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From the Editors Securing the Blessings of Liberty for Tomorrow

1115 Elkton Drive, Suite 300 Colorado Springs, CO 80907 719.260.7776 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 25155 Colorado Springs, Colorado 80936 Lana Fore-Warkocz Publisher William T. Gillin Editor-In-Chief editor@theconstitutionalisttoday.com Julie Ayers Managing Editor julie@theconstitutionalisttoday.com Teddy M. Otero Art Director/Internet Manager web@theconstitutionalisttoday.com Joan Eich Copy Editor/Board Secretary joan@theconstitutionalisttoday.com SALES Chuck Baker Sales Manager

Lana Fore-Warkocz ads@theconstitutionalisttoday.com Janel Amella Rebecca Donahoo John Pawelski Kathy Pullara Roger Siverson Jim Williams EDITORIAL Aimee R. Holden Copy Editor Featured Writers:

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Brian Beck Eli Bremer Jimmie Butler Jay Cadillac Mary Coran Dave Doll Rich Eleuterio Pat Francomano Chuck Graybill Leah Hotchkiss Syd Huston Lynda Jones Brad Kerstetter Cindy Lyons Bruce Nozolino Ryan Parsell JM Peterson Helen Sabin Dave Skiver Courtney Stuard Cartoonists

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Subscriptions Available! You can subscribe to our newspaper for $34.95/year. That’s less than $3 each for twelve right-to-your-front-door issues! Just send a check or money order, payable to The Constitutionalist Today, along with your preferred delivery address to: The Constitutionalist Today P.O. Box 25155 Colorado Springs, CO 80936 COPYRIGHT© 2010: The Constitutionalist, LLC. All Rights Reserved. The Constitutionalist Today is distributed at over 900 locations in El Paso, Teller and South Douglas counties. Limit only one copy per person. This newspaper is for reading purposes only. Republication and/ or reproduced in whole or in part is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of the publisher. The Constitutionalist Today makes every effort to insure accuracy in advertising and editorial content; however The Constitutionalist Today and/or any of the board members will accept no responsibility or liability on inaccurate information provided by the advertisers or from editorial submissions. One copy only per person, which is extremely expressed and enforced.

William T. Gillin Editor-in-Chief With Memorial Day approaching, I recall a trip to Normandy a few years ago. What I saw gave me a new sense of what American soldiers have done for our nation and the world. It started at the entrance to the American Cemetery above Omaha Beach. As I walked through the garden gates, I marveled at the curved stone wall which stood about 8 feet high, and ran about 50 yards in either direction. I wondered if my uncle’s name was among the 1,557 listed on the Wall of the Missing. Turning right, I began walking until I came to the last names starting with ‘G.’ Soon it stood out to me, along with his rank, unit, and home state: GILLIN, JOHN F., SGT., 262 INF. 66 DIV., MONTANA. In this beautifully kept garden, I almost felt as if I was on sacred ground. I stood silently for a long moment, gazing at the name carved in stone, then fumbled awkwardly for my camera. A friend took my picture next to my uncle’s name, and I knew I would treasure that photo as a way of touching history and as a connection to an uncle I never knew. My only other link to him had been a few old photographs and his Purple Heart that my dad kept. We made our way along the wall looking over the names of soldiers who were

About Our Content: missing in action in northern France during World War II. There were many others from my uncle’s division who had died with him when a German submarine torpedoed their Belgian troop ship, the S.S. Leopoldville, off the coast of Cherbourg, France on Christmas Eve 1944. Nearly 800 American soldiers were killed or drowned in the frigid waters. Just over a year ago I attended a memorial service in Montana for the son of family friends from my childhood. Their young Marine would have been the pride of any parents, an outstanding soldier, loving husband and dad. He had been killed in Afghanistan, and the whole county mourned his loss. Over 1,000 locals attended the service at the family ranch. A Marine color guard led the procession, followed by Trevor’s sister who led his horse with an empty saddle. Seeing a relative’s name on a memorial or attending a service for a fallen soldier certainly gives us an opportunity to reflect on the tremendous cost of our freedoms. America has been blessed as the freest nation in history, but it must be fought for time and again. This Memorial Day, let us remember those who gave their lives for us, and remember their families who felt the loss. Let us thank those who are still serving, sacrificing, and putting their lives on the line to protect our way of life.

The Constitutionalist Today provides a voice for freedom-loving Americans who share many common values, yet have differing opinions on certain subjects. This paper’s staff and writers possess worldviews ranging from Biblical to secular, conservative to libertarian, and everything in-between. Our Founding Fathers were a diverse group. Some, such as John Adams and Patrick Henry, were devout Christians. Others, like Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, were more secular even as they acknowledged that our rights are given by our Creator. While they had their differences, all those who established the greatest free nation on earth were united in their love of liberty and resistance to tyranny. Likewise, we are united in our love of America’s founding ideals, our love of freedom and our distrust of big intrusive government. Our aim is to educate our fellow citizens about our nation’s founding principles and documents, to inform about current events, and to motivate Americans to action. That said, the opinions of the writers are not necessarily those of the staff of The Constitutionalist Today.

Julie Ayers Managing Editor For many people, including myself, Mother’s Day is a time for us to honor the most influential person in our lives. I was blessed to have three women—my mother and two grandmothers— who instilled in me strong Christian morals and who helped shape my character. Our values are ingrained in us from childhood by the people who raise and nurture us. As we mature, they are bound to change and be shaped by our life experiences, education and exposure to society. Recently I was pondering, where my conservative political beliefs stem from. My mother and grandmothers never talked about politics, who they voted for, or which party they supported, yet their political influence was strong. Motherly advice is something most of us are fortunate to have been subjected to—

“Don’t cross your eyes or they’ll stay that way.” (Whew, glad to know that was just a wives’ tale!) I have taken those pearls of wisdom and applied them to my life, using my own judgment. Now when I think of the lessons my mother and grandmothers taught me, I understand how the conservative seed took root in me: • Family first! – I’m fighting to restore our constitutional rights and halt the sky rocketing debt for my sons’ and future grandchildren’s sake. • Lend a helping hand to your neighbors in need – I witnessed other conservatives striving to win back our country and realized I needed to help. I could not stand on the sidelines and expect them to fight the battle for me. • Stand up for yourself and your beliefs. If you don’t, no one else will. – That’s why I’ve become involved in the grass roots

movement. For the past few years, most of the Republicans in office have not represented me or my values. A few years ago, like many Republicans, I felt abandoned by the party I had been faithful to for 14 years and I became unaffiliated. It was my way of rebelling against a party that had become an aberration. Although I changed my affiliation, I still voted Republican. What choice did I have? Then a few months ago I met some strong conservative candidates who inspired me, motivated me and gave me hope. I changed my affiliation back to Republican because of these candidates who want to represent me and defend my constitutional rights. I’ve come back to the flock, but until I see conservative candidates on the ballot, I won’t be convinced my party has earned my allegiance. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom.

In recent years, I have felt my party starting to leave me, not the other way around. The Republican Party has shifted too far to the left for my comfort. They have become so focused on working across the aisle and being bi-partisan that they have lost touch with their conservative roots. Many Republicans blindly follow the party line and will continue to check Republican boxes on ballots without questioning their candidates’ true motives, policies or principles. Republicans are just as much to blame as the Democrats for what has transpired in our government. This of course, is my opinion, but I know I speak for the hundreds who call us every day. We receive the emails and the letters and we are grateful for all of you. It’s time for the conservatives to get out, get involved and take back their country. That means ALL conservatives, not just Republicans. If you wait until November to cast your vote, that may be too late. Voting in the August 10 primary is an absolute must. Campaigning through to

August is a healthy process; it’s one we have put into place to weed out those who demonstrate they are not true conservatives. We have to put forth the most conservative candidates and move them on to the November election. That’s how it’s done; that is the system. We must win our country back, we must work non-stop to put those out of office who make politics their career. That is a statement that you can count on no matter what your affiliation. I don’t care who the politician is, I don’t care if they have name recognition or money. If the conservatives come out in force we can get the right candidates on the primary ballot. Our future depends on those of you who are fed-up and who want the real change that we need. You have a voice, and only you can make a difference! My mom has always been my rock, my values were instilled by her—an immigrant who came to this country and accomplished so much in her lifetime. She is who I am fighting for—-Americans. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. I love you.

Lana Fore-Warkocz Publisher I’m proud to say that our staff here at TCT covers a large political spectrum. They volunteer on various campaigns to include Dan Maes (our managing editor is his El Paso County chairperson), Scott McInnis, Ken Buck, Jane Norton and Cleve Tidwell. We have Republicans, Libertarians, Independents and even a few Democrats who have seen the light and crossed over. We encourage them to get involved in campaigns. God knows we need that now more than ever. In no way do they use this newspaper as their political platform. We have some amazing writers and their views do not necessarily reflect TCT’s. (See “About Our Content”) TCT has not and will not formally endorse any candidates until after the primaries. But let’s clear the air, shall we? As a registered Republican my whole life, I believe in what the party stands for. I’m a Reagan conservative and I will do my part to fix the party from within.

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Letters to the Editor Restoring Constitutional Roots The idea of restoring the nation to its constitutional roots is a noble one. You are to be applauded for your efforts to accomplish that end. I read the first two issues of The Constitutionalist Today and attended the March 9 candidate debate. A tendency in some articles along with some of the rhetoric at the debate has the potential to derail the constitutionalist movement, espousing the following false equation: Constitutional equals conservative equals Republican party. Accepting a political candidate or a law as constitutional or unconstitutional according to party affiliation is dangerous. Former congressman Larry McDonald’s voting record adhered to constitutional precepts every bit as well as Ron Paul’s and he was a member of the Democratic party. If Republican equaled constitutional, we would not be trying to get rid of the RINOs that have infiltrated the party. The only way to restore the federal government to constitutional precepts is to educate the electorate as to what the constitution says and means. In no other way will accurate evaluation of proposed government actions occur on a scale large enough to make a positive difference in restoring the republic to constitutional precepts. In the end there is only one question that needs to be answered: Does a proposed law or a candidate’s voting record line up according to the enumerated powers allocated to the federal government by the Constitution? Thank you for your efforts to restore constitutional precepts to the lawmaking process. –Thomas Huebner, Colorado Springs

Praise for TCT!

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Thank you for printing The Constitutionalist Today. I enjoy the fact that you do not cover only Colorado Springs and that your coverage extends to trying to keep Colorado residents at-large informed. I am particularly happy to see someone is supplementing the efforts of others to educate our population regarding our constitutional rights. I also enjoyed your advertisers, many of whom I was not aware of. I will make every effort to frequent their establishments, and purchase their products and/or services. Keep up the good fight! -Joe Scranton, Cañon City My family and I are considering relocating to Colorado Springs from our current home in the heart of the liberal Pacific Northwest near Seattle. Needless to say, I was very happy to discover The Constitutionalist Today. Regretfully, there is no such publication where we currently live. It’s a great resource. I hope your readership grows to the point that you are unable to meet the demand. -Michael S., Bremerton, WA Thanks for a great paper! This is what we need. Let’s save America! -Louis Sorabella, Falcon, CO (I am 94 years young!)

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Thank you! I have been hoping for years that somebody would publish a paper that reflects my values, my experience of American and my vision of America.

Send Letters to the Editor to:

Editor, The Constitutionalist Today 1115 Elkton Drive, Suite 300 Colorado Springs, CO 80907 -ORP.O. Box 25155 Colorado Springs, CO 80936 -ORletters@theconstitutionalisttoday.com Letters 250 words or less will be considered for print. My wife and I are enormously impressed by the quality of the articles in your premier issue. Enclosed is our subscription to your new venture. Rest assured that every time we patronize one of your advertisers we will tell the manager why— because they thought enough of liberty and freedom to promote the discourse by supporting The Constitutionalist Today through their advertising. Put another way, patriotism pays! It is my intention to introduce your publication to my network of politically active friends—locally and across America—who are like-minded about where we want our republic to go. Also, to remind those who have forgotten about our heritage and just how we got here as well as educating the current and future generations who are ignorant of the nonrevisionist history of the United States of America. –David & Claudine Braum, Florissant, CO

Gazette Misinterprets Thank you for the opportunity to respond to a recently published letter to the editor in the April edition of The Constitutionalist Today. One of your readers commented on a story published in the Gazette, “Bennet, McInnis High on Wish Lists.” In the article, The Gazette writer mischaracterized my perspective on the Tea Party movement, so I appreciate setting the record straight. Over a decade ago, I was involved in a neighborhood fight to save a fire station—a small group of concerned residents who fought city hall and won. This was the grassroots fight to save Fire Station 3 and what prompted me to run for office. I would imagine that if you asked people who are elected officials what prompted them to run for office, you would hear similar stories. These stories are not so different from the Tea Party movement, a melting pot of ideas: non-partisan solidarity for sound fiscal policies, accountability and less government intrusion in our lives. As someone who began public service through neighborhood activism, I have great respect for the parallel movements such as the Tea Party and 9-12 groups. We’re all working to make ends meet, to care for our families, and to make our communities better places to live and work. Tea Party meetings, whether in homes, businesses or in public settings, have energized conservative principles. Our best opportunity to break the monopoly in our country, our state and our local communities is to support candidates who can help us win back the majority and restore balance to our government. And while the Tea Party movement is non-partisan, the associLETTERS on page 6

Corrections & Clarifications

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4 | The Constitutionalist Today

• April issue, page 8 “City Council Codifies Issue 300” Darryl Glenn’s name was misprinted as Darryl Web. • April Issue page 21, “Colorado Car Tax” the article stated: “The FASTER bill… didn’t just increase the vehicle registration fee, it also imposed two new fees: a road safety surcharge fee, and a bridge fund fee... Both fees together add up to as much or more than the Vehicle Registration Fee portion of the increase…” The FASTER bill did not increase the vehicle registration fee and impose two new fees. Rather, it increased registration fees by adding those two new fees. There is no vehicle registration fee portion of the FASTER increase. The road and bridge fees are the FASTER increase.

The Constitution Made Easy

Seven Deadly Myths, #3 of 7 Mike Holler, Featured Writer

Democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths. –James Madison

Our third deadly myth has been taught as a fact to nearly every American since he or she was five years old, and is repeated so often that most of us accept it as an axiom. It is the proposition that our American form of government is supposed to be a democracy. Our founders were quick to reject that description and to make a crucial distinction. When a woman asked Benjamin Franklin what the Constitutional Convention had created, he answered, “A Republic, Ma’am, if you can keep it.” Indeed the Constitution never mentions the word “democracy” or any variation of the word, but says explicitly in Article 5, Section 4, “The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government.” So what is a Republic? The term is at least as old as Plato and subject to many variations. For our purpose, we can narrow the discussion to the meaning the Founders intended it to have. John Adams was perhaps the leading political philosopher of his day, and was looked to by many other great statesmen of the time. His pamphlet, Thoughts on government, influenced many state constitutions as well as the United States Constitution.

Adams said, “All good government is and must be republican.” Then he added that whenever he used this word approvingly, he meant “a government in which the people have collectively, or by representation, an essential share in the sovereignty…” He also said “the very definition of a republic is ‘an empire of laws, and not of men.’” Adams was building on a maxim, popular at the time, that “the law is king” (Latin-Lex Rex). So a Republic is a government in which the people are sovereign and the laws are above any governors or other officials. In the United States, and in every state, the highest law is codified in a written constitution. Again citing Adams, “But killing one tyrant only makes way for worse, unless the people have sense, spirit and honesty enough to establish and support a constitution guarded at all points against the tyranny of the one, the few, and the many.” The United States Constitution forms a “union” of states. Each of the states is a republic, and each of these republics originally observed a higher law, sometimes referred to as natural law. In The Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson argues that each of the colonies should “assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them…” He goes on in the second paragraph with these familiar words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that

all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…” The concepts of unalienable rights, limited government, and the right of the people to replace old governments are all derived from natural law. In summary, the American form of government, as originally intended, is a union of constitutional republics. In each state, the people are sovereign, their highest laws are their Constitutions, and all elected and appointed officials are the servants of the people. Sure, the people and their officials vote. But every person they vote for, and everything they vote about, is subordinate to their state and national Constitutions, the laws that conform to these Constitutions, as well as a higher law of nature or nature’s God. At least that is how the American form of government was understood at our founding. These days we hear a much different description. Today, our schools, our politicians and our media constantly refer to us as one big amorphous democracy. Why? The short answer is that it suits their purpose. Statists do not care what mode of government is in operation, so long as there are no limits on the amount of control they can exercise. A democracy without the limitations of popular sovereignty, written constitutions and natural law offers no impediment to absolute control. John Adams put it this way, “that the desires of the majority of the people are often

Today, our schools, our politicians and our media constantly refer to us as one big amorphous democracy. Why? The short answer is that it suits their purpose.

for injustice and inhumanity against the minority, is demonstrated by every page of history… In popular governments, minorities constantly run much greater risk of suffering from arbitrary power than in absolute monarchies...” The end game of the Statists, whether they are called Socialists, Communists or Fascists, is control. In a democracy, statists gain that control by creating a majority coalition of special-interest groups. John Adams said, “When a favorable conjuncture has presented, some of the most intriguing and powerful citizens have conceived the design of enslaving their country, and building their own greatness on its ruins.” Their goal is control and everything they do is by design. “In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way.” –Franklin D. Roosevelt It is no accident that our State schools teach our children that we are a democracy, that the Constitution is a living document, that government is good and that the people in power can be trusted. Our schools and major media outlets are headed by people who call themselves “Progressives” and who define progress as a continuous increase in the amount of control government exercises over every aspect of our lives. Mike Holler writes and speaks about freedom and the United States Constitution, is a frequent guest on talk radio, and travels with the Tea Party Express. Next month he will continue this series, “Seven Deadly Myths.” Contact Mike or view his recent book at: TheConstitutionMadeEasy.com

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Letters to the Editor LETTERS continued from page 4 ated platforms are aligned with Republican principles. As we work toward the November elections, it’s important to remember that we’re all on the same team. -Sallie Clark, Colorado Springs

Money Does Not Equal Votes On Saturday, April 10, I attended the Republican County Assembly as an alternate delegate. I spent most of my time soliciting support from other delegates for the conservative, grassroots candidate for governor, Dan Maes. He was the first to speak, and I think did the best job. His speeches can always energize the crowd. In contrast, his opponent didn’t show up, sending a surrogate to speak for him. Translation: after losing the March 9 debate, the opponent has decided he isn’t polling well in the Colorado Springs area, a Republican stronghold. As proof of this, two of his supporters approached Dan Maes’ table and gave us the old “can’t we all just get along” speech (what they wanted was for our candidate to throw in the towel and join forces with theirs as lieutenant governor). What may be surprising to some is that it’s the opponent who is the Republican-establishment, money candidate. What? How can this be? I thought money automatically translated to success at the ballot box. Or is that only what the opponent wants voters to think? You can always spot the party establishment, money candidate at any debate. Their banners are the biggest, their signs continue non-stop on the roadside for a half a mile, and you can even spot them on the wall above the urinal (male or female candidate). But are they necessarily doing better? I don’t think so. The money candidates usually have the words, “I promise I will fight for you” in their speeches, while the other candidates

give speeches that draw the biggest applause. Why? Because that’s their biggest asset, not having the funding to rely on signs and empty promises. I must say I am greatly encouraged by some of our grassroots candidates this year. They’re proving that it’s not all about money and being backed by the establishment. -Patrick Shaffner, Colorado Springs

Defense Against Tyranny This nation was born in a revolution against the tyranny of King George and the British government. It survived the intrusive and unwelcome assault of two world wars and stands now as a beacon of truth and freedom to the world. Now we must defend it against a destructive unwelcome tyranny from within. America must rise to the challenge of defending freedom and truth once again. This time the assault is from the ideologues of progressivism, led by elitists who “knows better than we do.” These progressive elitists and their philosophy are like weeds in your gardens. Their roots are in education at every level, brainwashing young people in heretical religious establishments, in environmental climate change issues, in banking and business—rampant in both political parties—and in world government agencies. They are trying to make health care another tool of tyranny! We must have leaders who recognize the source and danger of the assault and stand with courage, conviction, integrity, and principle. Leaders who don’t just stand against tyranny but march against it. Leaders who will not serve the establishment parties, but will serve the conservative grassroots—you, me and millions like us who will put them in office with our votes and support. We must find and

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nominate honest leaders, not charlatans who play the political game and sacrifice our freedoms, our peace of mind, our standard of living, and squander the inheritance of generations to come. –Concerned Colorado Springs Citizen

Violence Begets Violence I can’t blame some people for being angry these days about the decisions in the White House and Congress, but violence only begets violence. The American way of life as I understand it is in the vote. That’s how we change things. Not by militia tactics, death threats or name calling, or even throwing bricks through windows. If you don’t vote, then the opposite side wins and you are now stuck with the consequence of that decision. People have faults and we all live in a sin fallen world. No one is perfect. To do nothing because it wouldn’t matter anyway is wrong. So get involved and get out there and vote. Make a decision in your life, that you will make a difference. I need to appeal to those who would resort to violence in any form. I ask you not to use God or Jesus Christ to fuel your agenda. Militia groups that want to overthrow the government are terrorists, plain and simple. Our present laws give us the right to defend the American way of life against such activity, domestic or foreign. To have to fight against militia groups who want to tear down and destroy our way of life is a burden. It’s clear that you don’t understand the scriptures and you are being misled with false doctrine. –Richard Shackelford, Colorado Springs

Party of No vs. Party of Know Don’t ever forget, the primary weapon in the left’s polemic arsenal is intimidation. That’s why so many liberals so quickly default in any discourse to bullying and name calling (“tea bagger” and other repugnant things). They use it because all too often it does work. Do you wince and cringe when you’re lumped in with the “party of no?” Do you become defensive and start to stutter and stammer? Do you pull back and clam up? Well, stop it. Instead, join the “party of know.” In the final analysis, I believe being right and knowing how to articulate it will prevail. This will naturally require some hard work on our part, but be encouraged about the eventual outcome. The next time someone on the left tries to intimidate you into silence by calling you a member of the party of no, tell him he’s right. We’re the party of know and we know you’re not playing with a full deck. Ask them if they know how a bill becomes law. Ask if they know how an insurance risk pool works. Ask if they know how the party caucus and assembly process works. Ask if they know who their precinct leader is. These are all things that we too need to know, and more. As Rush Limbaugh says, “Become the go-to person among your family and friends, the one who has taken the time to become informed on all the issues.” For all of the above reasons, I decided that 2010 was the year for me to get involved in local party politics. I attended the Republican caucus and was able to become a precinct leader and a delegate to the county and congressional district assemblies and an alternate to the state convention. –Stephen Adams, Colorado Springs

Young Delegate Backs Conservative Candidates I’m 19 years old and finally got to participate in the county assembly! As a firsttime delegate, I am experiencing my first

political process with the GOP. From the caucus on March 16 until county assembly April 10, I was swamped with emails, letters, flyers and phone calls from the campaigns. My parents and grandparents have always instilled in me the deep values and principles of the Republican Party but some of the party has lost their touch with new voters and those who were upset and left the party. The conservatives have taken over and I am thrilled about what the outcome will be in November! When Scott McInnis didn’t show up at our county assembly [El Paso County], I was shocked! The crowd chanted, “Where is Scott?” Does he think that I was automatically going to support him because he’s being backed by the GOP? Not! I am supporting Dan Maes for governor and Ken Buck for U.S. Senate. I personally met all of the candidates at the Candidate Debate March 9, but Maes and Buck are the ones I respect and know will work hard for the people. Go Dan and Ken! You guys are what Colorado needs! -Kayla Kirkland, Colorado Springs

A National Paper? I picked up a copy of TCT at my doctor’s office yesterday and was amazed. It’s was the most refreshing thing I’ve seen since Glenn Beck! For years I’ve seen special interest groups get there way with our lawmakers in return for votes. Now it’s time for them to listen to “we the people”. This should be a National paper!!! -Alan, Cripple Creek, CO

Tired of “Isms” I am so tired of Republicans vs. Democrats, liberals vs. conservatives, capitalism vs. socialism vs. any other “ism.” It is all finger-pointing and name-calling. It solves nothing. I consider my viewpoint to be independent, moderate, and middle-of-the-road. No ultra-conservative or ultra-liberal groups speak for me. Any suggestion that I am unpatriotic and unAmerican because I do not share some specific group’s philosophy is not only insulting, it is ugly. We face both national and international problems. They will be solved with a combination of independence and self-reliance (capitalism?), as well as cooperation and community (socialism?). We need to offer specific solutions to specific problems, and then discuss them in detail. This means working out compromises so that all viewpoints are considered. Then we try that solution. Recent political dialog in this country has been nasty, self-serving, and often empty of any useful content. If all you can offer is to scream, “Hell no!” and “We have to take our country back!” you are part of the problem, not part of the solution. -Deborah Ross, Colorado Springs Ed Reply: Miss Ross, congratulations on having such a renowned, patriotic last name! If you had taken time to read the entire newspaper you would have found it contains not just those two quotes, but many more which are very profound, eloquent and educational.

Obama No Socialist Having inadvertently taken an over-thecounter “sleep aid” the other day I attempted to head off the descending fog with a cup of Joe at Pike’s Perk. Conveniently placed near the counter was a handy pile of The Constitutionalist [Today], apublication quite new to me. It was a pleasantly fuzzy interlude in my day but, two cups of coffee later, I was becoming concerned that your contributors are so very worried about something they call “socialism.” As one who was born and grew up in the UK, I would like to reassure them that PresiLETTERS on page 7

We the People

My Mother’s Day Inspiration—A Man Michelle Morin Featured Writer May is the month for Mother’s Day, a day we set aside to appreciate and honor the most important job in the world. As an American mother who values faith, family, and freedom, inspiration for my maternal role may be considered unusual to some. It comes not from a woman, but a man: it’s our nation’s first president, George Washington. Two years ago while I was reading the life story of George Washington to my children, I realized how little I knew about this man. Sure, from my own schooling I already knew the basic facts: he was our first president, he led the charge against the British in the Revolutionary War, and he married Martha Washington. But the revelation that sparked my personal conviction and inspired me as a mother was his person. He was a true leader, a man among men in his time. He was humble both before God and his fellow men. He was a brave military man, unafraid to risk his own life in battle and engage the mightiest power in the world. He inspired a rag-tag collection of troops to defeat the strongest army of the time. He modeled and expected righteous behavior from his troops by forbidding profanity, swearing, and drunkenness. He even required their attendance at regular divine services. He inspired them to fol-

low him in the most deplorable circumstances, against all odds. Through protection that could have only been granted by God, he was bulletproof in combat. He knew his own human wisdom bank fell short and daily sought guidance and direction from the Almighty. He loved freedom and served his fellow man faithfully to attain that freedom. He was respected by both friend and foe, and loyal to those he loved. Simply put, Washington was a leader like no other. Not only a man among men of his time, but among our time. Once you know him, his leadership and legacy continue to influence. I wondered… where are the George Washingtons of our day? We are a nation crying out for leadership of his kind. It occurred to me that if we had more leaders like him today, freedom might not be teetering on the edge of doom. If we’re going to return to the founding principles that birthed freedom, we need men and women who will lead like Washington, and who share his strength of character. But where do such leaders come from? And what does George Washington have to do with Mother’s Day? Leadership starts in the home, and mothers have it within our influence to cultivate those leaders within our children and husbands. Prior to her death and his inauguration,

Washington’s mother told him, “But go George, fulfill the high destinies which Heaven appears to have intended for you; go, my son, and may that Heaven’s and a mother’s blessing be with you always.” This Mother’s Day I challenge all mothers who love freedom to ponder your roles. We have within us the ability to raise our children to be leaders and affect our nation’s destiny, just as Washington’s mother did. Set a vision for your children, one to which they can aspire. Show them authentic leadership examples they can follow, like Washington.

You just might influence another George Washington to rise to the occasion.

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Congress Turncoats Two days ago I read The Constitutionalist Today for the first time. Enjoyed reading it. This country’s forefathers so carefully and wisely created the Constitution. To me it means a lot because I grew up in a socialist, dictatorship country, Germany. My father spent two years in a concentration camp for speaking against Hitler. My brother was killed on the Russian front. I appreciate freedom so much more than some Americans. Unfortunately this president and Congress don’t work with the Constitution— they make up their own laws. We have an arrogant radical leadership. Take the healthcare: it doesn’t work in many countries, yet Obama insists on pushing it down our throats. The Democratic senators and congressmen turncoats who voted for this fiasco the last minute to their advantage in the amount of $35 billion

should not be allowed to serve in Washington. Most don’t know the reason they are there is to serve us—not their egos. We need more Tea Parties! I came to this country in 1948 and have seen many changes not for the best. We have Americans who put God aside and hate America and what it stands for. I have some advice! We have many exits; use them! To get my citizenship, in 1952, I went to school for four months in Pacific Grove, California to learn about this country’s history. I also learned “freedom of speech” and believe me I enjoy practicing it now. May God have mercy on us if this present leadership lasts much longer. The deficit is looming over us; no wonder the baby cries when it’s born! General and President Eisenhower said, “Recognition of the Supreme Being is the first and the most basic expression of Americanism. Without God there could be no American form of government nor American way of life.” -Elfriede Little, Colorado Springs

Spend to Destruction In 1924 Lenin said, “We shall cause the United States to spend itself into destruction.” The goal? To eliminate the middle class and make them servants of the state! Theodore Roosevelt once said “patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree that he himself stands by the country.” According to Joseph Maistre, who stated in 1811, “every country has the government it deserves.” This seems to be true! Apathetic Americans have allowed our present crisis to occur with little objection. In 1795, Edmund Burke told us that “all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” When the takers outnumber the givers, the system collapses and it’s goodbye to freedom. Why produce when we must give away the fruits of our labors? -Margaret Henkens, Colorado Springs

Michelle Morin, aka Mom4Freedom, is External Communications Chair for Coalition for a Conservative Majority. See her blog and sign up for alerts at www.Mom4Freedom.com and www.ccm-cos.com.

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LETTERS continued from page 6 dent Obama is no more a real socialist than the blessed Margaret Thatcher. In fact, every time Europeans hear Obama being called a socialist they collapse into uncontrollable giggles. Regardless of his pre-election rhetoric, he seems unwilling or unable to change the status quo. So, I am sure we will all be in our graves before we see anything approaching universal healthcare in the U.S., and the mobile free clinics will continue to be greeted with crowds of sick, uninsured people where ever they go. Nurses working two or three part time jobs in order to survive will spend their days taking care of the sick, whilst having no health insurance for themselves and their families. But, not to worry, American big business will continue to persuade poor Americans to vote against their own interests. The rich can relax. Nothing is going to change. -S. H. Merl, Pueblo Ed. Reply: From your lips to God’s ear.

Being a leader doesn’t necessarily mean becoming a future U.S. president. It means leading with principle, courage, and conviction in whatever sphere of influence God gives. Opportunities to lead are present every day: amongst peers, friends, family, church, politics, and more. Whatever it is, set your children’s minds to lead based on truth, principle, and conviction. When you do this, you will also set the example for those around you. And you just might influence another George Washington to rise to the occasion.

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We the People

Citizen on the Street Compiled by Mary Coran

Question asked of high school students who have relatives in the military: What does Memorial Day mean to you? How important is it to set aside a special day for those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice? Kenneth, senior: Memorial Day is important to me because my father retired from the military, and he sacrificed his life for our country for us. I greatly appreciate the things the military does for us. Daniel, freshman: It is really special because I get to make my dad feel more special than he already is. It’s also nice to be able to thank everyone in the military and make them feel special, too. Taylor, junior: It is important for me to celebrate the lives of the people who have given the ultimate sacrifice because I know that the person who lost his life could have been my father and I can only imagine what it would be like. So celebrating the people’s lives that were lost to protect others is extremely important because you never know when that person could be one that you love. Kiera, senior: Memorial Day is significant to me because although I haven’t seen or heard everything my dad goes through, I know he does his best as a soldier. The day forces people to acknowledge that soldiers exist! People take for granted what others fight for everyday (freedom

of speech, religion, expression, etc.). They complain, whine, and insult the soldiers because they don’t believe that soldiers should be fighting. No matter how upset the citizens get, they should still show respect to the soldiers who fight for everyone else’s freedom. June, senior: Memorial Day is a time when America can recognize the sacrifice not only made by servicemen and women, but by their family members as well. Many may not realize it, but the hardest part about being in a military family is the separation. After my father had been deployed to Iraq for a year, he came back only to be sent to Korea for a year. After his return, he was deployed to Afghanistan for yet another year. Some who have deployed with him, including one who I remember having a two-year old daughter at the time, never came home. Whenever our military members are home, and especially on Memorial Day, it is a time to honor those who have sacrificed for their country and celebrate being together as a family.

spinal injury that affects his health daily. He did all of this for his country and Memorial Day recognizes his sacrifice so I feel that day is very important to my father and the rest of my family. Arnold, senior: Memorial Day is very important to me because nearly my entire family has or is serving in the U.S. military. My dad recently re-

tired after a combat tour in Iraq, and my mom resigned her commission as a major. I have had many friends whose parent died in either Iraq or Afghanistan, and it is important to recognize that they paid the ultimate price for our freedom. As they say, freedom isn’t free, and those who are recognized on Memorial Day paid the price for it, and we have to thank them for their sacrifice.

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God Bless America!

Dwan Rager Contributing Writer

One of my favorite memories of being a kid back in the 1960’s is singing patriotic songs during music class. “God Bless America” was the one I loved the most. Though I never cried when I sang that song, there were a few times when a lump would rise in my throat and I came pretty close. Even as I child, I understood how special my country was (flaws and all) and how blessed I was to live in it! To me it was the greatest place on earth and judging from the way we used to bellow that song, I’m pretty sure that even though we were just kids, we really did feel that way. As I recall, except for some of the war protesters and people like Jane Fonda, I think even a lot of adults would have said they liked that song – and loved their country. But that was then and this is now and things have changed. Over the past few years, a growing number of people have forgotten how great America has been throughout her history. Sadly, there are more and more Americans who not only deny, but mock American exceptionalism. To them, we’re not a beacon of light and hope; we are to blame for many of the world’s problems. Unbelievably, this is a belief touted unapologetically by our president and others in our government. No matter how much they try to deny America’s special place in history and the world, the truth of the matter is undeniable, and so is the reason why. America’s exceptionalism stems from the reality that we were founded on the steadfast principles of liberty, justice and truth. Without apology, our founders declared that we were all endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, and gave everything they had to lay the foundation necessary to secure those rights for all Americans for generations to come. American exceptionalism has made us a beacon of hope and light that extends to every corner of the globe and it cannot be separated from the truth that Divine Providence was indisputably present, working in and through the lives of our Founding Fathers to establish the freest country ever known to man. As our government denies the reality of America’s history and moves further and further from the principles and values it was founded upon, it becomes a force to be reckoned with —and feared. Not a “shaking in our boots” kind of fear that leaves us powerless to act. Rather a fear that causes us to be awake and vigilant as we observe the theft of our liberties and the systematic destruction of our country by those in our government who have chosen to disregard the Constitution which limits their power and instead make their own way, on their own path for the purpose of re-making America in their own image. Fortunately, there are still millions of honest, committed, principled people in

The 9 Founding Values 1. America is good 2. I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life. 3. I must always try to be a more honest person today than I was yesterday. 4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government. 5. If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it. 6. I have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness but there is no guarantee of equal results. 7. I work hard for what I have and I will share it with whom I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable. 8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion. 9. The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me.

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The 12 Founding Principles 1. Thrift 2. Humility 3. Charity 4. Honesty 5. Reverence 6. Hope 7. Courage 8. Personal Responsibility 9. Gratitude 10. Sincerity 11. Moderation 12. Hard Work this country who are awake and engaged, evidenced by yet another large grassroots turn out on the April 15 Tea Parties. While they may not have the commitment of our Founding Fathers – yet – where they are willing to pledge their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to promote freedom; they are willing to fight, with their voices, their finances, their time and energy to preserve liberty, promote less government, more fiscal responsibility, defend the Constitution and hold elected officials accountable to do the same. The 9/12 Project gives people a place where they can join others to have their voice heard and fight for what they believe in. 9/12 is based upon certain principles (9) and values (12) that those who wish to join are asked to agree upon (or at least a majority of them). Agreeing with those principles and values are important because one must be grounded in who they are and what they believe, in order to understand where they are going and how they’re going to get there. These foundational principles and values, used by our founders to establish this country, were taken very seriously by not only our government at that time but by our people. They lived their lives by them. It’s why we have flourished as a nation. The farther we stray from them – whether it be the people or the government— the more we destroy what we once were, leaving us weakened and vulnerable as a nation, enslaved by a government who no longer serves us but rules over us.

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We the People

Tea Party High Octane Chuck Graybill, Contributing Writer Misinformation, lies, half-truths and distortions, accusations, offensive labels and efforts to infiltrate, discredit and diminish the Tea Parties – damn, we must be doing something right as a “movement,” not yet an organization by choice. Yes, we are a spectrum of people as labeled recently by an old guard Republican attending the El Paso County Republican assembly. Understanding that we are a broad spectrum of individuals, why do progressives of both ilk expect that we would be out in force at a Republican assembly? Most of us are not registered, or practicing, Republicans! We also are individuals and, therefore, not bobblehead dolls or progressives capable of being easily brainwashed and told how to think and vote. We are used to making our own decisions and acting upon them in our own ways and time frames. Maybe that is why trying to establish order in the ranks is kind of like herding cats. Or maybe it’s because we don’t respect and trust the person trying to herd us! We have come together of our own free will and will move forward accordingly, but resolute and with uniform purpose. As it took our founders a little time to organize and refine their message, it too will take us time to all get on the same page. And, just think, they didn’t have as many trying to segregate and separate them as we do. To set the record straight and actually provide truthful reporting, the El Paso County Republican Assembly held April 10 was a strong showing for Tea Party or new guard Republican candidates. Dan Maes and Ken Buck got the longest and strongest ovations while Jane Norton and Scott McInnis’ stand-in, Josh Penry, received lukewarm (at best) receptions. Because El Paso County was not an apparent priority for McInnis, there were many of his stickers on the assembly room floor. It would be nice if the double standard of reporting in our media would disappear but it looks like that will not happen

any time soon. This group of individuals, many of whom never would have shared a nod previously are now talking and working together toward a common goal and candidate. The Tea Parties are transforming America, by restoring its traditional values and principles. If you went to Tea Party day on April 15 in Acacia Park you heard from some media types that tried to convince you who the “movements” leaders are. But you also heard from grassroots, silent majority activists who realize the problems in our country run much deeper than parties and cannot be solved by the organized parties as currently configured. If you Tea Party detractors haven’t figured it out yet and are still drinking the government Kool-Aid, all the economic indicators about supply and demand or scarcity and abundance, wants and needs, and most importantly jobs, are totally bogus. The economy is too politicized and, frankly, too large, too complex and too fragmented to “model” or report upon in a timely fashion. The same people who saw none of the economic downturn coming now want you to believe they suddenly got control of this runaway train which was quickly running out of track. This government is too large, bloated, inefficient and uninformed to succeed in any top-down recovery, especially an economic one! Over 70,000 pages of tax code, over 60,000 pages of federal legal statutes and more than 161,000 pages of federal regulations make it impossible to predict the intended and unintended consequences of their own legislation such as Obamacare (ask AT&T, Caterpillar, John Deere, et al). The Tea Parties get it, do you? This is not a time for small thinkers like Old Guard Republicans and Progressives. Chuck Graybill is a former executive with a Fortune 500 energy company, and now owner of Maggie Mae’s Restaurant.

Not the Mad Hatter’s Cup of Tea Leah Hotchkiss, Senior Staff Writer Although the media would like to portray us as “Mad Hatters” cavorting in our communal craziness at Tea Party events, nothing could be further from the truth. It was a calm and beautiful day to be supporting the cause of Liberty and Freedom, and many people enjoyed hearing the candidates present their support for the Tea Party Movement. The second annual El Paso County Tea Party took place at Acacia Park on April 15. Starting at 11 a.m. with music and the National Anthem, the event had a new intensity this year. The 2009 event was bubbling with speech hecklers, angry signs, partiers came and went, and the event had the feel of a street fair. The crowd size both last year and this year was about the same with an estimated 1,000+ participants. The crowd this year was more subdued, more focused on the speakers, and remained for the full two hours. There were many speakers, all of which strongly emphasized the importance of the Constitution and the cause of Liberty. Republican candidates Ken Buck, Jane Norton, and Dan Maes took the time to come and speak. Grassroots leaders were also out in force, delivering the best speeches of the day. Booths for both candidates and local conservative groups

lined the outside of the crowd and were busy the full two hours giving information, getting petition signatures, and adding many names to volunteer lists. Unlike other Tea Parties around the country which attracted people calling themselves Tea Party Crashers, the El Paso County event saw no major counter protest. The Gazette reported one small kerfuffle. A few teenage girls from Palmer High School came on their lunch hour to “debate” and hold their signs which read “I (heart) Obama”. They claim their sign was torn. People standing in the front did hear some chanting coming from the back of the park, but it was short-lived. Police were present in the park, and the incident was not reported. With many cameras in the crowd, it is likely that the exchange was caught on film. It would be interesting to see if the students were surrounded and shouted at, as they claim, or if they were just acting like little punks throwing open condiment packets at Tea Partiers as another eye-witness claims. Either way, this counter-protest was not even a tempest in a tea pot. The event went smoothly and Tea Partiers are already looking forward to next year’s event.

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We the People

Republican Voters Needed Ryan Parsell, Contributing Writer

January 19, 2010 was a good day for you, me, and the country. That was the day one of the biggest political upsets of our life time occurred, when Republican Scott Brown won Ted Kennedy’s former Senate seat. That night I enjoyed my dinner knowing that Healthcare Reform was dead and that Republicans could now filibuster bad pieces of legislation because we had the all important 41st vote. Pundits across the nation agreed that the prognosis for healthcare reform looked dim. The Democrats seemed to tuck their tails between their legs and stayed out of the limelight. I felt invigorated and strangely enough, personally victorious. Then March 21 arrived. Suddenly the bill that I thought Scott Brown’s victory killed actually passed the U.S. House of Representatives by the narrowest of margins. That night I ate my dinner to distract myself from the monstrosity that had just occurred. I felt angry and betrayed. How on Earth did things go from promising, to catastrophic in just three months? I didn’t like the answer to my own question. In retrospect, Republicans had been Fully Insured-General Liability Fully Insured-General lured into Liability a false sense of security. The and Workers’ Compensation. This certificate is valid for $25 and Workers’ Compensation. worth of services provided byis valid for $25 This certificate Healthcare Reform vote has since taught us 2 Mr. hours labor Handyman. worth of services provided by some important lessons about Democrats, Mr. Handyman. Hometown Mr. Handyman 1234 Main Street, B O N D E D . I N S U R E D . R E L I A B L E . and ourselves. We must remember these US 12345 Mr. Handyman Hometown 4Hometown hours labor lessons if we are to retake this country. We also do commercial maintenance and repair. 1234 Main Street, BONDED. INSURED. RELIABLE. 000-000-0000 Hometown US 12345 The biggest lesson we, as Republicans, www.mrhandyman.com We also do commercial maintenance and repair. should learn from the last few months is 8 hours labor Carpentry, Drywall Repairs that Democrats in Congress have no rewww.mrhandyman.com Home Improvements/Repairs spect for public opinion. They don’t reTile, Sinks, Faucets spect you as their constituent, you as a Jobs 2 hours to 2 days taxpayer, or you as a hardworking, decent, Discount applies to services provided by Mr. Handyman. Not valid with any other offer. opinionated American. If polling on a Military Discount particular issue favors their position and you disagree, they will tell you they are, “championing the voice of the people.” If polling on a particular issue goes against their position they will tell you they are, “taking a hard, but morally right stand.” To them, they are always right, you are always wrong, and that will never change. Another lesson that Republicans should take away is that the Democrats rely on the conservative movement staying divided. Since Republican losses starting in 2006, the conservative movement and the Republican Party has been engaged

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in an all important debate: Do we return to conservative values or turn in a more moderate direction? This is an important debate, however, Democrats in Congress and this administration have exploited conservative’s divided attention to create the opening to pass bills like Healthcare Reform and Cap and Trade. The other lesson Republicans should learn is that while we were celebrating Scott Brown’s victory, assured that Healthcare Reform was dead, Democrats in Congress were plotting how to go against the will of the American people. The Democrats in Congress will break any promise, compromise any position, and make any sacrifice to achieve what they want for this country. They will not stop, yield, or surrender, even in the face of certain electoral defeat. How do we rectify this out of control government? The best way is the most obvious: speak with your ballot! As a country, and as Republicans, we’re in a crisis, and the only message Democrats in Congress and this administration will understand is a complete and utter loss in November. I would urge you to cast your votes for Republican nominees up and down the line. I know that some of you will be unhappy with some of our nominees, and I understand your feelings. But any victory for a Democrat in any contested race would immediately be interpreted by the Democrats as evidence of their moral authority to continue pursuing an agenda the American people don’t want. If you stay home because you’re unhappy with the Republican Party or its nominees and cast your vote for a third party candidate, you have in essence voiced your support for this administration and the Democrats in Congress. I wish we had the luxury of waiting until the debate within the conservative movement was resolved before making such a proclamation, but the truth of the matter is, this country is running out of time. Ryan Parsell is the secretary of the Young Professional Republicans and was recently appointed acting vice chair of the El Paso County Republican Party.

Local Liberty Groups Compiled by Joan Eich

Can I make a difference? What can I do? How can I get involved? Which organization fits me best?

These are the questions we hear most often from our readers, so we want to make sure it’s clearly answered online and in every issue. What follows is a partial list of liberty-loving groups and organizations in our area; a complete list is available at our website, and wwwlibertyevents.org offers a calendar of upcoming events. Sign up, step up, speak up! Americans for Prosperity, Colorado Chapter www.americansforprosperity.org • infoco@afphq.org • 719-494-0797 An organization of grassroots leaders committed to educating, engaging and mobilizing citizens in the name of limited government and free markets on the local state and federal levels. Clear the Bench Colorado www.clearthebenchcolorado.org • info@clearthebenchcolorado.org A grassroots movement to hold Colorado’s Supreme Court justices accountable to the Colorado Constitution and to the people of Colorado. Coalition for a Conservative Majority www.ccm-cos.com • info@ccm-cos.com • 719-351-6075 We unapologetically espouse the nation-shaping values embodied in the Constitution and detailed by the philosophies of our Founding Fathers. 9-12 Pikes Peak Patriots www.freeandunited.com • donrodgers@hotmail.com • dwan.rager@yahoo.com An organization for like-minded Americans who believe in 9 principles and 12 values as they apply to our government and in our own lives. We provide members with the platform and resources to pursue any project or cause of their choosing: from education and discussion to community activities or action. Pikes Peak Firearms Coalition www.ppfc.org • info@ppfc.org • 719-596-3921 A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed. —Amendment II, U.S. Constitution Liberty on the Rocks, Colorado Springs Chapter www.libertyontherocks.org • david@libertyontherocks.org • 719-237-4598 A grass-roots organization whose goal is to provide a social environment to unite libertyminded individuals not only with one another, but also with the freedom-based organizations in their local communities. Tavern-style politics in the tradition of our Founding Fathers! El Paso Republican Headquarters www.gopelpaso.com • info@gopelpaso.com • 719-578-0022 The party of the open door; the party of liberty; the party of equality of opportunity for all and favoritism for none; the more socially conservative and economically libertarian of the two major parties, generally supporting lower taxes, limited government and more economic freedom. Pikes Peak Young Professional Republicans Eli.bremer@gmail.com • 719-213-3428 Network with other young professionals, ages 20-40, who share the same goals and aspirations. Please come and join us! Sunrise Republican Women www.coloradosrw.com • lindarshannon@gmail.com • 719-598-1305 We promote an informed public through political education and activity, and increase the effectiveness of women for the causes of good government. All ages are welcome! Colorado Springs Republican Women amymit@quixnet.net • 719-260-0283 This group wants to educate and inform all Americans about the principles and values which make the Republican Party what it is.

Photo by Jimmie Butler, Col., USAF, Ret.

Southern Colorado Tea Party www.socoteaparty.com Committed to restoring our state and our federal Constitutions to our Founders’ original intent. Diligent in our restoration and preservation of freedom. We hold our elected officials accountable to their oath of office. Pikes Peak Economics Club www.pikespeakeconomicsclub.com We promote economic and civic literacy. It is our contention that you cannot have a controlled economy and maintain a free society. Limited Government Forum www.limitedgovforum.org • sean@limitedgovforum.org • 719-576-9055 Works closely with UCCS Center for the Study of Government and the Individual and Cheyenne Mountain Civic Solutions to promote the ideas of individual responsibility and freedom. Local Liberty Online www.locallibertyonline.org • sean@LocalLibertyOnline.org • 719-576-9055 An online community that focuses on local issues to expand freedom, opportunity and prosperity close to home. Our goal is to educate rather than indoctrinate, while conducting ourselves in the spirit of civility and good humor. Green Dragon Tavern http://RonPaul.meetup.com/310 • admin@GreenDragonTavern.com • 719-330-1358 Our Founding Fathers met at the Green Dragon Tavern in Boston, MA to plan the Boston Tea Party. We work to re-establish the Founders’ vision of political and economic principles inherent in nature’s right by fostering understanding and respect for the Declaration of Independence and state and Federal Constitutions. Politics on the Rocks www.politicsontherocks.com • nina@pinnaclepros.com • 719-531-0571 We link like-minded professionals together in a monthly power networking mixer where they can network, socialize and hear directly from prominent politicians and successful business leaders on matters of social, economic and public importance.

UCCS College Republicans • 719-251-7765

We Are Change Colorado Springs wearechangecoloradosprings.org • chris@wearechangecoloradosprings.org • 719-209-3118 A grassroots organization, neither left or right, dedicated to informing the public on matters of government corruption, malfeasance, misfeasance and nonfeasance.

El Paso County Tea Party www.epcTeaParty.com • Chuckbakershow@hotmail.com • 719-577-4857 A local movement of American Patriots from all walks of life dedicated to uphold and defend the United States and Colorado Constitutions. Our goal is to give voice to the people and hold government officials accountable for their oaths to uphold those constitutions.

Get Out Of Our House (GOOOH) www.goooh.com • goooh.co.05@gmail.com • 719-321-5123 A bottom-up organization without a platform; NOT a political party. A system allowing you and your neighbors to choose a true citizen representative, an independent candidate to represent their district.

Teller Tea Party www.tellerteaparty.com • tellerteaparty@gmail.com A local movement of non-partisan American patriots who uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. We are dedicated to protecting freedom for all, promoting truth, limiting taxes and government, and preserving our inalienable rights

For What Is Right www.forwhatisright.org • dlewis@forwhatisright.org • dkelly@forwhatisright.org An online community whose purpose is to educate the American citizen in matters of civic and political knowledge. Our intention is to have a well informed electorate who will keep and preserve the rights guaranteed us by the U.S. Constitution and by our Creator.

www.twitter.com/TCToday | 13

We the People

Just ask Randall & Rego about Memorial Day! Compiled by Cindy Lyons

Richard: The first thing I think of are the centuries of sacrifice; of the many famous as well as unknown people here in America and around the world who died on our behalf. It is one thing to appreciate the freedoms that we have, and it is a whole other thing to appreciate the people who have died throughout the centuries, to help win or preserve those freedoms. So, when someone asks, “What does Memorial Day mean to me?” I think of Valley Forge, Gettysburg, San Juan Hill, Belleau Wood, Guadalcanal, Battle of the Bulge, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan. Jarred: It is a very important day to me. My father and my younger brother are in the military. It’s a time to reflect on the final sacrifice that the men and women in all the armed forces have made domestically and around the world. It’s a day that encourages you to think about all the freedoms our military provides. It gives you the time to memorialize those who haven’t come back. I look forward to it every year.

felt that they went in and then were forced to just leave or quit without winning it. The Korean War also seemed like that to some extent. We pushed them back past the parallel, but we didn’t get the communists off the Peninsula. I think that any time there is a conflict in which you commit Americans, it has to be for something and be carried through to completion. It’s very hard to do that, yet it devalues the sacrifices people make if their effort is not toward a positive end game. Richard: If people make sacrifices and we don’t understand, appreciate, or follow through on them, we do a disservice to their sacrifice and we jeopardize the future the next time we commit troops because then there will always be doubt. This should have been the lesson of Vietnam. People say that Afghanistan is like Vietnam all over again. I don’t think it is

TCT: Many military members die to keep foreign enemies from coming in. Domestically, on our southern border, violence has spilled over into our country and we still live under the threat of another terrorist attack. If we civilians don’t also help defend the country, do we do a disservice to the sacrifice of those who have fallen on foreign battlefields? Richard: Yes, it’s like the end of Saving Private Ryan where it was shown to have been worth it. You have to live up to the sacrifices made on your behalf. That is the beauty of Memorial Day, when we think about all those sacrifices. There is a responsibility upon people to say, “We don’t want their sacrifice to have been made in vain by frittering away our freedoms and allowing others to take them.” Jarred: As with any sacrifice, there has to be a reason. In Afghanistan or Iraq... you can’t fail in these or it would be a massive waste. I think for a long time that was what ate at our Vietnam veterans. They

or that it has to be. We can get a better result if we learn from Vietnam. If we let the enemy know what our strategy is or what our exit date is, then we will have done exactly what we did in Vietnam. People say to me, “We lost in Vietnam and we spent lives, time, and energy.” But I don’t believe that is true. We might not ever have known how the Cold War would end up had those brave men and women not served in Korea and Vietnam. I do believe in the domino theory. I think those people are absolute heroes and that their sacrifices lined us up to win the Cold War. The Richard Randall show airs weekdays in Colorado Springs from 8:30am to 10:00am on KVOR radio, 740 AM. The Jarred Rego show airs weekedays in Colorado Springs from 10:00pm to 11:00pm and Sunday from 9:00pm to 11:00pm on KVOR radio, 740 AM.

Photo by Jimmie Butler, Col., USAF, Ret.

TCT: What does Memorial Day mean to you?

Richard: My church reads off the name of the person who died in Iraq or Afghanistan, where they were from, and what happened as they drop a marble into a container. We are on our second container. It is profound, and powerful in its simplicity. The anti-war people will say the cost is too high, but this is the cost of freedom and it makes us appreciate all the more that on this weekend, we can do everything we want to do, associate with whomever we want to. We can worship however we want to. We have freedom of speech. I do enjoy a barbecue with my friends on Memorial Day. We need to remind the young that freedom is not free!

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The Centennial State

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Such was the wreck of the Hesperus In the midnight and the snow! Christ save us all from a death like this On the reef of Norman’s Socialist’s Woe! -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

This is what happens when you try to distract yourself from mind-numbingly bad government with good prose. While researching this month’s article I was struck by the parallels between our Colorado “Ship of State” and the Hesperus of Longfellow’s poem “The Wreck of the Hesperus.” As we sail into unproven policies/ programs, reckless spending, and industry-killing green initiatives, our captains give a scornful laugh at common sense and reality. They continue to overburden our state and weaken our industries. Will this vessel be able to weather the next economic hurricane? The Colorado legislature is adding new programs to our already overburdened system: • HB10-1026 creates The Colorado Quality in Child Care Grant Program. • HB10-1028 establishes an Early Childhood Universal Application Subcommittee to the Government Data Advisory Board created in the Office of Information Technology. • HB10-1022 sets up the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. This is a rebranding of the food stamp program, in accordance with a federal name change. It eliminates the asset test for eligibility and allows a recipient to have a gross income of up to 200% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, the federal poverty level is $22,050 per year. • HB10-1330 creates an advisory committee that will make recommendations regarding the creation of an all-payer insurance claims data base for the purpose of transparent public reporting of health care information. (I get nervous when the words health care, data base, transparent, and government are used in the same sentence.) • HB10-1138 changes the name of the State Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program to the Colorado Health Services Corps, repeals the limit of $35,000 per year limit on the amount of education loan repayment that a participant can receive, and exempts the selection of health care professionals from the competitive bidding requirements of the procurement code. Health professionals in this program are required to commit to provide health care services in areas with underserved health care needs. There is no mention of how long a commitment might be, or if the service commitment is a volunteer or compensated position.

• HB10-1166 requires that all insurance policies, health, auto, dental etc., be written at or below a 10th grade comprehension level. • HB10-1203 decreases the minimum number of people required for participation in a group policy from three persons to one person. (Somewhere, Noah Webster just cried a little bit.) • HB10-1112 requires the Department of Corrections educate inmates, without disabilities who will be released within five years, to a high school equivalency or better. • HB10-0917 has not been presented yet, nor posted on the state website. This bill may allow same day registration and voting, and the ability to vote by mail and at your precinct, plus a few other fraudinducing changes to election rules. (This will make community organizers everywhere giddy. For a complete summary by Al Maurer, go to www.theconstitutionalisttoday.com.) Due to a firestorm of protests, this bill may not see the light of day. • And finally, the heaviest burden so far, HB10-1365 and its companion bills. This bill has been passed in anticipation of the forth coming Federal “Clean Air Act.” It requires the conversion of coalburning electric generators to Natural Gas, whether or not it is cost effective. As the bill states: “The utilities’ actions in com • tplying with the plans are presumed to be prudent actions, the cost of which will be recoverable in rates.” I encourage you to read all 20 pages and experience blatant Socialist statements like, “it is imperative that Colorado utilities continue in sound financial condition and remain attractive investments so that sufficient capital is provided to achieve the state’s goals”. • HB10-1001 has incentives for the installation of new distributed renewable energy. • HB10-1182 expands the powers of the Colorado Clean Energy Development Authority to include the ability to finance electric facilities, and the authority to make commercial loans for power interconnection projects; connecting clean energy resources to the transmission grid. • HB10-1333 creates the Green Jobs Colorado Training Program, the Green Jobs Colorado Advisory Council, and the Green Jobs Colorado training fund.

They continue to overburden our state and weaken our industries. Will this vessel be able to weather the next economic hurricane?

Also passed, new directives and mandates to existing industries and programs: • HB10-1227 requires physicians to carry more professional liability insurance. However, health care professionals working for the Colorado Health Services Corps are considered employees that are covered by the “Colorado Governmental Immunity Act” and cannot be sued for malpractice. (Yikes!) • HB10-1008 prohibits insurance carriers from using gender as a basis for varying premium rates for individuals and declares premium rates based on gender to be unfairly discriminatory.

These green bills force Colorado utilities to raise prices to the consumer, convert to less efficient electrical generation, and form unbreakable contracts with the Natural Gas suppliers. They also mandate utilities purchase green energy, no matter the cost. When this business model fails the tax payers stand ready with a bailout. Meanwhile the Colorado taxpayer will be financing the start-up costs for the green energy industry. We will train the workers, pay for construction of facilities and infrastructure, and pay to connect it all to the existing grid. Full bill listings and vote records can be found at http://www.leg.state.co.us. See for yourself what can aptly be described as the Colorado “Ship of State” being steered toward dangerous waters.

Colorado Springs City Watch Fire Chief Cox Moves Up To Interim City Manager Steven Cox, a decorated firefighter for 29 years, changed from his CSFD fire chief uniform to a business suit last month. Cox was sworn in as interim city manager on April 13. He replaces Penny CulbrethGraft, DPA, who resigned unexpectedly to pursue a new family business. Cox is experienced as an interim assistant city manager, a position he filled in 2008 prior to his appointment as fire chief. While fire chief, Cox recently expressed concern about morale within the fire department. Now he is concerned about morale among all city employees. As part of his transition into the position, Cox wants to give employees a chance to catch their breath and de-stress a little. His biggest challenge and first project will be the 2011 budget. Continued loss of revenue is a concern for city officials. Cox told TCT, “We’ll be working on RFIs (Requests for Information) and seeing what makes sense to outsource.” Cox said he will be looking at the most recent sales tax report which was just released. City officials are continuing to collect and evaluate data, including actuarial reports, relating to a proposal to move the police and fire department employees from their current pension plans into PERA, the Public Employees Retirement Association. All other city employees are covered by PERA. When asked what his primary trait is that qualifies him for the job, Cox replied,

“29 years of problem-solving and customer service.” Cox is taking his problemsolving skills to the next level (from fire department to city-wide). Cox has the additional advantage of being a native of Colorado Springs. He attended the Pike Elementary School and graduated from Coronado High School. Cox earned his bachelor’s degree from Regis University and will complete his master’s degree in organizational leadership this year. Cox’s contract as interim city

manager is for one year, and he plans to return to his position as fire chief at that time. City Council members and the mayor said they are not conducting a search for a permanent city manager this year. Ostensibly, the rationale is to allow a new City Council (to be elected next April) to conduct the search and select a new city manager. Also at play is the possibility the city manager position will be eliminated at that time. Some members in the community, including Mayor Lionel Rivera and

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former Colorado Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, are hoping to get voter approval in November to change the form of city government to a strong mayor form of government.

Advocates For Veterans Establish Trauma Court When troops come home from deployment, large numbers carry more than a duffle bag. In addition to the expected baggage, many of these troops have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and other mental/emotional disabilities. This excess baggage causes problems for some of them the rest of their lives. Sometimes these disorders result in behaviors that lead the soldiers to court on charges of domestic violence. According to attorney Michael Salkind (Equal Justice Foundation website article), the 4th Judicial District had 3,137 domestic violence cases and issued 3,122 protective orders in FY 2008. Symptoms of PTSD include sleeplessness, suicidal ideation, suicide, flashbacks and violent awakenings. The veteran may experience nightmares in which he or she kicks and fights while asleep. Alcohol abuse is common among those with PTSD who choose to self-medicate. DUI offenses, family abuse and violence can follow, leading to the veteran’s entry into the criminal justice system. As Charles Corry, Ph.D., explains on the Equal Justice Foundation (EJF) website, persons with a TBI may have cognitive impairments. Communication functioning is sometimes affected, also. CITY on page 20

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The Centennial State

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The rise of a renewed focus on Constitutional principles this year has been good for our country, reminding us all of the bedrock upon which America was founded. As we elect a new Governor this year, it is critical that we choose a candidate who shares our ideals, but also has the ability to win, and to actively defend our federal and state constitutions when in office. That candidate is Scott McInnis. Like many readers of this publication, I have met and spent time with Scott, and I’ve been impressed with not only his passion, but his deep commitment to restoring limited and responsive government to Colorado. We’ve discussed his dedication to the Second Amendment, and his determination to push back against the federal government assaults against the Tenth Amendment. (A good example of that is his loud objection to the budget-busting unfunded mandates that will hit Colorado as the result of Obamacare.) In particular, one area of assault against our state constitution has separated McInnis from the liberal Democratic establishment, and the Democratic candidate for governor, the Denver Mayor. That’s preserving and protecting our constitutional taxpayer protections through TABOR. In his Platform for Prosperity, and in literally every speech I have heard him give, McInnis says, without ambiguity, that he will veto attempts to weaken TABOR. He also said he would have vetoed the recent wave of unconstitutional tax increases on businesses and consumers that the Democrats recently jammed through the Legislature. Readers will recall that the liberals, with the tacit approval of the Denver Mayor, went to judges to find ways to raise our taxes without the vote of the people promised in our constitution. (Not satisfied with the “dirty dozen” job killing tax increases in this first wave, the House Democratic Leader recently proposed literally 100 new tax increases amounting to more than $1.5 billion – using the same unconstitutional justification. McInnis said in a statement the day these tax hikes were introduced that he opposes them, and would veto them.) McInnis also, to his credit, has accurately labeled the massive increase of the state car fee a tax increase, which is what it is. He points out that Gov. Ritter and the other liberals at the Capitol dug out a diction-

ary to find a way to call a tax a “fee” and thus avoid asking us taxpayers for permission to take more of our money. McInnis has said that not only will he phase out the car tax, but that major fee increases such as this should be submitted to the people for approval. Scott also has said, to his credit, that he would, through his veto pen, restore the basic spending limits for state government that the liberals repealed – spending limits that provided a simple check on the growth of government. This is the common-sense adherence to the letter and spirit of the constitutional taxpayer protections in TABOR that we not only should expect from our Governor, we should demand it. It takes leadership to stand up to the many special spending interests who want more of our money. They will seek any means they can find to avoid the simple constitutional requirement that we vote on tax increases. Contrast McInnis’ energy, outspokenness and commitment to core principles with the Denver Mayor. He has a record of massive, and virtually annual, tax increases. He has presided over a tax, fee and regulatory structure in Denver that has driven jobs away. He has refused to oppose the unconstitutional state tax increases – and through his silence gave his OK. He certainly never said a word in opposition to using judges to go around TABOR and our constitutional right to vote. Four more years of assaults on the state constitution, on jobs and on our pocketbooks, and the Colorado we love – and the basic freedoms we cherish – will be unrecognizable. We, literally, cannot afford to elect John Hickenlooper. Scott McInnis not only has a positive vision for governing within the constitutional fiscal framework that has served Colorado well, he has the determination and experience to put his ideas into action. He also has the guts to stand up, say no, and use his veto pen when the Legislature takes a wrong turn. Plus, he can beat John Hickenlooper. I’m convinced that Scott McInnis is the right man, with the right ideas and the solid commitment to our shared principles, to be an excellent, principled Governor. I hope you will join me in supporting him, and working hard for his election. Colorado’s future is counting on all of us.

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18 | The Constitutionalist Today

McInnis: Rhetoric and Record Bob Adelmann Featured Writer

This article was previously published in The New American magazine. Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis is running a smart and well-financed campaign for Governor of Colorado. It has the earmarks of experience (he was a State Representative for Colorado for 10 years, and then was elected six times to the U.S. House of Representatives from the 3rd District). His supporters are saying all the right things. The Washington Examiner wrote a nice piece about him, saying that “McInnis [is] a longtime conservative with a record to show for it…” Dick Wadhams, state GOP chairman, says that “He’s a son of Colorado. Nothing is for sure, but this is the best opportunity we’ve had in about three election cycles to win…” If elected, McInnis promised that “[My] veto pen will be full of ink, and I intend to use it.” All of this resonates with supporters like Paul and Janie, who say on McInnis’ website, “Heaven only knows your experience and wisdom are needed.” And, on the surface, his voting record seems to reflect that confidence. He boasts a zero rating with NARAL, the vehemently anti-life organization, as well as a 91% rating from the Christian Coalition. And he has a 72% rating from the pro-free market Cato Institute, along with an ‘A’ rating from the National Rifle Association. He has a link on his website to OnTheIssues.org which lists in detail his positions and his voting record. Alas, a closer look at his voting record reveals remarkable inconsistency. For instance, he supports a Constitutional amendment for school prayer, and another one prohibiting desecration of the flag. A fair question to be asked is: Where in the Constitution is there any support for the idea that the federal government should regulate morality? Aren’t such affairs and decisions to be left to the states, or to the citizens? Isn’t that why Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution limits the powers of the federal government so severely, and that the 10th Amendment explicitly states “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people?” Surely with his background as a lawyer, and his many years in state and federal government, McInnis should know that. His very poor rating from APHA (a pro-public health organization) might indicate that he believes that government should have nothing to do with providing health care. Yet, McInnis voted for the financially disastrous Prescription Drug Coverage. Although the NRA looks favorably upon McInnis, he voted against decreasing the gun waiting period from 3 days to 1. Where does that fit into his understanding of the Second Amendment which says, “… the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed?” Certainly he must know about Section 13 of the State Constitution (Right to bear arms): “The right of no person to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall be called in question…” Despite his relatively high rating from Cato, he has voted against withdrawing from the dangerous and sovereigntythreatening World Trade Organization.

Perhaps most revealing is his attempt to explain his “position” with a graph on his website, showing him to be a “right conservative” as opposed to a libertarian, a “left liberal,” a moderate, or a populist. Missing is any reference to, or apparent understanding of, the continued abrogation of the Constitution by Congress over the years, culminating now in the final push for totalitarianism by the Obama administration. How can any candidate promise to put out a fire if he doesn’t know how it got started? McInnis’ voting record while a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from a constitutionalist perspective, is on display at www.thenewamerican. com. The Conservative Index (now the Freedom Index) “rates congressmen based on their adherence to constitutional principles of limited government, to fiscal responsibility, to national sovereignty, and to a traditional foreign policy of avoiding foreign entanglements. Preserving our Constitution, the freedoms it guarantees, and the moral bedrock on which it is based is what the word ‘conservatism’ once meant…[and that] is how it is being applied here.” There were four indexes calculated from 40 different votes during the 108th Congress, from January 2003 to January 2005. McInnis had 40 opportunities to show his understanding of the limitations placed on government by the Constitution. 1) He voted in favor of the Fiscal 2003 Omnibus Appropriations bill which contained “thousands of unconstitutional activities.” 2) He voted in favor of raising CAFÉ fuel economy limits which would have “authorized unconstitutional regulation of vehicle size.” 3) He voted for the final version of House Concurrent Resolution 95 which increased the public debt ceiling by $1 billion, and which included, as mentioned earlier, “$400 billion for a Medicare prescription drug benefit.” 4) He voted in favor of H.R. 1350 which reauthorized the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, despite the fact that federal aid to education is unconstitutional. 5) He favored H.R.1261 to reauthorize the federal government’s job training program. Again, federal aid for job training and education is unconstitutional. Many more failed opportunities could be listed if space would allow. Based on those 40 opportunities McInnis had to show his understanding of, and the limitations placed on government by the Constitution, his rating was an abysmal 38 out of 100. To put it into perspective, during that same Congress Rep. Mark Udall had a rating of 32 while Rep. Tom Tancredo had 85, and Rep. Ron Paul from Texas scored 100. In an article in the premier edition of [The New American magazine] February 1, 2010, the author wrote, “McInnis plans to attract [voters] back to the party by sticking to what he called the Republican principles, meaning fiscal responsibility, downsizing government, the Second Amendment, and the Tenth Amendment…” Easy words to say, but hard to believe, especially when they are confronted with his voting record from a Constitutionalist perspective while he was in Congress. Bob Adelmann writes regularly for The New American magazine, and speaks to interested groups around the country on marketing strategies, economics, and the Federal Reserve System. His email address is: BobAdelmann@msn.com

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The Centennial State CITY continued from page 17 Furthermore, a person with a TBI may exhibit mental/behavioral health impairments that may look like inebriation but are actually the result of brain injury. When veterans with these symptoms appear in court to face domestic violence charges, they are often without legal representation, and make what Corry describes as a fatal error. They take a plea bargain to avoid staying in jail up to six months, awaiting a trial. The problem with taking such action, Corry said during a TCT interview, is that veterans are unaware of lifetime consequences. Corry said a few consequences are that veterans who take a plea bargain can be barred from holding a job, be denied a security clearance, are unable to hold any professional licenses, and are unable to obtain a commercial drivers license. Traumatized veterans who face domestic violence charges have two resources available to them in Colorado Springs, the Equal Justice Foundation and the Veterans Trauma Court. Corry, himself a veteran (U.S. Marines 1955-63) founded the EJF in 2001. While researching domestic violence against men and writing numerous articles on the subject, Corry concluded there is a need for a Veterans Trauma Court. Corry envisions the Veterans Trauma Court as the means to link mentally/emotionally injured veterans with legal and psychological support. In July 2008 Corry and the EJF, with the assistance of Judge Ronald Crowder (retired Major General of the Army National Guard), initiated efforts to create a Veterans Trauma Court here. They met with officials from the Veterans Administration and El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa. The group determined the county jail is the most practical point to intercept troubled veterans because four police agencies and five military bases are involved. A five-year, $2 million Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Grant (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) was awarded for the Veterans Trauma Court project in July 2009. Therefore, the Division of Behavioral Health for the Colorado Department of Human Services is now involved with further program development, training staff and volunteers, keeping track of the numbers of participating veterans, and disbursement of grant funds. Laura Williams, MA, LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) at DHS in Denver is managing the grant-funded project. Colorado is one of six states to receive the grant. Williams told TCT that, in addition to Corry’s contributions, El Paso County District Attorney Dan May, Veterans Administration Outreach Specialist Mike Ott, and the probation department are instrumental to the project’s development.

One pilot site, Crowder’s court, is up and running. The Veterans Trauma Court convenes on Thursdays. The next phase, Williams said, is to tie in support services. The third phase will be to incorporate treatment for the underlying conditions. Service providers will include the VA and community agencies. Michael Grant, a veteran, is a peer specialist developing a program through Pikes Peak Regional Mental Health for training volunteers to provide some of these services. Williams said they are recruiting volunteers who have experienced PTSD, TBI, or substance abuse and want to help the traumatized veterans. Williams said one goal is to create the base of the program so it will continue beyond the life of the grant. She is also hopeful that, over time, the program can expand beyond veterans to anyone who has been exposed to trauma. Corry and Williams agree it is important to intervene as early as possible to reduce the chances of recidivism. Williams said the traumatized veterans “volunteered to serve our country and we need to take care of them.” For additional information about the Veterans Trauma Court and associated topics, go to www.ejfi.com. To volunteer, contact laura.williams@state.co.us.

Council, Utilities Act To Open South Slope For Recreation Opening the South Slope of Pikes Peak for recreational access, ordinances involving water service to the Cherokee Metropolitan District, additional expenditures for the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department, and resolutions accepting federal funds were topics of discussion at the April 13 Colorado Springs City Council meeting. Council members expressed agreement that the city’s watershed on the South Slope of Pikes Peak must be protected, and some verbalized opposition to the city or Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) going into the recreation business on the South Slope. Mayor Lionel Rivera said he does not want to put money there (South Slope) when there are needs in the city not being met. He cited additional TOPS trails as an example of a city need. Council member Sean Paige said he is not going to support the city getting into the recreation business on the slope. Paige argued recreational access to the slope should be privately funded and privately operated. The mayor said that, according to the resolution, the only funding provided by the city will be for the design of a plan for acceptable uses on the slope. According to the resolution, CSU already commissioned studies and used previ-

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ous research to examine environmental and operational impacts of various recreational uses and developed a “Concept Plan” for compatible uses. Furthermore, the resolution assigns the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department “oversight of construction, operation and maintenance of recreational facilities.” Council member Tom Gallagher described the concept plan for the project as “grandiose.” Gallagher said he could support a couple of natural trails, but nothing as elaborate as the plans council saw recently at CSU. He said further that he has a problem with the parks department doing any of the labor for the project. The resolution authorizes CSU “to fund design of the Plan for Recreational Uses on Municipal Watershed Lands to appropriately integrate recreation with watershed operations….” The resolution also states CSU “will continue to work with federal, state, and local agencies and stakeholders to further define recreational opportunities on the South Slope watershed.” Council members Jan Martin and Randy Purvis reminded their colleagues that Colorado Springs voters mandated opening the South Slope more than 40 years ago. Purvis also noted that CSU was a department of the city at that time, not an enterprise as it is today and funding issues have changed. The resolution passed on a 7-1 vote, with Paige voting against the measure and Council member Scott Hente absent. The City Council also passed a resolution directing CSU to execute an agreement for short-term water service with the Cherokee Metropolitan District. Purvis and Gallagher voted against the measure, which passed on a 6-2 vote. Additionally, the council amended the 2010 Appropriation Ordinance for the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department in the amount of $1,110.034. Revenues are expected to increase by $685,576, necessitating a withdrawal of $474,458 from the General Fund’s balance. This expenditure is the result of Council’s approval in March to extend funding for various programs, including three community centers for the remainder of this year. Council members Darryl Glenn and Purvis voted against the expenditure. Further action by the council involves a loan agreement initiated five years ago to purchase Red Rock Canyon. Council members approved the annual renewal of the $1,000,000 loan agreement and promissory note between the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund (GOCO) and the city. City Council also approved resolutions accepting one state grant and two federal grants: $11,880 from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) for the High Visibility Enforcement Impaired

Driving Campaign initiative. The resolution authorizes the police chief to execute the contract to perform overtime enforcement of Colorado’s Impaired Driving laws. $23,303 from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance for the 2009 Project Safe Neighborhood Program. The resolution authorizes the police chief to execute the contract to increase the number of Federal and State Prosecutions for gun and gang violence reduction. $66,267 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the provision of supportive services for chronically homeless individuals and operating support for Harbor House. Council voted to delay for two weeks consideration of a proposed resolution to accept a $1,078,307 grant from the Federal Transit Administration to fund eligible transit capital and planning projects. Paige asked, “What will it cost the city to take this money?” He requested information clarifying what specific projects would be involved if the city accepts the grant.

AG Suthers Draws Rousing Response at El Paso County Assembly Colorado Attorney General John Suthers was clearly the most enthusiastically received candidate appearing at the El Paso County Republican Assembly last month. The Galloghy Event Center at UCCS was filled with delegates who welcomed Suthers with multiple standing ovations, footstomping in the bleachers, and applause. Suthers recently joined other states in a lawsuit to fight the national healthcare bill on the grounds of its unconstitutionality. He told the cheering crowd, “There is no healthcare clause in the Constitution!” He declared it is his job to fight to preserve federalism and state rights. Suthers will defend his office in November against Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett. While El Paso Republicans were thanking Suthers for taking action against the healthcare bill, Garnett expressed his disapproval of the lawsuit by announcing his candidacy for the attorney general’s office. In stark contrast to the warm reception delegates gave Suthers, the reception to State Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry was very cool. El Paso County Republicans felt spurned by Scott McInnis, gubernatorial candidate who did not make an appearance at the assembly. While Penry attempted to speak on behalf of McInnis, there were shouts from delegates who wanted to hear from the candidate himself, and accusations that McInnis does not care about El Paso County. Dan Maes, the grassroots gubernatorial candidate, appeared with his wife, Karen. CITY on page 21

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City Hall Tramples Rule of Law Douglas Bruce, Guest Writer

“There he goes again!” That was the kneejerk reaction by statists and conformists, on hearing of my latest lawsuit against the city. They forget that courts exist to enforce the rule of law. When governments can violate the law, apathy leads to corruption and tyranny. No person and no entity is above the law. The city works for us, not vice-versa. The goal of law is liberty, and “the price of liberty is eternal vigilance.” Those platitudes are meant to inspire you to act. Do not fear wrestling the municipal monster because of what drones will say to discourage you. Docile slaves also advised against fleeing Southern plantations. They said, “We have it good here. Massa feeds us and gives us clothes and a cabin to live in. What more is there? Run away and he’ll beat the rest of us for punishment.” City Hall has just updated the revenge with missing park trash cans and dark streetlights, as if those annoyances could ever outweigh Freedom! To see why this suit was necessary, read the legal pleading at CityReforms.com under Court Complaint. First, let’s refute dishonest, anonymous criticism that these suits cost taxpayers a lot of money to fight. The city has two dozen salaried lawyers, so they have no extra cost there. Filing a response simply fulfills their paid role of evading city legal liability, no matter what the city did wrong. Secretaries are not paid extra to type court forms. The city doesn’t even pay court filing fees! Its only added cost from a law suit is five dollars for a ream of paper. Taxpayers will gladly pay five dollars to enforce the rule of law and see justice done. Here, city abuses cost taxpayers about $2 million yearly. It’s worth $5 once to stop $2 million in illegal spending yearly. The complaint has seven parts. The first seeks to stop a violation of the city charter, which says only the council hires outside lawyers, and sets their payments when they are hired. It should be a rare occasion, with two dozen lawyers on staff, including Patricia Kelly, the

highest-paid city attorney in the state at $184,000 yearly (over twice the governor’s salary). Mrs. Kelly stonewalled my public records request for proof of her chronic charter violations. Her refusal was illegal; even the city’s public communications manager admits it. Kelly now owes a fine for her willful violation. She forced me to sue to secure that data, which she had on a printout finally emailed to me. It shows a $2 million yearly average in spending on outside lawyers since 2000, not counting illegal hiring not yet revealed by Utilities and Memorial Hospital. Nor was payment a “fixed” amount; it was open-ended at three-digit hourly rates. So we see $20 million in illegal payoffs and illegal cover-ups. Lawyers and lawmakers have become lawbreakers. City Hall funds that illegality with oppressive taxes. The city violated another charter section. The council had asked voters eight times to be paid. Voters rejected them eight times. We already overpaid a city manager $210,000 yearly, plus two assistant managers at $165,000 each, to run the government. Council meets only 48 afternoons a year to set policy. We didn’t want to pay double for management, or to attract nine full-time professional politicians, so we voted “no.” The ninth time, the council said they wanted only $6,250 per year. To deflect concerns about cushy fringe benefits, they put in the charter amendment they would get only the minimal benefits required by federal or state law. That ninth issue passed. But taxpayers are paying a higher pension contribution for the council than legally required. Social Security employer contributions are 6.85% of salary; we pay twice that for council members. Federal law also lets council members fund their own 401(k) plan with no taxpayer contribution. We are getting ripped off. The charter also mandates if a council member violates an express charter provision, the office “shall be forfeited.” If that . LAW on page 22

CITY continued from page 20 He declared, “I’m here to help and I’m not from the government!” Maes described himself as a man of faith who will protect the sanctity of life and the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman under his watch. He received a standing ovation for his remarks. U.S. Senate candidates Jane Norton, Ken Buck, and Steve Barton campaigned in person. Tom Wiens did not attend. Cleve Tidwell was scheduled to speak at 12:25 but when he arrived the assembly had adjourned early so he did not have the chance to speak. After the parade of local and state candidates asking for votes, delegates cast their ballots. The closest race was between incumbent El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa and challenger Jacob “Chief Jake” Shirk. Maketa received 674 votes to Shirk’s 537. Maketa will be listed first and Shirk will be listed second on the August primary ballot. Several races are reminiscent of playing musical chairs, with term-limited officials moving to a different position. The assembly chairperson declared El Paso County Commissioner (District 1) Wayne Williams the winner of the county clerk and recorder race. He received 746

votes and will be on the ballot in August. Opponents Dr. Charles Corry and El Paso County Treasurer Sandra Damron received 234 and 268 votes, respectively. Colorado Springs Councilmember (District 2) Darryl Glenn won the nomination for Williams’ seat as El Paso County Commissioner, District 1. Colorado State Board of Education member Peggy Littleton is the Republican nominee for El Paso County Commissioner, District 5. Additional nominees include: Senate District 9, Kent Lambert; Senate District 11, Owen Hill; House District 14, Dr. Janak Joshi; House District 15, Mark Waller; House District 16, Larry Liston; House District 17, Mark Barker; House District 18, Karen Cullen; House District 19, Marsha Looper; House District 20, Amy Stephens; El Paso County Surveyor, G. Lawrence Burnett; El Paso County Treasurer, Bob Balink; El Paso County Coroner, Dr. Bob Bux; and El Paso County Assessor, Mark Lowderman. Lots of walking and talking is next for this slate of local candidates as they prepare for the August primary elections. For the statewide candidates, the Congressional District 5 Assembly will be May 21 and the State Assembly will be May 22, both in Loveland.

Lawyers and lawmakers have become lawbreakers. City Hall funds that illegality with oppressive taxes.

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C:\\J. J. Ament\Campaign\Ads\Constitutionalist Ad for Assembly.cdr Friday, April 23, 2010 10:26:52 AM

The Centennial State

Norton, Bennet Bypass State Assembly Jeremiah Johnson, Guest Writer

So you’re newly active in following Colorado’s upcoming elections, and you thought you understood how we select candidates for the parties’ primary ballots. Maybe you attended your first party caucus in March and witnessed direct participation by regular Coloradoans. Perhaps you were elected as a delegate to assemblies at the county, congressional district, and/or state levels. If so, you earned a role in determining whose names will be up for a vote in August when voters decide who will represent your party on the November ballots. Seems simple enough. Then you hear stories about some senate candidates circulating petitions to get on their parties’ primary ballots. What is that all about? Democrat Senator Michael Bennet and the Colorado Republican establishment’s favored candidate, Jane Norton, suddenly have signature gatherers deployed all over Colorado. The goal of each candidate is to collect 1,500 valid signatures of voters in each of the state’s seven congressional districts. Why, you ask, do such seemingly favored candidates need to go this route instead of relying on the normal system? After all, candidates receiving at least 30% of delegate votes at the state assembly, advance to compete for their party’s nomination in August. A decision to gather petition signatures more than a month before a party’s assembly reveals a significant concern within a campaign. No matter how the decision is spun publicly, worry exists that the candidate won’t receive votes of even one-third of the state delegates. Choosing to petition

in April implies weakness. It seems to be a poor strategy, but time is a factor. If rejected by the state delegates, a candidate has less than a week after the assembly to present signed petitions with the required numbers of valid signatures. Bennet and Norton have the money advantage that establishment support provides, along with pressure on party officials at all levels to jump aboard the bandwagon. However, neither fared well in straw polls at the March party caucuses that selected the state delegates. Ken Buck edged out Norton among several Republicans seeking their party’s nomination. Andrew Romanoff topped Bennet by 9% in the Democrat face-off. So is this back door way of getting onto the ballot good or bad? Many of this year’s delegates likely will consider it a slap in the face. Delegates from all over Colorado will pay significant out-of-pocket costs for lodging, travel, and dining expenses to attend their parties’ state assemblies. Through the longestablished caucus process, these delegates earned the honor of helping their parties select the best candidates possible to lead this state out of extremely difficult economic times. The message from Bennet and Norton is that your vote as a delegate doesn’t matter. So if either Bennet or Norton would have had enough delegate votes at the assemblies to earn their way forward, they likely have hurt themselves with informed voters in the primaries. The petitioning process could be a positive in cases where a candidate develops strong grassroots support but is strongly opposed by a party’s hierarchy. Normally, parties prefer uncontested primaries. Pri-

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State Republicans to Decide Primary Candidates Leah Hotchkiss, Senior Staff Writer

Republican Party delegates will gather May 21 and 22 at the 5th Congressional District and Colorado State Assemblies. These are held at the Embassy Suites Hotel and the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, CO. Delegates will decide which candidates will be on the Republican primary ballot for state and national races. All candidates who receive more than 30% of the delegate votes will be placed onto the August primary ballot. The following are candidates running for primary ballot spots: 5th Congressional District: Doug Lamborn Colorado Board of Education: Paul Lundeen U.S. Senate: Steve Barton, Ken Buck, Robert Greenheck, Vincent Martinez, Cleve Tidwell, and Tom Weins. Jane Norton has removed herself from the assembly process and opted to obtain a petition on to the primaries. Colorado Governor: Dan Maes, YJ Yoon Mager, Scott McInnis Colorado State Attorney General: John Suthers Colorado State Treasurer: JJ Ament, Ali Hasan, Walker Stapleton Colorado Secretary of State: Scott Gessler CU Regent: Steve Bosley The final Republican primary ballot will be posted at www.gopelpaso.com after the assemblies. mary battles drain party and candidate funds and give the opposing party material for the fall campaign. So a popular candidate might succeed in getting before primary voters through the petition process when strong party opposition would otherwise suppress the candidacy. Since Bennet and Norton are favored party candidates this year, successful petitioning almost ensures contested senatorial primaries for both major parties. Why such a reversal of fortunes in 2010? Senator Bennet was appointed to a senate vacancy, so he lacks the usual incumbent advantage. He’s burdened by a voting record that showed stronger allegiance to Senator Harry Reid of Nevada than to serving the needs of Coloradoans. Strong Tea-Party-type movements in Colorado indicate many Democrats, Independents, and Republicans are fed up with the irresponsible spending and big-government power grabs Bennet failed to oppose. Norton faces a part of that shift, as well. Movements toward restoring responsibil-

ity in government officials brought many first-time participants into Republican caucuses. These newcomers didn’t bring a lock-step loyalty to rubber-stamp the establishment choice. Many have listened to under funded, underdog conservative candidates at various levels offer a message many voters believe the Republican establishment should embrace. Since 2004, the establishment-mandated choices have failed to excite conservative voters who are much more involved this year at the grassroots level through many interlinked activist groups. Thus, the favored candidate is left questioning whether 30% of the delegates will follow the party’s business-as-usual approach. While petitioning to get onto a party’s primary ballot is an option within the rules of both major parties, it works most effectively when a strong groundswell of voters demand an opportunity to vote for that candidate in the primary. Such momentum isn’t apparent this year for either of these candidates.

LAW continued from page 21 rule is ignored here, when will it be upheld? Our city attorney has also dished out retainer cash to law firms, paying them tens of thousands for no work. Why? One council member told me it was to buy off lawyers so they cannot represent someone who wants to sue the city. It would be a conflict of interest for a lawyer to sue his Client A (the city) on behalf of his Client B. The city is bribing lawyers with “hush money” to keep them from suing the city, and is conspiring to deprive citizens of their day in court. That’s disgusting. Finally, city elections last April violated constitutional and charter rules by denying us election notices with citizen comments. The city phrased 1-D as an

advisory opinion, then treated it as a mandatory amendment. They illegally slanted the ballot wording in their favor and muzzled any criticism. They mailed out false and one-sided information at a taxpayer cost of $20,000. Media meekness let the city get away with it. Issue 1-B involved a request to keep $1.2 million in illegal revenue. The charter does not allow keeping illegal property taxes; that tax rate had to be lowered in 2007 to prevent collecting illegal revenue. The 1-D illegalities applied to issue 1-B. If you will volunteer to reform City Hall, contact me at taxcutter@msn.com.

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Free Markets

VAT: Feeding the Beast Bob Adelmann Featured Writer

This article was previously published in The New American magazine. Former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker sent up a trial balloon recently when he said that a ValueAdded Tax (VAT) needed to be considered in light of the huge deficits facing the country. The idea is “not as toxic an idea” as many have considered it to be in the past, and “if at the end of the day we need to raise taxes, we should raise taxes.” He wasn’t the first one to float this recently. Charles Krauthammer wrote last month that “a national sales tax…is inevitable.” Because of the huge deficits facing the nation, exacerbated by the newly passed ObamaCare bill, there is no way out except to raise taxes, according to Krauthammer. He wrote, “Obama set out to be a consequential president, on the order of Ronald Reagan. With the VAT [in place], Obama’s triumph will be complete. He will have succeeded in reversing Reaganism.” Liberals have long complained that Reagan’s strategy was to starve the (governmental) beast in order to shrink it: First, cut taxes—then ultimately…you have to reduce government spending. Obama’s strategy is exactly the opposite: Expand the beast, and then feed it. Spend first—which then forces taxation. Now that we are becoming the full entitlement state, the beast will have to be fed. And the VAT is the only trough in creation large enough. The VAT is essentially a national sales tax, but the costs are buried in the cost of the product rather than collected at the checkout counter. The tax is calculated internally at each step of production, and can generate gigantic sums of money for the government. For instance, a 1% VAT is estimated to generate $1 billion in ten years to the federal government. And it has many advantages to politicians. The collection costs are borne by businesses, not by the government. It is difficult to escape through normal tax evasion strategies, and would force the 50% of people in the poor and middle classes who pay no income taxes at present to start to contribute to the ever-increasing costs of the nanny-state. And it could be passed during the lame duck session following the November elections and before the new Congress is sworn in. Brit Hume of Fox News said, “You could hardly get [the VAT] through the Congress right now, but you might be able to slip it through after the [November] election…”

As an aside, commentator Dick Morris just predicted that in November “a sweep of unimaginable proportions is in the offing… [and that] Republicans will gain more than 50 House seats and at least 10 in the Senate, enough to take control of both Houses.” That’s what increases the likelihood that the VAT will be proposed later on this summer and passed before that new Congress is seated. The Obama administration officially distanced itself from consideration of a VAT. “Mr. Volcker was speaking for himself and not [for] the adm i n ist r at i on ,” according to a White House spokesman. “The President has not proposed the idea, nor is it under consideration.” Any denial is of course suspect. What’s wrong with this tax? The Baltimore Sun said, “We can begin with the fact that it is the very essence of a regressive tax in that it makes people with lesser incomes pay a far higher percentage… than do people with higher incomes. Also…this is the tax that beyond all others provides the fuel for government gigantism [emphasis added], in part because it is hidden in the price of goods. John McManus, President of The John Birch Society, said a VAT “would place more burdens on our nation’s already overburdened businesses and industries because of its requirement for [additional] bookkeeping…another expense that would surely grow in time. And Ryan Ellis, writing for Americans for Tax Reform, said,

Liberals have long complained that Reagan’s strategy was to starve the (governmental) beast…Obama’s strategy is exactly the opposite: Expand the beast, then feed it.

So on top of your income tax, your payroll tax, your property taxes, and your state sales taxes, Obama and friends want to slap on a new VAT tax. This would be a brand new tax on everything you buy. Worst of all, you wouldn’t even see it (except in the form of higher prices), so politicians will jack up the rate like they have in Europe. It’s all part of the Left’s plan to permanently [fund the continued expansion of] the size of the federal government.

The underlying false assumption with so much of the current discussion about a VAT is that “the beast must be fed.” If Dick Morris is correct about November, and if the gathering influence of the Constitutionalists in the Tea Party can pull it off, putting the beast on a diet is more than just a dream. It can instead be the beginning of the new American freedom from the beast.

Photo by Jimmie Butler, Col., USAF, Ret.

Bob Adelmann writes for The New American magazine and speaks frequently on marketing strategies, the economy, and the history of the Federal Reserve System. His email is BobAdelmann@msn.com.

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Free Markets

Plan to Defeat Government’s Tax and Spend Brian Beck, Contributing Writer We can learn a lot from government spending. They do it a lot these days, and it seems they’re doing it without our consent. So where is all of this money coming from? That’s right, taxes, coming directly out of our pockets. At this point in the game it’s probably coming out of our unborn great-grandchildrens’ pockets, but that is another story. As we pass that ominous day in April that everyone dreads, we need to know how the government is spending our hard-earned money. Big taxes go hand in hand with big government and there is one practical solution to lowering taxes—eliminate unnecessary government spending. We need to start asking ourselves when we cut that check to fund our bloated government, “what are we getting for our money?” We are probably paying for a lot of things we don’t agree with ranging from failed social welfare programs and corporate bailouts, to far left wing activist art and pig flatulence studies in Iowa, the list is long and absurd. We have allowed government to grow beyond its practical means and become an efficient vehicle for wasting money. But even more insidious is the agenda of this current administration to create total dependence on the government to ensure the people’s need for continued government assistance. It was attempted in the 1930’s with the New Deal and in the 1960’s with the Great Society. With the current attempt to implement universal health care, the progressive movement in America could finally get their wish to be our wallet’s permanent buddy. What can we do to cut taxes? Unfortunately, we will have to convince a lot of people in and out of government, who are wasting money to part with it for the survival of the country. With the rampant spending and disregard for the people’s will, taxes will have to dramatically rise, along with government intrusion and interference into our daily lives. This is no longer just about government being careless and showing poor stewardship, it is about power and domination. What should be happening is the exact opposite of what is occurring. We should be limiting the size of government, reducing spending, lowering taxes and putting that money back into the hands of people who will create jobs. This will not only increase the amount of tax revenue for the government, but it will reduce government power and control.

How do we shrink government? A good start to reducing government is to eliminate useless bureaus that do not serve the best interests of the American public. One of the best ones we could axe is the IRS itself. We could go to a better tax system, such as the Fair Tax concept that would empower the American citizen to decide when he or she chooses to be taxed, while still maintaining adequate tax revenue for the government. Essentially a national sales tax would tax what comes out of the economy – consumption—rather than what goes into the economy—earnings, savings and investments. We could eliminate organizations such as the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) that serve to undermine the American economic engine. Instead, we could offer incentives such as tax breaks or freedom from taxes to businesses that could lead the way to being more responsible and kinder to the environment. This carrot approach would reduce power of the government, empower free enterprise, improve the impact on the environment and allow us to compete better in a global economy. There are many ways we could empower the country by shrinking government and returning authority to the people rather than giving more and more money to an increasingly socialist trending government. If it can be done by the government, it can most certainly be done better and cheaper by free enterprise, while creating jobs that do not require our tax contribution. So, every time we spend money we need to ask ourselves, “How are our purchases being affected by government regulation, taxes and spending?” We need to look at ways to eliminate government spending. When we fill up our cars, buy a loaf of bread or turn on the faucet we need to look at how the government is involved and how much government involvement is costing us via taxes and regulation. It seems that the government has found a way to involve itself in almost everything we do and stick its grubby hands in our pockets. Instead of complaining this year about taxes, ask yourselves, “How can we involve ourselves to help reduce government and keep a little more of what we worked for?” After all the money is yours and you should have a say in how it is spent.

We need to start asking ourselves…“what are we getting for our money?”

Brian Beck is a local small businessman and Air force veteran, concerned about intrusive government.

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REQUIEM FOR ‘RESPONSIBLE’ REPUBLICANS . . . in Colorado . . . former lieutenant governor Jane Norton, who at first touted her support from John McCain, was the choice of “grass tops” Republicans, as Colorado’s grassroots Republicans call them. McCain got just 18 percent in the state’s 2008 presidential caucuses, and conservatives are rallying to Ken Buck, a district attorney and another beneficiary of [Sen. Jim] DeMint’s SCF [Senate Conservatives Fund]. Norton is choosing to get on the Aug. 10 ballot by petition, which suggests anxiety that at the May 22 nominating assembly she might fail to reach even the 30 percent threshold for ballot access.

Dan Haley, 04/15/2010

KEN BUCK’S REVIVAL Ken Buck apparently forgot to read his political obituary. The Weld County district attorney’s Senate bid was supposed to be deader than Abe Vigoda after Jane Norton entered the race last fall. He was supposed to be scared off by her money and her big-name endorsements. . . . But, like Vigoda, Buck’s campaign is very much alive. . . . Now, less than four months before the primary, not only is Buck still in, he also appears to be a serious contender. . . . . When pundits were dismissing his bid, Buck was running a shoestring campaign and pressing the flesh with Republican activists from Grand Junction to Golden. . . . . . . he is winning over the folks most energized by politics right now. He’s the selfproclaimed Tea Party candidate, and those Republican Tea Partiers who are mad as hell about government spending and health care reform will storm the state GOP assembly next month and, without Norton on the ballot, will most likely fire up the Buck bandwagon. . . . If nothing else, it’s refreshing to see that the retail politics Buck has engaged in can still pay off in Colorado . . .

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Jeff Crank Featured Writer

President Obama and congressional Democrats signed a political suicide pact when they forced ObamaCare on the country. Most Americans remain perplexed and annoyed by the stubborn way Democrats passed ObamaCare against the strong objection of the American people. Obama, and his rubber stamps on Capitol Hill, continue to claim that once the great unwashed masses understand the bill they will grow to love it and then reelect them so they can continue to borrow money that our children and grandchildren don’t have. I strongly disagree. However, now that ObamaCare has been imposed on us I couldn’t agree more that Americans should know exactly what we have been forced to accept. But my bet is that the more we learn about this government takeover, the less we’ll like it. Along with the government mandate that we buy insurance, one of the more appalling provisions allows a newly-created federal bureaucracy to decide which plans are acceptable forms of health insurance. In other words, if you are a 47-year old single male with a policy that covers catastrophic care and government decides that your insurance policy doesn’t meet the minimum requirements (which it doesn’t), you will be forced to buy a much more expensive plan. This new plan will mandate maternity coverage, mental health services, and any other coverage the government deems necessary for you even if you don’t want or need that type of coverage. Starting to see the government takeover yet? The bill imposes a list of benefits that must be offered by health insurers if they want to stay in business. According to Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a health care scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, this will increase the cost for many families’ health insurance by forcing them to buy generous, yet expensive plans. Middle class families earning $88,000 a year or more don’t qualify for government subsidies and a family earning $100,000 is projected to spend nearly 25 percent of their yearly income on health insurance. Democrats are trying to find a “kinder, gentler” way to get to a single-payer, government-run system. Forcing expensive mandates onto employers, consumers and health insurance companies will force them out of the private market. Their only alternative, given a government insurance mandate, will be a government run

plan. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that approximately four million people will lose their employerbased health care plan and be forced to buy insurance through the new government exchanges. Over time, that will force more people into Medicare and Medicaid, which will make the private market even less viable as their risk pools shrink. Finally, a single payer system will be in place. Despite claiming ObamaCare will control costs, health insurance premiums in the individual insurance market, according to the CBO, will rise 10 to 13 percent by 2016. The cost of premiums will be subsidized with taxpayer dollars for 57 percent of Americans who will be forced into government-run insurance exchanges, but the 43 percent of taxpayers who don’t qualify for the subsidies will have to pay higher costs. As my Aunt Dovie, who passed away in March at the age of 109, used to say, “When the jockey gets fatter than the horse, you lose the race.” In other words, when more people are on the public dole than are paying taxes, you lose the race. When you spend more money than you take in, you lose the race. Unless we act, we will lose the race. Congress could have passed real health care reform. They could have passed bipartisan legislation that allowed for selling insurance across state lines, association health plans, increased consumer accountability, tort reform, and free-market solutions that opened up health care competition. Instead, because of political selfimportance, they cobbled together a bill, bribing along the way, which got through the U.S. Senate by one vote. Senator Scott Brown’s (R-Mass.) victory and the arrogance of the Congressional leadership put Democrats in a position where they decided their legacy and “just passing something” was more important than enacting real reform. Of course, they could have listened to the American people. The health care battle is not over; November is coming. Let’s make sure that the members of Congress who voted for this bill are the fat jockeys who get bucked off the horse. I’m tired of them riding my back! Go to www.NovemberisComing.com, sign the petition and get to work. We have a country to save. Mr. Crank is state director for the Colorado chapter of Americans for Prosperity and a talk show host on KVOR AM 740.

Entitlements Not Born in USA Sid Huston, Contributing Writer

Some of you know that for a decade I was a pastor in one of the toughest neighborhoods in the Springs, just north of the Citadel Mall. While serving the church and the community, my family and I lived in a parsonage next door to the church facility. Almost daily people came requesting money, food, and even help to cheat on their Community Service requirements. I soon learned not to give money when I saw the recipients heading toward the liquor store. So I began to work with these souls by offering to pay them for odd jobs. It was amazing to see how many refused to work. But if people were really desperate for food, I would go with them, buy their meal, and try to understand what was happening in their lives as they ate. I am still amazed at how many sermons I heard on the parsonage doorstep from folks who only came to church to get their “entitlements.” Often I heard: “What would Jesus do?” or “Judge not lest you be judged,” or “Even Jesus said it is better to give than to receive.” My conscience often wanted me to cave in to their cries, and sometimes I did. These experiences made me think about where this entitlement mentality came from. What happened in the hearts and minds of these strangers for them to think that I or the church owed them anything? America was founded by people who loved freedom, took risks, and stepped up to the responsibility our great nation required. Our founders left countries that were trying to oppress them with taxation and encroachments on religious liberties. There’s no way that entitlement thinking was born in the USA. Entitlement thinking is rooted in the idea that some person or government entity owes me something or must take care of me even though I haven’t earned it. The truth is, nobody owes us anything we don’t earn. For some strange reasons we have become a society that thinks we do not have to carry our own load. Even Jesus asked, “Do you want to get well?” and then told people to pick up their mats and walk. Today it seems harsh even to think about telling somebody that if you are not willing to work you shouldn’t eat. Solomon stated that hunger can drive a man

on. Are we allowing people to get hungry enough? Are we keeping people from the very thing that could bring about maturity, character, and a right attitude? I know this sounds harsh, and the Lord knows that I have received so many gifts I haven’t deserved, which saved me and kept my family afloat. But, do I believe that I am entitled to anything? Absolutely not! Am I willing to work? Yes I am, and many of us have never worked harder than now just looking for work. But, as the Depression-era kids became the “Greatest Generation,” I believe we are now experiencing a divine appointment that will refine us like gold in the refiner’s fire. As we submit to this process, we can emerge from this testing with a more noble character, both individually and nationally. Recently Tiger Woods announced that he took advantage of so many women while committing adultery because he felt entitled. He reasoned that he had worked hard and put up with the demands of his sponsors and the PGA, so he felt that this immoral pleasure was his rightful due. What we can learn from this moral failure is that entitlement thinking can ruin a life, a marriage, and one’s influence. I believe we will know that Tiger has been rehabilitated from entitlement thinking when he naturally, graciously, and continuously offers up gratitude to God, his wife and children, his fans, and his sponsors. Gratitude is a sincere attitude of thanksgiving that not only can transform the heart, but it can change everything. I believe gratitude is the key to every aspect of life. Do you think your children are entitled to government supplied school lunches and education? Do you think you deserve government health care for you and your family? Do you feel that you are owed a regular Social Security check, even if you draw far more than you paid into it? Please take time to search your heart as I am searching mine, because entitlement thinking wasn’t born in the USA. Now just might be the time for the refining fire to help purge away that entitlement mentality.

For some strange reasons we have become a society that thinks we do not have to carry our own load.

America was founded by people who loved freedom, took risks, and stepped up to the responsibility our great nation required.

Sid Huston is the Host of the SYI Show heard daily on KGFT 100.7 Christian Talk Radio.

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BUFFALO WILD WINGS Award-winning wings, 14 signature sauces, full bar, 39 HDTVs to watch your favorite sports, free wi-fi. Hours: Mon-Thur, 11am-1am; Fri & Sat, 11am- 2am; Sunday 11am- 12am, 7425 N. Academy Blvd., 594-WING

MAGGIE MAE’S RESTAURANT AND PUB Homemade from scratch! Biscuits and gravy, mouth-watering soups, hand-cut steaks and prime rib, hand-formed burgers, hot beef sandwiches, awesome French dips, and the best green chili this side of heaven. 2405 Pikes Peak Ave., Call for hours: 475-1623

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THE MASON JAR American comfort food served in a casual Colorado lodge atmosphere with full service bar. Two locations: 2925 West Colorado Ave, 632-4820; 5905 Corporate Dr. and I-25 (Exit 148). Call for hours, 260-6555. MCCABE’S TAVERN Traditional Irish pub with some of the best Irish fare in town. We broadcast soccer games from the MLS to the English Premier League on our big screen TVs, 520 South Tejon. Call for hours, 633-3300.

CASPIAN CAFÉ Step through the entrance of Caspian Café and be transported to an exotic land where a variety of beautifully prepared and incredibly delicious culinary creations tantalize your senses. East of I-25, south of Garden of the Gods Rd., 4375 Sinton Rd., 528-1155.

MEADOW MUFFINS We are famous for our hamburgers and chicken wings. The atmosphere is decorated with old movie artifacts with many items from Gone with the Wind, Superman, fans from Casablanca and many more. 2432 West Colorado Ave., 633-0583

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NOCON’S GELATORIA Italian Gelato is a healthy treat! Our fruit flavors are gluten and lactose free and our cream based flavors are gluten free. Located at 8816 N. Union Blvd, 282-3135. Open Monday-Saturday, Noon to 8pm.

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NORTH END DINER Colorado Spring’s Old-Fashioned American Diner Since 1958. Dine-In, Takeout, Local Delivery, Catering, Call Ahead. Hours: Monday 6am4pm, Tuesday-Saturday 6am-10pm, Sunday 7am-4pm. Located at 3005 N Hancock. 719-442-1833.

DAT’S ITALIAN! Family recipe cuisine that’s been passed down four generations. You’ll enjoy delicious affordable meals with a warm and friendly atmosphere. Located at 2514 West Colorado Avenue, Old Colorado City. Call for hours, 632-3287.

OLIVER’S DELICATESSEN This cozy neighborhood deli located in the Rockrimmon area is the place to be anytime Monday through Saturday for breakfast and lunch. 6602A Delmonico Dr., Hours: M-F 6am-4pm and Sat., 8am-2pm, 599-9411

ERIC’S MONUMENT GRILLE Our casual American menu offers flavorful food cooked to order in a timely manner at a reasonable price. Enjoy murals of Colorado while you eat. We offer an extensive kids’ menu. 1455 Cipriani Loop, Monument, 594-4300

PATSY’S CANDIES We believe the best confections start with the best ingredients: real butter, pure chocolate, real cream, no additives, or preservatives. Most candied popcorn is made with burnt sugar. Patsy’s is made with pure butterscotch. 1540 S 21st Street, 633-7215

EXTREME PIZZA Handmade the way it should be: fresh cut vegetables – not canned, dough made in our store – not frozen. We deliver honestly good tasting pizza loaded with toppings. Delivery, pickup, or dine in. 7340 N. Academy Blvd. For more info: Extremepizza.com, 522-1515 FAIRWAY GRILL & PUB Menu includes burgers and guilt-free fries, stacks, wraps, soups, salads, pizza and more! Our food is always fresh, never fried. Open 7 days a week. Sand Creek Golf Course, 6865 Galley Road. Call for hours: 597-5489. FIX-A-FEAST We prepare quality “Take & Bake” Meals. Just call ahead and we will have them ready for you. ALL NATURAL meats, fish & poultry, amazing DELI and CATERING for all your office/private party needs. 5901 Delmonico Drive, 531-5170. FLYING W STEAKHOUSE Old Western Town – Chuckwagon Suppers and an Original Western Music Show. Open Monday-Saturday during late May-September. Reservations Necessary. 719-598-4000. Visit www.flyingw.com for directions. FRANKIE’S SPORTS BAR & GRILL This casual neighborhood sports tavern and grill offers delicious food, good service, big screens & pool tables. Two locations: Powers & Galley in Colorado Springs, 574-4881; Woodman & Meridian in Falcon 4958707, www.FrankiesBarGrill.com FRONT RANGE BBQ Southern-style slow smoked BBQ & home cooked meals from scratch. Two locations: 2330 W. Colorado, 632-2596; 4935 Templeton Gap Rd., 598-8895. Visit our website for menus, catering, live music & events schedule: WWW.FRBBQ.COM HEART OF JERUSALEM Authentic Middle Eastern cuisine. Homemade Falafel, fresh lamb, chicken and beef Gyro & Baklava. Two locations: 718 Manitou Ave, Manitou Springs, 685-1325; 4587 Austin Bluffs, 685-9554, www.heartofjerusalem.com.

28 | The Constitutionalist Today

ROCCO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT Italian restaurant with fresh pastas, home-made lasagna, mouth-watering charbroiled steaks and seafood. Full bar and banquet room. Located at 3878 Maizeland. Call for hours: 574-1426.

South Jersey Subs

SOUTH JERSEY SUBS Want a real sub with only the finest deli meats, cheeses and toppings? Our subs are loaded with goodness in every bite. Your mouth will be watering and you’ll come back for more! Located at 1726 Brookwood. Call for hours, 531-5100. SOPA’S RESTAURANT Soups, Salads, Sandwiches, Pastas, and Roasted Chicken. Smoothies and Milk Shakes made with real fruit. Open daily from 7am-8pm. Breakfast served until 11am. Located in the Cheyenne Montana Shopping Center at South Academy and Hwy 115. 719-538-7672. STEAKSMITH Now serving our sunset dinner menu, 4-5pm, Sun-Thurs. Up to five entrees offered, includes salad, starch, vegetable and drink. Cost $12-$17. Reservations recommended. 3802 Maizeland Rd. Call or visit our website for hours: 596-9300, www.steaksmith.com THUNDER AND BUTTONS Gourmet pub fare featuring elk chili, buffalo burgers, and more. Serving Colorado beers on tap. Entertainment nightly, karaoke, live bands, comedy and more! 2415 W. Colorado Ave. For hours and entertainment info: 447-9888, www.thunderandbuttons.com VIETNAMESE GARDEN We serve authentic Vietnamese cuisine made from scratch, no MSG, gluten free meals and take out available. Military discount. 3043 W. Pikes Peak Avenue. Hours are 11am-8pm Tues-Sun, closed Mondays. 520-9299, www.vietnamesegarden.net

Eye on Entitlements

Healthcare Costs: Promise, Propaganda or Penury?

College Students Offer Perspective on New Bill

H.M. Sabin, Contributing Writer

Courtney Stuard, Contributing Writer them what they request,” according to The Heritage Foundation. Americans must redress the failings of the current legislation by demanding that Congress, the states, and the free market, provide for affordable healthcare. Citizens must be put into the driver’s seat through mechanisms such as health savings accounts, availability of insurance across state lines, portability, tort reform and other solutions. According to The Cato Institute, “Congress could actually resolve pre-existing healthcare problems with basic insurance reforms that don’t amount to a government takeover of the entire U.S. healthcare sector.” Americans must demand from Congress and their states that all who use healthcare pay for it, including legal and illegal residents. Many who have come to see healthcare as a “free commodity” needing no limits on consumption abuse the system and drive costs up. Although Senators Udall and Bennett claim they will help pay for the health plan by cutting waste and fraud in Medicare, FBI statistics show that Medicare Fraud is the best paying crime in America today. Congress has steadfastly refused to honor their constitutional duty of overseeing the executive branch and have also steadfastly refused to address the waste in Medicare payment errors costing more than $12.5 billion annually. According to The Science Business and David Whelan, the massive increases in spending are supposed to be offset by Medicare cuts, new taxes and fees. Other gimmicks involve cuts to student loan programs, borrowing money from Social Security and the U.S. Postal Service. What would be better is to demand a stop to total waste by the government itself. 100 billion dollars annually could be saved without harming government programs and operations. Americans must remember that they are the ones in power – not Congress. Americans want quality affordable heathcare that works for them. If Congress and the president get out of the way, we could have it. If we do not, we will surely experience cost growth in Obamacare beyond current estimates similar to that for Medicare. In 1966, forecasts for 1990 Medicare expenditures were $12 billion. Actual expenditures were $110 billion. The serious, threat to our economy is that we are now forecasting trillions rather than billions for Obamacare.

March 21, 2010 marked an historic moment for America. President Obama’s healthcare “reform” will increase the presence of government in citizens’ lives. College students in particular will soon feel the effects of a large government playing a key role in our lives. A demographic that rebels against authority should be skeptical, if not outraged, by increased government control and nationalized healthcare. However, of the [Colorado State University] students I attempted to interview, just two had formed an opinion regarding the healthcare bill. Perhaps college students ignorantly believe the current government does not seek to control our finances or make decisions for us. Maybe the issue lies in apathy. Whatever the case, students do not seem to engage with a level of reality indicative of an educated individual. When strolling around CSU campus with 27,000 other students you realize the diversity of opinions represented. Students who zealously campaigned for President Obama, students advocating Republican values, those who adhere to the Constitution, and the ever present indifferent group, all contribute to the CSU student body. The topic of federally funded healthcare conjures dissention and nasty arguments on a college campus full of egocentric, al-

ways right, students. A journalism student and adamant Obama supporter revels in the nationalization of healthcare. “One reason I voted for president Obama was because of his ambitions to reform healthcare. I completely support his decisions,” he says with apparent pride. He does not fear high taxes from federally mandated healthcare. “As far as paying taxes, if I must allow the government to take a percentage of my paycheck so that 33 million people can receive healthcare, I will probably be able to sleep at night.” Appeals to pity are fallacies, and should be critically assessed to glean fact from fabricated fictions. Our country provides healthcare rarely rivaled by any other country. The state governments currently help provide healthcare to citizens unable to pay for basic health needs. We do not live in a country that disregards those with insufficient funds for medical bills. Another student, on the opposite end of the political spectrum, supports decreased government involvement; therefore disagreeing with President Obama’s nationalization of healthcare. A political science and philosophy student said, “Rather than being provided services and goods from an array of private entities, this healthcare bill essentially allows the government to take over the private sector and have a COLLEGE on page 31

…students do not seem to engage with a level of reality indicative of an educated individual.

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Nancy Pelosi’s Freudian slip, “Wait ‘til it’s published, then we’ll find out what’s in it,” showed that Obamacare was yet another big bill that Congress did not read, and it will not help cut healthcare costs in America. Instead, The Wall Street Journal reported, “It’s one of the worst bills ever.” Americans who wanted the promise of quality affordable healthcare ended up with propaganda, enormous cost, and possible penury (bankruptcy). Obama’s promise that quality healthcare will result if the bill is passed isn’t reality. Americans will be forced to purchase government-approved healthcare insurance or face IRS fines and jail time. The health plan will not reduce costs according to the Chief Actuary for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. He says that the healthcare plan would increase national health spending by $222 billion over the next 10 years. Capitol.com points out that “Democrats did nothing to fix the underlying double-digit upward spiral of in healthcare costs.” Costs are not going down as claimed. To understand the contributors and means of addressing rising healthcare costs, as well as valid projections of the costs of healthcare initiatives, citizens must cut through the propaganda and educate themselves about the plan. They must learn from history, research, and recommendations by knowledgeable experts the most effective cost containment approaches other than healthcare rationing. Americans wanted reform, not rationing. The first and most immediate option for Americans is to call their representatives and demand that Congress restore the $500 billion in Medicare cuts mandated in this bill. Medicare unfunded liability stands at $37 trillion over 75 years currently. Citizens should demand that special interest actions which cost Medicare beneficiaries and Coloradoans billions each year be cut and money saved returned to the program, helping to make it sustainable in the future. Medicare pays as much as eight times what other federal agencies pay for the same drugs and medical supplies. For example, Medicare pays $8.26 per liter for simple saline solution as compared to the $1.02 paid by the Veterans’ Administration. Eight years ago, Medicare’s payments for 24 leading drugs were $1.9 billion higher than that paid by the VA or other federal agencies. Although Medicare is supposed to pay wholesale prices for drugs, it relies on drug manufacturers, who are frequently political contributors, to set the prices. “This special interest group has strong incentives to inflate their prices and of course the government pays

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Eye on Entitlements

Founders’ American Dream Zach Lee Wright, Contributing Writer

Walker Stapleton has REAL business experience to fix Colorado’s REAL problems. Colorado’s business leaders agree… Phil Anschutz, Chairman and CEO, Anschutz Company Bob and Christie Austin, CEO, Englewood Mortgage Company Katie Wolfe Agron, Owner, Scott & Wolfe Interiors Ernie Blake and Sharon Magness Blake Christine Burtt, President, CQB & Associates, Inc. Bart Bansbach, Columbine Realty Brown and Mardi Cannon, President, Canno Land Co. Sue Cannon, Philanthropist Jessica Corry, Public Policy Analyst, Former S tate Senate Candidate Lynne and Bo Cottrell, Community Activists Raymond T. Duncan, Chairman and CEO, Duncan Oil Meg Duke, Community Activist Joe and Ann Ellis, COO, Denver Broncos Alan F. Fox, Alan F. Fox Realty & Investment Company Mike Fries, President & CEO, Liberty Global, Inc. Charles Gallagher, Chairman & CEO, Gallagher Enterprises Frederic Hamilton, Chairman, The Hamilton Companies Marc and Kristin Holtzman, Vice Chairman, Barclays Capital Jeremy and Holly Arnold Kinney, President, Kinney Oil Company; Owner, The Fort Restaurant

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“How can limited government and fiscal restraint be equated with lack of compassion for the poor? How can a tax break that puts a little more money in the weekly paychecks of working people be seen as an attack on the needy? Since when do we in America believe that our society is made up of two diametrically opposed classes – one rich, one poor – both in a permanent state of conflict, and neither able to get ahead except at the expense of the other? Since when do we in America accept this alien and discredited theory of social and class welfare? Since when do we in America endorse the politics of envy and division?” These words were spoken by President Ronald Reagan in 1982, and are just as true today as they were nearly 30 years ago. When Republicans bring up tax breaks, shrinking government, fixing Social Security and Medicare, or updating welfare programs, the liberals go on the offensive, accusing the Republicans of everything from starving senior citizens to employing fascist tactics on the citizens. What is the American dream? Is it to have the government take care of you from cradle to grave? Or is it to be free to choose your own destiny, to succeed or fail at something you enjoy doing? It is my contention that the American dream is freedom. However, as Rick Joyner said in The Overcoming Life, “freedom is more than just the absence of bondage; it is the liberty to pursue all that we were created to be... True liberty is not static, but it is the freedom to pursue our purpose unhindered.” Our Founding Fathers were attempting to break free of a government that taxed and regulated to the point of tyranny. Europe was riddled with overbearing governments. In France, for instance, the rules regulating the textile industry between 1666 and 1730 took up more than 2000 pages and resulted in bringing the French textile industry to a screeching halt. America’s founders chose a different path. Their original intent for the citizens in this country was that they were free to live and pursue their own happiness. Since happiness is different for each person, how can the government ensure that we can pursue happiness by our own definitions? The simple answer is to stay as far out of our lives as possible. We now have a national budget that would make our Founding Fathers turn over in their graves. We have a tax code that even the lawmakers cannot follow. Several high-ranking officials have been caught cheating on their own personal taxes. Why, then, are we told by those same people that it is only right that we

pay our fair share, when they cannot do the same? It’s because too many officials believe that they are above the law. We are currently putting out over 50% of our budget in the form of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and other welfare programs. This percent is over twice what is allocated for defense and the wars. Remember that national defense is the ONLY budgetary item that is mandated by our Constitution. Liberals decry the defense budget in favor of entitlement programs and domestic spending, while accusing conservatives of starving babies when they attempt to cut or reform welfare programs. There was a depression in 1920 that was, in essence, worse than the great depression of the 1930’s. The difference was the governmental response to the problem. In 1920, the government cut taxes and reduced the size and scope of the government by half. The unemployment rate continued to fall, and by 1926 it was 1.6%. Time and again, we are shown that cutting taxes and reducing government increases the quality of life for all citizens. Our media and lawmakers, however, want us to believe otherwise. So they bombard us with media blitzes telling us that the government must increase spending to bring us out of our economic woes. All this extra spending has brought us to a real-life unemployment rate of over 16% when you factor in the underemployed and those who have given up the job search. We have a true inflation rate close to 10%. During the Bush administration, they eliminated some key items from the calculation of inflation, such as groceries and gasoline in order to keep the numbers down. We see the result of inflation in price increases, but the true definition of inflation is a bit more complicated. Simply put, if you have a dollar in your hand and the federal government prints another dollar without having goods and materials to back up that dollar’s worth, then your dollar is now worth half its original amount. We need to make up our minds as to what is important and we need to do it fast. Is the Constitution what we should stand on and get back to the original intent of our Founding Fathers, or do we turn toward a more European model? Just remember, before you answer... France’s textile industry was literally squashed by the mess of governmental regulations and taxes.

Is the Constitution what we should stand on and get back to the original intent of our founding fathers, or do we turn toward a more European model?

“Zach Lee Wright” is a military spouse and home-schooling parent, with a degree in education.

There are more instances of abridgment of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments...than by violent and sudden usurpations. —James Madison, 1788

Energy & Environment

The Case for Economic Sovereignty Jacek Popiel, Contributing Writer We may have representation and control in the political sphere, but what of the economic? The word “sovereignty” is derived from “sovereign,” which means supreme ruler. At the time the principles of Western political thought were being elaborated, the sovereign was in most cases a king, and sovereignty was understood as the king’s right to act as he pleased within the territory he considered to be his kingdom. The American Revolution vested the king’s rights and powers in the people and their elected representatives. Under a democratic government, national sovereignty thus becomes the implied right, shared by all citizens, to order their life as they please without interference by foreign agencies or powers. Sovereignty has, until now, always been looked upon as a political concept. At the time the U.S. Constitution was written, economic sovereignty was a given. The overwhelming majority of goods used for daily life were produced locally, usually within the immediate vicinity. Only a small portion came from outside the national territory and those were mostly luxury products that the majority of the population had no use for. In an agrarian economy such as prevailed in 1776, everything needed for

physical existence is under the population’s de facto control. This gradually changed as the Industrial Revolution took hold. As the standard of living rose, a growing proportion of the goods needed to support life and material prosperity came from more distant locales where industrial facilities were concentrated. As industrial production acquired greater importance the control of these facilities became a major issue. The fierce and lasting struggle between capitalism and socialism was over the control of the means of production, and brought to the fore the concept of the people’s right to control the basis of their material existence. Until the middle of the 20th century, however, and regardless of the economic system in force, the bulk of such goods were produced within the national territory. The oil shocks of the 1970’s were the first public sign that this was no longer the case. At least some of the necessities of life were coming from outside the national territory. The globalization of the oil and energy markets was followed by a similar evolution in many other fields. The U.S. today is deeply enmeshed in trade networks spanning the entire planet, and a host of vital supplies, ranging from drugs to clothing to fertilizer, are no longer produced domestically. Two major justifications are

offered for this process of increasing dependence on foreign supply sources. The first is the lower cost obtained by going to the cheapest supplier, wherever that may be. Global markets are assumed to be more efficient, providing the greatest amount of goods at the lowest expense. The second justification is simply that this evolution represents progress, meaning that it is the next phase in the general development of mankind, and is therefore by definition both inevitable and beneficial. That the historical development of mankind is linear and irreversible is, of course, an unproven assumption. That this particular manifestation of it—namely economic globalization—is entirely beneficial also is debatable. In a democracy, the citizenry controls the government, at least in theory. Foreign suppliers of goods to U.S. citizens are controlled by their respective governments, be they democratic or not. They are the suppliers, and to that extent they control us. We, as their market, have some control over them. But each side is also dependent on the other, implying in the end a loss of both freedom and sovereignty. This loss is amplified by the fact that the terms of trade and exchange are usually set by persons and organizations with no formal responsibility towards the

citizenry for which the goods are intended: multinational corporation executives, international institutions, and the managers of the globalized financial system. All these persons and entities pursue their own interests and are not bound by a popularly approved charter such as the U.S. Constitution. The question of whether the citizenry approves or disapproves of this state of affairs has never been mooted, even though the populace has to bear the consequences, as has been the case in the course of the current economic crisis. The essence of democracy is that the people should be able control the circumstances of their own life, be they political or economic. In the United States at this time they do not, in the economic sphere, have such control. While political sovereignty still stands, its economic counterpart is eroding away. This issue is as vital as the causes of the political revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries. It will, in the end, lead to similar upheavals if it is not addressed in the very near future. Jacek Popiel is the author of “Viable Energy Now.”

Chicken of the Sage Vermillion Basin Land Grab a Possibility Leah Hotchkiss, Senior Staff Writer The term “Land Grab” does not begin to cover the issue that recently caught my eye in The Washington Times. We should just say “typical, smarmy leftist behavior,” but I digress. Or do I repeat? A document labeled “Internal Draft-NOT FOR RELEASE” from the U.S. Department of the Interior was brought to national attention by Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina. The document lists 14 properties that may soon become national monuments and thus protected from industrial development. Creating a national park requires a vote by Congress; creating a national monument needs only a presidential signature. This means that President Obama may use Teddy Roosevelt’s 1906 Antiquities Act to grab 13.5 million acres of land. That is in addition to the 84 million acres the federal government already owns. Why should Colorado care? On that list is the Vermillion Basin. Located in north-

western Colorado, the basin extends into Wyoming and Utah. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management controls the leasing for oil and natural gas resource use. For years, companies have been trying to do more exploration and drilling in the area. According to an article published in the Craig Daily Press, May 17, 2008, Questar Corporation had initially estimated about 4,208 rigs, at about 40 jobs per rig. Environmentalists have tried to stop all exploration and production of resources in the basin—with success. According to the Save Vermillion Basin Web site, (www. savevermillion.org) the main reason to preserve this wilderness is to protect the greater sage-grouse. You might be more familiar with its more famous cousin, the prairie chicken. It’s true; don’t laugh! In February, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service postponed their decision to put the sage-grouse on the endangered species

list. According to Wikipedia, again don’t laugh, the sage-grouse couldn’t even land a spot on the endangered list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Poor thing. But, never fear greenie friends. Obama, with the help of his lapdog side-kick, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, will ensure the cessation of oil and gas exploration and production. They will take the Vermillion Basin, curtail hundreds of thousands of potential jobs for Colorado citizens, drive up the cost of fossil fuels (and natural gas) and push forward the green agenda. No worries. I know where I’ll be getting my dinner when Chicken of the Sea is no longer affordable. As the price for basic resources continues to explode due to the lack of domestic production and high demand, remember this: Chicken of the Sage, slow-grilled with garlic, delicious!

COLLEGE continued from page 29 monopoly over all services and goods.” Whether federally mandated healthcare benefits or dismantles the democratic republic of the U.S., one thing is certain: financial ruin approaches us swiftly. Students agree the federal government must begin to practice fiscal responsibility or face imminent doom. The out-of-control spending we witness today signifies a sick, greedy, and irresponsible government. Decreasing federal expenditures in a variety of areas and minimizing big government may contribute to rebuilding a country riddled with debt. So, the question remains: will healthcare nationalization be the last straw? Students should be aware and concerned about the future of this country. After all, we will be the leaders of tomorrow. Courtney Stuard is a Colorado State University journalism and political science student seeking to motivate young citizens to participate in government.

www.twitter.com/TCToday | 31

Common Defense

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Wounded Warrior Rescues Soldiers Brad Kerstetter Senior Staff Writer

For severely wounded soldiers returning home from war, a Purple Heart does very little to ease their suffering. These soldiers have practical requirements that have to be met, which is where the Wounded Warrior project comes in. The Wounded Warrior Project is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 2002 by John Melia in Roanoke, Virginia. Melia was injured in a helicopter crash while serving in Somalia, and saw the need to provide help for the injured soldiers who were returning stateside from Afghanistan and Iraq. According to the WWP website, the organization’s objectives are to “…provide tangible support for the severely wounded and help them on the road to healing, both physically and mentally.” Perhaps the best known service of WWP is their “WWP backpacks delivered bedside to wounded warriors” program, according to the website. The program was set up to provide injured service members with items that would make their hospital stay more comfortable. They are filled with items such as clothing, toiletries, and

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Religion and the soldier have always had an interesting and often profound relationship. Some formerly religious men leave battle questioning their beliefs. Others who were unaffiliated or even atheists leave battle with a new belief in what they may call a “higher power.” It has been observed that there are no atheists in a foxhole. One thing is sure, no soldier leaves a combat zone the same person he was when he entered it. Many soldiers, whether before or after a combat deployment, may wish to speak in public about their religious beliefs, much as any other person may feel called to do. This can be especially true of those who have always gone to church and have deep connections to their religious community; they may even have spoken at ceremonies in the past. They may wish to speak about how their faith gave them courage, or how they found their calling as a warrior through conversations with God. Other soldiers may have only recently found religion after their own experiences in battle. They may be eager, exuberant, and ready to share with others how their lives have changed by this new perspective. Their energy may translate into strong efforts to spread the message of their religion, and they may wish to attend and speak at as many events as possible. Active duty personnel and veterans may also want to speak about their faith at

One thing is sure, no soldier leaves a combat zone the same person he was when he entered it.

32 | The Constitutionalist Today

—Patrick Henry, during Virginia’s ratification convention, 1788

Catch-A-Dream is not even a faith-based organization. According to an Army Public Affairs document: “Except for fundraising events and membership drives, addressed separately in paragraph 3–2u, the head of an Army command or organization may provide Army employees in their official capacities to express Army policies as speakers, panel members, or other participants.” (Army Regulation 360-1, 6-7g “Official speaking or writing guidelines”). According to section, 3-2u, the Army encourages volunteering as long as there is no implication that the Department of the Army endorses the particular charity (Army regulation 360-1, 3-2u, “Specific restrictions, limitations, and other considerations”). In fact, the Army encourages and will provide travel for distant speaking engagements on holidays such as Memorial Day and Veterans Day, as well as “other significant patriotic ceremonies” (Army

Photo by Jimmie Butler, Col., USAF, Ret.

A Soldier’s Freedom of Speech military funerals, vigils, and events such as those held on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Some of these events may be public, and others may be more private settings. Military members may just get up and speak informally at a barbecue about all that they are grateful for and how God has helped them in their trials and tribulations. Others may speak about God as they remember their friends and comrades who have fallen in the line of duty, who have made that ultimate sacrifice. The military enforces some strict rules about public engagements for members of the armed forces. These rules often dictate what can be said when in uniform and when out of uniform, as the soldier always represents the U. S. military and must maintain a good image. Soldiers may go to their commanding officer if they have a question about their speaking engagement, and they usually receive approval. There has been an e-mail circulating recently which says the Obama administration has declared that no military members may speak at any faith-based public event. The message contained a story about Sgt. 1st Class Greg Stube, a decorated Green Beret who was denied the opportunity to speak at the Catch-A-Dream Foundation’s annual fundraiser because of this new ruling. This rumor that military members cannot speak at faith-based events is actually untrue. According to the Army’s code, military members are allowed to speak at such public events. The issue arose because this particular event was a fundraiser, and the fact is

To donate, volunteer or learn more, go to www.WoundedWarriorProject.org.

Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined.

Tom Keller

www.blindmanofamerica.com

JM Peterson Contributing Writer

playing cards. Soldiers receive a backpack upon entering a military trauma center. Another program provided by WWP is benefits counseling. “Counselors provide guidance and help to navigate government benefits available to military personnel and their families,” according to the WWP website. Connections between wounded soldiers are encouraged in the program to help servicemen and women form friendships and support each other. Just as important as the physical needs are the mental ones. Some soldiers heading stateside are heading home with mental conditions like Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD). WWP’s Resiliency Center was set up to help veterans and their families cope with PTSD. Seminars offer workshops and sessions designed for disabled and able-bodied service members who are dealing with the effects of combat stress while adjusting to civilian life. WWP is sponsoring the Inaugural Warrior Games in Colorado Springs May1014 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Wounded servicemen and women will compete in nine different sports including shooting, swimming, discus and wheelchair basketball. For more information on the event visit www.usparalympics.org.

Regulation 360-1, section 6-3c “Funding and travel for speaking engagements”). Although this particular instance is a misunderstanding that needed to be clarified, it is important to beware of any possible impediments or misapplication of rules on personal liberty. Though the Army provides strict standards for those speaking in public as representatives of the U. S. military, there is not currently any limitation or refusal to allow soldiers to speak at faith-based events as long as the other rules are met. Nevertheless, all Americans must remain vigilant. Our soldiers have sacrificed so much for us. It would be a shame for them, or us, to lose our religious freedom, or any of our liberties. JM Peterson is currently studying psychology and military history in college and hopes one day to become a clinical psychologist specializing in working with veterans and their families.

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Common Defense

Make This Memorial Day Memorable What are you doing this Memorial Day weekend? Will you barbeque with friends, and relatives; take advantage of a long weekend to get away; take the kids camping, watch the races? These are some great ways to spend Memorial Day weekend. However, will you take a few minutes to remember those who have given their lives to defend the republic? How will you honor those brave warriors that gave their all to defend the liberties and freedoms, the opportunity and prosperity that is ours as citizens of the United States? The Civil War was a horrible conflict which almost tore the fragile fabric or the nation asunder. This bitter conflict pitted friend against friend, brother against brother, father against son. In this fierce conflict the South fought as much for the principle of individuality as it did to preserve slavery; the North fought more to preserve the Union than it did to abolish slavery. Where we would be today had the Union not been preserved is hard to guess, but it’s certain we as a nation and probably as individuals would have never achieved the greatness we have reached. Rather than being the beacon of freedom, liberty and opportunity the United States would have become a by-word for failed dreams, an unsuccessful experiment in self-governance. When the unity of the Republic was threatened young men from around the country answered the call to preserve the Union. Farmers from Ohio, factory workers from New York, those laboring to build the nation to the West answered the call. The Republic was defended by people similar to us. They struggled daily to

get ahead, to raise their families, to enjoy some of the good life, to enjoy the blessings of liberty. Political partisans came forward. Illiterates from several walks of life answered the call. Immigrants fresh from the shores of Europe joined the fight to defend the unity of that great experiment on the North American continent. Many never saw their homes again. The brutality of the Civil War is unimaginable to most people today. Memorial Day is a day set aside to honor those who died defending the republic. Its origins date back to the dreary days following the Civil War when families, friends and fellow soldiers from both sides of this terrible conflict decorated the tombs of the fallen. In 1868 General John A. Logan issued General Order 11. At his order on May 30, 1968 flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers in Arlington Cemetery. The tradition was quickly adopted by all the northern states. The southern states observed their own day to honor the fallen Confederates. After the First World War the South also adopted May 30 to honor not only the dead of the Civil War, but those who died in all wars fought by the United States. Citizens answered the call in the American Revolution, more than 4,000 giving their lives in combat and perhaps as many as 25,000 soldiers total died. In the War of 1812 citizens again stepped forward to defend the republic, and as many as 20,000 may have perished. Asked again to serve their nation, 620,000 soldiers died of wounds or the deprivation of combat in the Civil War. The First World War saw the United States not only defending its own freedoms,

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34 | The Constitutionalist Today

but securing those of the Europeans. Over 116,000 Americans perished in the trenches of that terrible conflict. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Empire of Japan, and with the lamp of liberty nearly extinguished in Europe during World War II, Americans answered the call. More than 400,000 of them made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom throughout the world. When the tyranny of Communism threatened first Korea and then Vietnam some 90,000 American soldiers never saw home again. Between Vietnam and the current war on terror over 700 soldiers have died protecting freedom and liberty. On September 11, 2001 a small group of radical Islamic fundamentalists attacked the United States. Once again the tree of liberty was, and is being watered with the blood of patriots…and tyrants. Since 2001 more than 1000 soldiers in Afghanistan and over 4000 in Iraq have perished. Every time our nation makes the call citizens from all walks of life answer. They sacrifice families and careers. They tolerate an abridgement of their freedoms to

protect ours. They put the principles upon which our great republic was founded above their very lives. They swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution in which these principles of liberty are spelled out. Many give their lives in its defense. Memorial Day weekend has become the unofficial beginning of the summer season. We celebrate with camping, cookouts, trips to the lake, and races in Indianapolis. There’s nothing wrong with that. I think those who have given their lives in defense of freedom and liberty would be pleased to see the beneficiaries enjoying themselves. Like our Founding Fathers who pledged their lives, their treasures and their sacred honor to one another to found our nation, our citizens continue to sacrifice for freedom. Enjoy your weekend, but take time to honor those who have died defending this great republic, and thank those who now stand ready to give that last, full measure of devotion.

WWII Vets Gather to Reminisce Brad Kerstetter Senior Staff Writer

Every second Tuesday of the month veterans from WWII and the Korean War gather at the Peak Grill in Colorado Springs to swap stories and enjoy the camaraderie that comes from shared experiences. Years ago these soldiers fought to protect their country’s freedom, and their courage and sacrifices have not gone unnoticed. Last December 7, Jane Rodgers, along with restaurant owners Randy and Nancy Bolen, facilitated a gathering for WWII veterans at the Peak Grill to commemorate the attack on Pearl Harbor. Nearly 75 people showed up for the event, which turned out to be a success. While it was originally going to be a one-time event, Rodgers saw the need to make the gathering a regular affair. “The [Veterans] wanted to get together regularly so we continued it,” Rodgers said. Rodgers noted that many veterans from the era often do not share their stories, even with their own family members. However, when the veterans get together with their peers they open up and tell stories they may not have shared otherwise, she said. Rodgers does not plan on stopping anytime soon. “I am going to continue doing this. The veterans need to be with other soldiers to talk about [their experiences],” she said. All WWII and Korean veterans receive 50 percent off on their lunch. Rodgers said the public is welcome to attend the event and hear the stories that are shared. “We invite people off the street to listen to these war heroes,” Rodgers said. “It is a shame more people do not come out.”

Rodgers thinks the stories the veterans tell are important because there are so few survivors left. The majority of participants range from 85 to 94 years old. “I want them to be remembered,” She said “They have such great stories.” What motivated Rodgers to help put on the events was her connection with a WWII veteran named Col. Bill Edwards (Ret.) who is now deceased. Rodgers attended his 94th birthday as a photographer and talked with him about his experiences during the war, which included his time as a prisoner of war. Her conversation with Edwards inspired her to seek out other veterans and honor them for their sacrifices. “After I talked to him I had to get the word out about these veterans,” Rodgers said. Maj. Henry “Duke” Boswell (Ret.) will be the guest speaker at the next event. Boswell served with the 82nd Airborne and saw combat on D-Day and in The Battle of the Bulge, among other accomplishments. He has received the “Legion of Honor Medal,” the highest award that can be given by the French Government, for his participation in the D-Day assault. Rodgers would like WWII veterans who participated in the D-Day assault to know that any soldier who took part in the attack can be awarded this medal. For more information on the award, please attend one of the luncheon events or contact Jane Rodgers at 638-1770. The next event will be held May 11 at 11am at the Peak Grill at 4423 Centennial Boulevard in Colorado Springs. Non-veterans are welcome to listen in on the stories and WWII and Korean War veterans will receive 50 percent off their meal.

Photo by Jimmie Butler, Col., USAF, Ret.

Eli Thomas, Contributing Writer

Veterans enjoy monthly camaraderie at Peak Grill.

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Julie Ayers, Managing Editor Wars are fought by soldiers, airmen, marines and sailors who willingly put themselves in harm’s way on the front lines. They are the heroes who get the recognition and gratitude for fighting the battles. But where would they be without the military personnel behind the scenes? They also perform heroic deeds by providing the support military personnel need to succeed. Barbara Saks is one such hero. On Sept 3, 1939 the Germans declared war on Britain. Saks, a British native, was living with her family in Middlesex County just outside of London. “My family expected to be blown to bits and London razed to the ground in the first 24 hours. Who knew then that it would take much longer,” Saks said. A few months later after seeing her fiancée off to fight with the RAF (Royal Air Force) Saks went to the Air Ministry office to offer her help in the war effort. “I soon found myself on a parade ground for two weeks training to become a WAAF (Women’s Auxiliary Air Force) and on April 22, 1940 I was posted to a fighter station in Lincolnshire as a plotter in the operations room,” Saks said. “I discovered I could plot upside down easier than right side up so they stationed me on the North Sea coast position at the top of the huge sector table map where aircraft were plotted for the controller to vector.” Saks’ team was responsible for two squadrons of Spitfires, two of Hurricanes and two night fighter planes. A bomber station was also under their section. “During the night shift from 6 p.m. to midnight, we plotted the bombers going out in a straight line due east over the North Sea to the continent. Later, during the midnight to 8 a.m. shift, they were plotted coming back in groups of two or three, or sometimes alone.” A few months later the German Blitzkrieg was attempting to obliterate Britain with nightly bombings. By then the operations room had been moved to an underground bunker. “When surrounding cities were being blitzed our table map would be covered in raid blocks of planes coming from all directions. We often ran out of blocks there were so many planes. It

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Barbara Saks, WAAF in 1940

was a hectic, stressful time. When we went outside for breaks the night sky would be red from the glow of burning fires in the cities being.” On September 15, 1940 Saks turned 23 years old. That same day two waves of German bombers attacked Britain. “Every available pilot and plane from all over Britain were sent to the south coast. It was not until the tallies were added that we knew more enemy planes had been shot down than at any other time. That time is now known as the Battle of Britain Day.” One month later Saks received news that her family’s home had been blitzed. Fortunately, Saks’ parents had escaped the bombing and were living safely with relatives. After the war, Saks married an American airman and moved to the States where she became a proud dual citizen of the U.S. and Britain. “The greatness of America stems from the heart in the American people to help others during times of trouble,” Saks said. However, the direction of the American government worries her. “I think America has changed and is circling the drain. I think it is unfortunate that America is losing its liberty that so many gave their lives for.”

Gatlin Brothers Host TAPS Annual Celebrity Classic in Denver Julie Ayers Managing Editor

When a military family is facing the devastating loss of a loved one who can they turn to for support and assistance? One organization is TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors). TAPS provides support for families through a national network of grief support groups, a toll-free help and information line, chaplain and casualty officer assistance, and various resources relating to grief and trauma. TAPS also provides military survivor seminars and Good Grief Camps for children. Of course an organization such as TAPS must raise funds to continue their outreach programs. Every year TAPS holds their Celebrity Classic golf tournament to raise money. This year’s hosts will be famed country music stars Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers for the June 18-19 weekend.

The event will kick off Friday, June 18 with the Songwriter’s Show and Dinner at the Red Lion Hotel, 3200 S. Parker Road in Aurora. This event will feature several top country songwriters with a reception beginning at 5:30 p.m., dinner and show at 7 p.m. The Celebrity Classic golf tournament will be held Saturday, June 19 at the Arrowhead Golf Club in Denver. The main event of the weekend is the Gatlin Brothers concert, dinner and silent auction Saturday night at Steve Grove’s Ranch at Cherry Creek, 6225 S. Fraser St. Centennial, Co. Reception begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner and the concert at 7 p.m. For more information about the Celebrity Classic and to purchase tickets for any of the events, call Bo or Lynne Cottrell at 303-696-0450 or 303-842-1348, or email: Lcottrell@TAPS.org. To donate to TAPS and for more information about the organization, go to www. TAPS.org.

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Common Defense

Peace through Weakness? Foreign Policy in the Age of Obama Jimmie H. Butler, Colonel, USAF, Retired, Contributing Writer America is always less safe whenever foreign-policy decisions are made by politicians who value their power—and their party’s power—as more precious than the safety of America. For years, grandstanding liberals in Congress have limited the president’s ability to conduct foreign policies that protected us and our allies. Those liberals now are teamed with a president who treats America’s enemies better than he treats our allies. Whether the foreign policy blunders over this last year are due to naiveté, radical ideology, or incompetence, Americans and our allies are less safe than under the previous administration. We will remain so until control of the presidency and the Congress is returned to adult leadership who puts the nation’s interests ahead of political ambition. I’ve previously mentioned Iran in a list of recent failures in the ongoing War on Terror. The administration’s dealings with Iran epitomize the failure of Obama’s Peace through Weakness approach to real-world problems. During the primaries, even Hillary Clinton criticized Obama’s stated willingness to have no preconditions for direct talks with Iran over their nuclear program. This administration has achieved nothing to block Iran from getting 16 months closer to producing nuclear weapons. After last June’s fraudulent reelection of Iranian President Ahmadinejad, pro-

testers were beaten and even murdered in the streets of Tehran. Obama showed no leadership in trying to reduce the bloodshed. Unlike previous American presidents who stood against such repression in many dictatorships, Obama said we do not interfere in the internal affairs of other nations. Thus we see his approach to a regime that as the world’s largest exporter of terrorism is a serious threat to innocent American lives throughout the world. Contrast that hands-off approach with how we treat our strong ally, Israel, the only real democracy in an extremely dangerous part of the world. Early on, Obama dictated that a full Israeli settlement freeze should be a precondition to restarting stalled Arab-Israeli peace talks. There had been disputes about whether Israelis should build additional housing in areas that might eventually become part of a negotiated Palestinian state. However, Obama’s new pre-condition further stalled the talks, with the Palestinians insisting on the broader settlement halt before talks begin. The administration was then terribly insulted when during a vice presidential visit, a new building project in Jerusalem was announced. Thus Israelis were pressured to reverse the violation of a precondition set

by a president who doesn’t require preconditions for talks with our enemies and who states that we shouldn’t interfere in the internal affairs of other nations. Such a double standard in dealing with our enemies and our allies is a foreign policy that’s against the best interests of America and our allies. Mix in Iran’s unbridled pursuit of nuclear weapons and Ahmadinejad’s repeated treats to obliterate Israel. One of the few possible explanations of such lunacy is that this radically leftist administration is extending its mindset of “a crisis is a terrible thing to waste” to foreign policy. That tactic has been disastrous when applied to domestic policy. We’ve seen the administration’s resistance to time-proven solutions that would reduce unemployment and bring back the prosperity enjoyed before ReidPelosi took over Congress in 2007. When applied to such crises as Arab-Israeli standoff and the threats from Iran, the result likely will be the deaths of many innocent people. This administration’s early dealings with the British, our closest and strongest ally, were like amateur hour. Instead of traditional exchanges of stately gifts, Obama gave Queen Elizabeth an iPod including some of his speeches. He gave

This President came in vowing to change America’s image in the world—and he certainly has.

the British prime minister a nice selection of American DVDs that don’t work on DVD players in England. Within his first month as president, Obama banished from the Oval Office a bronze bust of Winston Churchill, which had been on loan from the British government since shortly after 9-11. This president came in vowing to change America’s image in the world—and he certainly has. Our founders wisely established a balance of power in the Constitution. They sought to protect us from an executive branch grown too powerful, an otherwise unrestrained legislature grown too reckless in spending and corruption, and a judiciary that failed to make sure our Constitution was upheld. The Pelosi-Reid-led Congress continually undercut the Bush administration and tried to take away executive branch powers designed for the American President to keep us safe from deadly enemies. Yet the Obama administration makes one blunder after another in dealing with our allies and enemies. The Reid-Pelosi leadership fails to tell this president his actions are dangerous for America. Now the president brags about the new giveaway treaty on strategic armaments that he negotiated from a position of weakness with the Russians. Jimmie H. Butler is a combat veteran of the Vietnam War and author of A Certain Brotherhood.

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Bill of Rights: First Amendment

Your Rights are Yours— Not the Government’s Alfred C. Maurer Featured Writer

There’s a lot of nonsense being bandied about regarding “positive” versus “negative” rights. The progressives say that the Constitution contains only negative rights; that we need a new constitution for the 21st century with positive rights. The implication is that negative rights are bad things. That may sound appealing, but the reality is quite the opposite. On March 24, CNS News reported Majority Whip Steny Hoyer as saying that the mandate in the new health care law requiring individuals and businesses to purchase health insurance or be penalized “will be so held” as constitutional, as will all the provisions in the legislation. On the other hand, Republican Reps. Jack Kingston (GA) and Michele Bachmann (MN) told CNSNews.com that the Constitution does not give Congress the authority to require individuals to buy health insurance. Who is right? The answer is clear. The foundation of our Republic is the Declaration of Independence which famously states: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In Jefferson’s original draft, the word “happiness” replaces “property,” which has been lined through. The intent is clear: the pursuit of property is happiness. This formulation goes back to the natural rights theory of John Locke. In short, we have liberty when we are secure in the possession of our lives and our property. The very next sentence of the Declaration says: That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Which comes first: our rights or the government? Clearly our rights came first, which are ours from the Creator. They are ours simply because we exist as human beings. These are our “positive” rights which no just government can take from us. What rights does the government have? Only those we give to it. What about health care? The progressive will argue that we cannot enjoy our lives and property if we don’t have good health. (I believe I actually heard Nancy Pelosi say something like that.) From that essentially true statement they conclude the government should provide it to us. They are wrong. Locke addressed this very question in his Letter Concerning Toleration. Speaking of the individual, he wrote:

What if he neglect the care of his health or of his estate, which things are nearlier related to the government of the magistrate…? Will the magistrate provide by an express law that such a one shall not become poor or sick? Laws provide, as much as is possible, that the goods and health of subjects be not injured by the fraud and violence of others; they do not guard them from the negligence or ill-husbandry of the possessors themselves. No man can be forced to be rich or healthful whether he will or no.

Yet this force is in the Obama health care bill: government is going to provide you your health care, like it or not, and you’re not going to get it for free. Besides being taxed for it and paying for it, you will be penalized if you don’t buy government insurance and penalized again if you don’t maintain what the government deems a healthy lifestyle. Less than a week after passing this bill, for example, the FDA recommends a policy that will prohibit the use of tanning beds by those under 18. Read Locke’s last sentence above again. One may object that neither John Locke’s writings nor the Declaration of Independence are the Constitution itself, the law of the land. True enough: Yet they are the basis of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The ideas of Locke and the Declaration are spelled out in the Bill of Rights. The Ninth and Tenth Amendments clearly state that rights not given specifically to the federal government by the Constitution are retained by the States and the People. Here at last we find those pesky “negative” rights the progressives are so concerned about. In giving you the citizen the positive rights of life, liberty and happiness, the government gets the negative rights preventing them from messing about in your affairs. And that is the real problem with negative rights: they prevent the progressive socialists from enacting their programs of state control. They know what’s good for you even if you don’t. We the People know better: the negative rights prevent government from creating new rights for us. What the government creates, the government can control and take away. Our true rights come from God and no government has the authority to take them from us. When it tries, the Declaration reminds us That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it The progressives and socialists are going to discover the truth of that statement in just seven short months. Al Maurer is a former military officer and assistant professor of political science. Technology is his business, politics and history are his passions.

Endowed by Their Creator The Sanctity of Life

Dave Skiver, Contributing Writer Pharaoh had a problem. To his way of thinking, there was an undesirable ethnic group in Egypt whose population was growing out of control—the Jews. So he enslaved them, and when that failed to control the growth, he resorted to infanticide. The Hebrew midwives were ordered to perform what was tantamount to forced, “full-birth” abortions by killing the baby boys right from the womb. But as Exodus 1 records, the midwives followed their consciences and refused, thereby reaping God’s blessing. Tragically, the spirit of Pharaoh lives on in America today. Abortion has been touted as a woman’s reproductive right, but there is a very dark side to this social

policy. And now, thanks to the health care bill, all Americans are forced to fund this bad policy with their hard-earned tax dollars, even if it violates their consciences. Abortion is bad social policy for at least three reasons: it is racist, it victimizes women, and it devalues human life. Pharaoh has a new identity; his name is “Progressive.” One of the progressive movement’s early proponents was Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood. Sanger was pretty blunt about what she considered to be undesirable ethnic groups and immigrants, referring to them as “human weeds,” “reckless breeders,” and “human beings who never should ENDOWED on page 41

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Bill of Rights: Second Amendment May Special!

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World Class Shooting from Colorado Springs Bruce Nozolino Contributing Writer

Just south of Raton, NM, is the NRA (National Rifle Association) Whittington Center. It’s a world-class sport shooting facility that many enthusiasts don’t realize is an easy two-hour drive from Colorado Springs. Regardless of what kind of shooting you like to do, you’ll find excellent accommodations there. I take an overnight trip to the center every other month or so and have not been disappointed yet. The Metallic Silhouette Rifle Range is a favorite of mine. There you can shoot rifles at metallic animal cutouts from 200 meters to 500 meters. There is also a large metallic buffalo at 1100 meters if you think you are getting good at this sport. There are some restrictions concerning what firearms can be used on this range to ensure the metallic targets are not destroyed. Another of my favorites is the 1000 yard high power rifle range. This range allows you to shoot at paper targets from 200 yards out to 1000 yards out. It’s an ideal setting for learning to shoot at long ranges. It is also good for learning the effects of external ballistics and wind on long range bullet flight. There are a number of other specialty ranges for sighting in rifles and pistols,

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muzzle loading, etc. A small number of these are not normally open to the public. The center also houses the best facility for sporting clays that I personally know about. You can shoot trap, skeet, or five stand with your shotgun. Every time I visit this place, I use at least one of their shotgun ranges. Costs are reasonable at the center. You can pay $20 per day for shooting or buy a year-long membership for $50. I recommend staying overnight at one of their facilities at a very reasonable rate and getting in at least two days worth of shooting. Rates can be as cheap as $26 per night for lodging. The only additional charges you incur are for the shotgun facilities. When you need a break from shooting (and the sun), visit the museum located at the entrance to the Whittington Center. There is a great—albeit small—firearms exhibit, retail store, and library of videos, books, and cartridges. The museum itself is well worth the drive. For more information about the NRA Whittington Center visit http://nrawc.org/. Bruce Nozolino is a retired engineer. He focuses his time on hunting and shooting sports, charity events, Toastmasters International, and politics.

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Bill of Rights: Tenth Amendment

Attorney General Suthers Speaks Out on Obamacare Brad Kerstetter Senior Staff Writer When the healthcare bill passed on March 21, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers was quick to say he would join a lawsuit against it. Some Coloradoans rejoiced, and some mourned, but one thing is clear, Suthers is determined to go through with his decision. His reason for fighting the bill is that it infringes upon Colorado citizens’ freedom, among other things. “The individual health insurance mandate in the bill is unconstitutional,” said Suthers. However, his decision to sue goes deeper than just the healthcare debate. “This isn’t about healthcare. This is about the reach of the federal government into your decision making,” he said. “Congress is attempting to punish [United States] citizens’ inactivity to get into the marketplace.” If the healthcare bill is allowed to stand, Suthers said, “It has huge ramifications for future Americans.” Namely, the federal government could make other services mandatory and punish citizens who do not comply. The lawsuit is based on the 10th Amendment which states that the federal government does not have powers that are not specifically given to it by the Constitution. “Anything the federal government does must be based on an enumerated power from the Constitution,” Suthers said. Because the Constitution does not contain anything about healthcare or mandates to buy goods or services, he said the federal government cannot legally require citizens to buy commodities. Suthers explained that there are mandates to buy certain services but they are handed down on a state-level, and are usually tied to an activity, such as driving. Citizens who choose not to drive are not required to purchase car insurance because they are not engaging in that activity. The difference with the healthcare bill is that citizens cannot opt out of buying health insurance without repercussions and they are being forced to engage in an economic activity. While the federal government cannot require citizens to buy a particular service, states can draft mandates as long as they are not specifically prohibited by the Constitution, Suthers said. For example, a state mandate to buy car insurance is legal because it is not explicitly denied to the states. The federal government can influence a state’s decision to some extent by giving incentives to states that cooperate.

Therefore, the Democrats could have given incentives to states that required their residents to buy health insurance. Suthers speculated the reason Democrats did not try this idea was they feared many states would reject the incentives because of pressure from citizens in favor of keeping their freedom. At the time of this interview, Suthers said 15 states had joined the lawsuit, but he expects close to 20 to join in the end. He also mentioned some states and individuals are filing separate suits against the bill. Suthers said the court proceeding for the suit he joined would start in Florida then make its way to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. If the court finds a standing for the lawsuit it could possibly file an injunction before a fast trip to the Supreme Court where the ultimate decision would be made. Some on the left say Suthers is playing party politics by joining the suit, but he claims otherwise. “It is not my job to be involved in the public policy issues surrounding health care. It is my job as attorney general to review legislation and see whether it is constitutional or not.” Despite this, many liberals are unhappy with the decision to go through with the lawsuit and believe Suthers is abusing his position as attorney general. One Democrat has even stepped up to make a bid for Suthers’ office. Boulder’s District Attorney Stanley Garnett has announced plans to run against Suthers in the next election. Garnett and Suthers have worked together on occasion but have disagreements on certain principles. “[The lawsuit] was a partisan decision, it does not benefit the citizens of Colorado, it is based on a dubious legal theory, and is a misuse of the authority and prestige of the attorney general’s office,” Garnett said in an interview with Fox 31 News. Garnett believes that Suthers has spent too much time on issues the office should not be involved in. “My opponent is out of touch with Colorado,” Garnett said on his campaign website (www.garnettforag. com). The announcement did not change Suthers’ decision to go through with the lawsuit. He said he would continue his fight against federal expansion of power and that he felt up to the challenge for the election.

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www.TheConstitutionalistToday.com | 39

Bill of Rights: Tenth Amendment

Stop the ObamaCare Choke in Colorado Michelle Morin Featured Writer

We fought the good fight. We gave it all we had. And on March 23, 2010, the nightmare that is ObamaCare became reality as President Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. But take heart. We can and will stop the ObamaCare choke in Colorado. This battle has never been about health care. It’s a Marxist agenda that will ultimately grant complete citizen control to the federal government. It’s about reversing the proper role of state and citizen to one of complete citizen dependence on the nanny state. It’s designed to choke your freedoms and crush individual rights. Is this the end of the battle? No way. Not as long as that eternal spark of freedom burns in our hearts. Never let anyone or anything extinguish that flame. Colorado’s flame for freedom is burning bright, and we are poised to push back against ObamaCare from a couple of angles: 1) a federal lawsuit, and 2) a ballot initiative, each expanded below. In the short term, both require action on your part to stay vigilant and focused through November. The 10th Amendment—To understand this stage in the battle for freedom from ObamaCare, familiarize yourself with the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. It reads: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” Basically, the 10th Amendment protects individual states’ rights from unconstitutional federal laws and regulations. In a time when lawmakers continue to relentlessly pass laws increasing the role of government in our lives, the 10th Amendment is a weapon we must wield now to protect freedom in Colorado.

the election in favor of his opponent. For Colorado to stay in the fight, Suthers must win in November. He needs the support and vote of every Colorado citizen who loves freedom. Colorado Right to Health Care Choice Ballot Initiative—Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute based in Golden, Colorado, has written an initiative for the November 2010 ballot titled “Right to Health Care Choice.” If we the people take ownership of this, successfully put it on the ballot and pass it, we will amend the Colorado Constitution and empower Colorado to exercise its 10th Amendment rights specifically against ObamaCare. In part, the amendment states: “All persons shall have the right of health care choice. No statute, regulation, resolution or policy adopted or enforced by the State of Colorado, its departments and agencies independently or at the instance of the United States shall require any person to participate in any public or private health benefit plan or system, deny, restrict or penalize the right of any person to make or receive direct payments for lawful health benefit services, nor deny, restrict or penalize the right of any person to purchase and use health insurance products or other health benefit plans or systems legal for sale in any other state where such plans or systems are duly licensed or otherwise qualified and in good standing in the provider’s home state.” This amendment would free Colorado citizens from ObamaCare’s choking effects and make Colorado a sanctuary state for quality health care. It allows Coloradans to opt out of the oppressive health insurance mandates contained within ObamaCare, because we would not be forced to participate in any health insurance plan, nor would we be penalized for paying cash for health care. To successfully realize Colorado’s 10th Amendment rights, every freedom-loving Coloradan must take action now. The initiative must collect 120,000 petition signatures by July 1. This campaign depends completely on the efforts and resources of Coloradans like you. Take charge and commit to three things now: 1. Sign the petition. You must be a Colorado citizen and a registered voter. 2. Circulate the petition for signatures. Sign up at www.i2i.org. 3. Donate to the initiative campaign. Any amount helps win for freedom. It’s easy to donate online at www.i2i.org. Time is of the essence. Spread the word about the Colorado Right to Health Care Choice ballot initiative. Make copies of this article and hand to friends, or email a link to the online edition at www.TheConstitutionalistToday.com. To receive the latest information in the health care battle, sign up for my health care updates online at www.Mom4Freedom.com. Pray without ceasing and never give up. Let’s flex our state’s rights granted in the Constitution and stop the ObamaCare choke in Colorado.

The 10th Amendment is a weapon we must wield now to protect freedom.

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As of this writing, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers has joined over a dozen other state attorneys general and filed a lawsuit against the federal government challenging the health care mandate. From AG Suthers’ website www.coloradoattorneygeneral.gov, here is the basis for the lawsuit: The individual mandate to purchase insurance or suffer economic sanction violates constitutional principles and lacks constitutional authority. The Constitution … does not give the Congress the power to compel a citizen … to purchase a product or service and thereby become subject to congressional regulation. Such an expansion of the current understanding of the Commerce Clause would leave no private sphere of individual commercial decision making beyond the reach of the federal government. It would render the 10th Amendment meaningless. The lawsuit also will challenge the constitutionality of the penalties included in the legislation for individuals that decide to forgo purchasing health insurance.

AG Suthers must be applauded and supported in this critical action. More importantly, he is up for re-election this November. If his liberal opponent wins, our state will be withdrawn from the lawsuit. Organized liberal activist groups know this and are already mobilized to upset

40 | The Constitutionalist Today

Michelle Morin, aka Mom4Freedom, is External Communications Chair for Coalition for a Conservative Majority.

Eternal Vigilance

Alinsky-ites— Strangers to the Truth

The third in a series on Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals An American Patriot, Contributing Writer In previous articles we learned Alinskyites see their opponents as the “enemy,” they don’t respect truth (truth is relative and changing), and they stubbornly try to tilt the playing field to their advantage. Their relentless pursuit of power relies on tactics of “challenging, insulting, agitating, discrediting;” a direct assault on Americans’ longstanding sense of civility and fair play. For decades Alinsky-ites have been at war with America and America’s values, and most of us are coming late to the battle. Finally awakened to the Alinsky-ite threat to our liberty and to America’s future, we’re joining this fight by the millions. Think of the famous line from the 1976 movie, Network. “We’re as mad as hell, and we’re not going to take this anymore.” What must we do to roll back the damage Alinsky-ites have done to America’s traditional values? As a little kid in Sunday School, I learned the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It was a small, but significant, part of the heritage I received from the nation’s founders. Maybe my faith wasn’t strong enough, however. By about eight, I recognized that unprincipled and corrupt people took advantage of good people. In youthful innocence, mixed with an early dose of cynicism, I created my own Silver Rule: Do unto others as they do unto you. I didn’t start lying and being corrupt, but I stopped respecting such people, and I stopped giving them the benefit of the doubt by assuming they were truthful. Sixty years later, I have no respect for serial liars who routinely deny the importance of truth in a civil society. We must view Alinsky-ites with similar distrust. Seemingly without consciences, they have earned our skepticism—and continue to earn it every day. Their routine unwillingness to tell the truth makes them unworthy of holding the high offices many have reached, be those positions in

academia, the media, the legal system, or the government. Once Alinsky-ites incorporate lying into their basic personalities, deception in the pursuit of power becomes their way of life. I feel sorry for their children. They don’t have honest parents for role models as I had as a child. So our starting point is to recognize Alinsky-ites for what they are and that they routinely lie and mislead much of America. They no longer share the values of citizens who make our country uniquely great. Many Alinsky-ites have gotten away with the deceptions for years and are very smooth in dodging counterattacks. They benefit greatly from the Alinsky-ite enablers in the mainstream media who avoid reporting on the lies and misdeeds of the radical liberals. Most of you have recognized the blatant liars especially during the Obamacare fiasco. They are so earnest when they lie straight-faced to the American people. Judge anything they say from the perspective of: Maybe they’re telling the truth this time—but don’t bet on it! Occasionally they stumble into the truth. Think Speaker Pelosi (D-CA): “But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy.” We’re still learning about evil things hidden by Alinsky-ites in the 2000+ page bill. Think Congressman and former impeached judge Alcee Hastings (D-FL) discussing how House Democrats were working to pass Obamacare, “When the deal goes down, uh, all this talk about rules… uh, we make them up as we go along.” Think Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) at last year’s hearing with oil company executives. “This liberal will be all about socializing . . . uh uh. . . will be about ... basically taking over and the government running all your companies.” Such statements would be worthy of Alinsky-style ridicule and a hearty laugh

ENDOWED continued from page 37 have been born.” Regarding AfricanAmericans, in a 1939 letter she wrote, “We do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population ... if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members.” Fast forward to the summer of 2009 and a statement made by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in a New York Times interview: “Frankly I had thought that at the time Roe was decided, there was concern about population growth and particularly growth in populations that we don’t want to have too many of. So that Roe was going to be then set up for Medicaid funding for abortion.” A U.S. Supreme Court justice confirmed the thinking of the time was abortion would control unwanted growth in certain populations. Just who are these certain populations? Maybe no one today talks quite as plainly as Planned Parenthood’s founder, but the stark reality, according to US CDC statistics, is that the abortion rate for black women over the years has been consistently more than three times that of white women. Can you imagine if abortion were a conservative policy instead of a progressive one? Conservatives would be accused of wearing white hoods and carrying nooses.

Not only is abortion racist, but it also victimizes women, often leaving them in anguish or outright despair over the loss of their babies. Studies have linked abortion to a higher rate of breast cancer. Undercover journalists have exposed Planned Parenthood’s cover-up of crimes against young girls, like incest and statutory rape, in order to persuade them to abort. It’s been rightly said that the mother is the other victim of an abortion. If racism and the harm to women aren’t enough, abortion also devalues human life. Who in that fateful year of 1973 would ever have imagined that a judge would sentence a brain-injured Florida woman to death by dehydration as her family begged for clemency? Who would have thought that a “death panel” in Oregon would recommend suicide to a cancer patient while denying her medication that might save or extend her life? Who would have thought that a former Colorado governor would say that the elderly with severe illnesses have a “duty to die and get out of the way”? Abortion, assisted suicide, health care rationing, and euthanasia are all symptoms of the monstrous philosophy that the value of people’s lives is based on their cost to society or ability to contribute. So what can we do? Plenty! Defund Planned Parenthood, give to our local Life

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if the subjects weren’t so important and the consequences of these incompetent politicians so dangerous to our futures. Nevertheless, start out by assuming that Alinsky-ites aren’t telling the truth on anything they say about policy, about how what they are doing is good for the American people, or about anything they say about their opponents. Think attacks on Tea Party patriots, Sarah Palin, George W., Justice Thomas, and on all people who stand against the tyranny Alinsky-ites are trying to impose on America.

Confronting Alinsky-ites with the truth is akin to forcing Dracula into the sunshine. I’m reminded of President Truman’s famous quote in his 1948 election battle with the Republicans. “I don’t give them Hell. I just tell the truth about them and they think it’s Hell.” I can envision him today giving truth and Hell to the Alinskyites for doing such damage to the country and the Democrat Party Truman loved. It’s well past time we stand together and do the same.

Network Pregnancy Center, support prolife candidates, promote abstinence education in our schools, protect a medical provider’s right not to perform any procedure that violates his or her conscience. Vote “yes” this November on the “personhood” amendment to Colorado’s Constitution, acknowledging that children in the womb are also endowed by their Creator with the unalienable right of life. For our fiscal-conservative friends who feel a bit uneasy associating politically with

the pro-life movement, consider this: how can we trust the government to protect our God-given rights of liberty and pursuit of happiness if it does not protect the most fundamental right of life for the weakest and most vulnerable among us? If life is not sacred, how can anything else be? Dave Skiver is a retired Air Force officer, who is now a pastor, adjunct professor with Liberty University’s online communications program, and freelance writer/editor.

www.facebook.com/TheConstitutionalistToday | 41

Eternal Vigilance

Is Constitution Still Relevant? Richard Eleuterio Contributing Writer

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42 | The Constitutionalist Today

Most Americans of all political persuasions would agree that our founders made a good faith effort to write a document that would secure our rights and liberties beyond their own life spans. The Constitution was written to provide a governmental structure to the revolutionary ideas advanced by the Declaration of Independence, the core of which are the following: “…that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness – That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed.” Because they knew that the then-new American Constitution was less than perfect, an amendment process was included. There have been 17 amendments since the Bill of Rights. Yet many of our best and brightest, purportedly the elites in academia, law, politics, and journalism, seem to think that the ideas and the inherent nature of our unalienable rights part of the Declaration and Constitution are obsolete! This raises the question: Has the modern state with all its resources become a benevolent Samaritan without securing citizen’s rights? The evidence suggests a contrary conclusion. Has any authoritarian government ever improved the well-being of its citizens? Indeed the American intellectual’s support for such “luminary” tyrants in the last 100 years as Hitler, Stalin, Castro, and Hugo Chavez is legendary. Take for example: New York Times writer Walter Duranty’s Pulitzer Prize winning article of support in 1931 of Stalin’s USSR; poet Ezra Pound’s support for Hitler; Ed Sullivan, who cited Castro as Cuba’s George Washington; and Mark Lloyd, the diversity czar in the current administration who is a supporter of Hugo Chavez. Our founders discovered how to restrain the rapacious appetite of government for power and enable ordinary people’s liberty to thrive and flourish for over 200 years. But this extraordinary contract, our Constitution, is being rendered like raw meat in a slaughter house. This covenant with the people still works so well that the only way to terminate this sacred pledge is to use deception regarding what this agreement really includes. This deception is that the immutable and inalienable rights of the people need to evolve into new rights, granted by our elite leadership, suitable to modern times and circumstances. The proponents of these changes call it progress. What is ironic is that people who want to undermine our original contract are most-

ly well meaning. Their motives are sincere. However, the common trait they all share is limited firsthand knowledge in practical matters of day to day responsibilities. Many of them want to “create jobs” without having experience in running a business. They want to “socially engineer” other people’s lives through the state without having any personal knowledge of those individual lives. They also believe that the modern state is no longer a threat to its citizens despite all evidence previously cited. They are fulfilling an inauspicious tradition by being so convinced about the rightness of their cause that they have a minimal concern for the unleashing of state power. When confronted by evidence of the abuse of power by central planning governments over the lives of ordinary citizens worldwide throughout history, they try to discredit the source or nature of the evidence, or even on occasion deny the manifestation of their own senses. Why do they do it? Many of them are highly motivated to make the world a better place. In order to have an active roll working toward that laudable goal, the authority of the State is a vehicle they must use to maximize their efforts. How does that “central planning” work? The empirical answer time and time again is—not very well! Examples abound, such as: 1. Pricing boards in the old Soviet Union where shortages and surpluses were the rule in virtually all consumer goods; not so with freely determined supply and demand pricing. 2. Wage and price controls instituted by President Richard Nixon in the early 1970’s in a fruitless attempt to turn back inflation. In fact, after the abandonment of the measure, because it did not work, inflation was higher than before. 3. The embarrassing failure, even to the present time, by the brightest minds in academia and business appointed to the Federal Reserve Board to control the price of one resource – money! The very complexity of the modern economy argues against central planning and the experience of government control failures proves it. The words of our founding documents, written over 200 years ago, are still relevant and they continue to resound through the halls of history because human nature is unchanging. These sentiments must be reinstated for us to once again be free of the velvet chains of soft tyranny! Richard Eleuterio’s parents were Portuguese immigrants with limited formal education and means but Richard perceived in them a strong work ethic plus a deep and abiding love of this country and its incomparable opportunities. He has been intensely interested in politics and economics for many years, finding the current state of affairs cause for concern.

Political Rhetoric: Gobbledygook

Party Ideals Differ from Decades Ago

Sound the warning! “The politicians are coming! The politicians are coming!” The political caucuses have taken place here in Colorado, and in other parts of the country similar activities have begun. Thus this election year is formally underway and with it the unavoidable onslaught of political rhetoric. Incumbents and hopefuls alike stand ready to tell us of their solutions to all of our problems. This is normal, of course, but this time there is something different in the air. This past year Americans have been awakened to the incessant rush toward massive government intrusion into our lives, affecting our political and economic liberties. But some things never change, it seems, politicians and political rhetoric among them. Politicians will appeal to us in the name of the economy, the unemployed, the children, the elderly, the poor, and victims of one bad thing or another. There are serious problems today, to be sure. But it is questionable whether the government that caused many of them is capable of fixing them. And although we are more on guard today than in recent years and less likely to be swayed by their appeals, if we are not careful, we may yet be talked into something we don’t really need or want. In order to avoid that, let’s remind ourselves of just what political rhetoric is. This requires the definition of two words: gobbledygook and jargon. “Gobbledygook: noun, incomprehensible or pompous jargon of specialists.” “Jargon: noun, a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves).” [I’m not making this up.] We see then that political rhetoric is merely specialized nonsense used by politicians to mislead the hearer, usually to give the impression that they have dealt with some issue, when in fact, they have attempted to avoid it. It’s almost always used to persuade us that more government in our lives is good for us. It’s deception, really. Let’s look at a few examples so we’ll be better able to avoid its snares. • We don’t pay taxes, we make investments. • How many times have we heard some politician, regardless of party, use a sentence like “It’s time to make the hard choices and move forward on this matter,” regardless of the matter? How meaningful is that?

A very odd thing about the current Democrat rank-and-file is that their leftist-liberal leaders have almost comprehensively and completely built in a fundamental dislike/distrust (almost hatred?) of our republic’s founding documents. How bizarre. If one talks with Democrats these days, particularly the younger ones, they have an almost automatic disdain for the state and federal Constitutions. That disdain is apparent while having only a superficial grasp of them or the principles involved. The behavior is very different from the Democrats I grew up around in the 60’s. Today, it is reflected in the zombie-like rhetoric and name-calling about anyone, whether a Republican, Independent, Libertarian or others who profess a love and understanding of the founding documents and the principles involved. One would think they would understand that this is a very dangerous trend for the long-term survival of their own party in this country. Among Democrats (that can be found) who profess a love of the Constitution(s) and Declaration [of Independence], very few have studied in-depth either the state or federal Constitutions enough to have more than a passing understanding of the principles behind the documents. That is a clear reflection of how far the party leadership has moved the rank-and-file away from those principles. Most Democrats don’t even seem to understand how those principles were setup to work at all, or why, which is displayed in poll after poll. Rejecting the principles, they have adopted the “living document” fallacy to accommodate the rejection.

Pat Francomano, Contributing Writer

• Consider the ever popular reaching across party lines in bipartisan cooperation to get something done. Bipartisan is still partisan, and such cooperation usually results in compromises in which there are no clear winners. In fact, all sides lose something. These examples may seem benign, but depending upon their context, they could have serious implications, particularly when they lead to the erosion of our personal liberties. If we have been fooled into accepting some unnecessary expansion of government, there is always an accompanying erosion of personal liberties. Yet there is a more dangerous form of political rhetoric, and while its use is heightened during an election year, it goes on all the time. It has to do with the misuse and confusion of language itself. Words have meanings, and ideas have consequences. When words lose their meanings, ideas lose their meanings. The constant, often deliberate, misuse of language dulls our sensibilities to reality. Little by little, the repetition of even a lie becomes believable. We constantly hear our government referred to as a democracy. Although it is closer to that today than ever before, it is not a democracy. It remains a republic. But repetition has had even our presidents referring to our democracy, indeed wanting to spread democracy around the world. Even more serious, we have the misinterpretation of our Constitution by referring to it as a living document, ever evolving into something more fitting to contemporary thought. But contemporary thought has a diminishing sense of objective truth and words seem to have no stable meaning at all. Thus we can have all three branches of government bringing us laws for the welfare state, rather than for the general welfare, that is, the well being or soundness, of society. Having been warned about the coming political rhetoric, let’s not settle for the same old specialized nonsense in this election cycle. We awakened Americans want more than promises of hope and change. Let’s listen closely to what the candidates say and to what they don’t say. Let’s demand clarity and substance. America’s future depends on it.

The constant, often deliberate, misuse of language dulls our sensibilities to reality.

Jeff Wright, Guest Writer

It was only a few short decades ago that Democrats were just as likely to profess a love and understanding of the Constitution as any Republican. They understood many of the same principles, just took a slightly different view of them. Now there is virtually nothing in common with those who want to see Constitutional government. How did that happen? Five or six decades ago many Democrats, similar to many Republicans, were still “classic liberals,” which is referred to today as a Libertarian. It is interesting how time causes such large polarity flips where the average Democrat of today might not even recognize his counterpart of 60 years ago. He would more likely believe that counterpart to be a Republican! Anyone who needs a fact-check on that should Google and read the National Democratic Platform from 1932; FDR campaigned on this platform then was the first of many to throw it away. Both major parties have strayed far from their roots and principles. Many Republicans have a long way (some as far as the Dems from another direction) to go to find their way back to the founding principles. Both parties have precipitated the rise of the Tea Party movement because of it. However, it is clear at this point that the reason Democrats only comprise 12-17% of Tea Partiers is the success the anti-constitutionalists have had in the Democratic Party. The average Democrat now sees someone who believes in the Constitution and Declaration [of Independence] as someone to fear and loathe. That’s something all Democrats need to think about and why more need to flock to the Tea Party movement before it is too late.

Now you can read and understand the whole Constitution in under 30 minutes! The Constitution Made Easy is an easy-reading Modern English version of the Constitution that makes the meaning of the original seem to jump oﬀ the page! Like a parallel Bible, the Modern version appears on every odd-numbered page, and the original Constitution is right across from it on every even-numbered page for easy crossreference. Now you can have the best of both worlds. The Constitution Made Easy is ideal for experts and beginners alike. It is simple enough for some 4th-graders to read, yet college graduates and even lawyers have reported that their understanding was improved. The book is available in a full-color, spiral bound Deluxe Edition that lays ﬂat for reference and study, or an economical Student Edition. Every home should have a copy and they make excellent gifts for anyone who cares about our freedoms. Order yours today at TheConstitutionMadeEasy.com. Book discounts are available in quantity; as well as for educational, promotional, or premium use. For large orders or special projects please contact the publisher:

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Pursuit of Happiness: Book Reviews

Game Over: How You Can Prosper in a Shattered Economy by Stephen Leeb, PhD Reviewed by J. McGuire

4 Star Rating We all tend to think our lives will remain indefinitely as they are right now. VCRs, rationing, former presidents, Studebakers, roller skate keys, and $1-a-gallon-gas are often dim memories. With the “green” movement and resentment of the political agenda-driven push to legitimize man-made global warming, it can be easy to overlook hard science on changes in the availability of our natural resources. Still, the availability and pricing of various commodities does affect our lives and does so in quite complex ways. Steel prices are connected to building costs, which relate to the expansion of manufacturing fa-

cilities and those, in turn, affect items that we, as individuals, buy as well as items that are used for other manufacturing activities, for example. While we will not be running out of steel in the next few days, at some point it becomes harder and harder to acquire. The easiest to find and produce is usually the first to get used. As time continues, it takes more resources (energy, labor, time, money, etc.) to get the same quantity of a commodity. Oil, gas, coal, and other non-renewable energy sources follow the same pattern, which brings us to a buzz word-type term used these days: peak oil. The author, early on, prefers to define Peak Oil as “the point at which increases in oil supply can no longer satisfy increases in demand.” This allows supply as well as demand for oil to be included in the equation. While there are investment suggestions given toward the end of the book that also help to illuminate, the facts and explanations given throughout are important for

one wishing to understand how our current world spins. Although the author depicts formidable hurdles for each, he does put forth a half suggestion, half plea to experts: think outside your defined fields, work with those in other areas of knowledge, indulge in the big picture. This is what is needed to overcome the problems of stagnation and a resetting of life as we know it. Our world has grown increasingly complex. At some point, the volume of complexity cannot be sustained. How we move through that process is the question that should be asked by us all. This is a well-written read packed with oodles of relevant information, woven together to convey a good picture of our current energy dilemmas and how they interrelate. It then goes into the various options often touted as end-all solutions to the problems of using non-renewable energy sources. Wind, solar, hydro-electric, geothermal, nuclear, and other energy sources are well covered.

The Road to Serfdom by F. A. Hayek

Reviewed by Jon Gillin

The important point is that, if we take the people whose views influence developments, they are now in the democracies in some measure all socialist. -F.A. Hayek, 1944

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Friedrich A. Hayek was born in Vienna Presented by in 1938 after and immigrated to Britain Austria came under the rule of Nazi Germany. This gave him a unique view of the events in Germany and Austria that led to the takeover by the National Socialist Party. As he saw the events unfold in his homeland and its northern neighbor he felt it necessary to warn the world of what had happened to prevent its recurrence elsewhere. In 1944, he published The Road to Serfdom. It is not only a defense of free markets and limited government, but also a warning against a centrally planned economy that can end only in totalitarianism. Hayek traces socialism back to its earliest roots with many philosophers of postrevolutionary France. For them, “Freedom of thought was regarded as the root-evil of 19th century society.” These proto-socialists who advocated central planning of all

5 Star Rating public affairs saw early on that this would necessarily lead to a totalitarian system. Hayek quotes Saint-Simon (the first of modern planners) as saying that those who would not obey would be “treated as cattle.” Hayek says that to get anything done in this system, “direction must be ‘taken out of politics’ and placed into the hand of experts − permanent officials or independent autonomous bodies....a socialist government must not allow itself to be too much fettered by democracy.” Much of the book demonstrates how the socialists carry out their schemes. As a planned social order becomes more pervasive, the Rule of Law no longer provides boundaries for governments and their citizens. Instead, it begins “to qualify legal provisions increasingly by reference to what is ‘fair’ or ‘reasonable;’ this means that it becomes necessary to leave decision of the concrete case more and more to discretion of the judge or authority in question.” Hayek argues that to have a flexible and free economy we must by necessity also have limited government. However, “with the decline of the understanding of the way in which the free system worked, our awareness of what depended on its existence also decreased.” This book is a must-read for all Americans. It not only outlines how the free system works but also the socialist attacks on it and the inevitable end result of socialism. To Hayek it is of utmost importance to protect liberty against those who would seek to control their fellow men. As Lord Acton said, “[liberty] is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end.” Jon Gillin is a professional musician and avid student of history and politics.

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You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the first step into a thousand years of darkness… —Ronald Reagan

Pursuit of Happiness

Time Traveler Foresees Obama Reelected Jay Cadillac, Contributing Writer

We did it! For years my brother and I have been tinkering away in his garage to build a time machine. We’ve had a few mishaps. One time bro found himself hurled backwards where he didn’t want to go — a hot July day in 1876, beside a creek called Little Bighorn, and a whole lot of Indians hollering for honkies. He jammed the machine in reverse and scooted away just seconds before a hatchet scraped his head. At least that’s what he tells me, although I suspect bro’s tales sometimes get more imaginative with each telling. Last week bro and I figured we got all the glitches out of our time traveler, which we built mostly using the body and frame of a 1972 Checker taxicab. We flipped a coin to see who’d get to take it for a new test spin into the future. I won. But bro forgot to top off the gas tank and I had only enough fuel to go ahead 10 years at most. I told the computer to put me down in Colorado Springs, February 1, 2013, at the corner of Platte and Nevada. That way if I got stranded in the future, I could simply pull the machine behind a bush in Acacia Park, hide, and wait for my brother to get a few years older and rescue me. I picked that date because I was busting to know if Barack Obama was going to be reelected in 2012 and what America would look like if he and

his “democritters” still had their lopsided hold on political power. Folks, I made it back from 2013 but I’m afraid I have bad news for you. Not only is Obama going to be more than a one-termer, but it looked like the democritters will have remade this country in a way you won’t believe. In early 2010 everything seemed to be going the Republicans’ way. Sure, they lost the Obamacare vote in Congress, but that was supposed to be the catalyst for a GOP landslide in November. How, in three years, did things go so awry? I’m still not sure completely why, and I didn’t have much time, during my touchdown in 2013, to do a lot of research—bro forgot to charge the battery on the machine so I had to leave it idling or it would never start again and that consumes a lot of fuel. All I could do was nab the first passerby and quiz him. “Sir,” I asked a skinny middle-aged man walking his bicycle with a matronly woman at his side. “I’m, uh, from Fox News ... can I ask you a question?”

“That’s a puzzling question. Where’s your helmet? Every unit must wear a helmet except when engaging in conversation with another unit. Even my nanny here must wear one.” “Oh. I didn’t get the word. What’s that about?”

What’s the matter with you? You lied about being from Fox News. Dear Leader shut down Fox News a year ago.

“You may, comrade,” the pale, bald fellow said as he took off his helmet. “First, why are you and your friend wearing helmets?”

“Dear Leader says it’s a dangerous world and we all must wear helmets.” “You mean just when you’re riding your bike, right?”

“Where do you come from, anyway? You ask peculiar questions. Indoors or outdoors, young or old, we all wear helmets. It’s been Dear Leader’s rule since January.” “You mean even when driving your car?” “What car? There hasn’t been a car permitted since last fall. Look around, do you see any cars? We either ride a bus or a bicycle or we walk. Only Dear Leader can have a car. What’s the matter with you? You lied about being from Fox News. Dear Leader shut down Fox News a year ago. And where’s your nametag? We all have to wear nametags that say Eloi and our number. I’m Eloi-2893009. What number are you? And what’s that odd machine you have with you?” “Oh, that’s my, uh, bicycle.”

“I’m not stupid, stranger. That looks like one of those illegal dinosaur-era automobiles that Dear Leader banned a long time ago. You stand right there while I have my nanny summon an enforcer from The Panel. By the way, where is your nanny? We all have to have nannies, you know that. You’re going to reeducation camp, that is, if The Panel lets you live.” I don’t have to tell you I panicked! I thought if I feigned sickness he might take pity and let me go. But when I pretended to pass out another unit, Eloi4673457 and his nanny, stopped by to help him subdue me. It was no contest, though. Both the Elois must have weighed 90 pounds combined. I had no trouble socking them senseless and fleeing the terrified nannies in the trusty time machine back to the present. But I wonder, is that our certain destiny, Dear Reader? In just a few years, will we have surrendered our freedoms and liberty merely to secure some imaginary security? I don’t know. Maybe not. Right now bro is tinkering with the machine. He thinks it still has some bugs. Bro thinks that perhaps by the first Wednesday in November he will have a better idea if there’s a malicious virus in the hard drive that made the machine go wacko sending me to a Wellesian future of obeisant Eloi that couldn’t possibly happen in America. Or whether the time traveler is working just fine.

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Pursuit of Happiness

Ellis in Wonderland

A Yummy Recipe for Health Care Disaster Cake Ellis Posey, Featured Writer There is a national election for Chief Chef of the Country in which you, Barack Obama, are named and put into the White House to rule over the Beltway and the nation in all matters culinary and otherwise. Leaders of Acorn, unions and other supporting groups are asked what they want you to cook up first. They yell, “Whadda we want? Health Care Cake! When do we want it? Now!” Such eloquence brings a tear to your eye. You decide to reward them with a Giant Health Care Cake. This will be your signature dish. You tell your assistant chefs in the House and Senate to make preparations. A food fight breaks out between the House Assistant Chef and the Senate Assistant Chef. Each insists they know more about baking any cake, particularly a Health Care Cake, than the other. You take decisive action after only a year and insist all interested parties get on with it. First, you gather all elected Democrats into the Washington D.C. Beltway Kitchen. Gently separate them into Senate and House groups to prevent a food fight. Close kitchen doors so pesky Republicans can’t get in to turn result into Nancy Pelosi Teensy Weensy Spider Cupcakes. In two large containers (bowls are not large enough so use giant vats) let Demo groups throw in all the ingredients their greedy appetites desire. Vats are already half full of your own ingredients, Hope and Change. Do not mix ingredients of two containers, as this will result in a food fight. When Repubs start banging on the kitchen door, tell them to go bake their

own cake. When they holler back they have several substitute recipes for Health Care Cake, cover ears and walk away mumbling to yourself, “Talking points, talking points, that’s all they got is talking points.” Stop food fight between two Demo groups. When internal quarrels start inside those groups stomp your foot and tell them to behave or you’ll take the gag off Assistant Chef Biden’s mouth. Silence immediately ensues. Allow Demos to start throwing other wish lists into containers. When vats start to spill over, food fight breaks out because some Demos didn’t get all their goodies in. Send out for more large vats. You may not have to put your Health Care Disaster Cake batter in the oven. Food fights have heated up the Beltway Kitchen enough to partially heat the batter. Since most of the ingredients Demos have put in there are half-baked, it is probably ready to eat. Decorate the cake with weasel-word frosting to cover flaws and make it appear more appetizing. You put your signature on it. Next you present the finished Health Care Disaster Cake to citizens of the country. Consumers yell they don’t like what they see and what they found out went into the batter. By a large margin they insist they don’t want it. They already have too much on their plate. Most would prefer Teensy Weensy Spider Cupcakes anyway, and especially jobs. As you turn away, you are heard to mumble, “Jobs, shmobs. Let ‘em eat cake.”

Miracles on the Mountainside National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic 2010 Cindy Lyons Senior Staff Writer

Over 350 disabled veterans attended the 24th Annual National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic March 28-April 2 at Snowmass Village, Colorado. The purpose of this clinic is to provide veterans with the opportunity to participate in rehabilitative sporting events that will give them the chance to challenge the limits of their disabilities. The main events include alpine and cross country skiing, fly fishing, snowmobiling, sled hockey, shooting sports, archery, rock wall climbing, curling, scuba diving, a gondola ride up Snowmass and a day trip to Glenwood Springs hot springs. The participants were veterans with traumatic brain injury, post traumatic stress syndrome, multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases. Some were amputees, blind, or visually impaired, had spinal cord or other injuries. By the end of the clinic you forget about the “dis” part of the word disability and participate according to your abilities. How do I know? I am a disabled veteran myself. At my first clinic in 2008 I was in a wheelchair. I thought I would never be able to walk again then I discovered I could walk around my bed which gave me the inspiration to exercise more after the clinic. By the following August I was up and walking (although poorly) and without the aid of any supportive devices. This year skiing in a ‘bucket’ (bi-ski) was a blast! I was jazzed that I could be on slopes again for the first time since 1979. One of my first instructors, called “Milty,”

46 | The Constitutionalist Today

actually invented the bi-ski. He was an ace at how he managed to make me push myself to go beyond my comfort zone and make me think it was my idea in the first place. His fellow instructor, Jim Morris, was equally adept at encouraging me and we all had a blast. “If you’re not here to see it you’re not going to understand it and you won’t believe it. It took my friend 3-4 years to finally get me to come here. There are vets out there that need to know that there is life after injury and disability and that they are not as limited as they think they are,” Morris said. This year, due to an error, I was scheduled to do stand up skiing. I quickly said, “Why not?” The clinic’s positive attitude is infectious. Saying no was not an option. If my legs ended up feeling too weak I could still use the bi-ski. My instructor this year was Elise Bowne who was very adept at getting me to turn well by praising and gently correcting me as I went down the beginners’ slope. On the second day I felt ready to get on the regular slopes, but the powdery snow turned sticky and Elise had to scrape the snow off my skis often. The benefit to me was seeing that my legs were holding up despite alternating between alpine skiing and cross-country skiing. We joked the entire two-hour trek down the hill. “It is so cool to see people understanding that the change in their ability to achieve on the mountain translates to their ability to achieve everywhere else,” Elise said. “There is some part of me that sees this as a way to give back to the veterans. I could never make those same sac-

rifices and this is a tiny way of helping to support those who have. I love the upbeat, positive attitude that permeates the clinic! Although I usually leave physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted, at the same time it renews my faith in the human spirit and in what is possible when we work together to achieve.” Jesus Pintos, a retired Marine Corps Veteran from Boynton Beach, Florida was attending the clinic for the 10th year. He has Parkinson’s disease due to a serviceconnected exposure to Sarin gas during the first Gulf War as well as other injuries. Jesus is proactive in his approach to his disabilities and attends other athletic events to keep his body and mind strong. “Once the new ones get the fever about coming here we know then that they won’t commit suicide or hurt themselves,” Jesus said. “If we can show them that they can ski, sled hockey, and swim, etc., this reduces the chances that they will commit suicide. I think that this program is literally saving some guys lives.” The true “Miracles on the Mountainside” are what happens once you get

off the mountain with your new skills and realize that your sacrifice for your country was not in vain and that there are plenty of people willing to help you achieve new goals. Some participants have even gone on to compete at the Paralympics or at other clinics.

Lady Liberty’s Lamp John Huges, Guest Writer

A long bitter uncertain road lies before us all. It seems to stretch to infinity, the end shrouded, in a pall. The one thing sure, is uncertainty as we face, this test of will. That we have will, is a necessity! Lest the call of liberty, be still. For if we fail in this task, man becomes a drone. Forced to have to always ask for the things that he needs done. And then when he is thrown a bone; gratitude becomes his task. His goal is then to be alone, For only then, can he unmask, His true feeling, quietly shown.

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Pursuit of Happiness

You Can’t Fix Stupid Compiled by Helen Sabin

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It looks like Democrats have their 60 votes for healthcare. Harry Reid said the bill will save us hundreds of millions of dollars. Well, it would have, except for the hundreds of millions of dollars we had to pay to buy the 60 votes. –Jay Leno I don’t worry about the Constitution. –Rep. Phil Hare (D-IL) on being asked where in the Constitution it gives Congress the right to force people to buy health care. You’re asking me?”

–Rep Henry Waxman (D-CA), replying to a GOP colleague on his committee who asked him whether he knew a specific provision had been embedded in the proposal with his name on it.

There ain’t no rules here, we’re trying to accomplish something. When the deal goes down, or all this talk about rules: we make ‘em up as we go along. –Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL), House Rules Committee You know we are going to control the insurance companies -Vice President Joe Biden If you don’t tie our hands, we’ll keep stealing. -Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA)

As a local Managed Print Service (MPS) provider we are designed to assist the business end user to stream line management and minimize cost s associated with printing and imaging . Our goal is to enhance productivity, cut costs, and reduce overall energy consumption within a given environment.. Gain control of your environment with a Managed Print Services Solution.

3004 N. Nevada Ave. AT THE CORNER OF FILLMORE

www.birchams.com

48 | The Constitutionalist Today

Photo by Jimmie Butler, Col., USAF, Ret.

• MANAGED PRINT SERVICES

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In Motor City since 1993

What does it mean to drive a Toyota Camry or Toyota Corolla?

2010 Camry -Best Midsize Car for the Money* *U.S. News Car Rankings at usnews.com/cars

2010 Toyota Camry Hybrid Best Car for Commuters 2010 Camry Best Selling Car in America, and, Best Selling Car in America for the last 8 years.

2010 Insurance Highway for Safety

“Top Safety Pick -Corolla” To qualify for the award, a vehicle must earn the highest rating of “good” in the IIHS’ front, side, rollover, and rear impact tests and be equipped with electronic stability control / March 2, 2010.

2010 Corolla Best Car for Commuters 2010 Corolla Best Selling Subcompact in America

Toyota has the best dependability (1),

All Toyota and Scion models meet or

fuel efﬁciency (2), and resale value

exceed the safety requirements of the

(3) of any full-line automotive

federal government and the National

manufacturer.

Highway Trafﬁc Safety Administration

R.L. Polk (1), NHTSA (2), KBB (3)

(NHTSA).

For friendly assistance call 719.471.3100 or visit ToyotaofColoradoSprings.com 1323 Motor City Drive • Colorado Springs, CO