Reformation
Shutdown Over Obamacare: Be Careful Little Eyes What You See
President Obama was a part of two shutdowns that affected me this week.
First, the government shutdown that affected the nation (especially veterans trying to visit the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C.). And second, a letter I received from our insurance company saying that we had been cancelled because of the Affordable Care Act (dubbed Obamacare).
We were told to go to the “exchange” and try to get new insurance.
It crashed.
So I said goodbye to Tony, our family physician and to the company that has provided health care for us for the past ten years.
Both shutdowns involved the Affordable Health Care Act, and if you believe the mainstream press, it is the “anarchist” Republicans who are at fault. Our local newspaper had a four page spread on ACA – and one page of it was “definitions of terms.”
Here are my “definitions” of what is taking place in America right now.
My first advice is what I learned in Kindergarten: Be careful little eyes what you see.
One of the realities of life is that the same people are events can be viewed from totally different points of view, depending on your facts (or lack of them) and your faith.
Here’s an obvious example.
During the time of the Third Reich in the 1930s and 40s. the German people came to believe that they were a superior race, that Hitler was a charismatic and noble leader, and that conquering Europe and the world might be a good thing for all people.
On the other hand, in other European nations, across the English channel, and in America, people viewed the same events and leader in a totally different light. Because of their different view and faith, they did everything in their power to thwart and obstruct the mad German dictator.
So be careful little eyes what you see.
You may have the sight right on the lens of your eye, but your interpretation of what’s happening may be totally different from reality.
That brings us to the partial government shutdown over the Affordable Care Act.
Let me give my take on the sobering and confusing events of this week. I will do it through the lens of my own definitions–some of which, you may disagree with. That’s okay. Just check your facts carefully so that your eye will be filled with light (Matthew 6:22).
IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS IN THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN OVER OBAMACARE
Government Shutdown
A very partial thing. Essential services are open, Social Security checks are being mailed, and most people don’t notice much difference in everyday life. Do we really need all this government?
Republicans
The Grand Old Party goes back to Abraham Lincoln and has mostly stood for the values of Judeo-Christian culture (though very imperfectly) for the past 150 years. Republicans generally believe in limited government, God-given rights, economic freedom, restraints on morality, and a strong national defense to ward off evil in a fallen world.
Today’s R’s are divided. Some believe that secularism is triumphing in America and that they need to become “Democrat-lite” to win elections. Most of these have been in Washington, D.C. for awhile and make up the old guard. They are squishy on some issues and generally avoid confrontation.
There is a new guard of Republicans who believe that we have turned away from God, are in bad straits economically, that the ACA will only exacerbate our demise, and that we need to turn back to the time-tested ways.
The Republicans are the minority party who only control one half of one third of the branches of government (the House of Representatives). Their leader, John Boehner, is a part of the old guard. The R’s are not causing the government shutdown–but you wouldn’t know this by listening to the news.
Democrats
A noble and longest-serving party that found its voice during the administrations of Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson. Democrats have a greater belief in government and want it to grow to take care of the needs of the people. They believe in centralized control, restraints on capitalism, complete freedom in morality, and have a general dislike of the military and its role in the world.
For many years, the core values of the Republicans and Democrats were fairly similar. In the 20th century, the party swung more into the secular progressive vision of a large welfare state, a one-world government (think United Nations), and rejection of the Judeo Christian past.
Democrats control the US Senate, the White House, and probably–slightly–the Supreme Court as evidenced by Chief Justice John Robert’s decision to approve the individual mandate found in Obamacare. They are backed up by a very liberal academic world at many universities and liberal stars in Hollywood.
The Mainstream Media
Once an independent voice to keep the government in check, the current mainstream media has simply become the media arm of the Democratic Party. They share the secular progressive vision for social democracy in the United States and the ascendancy of the United Nations (think climate control).
Let’s be clear about the major players: (you need to watch for their by-lines to be aware of the bias you’re getting). The New York and LA Times, the Washington Post, the Associated Press, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN and MSNBC. Others include the Politico, the Huffington Post, and MoveOn.org.
This vast media empire is currently blaming the Republicans for the government shutdown. Our local newspaper (which is very liberal) came out with this headline on Tuesday: “Republicans Shut Down the Government.” There was a large and unflattering photo of John Boehner, and a smaller and thoughtful photograph of President Obama.
The message was clear: R’s are bad and the president is doing his best to help the situation.
Compromise or Bi-Partisanship
This used to mean that when the two parties come to the middle to produce law that the entire country can live with.
Today, compromise means that the Republicans give in to the desires of the Democrats.
What just happened over the past two weeks of negotiating the Continuing Resolution and ACA? The Republican House offered to fund the entire government except Obamacare. The Democratic House said no. Then the Republicans offered to delay Obamacare a year and cut the tax on medical devices. The Democratic Senate said no. Then the R’s offered to give people the option for a year as to whether to join the ACA (just like Big Business was given a year’s waver). Again, the D’s said no.
The Republicans have tried numerous compromises (and a willingness to accept many programs and taxes in the CR which they steadfastly oppose) and the Democrats have said nyet.
No. Nada. No compromise.
But their mainstream media arm tells the unthinking American public that the Republicans are the anarchists, terrorists, rapists, etc.
However, in secular progressive America, the message is becoming clear: It’s our way or the highway.
Transforming America
After five years of governing, we now know the meaning of the chant “Yes We Can!” The secular progressives believe they can cordon off faith in the US, destroy the traditional family, re-distribute wealth to those whom they choose, and control the American populace through the ACA law which gives them power over one-sixth of the American economy (to be enforced by the increasing hated IRS).
For the sake of argument, let’s say that their motives are noble. They think it’s fair to take from the rich, give to the poor, and control most of life from cradle to the grave.
I don’t think all their motives are that pure (or they are that stupid), but maybe some are. So what?
The road to hell is paved with good intentions. If they succeed, we will go the way of Europe and maybe even end up like the Soviet Union–the ideal socialist utopia. All we will find in that land is universal, serfdom and poverty.
Obstructionists
Any person or party that tries to resist the progressive re-making of America. According to this definition, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the German pastors resistance movement would have been labeled obstructionists by the Nazi regime.
Ted Cruz
One of the new guard Republicans who believes in faith, family and freedom, and was willing to speak for 21 hours straight on the Senate floor to desperately wake up the nation to the problems Obamacare will bring.
Harry Reid
The water boy of the current Administration who didn’t produce a budget for four years and is directly responsible for the government shutdown. I believe he is one of the worst Congressional leaders in all of American history.
Barack Obama
Our twice-elected president who is a fabulous campaigner and great speaker. But he has a problem with telling the truth and has weakened America at home and around the world. He is the true leader of the secular progressive movement.
Lucifer and his Demons
The invisible spirit beings that are indirectly responsible for the chaos, venom, bad policies and potential disasters that could be coming to America and the world. Their goal is to “Kill Jesus” in all of Western culture.
Suckers
The American people who don’t understand or want to understand what is happening in this battle of worldviews and differing faiths.
Revival
Only an act of God in The United States can awaken His Church, bring millions into his Kingdom of love and light, and transform our nation through his truth and power. It’s happened three times before.
This is our greatest need.
So be careful little eyes what you see.
The Smoking Gun of the Most Important Election of our Lifetime?
Today is primary day in the state of Washington and our family sat down and dutifully filled out our ballots last night in keeping with the responsibilities of citizenship.
As we talked over who to vote for, we discussed the various principles involved in making wise voting decisions. This is especially important in 2012 as I believe the November 6 national elections in the United States are the most important of our lifetime. America is at a tipping point. We are desperate for renewal and ripe for collapse without a change of leadership and direction.
We should start with humbling ourselves and praying. This is first of all a spiritual battle. After that, what should we consider when we vote?
And in the 2012 presidential election, has a true smoking gun emerged that could lead to the election of Mitt Romney?
First of all, a few principles I use in choosing good candidates:
1. The character of the person running for office. Are they a person of faith, morality, a Judeo-Christian view of life, and strong personal integrity?
2. If these qualities are true among a number of candidates, then who is the most elect able of the group?
3. If I don’t know the candidates (such as in some lower-level or non-partisan races), then who are the people and groups that endorse them? This tells you a lot about the principles and views of the world-be office holder. Republicans generally have a more faith, family, and freedom oriented worldview. Democrats tend to be more supportive of big government.
In this particular primary, I supported mostly Republicans, but I also voted for three Democrats. Don’t be beholden to parties–but to principles.
4. What is the experience and competency of the individual running for office. Do they have executive or legislative experience? Have they successfully run a business? Does their resume indicate they would bring real life experience and competency to the office they seek?
5. Is there any corruption, deception, questionable character or outright evil in their lives? This should disqualify a person from being a “servant of the people.”
It is this area that fascinates me as I read today a bombshell of an article about possible deception in the life of President Obama.
As you probably know, Barack Obama has consistently refused to release his college records. Apparently, he has spent millions of dollars to do so. At the same time, he and his surrogates have been voraciously asking Mitt Romney to produce more tax returns.
The following article by businessman and fellow Columbia University classmate Allyn Root enourages Mitt Romney to release his tax returns when Obama unseals his transcripts.
Would be a good step of transparency for both. And if President Obama fails to do so, then Mr. Root builds an interesting case that this could be a true smoking gun in the 2012 election.
Here’s the article. Judge for yourself. And let’s all continue to pray for the most important election in our lifetime.
The Obama Scandal is at Columbia
By Wayne Allyn Root, former Libertarian vice presidential nominee. Root now serves as Chairman of the Libertarian National Campaign Committee.
“I am President Obama’s classmate at Columbia University, Class of ’83. I am also one of the most accurate Las Vegas oddsmakers and prognosticators. Accurate enough that I was awarded my own star on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars. And I smell something rotten in Denmark. Obama has a big skeleton in his closet. It’s his college records. Call it “gut instinct” but my gut is almost always right. Obama has a secret hidden at Columbia–and it’s a bad one that threatens to bring down his presidency. Gut instinct is how I’ve made my living for 29 years since graduating Columbia.”
“Obama and his infamous strategist David Axelrod understand how to play political hardball, the best it’s ever been played. Team Obama has decided to distract America’s voters by condemning Mitt Romney for not releasing enough years of his tax returns. It’s the perfect cover. Obama knows the best defense is a bold offense. Just keep attacking Mitt and blaming him for secrecy and evasion, while accusing him of having a scandal that doesn’t exist. Then ask followers like Senator Harry Reid to chase the lead. The U.S. Senate Majority Leader appears to now be making up stories out of thin air, about tax returns he knows nothing about. It’s a cynical, brilliant, and vicious strategy. Make Romney defend, so he can’t attack the real Obama scandal.”
“This is classic Axelrod. Obama has won several elections in his career by slandering his opponents and leaking sealed documents. Not only do these insinuations and leaks ruin the credibility and reputation of Obama’s opponents, they keep them on the defensive and off Obama’s trail of sealed documents.”
“By attacking Romney’s tax records, Obama’s socialist cabal creates a problem that doesn’t exist. Is the U.S. Senate Majority Leader making up stories out of thin air? You decide. But the reason for this baseless attack is clear- make Romney defend, so not only is he “off message” but it helps the media ignore the real Obama scandal.”
“My answer for Romney? Call Obama’s bluff.”
“Romney should call a press conference and issue a challenge in front of the nation. He should agree to release more of his tax returns, only if Obama unseals his college records. Simple and straight-forward. Mitt should ask “What could possibly be so embarrassing in your college records from 29 years ago that you are afraid to let America’s voters see? If it’s THAT bad, maybe it’s something the voters ought to see.” Suddenly the tables are turned. Now Obama is on the defensive.”
“My bet is that Obama will never unseal his records because they contain information that could destroy his chances for re-election. Once this challenge is made public, my prediction is you’ll never hear about Mitt’s tax returns ever again.”
“Why are the college records, of a 51-year-old President of the United States, so important to keep secret? I think I know the answer.”
“If anyone should have questions about Obama’s record at Columbia University, it’s me. We both graduated (according to Obama) Columbia University, Class of ’83. We were both (according to Obama) Pre-Law and Political Science majors. And I thought I knew most everyone at Columbia. I certainly thought I’d heard of all of my fellow Political Science majors. But not Obama (or as he was known then- Barry Soetoro). I never met him. Never saw him. Never even heard of him. And none of the classmates that I knew at Columbia have ever met him, saw him, or heard of him.”
“But don’t take my word for it. The Wall Street Journal reported in 2008 that Fox News randomly called 400 of our Columbia classmates and never found one who had ever met Obama.”
“Now all of this mystery could be easily and instantly dismissed if Obama released his Columbia transcripts to the media. But even after serving as President for 3 1/2 years he refuses to unseal his college records. Shouldn’t the media be as relentless in pursuit of Obama’s records as Romney’s? Shouldn’t they be digging into Obama’s past–beyond what he has written about himself–with the same boundless enthusiasm as Mitt’s?”
“The first question I’d ask is, if you had great grades, why would you seal your records? So let’s assume Obama got poor grades. Why not release the records? He’s president of the free world, for gosh sakes. He’s commander-in-chief of the U.S. military. Who’d care about some poor grades from three decades ago, right? So then what’s the problem? Doesn’t that make the media suspicious? Something doesn’t add up.”
“Secondly, if he had poor grades at Occidental, how did he get admitted to an Ivy League university in the first place? And if his grades at Columbia were awful, how’d he ever get into Harvard Law School? So again those grades must have been great, right? So why spend millions to keep them sealed?”
“Third, how did Obama pay for all these fancy schools without coming from a wealthy background? If he had student loans or scholarships, would he not have to maintain good grades?”
“I can only think of one answer that would explain this mystery.”
“Here’s my gut belief: Obama got a leg up by being admitted to both Occidental and Columbia as a foreign exchange student. He was raised as a young boy in Indonesia. But did his mother ever change him back to a U.S. citizen? When he returned to live with his grandparents in Hawaii or as he neared college-age preparing to apply to schools, did he ever change his citizenship back? I’m betting not.”
“If you could unseal Obama’s Columbia University records I believe you’d find that:
A) He rarely ever attended class.
B) His grades were not those typical of what we understand it takes to get into Harvard Law School.
C) He attended Columbia as a foreign exchange student.
D) He paid little for either undergraduate college or Harvard Law School because of foreign aid and scholarships given to a poor foreign students like this kid Barry Soetoro from Indonesia.”
“If you think I’m ‘fishing’ then prove me wrong. Open up your records Mr. President. What are you afraid of?”
“If it’s okay for U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to go on a fishing expedition about Romney’s taxes (even though he knows absolutely nothing about them nor will release his own), then I think I can do the same thing. But as Obama’s Columbia Class of ’83 classmate, at least I have more standing to make educated guesses.”
“It’s time for Mitt to go on the attack and call Obama’s bluff.”
The Dread Roberts Decision: Let The Cultural Civil War Begin
“This decision I would go as far to say is lawless. Absolutely lawless!“
Constitutional attorney Mark Levin
The Supreme Court’s stunning 5-4 decision on June 28 upholding Obamacare–with Justice John Roberts siding with the liberals of the Court–left me with the same sadness and bewilderment I felt when I watched terrorists fly planes into the World Trade center buildings and the Pentagon.
Those attacks came from without, and signaled America’s weakness before the forces of evil and the removal of God’s blessing and protection from our land. Last week’s decision by the Supreme Court came from within–and again shows how vulnerable we are to the tyranny of our leaders and lack of corporate character.
Just as the wrong-headed Dred Scott decision led to the election of Abraham Lincoln and beginning of the Civil War, I believe this dreaded John Roberts Court decision will lead to a cultural civil war through election day and beyond.
Are you ready to join the fight? And will this momentary curse on our nation actually become a blessing in disguise?
Here are some lessons from the infamous July 28 Supreme Court decision.
1. Your taxes are going up unless you vote to repeal Obamacare.
The high court’s ruling leaves in place 21 tax increases in the health-care law costing more than $675 billion over the next 10 years, according to the House Ways and Means Committee. Of those, 12 tax hikes would affect the middle class, families earning less than $250,000 per year, including a “Cadillac tax” on high-cost insurance plans, a tax on insurance providers, and an excise tax on medical device manufacturers.
For the average America family, it will amount to a seven percent increase. “This is a clear violation of the president’s pledge to avoid tax hikes on low-and middle-income taxpayers,” said a statement from the panel, which is chaired by Rep. Dave Camp, Michigan Republican.
According to a Wall Street Journal economist, 75% of the new taxes will be squarely on the now-squeezed middle class (people making less than $120,000).
2. This is another Dred Scott, Roe v. Wade moment. The Supreme Court of the United States simply got it wrong on this monstrous bill–with vast ramifications, just like the aforementioned bad decisions. I’m actually proud of Justice Anthony Kennedy in this particular case. He read a ten-minute scathing dissent on behalf of Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Antonin Scalia. It called Roberts’ reasoning “feeble” and “verbal wizardry.”
“[W]e cannot rewrite the statute to be what it is not,” the four Justices write. “[W]e have never—never—treated as a tax an exaction which faces up to the critical difference between a tax and a penalty, and explicitly denominates the exaction a ‘penalty.’ Eighteen times in (Obamacare) Congress called the exaction a ‘penalty.'”
Other constitutional lawyers chimed in about Roberts feckless opinion, labelling it “incompetent,” “laughably inane,” “facially ridiculous,” “mis-read and re-wrote,” “tortured logic, ” and “none of it can pass rational scrutiny.”
The only positive was Roberts’ punting the fraudulent bill back to Congress and the American people. Writing for the majority, he rightly noted:
“Members of this Court are vested with the authority to interpret the law; we possess neither the expertise nor the prerogative to make policy judgments. Those decisions are entrusted to our Nation’s elected leaders, who can be thrown out of office if the people disagree with them. It is not our job to protect the people from the consequences of their political choices.”
3. People are known by their deeds – Now we know there are essentially four Supreme Court justices with strict constructionist views of the Constitution. Four others are liberal activists, and John Roberts is not the principled jurist we thought he was. In the biggest case of his life–the one that will define his legacy–he became either a legal “gymnast,” a judicial activist, or a bullyable Chief Justice.
Some say he did it to protect the Court’s reputation–to keep it from becoming politicized. If that’s true, then he placed the egos of nine people over the needs of three hundred million. Plus, the liberals on the Court always vote liberal on big cases. It’s only the conservatives that are sometimes squishy–and unprincipled. Never the other way around. Progressives always label something “political” when they don’t get their way.
In all probability, Roberts buckled due to pressure from the White House and threats from the liberal media. In trying not to politicize the Court, he made a bad decision which is the epitome of politicalization–he caved in to the pressure of the Left. They are gloating and swooning now because they know that they can both influence elections (think Clinton in 1992), and also sway the Supreme Court under unprincipled leaders.
Businessman Donal Trump agreed: “It’s a disaster and obviously it would have been better if it was knocked out, but Justice Roberts wanted to be loved by the Washington establishment. And by the way, he is now loved, because the way they’re talking about him, it’s unbelievable. So he is a beloved man to the liberals.”
Yet, Erick Erickson of Redstate, usually a red-meat conservative commentator, was somewhat forgiving and conciliatory toward John Roberts. He likened Roberts’ actions to “chess rather than checkers” by forcing the Congress to deal with this issue as a matter of policy, not legality:
“With John Roberts’ opinion, the repeal fight takes place on GOP turf, not Democrat turf. The all or nothing repeal has always been better ground for the GOP and now John Roberts has forced everyone onto that ground. It seems very, very clear to me in reviewing John Roberts’ decision that he is playing a much longer game than us and can afford to with a life tenure. And he probably just handed Mitt Romney the White House.”
Maybe there is a silver lining in this very poor judicial decision.
4. Elections have consequences – the election of Barack Obama, possibly the worst president in all of American history, not only brought us Obamacare, re-defining marriage and a languishing economy, but also two more liberal activist justices–Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. If John McCain had been elected, we’d have neither. The 2008 election was a terrible setback for the country
Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican candidate, may not be Abraham Lincoln, but at least he’s right about the following: “If we want to get rid of Obamacare, we’re going to have to replace President Obama.”
“Let’s make clear that we understand what the Court did, and did not do. What the Court did today was say that Obamacare does not violate the Constitution. What they did not do was say that Obamacare is good law or that it’s good policy. Obamacare was bad policy yesterday. It’s bad policy today. Obamacare was bad law yesterday. It’s bad law today.”
We need Mitt Romney to become an Abraham Lincoln to help us face the dark days ahead.
5. The power of deception has been unleashed in American public life. We now know that the Affordable Health Care Act was based on a lie. The Democrats first health care draft called the bill what it really was–a tax. That bill was scrapped because their leadership knew the people wouldn’t accept it and their members couldn’t run on it.
So they deceptively changed it to a “mandate, a fee, a penalty” that they said fit under the Commerce Clause. This was one of many lies about the bill. Sarah Palin was right in her early tweet after the decision: “Obama lies. Freedom dies.”
Radio commentator Rush Limbaugh said it this way: “Obamacare is nothing more than the largest tax increase in the history of the world. And the people who were characterizing it as such were right and were telling the truth. We have the biggest tax increase in the history of the world right in the middle of one of this country’s worst recessions.”
Probably the clearest voice on the fraudulent terms of the bill came from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell:
“Two and a half years ago, a Democrat president teamed up with a Democrat-led Congress to force a piece of legislation on the American people that they never asked for, and that has turned out to be just as disastrous as many of us predicted.”
“Amid economic recession, a spiraling federal debt, and accelerating increases in government health spending, they proposed a bill that has made these problems worse.”
“Americans were promised lower health care costs. They’re going up. Americans were promised lower premiums. They’re going up. Most Americans were promised their taxes wouldn’t change. They’re going up. Seniors were promised Medicare would be protected. It was raided to pay for a new entitlement instead.”
“Americans were promised it would create jobs. The CBO predicts it will lead to nearly 1 million fewer jobs. Americans were promised they could keep their plan if they liked it, yet millions have learned they can’t.”
“And the President of the United States himself promised up and down that this bill was not a tax. This was one of the Democrats’ top selling points — because they knew it would have never passed if they said it was.”
“The Supreme Court has spoken. This law is a tax. This bill was sold to the American people on a deception. But it’s not just that the promises about this law weren’t kept. It’s that it’s made the problems it was meant to solve even worse.”
6. The Supreme Court has now fueled an American cultural civil war that will not be concluded until one side wins.
There is no compromise in Obamacare. Either we have tyranny (big government) or we have liberty (limited government). Either the government controls our healthcare, or we replace that with market-driven solutions that we control ourselves.
There was no compromise over slavery. Either the government sanctioned the tyranny of slavery or the slaves were set free. The healthcare war is also a battle of tyranny versus liberty. Will we be slaves to entitlements (selfish desires), or a free people who put their trust in God?
7. We are back to 1776 in this nation. The “King” has fraudulently levied a deceptive and unjust tax on his subjects. Like the early Colonists, we must rise up as the first Tea Party members did and cast off the yoke of bondage–even if it means “our lives and our sacred honor.”
8. What’s needed to stop the train wreck of America is a prayerful, passionate, modern-day revival and cultural revolution. We must repent of our sins and apathy, vote this president out of office on November 6, increase people of liberty in the House, and elect fifty-one freedom-loving patriots in the United States Senate.
And do the same in every other arena of government in these United States of America. We can start with a renewal of self-government in our own lives and families.
We the People must win this cultural battle–not the Supreme Court. On January 6, 2013, the tyranny of Obamacare can be repealed and replaced with a plan that is based on freedom. Read Heritage Foundation’s good analysis here.
Conclusion
Barack Obama will now re-cast his signature issue, not as a tax, but an act of compassion to grant health care to all Americans. But a lot of dumb, or even evil things can be done in the name of compassion. Don’t fall for it. The end does not justify the means.
Take some time to re-read the Declaration of Independence at your family gathering this 4th of July. It will remind you that a noose of tyranny–taxation without representation–had been foisted upon our ancestors by the British Crown.
But they loved God and liberty enough to rise up and cast it off.
Let the cultural civil war begin.