My Ramblings...

Sorry that I've been absent for a while. Just the usual, life kicking things into high gear. :)

Friends and Fellow Patriots: My heart yearns for our Nation to return to its original roots. A time when people "assumed" that everyone else believed in God--and it was true, so the assumption was a fair and good one.

It was a time of huge financial risk--most of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence lost everything they owned or possessed, and some lost their families as a result of their signatures and pledge to each other when they signed that providential document.

Fast forward to our present day and time. Our Nation has drifted far from the principles upon which it was founded. Is there any hope? Are we to believe all the gloom and doom from conservative groups who urge us to stockpile food, water and ammunition? I suppose it doesn't hurt to take prudent precautions, although I'm not sure about all you tube videos showing barren crop land. Depends upon what time of the year the video was taken, doesn't it?

Let me ask you this question: what is your idea of the ideal congressional candidate? Must the perfect candidate embrace or deny the sanctity of human life? Should s/he be known as an honest person? Known as a "small government" person? Known for his/her integrity? Known for keeping their word? Known for valuing principle over party? Okay, that was several questions. :)

Let me ask you another question: are you tired of the way our present political system runs today? I know I certainly am. I'm tired of the democrats (and have been for years, decades), but now I'm tired of the republicans, too. It is abundantly clear that neither party functions with honesty or integrity. They are two wings on the same bird of prey! Their main objective is to retain the (unconstitutional) power they've grabbed over the years when I wasn't paying attention to what they were doing. It is a contest between the Ds and Rs, to see how many each one can get elected to Congress. It is almost a game with them. The House Speaker has shown me this year that she doesn't give a hoot about "we the people." She is so intoxicated with the new power she garnered in the last election that she can't see straight (she also has trouble recognizing the truth).

Tell me, do you have any concern about the way in which our democratic party leaders in Congress are holding private meetings and scheduling votes on volumes of legislation that no one even has the time to read? Do you have any concern about Mr. Obama paying so many attorneys to keep what would normally be public records private? Does it bother you when he goes to Europe and apologizes for the American people, saying we're arrogant? Does it bother you when he tells muslim nations that the US is not, nor has it ever been, at war with Islam? Does it bother you that he gave $20Million to Hamas refugees? Encouraging them to immigrate to the United States? Does it bother you that he wants to bring all the terrorists that have been housed at GITMO to the United States? Do you really want those evil minds here in our country? I guess my description of the terrorists betrays my feelings about the proposal. :)

If there were a political party in existence that valued grassroots politics and placed principle over party, would you be interested? A party that would support the principled conservatives no matter what their party affiliation? A closed association party that requires those wishing to affiliate to read, agree and sign an affiliation agreement? Would you be interested? I was. I was hooked from the first moment, and I have not been sorry! :D

America's Independent Party (AIP) makes it very easy to support principled candidates, regardless of party. If you are disappointed to see current leadership putting forth the same type of liberal candidates that has plagued them for the past several elections, you will find America's Independent Party refreshing.

As you can tell from what I've written above, I am greatly concerned about the future of our Nation. I believe that if we do not return to our founding roots that our nation will be lost. All the blood shed over our 233 years will have been in vain. Folks, it is time to take our country back to its conservative roots. I'm as serious as a heart attack here. If we do not regain control of the US house and senate with truly conservative SERVANTS (not dictators) in 2010, there may not be an election to worry about in 2012. The possibility even exists that there may not be elections in 2010. I choose to believe there will be elections, because I can't stand to think about it any other way.

I know that many of you can't stand to think about the viability of a 3rd party. I ask that you listen to two or three town halls and read our constitution and plaftorm at http://www.AIPnews.com/. AIP is a uniquely structured, closed association political party. I personally believe that once you take a look and listen, you will feel as though you've finally come home from a long wandering in the wilderness. That's how I felt, anyway.

I'll leave you with this question: Do you want principled politics or unbridled politics?

The Fate of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence

Flag day has just passed, and Independence Day is fast approaching. Perhaps as you celebrate the United State's independence you would like to know what happened to the original 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence. This information is not original to me, and you can find the original here: http://www.laughtergenealogy.com/bin/history/signfate.html. Please enjoy:

Fate of Signers of the Declaration of Independence

On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress agreed to formally declare independence from the British Crown. The final vote was unanimous, 13-0. Prior to the vote there were dissensions among the various delegations but 56 delegates agreed to sign a finished document. A formal Declaration of Independence was delayed as the paper had to be hand scribed and required time for preparation.

On August 2 the 56 members began affixing their signatures.

They were:

• Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

• Delaware: Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

• Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

• Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll

• Massachusetts: John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

• New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

• New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

• New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

• North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

• Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

• Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

• South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr, Thomas Lynch, Jr, Arthur Middleton

• Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr, Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

See Biographies of the Signers


The Price They Paid:

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the revolutionary army, another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the revolutionary war.

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners, men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKean of Delaware was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals, soldiers, or both, looted the properties of Ellery of Rhode Island, Clymer of Pennsylvania, Hall of Georgia, Walton of Georgia, Gwinnett of Georgia, Heyward of South Carolina, Ruttledge of South Carolina, and Middleton of South Carolina.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr., of Virginia, noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. The owner quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis of New York had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart of New Jersey was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his grist mill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart. Lewis Morris of New York and Philip Livingston of New York suffered similar fates.

Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin were among prominent Americans well known in England. Yet both signed enthusiastically knowing they would be hanged if caught and even if they escaped, Jefferson was risking Monticello and Franklin his wealth and world prestige if independence was not secured.

Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more. Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged:

"For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

Will The REAL Americans Please Stand Up?!

[I have met some of the most wonderful, conservative people in the world at the social network "A Black Conservative Digest" (ABCD). One of my new-found friends, Emery McClendon, published this blog today and, with his permission, I've copied it here. Yes, Emery, I will stand with you and be counted.]

What are we to make of all the policies of the Obama Administration that are coming at us faster then a speeding bullet? Since the inauguration we are watching Socialist polices come out of Washington DC like lightening. We have witnessed attempts to raise our taxes, take over our healthcare system, a decline of support for our Military spending, an attempt to charge our Troops, and Veterans for healthcare, the take over of private business, the Value added tax, energy tax, universal healthcare; and now the appointment of a very liberal Supreme Court Justice to the Supreme Court. These are but a few things that our President and the liberal Congress have either proposed or placed into law under Executive Orders or through the passage of unread bills and the stimulus package.

Good conservative values based on the Bible are being tossed out of the window, and our President has told us that we are no longer a Christian nation. He is turning his back on our longtime allies, and degrading this nation in front of our enemies.

It has long been the goal of the socialist leaning left to destroy America “by any means necessary.” The term “by any means necessary” has a subtle meaning to the likes of Barack Obama and his friends. During the 60’s and 70’s militant groups used this language to express disgust with America and capitalism. Black militant groups used it to stir up disgust of Whites. The any means necessary meant just what it says. By “any means” which would work. Whether by violence, using false trust or what ever it takes to bring down “the man” and his system, America and capitalism.

They incorporated the phrase “if you can’t beat them join them” into the mix. Many of the radicals of the 60’s and 70’s have joined the system to take it down. Many hold elected office, and high positions in corporations. They now feel that it is “their time” to reshape America. Most of them feel the same as Jeremiah Wright, and Louis Farrakhan.

These radicals now hold positions in our federal government as well, and many have been appointed to cabinet level positions by Barack Obama to bid socialist policies into our society. They are taking over our government one branch at a time with out firing a shot. The true conservative has been labeled as terrorist, and extremist. We are also in jeopardy of losing our right to public assembly, and freedom of speech.

Let’s wake up and stand for freedom, and the Constitution. We must continue to fight for the truth, and to preserve the American way for our children. We must continue to attend conservative Tea Parties, and rallies that say no to more taxes, and a further erosion of our rule of law. We must vote the rascals out of office that do not support America, and stand up for our freedoms.

We cannot be led down a path that will doom us, and our children, by left wing radicals that want to force us into socialism, which by the way does not and never has worked. We cannot allow them to drive a wedge between us as Americans by using false claims of racism. We are all in this together, and we must work together to win.

They say that for America “the chickens are coming home to roost.” I say that America is still the greatest place on earth to live, and that we can continue to be great if we pay attention and defend our freedoms, and way of life as spelled out in the Constitution, and our Godly heritage.

America, stand up and be counted before it is too late. We have an opportunity to do so this Independence Day by voicing our opinion at patriotic rallies, and teaching our children the true meaning of our Constitutional liberties. Will you join in to save our nation?

Thanks for your inspiration, Tim!

Timothy Donovan has a great post on his Smart Girl Politics page, http://smartgirlpolitics.ning.com/profiles/blogs/minority-report. I responded on Tim's page, but thought the discussion should be trumpeted far and wide. This is my response to Tim's blog:

Timothy, I'm with you! If we don't start standing up, we'll fall for anything! :D Seriously, the "unalienable rights" we are giving away each and every day...to watch it makes me "creeped out." I see this [Alleged] President, who not only creeps me out but makes me want to puke, dismantling our country without a single peep from our so-called "watch dog media." Even the quasi conservative media (Fox News) fails to get the big picture. Glenn Beck sort of gets it, but he is only one amongst thousands who don't get it.

The other thing that really creeps me out is the Republican Party. I've stood back and really taken a long, hard look. Folks, this isn't the same party that your grandparents had. It isn't even the same party that we had 30 years ago when Ronald Reagen became president. I've seen some of the GOP preparations for the 2010 elections (there are at least two senate seats up for grabs due to retirement of the incumbent R). One of those seats is in Florida. A very conservative R announced his intention to run about 2 weeks before a RINO announced his intention to run. Guess which one the GOP is backing to the hilt? The RINO!

It just gags me! Oh, they want to listen to the conservatives (NOT)--they just want to know what they have to say to win you over! Mind you, they're not going to take any of your advice, but they want to know what to "parrot back" to you to get you to vote republican. It is like Charlie Brown and Lucy and the football. She pulls it away every time, and poor Charlie is so gullible he keeps trying because maybe next time she really will hold it for him.

Argh!!! People, when are you going to understand that the Democrat and Republican parties are two wings on the same bird of prey?!

Wonderful Tidbits of Wisdom!

[Editor's note: I particularly like #10 :D]

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.
It is the most-requested column I've ever written."

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words, ''In five years, will this matter?"
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Friends are the family that we choose for ourselves.

Walk the Talk!

Have you all heard about the man from Illinois who is walking (in protest) to Washington, DC? His name is Kurt Kullenbach, and here is his story from his website www.walkthetalk.reteaparty.com/.

Title:“Walk the Talk”
Location: Rockford, IL to Washington, D.C.
Description: One Man’s March Against Tyranny
Start Date: 2009-05-30
Start Time: 7:00
End Date: 2009-07-04
End Time: 12:00

May 14 2009
One Man’s March Against Tyranny

Due to the political assault on the Declaration of Independence, The United States Constitution, and individual rights, I have decided to take a walk from my green house in Rockford, IL to a White House in the Kingdom of Washington D.C.

I feel that the time has come for Americans to aggressively remind all those holding elected office, that it is “We the People,” not they, “the elected,” who ultimately decide the fate of this wonderful country.

I will be on the road from May 30th until July 3rd. It would be an HONOR to stay with other true AMERICANS along the way so please contact me ASAP if you, or somebody you know, would be willing to “host” me for one evening. How many times in your life do you have the opportunity to help out a complete stranger?

Finally, if there is ANYONE living in the Washington, D.C. area that would like to tip back a few Sam Adams with me and my crew, just let me know one thing… where & when. We will be more than ready!

Here is my daily route information:

May 30 - New Lebanon, IL
May 31 - Mooseheart, IL
June 1 - Crest Hill, IL
June 2 - Chicago Heights, IL
June 3 - Valparaiso, IN
June 4 - Hamlet, IN
June 5 - Bourbon, IN
June 6 - Larwill, IN
June 7 - Fort Wayne, IN
June 8 - Convoy, OH
June 9 - Rushmore, OH
June 10 - New Stark, OH
June 11 - Upper Sandusky, OH
June 12 - Leesville, OH
June 13 - Widowville, OH
June 14 - Honeytown, OH
June 15 - Canton, OH
June 16 - Kensington, OH
June 17 - Chester, WV
June 18 - Crafton, PA
June 19 - Irwin, PA
June 20 - Ligonier, PA
June 21 - Reels Corners, PA
June 22 - Lutzville, PA
June 23 - McConnellsburg, PA
June 24 - Gettysburg, PA
June 26 - Marston, MD
June 27 - Laytonsville, MD
June 28 - Bethesda, MD
June 29 - Washington, DC

Also, if there is anyone in the Northern Illinois area with a small motorhome who would be willing to let my small crew use it during my walk, please contact me ASAP.

Finally, any financial help would be put to very good use. I can be very persuasive at times!

Sincerely,

Kurt Kallenbach

You can contact me via email at: DCTea1773@gmail.com or by cell phone at: 815-289-8902

“Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add ‘within the limits of the law’ because law is often but the tyrant’s will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.” ~Thomas Jefferson

I saw this video embedded on another blog site that I follow fairly regularly. This is good stuff!