September 2 Sandoval County Commission Meeting
The September 2, 2010 Sandoval County Commission meeting can be found on the Original Video page. The agenda for the meeting is here.
We Can Restore Our Nation
There is a light at the end of the tunnel, but We the People must exercise our power. Our power comes in the voting booth. Get out and vote. Get your friends and family to vote. We can restore the true ideals this nation represents – Honor, Liberty, Freedom, Equality.
November 2nd is coming. Pay attention to the candidates. Vote not on what they say today, but what they have done in the past. Politicians will say anything to get elected. The truth about their character and beliefs lie in their past action and words. Be active and be educated, and we can take back our country.
Rights, What Rights?
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. – Declaration of Independence, July 4th, 1776
Definition: Civil Rights –
- rights that all citizens of a society are supposed to have, e.g. the right to vote or to receive fair treatment from the law. These rights as conceived in U.S. law are set forth in the 13th and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and in some congressional acts [Encarta]
- 1) rights to personal liberty established by the 13th and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and certain Congressional acts, esp. as applied to an individual or a minority group, 2) the rights to full legal, social, and economic equality extended to blacks [Dictionary.com]
- of or relating to such rights or privileges: civil rights legislation [FreeDictionary.com]
- the nonpolitical rights of a citizen; especially : the rights of personal liberty guaranteed to United States citizens by the 13th and 14th amendments to the Constitution and by acts of Congress [Merriam-Webster]
Why am I quoting definitions; because, the definition of a word or phrase, especially in legal situations, is important. We have been hearing a lot about “Civil Rights” recently, and I have a pet peeve with the “Civil” part of rights.
The first is that Civil Rights, when talked about in government circles and the media, tend to be directed only at minorities. The 13th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution guaranteed rights to all citizens of this nation, even the majorities. The Rights set forth in our founding documents MUST, apply to all; otherwise, they would not be Rights. The Rights conferred to us by our Creator apply to all races, creeds, religions, colors, and nationalities. There are no exceptions.
But, that is not my biggest concern with Civil Rights. My problem stems from the growing notion that many Civil Rights are, in reality, being slowly perverted to mean privileges granted by Government. The common definition of Civil Rights reinforces this notion of a dual nature. Our Constitutional Rights are considered “Civil Rights” that are still protected from government intrusion. Yet, these protected Rights seem to hinge upon the 13th and 14th Amendment. If those Amendments did not exist, what happens to our Rights? Other Civil Rights seem to stem from acts of Congress passing laws. And I think we all know that Congress loves to tinker with laws, just look at the IRS income tax laws.
Unfortunately, the scary part is this – what Government gives, can also be taken away by them. And, if the Government controls these Rights, then they get handed out as the Government sees fit. Some will get Rights, others will not.
More and more, we talk about our Civil Rights, and seem to forget we have Unalienable Rights granted to us by our Creator. We obtain these Rights just by being human and having been born. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution merely reinforces this concept. These are Rights that can never be taken away, only suppressed by dictators and tyrants under oppressive regimes. And, it is our Right and our duty as humans to oppose repressive governments and to remove the barriers between us and our Unalienable Rights.
Am I nit picking? In today’s world, with the meaning of words and ideas changing on a whim of the speaker, with ideals and history being perverted, with progressive and big government thought pervading our leaders, with citizens who do not know our history, with people who want to depend upon government to survive, with those who seek power by playing one race against another, and with pressure from foreign influences seeking to take America down, I think not.
So, as we talk about our Rights, let us remember – Civil Rights may come from, and therefore can be taken away, by the Government. Unalienable Rights come from our Creator and can only be taken away by Him.
Sandoval County Commission Webcast
The August 19th webcast of the County Commission meeting can be found on the ORIGINAL VIDEO PROGRAMMING page.
Obama’s Slippery Slide Continues Down Slope
President Barack Obama
It is becoming evident that this President is running counter to everything the people thought the United States stood for in the world. The people of the USA are starting to come around and realize that Obama’s “Hope and Change” was nowhere near what they expected, or were promised. What middle America wanted was a good economy, honesty in Government, an end to corruption, transparency, national security, rule of law, less racism, liberty and freedom, and respect in the world. What they got was bigger government; continuing unemployment; tax and regulation uncertainty; unread but passed legislation; spin; tax increases; apologies for being what we are world-wide; partial nationalization of industries; abhorrence for the Constitution and our history; less focus on terrorism, the military and national security; a huge run-up of the national debt; even more racial tension; weak leadership; and movement toward making the USA a socialistic country.
Presidential Meltdown
Even other western nations are realizing this. Nile Gardiner has an excellent article on the reasons for the decline of the U.S. Presidency in the UK Telegraph:
The stunning decline of Barack Obama: 10 key reasons why the Obama presidency is in meltdown.
All of this is leading to a free fall in the Presidential approval ratings, and it is weighing heavily on Democratic candidates for 2010.
According to Rasmussen,
For the second week in a row, 30% of Likely Voters say the country is heading in the right direction,according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey taken the week ending Sunday, August 8.
Fifty-six percent (56%) of Democrats feel the country is heading in the right direction. Ninety-twopercent (92%) of Republicans and 70% of voters not affiliated with either political party feel thecountry is heading down the wrong track.
Real Clear Politics shows the Presidents approval rating is definately flowing down the preverbal tubes:
| Poll | Date | Approve | Disapprove | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCP Average | 8/5 – 8/15 | 44.4 | 50.6 | -6.2 |
Gallop concurs that the President’s ratings have declined to their lowest point yet. Even The Obama Store in Union Station, Washington, D.C. is boarded up, according to the US News and World Report.
Even MSNBC, one of Obama’s staunchest media supporters, is reporting:
But as Obama wraps up his first full year in office, the American public has grown increasingly skeptical over his promises to change Washington and his "yes-we-can" agenda, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.
A plurality of Americans believe his health care overhaul is a bad idea; fewer than one in five are satisfied with the economy; just 30 percent give him good marks on changing business as usual in Washington; and a majority think he has accomplished “very little” or “only some” of his goals over the past 12 months.
Where does this leave our nation? Turmoil and perpetual crisis. But then, you should never let a good crisis go to waste …
No Republican Hispanics?
Well Mr. Reid, let me introduce you to a few New Mexican Candidates from the Republican Party:
U.S. House of Representatives
First Congressional District: Jon Barela
Governor: Susana Martinez
Lt. Governor: John Sanchez
State Auditor: Errol Chavez
Secretary of State: Dianna Duran
Court of Appeals
District 4: Gary Montoya
State House of Representatives
House District 8: Alonzo Baldonado
House District 14: Clara Pena
House District 19: Anthony Romo
House District 21: Antoinette Baca
House District 27: Lorenzo Larranaga—Incumbent
House District 59: Nora Espinoza—Incumbent
Psssst – Don’t worry, I won’t tell them any different. And, yes, New Mexico is part of the U.S.A, just in case you weren’t sure.
Arizona – In the Eye of the Storm
At least some Dems are willing to talk. I just wonder how sincere they really are about closing the massive holes in our borders that allow anyone who wants to enter this nation undetected easy access.
Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) speaks alongside members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus about immigration reform.
Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) says President Obama should engage directly with the people in Arizona to help resolve issues with immigration policy. 
listen here
Arizona has many “issues” to be resolved. First and foremost is the fact Phoenix, Arizona has become the kidnapping capital of America. “We’re in the eye of the storm,” Phoenix Police Chief Andy Anderson told ABC News of the violent crimes and ruthless tactics spurred by Mexico’s drug cartels that have expanded business across the border.
So, can anyone blame Arizona for trying to stop aliens from crossing the border without passing through a border checkpoint? How should they stop illegal, undocumented, criminals from entering their state and kidnapping and murdering their citizens? If Mr. Obama and his henchmen believe it is a federal problem, then act like it is a problem.
To be fair, Media Matters claims that Phoenix is not the kidnapping capital of America:
PolitiFact: “Experts advise that such rankings can’t be made based on available information,” “no evidence” claim is accurate. PolitiFact.com assessed the claim that “Phoenix is the second kidnapping capital in the world” and determined it is “false.” In a June 27 analysis of the claim, PolitiFact concluded:
Phoenix has experienced hundreds of kidnappings over the past few years. However, we couldn’t find reliable around-the-planet evidence to confirm that only Mexico City experiences more of them. In fact, experts advise that such rankings can’t be made based on available information. If they could, they speculate, other cities would prove to have more kidnappings than Arizona’s capital.
We found nothing confirming Phoenix as No. 2 in kidnappings worldwide.
OK, so the fact that “Phoenix has experienced hundreds of kidnappings over the past few years” is not bad? It’s not unusual to have that many kidnappings? Just how many kidnappings does it take to be crowned a kidnapping capital?
Phoenix Crime Statistics [source]
| Year | Population | Violent Crime | Murder | Rape | Robbery | Assault | Property Crime | Burglary | Theft | Car Theft | Arson |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 1,585,838 | 10,465 | 167 | 481 | 4,825 | 4,992 | 82,689 | 18,783 | 48,685 | 15,221 | 473 |
State and federal statistics show that most types of crime have dropped in the Phoenix area in recent years. On the other hand, kidnapping has surged from 48 reported cases in Maricopa County in 2004, to 366 in 2008 and 359 the year before [source]. Investigations discovered that if the victim’s family did not pay the ransom within the given time, the perpetrators chopped-off legs, hands and even heads. Kidnappings have even resulted in physical assault. According to the American Department of Justice, the total number of kidnapping cases was almost 2 percent of the total violent crimes that was done against teenagers [source].
OK, so Phoenix is not number two in the world. That argument just detracts from the real problem. American citizens are being victimized. American tax-paying citizens are supporting undocumented aliens in schools and hospitals, paying for welfare and food stamps, and are loosing jobs to illegals who will take a lower (and possibly below federal minimum) wage.
It is time to secure the border, stop illegal immigration, stop those that hire illegals, start a guest worker program, and regain control of who enters our country. Who knows, we might even find a few Islamic Extremist intent on terrorist activities in the process.
A government of, by and for the people?
Mr. Obama urged Congress to pass a bill requiring the source of funds used in political advertisements to be disclosed in the ad. The announcement comes in response to the Citizens United v. Federal Election Committee, where the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 vote that corporate funding, both foreign and domestic, of independent political broadcasts in candidate elections cannot be limited under the First Amendment and the source of income for each broadcast is not obliged to reveal itself.
“These shadow groups are already forming and building war chests of tens of millions of dollars to influence the Fall elections,” Obama said. “Now, imagine the power this will give special interests over politicians.”
The President then went on to say, “This should not be a Democratic issue or a Republican issue, this is an issue that goes to whether or not we’re going to have a government that works for ordinary Americans, a government of, by and for the people.” Listen here
I have no problem with knowing who is pushing what agenda and who is paying for the ads. I’m just wondering if the President knows what he just said. So, Mr. Obama, if this a “government that works for ordinary Americans, a government of, by and for the people”, why have you and your minions in congress shoved unpopular bills and laws down our throats in the face of polls and protests?
FDL Action website reports the continuing popularity of the Health Bill on July 14th:
Three new polls show little improvement and even some loss in support for the law. Polls from Pew (approve 35 percent, disapprove 47), CBS News (approve 36, disapprove 49) and PPP (PDF) (support 40, 53) show the law remains very unpopular.
Rasmussen reports on July 26th:
Most voters (58%) still favor repeal of the health care law passed earlier this year. By a 44%-28% margin, voters believe repeal of the health care law would be good for the economy.
Voters rank the following as “very important election issues according to a Rasmussen poll:
- Economy (85%)
- Government ethics and corruption (72%)
- Health care (70%)
And in their daily Presidential tracking poll, Rasmussen reports:
Forty-four percent (44%) Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -19.
Nancy Peloci
This really sounds like the President is paying attention to We The People. Is Congress really listening to the public will? Does Nancy Peloci really care about the majority, or is she just doing the bidding of the Progressives?
I won’t even go into the special influence on this administration here. Thata is a whole other posting in itself.
Save our nation. Pledge your lives, your fortunes, and your sacred honor to bring this nation back to its foundation of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Don’t give up and don’t stop voicing your opinions. And, go vote. The current administration may be deaf today. The won’t be after November 2nd. They will hear you on election day.
Earthquake Rattles D.C.
An early morning earthquake hit Washington, D.C. this morning. Could this be God’s way of trying to shake things up in the Nation’s Capital? Congress, Mr. Obama, are you paying attention? Oh, I guess a measly 3.6 quake wasn’t big enough. Perhaps the predicted November 2nd quake will be big enough to get your attention before the whole nation is taken down. Somehow though, I doubt it.
Paid to Protest – No Need to Really Care about the Issues
The Wall Street Journal and Fox News has reported that the Carpenter’s Union uses paid protesters. Many of the protesters have no ideology on an issue, they are employed to to walk picket lines, chant and generally sound off each day at around 150 picket lines.
Carpenters' union picket in Bakersfield
Isn’t it sad when people must be hired to protest? Where are those who are actually passionate? Are they not really that motivated?
Their excuse, according to Vincente Garcia, a union representative supervising the picketing, in talking to the WSJ is, “For a lot of our members, it’s really difficult to have them come out, either because of parking or something else.” Wow! What dedication to the cause. Something else kept them away from the protests and pickets?
The real kicker in all of this is that the Union is hiring non-union protesters to protest the hiring of non-union workers. So, if you really don’t care about the cause, need some quick cash, and don’t mind outdoor work in D.C. or Baltimore, go walk a picket line or join a protest – they pay $8.25 an hour (yep, minimum wage). But, if you can get to California, they pay a whopping $10 per hour.
In the end, the union’s Mr. Garcia sees no problem with the labor union hiring non-union people to protest the hiring of non-union labor. He says the pickets are not only about “union issues” but also about fair wages and benefits for American workers. Yea, right.
Again, I have questions:
- Why not put your money where your protests are and paying them that “living wage” you always seem to be asking about?
- Why don’t you hire someone who actually cares? It might seem less hypocritical.
- And, why not unionize the protesters? Could it be they just might go on strike for better working conditions and better pay?
