So Little Time

Tonight I took the next step in speaking out, something I haven't done in over 15 years - I attended a political meeting. I need to find my niche - an organization I can devote my limited time to - one where my involvement will make a difference for my children and my grandchildren; one that will perpetuate freedom over tyranny.

The meeting, an AFP 'protest' training meeting was attended by members of the Tea Party movement, the 9-12 project, members of the Rubicon Society and the Republican party - good organizations all, but I can't be involved in all of them. How do I choose the organization I am going to work with?

Though my gut says AFP and my heart says 9-12, my history is with the Republican party. So many good organizations, so little time - and I have to choose.

Unfortunately, I am not speaking about my limited time, I am speaking of the limited time our nation has. If we don't change the direction our country is going, the liberties we currently enjoy will not be enjoyed by our children - and maybe not even by us in the next few years.

When President Obama says he would rather be a great one term president than a mediocre two term president, don't believe it - there is no such thing as a great one term president. In order to hand this great nation, with all the liberties citizens have enjoyed for over 200 years intact to our children, we have just a few months to ensure this mediocre president is a lame duck after 11/3/2010.

I'll have to attend a few more meetings before I choose which organization I'll give my heart and soul to for the next few months - too bad time isn't on my side.

Dive to Economic Irrelevancy

Oregon's Measures 66 and 67 will further Oregon's head-first dive to economic irrelevancy. As a member of the middle class, which proponents of Measures 66/67 say won't see any tax increases, I have to ask - What are proponents of 66/67 thinking - where are their heads? Do they not understand how businesses work? Just where will the businesses get the money to pay those increased taxes?

I am not a business owner, but I am married to one - and I understand that private businesses, big and small, receive 100% of their revenue from consumers - including members of the middle class.

Any new or increased taxes imposed on the business will be passed on to consumers -through higher prices, which is a 'hidden' tax. And when consumers can no longer pay the hidden taxes, or when businesses can produce the product more efficiently elsewhere, the businesses are taxed out of competitiveness, and they will leave Oregon - decreasing tax revenues to state coffers.

Tax revenue from small and medium sized business in Oregon is critical to funding government programs. And because of the ever increasing tax burden Oregon has seen many 'home grown' businesses leave the state completely or outsource much, if not all, of the production.

Increasing taxes to the draconian, punitive levels proposed in 66/67 will not increase the tax receipts. Passing these measures will, in fact, do the exact opposite, driving existing businesses out and decreasing the possibility that any new businesses will find it profitable to move here, furthering Oregon's descent into economic irrelevancy.

Want to restore Oregon's relevance and competitiveness? Reduce taxes and DECREASE government spending across the board. We Oregonians are resilient - we will make it through this difficult time - if Salem stays out of the way. We are generous and supportive - we will help our neighbors - if Salem stays out of the way. We will bring the economy back - if Salem stays out of the way.

Vote NO on 66 and 67.

Begging Forgiveness

I begged my daughter for forgiveness last night; not for anything I did, but for what I wasn't able to do - prevent the house of representatives from passing a government takeover of health care.

I feel impotent, unable to influence or alter the outcome of the health care because of where I live and who represents (or doesn't represent) me. Peter DeFazio is a popular liberal elected with 83% of the vote in a liberal state, but he votes against me 100% of the time.

Maybe there is something I can do - Oregon isn't the only state I can live in; I hear it's warm in Texas.......

"I pledge that under my plan, no one making less than $250,000 a year will see any type of tax increase, not income tax, not capital gains taxes, not any kind of tax." Presidential candidate, Barack Obama - Dover, N.H., and in a campaign ad "taxing health care instead of fixing it. We can't afford John McCain."

But that was then and this is now. President Obama is "open" to the idea of taxing health benefits - a compromise with other democrats that will increase taxes on all workers who receive employee paid health care. This tax, like most taxes, will hit those who can 'least afford it,' especially hard. Jobs that attract highly educated, skilled employees will always provide perks - more perks than jobs requiring less education and skill. Once the market resets, employers will, once again, pay for health insurance through increased salaries, and the increased costs that will be passed on to the consumer - as a hidden tax that must be factored into the equation, another part of Obama's broken promise.

If this plan goes through, it will be just one more campaign promise that is dismissed with other broken campaign promises.

What a sad commentary on our political system when breaking a campaign "promise" is accepted as a necessary, and a forgiven tool to meeting the ends of winning the next election.

Identity Politics Degrade the Justice System

Identity Politics, the elevation of a small, minority group’s political requirements, and expectations over the requirements and needs of the majority group – the whole, is dangerous and wrong. And choosing a Supreme Court nominee, just because the person can ‘check’ boxes on some sort of ‘-ist’ list or can tout a hyphenated heritage, is risky beyond all explanation.

The Supreme Court is expected to provide blind justice, and a nominee with a political agenda or who wants to steer public policy through the courts rather than through the legislative process, puts the nation in a perilous position.

As alarming as identity politics is to citizens of the United Sates of America, there is no question that Obama will choose the next Supreme Court justice based on some focus group tested, ideology driven, political faction pleasing, set of ‘-ists.’

And the justice system in our nation will be poorer for it.

Matthew 6:24
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Arlen Specter, for over twenty years, tried to serve two masters - his personal liberal beliefs and the Republican party. Specter has learned a lesson - and hopefully, so have Republicans in Pennsylvania and nationwide.

In order to regain the majority party status in Washington, D.C., Republicans must return to, hold to, and love conservative principles.

No faith in Republicans

I remember spending all day watching the news when Ronald Reagan was shot - during school. I had a teacher who allowed students who wanted to stay and watch, just watch and talk about what happened and what could happen. My first vote - just over three years later, was for Reagan. I chaired a governor's campaign and attended state conventions, and at nine month's pregnant - with my third child - worked the phones for the first President Bush.
Now, I have no faith in the party I so strongly supported and believed in - we have parted ways, but I haven't changed my values. The Republican party left me long ago.
Conservatives need to take the Republican name back. For too long we allowed the left leaning, "fiscal conservatives" moral liberal faction lead our party and enough is enough.

Check my twitter - thezoo6. I'll be tweeting about Oregon and its problems as a warning of where the nation will be in a few years - if republications and conservatives don't unite and fight liberals of all parties.