Tag Archives: President

The Brash Americans

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The last two weeks we have seen the experiment in play and the results are mind numbing.

Stay at home requests.

Maintain social distancing request.

Closing schools.

Trying it decide what or whom is essential workers and so on.

As soon as the National Mainstream Media heard about the new virus in town, they went screaming on air and print about the coming armageddon with the social media following their lead.  This lead to some blowing off these requests, thinking it is a joke, and continue to have large social events or get togethers.  Some idiots went to the stores and hoarded all the toilet paper, masks, and hand sanitizer they could find in what was probably thought up as a quick rich scheme.  In response, others cleaned the store shelves of food stuffs on a daily bases rather than just get what they needed.  Many decided that it was ok, to go on that planned vacation or “Spring Break” rather than worry about their family members, neighbors, or community that they may bring the virus back to.  The local elected officials up to the state level did not want to follow the requests because they would lose all that revenue rather than promote the health and safety of their communities.  Oh my, what a mess we are in now.

The whole point in this initial two week/15 day request was to “Flatten the Curve”.  In stead of letting the virus run rampant and having the worst cases hit our medical system all at once in what would look like a Normandy D-day triage the with medical staff having to decide who is too far gone for medical assistance. 

During this time, the local Emergency Management Directors at the village, city, county/parish, and state level were to pull out their handbooks and review their procedures and stocks on hand to meet the oncoming emergency.  They were to check on local stocks that they should have in storage and freshness along with local medical assets and determine if they where ready or what they may need in following the National Response Framework.  If they did not have the Federally mandated supplies in stock then the Governor(s) would put in a request to the Federal Government for the supplies that are stored all over the country.  (Strategic National Stockpile)

In my opinion, from the way some of the State Governors are acting, rather than spending money on what may happen, they spent it on what would further their own agendas.  Maybe an investigation should be started to sort that out.

Now, those Requests are now Orders and some are still acting like it is a big political show.

While it is hard to determine in advance what disaster may befall the public or an area of the city, county/parish, state or country.  There will always be a shortage of something in an emergency, in the case of a new virus or some health crises, the first thing that may be lacking would be a test for the cause.  While the areas affected may have most of the materials for testing on hand, you need a developed chemical agent or re-agent for the final test, which sometimes takes time.  The next step is to contain the virus till a cure or an immunization can be developed.  Hollywood and the Mainstream Media make it sound like it happens overnight.

For the duration we need to quit being the brash Americans and stop worrying about ourselves and worry about our families, our communities, our states, and our country.

Pray.

Search for the TRUTH.

JH

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Does an Oath of Office Mean Anything?

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Merriam-Webster defines it as thus:

1a

(1)
: a solemn usually formal calling upon God or a god to witness to the truth of what one says or to witness that one sincerely intends to do what one says
(2)
: a solemn attestation of the truth or inviolability of one’s words
The witness took an oath to tell the truth in court.
b
: something (such as a promise) corroborated by an oath
They were required to swear an oath of loyalty.
took the oath of office
2
: an irreverent or careless use of a sacred name
broadly : swear word
He uttered an oath and stormed away.

From Wikipedia:

In the United States, the oath of office for the President is specified in the Constitution (Article II, Section 1):
“I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
The oath may be sworn or affirmed (in which case it is called an affirmation instead of oath). Although not present in the text of the Constitution, it is customary for modern presidents to say “So help me God” after the end of the oath. For officers other than the President, the expression “So help me God” is explicitly prescribed, but the Judiciary Act of 1789 also explains when it can be omitted (specifically for oaths taken by court clerks): “Which words, so help me God, shall be omitted in all cases where an affirmation is admitted instead of an oath.”
The Constitution (Article VI, clause 3) also specifies:
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.
At the start of each new U.S. Congress, in January of every odd-numbered year, newly elected or re-elected Members of Congress – the entire House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate – must recite an oath:
I, (name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. [So help me God.]

This oath is also taken by the Vice President, members of the Cabinet, federal judges and all other civil and military officers and federal employees other than the President.

Blog post by Phoenix:

It is apparent that the section of the oath that seems almost daily violated by politicians is “I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without reservation or purpose of evasion;”

The congress as a whole along with the executive branch has been knowingly presenting legislation contrary to the constitution and then relying on legal challenges to make it to supreme court for final disposition, that folks is still a violation of the oath taken no matter the lawyeristic maneuver of passing legislation as constitutional and waiting for a challenge. If these were your children you would immediately scold for exceeding limits by their hope of getting away with trouble but suffering consequences for only the most egregious just by sheer quantity, its evasive both by congress and by children, both should be accountable.

Below is the most detailed listing of codes covering the subject of congressional oath and penalties for violation,

It is apparent that the section of the oath that seems almost daily violated by politicians is “I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without reservation or purpose of evasion;”

Federal law regulating oath of office by government officials is divided into four parts along with an executive order which further defines the law for purposes of enforcement. 5 U.S.C. 3331, provides the text of the actual oath of office members of Congress are required to take before assuming office. 5 U.S.C. 3333 requires members of Congress sign an affidavit that they have taken the oath of office required by 5 U.S.C. 3331 and have not or will not violate that oath of office during their tenure of office as defined by the third part of the law, 5 U.S.C. 7311 which explicitly makes it a federal criminal offense (and a violation of oath of office) for anyone employed in the United States Government (including members of Congress) to “advocate the overthrow of our constitutional form of government”. The fourth federal law, 18 U.S.C. 1918 provides penalties for violation of oath office described in 5 U.S.C. 7311 which include: (1) removal from office and; (2) confinement or a fine.

The definition of “advocate” is further specified in Executive Order 10450 which for the purposes of enforcement supplements 5 U.S.C. 7311. One provision of Executive Order 10450 specifies it is a violation of 5 U.S.C. 7311 for any person taking the oath of office to advocate “the alteration … of the form of the government of the United States by unconstitutional means.” Our form of government is defined by the Constitution of the United States. It can only be “altered” by constitutional amendment. Thus, according to Executive Order 10450 (and therefore 5 U.S. 7311) any act taken by government officials who have taken the oath of office prescribed by 5 U.S.C. 3331which alters the form of government other by amendment, is a criminal violation of the 5 U.S.C. 7311.

Violating Oath

The subject I am bringing to the table is “why do the American people allow their representatives to break oath of office (a federal crime) and not hold them accountable?

This should be a non-partisan subject simply due to the fact this has been going on for long decades and both parties are guilty according to the law.

The scales could be tipped back somewhat if the public had awareness that the oath has teeth and voiced expectation that it be taken seriously.

I grew up on a rural farm and had an older neighbor and I had just got out of high school in the spring and turned eighteen in the late summer and come the next January, I enlisted in the military service.  The morning I was getting ready to report to boot camp Raymond came over.  I was getting ready to leave for the airport, he came up to me and stuck out his hand.  He said, “You are about to say some pretty big words soon and it will define you as a man.  Good Luck.”

At the time I was stunned, in all the years that I had known Raymond, he had patted me on the back after school football games, other sports, 4H, and at other events but he had never shook my hand till that day.  I had read the oath of service but until you are saying it and what Raymond said actually hit me like a rock.  In his eyes, I had just grown up.

Those words are what you are to live by every day during your service to your country and afterwards.  Why is it that our elected representatives fail to follow their oath of office when they require those in military and civic service to follow theirs.  We have been complacent in letting them tear us down.  We need to stand up and make them follow the same laws and Oaths we do.

Chess or Checkers?

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For years the political establishment was like playing the game of chess and they were quite good at it.  They had the money from the Political Action Committees, Wall Street, and the propaganda mill donated by the Media.  Their electorate was contained and bowed to their will at call.  Their strategies were really good and for every move, there was a counter move.  The Elite could skirt the Rules at any time or completely disregard the Laws at will.  The laws that they generated was never top of the line, they wanted an out at every corner.  If you are elected to Congress, you are on the fast track to be part of the rich and powerful elite.

When it came time for re-election, you could almost have a free pass in the primary but if someone came out of left field to challenge your position, you would have a laugh.  For an outsider or a complete unknown to step into the ring, the odds were stacked against him or her.  It is amazing how easy it is to speak up and toss your hat into the political ring but once you are there you have to get the backing from some money source and galvanise the electorate.  The Founders of our country wanted the elected leaders to be people who did well enough in their occupation or companies to want to set it aside for a term and step up help run a country, then return to their life knowing that they helped the country with their service.  But over time, the only ones being elected where people who knew how to gather money and prestige without actually doing nothing or being at the top of their profession.

Now, along comes a person that is a successful business person which helped him accrue some great wealth and after looking around, throws his hat into the ring.  This person is not some nobody.  The people have heard about him.  He is out-spoken.  He doesn’t fall into the category of  the established political realm or a Media darling.  He speaks to the common people like he is at a family dinner table and what he says hits home.  He does not use the Media to filter his message, he speaks over them.  He is playing checkers with the common folks.

The political elite on both sides have been playing their game for ages and now this person has come along and worse than the running of the bulls, he is upsetting their apple cart.  He forces everyone to follow the laws of the land that the elite have spent little time reading over before passing.  He finds the loopholes that will make them scream.  They have had years and many options to fix these laws and didn’t.

Now you look at all the campaign promises that was made, you will find that he has bucked the establishment at ever turn.  He is following the laws enacted by the establishment and the previous administrations.  He has asked and at times, demanded that both parties involved, step up and fix the problems that they both have made.  They both have denied him.  When will they see the error of their ways?  Both sides of the Establishment think that their spines have been reinforced with iron, that it is their way of doing things, and they can outlast him.  They do not think that the laws that they made need to be changed.  They wrote them to keep the money pouring into their pockets.  They wrote them to keep their supporters in the electorate  docile and wanting the free things that others have worked for.

The common electorate on both the republican and democratic sides, as well as all the other fringe parties are starting to sit up and take notice.  Those that vote really do have the right and duty to take the blinders off.  The electorate does have the ability to soften iron or break it.  They may not leave the center base of their parties but in the General Election, a person does not have to vote the party line.  Hopefully they will vote for real leaders, not like the scum that conned their way to leadership.

 

All In Or Nothing

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via Democrats Anger Bernie Sanders Supporters with Rule Change for Presidential Candidates

Supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders bristled Friday at a new rule being proposed by the Democratic National Committee that would require Democrat presidential candidates to identify as a Democrat.

The move came during a meeting of the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee, which was meeting over the weekend in Providence, Rhode Island, Politico reported.

New of the proposed rule was tweeted by DNC member Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. Weingarten said Democrats “changed the rules to ensure to run for President as a Democrat you need to be A Democrat.”

“At the time a presidential candidate announces their candidacy publicly, they must publicly affirm that they are a Democrat,” the rule said, according to Yahoo News. “Each candidate pursuing the Democratic nomination shall affirm, in writing, to the National Chairperson of the Democratic National Committee that they: A. are a member of the Democratic Party; B. will accept the Democratic nomination; and C. will run and serve as a member of the Democratic Party.”

Sorry Bernie, you want to be an Independent but run as a Democrat.  That is not going to fly anymore.  Looks like some of the big money party members wasn’t to happy with what you tried to pull the last primary season.  I know from what the media portrayed, they really did not know what your platform was and how it fit their agenda.  So, you took the spotlight away from their chosen one.  You were trying to dig into the big money pockets and that limited them when it came time to help the party candidate.  So if you want to try again to become the Democratic nomination the next time around you have to join them whole hog.

Or.

Are they scared that some sleeper Republican or other party will run?  Win the Primary, use their money in the general election and once sworn in, change party allegiance?  That would be somewhat funny.

Are they adding all this fine print to give them a way to get their money back?  Would this be so Mr. Sanders doesn’t buy that fourth or fifth beach house?

I could speculate but I will leave that to the Media.  It is hard to find a story with one confirmed fact now days.  It will fun to watch this play out.

 

Trump: I am Not Playing Your Game.

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via One Magnificent Photo Sums Up Donald Trump’s G-7 Visit | HuffPost

Tense and confrontational, it appears to sum up President Donald Trump’s entire trip, which highlighted divisions among the global powers.

The image dramatically depicts the German leader in an assertive pose, planting both hands firmly on a crisp tablecloth as she addresses President Donald Trump, who is seated before her with his arms crossed wearing a dispassionate expression.

A seemingly unimpressed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe gazes at the group.

World leaders are learning that America and President Trump will not lockstep march arm in arm no longer.  Everyone wants their economies to flourish and thrive but when even one country requires a tariff on their products it begins to get unfair fast.  All you need to do is look at what a country exports and imports to maintain their economy.

We will use Milk for an example.  using the website numbeo.com and all prices in the US Dollar.

In Canada the price for Milk will range from $3.66 to $10.34 with the average at $6.42 per gallon.

In the US the price for Milk will range from $2.20 to $4.00 with the average at $3.18.

Canada has a smaller Milk industry than the United States and in both Countries the industry supported by either direct support by the governments or by using tariffs.  For US milk to be sent to Canada, a 200% tariff or $2.76 is added as to not undercut the Canadian Milk industry.

Every country not only wants to keep their own industries running for their own economy but the political powers in every country make their money from the different lobbing groups of all these different industries.  If the Canadian government would drop the tariff then the sudden inflow of US Milk would devastate their industry and look at all those cows and people who would be out of work.  If both sides quit supporting the Milk industry the Canadian industry would still fold up while the US side would probably decrease a lot due to the rising cost at the store.  If you force people to pay more for something there will not be a need to buy it.

When you really start looking at what is imported and what is exported you will start getting a headache.  For truly fair trade you have to produce something the other guy really needs.  The US has been on the giving side when it comes to most of major manufacturing products that we export.  Previous administrations have been giving, giving, and giving causing a downturn in the economy and jobs while allowing cheaper and sometimes very inferior products to come into our marketplace.  This is something we have to turn around and having a businessman like Trump in office we have a chance.

A Delaying tactic for Term Limits

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If people think that Congress is talking about it then they don’t have to force the issue.  WRONG!

via Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Pushes for Term Limits

An old approach to draining the Washington swamp has become new again as members of Congress push for congressional term limits.

Term limits were one of the items proposed in the 1994 Contract with America, developed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Although the issue was widely debated at the time, and term limits were imposed on some local and state elected positions, the bid to create term limits at the federal level never succeeded. Although some states sought to limit congressional terms, The Washington Post noted that a court rejected those efforts. Instead, imposing congressional term limits requires a constitutional amendment, which would require two-thirds passage in the bitterly divided houses of Congress and then ratification by 36 states.

Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania said he told Trump that there is a connection between length of service and corruption, according to the Washington Examiner. 

“I made clear to the president that, as a former FBI special agent who oversaw the FBI’s Political Corruption Unit for the entire nation, I witnessed firsthand an undeniable correlation between the length of time in office and the instances of corruption,” Fitzpatrick said. “The lines that were very bright for elected officials on day one in office were not so bright in year seven or eight, and even less so in years 15 or 20.”

It is clear that if we wait for Congress to get around to doing this themselves, the proverbial hot place will freeze over first.  Those that are currently riding the establishment of power in Congress will always come up with the one vote not to allow something to curtail their power or cut off the millions they receive in office for doing something the highest bidder will pay for.  That folks,  will not be what you voted for them to do.

If you do any research, you will see that what they have made over their years in elected public service far exceeds what they are actually paid for.  With this, there are a few that say they are not making enough.  Is that after they just bought their second or third beach house?

A constitutional amendment for congressional term limits could never achieve the blessing of Congress; it could be initiated only by the states.  Dwight D. Eisenhower

To get anything done in this way will require that every state place it on the ballot and force a Constitutional Convention.  This would be a very steep hill to walk and a hard fight against the established political power and the media giants to return us to the original democratic republic we are supposed to be.    What former President Dwight D. Eisenhower was trying to say is that it is up to the people who cast the ballots to collect the signatures and force the issue.  It is not enough to just stand and be counted.  It is up to all of us to get the conversation started and ram it past the elected establishment, the media, the judges, and the naysayers.

In states that have passed term limits, there have been large changes in the diversity of those elected to office and a greater discussion of what really to be done within the state.

Same Old Rut

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What is this country coming to? Before the election we had mainstream news reports flying all over telling us that Hillary Clinton, in her position of Security of State, had a private email server and some classified documents somehow got routed to it.  The FBI was not allowed to check it out but somehow everything that was in this server got hacked and released to the public by possibly Russian hackers.  We had people showing us the law that says it is illegal to send classified stuff to or from a private server.  We had hearings in Congress about this and the FBI could not find anything was wrong.  The Press had a field day saying or printing things from known “sources”.  These same “sources” hinted to the Press that there where agents, possibly foreign or domestic, trying to get information on Trump at the time.  I remember seeing or hearing something like this but unable to find any proof at this time, but I digress.

Now we have Congress having more hearings about the possible wire-tap on Mr. Trump before the election and the same Director of the FBI cannot find any truth to this? We have been hearing from “Sources” within the CIA and NSA that officially nothing of the sort was happening but the same “Sources” from both said it did happen.  It is kind of funny because the CIA, from what I have always heard, are supposed to do all their work outside the borders of the United States.

As a private citizen, it is getting to the point where it is time to just shut off any national news coverage and when the next elections come around, vote for anyone not holding office. That is an option.  Congress was scared right after the elections but they are falling right back into that old groove. The Judicial branch is legislating from the bench again and not even trying to hide it.  You thought the results from the last election was bad.  The next one might be over the top.

Why?

The American citizen is getting tired of all that is happening in Washington. We have permanently elected officials that will not change.  They are not there to represent the people that elected them but are only there to fill their own pockets.  We have political groups that have no idea what they are doing.  We have department Directors that are even now checking which way the political wind is blowing before doing anything.  The propaganda machine is getting ready for another round.  The question is: Will the American Citizen continue to sit and wait?

Hey Congress, Get to Work!

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You have the numbers and the mandate from the People and yet you are standing around crying because someone has given you a swift kick in the butt. All you want to do is go on these so called news shows and whine about this or that.  The media is not telling the People what is really going on.  The Media is leading you around by the nose, so you do what their handlers want.  The People have voted you into your position to work for them.  Not some lobbyist or some rich corporation that may give you some campaign money a year or so down the line.  So I am asking:

What are the Republican members of Congress doing?

NOTHING!

Eight years ago, the Democrats got the numbers and changed the rules and rammed Obamacare right up you backsides. And you could do nothing at the time.  Someone even said, “If you like your current plan, you can keep it”, “If you like your Doctor, you can keep your doctor”, “We need to pass this bill and get it signed into law, so you can read it”.

Yes, it had a mandatory requirement to sign up. You could get a plan real cheap, but the deductible was so high that if you used it, you would have to file bankruptcy afterwards.  When it went into effect, you had many insurers to choose from, they were all lining up to get the free government money, but after a couple of years, the insurers all bailed out and you were left with higher premiums and only one choice of insurers or plan in many areas.  The plan was not implemented on time or delayed to make parts of it to fail.

You have had all this time to see what failed and come up with a valid replacement plan and all you have to show for it is zip, zero, nada.

I don’t care what the insurance companies want. I do not care what the pharmaceutical companies want.  You were not elected to work for them.  If they are showing a profit, they have a way of making money.  As long as any CEO or Board of Directors is drawing a paycheck or Dividend check, they are making a profit.  We don’t care how much money they are trying to channel into your re-election campaign.  If you do not get to work and make it happen you will be replaced in the next election!  We have seen what happens when an outsider to the political realm steps up and blows the political elite out of the running.  Maybe we will find some more like that.

Privacy Bubble Popped?

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How secure do you feel being in your own home with the doors and windows locked? You have the top of the line home defense system, best that money can buy.  You have a smart phone, smart TV, smart stereo, smart kitchen appliances, and all in all, a smart home, with all the cable and wireless devices all wired together.  Congratulations, you bought and set up your own surveillance system that Big Brother can now access, without getting a judge’s approval.

You can be sitting in your “own” living room with family and friends, any one of them may have one of these “smart” items and big brother can now use them to at least hear anything you say. What is this world coming to?

Don’t get me wrong, advances in electronics have helped in many ways improve the lives of many. Everyone feels much safer.  There have even been new languages to communicate in.  Everyone seems connected in a good socialist ways and they don’t even realize that no one actually talks to people one on one any more.  Everyone is in their own little bubble.

You can now go to work, the store, or even walk down the street, you will see people that can walk and text but are still unable to walk and chew gum at the same time. At work, you see your fellow workers constantly texting and talking with their friends and really accomplishing anything and still getting paid for it.  At the stores, you cannot get any help because the associates are always on their personal phones and can’t be bothered.  This is our safe society.

 

With the Wikileaks release of possibly classified documents and such, we are finding for the first time that the majority of people have no idea what is going on about them. They are shocked and dismayed.  Everything they have in their hand or home can and probably and will be used against them at one point or another.  Welcome to the new world.