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Centennial

Ronald Reagan

GOP House: Cut Federal Budget Now

Born Feb. 6, 1911

Photo by Woody Jenkins

Caucus Leaders Unveil Plan for $2.5 Trillion Cut Tea Party activists, see Page 14

WASHINGTON — The leaders of three legislative caucuses composed of House and Senate conservatives have offered a proposal that would cut $2.5 trillion from the federal deficit over the next 10 years. The plan is being offered by Rep. Jim Jordan, chairman of the House Republican Study Committee; Rep. Scott Garrett, chairman of the RSC Budget and Rep. Jordan Spending Task Force, and Sen. Jim DeMint, chairman of the Senate Steering Committee. It has been co-authored by House Tea Party chairman Michele Bachmann. The Spending Reduction Act would address the rapidly growing national debt by making substantial spend-

WASHINGTON — House Republicans, led by Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor, are making fiscal restraint the Number 1 priority for the House. They say they are determined to change the atmosphere in Washington and reflect the mandate they feel they were given by voters last November. Boehner, Cantor, Congressman Jeb Hensarling, and other members of the leadership team are getting high marks for having passed through the House legislation to repeal Obamacare in their second week on the job. Congressman Paul Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee, has been a chief architect of Republican efforts to reduce the federal budget deficit and halt in-

creases in the national debt. He was tapped by GOP congressional leaders to give the response to President Obama’s State of the

Rep. Boehner

Rep. Cantor

May I Offer A Few Small Suggestions? President Ronald Reagan

Union address. Ryan gave a strong Ronald Reagan argument for fiscal restraint in his President, United States of America remarks. Ryan has been given unprecedented authority to make America celebrated the 100th budget estimates for the House. birthday of the late President Ronald Reagan on Feb. 6, 2011. His See SHOULD on Page 3 speeches are filled with advice for future generations, especially on spending and debt. Here are a few of the famous quotes that are as timely today as when he said them: On the deficit: We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough. We have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. Governments don’t reduce deficits by raising taxes on the people. Governments reduce deficits by controlling spending and stimulating new wealth. Government always finds a need for whatever money it gets. Every dollar the Federal Gov-

Tea Party: ‘Ordinary Folks’ Arrive in Halls of Congress WASHINGTON — The Tea Party Caucus in the House, led by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), hopes to change the tone in Congress by emphasizing the principles of the U.S. Constitution. The Caucus held a seminar on the Constitution with Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia as the main speaker. One new Congressman was in awe. He said, “Most of us are

Sen. McConnell Holding Senate GOP Together See A PLAN on Page 21

See SUPREME on Page 16

Rep. Bachmann

Rep. Garrett

See TIMELESS on Page 17

See MONEY on Page 11

Senate, Courts Keep Pressure On Obamacare

Photo by Woody Jenkins

WASHINGTON — Federal District Judge Roger Vinson of Florida has declared President Obama’s health care legislation unconstitutional, siding with the arguments of 26 states who questioned the mandate that individual citizens purchase health insurance. At the same time, the Senate has begun a series of votes to repeal Obamacare, just as the House has done. Republican lawmakers feel they can succeed in getting repeal on the President’s desk or making it a major 2012 election issue.

SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER Sen. Mitch McConnell welcomed new Republican senators to Washington. Shown (left to right) are Sen. Rand Paul and his wife Kelley, Sen. Mike Lee and his wife Sharon, and Sen. Mitch McConnell and his wife, Elaine Chao.

2 Liberty Today • March 2011

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Top Stories

Mideast Threatens U. S. Energy Sources Arabs Push Back Against Tyrants; Radicals Poised To Seize Moment

WASHINGTON — Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets in Tunisia and Egypt, challenging the legitimacy of their dictatorial governments. It could conceivably result in more democratic and open governments, but many in Washington fear that radical Moslems could take advantage of the moment and install undemocratic, anti-Western regimes, as in Iran. One of the many dangers faced by the United States is how this could affect the flow of oil from the Middle East. The turmoil is likely to make oil prices rise and generate an even larger transfer of dollars from American consumers to regimes that threaten the U.S. The closure of the Suez Canal would have far-reaching economic ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS IN EGYPT — An Egyptian Army soldier riding in an armored personnel carrier is surrounded by anti-government protesters near Tahrir square in Cairo. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) and military consequences.

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann of Minnesota

...While President Obama Freezes Offshore Drilling Editor’s Note: Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is an attorney and mother of five children. She is a former federal tax attorney and Minnesota State Senator. She serves as Chairman of the Tea Party Caucus and as a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, which has oversight over the CIA, the National Security Agency, and other intelligence services.

As the unemployment rate sits near 10 percent, American jobs are literally floating away. Two oil drilling rigs from the Gulf of Mexico recently embarked on a two-month journey overseas. Diamond Offshore announced one rig is going to the Nile River delta of Egypt and the other is heading to the Republic of Congo — and their job opportunities went with them! These rigs were sitting idle due to President Obama’s deep water drilling ban and his administration’s subsequent new moratorium, even though a federal judge struck down the first ban. Diamond Offshore could not wait for the Administration to lift the ban in six months. Instead, the company saw an opportunity for up to $234 million to be generated through drilling off the shores of Congo. Now the ban has been lifted but no permits are being issued. This policy must be reconsidered before more rigs float away to aid other countries’ economies. Additionally, the rigs already existing in the U.S. need to be utilized, under the highest safely standards, to provide more jobs which our nation so desperately needs. Other countries are benefiting from offshore drilling while the U.S. is slipping far behind, as reported in the Investor’s Business Daily newspaper: According to RigLogix, the U.S. offshore rig fleet of 93 rigs of different types is only being used to 38 percent of capacity. In the Alaskan

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Other countries are benefiting from offshore drilling while the U.S. is slipping far behind... It is not too late for the U.S. to be a leader in deep oil drilling and safe exploration. But President Obama must act quickly before more oil rigs are thousands of miles away providing jobs and revenue to foreign countries. Rep. Michele Bachmann Chairman, Tea Party Caucus

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much maligned for not investing and squandering opportunities, utilizes 52 percent of its 62 rigs. Just as the U.S. is falling behind in exports — amounting to only 17 percent of GDP as the rest of the world sails by with higher numbers — the 34 percent rig utilization shows how badly we’re falling behind offshore. The offshore drilling policy must be reconsidered before more rigs float away to aid other countries’ economies. The tragedy that has cost the Gulf so much already should not be exploited Congresswoman Michele Bachmann like this to further an out-of-touch energy policy offshore, none of the four rigs is under use. In the President and Congressional Democrats have the remaining parts of the U.S. offshore, only promised. The rigs already existing in the U.S. two of the 28 rigs are in use, a grand total of 7 need to be utilized to their fullest capacity and percent. under the highest safely standards to provide By contrast, 148 of the North Sea’s 159 rigs more jobs which our nation so desperately needs. are under contract, for a 93 percent utilization It is not too late for the U.S. to be a leader in rate. Off the coast of Brazil, 68 of the 79 rigs are deep oil drilling and safe exploration. But, Presin use, for an 86.1 percent utilization rate. West ident Obama must act quickly before more oil Africa, which includes Republic of Congo, has rigs are thousands of miles away providing jobs 67 percent of its 76 rigs in use. Even Mexico, and revenue to foreign nations.

Liberty Today • March 2011 3

Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin

Should American People Bid Farewell To Our Nation’s Exceptional Freedom? Editor’s Note: Paul Ryan represents Wisconsin’s First Congressional District and is the new Chairman of the House Budget Committee.

Last March, Congress enacted a new Intolerable Act. Congress passed the Health Care bill — or one political party passed it — over a swelling revolt by the American people. The reform is an atrocity. It mandates that every American must buy health insurance, under IRS scrutiny. It sets up an army of federal bureaucrats who ultimately decide for you how you should receive Health Care, what kind, and how much ... or whether you don’t qualify at all. Never has our government claimed the power to decide when each of us has lived well enough or long enough to be refused life-saving medical assistance. This presumptuous reform has put this nation ... once dedicated to the life and freedom of every person ... on a long decline toward the same mediocrity that the social welfare states of Europe have become. Should unchecked centralized government be allowed to grow and grow in power ... or should its powers be limited and returned to the people? Should irresponsible leaders in a distant capital be encouraged to run up scandalous debts without limit that crush jobs and stall prosperity? Should America bid farewell to exceptional freedom and follow the retreat to European social welfare paternalism ... or should we make a new start, in the faith that boundless opportunities belong to the workers, the builders, the industrious, and the free? We are challenged to answer again the momentous questions our Founders raised when they launched mankind’s noblest experiment in human freedom. They made a fundamental choice and changed history for the better. Now it’s our high calling to make that choice: between managed scarcity, or solid growth, between living in dependency on government handouts, or taking responsibility for our lives, between confiscating the earnings of some and spreading them around, or securing everyone’s right to the rewards of their work, between bureaucratic central government, or self-government. What kind of nation do we wish to be? What kind of society will we hand down to our children and future generations? The nature of this unique and exceptional land is at stake. We will choose one of two different paths. And once we make that choice, there’s no going back. True, the United States has been moving slowly toward this path a long time. And Democrats and Republicans share the blame. Now we are approaching a “tipping point.” Once we pass it, we will become a different people. An eye-opening study by the Tax Foundation, a reliable and nonpartisan research group, tells us that in 2004, 20 percent of U.S. households were getting about 75 percent of their income from the federal government. In other words, one out of five families in America was already government dependent. Another 20 percent were receiving almost 40 percent of their income

House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan speaks out on preserving America’s freedom

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Ronald Reagan used to say: ‘Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction ... It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for our children to do the same.’ We are that generation. The fight is our fight, and it begins now! Congressman Paul Ryan, Chairman House Budget Committee

from federal programs. So another one in five has become government reliant for their livelihood. All told, 60 percent — three out of five households in America — were receiving more government benefits and services (in dollar value) than they were paying back in taxes. The Tax Foundation estimates that President Obama’s budget last year will raise this “net government inflow” from 60 to 70 percent! Look at it this way: Three out of 10 American families are supporting themselves plus, through government, supplying or supplementing the incomes of seven other households! As a permanent arrangement, this is individually unfair, politically inequitable, and economically dangerous. HHH We already see enough of “crony capitalism.” When government sends bailout money to Wall Street firms they label “too big to fail,” that’s “crony capitalism.” When government buys shares in General Motors, names their management, and dictates their salaries, that’s “crony capitalism.” When big health insurance companies, instead of competing for market, team up with Congressional health care writers to order every individual to buy their products, that’s “crony capitalism.” But when thousands of small

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businesses have to meet bottom lines with no government bailout, well, you’re too small to succeed... Good luck! HHH The Democratic leaders of Congress and in the White House hold a view they call “Progressivism.” Progressivism began in Wisconsin, where I come from. It came into our schools from European universities under the spell of intellectuals

Freedom of Speech by Norman Rockwell

The right to question our public officials in a public meeting is the essence of freedom of speech and a most fundamental American right.

such as Hegel and Weber, and the German leader Bismarck. The best known Wisconsin Progressive was actually a Republican, Robert LaFollette. Progressivism was a powerful strain in both political parties for many years. Theodore Roosevelt, a Republican, and Woodrow Wilson, a Democrat, both brought the Progressive movement to Washington. Early Progressives wanted to empower and engage the people. They fought for populist reforms like initiative and referendum, recalls, judicial elections, the breakup of monopoly corporations, and the elimination of vote buying and urban patronage. But Progressivism turned away from popular control toward central government planning. It lost most Americans and consumed itself in paternalism, arrogance, and snobbish condescension. “Fighting Bob” LaFollette, Teddy Roosevelt, and Woodrow Wilson would have scorned the selfproclaimed “Progressives” of our day for handing out bailout checks to giant corporations, corrupting the Congress to purchase votes for government-controlled health care, and funneling billions in Jobs Stimulus money to local politicians to pay for make-work patronage. That’s not “Progressivism”— that’s what real Progressives fought against! HHH Since America began, the timid have feared the Founding Fathers’ ideas of individual freedom, so they yearn for Old World class models. Our Progressivists are the latest iteration of that same fear of the people. In unprecedented numbers, Americans are speaking out against the intolerable Health Care bill and irresponsible debt-ridden spending. Does anyone recall Norman Rockwell’s famous “Freedom of Speech” painting of an average working Joe standing and speaking his mind at a town hall meeting? Today’s Progressivists ridicule average Americans speaking out at Tea Parties across the nation and denounce their criticisms as “un-American.” Millions of average Americans reject their big government solutions, and that scares them. Last January, President Obama said: “There are simply philosophical differences that will always cause us to part ways. These disagreements, about the role of government in our lives, about our national priorities and our national security, have been taking place for over 200 years.” He was right. So let’s examine these “philosophical differences” of government. Progressivists say there are no enduring ideas of right or wrong. Everything is “relative” to history. So our ideas need to change. Progressivists say the Founders’ Constitution including its amendments, with its principles of equal natural rights, limited government, and popular consent is outdated. We should have a “living constitution” that keeps up with the times. Progressivists invent new rights and enforce them with a more powerful central government and more federal agencies to direct society See PAUL on Page 10

4 Liberty Today • March 2011

Youngest Winner in 90 Years Acknowledges Christian Faith

Miss America: Grandparents Fled Communism Homeschooler, 17, Takes Pageant by Storm on ABC-TV Woody Jenkins

Editor, Liberty Today

LAS VEGAS— A 17-year-old Nebraska girl has been crowned Miss America — the youngest Miss America in 90 years. Teresa Scanlan, Miss Nebraska, only recently graduated from high school. She is a Christian who was homeschooled until mid-way her junior year in high school. Poised and well-spoken, Miss Scanlan apparently had a tall order to convince the judges that a 17-year-old could handle the job. But in an interview after the final night of the pageant, judges said she more than proved herself. The new Miss America is the middle child of seven children in her family. She and her parents live in Gering, Nebraska (pop. 8,000). Her talent was playing the piano, and her special project for the year will be fighting teenage eating disorders. The youthful beauty said she is proof girls don’t have to resort to dangerous practices such as anorexia or bulimia. “I never passed up a cookie on my way here!” she said. But she does follow a committed exercise program. Miss America thanked her parents and siblings, teachers, friends, and the people of her hometown and state. “I couldn’t have made it here without the help of countless people,” she said. She is the first-ever Miss America from Nebraska. She told judges she plans to take a year off from school and will enter Patrick Henry College in Virginia when her reign is over. “I want to study law and become an attorney and then a judge.” Her ambitions are high. “I would like to serve as President or on the Supreme Court,” she said. The new role model for young women refused to state a political party preference and said she plans to register to vote as an independent. She said she is interested in issues, rather than parties. However, in a blog as Miss Nebraska, she wrote, “A couple weeks ago, I attended a Common Sense and the Constitution seminar in Hastings by speaker Glenn Freeman. If you ever have the opportunity to hear him speak, make sure you go! He is absolutely amazing, and really brought it back to basics with the foundation of our country: The Constitution. Frustrated with our current state of affairs? It’s because we have wandered away from the Constitution. If you haven’t done so recently, read through it, and carefully examine it. It’s pretty incredible some of the things you find!” The new Miss America’s family came to this country seeking freedom only a few decades ago. She said, “My grandparents grew up in the former Yugoslavia, now Croatia. They escaped during the Com-

Teresa Scanlan of Nebraska was crowned Miss America 2011

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FLEEING OPPRESSION and COMING TO AMERICA My grandparents grew up in the former Yugoslavia, now Croatia. They escaped during the Communist takeover when Tito was in power and made it to Italy where they lived in refugee camps for two years before coming to America. When they came, they wanted a better life. They had children including my mother. When my mother and father got married, they were pretty poor, as he paid his way through medical school. He wanted to give us a life that he never had. He wanted to give us opportunities. It was only through their generations of hard work that I am where I am today. So I couldn’t let them down. I have been blessed so incredibly, and I do what I can to embrace that, and I think all of us should as Americans.

“

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HOMESCHOOLING and VOLUNTEERISM Community service and volunteerism have always been a tremendous part of our family. Being homeschooled, I had a lot more time to do those things. So I started getting involved in all sorts of programs in community with volunteering and community service. It changes everything. You meet young children, the elderly, war veterans, so many people who change your life. We have to give back and volunteer for causes that need our help.

“

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GOD DEFINES ME and MY PURPOSE I am defined by what God has created me to be. Pageant coaches say you have to know who you are, what your purpose is, and where you stand on issues. But that’s already taken care of for me. So I don’t have to do it! I’m am so happy that so many of the girls have such a strong faith. That shows the purpose and substance for what we are doing! MISS AMERICA 2011 Teresa Scanlan, Miss Nebraska

munist takeover when Tito was in power and made it to Italy where they lived in refugee camps for two years before coming to America. When they came, they wanted a better life. They had children including my mother. When my mother and father got married, they were pretty poor, as he paid his way through medical school. He wanted to give us a life that he never had. He wanted to give us

”

opportunities. It was only through their generations of hard work that I am where I am today. So I couldn’t let them down. I have been blessed so incredibly, and I do what I can to embrace that, and I think all of us should as Americans.” Miss Scanlan was deeply affected in many ways by her homeschooling experience. One way was in building a desire for service

to others. She said, “Community service and volunteerism have always been a tremendous part of our family. Being homeschooled, I had a lot more time to do those things. So I started getting involved in all sorts of programs in community with volunteering and community service. It changes everything. You meet young children, the elderly, war veterans, so many people who change your life. We have to give back and volunteer for causes that need our help.” The new Miss America is a Christian who said she was pleased that so many other contestants in the pageant take their faith seriously. “We knew that whatever happened in the pageant would be in God’s plan,” she said. Building a new identity as a contestant wasn’t something Miss Scanlan had in mind. She said, “I am defined by what God has created me to be. Pageant coaches say you have to know who you are, what your purpose is, and where you stand on issues. But that’s already taken care of for me. So I don’t have to do it! I’m so happy that so many of the girls have such a strong faith. That shows the purpose and substance for what we are doing!” Miss America emphasized that this would be a year of service for her and that she looks forward to traveling America and representing the American people. She has a long list of media appearances scheduled, including the Superbowl. She has already appeared on Fox & Friends, The View, and many others. One of the things she said she will have to get used to is wearing makeup. “I didn’t wear makeup until the last couple of years,” she said. One of her sponsors is Artistry cosmetics from the Amway Corporation. Miss Scanlan said she had no idea she would win the Miss America pageant, much less at the age of 17. The maximum age to compete is 24, and all competitors have to be single. “So my dad felt pretty comfortable that I wouldn’t get married until I was at least 25,” she said. “Now he has to be worried!” she said. Does she have a boyfriend back home? “No! 17-year-old boys? Enough said!” she laughed. As Miss Nebraska, Teresa posted the following on her blog: “That night I won the title of Miss Nebraska I knew that this is exactly where God wants me to be, and He has a plan for each and every day of my life, not only this year, but every year. How incredibly calming it is to know that my life is in His hands! My prayer continues to be simply that I will fulfill His purpose in everything that I do. If you had not previously known my reasons and purpose behind why I do what I do, I hope you now understand what I believe my calling to be. Why am I competing in the Miss America competition? Because God has placed me in this position to show His love!” To visit her blog, go to http://teresastravelsandtidbits. blogspot.com/

Liberty Today • March 2011 5

Majority Leader’s Plan Could Restore Role Of U. S. House as Deliberative, Relevant Body

Woody Jenkins

Editor, Liberty Today

WASHINGTON — It’s usually a shock when Americans visit the gallery of the United States House of Representatives during a debate. As they look down on the almost empty chamber, they see a handful of staff and a handful of Congressmen. One of them is at the microphone, talking away, as though he’s trying to persuade someone of something. The visitor often turns to one of the guards and asks, “Who’s he talking to?” “Oh, he’s just talking to the cameras,” the guard says. “This is usually the way it is!” Visitors have been known to say, “Oh, my God!” and walk out in disgust. The truth is, one of the world’s “greatest deliberative bodies” doesn’t really debate much at all — because the members are seldom there for the debate. They’re off in committee meetings or in their offices or somewhere giving a speech or just flying into Washington or just flying out. But they’re not there on the floor to listen and debate. State legislators who get elected to Congress are usually — upon their arrival — also shocked by the proceedings. As one said to me recently, “In the state senate, we’re all there for the debate. Often we’ve made up our minds in advance, but the debate sometimes changes our minds — and our votes!” Little of that happens in the United States House, at least over the past 50 years or so. On most votes, members of the House run in, check with their whip or another member, put their voting card in the slot, cast their vote, visit for a couple of minutes with other members, and then rush back to wherever they were during the “debate.” If members vote down party lines very often, it’s no wonder, because the facts about a bill often don’t matter. What matters is not the debate but your party’s position or that of a lobbyist or who called your office the most. Committee meetings take place during floor debate. So members are supposed to be in two places — sometimes three or four places — at

one time. But all of this is about to change with the new Republican House. In theory, it could result in a fundamental change in the way laws are made in America. New House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has announced a new schedule for the House that calls for committee meetings to be held in the morning and House floor debate in the afternoon. No floor votes will normally be taken after 7 p.m. So... this means members of Congress are actually supposed to be in the Chamber — in their actual seats — listening to the actual debate in person — and actually debating the bills themselves? No more running from committee meeting to the floor and back? No more running from the office to the floor and back? You mean they would actually have to listen to the other side of things? And, when they are sitting there in the Chamber with nothing better to do, do you think they might actually read the bills? Perhaps even an amendment now and again? Apparently, that is Mr. Cantor’s noble intent. He is going against a lot of recent history and the habits of virtually all returning members. But, if he is successful, think of the possibilities: • Congress might actually deliberate. • Minds might actually be changed. • People might find some common ground. • The partisan bickering might end. • A spirit of understanding, hope, and brotherhood might descend on Washington and from there throughout our entire land. • And the lion will lie down with the lamb. Maybe. Then again, Majority Leader Cantor has to get his own members to show up on the floor and then stick around for the debates. Remember watching the debates from the House of Commons live from London on CSPAN? Quite a spectacle. I once asked a member of Parliament if debate matters in Parliament, since the British have such strong party discipline. He said, “Oh, it matters very much. Out in the body, we are united. Everything looks solid. But when we caucus, the floor debate often rings in our ears,

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor

we see the error of our ways, and come out with a different position.” Ah, the British Parliament: Still a deliberative body. Let’s hope Mr. Cantor can make Congress one again!

Louisiana Publisher Launches Liberty Today As New National Conservative Newspaper LibertyToday A National

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Centennial

Ronald Reagan

GOP House: Cut Federal Budget Now

Born Feb. 6, 1911

Photo by Woody Jenkins

Caucus Leaders Unveil Plan for $2.5 Trillion Cut Tea Party activists, see page 14

WASHINGTON — House Republicans, led by Speaker John Boehner and Mayority Leader Eric Cantor, are making fiscal restraint the Number one priority for the House. They are determined to change the atmosphere in Washington and reflect the mandate they feel they were given by voters last November. Boehner, Cantor, Congressman Jeb Hensarling, and other members of the leadership team are getting high marks for having passed through the House legislation to repeal ObamaCare in their second week on the job. Congressman Paul Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee, has been a chief architect of Republican efforts to reduce the

federal budget deficit and halt increases in the national debt. He was tapped by GOP congressional leader to give the response

Rep. Boehner

Rep. Cantor

President Ronald Reagan

May I Offer A Few Small Suggestions?

to President Obama’s State of the Ronald Reagan Union address. Ryan gave a strong President, United States of America argument for fiscal restraint in his remarks. Ryan has been given America celebrated the 100th unprecedented authority to make budget estimates for the House. birthday of the late President Ronald Reagan on Feb. 6, 2011. His See Ryan on Page 3. speeches are filled with advice for future generations. Here are a few of the famous quotes that are as timely today as when he said them: On the deficit We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough. We have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. Governments don’t reduce deficits by raising taxes on the people. Governments reduce deficits by controlling spending and stimulating new wealth. Government always finds a need for whatever money it gets. Every dollar the Federal Government does not take from us, ev-

Rep. Bachmann

Rep. Garrett

conservative donors who give about $200 million a year. We believe it Section B is of utmost importance that they Timeless Advice from President Reagan know who the ‘good guys’ are in public office and what they stand for. We believe Liberty Today can help create a community of people — all of whom give over $1,000 a year — who have the same values, know the same things, and pull together in the same direction.” Jenkins has had a journalism ca-

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Liberty Today • March 2011 17

Opinion

Continued from Page 1

Sen. McConnell Holding Senate GOP Together See SUPREME on Page 12

See TIMELESS on Page 17

Photo by Woody Jenkins

See MONEY on Page 11

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WASHINGTON — A Louisiana publishing company is launching a national conservative newspaper, called Liberty Today. It will be targeted to individuals who contribute $1,000 or more annually to conservative candidates for public office or to conservative organizations. “We feel there is a strong need for a conservative newspaper in America today. The average Republican voter is 58 years old, and the average donor to conservative candidates and causes is 70+ years of age. The reality is most of them are not on the Internet and have no reliable source of news and information,” Liberty Today editor Woody Jenkins said. Jenkins said the newspaper will have two major goals: • Provide objective news coverage of national news, and • Provide a forum for conservative elected officials and conservative organizations. He said the newspaper will be funded in an unusual way — by the sale of bulk subscription orders by individuals, businesses, and organizations who see the need for the publication.

Goodwill Prevails in School Board Race

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ery decision it does not make for us will make our economy stronger, our lives more abundant, our future more free. It’s time we reduced the federal budget and left the family budget alone. Let us resolve that we will stop spreading dependency and start spreading opportunity; that we will stop spreading bondage and start spreading freedom. Trust the people -- that is the crucial lesson of history On the two parties: Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the Democrats believe every day is April 15. You can never underestimate the ability of the Democrats to wet their finger and hold it to the wind When you can’t make them see the light, make them feel the heat. On the role of government: We must not look to government to solve our problems. Government is the problem. Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves. There are no such things as limits to growth, because there are no limits to the human capacity for intelligence, imagination, and wonder. Government has laid its hand on health, housing, farming, industry, commerce, education, and to an ever-increasing degree interferes with the people’s right to know. Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it. I consider all proposals for government action with an open mind before voting “no. Common sense told us that when you put a big tax on something, the people will produce less of it. So we cut the people’s tax rates, and the people produced more than ever before. Public servants say, always with the best of intentions, “What great-

REMEMBERING REAGAN — Upon his death in 2004, Time magazine dedicated a special edition to his memory.

er service we could render if only we had a little more money and a little more power.” But the truth is that outside of its legitimate function, government does nothing as well or as economically as the private sector. History shows that when the

taxes of a nation approach about 20 percent of the people’s income, there begins to be a lack of respect for government. . . . When it reaches dssthrrre, there comes an increase in lawlessness. Some advice for Congress: Someone once said that every

form of government has one characteristic peculiar to it and if that characteristic is lost, the government will fall. In a monarchy, it is affection and respect for the royal family. If that is lost, the monarch is lost. In a dictatorship, it is fear. If the people stop fearing the dictator, he’ll lose power. In a representative government such as ours, it is virtue. If virtue goes, the government fails. Are we choosing paths that are politically expedient and morally questionable? Are we in truth losing our virtue? ...If so, we may be nearer the dustbin of history than we realize I know it’s hard when you’re up to your armpits in alligators to remember you came here to drain the swamp. The future doesn’t belong to the faint-hearted; it belongs to the brave. Heroes may not be braver than anyone else. They’re just braver five minutes longer. We cannot stop at the foothills when Everest lies ahead. A leader, once convinced a particular course of action is the right one, must have the determination to stick with it and be undaunted when the going gets tough To the People: Excellence does not begin in Washington. The United States remains the last best hope for a mankind plagued by tyranny and deprivation. America is no stronger than its people -- and that means you and me. Well, I believe in you, and I believe that if we work together, then one day we will say, “We fought the good fight. We finished the race. We kept the faith.” And to our children and our children’s children, we can say, “We did all what could be done in the brief time that was given us here on earth.” We need you, we need your strength, and your idealism, to help us make right what is wrong.

WASHINGTON — On the 100th anniversary of the birth of President Ronald Reagan, President Obama has found it useful to associate himself with the former President. It all appears to be part of a concerted attempt to “move to the center” — in form if not in substance. The liberal media is more than willing to accommodate Mr. Obama with his plan. It seems impossible to turn on the mainstream media or cable news without hearing Obama referred to as “Reaganesque” or very much like Reagan. It’s amazing, since that the same liberal media always trashed President Reagan when he was alive. Does President Obama own stock in Time magazine? You would think so, since he appears

so regularly on the cover. The Feb. 7, 2011, cover of Time has a doctored photo showing Reagan with his arm around Obama. They appear to be a mutual admiration society. The title of the cover story is “Why Obama Loves Reagan.” The doctored photo seems

to imply Reagan’s endorsement of Obama, an endorsement that never — ever — would have happened. Reagan and Obama are opposites who agree on little if anything. Mr. Obama, I knew Ronald Reagan, and you’re no Reagan! — Woody Jenkins, Editor

President Ronald Reagan at his ranch in California

Mr. Obama, You’re No Ronald Reagan!

Give me Liberty! Patrick Henry, 1775

Section B - Op-ed articles and news from conservative elected officials, business leaders, and conservative groups

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First Edition Volume 1, Number 1 March 2011

LibertyToday A National Conservative Newspaper

6 Liberty Today • March 2011

House Republican Study Committee Offers Strong ’11 Legislative Agenda WASHINGTON — Congressman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) has been elected chairman of the House Republican Study Committee, which represents 165 House Republicans who support a conservative social and economic agenda. A native of Champaign County, Ohio, Jordan has served in Congress since 2007. He is a twotime NCAA wrestling champion who served three terms in the Ohio House of Representatives and two terms in the Ohio Senate. Jordan holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin, a masters in education from Ohio State, and a juris doctor in law from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. In Congress, Jim Jordan has fought to cut taxes, reduce the size of government, secure America’s borders, and provide a strong national defense. As one of the most conservative members of Congress, his efforts have earned him recognition from Citizens against Government Waste, Americans for Tax Reform’s Friend of the Taxpayer Award, and praise from the American Conservative Union as one of the “Best and Brightest.” Jordan serves on the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform and the House Committee on the Judiciary. HHH The Republican Study Committee is a group of 165 House Republicans organized for the purpose of advancing a conservative social and economic agenda in the House of Representatives. The Republican Study Committee is dedicated to: • Limited and Constitutional role for the federal government, a strong national defense, the protection of individual and property rights, and the preservation of traditional family values. The RSC reviews each piece of legislation under consideration on the House floor using six guiding principles, printed on the “Conservative Check Card”: Less Government. Does the bill tend to reduce government regulations, size of government, or eliminate entitlements, or unnecessary programs? Lower Taxes. Does the bill promote individual responsibility in spending, or reduce taxes or fees? Personal Responsibility. Does the bill encourage responsible behavior by individuals and families and encourage them to provide for

Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.)

their own health, safety, education, moral fortitude, or general welfare? Individual Freedom. Does the bill increase opportunities for individuals or families to decide, without hindrance or coercion from government, how to conduct their own lives and make personal choices? Stronger Families. Does the bill enhance the traditional American family and its power to rear children without excessive interference from the government? Domestic Tranquility, National Defense. Does the bill enhance American security without unduly burdening civil liberty? The group has played a major role in key policy areas including budget, appropriations, taxes, education, Social Security reform, defense, deregulation, and general government reform. The Republican Study Committee is an independent research arm for House Republicans. HHH Here is a sample of some of the many bills by members of the House Republican Study Committee, which are being prepared for introduction in the 112th Congress or have already been introduced: Rep. Coffman Seeks Members For Balanced Budget Caucus Congressman Mike Coffman (R-Colo) will be chairing the bipartisan Balanced Budget Amendment Caucus in the 112th Caucus. The Balanced Budget Amendment Caucus will serve as an informal

Rep. John Fleming (R-La.)

group of Members dedicated to issues related to the Balanced Budget Amendment and educating other Members on this subject. HHH Rep. Dan Lungren’s Bill On Job-Killing 1099 Law Garners 245 Co-Sponsors Supported by the signatures of 245 members, Congressman Dan Lungren has reintroduced H.R. 4, which would repeal the job-killing 1099 mandate in Obamacare. Section 9006 of that law places an unprecedented burden on small business by requiring business owners who purchase $600 or more in goods or services in a year to submit a 1099 tax form to the Internal Revenue Service. The mandate will take effect in just over a year, if not repealed. HHH Rep. Fleming’s Bill Rescinding $1 Billion Fund for Obamacare Implementation Expenses Congressman John Fleming introduced a bill to rescind the $1 billion implementation fund for Obamacare. The Health Insurance Reform Implementation Fund is a $1 billion fund appropriated as part of the Reconciliation package to pay for federal administrative expenses to carry out the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act together with the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act. In November, 2010, $40.8 million of these funds had been obligated to provide for administrative

Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas)

expenses of the Health and Human Services and the IRS to implement the new health care reform law. By rescinding this fund, $900 million would be returned to the treasury to reduce the federal deficit. HHH Rep. Pence Would Limit Funds for Abortion Providers Rep. Mike Pence is seeking cosponsors for the reintroduction of the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act. The federal government provides grants for voluntary family planning services through the Family Planning Program,. Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), a family planning service which also offers abortion services, received $657.1 million alone from 2002-2008, mostly through Title X. Rep. Pence’s bill would mandate that no funds provided under Title X can be awarded to entities that perform, or provide funds to another entity that performs abortions except for the life of the mother. HHH Rep. Steve King Seeking Co-Sponsors of H.R. 140, Birthright Citizenship Act Congressman Steve King says granting automatic citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants is based on a flawed interpretation of the 14th Amendment. It is estimated that each year 380,000 expectant mothers cross the border illegally in hopes of giving birth in the United States. After being granted automatic citizenship, these children are eligible to initiate chain migration for their family members. The significant benefits of U.S. citizenship have launched a global “birth tourism” industry that exploits this “anchor baby” loophole. Members of Congress can help clarify who can be granted birthright citizenship by co-sponsoring H.R. 140, the Birthright Citizenship Act. HHH Rep. Ted Poe Introduces Bill To Stop Cap-and-Trade Regs Rep. Ted Poe has introduced the Ensuring Affordable Energy Act, which would prohibit federal funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be used to implement or enforce a cap-and-trade

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa)

See LAWMAKERS on Page 7

Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.)

Liberty Today • March 2011 7

New RNC Chairman Reince Priebus

Our First Job Is to Save Our Country “ ”

AP Photo by Pablo Martinez Monsivais

REMARKS BY REINCE PRIEBUS:

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus

Editor’s Note: Reince Priebus has been elected the new Chairman of the Republican National Committee. As chairman of the Wisconsin Republican Party in 2010, he helped Republicans take away Democratic control of the governorship, a U.S. Senate seat, two seats in Congress, and both houses of the Wisconsin state legislature. Excerpts of his remarks at a debate among candidates for the chairmanship of the RNC.

Our country is in great peril. In the last election in Wisconsin, we proved we can turn a state Red when we stick with the principles of our party. But what’s really important is, We must save our country. If we can save our party along the way, so much the better. HHH We must stay with the principles in the Republican Platform. It takes 40 cents out of every dollar to run this country. If you’re pro-stimulus and proAIG, you might not be a Republican. HHH We should integrate the prolife message into the RNC mission. I believe life begins at conception. HHH We need to work with the Tea Party Movement. HHH My major challenge at the RNC will be raising $400 million. HHH

This past election was about choices. Life is about choices. We need a chairman who will be a workhorse, who will bring unity, put on a great convention, raise the money, and work with the conservative movement. Reince Priebus, Chairman Republican National Committee

On vote fraud: Wisconsin is one of those states where someone can go in and vote on election day without registering and without a photo I.D. We have no statewide voter registration list. We need to pass photo I.D. requirements in every state and protect the constitutional right to vote. HHH On whether party officials should expect a certain philosophical outcome from elected officials: Yes, while we are licking envelopes and so on, we do have expectations of results. We

want them to put the train back on its wheels. My friend Paul Ryan (I was his chairman) is one of those who gets it. HHH We have to engage young people. We have rising stars coming out. It’s all about getting young people to buy in to our party. HHH This past election was about choices. Life is about choices. We need a chairman who will be a workhorse, who will bring unity, put on a great convention, raise the money, and work with the conservative movement.

Lawmakers Take Aim at Key National Issues Continued from Page 6

program for greenhouse gases. No funds appropriated or otherwise available for the Administrator of the EPA may be used to implement or enforce— 1. A cap and trade program; or 2. Any statutory or regulatory requirement pertaining to emissions of one or more greenhouse gases from stationary sources that is issued or becomes applicable or effective after January 1, 2011. “The EPA is at war with Texas,” said Poe. “The federal government has overstepped their authority,” he said. “Texans and Americans across the country have rejected this policy. And despite being rejected by Congress, the administration has defiantly ignored the will of the people, and the law, to further its own political agenda. Countless studies have shown that this will not only jeopardize the energy industry in Texas, but will negatively affect the nation’s energy supply, economy and jobless numbers,” Poe said. HHH Rep. Hunter Seeks Co-Sponsors To Ensure Repeal of DADT Does Not Impact Military Units Engaged in Combat Operations In the last Congress, legislation was passed that would require, prior to implementation of the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, the President, Secretary of Defense, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to certify to the congressional defense committees that the necessary procedures and policies are in place to preserve the standards of military readiness and effectiveness, unit cohesion, and military recruiting and retention. Until these conditions are met, the current policy shall remain in effect. Unfortunately, the heads of each service branch

Having a Tea Party

do not have any direct involvement in the certification process. For this reason, Congressman Duncan Hunter is seeking cosponsors for the Restore Military

Readiness, which would amend current law to require that, in addition to the President, Secretary of Defense, and the JCS, all four service chiefs must certify that

implementation will in no way degrade the readiness, effectiveness, cohesion, and morale of combat arms units and personnel of the Armed Forces engaged in combat and deployed to a combat theater. This legislation will ensure that any concerns within a specific service branch are directly addressed by that commanding officer. HHH Rep. Mike Turner Will Offer Constitutional Amendment to Prevent Government Takeover Of Private Businesses The Administration’s increasing influence on private industry raises serious concerns about federal ownership of private enterprise. Congressman Mike Turner is reintroducing the Preserving Capitalism in America Amendment which would prohibit the government from buying stock or equity in corporations. The Amendment had 104 co-sponsors in the previous Congress

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8 Liberty Today • March 2011

Freedom House Issues 2011 Report, Show Authoritarian ChallengeFreed to om House Freed om House Democracy Grew in 2010, Freed om Freed Houseom House Freed House Group Says om

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Authoritarian Nor th Pac ific O cean regimes such as China, Egypt, Iran, PORTUGAL Russia, and Venezuela continued to UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Nor th Atlantic O cean Nor th Atlantic O cean step up repressive measures with O cean Nor th Pacific little significant resistance from the Gulf of Mexico M democracies. “This should be a wake-up call Nor th Pacific O cean Nor th Pac ific O cean Northe th world’s Pacific O cean for all of democracies,” BAHAMAS Gulf of Mexico MEXICO said David J. Kramer, executive WESTERN SAHARA Caribbean Sea director of Freedom House. “Our PUERTO RICO adversaries are not just engaging in CUBA MAURITANIA Gulf ofJAMAICA Mexico Gulf of Mexico Gulf of Mexico widespread repression, they are doST. KITTS & NEVIS HAITI ANTIGUA & BARBUDA BELIZE ing so with unprecedented aggresDOM. REP. HONDURAS SENEGAL DOMINICA Caribbean Sea CAPE VERDE siveness and self-confidence, and ST. LUCIA GUATEMALA THE GAMBIA GRENADA ST. VINCENT & GRENADINES EL SALVADOR NICARAGUA the democratic community is not BARBADOS GUINEA BISSAU GUINEA Caribbean Sea Caribbean Sea TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Caribbean Sea rising to the challenge.” COSTA RICA VENEZUELA GUYANA Published annually since 1972, SIERRA LEONE D SURINAME PANAMA Freedom in the World examines the FRENCH GUIANA LIBERIA COLOMBIA ability of individuals to exercise ECUADOR their political and civil rights in 194 countries and 14 territories around the world. The latest edition anaPERU lyzes developments that occurred in 2010 and assigns each country a S outh BRAZIL freedom status—Free, Partly Free, or Not Free—based on a scoring of SAMOA performance on key indicators. Four countries received status S outh Pac ific O cean BOLIVIA declines, including Ukraine and Mexico, which both fell from Free PARAGUAY S outh Atlantic O cean to Partly Free. Mexico’s downgrade S outh Atlantic O cean S outh Atlantic CHILE was a result of the government’s inability to stem the tide of violence ARGENTINA by drug-trafficking groups, while S outh Pac ific O cean S outh Pac ific O cean Ukraine suffered from deteriorating S outh Pac ific O cean URUGUAY levels of press freedom, instances S outh Pacific O cean of election fraud, and growing politicization of the judiciary. Djibouti and Ethiopia were downgraded from Partly Free to Not Free. Other countries showing declines includSurvey Findings ed Bahrain, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Freedom Status Country Breakdown France, Sri Lanka, and Venezuela. FREE 87 (45%) The Middle East and North Africa remained the region with the PARTLY FREE 60 (31%) lowest level of freedom in 2010. NOT FREE 47 (24%) Authoritarian Regimes. The The world’s most powerful authoritarian regimes acted with increased brazenness in 2010. TOTAL 194 Survey Findings Survey The Map of Freedom refle Survey Findings world’s most powerful authoritarChina pressured foreign governments to boycott the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony Freedom House’s Freedom in the ian regimes acted with increased Freedom Status Country Breakdown Population Breakdown Freedom Statu Freedom Status Country Breakdown Population Breakdown which rates the level of polit honoring jailed democracy advocate LiuFREEXiaobo, and Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez brazenness in 2010. China presFREE 87 (45%) 2,951,950,000 FREE (43%) (45%) 2,951,950,000 (43%) liberties in 194 countries and 14 pushed through legislation that allowed him to rule by87decree and further restricted nonsured foreign governments to boySurvey Findings territories during 2010. Based PARTLY FREE 60 (31%) 1,487,000,000 (22%) PARTLY F PARTLY FREERussia’s60leadership (31%) 1,487,000,000 (22%)blatant disregard governmental organizations and the media. showed cott the Nobel Peace Prize award countries are dividedPopulation into thr Freedom Status Country Breakdown Bre for judicial independence in its handlingNOTof, cases,NOT2,434,250,000 the of Partly regime FREE sentencing 47 (24%) 2,434,250,000 NOT (35%)FREE ceremony honoring jailed democFREEamong other 47 (24%) (35%) Free, and Not Free. critic and former oil magnate Mikhail Khodorkovsky after a trialTOTAL that was widely considered racy advocate Liu Xiaobo, and FREE (45%) 2,951,950,00 194 87 6,873,200,000 TOTAL TOTAL 194 6,873,200,000 A Free country is one where fraudulent. And both Egypt and Belarus conducted sham elections... Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez PARTLY FREE 60 (31%) 1,487,000,00 pushed through legislation that allowed him to rule by decree and NOT FREE 47 (24%) 2,434,250,00 Partly Free: The number of Partfurther restricted nongovernmental transparency. In the case of Be- fail to unite and speak out in de- TOTAL 194 to 60, or6,873,200,00 larus, the election was followed by fense of their own values, despots ly Free countries increased organizations and the media. will continue to gain momentum.” 31 percent of all countries, compris Russia’s leadership showed bla- massive violence by security forces ing 22 percent of the world’s total tant disregard for judicial indepen- against peaceful demonstrators. Key global findings: dence in its handling of, among other Arch Puddington, director of Free: The number of countries population. cases, the sentencing of regime crit- research at Freedom House, said, designated by Freedom House as Not Free: The number of counic and former oil magnate Mikhail “Authoritarian regimes will have Free in 2010 stands at 87, two few- tries deemed to be Not Free reKhodorkovsky after a trial that was a much freer hand to silence their er than the previous year, and rep- mained at 47, or 24 percent of the widely considered fraudulent. And domestic critics if there is no re- resenting 45 percent of the world’s total number of countries. Nearly both Egypt and Belarus conducted sistance from the outside world. 194 countries and 43 percent of the 2.5 billion people live in societies where fundamental political rights sham elections with little hint of Indeed, if the world’s democracies world’s population. GREENLAND

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Liberty Today • March 2011 9

ws Freedom in Decline in Many Countries

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rights are absent, and basic civil liberties are widely and for open political competition, a climate of respect for The Map of Freedom reflects the findings of systematically denied. civil liberties, significant independent civic life, and Freedom House’s Freedom in the World 2011 survey, Freedom House is an independent nongovernmental independent media. which rates the level of political rights and civil (43%) organization that supports the expansion of freedom Partly Free countries are characterized by some liberties in 194 countries and 14 related and disputed worldwide. restrictions on political rights and civil liberties, territories during 2010. Based on these ratings, (22%) often in a context of corruption, weak rule of law, countries are divided into three categories: Free, (35%) ethnic strife, or civil war. Partly Free, and Not Free. Not Freethecountry is one basicpolitical politicalcompetition, a climate of respect for A Free country is one where thereThe is broad rights are absent, and basic civil liberties are widely and for open Map scope of FreedomA reflects findings of where systematically denied. civil liberties, significant independent civic life, and Freedom House’s Freedom in the World 2011 survey, Country Breakdown Population Breakdown Freedom House is an independent nongovernmental independent media. which rates the level of political rights and civil 87 (45%) 2,951,950,000 (43%) organization that supports the expansion of freedom Partly Free countries are characterized by some liberties in 194 countries and 14 related and disputed are absent, civil liberties are widely and for open a climate of of Freedom findings of 2010. worldwide. restrictions on respect politicalforrights rights and civil liberties,and basic territories during Based political on thesecompetition, ratings, 60 (31%) The Map 1,487,000,000 (22%) reflects the systematically significant and Freedom House’s Freedom in the World 2011 survey, often in a civic contextlife, of corruption, weak rule of denied. law, countries are divided civil into liberties, three categories: Free, independent 47 (24%) 2,434,250,000 (35%) ethnic strife, or civil war. Partly and Free, civil and Not Free. Freedom House is an independent nongovernmental independent media. which rates the level of political rights 194 A Not Free country is one where basic political A Free country is one where broad scope are characterized organization that supports the expansion of freedom Partlythere Freeis countries by some liberties in6,873,200,000 194 countries and 14 related and disputed

Population Breakdown

2,951,950,000 1,487,000,000 2,434,250,000

6,873,200,000 y Findings

FREE

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www.freedomhouse.org

worldwide. restrictions on political rights and civil liberties, territories during 2010. Based on these ratings, 00 (22%) often in a context of corruption, weak rule of law, countries are divided into three categories: Free, 00 (35%) ethnic strife, or civil war. Free, are and Not and civil Partly liberties notFree. respected. Key regional findings: well as in Guinea, which received 00 A Not Free country is one an where basic political in status from Not A Freefor country is onenumber. where there Sub-Saharan is broad scope Africa: Major China accounts half this improvement

Worst of the Worst: Of the 47 countries ranked Not Free, nine countries and one territory received the survey’s lowest possible rating for both political rights and civil liberties: Burma, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Tibet, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

declines were recorded in Ethiopia and Djibouti, both of which dropped from Partly Free to Not Free. In addition, declines were noted in Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Rwanda, Swaziland, and Zambia. Improvements were noted in Kenya, Nigeria, Somaliland, and Tanzania, as

www.freedomhouse.org

2010 election in Kyrgyzstan, which www.freedomhouse.org followed the collapse of the govern-

Free to Partly Free. Asia-Pacific: Successful elections resulted in improvements for the Philippines and Tonga. Declines were documented in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Fiji, Indian Kashmir, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Central and Eastern Europe Former Soviet Union: The

ment earlier in the year, was considered relatively free and fair and resulted in a status improvement from Not Free to Partly Free. Gains were also noted in Georgia and Moldova. Ukraine dropped from Free to Partly Free, and Nagorno-Karabakh fell from Partly Free to Not Free. Other See WEST on Page 10

10 Liberty Today • March 2011

Paul Ryan: U. S. Revolution Replaced Class Rule Continued from Page 3

through the changes of history. And don’t worry, they say: Bureaucrats can be controlled by Congressional oversight. Would you like an example of how successful Congressional oversight is? Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the Government-Sponsored Enterprises (or GSEs), underwrote trillions of dollars in junk mortgages. Year after year, their officials and others from HUD, Treasury, and other agencies who supervise them marched up to Congress for hearings. Red flags were raised. But the oversight committees had other priorities and dismissed them out of hand. With the housing market already tanking, Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank said, “This ability to provide stability to the market is what, in my mind, makes the GSEs a congressional success story.” Less than 18 months later, the ‘market-stabilizing’ GSEs went belly-up due to their shoddy business practices, collapsing the mortgage credit industry and sparking the worldwide financial meltdown. No one knows the ultimate cost to the taxpayers, but it will be gigantic. If Congress can’t control what a few mortgage finance bureaucrats do with your dollars, why would anyone trust Congress to control

what tens of thousands of bureaucrats will do with your health? HHH The Progressivist ideology embraced by today’s leaders is very different from everything rankand-file Democrats, independents, and Republicans stand for. America stands for nothing if not for the fixed truth that unalienable rights were granted to every human being not by government but by “nature and nature’s God.” The truths of the American founding can’t become obsolete, because they are not timebound. They are eternal. The prac-

tical consequence of these truths is free market democracy, the American idea of free labor and free enterprise under government by popular consent. The deepest case for free market democracy is moral, rooted in human equality and the natural right to be free. A government that expands beyond its high but limited mission of securing our natural rights is not progressive, it’s regressive. It privileges the powerful at the expense of the people. It establishes the rule of class over class. The American Revolution and the Constitution replaced class rule with a better idea: Equal opportunity for all. The promise of keeping the earnings of your work is central to justice, freedom, and the hope to improve your life. HHH The first order of business will be “repeal and replace.” We will work to repeal federalized Health Care and replace it with a robust, competitive open market in health care that puts patients and their doctors at the center — not employers, not insurers, and not government agents. Congress will then turn to the great problem of our stagnant economy and the debt tsunami bearing down on us. The days of pretending not to notice are over. The next Congress will understand

this threat and act after transparent deliberation and real debate. HHH My party challenges the whole basis of the Progressivist vision of this country’s future. We challenge their attack on American exceptionalism. We challenge their claim that bureaucratic centralization is the only way the U.S. can meet the economic and social challenges of our time. Those leaders have underestimated the good sense of the American people. They broke faith with independents, Republicans, and their own rank-and-file. They walked away from the foundational truths that made America the wonder and the envy of the world. HHH Knowing America as I have come to know it, I am confident that the American character is up to every challenge. America is not over. This exceptional nation will not go down the way of mediocrity. Ronald Reagan used to say: “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction ... It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for [our children] to do the same.” We are that generation. The fight is our fight, and it begins now! The time is at hand to reclaim America for freedom!

and stay up to date with Freedom House’s latest news and events by signing up for our RSS feeds. HHH Editor’s Note: Honduras. Liberty Today applauds the outstanding work done by Freedom House. However, we do disagree with its assessment of Honduras as ‘Partly Free.’ This assessment was based primarily on the fact that the Honduran military ousted the duly-elected President of the country in 2009. However, the situation in Honduras was far more complicated than that. Because of its long history of dictatorships, the Honduran Constitution contains a very unusual provision. It says that any elected official who proposes extending the term of the President shall be immediately removed from office and barred from public office for 10 years. In 2009, President Manual Zelaya ordered a nationwide referendum on amending the Constitution to include extending the term of the President. The Electoral Commission refused to proceed with the election, because it had not

been approved by the Congress. The commission refused to print election ballots. So Zelaya had ballots printed in Venezuela and shipped to an Air Force base in Honduras. He ordered the Commander of the armed forces to distribute the ballots and, when the commander refused, the President removed the Commander from office. At that point, the Honduran Supreme Court ordered Zelaya removed from office, which was carried out by the military. The Constitutional basis for the removal was Zelaya’s advocacy of extending the term of the President, which was grounds for immediate removal from office. Shortly thereafter, the Honduran Congress elected a new President from Zelaya’s party. The country then proceeded with previously scheduled elections. National Party candidate Pepe Lobo was elected President in a free and fair election. He took office in January 2010. Today Honduras certainly enjoys a high degree of political and civil liberty, and it is unfair to label the country as only Partly Free.

sociation. Jenkins and his staff have won 1st Place awards for Best News Coverage, Best Investigative Reporting, Best Feature Writing, and Best Columnist. Jenkins was inducted into the LSU Journalism Hall of Fame. He also served in the Louisiana Legislature for 28 years and was named National Legislator of the Year by both the National Taxpayers Union and Eagle Forum. Jenkins was Louisiana’s representative on the Republican National Platform Committee in 2008 and served as a conservative floorleader. The staff of Liberty Today will include Candi Lee, who won 1st Place in Best Investigative Reporting from the Louisiana Press Association, and Terrie Palmer, who

won 1st Place for Best Advertising Design from the Louisiana Press Association. Liberty Today has offices in Washington, D.C., and in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While its primary source of revenue will be bulk subscription sales, Liberty Today will also sell advertising space with a base rate of $6,000 a page, or $3,500 for a half page. Contract rates are lower. For advertising rate information, email libertytoday@hotmail.com or call 225-261-5055. Liberty Today will be entering into strategic alliances with individuals, businesses, and conservative organizations who purchase bulk subscriptions. For more information, call 225-921-1433,

West Should Do More to Aid Cause of Freedom Continued from Page 9

declines were seen in Hungary and Latvia. Middle East and North Africa: The Middle East and North Africa, which has long been the region with the lowest levels of democracy in the world, continued its steady decline in 2010. In addition to a reduction in Egypt resulting from the country’s sham elections, declines were seen in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iran. There were no status or ratings improvements in the region. Americas: The inability of the Mexican government to protect ordinary citizens, elected officials, or journalists from organized crime caused Mexico’s status to fall from Free to Partly Free. Other countries that saw declines included Venezuela, where President Chávez pushed through damaging legislation just before the formation of a new parliament with significantly more opposition seats. Improvements were noted in Colombia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Western Europe and North America: Western Europe and the United States continued to struggle with a rise in anti-immigrant sentiment. France received a score reduction for its treatment of ethnic minorities, including the mass deportation of Roma. Freedom House is an independent watchdog organization that supports democratic change, monitors the status of freedom around the world, and advocates for democracy and human rights. Join Freedom House on Facebook and Twitter (freedomhousedc)

Liberty Today Will Target $1,000+ Conservative Donors Continued from Page 5

reer spanning 36 years as a radio newsman, TV announcer, ad agency owner, TV station general manager, and newspaper editor and publisher. He produced a daily news program called Baton Rouge Today, which was named the “Outstanding Local News Program in America” by the Community Broadcasters Association. He produced more than 3,000 episodes of that news program. Jenkins is Editor of the Central City News in Baton Rouge, which has won numerous state and national newspaper awards. In 2009, the newspaper won the General Excellence Award from the Louisiana Press Association and 3rd Place in America in General Excellence from the National Newspaper As-

Liberty Today • March 2011 11

Sen. McConnell Leads Seven-Member Delegation

Senators’ First-Hand Look at Afghanistan

SENS. MARCO RUBIO AND MITCH McCONNELL (left) in Afghanistan with British Royal Marines. At right, Sen. McConnell with unidentified two-star general.

SENATE DELEGATION included (left to right) Sens. Marco Rubio, Pat Toomey, and Richard Burr, Gen. David Patraeus, Sens. Mitch McConnell, Kelly Ayotte, Lindsay Graham, and Ron Johnson. At right, Sen. Burr meets with a man who identified himself as being from North Carolina. Photos by Department of Defense.

Money Bills Put Senate In Key Role

WASHINGTON — Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell is being heralded as an unsung hero of the 2010 Republican election victory. By holding Senate Republicans together as a solid bloc against Obamacare, McConnell prevented the bill from being characterized as “bipartisan” health care reform. The Senate R epublicans’ united front Sen. McConnell forced President Obama and Democratic candidates to take total “ownership” of Obamacare. When voters rebelled against the costly and confusing plan in November, Democratic candidates paid the price. Now McConnell faces a similar challenge — holding Senate Republicans together to defund implementation of Obamacare. McConnell’s success in doing so could determine the fate of the legislation.

Most Senators: Afghanistan Must Clean Up Corruption But U.S. Has Little Choice But to Stay There for Now Woody Jenkins

Editor, Liberty Today

WASHINGTON — A delegation of seven Republican senators has returned from a fact-finding mission to Afghanistan, where they met with Gen. David Patraeus. The group, which was led by Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky), also met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. One of the senators told Karzai how important he felt it was to stop the corruption, and Karzai outlined his government’s steps to end corruption. Members of McConnell’s delegation included four freshmen Republicans — Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla), Ron Johnson (R-Wisc), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), and Pat Toomey (R-Pa) — and two more senior Republicans — Sens. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) and Richard Burr (R-NC). The senators were briefed on the military situation in Afghanistan as well as the economy and political situation. They also met with soldiers from their particular states. Some of their reactions were: • Sen. Pat Toomey said he

doubted U.S. troops would be out of Afghanistan within his six-year term. Toomey said, “I do think we can achieve success in Afghanistan, but we’ll have some presence on the ground here for quite some time.” “It is truly amazing what the American servicemen and women are doing in Afghanistan. The caliber, the talent, the dedication, and the ability of our troops are incredibly impressive, and there is no question that they are doing a terrific job and making tremendous progress. The big challenge now, as we continue to clear the remaining difficult areas in Afghanistan, is making sure there is an actively trained Afghan army, police force, and other governmental institutions to be able to sustain the progress we have made.” He said he felt the U.S. presence in Afghanistan could be reduced significantly and its combat role scaled back. • Sen. Kelly Ayotte said, “Having now been here and visited, an artificial time line for withdrawal is not something we should have. We’re making progress here, and we should obviously continue to assess the conditions on the

ground.” Ayotte said she agrees with the NATO goal of the end of 2014 as the date for a handover of security to the Afghan army. The NATO plan is not fixed in stone and depends on the Afghan government having secured itself against the Taliban and other threats. • Sen. Marco Rubio said, “This trip deepened my belief that Afghanistan’s security is critical to our own security. America must continue to play a significant role that focuses on combating terrorists while supporting the development of Afghan security forces, promoting the rule of law, encouraging regional economic developSee AFGHANISTAN on Page 13

12 Liberty Today • March 2011

Sen. McConnell Leads Senate GOP Delegation

SENATE DELEGATION in Afghanistan with Gen. David Patraeus near his headquarters. Delegation members (left to right) included Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Marco Rubio (R-Fla), Pat Toomey (R-Pa), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky), and Richard Burr (R-NC). Not shown is Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC).

DELEGATION experienced the barren terrain found in much of Afghanistan. At right, Major Gen. Richard Mills explains things to Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc).

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky

Brave Men and Women Keep America Free

Editor’s Note: Mitch McConnell has served as United States Senator from Kentucky since 1984. He is the Senate Republican Leader. In January, Sen. McConnell led a delegation of seven Senators to visit Afghanistan.

KABUL, Afghanistan — America has entered its tenth year of fighting in Afghanistan, and we can never express our gratitude enough to the heroic men and women of our armed forces who continue the battle there. Many of them— nearly one-fifth of all U.S. forces in that country—are from units based in Kentucky: Fort Campbell, Fort Knox, the Kentucky National Guard, the Marine Corps, and the Reserves. I recently led a Congressional delegation on a visit to the region and spent some time in Afghanistan to see up close the progress our forces are making there in clearing out the Taliban and creating the opportunity for Afghan security forces to assume greater responsibility. During my visit, I had the honor of meeting many of the servicemembers from Kentucky. I told them we’re proud of them, we support them, we thank them for their service, and we pray for their safe return. Forces in Afghanistan from Kentucky units number more than

18,000 strong. They’ve seen much military success—but in the process, many have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. The 101st Airborne Division, based out of Fort Campbell and known as the Screaming Eagles, endured a particularly hard year, losing more than 100 soldiers since last March. In fact, nearly one out of five American lives lost in Afghanistan in the past year has been lost from the 101st. The men and women who stood beside them honor their sacrifice by continuing the fight. After a long deployment, many of the soldiers from the 101st are due to return home over the next few months—just as their brothers-in-arms from Fort Knox are deploying. About 3,500 soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st

Infantry Division and the 703rd Explosive Ordnance Disposal Detachment will arrive in Afghanistan in the next few weeks or are already there. It is the biggest deployment from Fort Knox since World War II. Hundreds of servicemembers from the Kentucky Air and Army National Guard are performing critical missions in Afghanistan as well. The 123rd Airlift Wing, the 2123rd Transportation Company, the 20th Special Forces Group and a Kentucky Guard Agricultural Development Team have all recently sent men and women to the fight, some serving as many as six tours. It was my honor to meet some of these brave warriors in person when I visited the headquarters of the 101st Airborne Division at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan,

WASHINGTON — Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee which oversees the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, announced he will introduce legislation to stop taxpayer subsidies of public radio and television. CPB-funded programs are distributed through National Public Radio and the Pub-

lic Broadcasting Service. “Once again, we find the only free speech liberals support is the speech with which they agree. The incident with Mr. Williams shows that NPR is not concerned about providing the listening public with an honest debate of today’s issues, but rather with promoting a one-sided liberal agenda,” said Senator DeMint.

Sen. DeMint: Time to End Funding of NPR

and also during my stop at Camp Leatherneck in the southern part of that country, the outpost for a number of Kentucky Marines. These extraordinary men and women leave their loved ones thousands of miles behind and put on their country’s uniform every day, with their lives in the balance. They’ve seen their friends and fellow soldiers and Marines make the ultimate sacrifice, and yet they fight on to accomplish a difficult mission. And they continue to make their country, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and this Senator very proud. When we honor our servicemembers, we also honor their families, who endure the long months with a loved one gone and in harm’s way. This country would not have the finest fighting force in the world without their sacrifice and support as well. It’s brave servicemembers like the ones I got to meet who keep this country free. When both the Senate and the House of Representatives met in joint session recently to hear the President deliver his State of the Union address, we did so under the cloak of freedom that these heroes provide. America is grateful for their service and their sacrifice.

Liberty Today • March 2011 13

To Meet Troops, See Conditions in Afghanistan

SEN. RON JOHNSON (R-Wisc) (left) visits an Iraqi town. At right, Sen. Marco Rubio learns more about conditions on the ground in the war-torn country.

VISIT TO MARKET — At left, Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) visits a market that would have been too dangerous to see just a few months ago. At right, Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) wore a veil during parts of her trip to Afghanistan. The role of women in Afghanistan makes it difficult for American women to interact normally with the male population.

Afghanistan Making Progress, Long Way to Go Continued from Page 11

transport or mine-clearing.” • Sen. Richard Burr said, “So much has changed in Afghanistan since my last visit a year ago. General Petraeus and the actions of our and allied forces on the ground have yielded important security gains in the southern provinces of Afghanistan. The progress was evident as we were able to walk through village bazaars and travel across regions of the country which just last year were major Taliban strongholds.”

“I am optimistic that we have started to turn the corner and that we will be in a position to hand over regions of the country to Afghan control this spring. There will be setbacks, as there always are, but our brave men and women are making great progress in a difficult environment.” • Sen. Ron Johnson said he left Afghanistan with a stronger commitment to victory. “We’ve sacrificed so many lives and so many dollars in this effort, and it’s such

ment, and supporting Pakistan’s critical effort in combating radical Islamic terrorists.” Rubio said, “Never again can we allow Islamic radicals to establish safe havens to recruit, train for and plot attacks against America, as they did on September 11. When terrorists are constantly running for their lives, it is harder for them to attack us. Targeting, capturing, and killing these terrorists must continue to be driven by America’s military power, our intelligencegathering resources and cooperation with our allies.” “Of course, America cannot shoulder this burden alone. While our support is vital, Afghanistan’s long-term security requires that Afghans take ownership for securing their country and developing a viable state. As I reviewed Afghan National Army training exercises last week, it was clear significant progress has been made. But such gains will be short-lived if we don’t support their efforts to overcome the underlying challenges of poor education, illiteracy, drug addiction, corruption, fear of the Taliban’s return, and lack of basic technical expertise. For example, some of the Afghan men serving in their armed forces have never driven a vehicle before, much THERE’S NOTHING LIKE BEING THERE — Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa) (left) and less specialized vehicles for troop Lindsay Graham (R-SC) leave more about the situation on the ground in Afghanistan.

an important effort in terms of our national security, we have to see this thing through. And I honestly believe we can do it,” Johnson told reporters. He said, “In all honesty, I’ve just come away far more hopeful. I think we’ve made more progress than people are aware of in the States.” • Before the trip, Sen. Lindsay Graham said he would probably favor establishing a permanent U.S. airbase in Afghanistan.

Full Faith and Credit Would Protect U.S. Public Bondholders

WASHINGTON — Congressman Tom McClintock (R-CA) introduced the Full Faith and Credit Act (H.R. 421). This bill is a companion to an identical measure introduced by Senator Pat Toomey. It provides that, in the event the debt ceiling is reached, to pay principal and interest due on debt held by the public before making any other payments. The principle behind this bill is simple: The “full faith and credit” of the United States should not hang in the balance every time an adjustment is made to the national debt limit.

14 Liberty Today • March 2011

Millions of Citizens Attended Tea Party Rallies

The Tea Party Consists of Hundreds of Independent Citizens Groups • Photos by Woody Jenkins

Liberty Today • March 2011 15

Protesting the Rise of Big Government in USA

Sen. Blunt: Earmark Reform Not Enough WASHINGTON — Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) has announced his intent to introduce a plan, which will be similar to legislation Blunt advocated in the House last year, to cut discretionary spending by the total amount of earmarks in the most recent budget year. Blunt called his plan “a critical step toward cutting spending and, more importantly, applying that savings to reducing the deficit.” “Missourians have told me in countless conversations that they are concerned that the appropriations process in Washington is broken. They are worried about spending, and earmarks have become a symbol of that concern,” Blunt said. “Today, the Senate Republican Conference decided to impose a moratorium on earmarks. But earmark reform is meaningless unless it is coupled with the discipline to stop the spending,” Blunt said. “The primary goal of my plan is to cut the projects and then don’t spend the money. That’s real reform, and it will have an impact on the nation’s deficit.” Blunt said, “I will keep fighting for the lowest possible federal budget and the smallest and leanest federal government. While I don’t

ton to do the same thing. If we’re serious about reining in spending, let’s apply a little sanity to this earmark debate and use the savings to decrease overall spending. These cuts represent an important step toward getting our books in balance and earning the taxpayers’ trust.” Blunt supports a balanced budget amendment to force Washington to live by the same rules that Missouri families live by. He also favors a line-item veto to give the president a backstop against wasteful government spending and a three-year domestic spending freeze.

First Edition Volume 1, Number 1 March 2011

Congressman Pete Sessions (R-Texas) and Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri

believe that the power of the purse should be turned over to unelected bureaucrats in the Obama Administration, I hope that the Senate will pursue my plan to reduce the federal budget by the amount equivalent to that spent on earmarks.” “The job-killing policies of the

Washington Democrats have done little to jump-start our economy, create jobs, or get our crippling debt under control,” Blunt said. “During these trying economic times, American families are making tough decisions about their budgets, and it’s time for Washing-

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16 Liberty Today • March 2011

Photos by Woody Jenkins

Scenes After Swearing In of New Congress

THE U. S. CAPITOL as it appeared on Jan. 5, 2011, a cold, crisp day when the new Congress was sworn in.

VICE PRESIDENT AND MRS. JOE BIDEN came by a reception by new Sen. Dan Coates (center) of Indiana. Biden and Coates are former Senate colleagues. Sen. Coates formerly served in the Senate from 1989 to 1999.

REV. PIERRE BYNUM of Family Research Council FATHER-SON COMBO — Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky) and dad prayed for the new Congress at FRC chapel service. Congressman Ron Paul (R-Texas) at a joint reception.

AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY president Tim Phillips spoke at Leadership Institute weekly breakfast.

Sens. Lee, Kyle Offer Balanced Budget Amendment

WASHINGTON — Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Jon Kyl (R-Arizona) have introduced a Balanced Budget Amendment to the United States Constitution. The amendment includes three pillars: 1) requiring a balanced budget for each fiscal year, 2) limiting federal spending to no more than 18 percent of GDP, and 3) requiring a two-thirds’ vote in both

Houses of Congress in order to increase taxes, raise the debt ceiling, or run a specific deficit in a particular year. Sen. Kyl said, “We can’t wait any longer to ensure Congress will rein in wasteful Washington spending. This balanced budget and spending limit amendment will do just that.” Sen. Lee said, “The federal gov-

ernment is too big and too expensive and the temptation for Congress to continue to spend billions and even trillions of dollars it does not have is simply too high. Again and again, even well-intentioned efforts to restrain deficit spending through the normal budget process have failed. A balanced budget amendment is the only certain method to ensure that the fed-

eral government consistently lives within its means.” The proposal is also being supported by Sens. Jim DeMint, Rand Paul, David Vitter, Pat Toomey, Marco Rubio, and John Thune as original co-sponsors. It has endorsements from the Club for Growth, Americans for Tax Reform, FreedomWorks, and Americans for a Balanced Budget Amendment.

Continued from Page 1

The seminar was closed to the public, but a Congressman who attended said afterwards that Scalia was witty and articulate. “He talked about our Constitutional system, and he freely answered questions from Democrats and Republicans in attendance,” one said. Some liberal media and politicians criticized Scalia’s appearance, but it is common for Supreme Court

justices to address groups of Congressmen in caucuses or committee meetings. The seminar was co-sponsored by the House Constitution Caucus, which is led by Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ). Garrett has introduced a resolution to require that all legislation cite its constitutional basis. The Tea Party Caucus was recognized as an official member orga-

nization of the House in July 2010. Members of the caucus have expressed a desire to promote fiscal responsibility, adherence to the Constitution, and limited government. The caucus is not officially connected to the Tea Party movement nationwide, but many Congressional members were supported by Tea Party groups in the November 2010 elections.

Supreme Court Justice Scalia Taught Tea Party Caucus Seminar on Constitution just ordinary folks. I never thought I’d meet a Supreme Court justice!” The seminar was attended by 50 Republican congressmen and three Democrats. Scalia reportedly advised the Congressmen to read the Constitution and the Federal Papers. He answered numerous questions but avoided any specific issues that could come before the court.

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Liberty Today • March 2011 17

Opinion Section B

Timeless Advice from President Reagan Continued from Page 1

ernment does not take from us, every decision it does not make for us will make our economy stronger, our lives more abundant, our future more free. It’s time we reduced the federal budget and left the family budget alone. Let us resolve that we will stop spreading dependency and start spreading opportunity; that we will stop spreading bondage and start spreading freedom. Trust the people — that is the crucial lesson of history On the two parties: Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the Democrats believe every day is April 15. You can never underestimate the ability of the Democrats to wet their finger and hold it to the wind. When you can’t make them see the light, make them feel the heat. On the role of government: We must not look to government to solve our problems. Government is the problem. Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves. There are no such things as limits to growth, because there are no limits to the human capacity for intelligence, imagination, and wonder. Government has laid its hand on health, housing, farming, industry, commerce, education, and to an ever-increasing degree interferes with the people’s right to know. Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it. I consider all proposals for government action with an open mind before voting “No!” Common sense told us that when you put a big tax on something, the people will produce less of it. So we cut the people’s tax rates, and the people produced more than ever before. Public servants say, always with the best of intentions, “What great-

REMEMBERING REAGAN — Upon his death in 2004, Time magazine dedicated a special edition to his memory.

taxes of a nation approach about 20 percent of the people’s income, there begins to be a lack of respect for government. . . . When it reaches 25 percent, there comes an increase in lawlessness. Some advice for Congress: Someone once said that every

form of government has one characteristic peculiar to it and if that characteristic is lost, the government will fall. In a monarchy, it is affection and respect for the royal family. If that is lost, the monarch is lost. In a dictatorship, it is fear. If the people stop fearing the dictator, he’ll lose power. In a representative government such as ours, it is virtue. If virtue goes, the government fails. Are we choosing paths that are politically expedient and morally questionable? Are we in truth losing our virtue? If so, we may be nearer the dust bin of history than we realize I know it’s hard when you’re up to your armpits in alligators to remember you came here to drain the swamp. The future doesn’t belong to the faint-hearted; it belongs to the brave. Heroes may not be braver than anyone else. They’re just braver five minutes longer. We cannot stop at the foothills when Everest lies ahead. A leader, once convinced a particular course of action is the right one, must have the determination to stick with it and be undaunted when the going gets tough. To the People: Excellence does not begin in Washington. The United States remains the last best hope for a mankind plagued by tyranny and deprivation. America is no stronger than its people — and that means you and me. Well, I believe in you, and I believe that if we work together, then one day we will say, “We fought the good fight. We finished the race. We kept the faith.” And to our children and our children’s children, we can say, “We did all what could be done in the brief time that was given us here on earth.” We need you, we need your strength, and your idealism, to help us make right what is wrong.

WASHINGTON — On the 100th anniversary of the birth of President Ronald Reagan, President Obama has found it useful to associate himself with the former President. It all appears to be part of a concerted attempt to “move to the center” — in form if not in substance. The liberal media is more than willing to accommodate Mr. Obama with his plan. It seems impossible to turn on the mainstream media or cable news without hearing Obama referred to as “Reaganesque” or very much like Reagan. It’s amazing, since the same liberal media always trashed President Reagan when he was alive. Does President Obama own stock in Time magazine? You would think so, since he appears

to imply Reagan’s endorsement of Obama, an endorsement that never — ever — would have happened. Reagan and Obama are opposites who agree on little if anything. Mr. Obama, I knew President Reagan, and you’re no Reagan! — Woody Jenkins, Editor

President Ronald Reagan at his ranch in California

Mr. Obama, You’re No Ronald Reagan!

Give me Liberty! Patrick Henry, 1775

18 Liberty Today • March 2011

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China Soars While America Snoozes ‘Free Trade’ with China Proves a One-Way Street

MAIN STREET USA — The U.S.China Business Council has announced annual statistics for U.S.China trade, and they are, once again, astounding. U. S. Exports to China $69.9 billion U. S. Imports from China $298.4 billion U.S.-China Trade Deficit $226.8 billion The current system allows stateowned Chinese “companies” to compete in the American market. With state-provided start-up capital to buy equipment and low-paid, sometimes coerced labor, they produce cheap goods. No private enterprise in the United States can reasonably be expected to compete with that. As a result, American manufac-

turers, which have to provide their own capital, pay the minimum wage or higher, comply with volumes of regulations, and pay burdensome

Thomas Jefferson

bility, buy up oil fields and mineral interests around the world, and embark on a massive military buildup that seems very likely to threaten America — with missile systems, Stealth aircraft, and aircraft carriers. At the same time, the American government has been incurring massive public debt. In turn, China has used its profits from “free trade” with America to buy America’s debt. What a dangerous situation! Adam Smith, the author of The Wealth of Nations, spoke out strongly against import duties and charges. But Smith advocated two great exceptions to “free trade.” The first exception was to protect the national defense. Smith had a very long list of products that he believed should only be manufactured domestically. His second exception was to insure fair trade. Smith said that when the home country imposes expenses on a domestic manufacturer, it should levy an equal charge as a duty on competing products from other counties. taxes, have mostly disappeared. Adam Smith understood how to In turn, China has used the make “free trade” work, but when it wealth from America to reinvest in comes to China, we haven’t gotten even greater manufacturing capa- the message.

On Public Debt and Hiring Ourselves Out to Rivet Chains

“I am not among those who fear the people. They, and not the rich, are our dependence for continued freedom. And to preserve their independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt.” “We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude. If we run into such debts, as that we must be taxed in our meat and in our drink, in our necessaries and our comforts, in our labors and our amusements, for our callings and our creeds, as the people of England are, our people, like them, must come to labor sixteen hours in the twenty-four, give the earnings of fifteen of these to the government for their debts and daily expenses; and the sixteenth being insufficient to afford us bread, we must live, as they now do, on oatmeal and potatoes; have no time to think, no means of calling the mismanagers to account; but be glad to obtain subsistence by hiring ourselves to rivet the chains on the necks of our fellow-sufferers.” “Our landholders, too, like theirs, retaining indeed the title and stewardship of estates called theirs, but held really in trust for the treasury, must wander, like theirs, in foreign countries, and be contented with penury, obscurity, exile, and the glory of the nation. This example reads to us the salutary lesson, that private fortunes are destroyed by public as well as by private extravagance. And this is the tendency of all human governments. A departure from principle in one instance becomes a precedent for a second; that second for a third; and so on, till the bulk of the society is reduced to be mere automatons of misery, and to have no sensibilities left but for sinning and suffering. Then begins, indeed, the bellum omnium in omnia, which some philosophers observing to be so general in this world, have mistaken it for the natural, instead of the abusive state of man.” “And the fore horse of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follows that, and in its train wretchedness and oppression.” — Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Samuel Kerchival (1816)

China Now Largest Foreign Holder of U. S. Debt

The People’s Republic of China is now the largest foreign holder of U.S. Treasury debt. It holds approximately $847 billion in U.S. debt.

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Liberty Today • March 2011 19

Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina

What Do They Not Understand About ‘No’?

Editor’s Note: Jim DeMint has served as United States Senator from South Carolina since 2004. He is Chairman of the Senate Steering Committee, which is composed of a majority of Republican members of the United States Senate.

When a reporter asked House speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) during a press conference last year where the Constitution granted Congress the authority to enact an individual health-insurance mandate, she answered, “Are you serious? Are you serious?” Speaker Pelosi then dismissed the question and moved on to the next reporter. This exchange illustrates the way “yes we can” liberals treat the Constitution: They simply ignore it when it gets in the way of their big-government bailouts and takeovers. Democrats have always been the “party of go,” bent on transforming America with their “living Constitution,” which changes to suit the political whims of the day. That’s why Republicans shouldn’t flinch when they are criticized as being the “party of no.” Saying no is necessary to uphold the freedoms on which our nation was founded. The Constitution is full of no’s. It is by telling the government what it cannot do that the Constitution protects our freedoms. The Founders loathed tyranny and sought to erect a government ruled by law, not people. As Thomas Paine wrote in Common Sense, “In America, the law is king.” The First Amendment says that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion” or abridging freedom of speech, freedom of the press, or the right to assemble and petition government. Americans are allowed to keep and bear arms because the Bill of Rights says that this right “shall not be infringed.” It also says no to unreasonable search and seizure, and to cruel and unusual punishment. The Fifth Amendment says that the government cannot deprive a person of life, liberty, or property without due process, and that private property cannot be taken without just compensation. The Eighth Amendment says no to excessive bail and fines, and the Tenth Amendment says powers not explicitly given to the federal government in the Constitution go to the states or the people. The Bill of Rights says no to the federal government over and over again. Using the Constitution’s amendment-making process, Americans have added even more no’s over the years: The 13th Amendment says no to slavery; the 15th and 19th Amendments say no one can be denied the right to vote based on race or sex. Every clause of Article 1, Section 9, which is all about the limits on Congress, contains the words “no” or “shall not.” There’s one “no” in particular that Congress should have paid attention to in the fall of 2008, when the banking crisis reared its ugly head: “No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.” That means only Congress can appropriate money to be spent. But Washington didn’t say no when President Bush’s Treasury secretary, Hank Paulson, came asking the Democratic Congress to give Treasury

“

Senator Jim DeMint

Today, President Obama’s spending, bailouts, and takeovers are testing the Constitution in new and unprecedented ways... If President Obama’s motto is ‘Yes, we can,’ the Constitution’s is “No, you can’t!

”

Senator Jim DeMint, Chairman Senate Steering Committee a $700 billion blank check. Paulson said the money would be used to buy up toxic assets under a Troubled Asset Relief Program, known as TARP. In the end, only a portion of the money was used to do that. The rest of the money became a slush fund for the president, greatly inflating the power of the executive office. TARP funds were used to bail out GM, Chrysler, and auto suppliers without a single vote from Congress. Because too many elected members of Congress didn’t abide by the Constitution, one bad bailout led to another at the discretion of the executive branch. This isn’t the only way the Obama White House

has grabbed power in defiance of the Constitution. Very early in his presidency, Obama began stuffing his executive office with czars to manage major areas of national policy, including health care, global warming, the closing of Guantanamo Bay, “green jobs,” Mideast peace, energy, CEO pay, technology, and the border. Although the czars wield a tremendous amount of influence, they can’t be subjected to congressional oversight, defeating the constitutionally-established process of “advise and consent.” Bureaucracy in the executive branch has exploded tremendously over the years. At this point, Congress can barely keep up with its oversight duties of executive departments, agencies, offices, and regulatory commissions. As a result, these institutions often make rules on their own, or are given broad power by the Congress to do so. For example, President Obama’s health-care law gives the secretary of health and human services, part of the executive branch, broad rulemaking powers: The HHS bureaucracy has been empowered to determine what health insurance should cost and what it should cover for every American, and HHS can change those policies each year, depending on the political struggles of the day, without any vote by Congress. That’s not all. Thanks to President Obama, every American will soon be required to buy Washington-approved health insurance. This is the first time Congress has used its power to make an individual person purchase something from a private company for no other reason than that the citizen is alive. This flies in the face of the Constitution. Progressives like Obama believe government has limitless ability and power. Remember what Obama said the night he secured the Democratic presidential nomination: “This [is] the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal.” Only a liberal would believe that tinkering with the levers of government could ever accomplish such planetary change. If President Obama’s motto is “Yes, we can,” the Constitution’s is “No, you can’t.” Obama may have once been a constitutional scholar, but he’s no constitutionalist. Although the Constitution does give some defined powers to the federal government, it is overwhelmingly a document of limits, and those limits must be respected. That’s why it’s more important than ever for Republicans to say no. We are standing against a long progressive effort to transform the country. Its roots are in the New Deal and the Great Society. Today, President Obama’s spending, bailouts, and takeovers are testing the Constitution in new and unprecedented ways. An American awakening is taking place, however, and citizens are demanding that the government once again affirm its allegiance to our country’s constitutional principles. If Republicans want to protect the Constitution and ensure our nation’s survival as the beacon of liberty, “No” is an answer we are obligated to give and to proudly defend. In the era of unlimited government, saying no is an act of patriotism, and being a member of the “party of no” should be a badge of honor. Senator DeMint’s column first appeared in National Review.

Photos by Woody Jenkins

Presidential Aspirants Testing Waters in D.C.

FORMER GODFATHER’S PIZZA CEO HERMAN CAIN has announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination. Mr. Cain spoke at a reception for Americans for Prosperity in Washington. Shown at left is Tim Phillips, AFP president.

FORMER SEN. RICK SANTORUM (right) is considering running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012. The former senator is shown here with Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa at a reception honoring Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana.

20 Liberty Today • March 2011

Tony Perkins • Family Research Council

The State of Our Unions

Tony Perkins

Editor’s Note: Tony Perkins is

President of the Family Research Council in Washington, DC. He can be reached at www.frc.org. On Wednesday night the president discussed his perspective on the state of the Union. If you were looking for inspiration and innovation, you were likely very disappointed, as you heard the same message as last year — throwing federal money at our problems. The spending proposals were offered under the guise of job creation. However, any worthy economist will tell you that the best way for government to create jobs is to get out of the way of the American spirit. As we use this time to consider our country’s future, we must also recognize that the state of our Union is directly connected to the state of our unions. Where do the pre-governmental institutions of marriage and family, church and synagogue, the building-blocks of any healthy society, stand today? Without question the state of the family has become perilous. Only 45 percent of American teenagers have spent their childhood with an intact family. Only 17 percent of African-American youth — less than one in five — live with both married parents. As tragic as these statistics are, these children are the fortunate ones. At least they were given an opportunity to live. In New York, for example, there are nearly 1,500 African-American abortions for every 1,000 live African-American births. Nationwide, more than onefifth of all pregnancies end in abortion. The recent indictment of abortionist Kermit Gosnell in Philadelphia for the murder of live-born infants serves as a ghastly reminder of the moral toll abortion has taken on America’s sense of justice. The abortionist Gosnell is not an aberration of the abortion industry. He is a natural outgrowth from it. Abortion is not just a matter of moral outrage, but also a matter of economic concern: For example, using the estimated contribution of individuals to our gross domestic product, one calculation indicates that abortion has cost our economy roughly $35 trillion over the past 40 years. According to the Social

Security Administration, we will see near-flat economic growth in coming decades: “This slowdown is primarily due to slower projected growth in total employment.” This, in turn, is “based on the (lower) projected total civilian labor force and unemployment rates.” Simply put: fewer people, less economic growth. Sadly, Mr. Obama is not helping. Even before becoming president, Mr. Obama was a hardcore opponent of any restrictions on abortion — even restrictions that might have halted the tragedy in Philadelphia. Instead of commenting on the most recent tragedy, President Obama has instead reiterated his stance that the underlying factor in Philadelphia, abortion on demand, is a “right” that he will always defend. His attitude towards marriage is similar to his one on life. His Department of Justice has argued that “responsible procreation and child rearing” is not at the heart of marriage. Despite the administration’s messages and actions, which are devaluing life and marriage, there are glimmers of hope. Last November, the voters spoke and elected a

strong pro-family, pro-life majority to the House of Representatives and to state legislatures around the country. State efforts to protect life and marriage are already underway. On the federal level, Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Dan Lipinski (D-NJ) have introduced legislation to get taxpayers out of the abortion business, while Rep. Mike Pence (RIN) is working to prevent federal funding for abortion giant Planned Parenthood. Rep. Jim Jordan (ROH) and Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) have introduced legislation to cut federal spending that is directed to subsidize liberal activist groups, and Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) — himself a Marine veteran of three combat tours in Iraq and Af-

“

ghanistan — has introduced a measure that seeks to protect soldiers from President Obama’s measure to allow open homosexuality in the military. Churches and religious institutions have to step up and provide not only the guidance but the active, compassionate intervention families and children need. And, of course, state governments and educational institutions that serve, rather than fragment, family values are essential. Our places of worship were once seen as the center of any community. To churches, which are already doing so much, I say we need to do more to remind people of what is important in life. Most people understand something very basic: Families — families with both a mother and a father — are at the core of a flourishing culture. It is part of what the Bible calls “the law written on the heart.” For the Union to be strong, so must our unions.

Despite the administration’s messages and actions, which are devaluing life and marriage, there are glimmers of hope. Last November, the voters spoke and elected a strong pro-family, pro-life majority to the House of Representatives and to state legislatures around the country.

”

Tony Perkins, Family Research Council

Why a New Newspaper in the Digital Age? The hype about the “Digital Age” can be misleading. Consider these four facts: • The average Republican voter in America is 58. • The average donor to Republican candidates is 70+. • The average donor to conservative organizations is also 70+. • The majority of them are not on the Internet. For the next 20 years, America’s population — and conservatives — will be aging even more. The fact is, they could be scouring the millions of websites on the Internet and getting all the information they need about elected officials and causes, but very few of them are. They want a newspaper to hold in their hands to put together in one place the information they need. But they haven’t had that newspaper... until now.

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Liberty Today • March 2011 21

Sen. Jim DeMint • Rep. Jim Jordan • Rep. Scott Garrett

A Plan to Cut Spending by $2.5 Trillion Continued from Page 1

ing cuts immediately and throughout the next decade. Jordan said, “The national debt has grown from $8.6 trillion four years ago to more than $14 trillion today. This mountain of debt, nearly the size of our entire economy, threatens to create a whole new financial crisis. Every day we refuse to change course and instill some fiscal responsibility, the problem grows even larger. Unless Washington acts soon to cut spending, massive tax hikes, economic stagnation, and national bankruptcy will rob our children of the opportunity to reach for the American Dream.” HHH The three caucus leaders released the following statement: A Plan to Cut Spending By $2.5 Trillion in 10 Years By Sen. Jim DeMint, Congressman Jim Jordan, and Congressman Scott Garrett If immediate measures are not taken, the national debt will soon be equal to the entire U.S. economy. At this moment, American opportunity threatens to be overwhelmed by our debt, and that’s a race we can’t afford to lose. This dangerous dynamic has been

steadily building up for decades, but Washington worsened the problem in recent years with a spending binge of costly bailouts, massive omnibus bills, and failed stimulus. As a result, the debt burden has grown to previously unimaginable levels. When Nancy Pelosi became speaker of the House in January 2007, it stood at $8.6 trillion. Today, Americans must shoulder a national debt weighing in at a whopping $14 trillion, and the mountain grows larger every day. By the end of this decade, President Obama’s budget projections show the national debt nearly doubling its current size to $26 trillion. These sobering numbers represent the path to bankruptcy, draconian tax increases, and economic stagnation. We refuse such a fate. Instead, we are offering a step-by-step plan to reduce spend-

“

ing and put the United States on course to renewed financial stability. Known as the Spending Reduction Act, this bill makes major strides toward resolving the debt crisis by cutting $2.5 trillion of spending between now and 2021. Here’s how it works: In the short term, the Spending Reduction Act makes $125 billion of immediate rescissions, which target money already approved by Congress, by cutting current spending back to 2008 levels and repealing the remaining funds from Obama’s failed “stimulus” package. The largest step toward spending reduction begins with the start of the next fiscal year on Oct. 1. On that day, the bill further cuts non-defense discretionary spending to 2006 levels and implements a hard freeze through 2021.

The national debt has grown from $8.6 trillion four years ago to more than $14 trillion today. Unless Washington acts soon to cut spending, we will see massive tax hikes, economic stagnation, and national bankruptcy rob our children of the opportunity to reach for the American Dream. — Congressman Jim Jordan of Indiana

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Congressman Jim Jordan

This alone will save taxpayers $2.3 trillion. A portion of these savings comes from reducing the size and cost of the civilian federal work force. Attrition will trim the work force by 15 percent, while salaries will go without automatic pay increases for the next five years. Our plan’s overall reduction specifically targets more than 100 separate budget items and spending reforms, ranging from the elimination of duplicative education programs (saving $1.3 billion annually) to a 50 percent reduction of the federal travel budget (saving $7.5 billion annually). These specific savings, when combined with additional reforms like ending Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s taxpayer bailout, total approximately $376 billion over the next decade. America’s debt problem wasn’t created overnight, and implementing a complete solution will take both time and perseverance. With a healthy dose of courage from elected leaders, however, we can get America moving on the right track again. Over the long term, balancing the budget will require lasting private sector job creation and robust reforms to entitlement programs that still operate on outdated demographic assumptions. After passing the Spending Reduction Act, Congress must work to tear down barriers to job creation and make our safety-net programs sustainable for the 21st century. Only when all Americans have ample opportunity to earn success and build prosperity on their own will we enjoy lasting fiscal and economic stability. Every component of our plan will undoubtedly raise the ire of one group or another, whether it is labor unions who want more benefits or Angora goat herders who want more subsidies. Such disagreements, while regrettable, inevitably rise when a nation confronts the kind of choices we now face. In fact, they will be a testament that Congress is finally making the tough yet responsible choices needed to maintain America’s standing as the greatest nation in history. Whether Americans realize it or not, we are all running together in a race against time. Unless Washington takes swift action to cut spending, we will chain our children to debt and rob them of opportunity to reach for the American Dream. On its own, passing the Spending Reduction Act will not get us over the finish line — but we will get a $2.5 trillion head start. This article was first published by the Washington Examiner.

22 Liberty Today • March 2011

Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana

The Presidency and the Constitution Editor’s Note: A native of Columbus, Indiana, Mike Pence earned a B.A. degree from Hanover College and a J.D. in law from the University of Indiana. He was a practicing attorney and talk show host before being elected to Congress in 2000. He has served as Chairman of the House Republican Study Committee and the House Republican Conference. Excerpts from his recent speech at Hillsdale College in Michigan: The presidency is the most visible thread that runs through the tapestry of the American government. More often than not, for good or for ill, it sets the tone for the other branches and spurs the expectations of the people. Its powers are vast and consequential, its requirements from the outset and by definition impossible for mortals to fulfill without humility and insistent attention to its purpose as set forth in the Constitution of the United States. Isn’t it amazing, given the great and momentous nature of the office, that those who seek it seldom pause to consider what they are seeking? Rather, unconstrained by principle or reflection, there is a mad rush toward something that, once its powers are seized, the new president can wield as an instrument with which to transform the nation and the people according to his highest aspirations. What the nation says, informed by its long history, impelled by the laws of nature and nature’s God ... what it says quite naturally and rightly, if not always gracefully, is that we as a people are not to be ruled and not to be commanded. It says that the president should never forget this: That he has not risen above us, but is merely one of us, chosen by ballot, dismissed after his term, tasked not to transform and work his will upon us, but to bear the weight of decision and to carry out faithfully the design laid down in the Constitution and impassioned by the Declaration of Independence. The presidency must adhere to its definition as expressed in the Constitution, and to conduct defined over time and by tradition. While the powers of the office have enlarged, along with those of the legislature and the judiciary, the framework of the government was intended to restrict abuses common to classical empires and to the regal states of the 18th century. Without proper adherence to the role contemplated in the Constitution for the presidency, the checks and balances in the constitutional plan become weakened. This has been most obvious in recent years when the three branches of government have been subject to the tutelage of a single party. Under either party, presidents have often forgotten that they are intended to restrain the Congress at times, and that the Congress is independent of their desires. And thus fused in unholy unity, the political class has raged forward in a drunken expansion of powers and prerogatives, mistakenly assuming that to exercise power is by default to do good. This is not so. Power is an instrument of fatal consequence. It is confined no more readily than quicksilver, and escapes good intentions as easily as air flows through mesh. Therefore, those who are entrusted with it must educate themselves in self-restraint. A republic — if you can keep it — is about limitation, and for good reason, because we are mortal and our actions are imperfect. ... You must always be wary of a president who seems to float upon his own greatness. For all greatness is tempered by mortality, every soul is equal, and distinctions among men cannot be owned; they are on loan from God, who takes them back and

Congressman Mike Pence

evens accounts at the end. It is a tragedy indeed that new generations taking office attribute failures in governance to insufficient power, and seek more of it. In the judiciary, this has seldom been better expressed than by Justice Thurgood Marshall’s dictum that, “You do what you think is right and let the law catch up.” In the Congress, it presents itself in massive legislation, acts and codes thousands of pages long and so monstrously overcomplicated that no human being can read through them in a lifetime — much less understand them, much less apply them justly to a people that increasingly feel like they are no longer being asked, they are be-

“

and great presidents treat them sparingly. Is the president, therefore, expected to turn away from ... easy advantage? Yes. Like Harry Truman who went to bed before the result on election night — he must know when to withdraw, to hold back, and to forgo attention, publicity, or advantage. His eye [should be] not upon his own prospects but on the storm of history through which it is his responsibility to navigate with the specific powers accorded to him and the limitations placed upon them not merely by man in his design but by God in His. The modern presidency has drifted far from the great strength and illumination of its source: the Constitution as given life by the luminous and passionate Declaration of Independence, the greatest political document ever written. The Constitution — terse, sober, and specific — does not, except by implication, address the president’s demeanor, but this we can read in the best qualities of the founding generation, which we would do well to imitate. In the Capitol Rotunda are heroic paintings of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the victory at Saratoga, the victory at Yorktown, and, something seldom seen in history: a general, the leader of an armed rebellion, resigning his commission and surrendering his army to a new democracy. Upon hearing from Benjamin West that George Washington, having won the war and been urged by some to use the army to make himself king, would instead return to his farm, George III said, “If he does that, he will be the greatest man in

The president should never forget this: That he has not risen above us, but is merely one of us, chosen by ballot, dismissed after his term, tasked not to transform and work his will upon us, but to bear the weight of decision and to carry out faithfully the design laid down in the Constitution and impassioned by the Declaration of Independence.

”

Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana

ing told. Our nation finds itself in the position of a dog whose duty it is not to ask why, because the “why” is too elevated for his nature, but simply to obey. America is not a dog, and does not require a “because-I-said-so” jurisprudence to which it is then commanded to catch up, or legislators who knit laws of such insulting complexity that they are heavier than chains; or a president who acts like, speaks like, and is received as a king. The presidency has run off the rails. It begs a new clarity, a new discipline, and a new president. The president is not our teacher, our tutor, our guide, or ruler. He does not command us, we command him. We serve neither him nor his vision. It is not his job or his prerogative to redefine custom, law, and beliefs; to appropriate industries; to seize the country, as it were, by the shoulders or by the throat so as to impose by force of theatrical charisma his justice upon 300 million others. It is neither his job nor his prerogative to shift the power of decision away from them, and to him and the acolytes of his choosing. We are not subjects, we are citizens. We fought a war so that we do not have to treat even kings like kings, and — if I may remind you — we won that war. Since then, the principle of royalty has, in this country, been inoperative. Who is better suited or more required to exemplify this conviction, in word and deed, than the President of the United States? The powers of the presidency are extraordinary and necessarily great,

the world.” He did, and he was. To aspire to such virtue and selfrestraint would in a sense be difficult, but in another sense it should be easy — difficult because it would be demanding and ideal, and easy because it is the right thing to do and the rewards are immediately self-evident. A president who slights the Constitution is like a rider who hates his horse: he will be thrown, and the nation along with him. The president solemnly swears to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution. He does not solemnly swear to ignore, overlook, supplement, or reinterpret it. Is the Constitution a fluctuating and inconstant document, a collection of suggestions the purpose of which is to stimulate debate in a future to which the Founders were necessarily blind? Progressives tell us that even the Framers themselves could not reach agreement in its regard. But they did agree upon it. And they wrote it down. And they signed it. And they lived by it. Its words are unchanging and unchangeable except as planned — by careful amendment. There is no instruction to the president to override the law and, like Justice Marshall, let it catch up to his superior conception. Would it be such a great surprise that a good part of the political strife of our times is because one president after another, rather than keeping faith to it, argues with the document he is supposed to live by? This discontent will only be calmed by returning the presidency to the great

first principles. The president should regard the Constitution and the Declaration like an obsessed lover. They should be on his mind all the time, the prism through which the light of all questions of governance passes. And as the president returns to the consistent application of the principles in the Constitution, he will also ensure fiscal responsibility and prosperity. Who is better suited, with his executive and veto powers, to carry over the duty of self restraint and discipline to the idea of fiscal solvency? When the president restrains government spending, leaving room for the American people to enjoy the fruits of their labor, growth is inevitable. As Senator Robert Taft wrote, “Liberty has been the key to our progress in the past and is the key to our progress in the future...” Whereas, at home, the president must be cautious, dutiful, and deferential, abroad, his character must change. Were he to ask for a primer on how to act in relation to other states, which no holder of the office has needed to this point, and were that primer to be written by the American people, whether of 1776 or 2010, you can be confident that it would contain the following instructions: “The President of the United States of America bows to no man. You do not bow to kings. When in foreign lands, you do not criticize your own country. You do not argue the case against the United States, but, rather, the case for it. You do not apologize to the enemies of the United States.” Closely related to this, and perhaps the least ambiguous of the president’s complex responsibilities, is his duty as Commander-in-Chief of the military. In this regard, there is a very simple rule, unknown to some presidents regardless of party: If... after careful determination, intense stress of soul, and the deepest prayer ... you go to war, then, having gone to war, by God, you go to war to win. You do not cast away American lives, or those of the innocent noncombatant enemy, upon a theory, a gambit, or a notion. I see us like those in Philadelphia in 1776. Danger all around, but a fresh chapter, ready to begin, uncorrupted, with great possibilities and — inexplicably, perhaps miraculously — the way is clearing ahead. I have never doubted that Providence can appear in history like the sun emerging from behind the clouds, if only as a reward for adherence to first principles. As Winston Churchill said before Congress on December 26, 1941, “He must indeed have a blind soul who cannot see that some great purpose and design is being worked out here below, of which we have the honor to be the faithful servants.” We, too, have the voices of shades that emerge from the past. They bind us to the great and the humble, the known and the unknown — and if I hear them clearly, what they say is that although we may have strayed, we have not strayed too far to return, for we are, every one of us, their descendants. The sinews are still there, quite lively, waiting to flex. We can still astound the world with justice, reason, and strength. I know this is true, but even were it not, we could not in decency stand down, if only for our debt to history, the debt we owe to those who came before, who did great things, and suffered more than we suffer, and gave more than we give, and pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor — for us, whom they did not know. For we “drink from wells we did not dig” and are “warmed by fires we did not build,” and so we must be faithful in our time as they were in theirs.

Liberty Today • March 2011 23

Senator David Vitter of Louisiana

Energy, The Economy and The Wealth of Nations Editor’s Note: David Vitter is a Rhodes Scholar and attorney who formerly served in the Louisiana House of Representatives and the United States Congress. He is just beginning his second term as United States Senator from Louisiana. He was reelected last November by a 58-38 margin.

1776 was quite a year for American ideas — and not just because of the political philosophy embodied in the Declaration of Independence. Just as importantly, 1776 also saw the publication of Scottish economist Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations, the first textbook, if you will, on free-market economics. As with the Declaration, The Wealth of Nations is a treasure trove of principles that are at the heart of America’s exceptionalism and unparalleled economic success. Adam Smith realized something revolutionary for his time: The wealth of nations is not dependent on finite factors like the precious metals nations possess. Rather, it is determined by the labor of their citizenry and how productively that labor is employed. This led Smith to additional modern economic concepts such as the opportunity for almost limitless economic growth through division of labor and employment of capital, and perhaps most famously, the “invisible hand” of the free market, which organizes economic activity with astounding efficiency. Sound compelling? Don’t worry — 235 years and indescribable economic success later — the Obama crowd isn’t buying a bit of it. This is perhaps most evident in Obama’s approach to energy and the environment, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico and in my home state of Louisiana. At the heart of America’s recipe for remarkable economic growth since World War II has been cheap energy. As mentioned, Adam Smith wrote about division of labor, employment of capital, and how those factors could increase productivity, economic output, and wealth. He gave 17th-century examples of how that works. But he couldn’t possibly have imagined just how powerful such an engine could become — or what cheap energy could do for American economic growth. The Obama approach to cheap energy? He believes cheap energy is a key part of the problem. This attitude is perhaps even more wor-

BIG REELECTION VICTORY — Sen. David Vitter (D-La.) with wife Wendy and Dr. Dennis Terry of Greenwell Springs Baptist Church near Baton Rouge, La.

“

The principles of the Declaration of Independence and Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations have given us indescribable economic success. But the Obama crowd isn’t buying any of it. This is perhaps most evident in Obama’s approach to energy and the environment, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico and in Louisiana. — Senator David Vitter of Louisiana

risome than the president’s actual environmental goals like taxing and regulating away purported “manmade” climate change. His primary means of getting there is, pure and simple, dramatically raising the price of energy — not increasing productivity and innovation. This impulse is so strong that it seems to be part of an emotional reaction against our very economic prosperity — as if that end in itself is outdated and suspect — stemming from the belief that it can only have been gained to the detriment of the less-developed world. In this way, the president would be right at home with most thinkers before Adam Smith, who considered economics a zero-sum game. Before President Obama tapped Carol Browner to be his climatechange czar, she was listed as a leader of the Commission for a Sustainable World, which argued that developed countries actually must shrink their economies and consumption to address climate change. Similarly, White House science advisor John Holdren had advocated “de-industrializing” America. That means we all need to “face up to . . . zero net physi-

”

Obama’s energy secretary Steven Chu has baldly stated that he hoped the U.S. would “boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe,” currently about $7 per gallon. Small wonder that President Obama still has the Gulf of Mexico virtually shut down to oil and gas activity nine months after the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The formal moratorium is lifted, and promises to resume drilling abound, but the reality remains — a virtual shutdown. And offshore may be the good news. Onshore, federal permitting for domestic energy resources has been reduced by a whopping 79 percent since Obama took office. According to the International Energy Agency, these Obama trend-lines mean that we’ll need to import 300,000 barrels of oil more per day in 2015. Even at today’s oil prices (which are likely to look low in 2015), that’s $27 million more per day, $9.855 billion more per year flowing out of our national economy. To me, this sure doesn’t add up to a renewal of American prosperity. Rather, it seems to be giving up on that very goal. It’s as if President Obama is saying: “Well, yes, our time has passed.” And that’s probably because the President never understood The Wealth of Nations and how America became so exceptional to begin with.

cal growth” in which we all need to consume far less. As a candidate, Barack Obama himself admitted that his cap-and-trade plan would necessarily create “skyrocketing” © 2011 by National Review, Inc. utility costs. And even in office, Reprinted by permission

CLEANUP EFFORTS — Sen. David Vitter (D-La.) inspects cleanup efforts in Louisiana’s marshlands after the BP oil leak. Vitter has led efforts to resume offshore drilling.

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24 Liberty Today • March 2011

Focus on the Person or Task at Hand ‘Multi-Tasking’ and ‘Distracted Living’ Can Wreck a Life, A Relationship, or A Budding Career In Nation’s Capital

Woody Jenkins

Editor, Liberty Today

WASHINGTON — Samuel Morse sent the message “What has God wrought?” from the old Supreme Court chamber in the U.S. Capitol Building to his partner in Baltimore via telegraph in 1844. He soon extended his lines to New York City. Western Union was founded in 1851 and by 1861 had built a transcontinental telegraph line. Telegrams flew from coast to coast at the speed of light. In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell said, “Watson, come here! I want to see you!” into his telephone, and Watson, who was in the next room, could hear him over the telephone line. A new means of communication was born. In 1915, Alexander Graham Bell, who was in New York City, once again spoke into a telephone and said, “Watson, come here! I want to see you!” But Watson, who was in San Francisco, replied, “It will take me five days to get there now!” “Instant messaging” has been around a very long time in America and is, quite simply, nothing new. In 1860, the first fax machine — called a Pantelegraph — sent a fax from Paris to Lyon, France. In 1924, AT&T’s fax machines were used to transmit political convention photos long distance for newspaper reproduction. In 1946, the first mobile telephone company opened in St. Louis. By the early 1960’s, mobile telephones were common throughout the United States. In 1971, AT&T submitted a proposal to the FCC to create the first cellular telephone service. It took the FCC 11 years to approve the application. Government delays are nothing new! Today we have cell phones and various mobile applications. Isn’t it wonderful?

Is America Becoming a Nation Of Superficial Nitwits Convinced They Are High-Tech Geniuses?

Well, yes and no. It is wonderful that brilliant men such as Morse and Bell invented the telegraph and the telephone. It is wonderful that other brilliant men invented the fax, the mobile phone, and the cell phone. It is also wonderful that you and I don’t have to be geniuses to use these devices. In fact, we don’t have to know much of anything to use them! In 1861, you could scribble out a message, run down to the Western Union office, pay your money, and the message would be miraculously sent across the country. I wonder if people in those days thought they were “high-tech” because they could scribble a message? After Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, people who could not read or write at all could speak into the telephone and be heard around the world. I wonder if those people thought they too were “high-tech”? Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said recently that distracted driving caused 5,800 deaths last year alone. People are driving down the road while listening to the radio, arguing with their passengers, eating junk food, putting

on their makeup, and texting on their cell phone — all at the same time! Then they have a fatal crash and the lives of innocent people are destroyed. But, as horrible as distracted driving is, it is just the tip of the iceberg. We are in a society where a great many people are living what can be described as “distracted lives.” They cannot focus on anything

or anyone. They spend most of their waking hours “multi-tasking” — doing multiple things at one time. Multi-taskers believe they can handle it. In fact, they believe they are more efficient and competent than ordinary folks who do just one thing at a time. Now, scientific studies are showing that “multi-taskers” actually are terrible at what they do. They have slow reaction times, absorb little of what they are exposed to, and generally accomplish little. The irony is that their brains are telling them just the opposite. They think they are brilliant — perhaps as brilliant as the men who invented the technology they are enslaved to. In the 19th century, most children worked with their parents on the farm. They were with adults many hours each day and absorbed their parents’ values, their heritage, and their knowledge. Then families moved to the city, the children went to school, and the parents went to work all day. But they all came together in the evening and enjoyed dinner and family time together. When television came along in the 1950’s, things began to change rapidly. At first, the TV was only on for only a couple of hours at night, so everyone could watch their favorite programs. But dinner was still family time, and real communication between the generations occurred. Then television began to intrude on meal time, and the television set became a constant companion. People spoke less See SHOULDN’T on Page 26

DISTRACTION Posted by Britney B on her Facebook page at 1:32 pm

CARTOON INTERPRETATION FOR DUMMIES — So what was the 4th patient doing when he injured himself? For answer, see Page 26. Notice that he’s not texting.

I am SO embarrassed! At 1:15 pm, I went to the Ladies’ room to catch a quick smoke break (hey, i know it’s against all the rules) and was sitting on the toilet talking to Jeffrey on my cell. Then my other phone beeped with a text from Dale. I had the cigarette in my mouth and the first phone between my ear and my shoulder, while I was texting Dale back. Just then, my boss Wanda came in and said, “Britney, is that you in there?” I didn’t answer, but the cigarette fell out of my mouth. I tried to catch it, but both the cigarette and my texting phone fell in the toilet! The automatic flush went off, and I jumped straight up! The other phone with Jeffrey on it popped off my ear and into the toilet too. I hollered, “Oh, Jeffrey!” Wanda said, “Are you alone in there?” I didn’t answer and she left. I didn’t realize it, but the toilet paper roll had gone down my slacks. So when I walked back in the office, a long trail of toilet paper followed after me. But everybody was busy yacking on the phone or texting or checking email. Ha Ha! They never noticed! I’m SO embarrassed because I never got to text Dale back. But I posted it all on Facebook. So I’m sure he knows by now what happened! Thank goodness we’re high-tech!

Liberty Today • March 2011 25

Pope Benedict XVI: Persecution of Christians Must End

Stop Killing Christians, Burning Churches Ambassadors from 181 Nations Hear Pope Ask World To Respect Liberty

VATICAN CITY — In his annual State of the World address, Pope Benedict XVI spoke to the assembled representatives of 181 nations and asked them to respect human rights. He highlighted the importance of religious liberty and the persecution of Christians in many nations. Excerpts of his address follow: “...In this year’s Message for World Day of Peace, I identified religious freedom as the fundamental path to peace. Peace is built and preserved only when human beings can freely seek and serve God in their hearts, in their lives, and in their relationships with others. Ladies and Gentlemen, your presence on this solemn occasion is an invitation to survey the countries which you represent and the entire world. In this panorama, do we not find numerous situations in which, sadly, the right to religious freedom is violated or denied? It is indeed the first of human rights, not only because it was historically the first to be recognized but also because it touches the constitutive dimension of man, his relation with his Creator. “Looking to the East, the attacks which brought death, grief and dismay among the Christians of Iraq, even to the point of inducing them to leave the land where their families have lived for centuries, has troubled us deeply. To the authorities of that country and to the Muslim religious leaders, I renew my heartfelt appeal that their Christian fellow-citizens be able to live in security, continuing to contribute to the society in which they are fully members. In Egypt too, in Alexandria, terrorism brutally struck Christians as they prayed in church. This succession of attacks is yet another sign of the urgent need for the governments of the region to adopt, in spite of difficulties and dangers, effective measures for the protection of religious minorities. Need we repeat it? “In the Middle East, Christians are original and authentic citizens who are loyal to their fatherland and assume their duties toward their country. It is natural that they should enjoy... all the rights of citizenship, freedom of conscience, freedom of worship, and freedom in education, teaching and the use of the mass media” I appreciate the concern for the rights of the most vulnerable and the political farsightedness which some countries in Europe have demonstrated in recent days by their call for a concerted response on the part of the European Union for the defence of Christians in the Middle East. Finally, I would like to state once again that the right to religious freedom is not fully respected when only freedom of worship is guaranteed, and that with restrictions. Furthermore, I encourage the accompaniment of the full safeguarding of religious freedom and other humans rights by programmes which, beginning in primary school and within the context of religious instruction, will educate everyone to respect their brothers and sisters in humanity. Regarding the states of the Arabian Peninsula, where numerous Christian immigrant workers

Pope Raises Influential Voice Against Religion-Based Attacks In Middle East, SE Asia, Africa Pope Benedict XVI, who recently gave his annual State of the World speech, highlighted persecution of Christians.

“

The attacks which brought death, grief and dismay among the Christians of Iraq... has troubled us deeply. To the authorities of that country and to the Muslim religious leaders, I renew my heartfelt appeal that their Christian fellow-citizens be able to live in security, continuing to contribute to the society in which they are fully members. In Egypt too, in Alexandria, terrorism brutally struck Christians as they prayed in church. This succession of attacks is yet another sign of the urgent need for the governments of the region to adopt, in spite of difficulties and dangers, effective measures for the protection of religious minorities. Need we repeat it? In the Middle East, Christians are original and authentic citizens who are loyal to their fatherland and assume their duties toward their country. It is natural that they should enjoy... all the rights of citizenship, freedom of conscience, freedom of worship and freedom in education, teaching and the use of the mass media. — Pope Benedict XVI

”

live, I hope that the Catholic Church will be able to establish suitable pastoral structures. “Among the norms prejudicing the right of persons to religious freedom, particular mention must be made of the law against blasphemy in Pakistan: I once more encourage the leaders of that country to take the necessary steps to abrogate that law, all the more so because it is clear that it serves as a pretext for acts of injustice and violence against religious minorities. The tragic murder of the governor of Punjab shows the urgent need to make progress in this direction: the worship of God furthers fraternity and love, not hatred and division. “Other troubling situations, at times accompanied by acts of violence, can be mentioned in south and south-east Asia, in countries which for that matter have a tradition of peaceful social relations. The particular influence of a given religion in a nation ought never to mean that citizens of another religion can be subject to discrimination in social life or, even worse, that

violence against them can be tolerated. In this regard, it is important for interreligious dialogue to favour a common commitment to recognizing and promoting the religious freedom of each person and community. And, as I remarked earlier, violence against Christians does not spare Africa. Attacks on places of worship in Nigeria during the very celebrations marking the birth of Christ are another sad proof of this. “In a number of countries, on the other hand, a constitutionally recognized right to religious freedom exists, yet the life of religious communities is in fact made difficult and at times even dangerous because the legal or social order is inspired by philosophical and political systems which call for strict control, if not a monopoly, of the state over society. Such inconsistencies must end, so that believers will not find themselves torn between fidelity to God and loyalty to their country. I ask in particular that Catholic communities be everywhere guaranteed full autonomy of organization and

the freedom to carry out their mission, in conformity with international norms and standards in this sphere. “My thoughts turn once again to the Catholic community of mainland China and its pastors, who are experiencing a time of difficulty and trial. I would also like to offer a word of encouragement to the authorities of Cuba, a country which in 2010 celebrated seventy-five years of uninterrupted diplomatic relations with the Holy See, that the dialogue happily begun with the Church may be reinforced and expanded. Turning our gaze from East to West, we find ourselves faced with other kinds of threats to the full exercise of religious freedom. I think in the first place of countries ... where religion is increasingly being marginalized. There is a tendency to consider religion, all religion, as something insignificant, alien or even destabilizing to modern society, and to attempt by different means to prevent it from having any influence on the life of society. Christians are even required at times to act in the exercise of their profession with no reference to their religious and moral convictions, and even in opposition to them, as for example where laws are enforced limiting the right to conscientious objection on the part of health care or legal professionals. “In this context, one can only be gratified by the adoption by the Council of Europe last October of a resolution protecting the right to conscientious objection on the part of medical personnel vis-à-vis certain acts which gravely violate the right to life, such as abortion. Another sign of the marginalization of religion, and of Christianity in particular, is the banning of religious feasts and symbols from civic life under the guise of respect for the members of other religions or those who are not believers. By acting in this way, not only is the right of believers to the public expression of their faith restricted, but an attack is made on the cultural roots which nourish the profound identity and social cohesion

Pope Hits U. S., West for Marginalizing Christianity, Banning Its Symbols from the Public Square, Coercing Its Believers See POPE on Page 26

26 Liberty Today • March 2011

Shouldn’t Your Head, Body Be in Same City? Continued from Page 24

and less to one another and were fixated on the television set more and more. Teenagers began to talk for hours on the phone every night. By the 1990’s, cell phones and the Internet emerged, and the distractions accelerated. Today millions of Americans spend hours each day on Email, texting, Facebook, MySpace, iPods, and cell phones. Often they do this during work time, family meals, and study time. They ignore the people around them — often people they are supposedly meeting with — and ignore the task at hand, in order to respond to the latest frivolous, unnecessary message. People think they are being “high tech,” but they’re not! They’re simply having conversations or playing games. Posting on Facebook or sending an E-mail or a text message is no more complex than scribbling a note for Western Union in 1861. The distracted life is a superficial life, which is often devoid of real relationships. It is inefficient and often downright rude. It can easily sacrifice what is good and real for what is imagined and superficial. The distracted life can also cut people off from real accomplishments by allowing them to function far below their capabilities. Employees who bring their dis-

Oops! Distracted DOD Forgot to Block Copying to Compact Disks tracted lives to work can destroy a business, a Congressional office, or even our national security. I think of Pvt. Bradley Manning, accused of compromising tens of thousands of secret government documents. How could his co-workers be so oblivious to someone stealing such a vast

quantity of classified data? The answer: Well, his co-workers thought he was listening to a Lady Gaga CD everyday, but in fact he was copying secret documents to his CD-RW everyday! So here’s the bottom line: Manning’s co-workers were so busy living their own distracted lives at

THE COMMON SENSE CONSERVATIVE “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.” Ronald Reagan

work that they did not think it at all unusual that someone would spend his days listening to Lady Gaga music disks while doing his work. I suppose there’s nothing odd about turning over the nation’s secrets to a 22-year-old Army private. But apparently someone at DOD was distracted when it came to working out the security protocol. The portals on DOD computers were disabled to block copying to a thumb drive, but they forgot to block copying to a compact disk! Isn’t it time we limit the distractions and focus on the person we are with or the task we are supposed to be accomplishing? Shouldn’t our heads be in the same city as our bodies? Living in a state of perpetual distraction is far more dangerous for our society than distracted driving. It will create a generation of superficial nitwits who are convinced they are high-tech geniuses. In the dangerous world we live in and with the awesome challenges we face, it will only take one such generation — or less — for America to lose everything our forefathers have given us.

What About 4th Patient? Answer to the Brain-twister on Page 24: The 4th patient obviously dropped his cell phone into the toilet.

Pope Benedict: Constitutional Safeguards Are Often a Sham

Continued from Page 25 of many nations. “...I cannot remain silent about another attack on the religious freedom of families in certain European countries which mandate obligatory participation in courses of sexual or civic education which allegedly convey a neutral conception of the person and of life, yet in fact reflect an anthropology opposed to faith and to right reason. “Ladies and Gentlemen, on this solemn occasion, allow me to state clearly several principles which inspire the Holy See, together with the whole Catholic Church, in its activity within the intergovernmental International Organizations for the promotion of full respect for the religious freedom of all. First, the conviction that one cannot create a sort of scale of degrees of religious intolerance. “Unfortunately, such an attitude is frequently found, and it is precisely acts of discrimination against Christians which are considered less grave and less worthy of attention on the part of governments and public opinion. At the same time, there is a need to reject the dangerous notion of a conflict between the right to religious freedom and other human rights, thus disregarding or denying the central role of respect for religious freedom in the defence and protection of fundamental human dignity. Even less justifiable are attempts to counter the right of religious freedom with other alleged new rights which, while actively promoted by certain sectors of society and inserted in national legislation or in international directives, are nonetheless merely the expression of selfish desires lacking a foundation in authentic human nature. Finally, it seems unnecessary to point out that an abstract proclamation of religious freedom is insufficient: this fundamental rule of social life must find application and respect at every level and in all areas; otherwise, despite correct affirmations of principle, there is a risk that deep injustice will be done to citizens wishing to profess and freely practise their faith...

Liberty Today • March 2011 27

We Can Repeal Obamacare in 2011 House Action Was First Step in Plan To Undo O-Care

WASHINGTON — House Republicans enjoyed a great victory on their historic vote to repeal President Obama’s health care legislation, thanks to pressure from the American people and the legislative skills of Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and his leadership team. The new House speaker said, “We told the President we’re going to stop and start all over. We want to focus on common sense reforms.” Democrats are saying it’s a charade that’s destined to fail because Democrats control the Senate and the President would veto a repeal bill. But the Speaker said, “We’re going to repeal it! This is about preserving the greatest health care system in the world and about jobs,” he said. “We are going to do everything we can to prevent implementation of Obamacare.” Defeat of the $1.2 trillion “omnibus” budget during the lame duck Congress in December strengthened Boehner’s hand, because the bill included start-up funding for Obamacare. With its failure, most money for implementation now depends on House Republicans, who have a solid majority in their body, and on Senate Republicans, who can keep Democrats from getting the 60 votes necessary in the Senate on many issues. It seems unlikely that the House will approve a penny more for implementation of Obamacare. That will make it impossible for the

President to move forward with the program. As far as repeal is concerned, the Democrats’ talking point is that repeal is impossible, but they could be proven wrong in two ways. First, 21 Senate Democrats and two Independents are facing reelection in 2012, many in Red states. Some of them are eager to soften their liberal image and will readily cast a vote to repeal Obamacare. Second, Presidents have often

been forced to sign bills they didn’t like. Obama had to do that just last month when he signed the extension of the Bush tax rates. He had promised to veto an extension of the tax breaks for higher income taxpayers. Yet, he signed the bill. Some pundits say it was a stroke of genius on Obama’s part. Others say it was a political necessity and that he really had no choice. Boehner holds an obvious card in the battle: The repeal of Obam-

acare can be included as part of any number of bills the Obama Administration “must have.” In this way, the House leader can force the President to repeatedly veto bills that he and his administration feel they must pass. One Republican congressman said, “He won’t be able to keep vetoing important bills just because they include the repeal of Obamacare. The program won’t be funded, and his continuing intransigence won’t fly with the American people.” One source close to the process asked, “At what point would President Obama simply throw up his hands and say, ‘Okay, this isn’t gonna work. Let’s start over on health care!’?” The fate of Obamacare over the next two years may well turn out to be a test of wills between President Obama and House Republicans. But one thing seems relatively certain: Without funding, the Obama health care legislation won’t get “locked in” to the federal health care system, the way many Democrats had hoped. At the very least, Republicans will have a series of record votes on repeal. That would leave the issue to be decided by voters in the 2012 election for President and Congress. In a showdown before the voters, Boehner thinks the GOP will have the upper hand.

— Woody Jenkins, Editor

At what point would President Obama simply throw up his hands and say, ‘Okay, this isn’t gonna work. Let’s start over on health care!’?

Capitol Newshound: Some of President Obama’s Lesser Known [and Better Forgotten] Promises CapitolNewshound.com

An Investigative Army of One

WASHINGTON — We’ve been sniffing around Washington and discovered that President Obama has a few broken promises. Oh, not the ones you normally think of, such as making sure there’s no tax increase for people making less than $250,000 or “You really will be able to keep your own doctor under Obamacare!” No, we’re Cap talking about some of the lesser-known broken promises, many of which shouldn’t be mentioned for one reason or another, in case he would be reminded of them and decide to keep them! But, heck, my job is to uncover the dirt. So here goes: Broken Promise No. 1 — Deliver an Annual ‘State of the World’ Address “I’ll give an annual ‘State of the World’ address to the American people.” Oct. 2, 2007 This is actually my favorite broken promise, because I believe the President deserves a much bigger stage than he currently has. I’ve

always believed the President has greater ambitions. But ex-Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton already have the job of regularly visiting North Korea and other rogue states. And Secretary-General of the United Nations certainly isn’t a big enough deal. But Obama is worthy of something, and a “State of the World” address would be excellent practice. Gear up the teleprompter! Broken Promise No. 2 — Make Electricity Rates Skyrocket “Under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket. Businesses would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that cost on to consumers.” Jan. 17, 2008 Hallelujah! I think this one is my favorite. Any candidate who promises to crush the average citizen with higher utility rates has to have a pretty good sense of humor. And anyone who say something like this and still be elected is one awesome dude! We love this guy! Broken Promise No. 3 — Support Human Mission to the Moon by 2020 “Endorse the goal of sending human missions to the Moon by 2020, as a precursor in an orderly progression to missions to more distant destinations, including

ported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the person or things to be seized. Louisiana Constitution Art. I, Section 5 Right to Privacy Every person shall be secure in

Mars.” Oops, this one is not exactly “broken,” because, the Prez has now said, “The program was over budget, behind schedule, and lacking in innovation due to a failure to invest in critical new technologies.” In other words, it’s George Bush’s fault! Ho, ho, ho! Broken Promise No. 4 — Double Size of the Peace Corps “Barack Obama will double the Peace Corps to 16,000 by its 50th anniversary in 2011 and push Congress to fully fund this expansion,

with a focus on Latin America and the Caribbean.” As a seasoned community organizer, the President is certainly well aware of this vital budget priority, which is so important to the “Progressive” base. But I guess he took our liberal friends to the cleaners one more time! Thank you, Mr. President! Congressional Staffers: Send your “exposés” to me at libertytoday@hotmail.com, so I don’t have to work so hard!

28 Liberty Today • March 2011

Senator Tom Coburn

Why It’s D-Day on the National Debt Editor’s Note: Dr. Tom Coburn is a physician from Muskogee, Oklahoma. He served in the U.S. Congress from 1994 to 2000, but did not seek reelection, honoring his pledge to serve only three terms. In 2004, he was elected to represent Oklahoma in the United States Senate.

Sixteen years ago, I was among a class of 73 freshmen Republicans who came to Washington for reasons very similar to why 87 freshmen Republicans were just elected. The country was alarmed by Washington’s attempts to take over our health care system and disgusted with Congress’ spending and self-indulgence. It’s well-known that the 1994 Republican Revolution sputtered and failed to turn the country around. The failure of that revolution though was not so much a matter of failed tactics, but failed character. Each turning point for the worse – the failure of the government shutdown, the betrayal of the term limits movement, overspending, the K-Street project, earmarxism, and entitlement expansion – came about because of hubris, selfpreservation and careerism. The shutdown battle, in particular, continues to be misunderstood. Even though Republicans badly managed the shutdown from a public relations standpoint – we failed to convince the public why government needed to be limited – the battle was nearly won until then-Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole decided to leave town to campaign in New Hampshire. Had principle trumped careerism, the outcome could have been very different. This time, I’m confident the outcome can be different if the freshmen and others keep a few principles in mind: • It’s not about Republicans. It’s about the republic. In the past decade, experts on both sides have boasted about permanent majorities. The country has no time for such foolishness. Our future is as uncertain and tenuous as at any point in our history. The perfect political moment to tackle our debt problem will always be a mirage just beyond the horizon of the next election. The time for hard choices and leadership that honors our heritage of service and sacrifice is now. The enemy is not the other party, the president, or your colleagues but the idea that the federal government is at the center of our national life, the equalizer of all injustice and the provider of material wealth. Ideas are much harder to displace than individuals. Running the table in 2012 will not solve anything if the country is not prepared to change their expectations of the federal government. The left is betting that the public’s support for entitlements, once acquired, will trump their disgust with deficits. This is the real debate that will determine the future of our country. We have to earn a mandate to reform entitlements and reduce the size of government by building credibility one step at a time with aggressive oversight and common sense spending cuts. You are swearing an oath to defend the Constitution, not your state or district. The triumph of parochialism in recent decades caused an explosion of earmarks and a massive expansion of government, which has doubled in size in the past decade. Reducing earmarks will help, but Congress has to restore the right balance with state and local governments. Across the country, cities and states are facing bankruptcy in part because of micromanagement from Washington. So far, the new House majority is sending all the right signals. House Speaker John Boehner, who himself was a casualty of the leadership shake-ups of the late 1990s, has learned these lessons better than anyone. Beginning the new majority with a reading of the Constitution is a wise move that engages the public in a discussion about our founding document. The fact is, the government we can afford looks much more like a government that is constitutional than previous Congresses have wanted to admit. The House is taking other important steps. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s “cut-asyou-go” approach to governing reflects reality.

Senator Tom Coburn

House transition chair Greg Walden’s move to cut the cost of Congress by $35 million is leadership by example. House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan’s pledge to bring non-defense discretionary spending to 2008 levels will build credibility and make further reforms possible. Ryan is right that we can choose a path of prosperity over austerity, but only if we act quickly. Finally, the majority’s pledge to vote to repeal the health care law is the first step in a long battle to repeal this fatally-flawed legislation.

On the Senate side, we are grateful to have reinforcments in the form of new Senators and a new majority in the House that can help us drive a limited government agenda. If the Senate wants to obstruct the House’s efforts to put us on a sustainable course, that will be their choice, and they will be held accountable. The real challenge for new members, however, will come later when the certainty of principle wanes and competes with the allure of power. The debt limit debate will be a key test. Some have cautioned new members against “playing chicken” with the debt limit. Yet, by growing government to an unsustainable level, both parties have been playing chicken with our future and our national survival. If the administration and Congress express no interest in reducing spending in a meaningful way prior to raising the debt limit, we’ll be on a course to experience a catastrophe that would be far worse than a debt limit standoff. Boehner has described the House as an “outpost in Washington for the American people and their desire for a smaller, less costly and more accountable government.” I’d suggest the new members have a chance to secure not just an outpost, but a beachhead for freedom in a struggle as significant as any in our history. For new members, this can be your D-Day against debt and the dissolution of the republic itself. You can make history not with your words, but with your actions. With courage and humility, you can be remembered not with scandal and disappointment, but as President Reagan said in his famous D-Day speech quoting Stephen Spender’s poem, as leaders who “left the vivid air signed with your honor.”

See DEBT on Page 13