotic people from the greater Charleston area. My estimate is that there were over 400,000 people at the rally and many arrived well after the start because of severe traffic congestion getting to the Washington Mall.

People had come because they are upset with the way our country is headed and the needed to have their faith restored in both themselves and in the society in which we live. In these trying times people have to have confidence that they can make a positive difference both by themselves and working together as a team. Glen Beck’s rally went a long way to achieving this goal – in a thoughtful manner, he showed that we can achieve great things if we all pull together and have faith in ourselves and in those around us.

The people who came were from all walks of life and all ages and with differing political persuasions. This was NOT a political rally and there were very few signs or banners and everybody’s attention was maintained throughout the rally which lasted over 3 hours. This has to have been the most orderly gathering of so many people in the history of our nation.

Low Approval of Congress

After you read the linked article it will make you wonder why voters don’t simply impose term limits when in the voting booth. When will the voters stop saying one thing and then doing the opposite when they enter the voting booth? Yes, I know everyone hates my congressman, but loves theirs. However, most must realize they are being bribed by a little pork to perpetuate a failing system of career politicians.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/141827/Low-Approval-Congress-Not-Budging.aspx

Clinton Denies Any Involvement in Sestak Job Offer, Says Issa

Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA), ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, has announced that former president Bill Clinton yesterday told WBRE in Pennsylvania he “never tried to get Sestak out of the race and has never been accused of it.” This is in contradiction of  the version of events according to the White House and Joe Sestak, the Democratic senatorial candidate in Pennsylvania.

Rep. Issa further responded, “You know the saying there’s three sides to every story, well, now we have it.  Admiral Sestak has repeatedly said he was offered a ‘job’ in an effort to obtain his withdrawal from the Senate Primary.  The White House has said ‘efforts were made in June AND July” in said job as well as the admission that they ‘enlisted’ former President Clinton to make the overture.  President Clinton says he ‘never tried to get Sestak out of the race.’  Who’s telling the truth?”

Should the Republicans retake the House in November, it will be the job of conservative-firebrand Issa to investigate and expose corruption in the federal government.  In anticipation, current Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has already asked supporters to contribute to a legal defense fund which she stated would be used to fend off subpoenas and investigations of the Democrats’ actions by Issa’s committee, after the November elections.

Russ Feingold: First Democrat to Decry Lame-Duck Session

Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin yesterday became the first Democrat to denounce a lame-duck Congressional session in which the controlling Democratic party would pass sweeping and controversial legislation they will not pass before the November elections.

“By allowing votes just after an election but before the newly elected Congress takes office, lame-duck sessions provide an opportunity to override the public’s will as expressed at the ballot box,” said the Wisconsin lawmaker, who is up for re-election this year.

“Rather than schedule a lame-duck session this year, Congress should complete its work before the upcoming elections,” he said in a statement.

Republicans have charged the Democrats will use the lame-duck to pass bills the majority of the public opposes, such as cap-and-trade (i.e., “cap-and-tax”) and amnesty for illegal aliens, and Democrats have indicated this is true.

Feingold is in a close re-election campaign, trailing his Republican challenger by a couple of points in a toss-up race.

A Parable of the Monkeys

I recently received the following story in one of those interesting emails we all get from time to time, this one from my cousin in Texas.  I have no idea who is the original author, but think you’ll agree that he or she is a clever writer.  Enjoy.

Start with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana.

As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all the other monkeys with cold water. After a while another monkey makes the attempt with same result, all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it.

Now, put the cold water away. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the Stairs.

To his shock, all of the other monkeys attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one.

The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked.  The previous newcomer takes p art in the punishment with enthusiasm.

Likewise, replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs he is attacked.

Most of the monkeys that are beating him up have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey. After replacing all of the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs to try for the banana.

Why not?

Because as far as they know, that is the way it has always been done around here.

And that, my fellow monkeys, is how Congress operates….

We need to REPLACE all the original monkeys this November.

http://charlestonteaparty.org

Comparing TRAC and FairTax

There has been a lot of discussion about the tax changes being proposed by the appointed Tax Realignment Commission (TRAC), which included adding taxes on electricity and water while repealing sales tax exemptions on groceries and medicine.

State Rep. Leon Stavinakis (D-Charleston) recently called in to the Rocky D show and expressed his opposition to the initial TRAC recommendations.

Then Rocky asked him if he supports the South Carolina FairTax Act. He said he doesn’t because it would add a tax on legal and accounting services and repeal sales tax exemptions.

Rep. Stavrinakis is correct on that point, but he doesn’t take into consideration that the bill eliminates the state income tax. Lawyers like Rep. Stavrinakis could charge a lower fee if they didn’t have a state income tax burden. They would also be able to purchase business-related equipment such as computers and furniture tax-free.

The South Carolina FairTax Act also includes a monthly prebate which covers sales tax costs for the essentials. A legal resident family of 4 would receive a monthly prebate of $164, which would pay all the sales tax they would pay on $2400 in monthly spending on new retail goods and services.

The most powerful feature of the South Carolina FairTax Act is that it will empower consumers to increase their take-home pay and put it back into the economy, while giving existing businesses the added capital to expand and hire.
Eliminating the state income tax also would make South Carolina an attractive place for entrepreneurs and wealthy retirees around the county. That would boost home sales and employment!

With federal income taxes scheduled to increase Jan. 1, South Carolina needs to eliminate its 7% state income tax to have any prospects of restoring prosperity and putting people back to work!

Instruction to elected reps

—– Original Message —–
From: Mark Jeffcoat
To: lowcountryteaparty@groups.live.com ; 912teaparty ; Charleston Tea Party ; Charleston Tea Party
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 4:54 PM
Subject: Re: Instructions to Your Representative

Roy;

Again, I am amazed at your insight and wisdom. So glad you are on our side. I would hate to have to deal with you as a polar opposite.

I challenge the conservative groups of the low country to take this and grow this into a living document. As President of the West Ashley 9/12 group I will take up the following issues and provide the input for each:

FOR LOCAL AND STATE REPRESENTATIVES
D- Accountability of U.S. Senators to the State Government.

FOR FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES
P- Special “retirement for life” through minimal service by representatives.

If other groups want to step up, Roy you want to keep a matrix of who is doing what and give it completion dates? I think if we engage this collectively( I hate that word but it applies here), we can produce a useable document in a couple of months.

What say ye all?

Mark

—– Original Message —–
From: royws
To: 912teaparty ; Charleston Tea Party ; Charleston Tea Party ; LowCountry (group) Teaparty
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2010 1:50 PM
Subject: Instructions to Your Representative

Friends, At present, the South Carolina state budget is over $20 Billion. Less than a third of that $20 Billion is controlled by the state. The balance represents federal intrusion into “State and Local” matters by mandates from Washington covering a wide spectrum of activities outside a common person’s understanding of the enumerated powers in Article I, section 8 of the Constitution. In essence, the feds control the states through bribery and coercion. This is not what the founding fathers envisioned.
There are 26 agencies/departments in Washington who also hand out “grants” that seem to favor grantees who are inclined to further the Washington agenda of keeping the “elites” in power.
But, “We the People” have the power of the purse through our elected representatives who, if we give them the right instructions, can turn this ship of state around and return it to the Founding Documents of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. And, we have around 90 days to get our act together and prepare for what might be our last meaningful election. This is not just about who we elect, it’s about the instructions that we give them and against which we measure their performance. That is the purpose of this memo. We need to give our representatives – county, state, federal – specific instructions, because in the past, generalities such as “cutting spending” or “returning to founding principles” doesn’t quite cut it as evidenced by our present quandary.
Therefore, I’m asking that you reply by providing a list of instructions for your representative. The following are some suggested topics that you might consider in formulating your instructions (feel free to add to the list):
FOR LOCAL AND STATE REPRESENTATIVES:
A- Composition of and fairness of revenue sources.
B- Disclosure of representative’s voting record.
C- Recall provisions for elected representatives.
D- Accountability of U.S. Senators to the State Government.
E- Authority to institute referenda by popular vote.
F- Provisions to recall judges.
G- Accountability for public education (textbook selection, salaries, unionization, school construction, bonds, etc.)
E- Civil Service employees salaries, retirement plans etc.
F- Laws exempting elected officials and civil service employees from certain laws governing the general population.
G- Promote “Doctrine of Nullification” as espoused by Madison and Jefferson in their 1798 declarations.
FOR FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES:
A- Militarization of borders or alternate solutions for invasions by drug smugglers, illegal aliens, terrorists, etc.
B- De-funding of certain agencies/departments (USAID, UN, Corporation for National and Community Service, Department of Education, DOE, HHS, HUD, EPA, Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, etc.)
C- Exemption of legislature from laws they pass for “us”.
D- Sale of Federal Lands to public to reduce the debt.
E- Federal salaries, health and retirement plans other than programs “we” are required to participate in.
F- Across-the-board spending reductions.
G- Use of the power of the purse to curb expansion of “Executive” powers.
H- Federal legislation to negate rulings by the Supreme and other courts that amount to “legislating from the bench”.
I- De funding so-called “CZAR” positions.
J- Void enabling legislation of Agencies/Departments.
K- Welfare reform for individuals, corporations, farms, etc
L- Eliminate legislation that interferes with “Free Market” principles.
M- Raise/cut taxes and/or reduce/increase spending for specific programs.
N- Regulate lobbying activities.
O- Requirement for frequent “town hall” meetings.
P- Special “retirement for life” through minimal service by representatives.
Finally, it is my view that giving our Representatives instructions with the understanding that we will not tolerate their violating is going to make our job a lot easier. I sincerely hope that you will consider this request.
Respectfully.

Roy W. Smith
1595 Sanford Road
Charleston, SC 29407
843 276-0196
royws@bellsouth.net

Displaced Foreign Traveler = Illegal Alien Growing Pot???

According to redding.com, a US Forest Service news release uses this new term. You cannot make up this stuff.

Crisis Awaits World’s Banks as Trillions Come Due

Crisis Awaits World’s Banks as Trillions Come Due http://bit.ly/9pJ0xa

Our Unique Constitution

Our Constitution embodied a UNIQUE IDEA. Nothing like it had ever been done before. The power of the idea was in the recognition that people’s rights are granted directly by the Creator – not by the state – and that the people, then, and only then, grant rights to government. The concept is so simple, yet so very fundamental and far-reaching.

Creator
Government
People

America’s founders embraced a previously unheard-of political philosophy which held that people are “…endowed BY THEIR CREATOR with certain unalienable rights..” This was the statement of guiding principle for the new nation, and, as such, had to be translated into a concrete charter for government. The Constitution of The United States of America became that charter.

Other forms of government, past and present, rely on the state as the grantor of human rights. America’s founders, however, believed that a government made up of imperfect people exercising power over other people should possess limited powers. Through their Constitution, they wished to “secure the blessings of liberty” for themselves and for posterity by limiting the powers of government. Through it, they delegated to government only those rights they wanted it to have, holding to themselves all powers not delegated by the Constitution. They even provided the means for controlling those powers they had granted to government.

This was the unique American idea. Many problems we face today result from a departure from this basic con­cept. Gradually, other “ideas” have influenced legislation which has reversed the roles and given government greater and greater power over individuals. Early generations of Americans pledged their lives to the cause of in­dividual freedom and limited government and warned, over and over again, that eternal vigilance would be required to preserve that freedom for posterity.

Our Ageless Constitution, W. David Stedman & La Vaughn G. Lewis, Editors (Asheboro, NC, W. David Stedman Associates, 1987) Part III:  ISBN 0-937047-01-5

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