To Limit or Not to Limit.
The question of term limits has been a vacillating argument of pro and con by both major political parties as well as third party candidates. Their answers seem to be in direct correlation to the party in control at the time. However, the reality is that there are good and bad points to both sides of the issue, making a definite answer much more difficult to determine.

Those opposed to limiting the term of Senators and Congressmen point to the importance of institutional knowledge. It stands to reason that people with past legislative experience would understand the system of government (and its red tape) and should be better prepared to represent their constituencies with more effective governance. The major advantage for long term members is the status of seniority among their peers, which brings with it a code of loyalty within the party. Thus, when a senior member suggests legislation, it is more likely to be accepted by his/her junior peers.

Advocates of term limits stress the corruptive potential such power can bring. For example, senior Senators and Congressmen hold a tight leash on their juniors to ensure enough votes to pass their proposed legislation. Party leaders often dangle the threat of little to no support and financial contributions during re-election time for a dissenting junior - a major deterrent for criticizing members of their own party. A scarcity of criticism and whistle blowing attests to the compliance of junior members to ignore the unscrupulous actions of some senior party members. This allows for exploitation of power and money by those who place personal gain over the will and best interests of their constituents.

The Degrees of Corruption.
The government of the United States of America was created by men whom we consider Statesmen. Through differences and arguments, they struggled to find functional compromises to form a government structure that would keep the best interest of the people first. In today’s American politics, it is difficult to identify true statesmen as we so often hear of corruption and allegations of scandal and cover-ups. The modus operandi of our Washington representatives appears to be a continual cycle of personal gain over public interest, which does little to show our children the value of honesty, integrity, and accountability. To illustrate this point, let’s look at just the past week of news items.

Honesty?
One of the major stories this week was the revelation that Speaker of the House, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) – former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee – did, indeed, attend national security briefings where the handling of enemy combatants by CIA interrogators was discussed in detail. In statements made only a week before, Pelosi declared on live television, that she had not been aware of waterboarding or other enhanced interrogation methods used by the CIA and U.S. military just after the attacks of September 11, 2001. Ironically, memos declassified by the Democratic Obama White House prove that Pelosi and other Democrats were involved in Intelligence meetings where she made no objections to the approved methods. Pelosi’s follow up explanation of her earlier statement, or let’s face it – lie, was a lame attempt at “clarification” stating that she didn’t know that [CIA] would actually “use” such tactics.

Hypocrisy?
Budget watchdogs revealed that while criticizing Democrats for loading the federal budget with earmarks and special projects during a financial crisis, Republican Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) has appropriated $819,000 for study of the catfish genome, and $800,000 for oyster rehabilitation - two absolute financial necessities, no?


Integrity?
Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) has been identified in a transcript from an NSA wiretap on an Israeli agent discussing using her influence to lobby the Justice Department to drop espionage charges against two officers of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee. In exchange the AIPAC would provide political pressure and intercession to lobby Speaker Pelosi on behalf of Rep. Harman to be named as the new chair of the Intelligence Committee. Initial comments from Harman denied that she had been the subject of a federal investigation and claimed, since she spoke with so many people including Israelis, that she did not recall any such conversation. Allegations that Speaker Pelosi, also a California Democrat, knew of the ongoing investigation but never informed Harman, led to a statement from the Speaker that she had no knowledge of being informed. Later proof from the transcript put both Harman and Pelosi in embarrassing positions. The transcript ends with Harman saying “This conversation doesn’t exist.” Apparently…it did.

Concern.
How do we expect our citizens to respect authority when our leaders stand before America and blatantly lie? Why would the average American want to pursue a political position in order to fulfill their civic duty if corruption is rampant? How do we teach our children true values and honesty when they see politicians engage in scandalous behavior? When are we going to demand accountability from our elected officials – Democratic and Republican - for their waste of our tax dollars?

These incidents bode well for the argument of term limits. Even though it seems a small step, term limits seem to be a rational start toward replacing a semblance of “government of the people, by the people and for the people.” Next week, we will look at the bureaucracy in Washington, D.C. and discuss how this institution of red-tape and civil servants are the “real” governing body.

And that…is Why It Matters.

It began April 19, 1775. The orders from the tyrant were to confiscate all weapons from citizens and silence the dissenters. The people were prepared, a militia formed, a message was sent out. An overwhelming force - face to face against her own people. Then…a single shot... “heard ‘round the world.

Now, 234 years later, the people rise to speak again. In a series of “tea parties” held across the country, the people of our nation rose in discontentment of the increasing disregard of their voices by those chosen to represent them. With government spending out of control, foreign policy guided by socialist agenda, and continued assaults on the Constitution of the United States, Americans stood and said “ENOUGH.”

Hundreds of thousands, perhaps more than a million Americans stood together and made a statement. However, their message was not only directed to the government. Additionally, the “tea parties” were a call to their neighbors. The message was simple, “You are not alone in your anger. Our voices can and will be heard. Together, we will take back our Constitutional Republic.”

The “Tax-Day Tea Parties” proved that America is furious with her leadership. In contradiction to what the mainstream liberal media have purposely ignored, tea party gatherings were a success with protests in more than 2,000 locations from coast to coast. The tea party protests drew crowds in small towns and in large cities, with crowds numbering from hundreds in rural areas to masses such as Atlanta’s huge gathering of more than 20,000. Nashville’s crowd which gathered near the State Capital topped 10,000 people; while Franklin, Tennessee’s small court square attracted more than 3,000 citizens.

Many of us in the conservative movement and media have been warning of the signs of socialism and vast un-American “changes” that have been taking place right before our eyes. Sadly, only a few astute citizens took the warnings with much sincerity. Now, as our Constitutional rights are eroded; our borders continue to be overrun with criminal illegal aliens; and our Congress continues its unprecedented spending spree, more and more Americans are raising their heads from their daily lives.

Average citizens are now beginning to question Obama’s promise of “change.” They are dumbfounded at the trillions of dollars being allocated to projects with no details to their purpose and viability. They are shocked at the reality that, after Federal money has been spent, these projects are expected to be continued by their individual states, thus meaning continual rises in taxation.

Unlike the Cuban-bound members of the Black Congressional Caucus, every true, red-blooded American understands that we cannot allow our country to be turned into a playground for communists ready to pillage our resources and deplete our assets for socialist proliferation. Unlike the power hungry Pelosi and Reed, Americans know that we cannot forfeit our freedoms for the presumed safety of a nanny-state or a Utopian society. And, unlike President Obama, Americans do not need to apologize for our role as leader of the free world and the consequences that role requires.

My question to you is: How many of you will wait until “change” comes to your doorstep, to your child’s school curriculum, to your gun-safe, to your voice, or to your pocket…before you decide to act? Will you allow your neighbor to fight your battle? Will you allow communist teachings to be ingrained in your child through, so-called, progressive education? Will you accept a ban on weapons and ammunition where only the criminals are armed? Will you allow your voice to be silenced for the “good of the public”? Are you willing to become a slave to your government in order to payback its enormous deficit?

I, for one, am not willing to sit back and do nothing. As many of you, my ancestors came to this country before it was a nation in order to find a home without constant intercession from tyrannical control. They fought, bled, sacrificed and died to give us, their children, a future of freedom. We owe them, not only gratitude, but our oath to endure and to defend their hard-fought victory.

Many of you will ask, Where do I start? I urge you to talk to one another in your communities, towns, churches, organizations. Educate yourselves and others to the policies that our government has made and the ramifications to your communities and family. Transcend the labels of “liberal or conservative”, “democrat or republican” to find one unified voice…that of an American patriot.

You must ask, What can I do? Organize like our founding fathers did – talk with your neighbors, your church groups, your clubs and associations, your friends and coworkers, your family. Don’t despair when individual opinions collide on specific issues. The right of the individual is the basic premise on which our nation was founded. Our forefathers disagreed on many specific issues, but they all agreed on one primary tenet – individual freedoms; “the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Look beyond your differences and look to the realities of events taking place at this critical juncture in our nation’s history.

The “Tax-Day Tea Parties” are only the beginning…a new revolution. This is a wake up call to all American citizens. We must be willing to take the next steps to defend the ideals set forth by our forefathers when they formed our republic.

Whether you stand up for your freedoms, or sit quietly and allow your life to be controlled by others, will be your decision. I ask you this: At the end of your days, what will you tell your children that you did to defend their freedoms and to protect their future?

And that is…Why It Matters.

A preliminary draft of a press release mistakenly issued from the Secretary General of the United Nations:

Communists around the world REJOICE! North Korea has successfully launched a Taepodong-2 missile (which unfortunately crashed into the Pacific Ocean) proving that it is a player in the chess game of world armament. After hearing the news of the launch, the United Nations scurried for an emergency meeting of the Security Council to discuss an appropriate response. Flowers or chocolate?

Sound ridiculous? It should! Although, you may be used to the absurdities from the U.N. by now. No. The real story, according to council president Ambassador Claude Heller of Mexico, is a unanimous accord “to continue consultations on the appropriate reaction by the council ... given the urgency of the matter."

Whoa…hold me back! Maybe they took a page from the Obama War Manual?

Last Friday, The Washington Post reported a warning from President Obama that the United States and others in the international community would “take action” if North Korea continued with its plans. "We will work with all interested partners in the international community to take appropriate steps to let North Korea know that they cannot threaten the safety and stability of other countries with impunity," Obama said.

Apparently, Mr. Obama chickened out, as he ordered no military response. For that matter, neither did Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the United Kingdom. Evidently, like the U.N., socialists have no stomach for a fight when push comes to shove. Obama’s inaction to use military deterrence has revealed his Achilles heel to our enemies: a weakness that will surely be tested again and again.

Meanwhile, the U.N. has proven completely inept in every security related endeavor. In fact, they have proven incompetent at most everything, including their role as peace keepers, negotiators, and providers of humanitarian relief efforts.

Why should this be of such concern to us? A 2008 report by the International Crisis Group at the U.S. Army War College stated that “North Korea has become the greatest supplier of missiles, missile components and related technologies in the developing world.” The report confirms that North Korea is one of the principal providers of missiles to Iran, Pakistan, Syria, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen.

It is inconceivable that President Obama did not know this information or that it was not presented to him in the daily National Intelligence Estimate. So why is he playing free and loose with our nation’s security? Is he not concerned? Or is he unable to multitask which is imperative for the office of President. Possibly, Obama and company have been solely focused on implementing their blitzkrieg to inflict socialism upon America that real threats of security have been tossed by the wayside.

Our nation’s security is in peril…and that is Why It Matters.

"... God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion. The people cannot be all, and always, well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions, it is lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty.... And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure."

-Thomas Jefferson


Our country’s future is, indeed, in great peril. We stand at the precipice of transformation so radical that it will change the structure, not only of our country, but of our daily lives. If there is ever a time when Americans should take up their duty as a citizen – to inform ourselves of our government’s direction – it is now. I ask you this. Will you turn your eyes from the destruction of our constitutional republic and allow your freedoms to be taken away? Or, will you have the courage to look, see and act to remain free men and women?

In reviewing the various issues which were critical news to be addressed, I made a chilling discovery. Each issue was, in itself, so vital to ponder, so critical to be discussed, that no single matter could suffice the mission of my column. So, I put forth the pieces of a puzzle for you to construct. The picture that appears should alarm even the most complacent among us.

President Obama will attend the G-20 meeting to be held this week in London – the global financial crisis being the main topic. The European Union (EU) has proposed a “charter of sustainable economic activity” that “would subject all financial market activities around the globe to regulation.” The EU’s proposal anticipates a direction toward a “global governance structure.” The White House has given a nod to this economic fix, offering its $787 billion stimulus as a model for other countries to follow. (source: The Washington Post)

Similarly, at a U.N. meeting in Germany, the Administration has distributed a “climate change” proposal that cleverly cloaks a “reordering of the world economy, likely involving trillions of dollars in wealth transfer, millions of job losses and gains, new taxes, industrial relocations, new tariffs and subsidies, and complicated payments for greenhouse gas abatement schemes and carbon taxes — all under the supervision of the world body.” (source: FoxNews)

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner announced plans last week for sweeping reform in the financial markets, which has now been expanded to encompass oversight of any and all businesses that are deemed to pose “systemic risk” to the U.S. economy. This plan, if enacted, will place the Treasury and the White House with unprecedented and unconstitutional control over public and private business entities. (source: MSNBC / AP)

The U.S. Mint has released an unknown number of new George Washington $1 coins without the usual inscriptions, including “In God We Trust.” Accident, coincidence or purposeful? (source: AP)

The campaign pledge of transparency in government has proven to be only words as The White House continues to hold by-invitation-only press briefings for major policy or legislation proposals. At the daily White House briefing, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs persists in avoiding hard-hitting questions by primarily calling on B and C level media outlets; for the few heavy-hitters allowed to pose a question, his explanations are evasive and imprecise. (source: Media Research Center)

Similarly, Obama’s town hall meeting was found to be staged with pre-determined questions from Obama campaign backers rather than the promised spontaneous interaction with the general public. (source: The Washington Post)

Additionally, the First Amendment is trampled by the Obama White House with an unprecedented directive from the President that bars officials “charged with doling out stimulus funds from talking to registered lobbyists about specific projects or applicants for stimulus cash.” Free speech advocates plan to bring the matter to court. (source: Politico.com)

With diversity as the rationale, the White House officials announced the policy to place more Muslims in White House posts. Currently 45 prominent names are being considered, some of which have ties to the Muslim Brotherhood – an organization whose leaders have explained their work as "a kind of grand jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and 'sabotaging' its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and God's religion is made victorious over all other religions." (source: Denver Post)

These are only a few of the issues from last week’s reports that begin to form a clearer picture of the road to socialism. Is this the America that you want? Are you willing to voice your opinion? What further actions are needed for Americans to stand together to remind our government that “we the people” have the last word? We now face the fruition of Jefferson’s warning. And that is...Why It Matters.

Americans are outraged - downright angry! How dare AIG pay its executives millions of dollars in bonuses, after begging for money - taxpayers’ dollars- to save their firm!

The White House has done a brilliant job in BAITING the media outlets with this outrage. This anti-AIG sentiment has dominated the news for almost two weeks. Granted, we have all been stunned by the audacity of AIG’s executives; however, that was NOT the bad news.

No, no…The truly bad news- THE SWITCH - comes this week, while Americans are already so focused and angered, that they will most likely miss the bait-and-switch of the Obama Administration.

Over the weekend, we have learned that the Administration plans even more spending, to the tune of $2 Trillion - a much more significant amount than the $168 million in AIG bonuses. The surprise expenditure includes an estimated $1 Trillion plan to overhaul the financial system, and the creation of a new government entity with a budget of - yes, you guessed it -$1 Trillion more! All of this comes in the wake of the release of the largest budget in history - $ 3.6 Trillion - proposed by the Obama White House (an increase of$700 billion from the FY2008 budget proposal).

The Associated Press reports that Obama’s financial system overhaul will give the government “new resolution authority to take over troubled institutions that would pose a threat to the entire financial system if they failed.” Under this new plan, the Treasury Secretary would have unprecedented powers, including oversight and regulation of compensation for executives at all banks and investment firms. Opponents fear that this could well extend to other companies, both public and private.

Additionally, Americans will be saddled with, yet another government entity, the Public-Private Investment Program (PPIP), whose mission is to purchase toxic assets from banks. PPIP will be allocated a whopping $1 Trillion for such purchases. While the White House hopes to attract partnerships from private investors by offering low cost loans for toxic asset purchases, economists predict that investors will be leery of such offerings as well as the strings that are sure to be attached.

WAKE UP AMERICANS!

Leery…I’d say! It is past time that we should all be concerned for the future of our country. The actions of the Obama Administration and our feckless Congress are quickly placing our nation in peril. Meanwhile, We the People sit back and do nothing!

It is difficult to miss the intention of Obama and the liberal Democrats on Capitol Hill. Their goal of a socialist government has become blatantly clear with this latest $2 Trillion plan. They are systematically seizing control of America’s financial markets with words of implied protection for the public interest. They are enslaving us and future generations with a debt that grows larger with every bright idea from the liberal left.

Never before in the history of these United States have we seen such blatant disregard of free enterprise, which is the basis of our economy. Never before have we seen such accumulation of power and authority granted to so few individuals. We need change, but this is not the kind of change America needs. This is socialism!

And that is…Why It Matters.

Apparently, “Just Say No” is not a concept that our Congress understands. Last week, House Appropriations Chairman Dave Obey (D-WI) introduced an omnibus spending bill to complete the annual budget funding for most federal agencies. This bill was to provide needed monies to continue government operations through the remainder of the fiscal year which ends September 30th.

C-Span’s Congressional glossary defines an omnibus bill as a bill which “packages together several measures into one or combines diverse subjects into a single bill.” It’s the government’s version of a budgeting to-do list.

The bill, H.R. 1106, which amounts to additional spending of $410 Billion, was passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 245-178 with 16 Republican “aye” votes. However, when the bill was transferred to the Senate for vote, Republicans, along with a few conservative Democrats, refused to blindly sign off on this expenditure without further investigation into what was contained in the bill. After the revelations of the Stimulus Package Bill, constituents were burning up the telephone and fax lines with angry responses to the enormous amount of “pork” included in what was sold to Americans as a necessary fix for our dire economic situation. Fearing the repercussions at re-election time, many Senators made certain that this time they would know where taxpayers’ money was being allocated.

Even Indiana Democrat Senator Evan Bayh expressed his views on the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009 to the Wall Street Journal stating it “is a sprawling $410 Billion compilation of nine spending measures that lacks the slightest hint of austerity from the federal government or the recipients of its largess.” His stance against the bill does not bode well for President Obama who has squandered his credibility as an agent of change and exposer of earmarks with the public outcry over the $4 Trillion Stimulus Package – a direct breach of his campaign promises.

The Heritage Foundation has an excellent in-depth piece on the Omnibus spending bill that explains very clearly the costs involved and the impact on taxpayers and American families. Author of this report, Brian Riedl, cites a total of 9,287 pork projects at a cost of nearly $13 billion and an 8% discretionary spending hike (the second in two years). These numbers, combined with the enormous Stimulus Act (which increased discretionary program budgets by 80%), will most likely lead to an additional $2,000 tax per household.

Heritage, as well as other government watchdog groups, has declared this bill in its current form as irresponsible and unnecessary spending to an already bloated federal budget. It seems that no matter what the politicians tell the American people during the campaigns, when push comes to shove, they are unwilling to “just say no” and tighten the government belt by limiting or eliminating programs that are now viewed as inane and superfluous funding during such a desperate and growing financial crisis.

This Omnibus bill contains the second-highest proposal of earmarks contained in a single bill in our country’s history. Together, the Omnibus bill with 9,297 earmarks which will cost $12.8 Billion, and the Stimulus Act, with its 2,627 earmarks which amounts to $16.1 Billion, represent a total of 11,914 earmarks thus far in 2009 at a total cost of $28.9 Billion. This type of greedy, unnecessary expenditures is the fault of both Republicans and Democrats. It is also fault of every American that allows such wastefulness to continue with no great hue and cry. Moreover, it sets the stage for a Federal government that, now, more resembles a socialist state than the democratic republic that we have cherished for more than two centuries.

We are courting disaster and it is apparent that the vast majority of our elected officials have not the integrity, the statesmanship, nor the courage to be the Patrick Henrys of our generation. Are you prepared to live in a country that grows more and more toward Socialism/Communism? Or are you prepared to stand up and fight for what is rightfully yours? Stand with those of us who intend to bring America back to the people. Be a true patriot, because…that is Why It Matters.

With all focus turned toward the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, little attention has been given to a vicious and deadly war occurring on our southern border. The violence has now crossed over the border into American territory. According to terrorism and gang experts, along with ATF and U.S. Border agents, we can expect the violence to worsen and move further into the American heartland. Mexico has become a dangerous and critical issue.

Many now speculate that Mexico is primed for a social and economic collapse. As Glenn Beck has pointed out several times on his television and radio programs, “Mexico may well be our Archduke Ferdinand incident.” Its instability may very well be the tipping point for world war. Many Mexican citizens and U.S. observers will tell you that the drug lords have become the ruling authority in Mexico usurping the Mexican government through threats, bribery and outright violence. Drug lords have taken control of vast areas within Mexico and are armed with the most modern and sophisticated weaponry. Mexican forces have been unable to quell the violence in their country, moreover stop it before it reached America. Now the violence has spilled over into American border towns and cities, leaving a trail of blood and mutilation in its wake.

Surprised to hear this? So was I and I am outraged that our government has not informed our citizens to the magnitude of this hostility. Much of this information has been either ignored or omitted from most newscasts and newspapers. Until now, what has been reported has been toned-down in order to decrease the threat level Americans might perceive. Why? Because attention to this bloodshed would create anger, outrage and possibly panic. Americans would again be up in arms (this time possibly literally) regarding illegal immigration and our open borders. With only localized reporting of the atrocities, it is easier for the political players in border states to turn a blind eye to illegal immigration – even if it means dealing with beheaded bodies and kidnappings – in order to have enough low-level, low-paid workers that are needed to work the enormous farms throughout the Southwest and California, as well as cheap labor for the huge hotel/convention centers in Las Vegas. [Makes you think twice about the actual motives of Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) along with their colleagues.]

Here are some mind-boggling statistics which illustrate the level of cruelty and the scope of impact that Mexico’s unrest has become:

• Since December 26, 2008, approximately 400 bodies have been found along the Mexican/American border – many of whom have been decapitated or mutilated. These bodies are found with messages spray painted on their wrappings warning the authorities NOT to get involved.
• While the ATF tries to track and stop drug smuggling over the Mexican/American border, officials estimate that only 10% of the drugs are actually apprehended at the border, the rest making it across the border and are now on American streets for sale.
• Violence in Juarez, which is just across the Rio Grande from El Paso, TX, has escalated to the point that, now, U.S. citizens fear for their lives. The recent threats against the mayor of Juarez, Jose Reyes Ferriz, have caused him to move his family over the border into El Paso for safety. El Paso police sources admit that they have received information that the cartels would be coming to El Paso to get Ferriz.
• With police being killed, beheaded and mutilated, Mexican border towns are often left with no defense against the drug cartels. MyFox Phoenix TV reported that in Villa Ahumada, the entire police for quit after 70 cartel members came through their town last spring, “killing the police chief, two offices and three townspeople.”
• Last year Juarez and other border towns were witness to more than 1,600 murders; and hundreds of kidnappings. Mexico City leads the world in kidnappings with an estimated 3,000 just last year.
• On the U.S. side, Phoenix stands as the kidnapping capital of America with more than 370 cases last year. Authorities say that 95% of the kidnappings are of adults, many with ransoms of $1 million or more. This figure has risen by 50% since 2005.
• The Associated Press reports that the U.S. State Department cites the murders of more than 6,000 people due to the drug wars in Mexico and on our border during 2008. Since January 1, 2009 more than 1,000 people have been killed in the drug wars.

The Obama Administration is beginning to recognize the size of the threat from our southern neighbors, stating that drug wars from Mexico and other parts of Latin and South America pose a significant national security threat. On February 20 of this year, the Department of State issued a travel alert warning American travelers about the increased violence in Mexico and advising travelers to take precautions. Colleges and schools on the American side of the border have warned their students to avoid trips to Mexico for spring break.

In response to the new State Department alert, the U.S. Senate has seated a special panel to examine the violence on the border. "The recent escalation of violence along the southern border demands our immediate attention," said Senator Joseph Lieberman, the chairman of the panel. "We must assess border security programs and plans in place and we must review the readiness of federal, state, and local law enforcement."

If the Mexican state falls into complete chaos, the fallout will hit America like a firestorm. We will see violence spill into our states as drug cartels move further north. Competition for turf inside the U.S. will, no doubt, create gang wars across our cities. Among such chaos, our focus will turn inward; possibly leaving us open for attack by others, including latent Islamist terrorist cells. Mexico may, indeed, be the spark that ignites a world war. It is a grim prediction, but one we must address. And that is…Why It Matters.

Americans have been so focused on the economic turmoil and the debate on the highly controversial stimulus package, that an extremely critical issue has been virtually overlooked or cast aside. Two days after taking the oath of office for the Presidency of the United States of America, Barak Obama deliberately and severely crippled the security of our nation with the simple stroke of a pen. Executive orders were given to immediately begin the closure of the military detention facility, Camp Delta, at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as well as “all detention facilities [around the world] currently operated by the CIA.” Also included in the set of orders is the immediate halt to “all proceedings [which are] pending in the United States Court of Military Commission Review.”

And that is just the beginning...

Military judge, Army Col. James Pohl, rejected the request from Pentagon lawyers to halt proceedings in the already scheduled arraignment of Abd el Rahim al-Nashiri, the Saudi Arabian charged with the orchestration of the suicide bombing of the USS Cole in October 2000 that killed 17 sailors and injured dozens. The judge argued that his decision to proceed with the arraignment would not prevent the Obama Administration from making a decision on determining a forum [other than a military commission] for al-Nashiri’s case and would, in fact, expedite the trial process for the detainee, which was the stated aim of the Administration.

Meanwhile, the families of the victims, along with the ship’s commander, U.S. Navy Cmdr. Kurt Lippold (now retired) had been invited to the White House for a briefing on the situation. The group had expected to bring their concerns directly to President Obama regarding the whispers of a possible withdrawal of charges. However, the meeting that the families and Cmdr. Lippold were expecting was not forthcoming.

Instead, in a precarious and alarming response to Col. Pohl’s legal argument, the White House demanded an immediate halt to al-Nashiri’s arraignment, which could only be legally achieved by withdrawing all charges against the terrorist. This callous move created a storm of outrage from the families of victims from the USS Cole, as well as those families from the victims of the 9/11 attacks. They expected to be accorded the respect and consideration of the President before any final decision was made. Instead, they found themselves to be mere pawns in a public relations campaign meant to soften the backlash expected from many Americans.

Lawyers from the Administration rushed to defend the decision stating that the charges against al-Nashiri were “dropped without prejudice” which means that he can conceivably be recharged in a federal or civil court inside the borders of United States. Legal scholars point out that changing the trial’s venue to a federal or civil court is a treacherous move as it could trigger unprecedented rights accorded the terrorist. Due to the classified nature of most of the evidence, the prosecution would be extremely limited in presenting enough evidence before a public audience to bring about a conviction.

In an interview with the Miami Herald, Cmdr. Lippold struck back at the Obama Administration stating that this move to drop charges would be “a tragic, politically based mistake. We are now politicizing the war on terrorism...an order of magnitude worse than anything we’ve ever done.”

I am truly stunned with this event. I cannot conceive of a rational argument for Obama’s actions in these orders. What possible thought process does one possess to think it is a good idea to release our enemies? However, I should recognize that this administration is, in truth, the old Clinton Administration with new wrappings – and we know that they had no conception of the danger of Islamic terrorism.

Moreover, I am shocked at the naivety of the liberal mindset. Have they been lost in academia for so long that the realities of the base nature of man are a mere myth to them? In layman’s terms, don’t they realize that these terrorists want to KILL us? A rational mind could look at the living conditions of the masses in the Middle East and realize that they operate on a different wavelength. While our goodie-two-shoes are worried about the terrorists’ rights, the terrorists’ governments could care less about their own people. Seldom do we see Muslim countries helping neighbor Muslim countries for humanistic needs. Seldom do we hear “moderate” Muslim countries denounce the radical actions of their brethren.

What is the motive in Obama’s decision to emasculate our intelligence and armed forces with such reckless orders? Does this help Americans? Does it make us safer? With order like these – who needs a military? Why should we keep any armed forces, if our political leaders are willing to roll-over for the enemy and kowtow to the socialist/communist leaders of other countries around the world in the flimsy hope of “being likable again.”

And, why should we care what other countries think of us? Honestly. It changes nothing. They still need our help during crises, our benevolence to refugees and victims that are ignored by their wealthy neighbors, i.e. Saudi Arabia. They still need our trade; even with our current economic crisis, the United States will import Billions in foreign goods and services in any given year.

Change can be good, change can be necessary. But, change based on inexperience and lack of knowledge is arrogant and dangerous. As Cmdr. Lippold stated, “We shouldn't make policy decisions based on human rights and legal advocacy groups. We should consider what is best for the American people, which is not to jeopardize those who are fighting the war on terror — or even more adversely impact the families who have already suffered losses as a result of the war."

Yes, we are witnessing the beginning of a new direction for America. However, it might not be the America you want. And that is...WHY IT MATTERS.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, otherwise known as the “House Stimulus Bill,” will go down in history as one of the most self-serving, outrageous acts any governing body has ever proposed. The cost of the House bill is estimated at $825 Billion – a staggering amount that the U.S. does not have in its coffers. Thus, we would need to borrow the money from countries that will be glad to have the United States in their debt, such as China, Saudi Arabia, etc. With accruing interest, the total cost is expected to run around $1.2 TRILLION dollars. That’s TRILLION, my friends. Ironically, everyone sitting in Congress will long be dead before this debt will be retired.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has been walking on clouds since her Democrat-controlled House of Representatives passed this mammoth legislation. To hear her speak on this issue is truly a lesson in spin. Either she actually believes that this monstrosity is the right thing to bring America out of its economic woes, or, most likely, she has gone insane in wielding her power. “If there is somebody who is disgruntled, so be it,” she arrogantly stated to reporters. Her sound bites infer that this was a unanimous vote from the Democrats in the House - FALSE. The truth is 11 Democrats were strong enough to stand against her and say NO. The final tally was 244 AYES (all Dems) to 188 NAYS (177 Republicans and 11 Democrats). So much for bipartisanship, uh?

During the White House briefings this week, reporters grilled Press Secretary Robert Gibbs on details outlining how many jobs this bill would create. Gibbs, in his hesitating and faltering reply, finally let slip that some of the jobs would not “actually” be “created” but rather “saved” or would come to fruition in the future. What? Gibbs also confirmed that much of the spending would directly benefit and immediately help most Americans. Really?

Below is a sampling of items included in this “emergency economic stimulus bill” which was supposedly created to bring our economy back into the black and put Americans back to work. While many of these may be worthwhile expenditures, they are NOT appropriate in an economic stimulus plan and should be dealt with in other, more appropriate legislation...if at all.

• $90 Billion for infrastructure.
• $87 Billion for Medicaid aid to states.
• $79 Billions to school districts and public colleges to “prevent” cutbacks.
• $24 Billion for “green jobs.”
• $4 Billion for neighborhood stabilization – (aka ACORN and their ilk).
• $1.5 Billion for a “carbon-capturing contest.”
• $600 Million for universal health care promotion.
• $400 Million to our “national treasures” which includes repairing the walls of the Tidal Basin in D.C.
• $400 Million for HIV and Chlamydia testing.
• $246 Million to Hollywood to “offset loss of income”.
• $335 Million to the CDC for sexually transmitted disease education and prevention programs.
• $200 Million for Dept. of Defense to acquire alternative energy vehicles, and
• $200 Million for DOD plug-in car stations.
• $25 Million for recreation maintenance (i.e. off-road ATV trails), plus
• $20 Million for trail maintenance and restoration.

The Wall Street Journal identified more pork, writing, “We've looked it over, and even we can't quite believe it. There's $1 billion for Amtrak, the federal railroad that hasn't turned a profit in 40 years; $2 billion for child-care subsidies; $50 million for that great engine of job creation, the National Endowment for the Arts; $400 million for global-warming research and another $2.4 billion for carbon-capture demonstration projects. There's even $650 million on top of the billions already doled out to pay for digital TV conversion coupons.”

This mere sampling of expenditures totals around $3 Billion and accounts for less than 1 percent of the total spending package. Remember, these are YOUR TAX DOLLARS being allocated.

You can download the complete 647 page bill (H.R.1.EH) from THOMAS, the Library of Congress’s legislative archives. The direct link is http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.1.EH. The bill has now gone to the U.S. Senate. Let us pray that the Senators will kill the bill in its current form. Now is not the time for pet projects, which are designed to ensure reelection for incumbents.

Join the thousands of other Americans who are calling, writing or faxing their Senators and Congressmen to voice YOUR opinion on this wasteful spending. You may find Congressional information at www.house.gov and Senatorial information at www.senate.gov.

Our nation is certainly in an economic crisis and a stimulus plan is badly needed. However, it must address the economy – not special interest, expanded welfare or updates to currently budgeted programs. And that is...WHY IT MATTERS.

President Obama’s promise of “change” was swift in coming. Within the first several days of his inauguration as President of the United States, Mr. Obama signed 7 Executive Orders and 5 Presidential Memoranda, all of which became effective immediately.

When Mr. Obama said he would bring “change” to Washington, D.C., most Americans, especially those who are followers of his movement, expected “changes” that would better the state of our nation and our people. However, if you take time to read the information on the White House website (which was launched immediately after his swearing in), you will be stunned. A much better description of the Obama Administration’s goals might be “to transmogrify” – or to change America completely. Let me warn you, be concerned...be very concerned.

While the media has focused on the order to close Camp Delta, the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, other orders which appear at first to be benign, reveal the beginning of a totally different form of government. For example, his first Presidential Memoranda is titled “Transparency and Open Government.” Sounds like a great idea, right? Well, it appears to be a Trojan horse.

The Obama White House has basically cut off access for media. Instead, they have handed out releases with little information and still photos taken by the White House photographer. The only media allowed to cover the second swearing in ceremony were a mere 4 handpicked journalists...none of which were from the main media outlets. There were no live cameras allowed and no video taken. This action alone chills me to the bone, as it is exactly the type of action taken by communist countries where information is controlled and manipulated. Ironically, this action of exclusion negates his own memorandum of “transparency.”

Hidden away in the documents are items that, to me, are appalling...even frightening. In the three executive orders signed by President Obama on January 23, you may be shocked to note the following:

• An immediate halt has been ordered for “all proceedings pending in the United States Court of Military Commission Review...”
• The order further states that all military judgments will be reviewed by the White House and the Department of Justice. It now appears that the Justice Department – not the Defense Department - will have the final say as to how our military is to function.
• Under the genial title of ENSURING LAWFUL INTERROGATIONS, the new President has determined that, “The CIA shall close as expeditiously as possible any detention facilities that it currently operates and shall not operate any such detention facility in the future.” Also in that document, all military and intelligence organizations are severely limited as to their in-theatre operations – binding them to abide solely by the Army Field Manual. This takes the surprise and unknown element out of any intelligence gathering via interrogation, as our enemies have surely read the manual.

President Obama has also addressed certain issues regarding Federal funding for addressing foreign policy in regard to the Federal funding of grants to non-governmental organizations (NGOs). He has revoked the previous order which prohibited funding to an NGO that promotes or performs abortions in foreign countries. Our tax dollars will now be used to fund unrestricted abortions, even late term and partial-birth abortions, overseas.

The one thing we must do is to take President Obama’s words of change very seriously. He will obviously “change” America as we know it. But, is it the right kind of change? Or are these “changes” moving us away from the rights and freedoms guaranteed us by our U.S. Constitution? Certainly, there are those who would argue that the Constitution may be interpreted in ways more conducive to present day society’s mores. However, are we willing to accept changes that seem to be guiding us toward a socialist nation, rather than preserving the Republic created by our Founding Fathers? It’s a sobering reality to ponder, and that is...Why It Matters.