Who are these “angry, toothless, gun-totin’, Bibleclingin’ redneck mobsters?”
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From the Editors Securing the Blessings of Liberty for Tomorrow
Office: 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 Jeremy Goodall Managing Editor Teddy M. Otero Art Director/Internet Manager web@theconstitutionalisttoday.com Joan Eich Events Editor/Board Secretary events@theconstitutionalisttoday.com SALES Lana Fore-Warkocz Marketing Advisor ads@theconstitutionalisttoday.com John Pawelski Jim Williams Janet Amella Kathy Pullara EDITORIAL Featured Writers: Bob Adelmann Jeff Crank William T. Gillin Mike Holler Al Maurer Michelle Morin Jim Pfaff Richard Randall Contributing Writers/Columnists Chuck Asay Julie Ayers Brian Beck Col. (Ret) USAF Jimmie Butler Eli Bremmer Mary Coran Rich Eleuterio Pat Francomano Chuck Graybill Leah Hotchkiss Sid Huston Lynda Jones Brad Kerstetter Cindy Lyons
J. McGuire Teddy M. Otero Thomas Paine Ryan Parsell JM Peterson Ellis Posey Timothy Priebe Dwan Rager Col. (Ret) USAF Marc Sabin John Shumaker Alexander Stute Eli Thomas Jim Williams Zach Lee Wright
DISTRIBUTION J McGuire Distribution Manager distro@theconstitutionalisttoday.com ART DEPARTMENT Teddy M. Otero Art Director print@theconstitutionalisttoday.com Bethany Kerstetter T Jay Carter COPYRIGHT©2010:TheConstitutionalist,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. www.TheConstitutionalistToday.com Cover photo courtesy of Col. (Ret) USAF Jimmie Butler
By William T. Gillin Editor-in-Chief A year ago, many conservatives were dispirited as the Democrats took control of the White House and Congress and began to ram through their extreme Leftist agenda. When the Republican leaders of Congress met with President Obama to present their ideas, Obama brushed them off with, “Too bad. You lost; I won.” With massive bills being passed in the middle of the night without being read, and trillions in deficits mounting, many Americans began to wake up. They saw their country racing down the road to a socialist takeover, and fiscally heading over the cliff. People who had never been politically active rose up and began attending tea parties and rallies. They knew they had to speak out and make their voices heard. Their signs carried the messages of “Stop the spending!” and “Recycle Congress.” They called, wrote, and emailed their Congressmen and Senators. While the mainstream media did their best to dismiss the awakened patriots, and the progressives in Congress
tried to ignore us, our message was getting through. A few in Congress began to fear losing their next election. The pace of “change” began to slow. Republicans, moderate Democrats and independents have seen a ray of hope in the recent elections in Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts which told Washington loud and clear to back off. Now patriots are wondering what to do next. Many have joined a political party so they can work within the system. In Colorado the caucus system provides ordinary citizens an opportunity to get involved with selecting candidates and presenting resolutions for the party platform. Grassroots groups have learned the process and have given caucus training to citizens. Working to select good candidates is a start. But the campaigns are long and expensive in both manpower and money. Dedicated citizens need to step up and volunteer their time in supporting good candidates. They can make phone calls, walk precincts and distribute literature, speak at gatherings, and write letters and emails.
Julie Ayers Managing Editor When the first issue of TCT came out last month, I was proud to be part of it and readily offered to help distribute our illustrious publication. Everything was going fine until I walked into one business and was told “the boss said we can’t take that paper.” I was aghast! Many sarcastic retorts came to mind but I managed to rise above the situation and bite my tongue. (It really hurt!) I had to leave quickly reminding myself, don’t shoot the messenger. What I would like to ask his boss and others who shun our paper is: What are you afraid of? Are you afraid of becoming educated and informed? Afraid you’ll learn about the Constitution then start to cherish freedom and throw off the shackles of big government? Afraid you’ll start to think for yourself instead of letting politicians think for you? Or maybe, just maybe, you fear you’ll become a (cue the dramatic music)…CONSERVATIVE!!! Well, you should be afraid because if you read The Constitutionalist Today all of that and more will happen. So how will you know if you have succumbed to conservatism? These are some of the symptoms: • You proudly display the Stars & Stripes in front of your house. • You plaster your car (or truck) with proAmerican bumper stickers. • You get goose bumps when you hear the National Anthem. • You defy the “haters” by belting out the Pledge of Allegiance while they stand with arms folded. • You wear a flag pin not because you feel compelled but because you are proud to be an American. • You willingly go to dozens of stores searching for the “made in America” stamp before you make a purchase. (The cost of gas during your search is inconsequential compared to buying American.) • You don’t want to move to another country because you know the USA is the best country in the world! • You patiently explain to your liberal friends that the Founding Fathers are not a country western band. • You believe your Constitutional rights are something to be valued, not abstract ideas that have no place in today’s world. • You faithfully read TCT every month!
It’s a sad reality that campaigns require large amounts of money. It seems the wrong candidates (from our perspective) often have huge sums available from lobbyists and special interests. We can make up for some of that by hard work. But to gain name recognition and counter smears from the other side, our candidates need the “air time” to make their appeals and refute false claims. Personally, I have not previously given much in campaign donations. But this year, I see money going to good candidates as a crucial investment in our future and our children’s future. Whether we can only give $10 a month or $100, consider that your candidate might be critical in stopping massive tax increases or further erosion of the U.S. dollar. Our Founders pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor for the sake of our Republic. We can all step up and contribute something of our lives and fortunes, however small. Together, we can make a difference.
Subscriptions Available! All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent. —Thomas Jefferson Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction —Ronald Reagan
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
A Word from the Publisher By Lana ForeWarkocz When we launched our first edition just a mere three weeks ago, I had no idea the response would be what it has been. The outpouring of love and support from every walk of life just to call and say, “thank you” was shocking to say the least. From David, living in Teller county, to Ms. Carol (87 years young) in Monument— both who are veterans and both with stories to tell—we listened. We hear you and we will continue the fight to bring our country back to the fundamentals that made this land so great. I’ve had the privilege to talk to most of you, all 75 to 80 calls a day! Your kind
words and support were felt throughout our team of patriots and believe me, I have spread your thoughts and requests to all of them. This newspaper is much more than another medium or just another part of the press, we are YOUR voice and this is YOUR paper! On behalf of the entire staff who work long enduring hours, we wish to send you a special thank you for believing in us, trusting in us and most of all supporting our advertisers. After all, it is because of them we are able to give you and this state a newspaper By the People and For the People…
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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 300 words or shorter in length will be considered for print. I was walking out of Buffalo Wild Wings and did a double-take when I saw your paper sitting next to the liberal Independent. Thank you! I hope you guys thrive! Do you have a Facebook page yet? —Randy Boaz Ed.—Yes! We are on Facebook! Become a fan today! I picked up a copy [of the TCT] from the Saigon restaurant last night and I must first congratulate you on a fine effort. We have some businesses in the area to check out; we prefer to support like-minded people. I do want to comment on one of the articles; on the crossing of the Delaware River and the fight in Trenton, NJ, December 26, 1776. The old tale about the Hessian troops being drunk seems to be propagated once more. I commend David Hackett Fischer’s Washington’s Crossing as a much better account of this battle and the events leading up to it. The Hessians put up a pretty good fight and for the colonist to prevail against them was much more of an achievement than merely routing some drunks. —Robert Gale If you have extra copies, we could use some in Cripple Creek and Victor! [There are] lots of voters up here who need the educational material. —Naomi I have a copy of the first edition of your publication and am very impressed with the articles! I am a member of the steering committee for The High Plains Constitutional society which we have seminars and rallies to educate people about the constitution and how it is being violated. We have Constitutional scholars that lecture at our seminars. —Duane Coash, Goodland, KS Looks very good, congratulations! I logged onto the website this morning because I wanted to find Al Maurer’s article on “Progressivism” to review before class. Again thanks for what you guys are doing and great job. It’s gonna be a great resource. Isn’t it great to be working on something that stirs your passion? You’re making a difference. —Bob McKinney My wife read your premier edition, cried and exclaimed her love for this city that— although we live in a very liberal part of the city—we can receive such an honest, upright publication as The Constitutionalist Today. THANKS! —Anonymous I feel it’s time to speak out with severe urgency, as the alternative is unthinkable should we all do nothing. —James Lott, U.S. Air Force (retired) May God bless your effort to focus on the issues facing our nation as they relate to the Constitution. I just e-mailed your website’s link to everyone I know who cares about the future of the nation. —Tom Huebner
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Congratulations on the inaugural printing of The Constitutionalist Today. I am quite glad to see a newspaper that features wholly conservative views rather than the so-called Colorado Springs Independent, which touts to be a paper of independent thought, but really is just a sounding board for liberals and progressives to gripe. I look forward to future issues. —Rick A. Butler Just received a copy of your premier edition, Great! Interesting read since I’m on your side. I think we should replace our U.S. Congress with the CEO’s from WalMart in hopes of resurrecting a surplus of taxpayers’ money in place of constant wasteful spending. —Denny Seilheimer Theodore Dalrymple said, “Political correctness is communism writ small. In my study of communist societies, I came to the conclusion that the purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, not to inform, but to intimidate; and therefore, the less it corresponds to reality the better. When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity. To assent to obvious lies is to cooperate with evil, and in some small way to become evil oneself. One’s standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control. I think if you examine political correctness, it has the same effect and is intended to.” This strikes at the heart of what we have seen in our government the past year. The media drum beat has been delivering a rhythm of “you’re a racist/conspiracy theorist if you confront the president.” We have heard the president lie by omission, humiliate the American public, and bully the legislature and Supreme Court. I want to exercise my First Amendment right by saying, “Mr. President, you do not have the right to act and speak however you like without consequence. You are an ideologue of socialism. Your words are meant to intimidate, humiliate, belittle, and make us all assent to your ideas. Our representatives may not have the spine to stand up to you, but a growing majority of “We the People” will not sit quietly while we are bullied by you and your cohorts. We will be using our voices, our votes, and our check books to defeat you and your policies, this coming year.” —Leah Hotchkiss, Colorado Springs While the desire to return to the intentions of the Founding Fathers is noble, we cannot hope to return to their philosophical viewpoints unless we return to that which under girded them. Many of the Founding Fathers were ordained ministers whose Christian principles motivated their actions. Even the deists among them, most notably Jefferson and Franklin, accepted the moral principles, if not the religion, of the Old and New Testaments. Alexis de Tocqueville said, “Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith.” Therein lies the problem of the current efforts to clean up government, which is very much like trying to clean a windshield with a dead raccoon. The American electorate is made up of greedy, materialistic, immoral, sex-obsessed individuals who vote their fellow citizens into office, then, like the prefect of police in Casablanca, we are “shocked, shocked” when they turn out to be greedy, materialistic, immoral and sex-obsessed. Until we return to the faith of our fathers LETTERS on page 6
Blades of Grass for Freedom By Michelle Morin Featured Writer
Freedom has momentum here in Colorado. On a chilly Tuesday evening in February, 90 freedom-loving Americans took time out of their busy lives and literally packed themselves into the Mason Jar restaurant in Colorado Springs. It was standing room only. They didn’t come for a nice dinner, or to be entertained or to complain to each other about the current state of our nation. So what brought them? They came because they’re ready to take effective action that will bring our state and nation back to its founding principles. The event was a caucus training and a mock caucus, hosted by the Coalition for a Conservative Majority, Colorado Springs. These amazing and dedicated patriots spent over two hours jam-packed in a room that comfortably seats 50. They could have been home with their families, but instead they came, to listen and learn. They participated in the mock caucus and asked dozens of questions. They left empowered and prepared to impact the November elections. If you think this event had impressive turnout and dedication, consider that it’s just one of many such events that have been going on all across Colorado. (Check out the freedom events calendar at www.LibertyEvents.org.) What struck me at this meeting was that neither the caucus trainers nor any of the people gathered were establishment types. They certainly were not “Astroturf,” as the left wants everyone to believe. Looking around the room, I began to understand the cross-section that this historical grassroots movement represents. These are people I go to church with, my neighbors, a woman I met at gun club, Bible study friends, small business owners, a pastor, a school teacher, a lawyer, a painter, software developers, parents, grandparents, high school and elementary students, and so many more. They weren’t just from Colorado Springs. Folks drove from Denver and Teller counties so they could equip and empower themselves to preserve freedom. These ordinary citizens we call the conservative grassroots have energy, commitment, and love of their country in common. So, just who are these “blades of grass” who are taking our state and nation back and why are they involved in this historical movement? I wanted to know more, so I asked some of them. Their answers reflect an unstoppable drive and passion coupled with American values and patriotism. Read their responses, listen to their voices, then ask yourself, do these people fit the vitriolic labels the left has pasted on them? Labels like “red-necked racist Nazis, angry mobsters, and tea-baggers?” Hardly. The left’s labels are classic symptoms of the crew on a sinking ship desperately trying to stay afloat in a battle against truth. I am proud and honored to know each and every blade of grass empowering this freedom movement. You will be, too. “Liberty is at stake. Only the voice of the people in these United States can save liberty. If we do not take a stand now, we will be crawling forever. I consider the cause pay back to my patriot [ancestor] and pay forward to generations who will never know my name.” —Cynthia C. (Inspired the “blade of grass” phrase) “I can’t stand to watch the country that I love go down the tube. The current administration has launched a full attack
on our liberty and no one seems to care!” —Al M. “I am involved because I love my country and admire the wisdom by which it was founded, which is a testimony to God’s overwhelming grace. The Tea Party movement is a non-party lead movement. The ordinary citizen is the driving force.” —Cindy Lyons “I got involved because for too many years our political elite seemed to be deaf, dumb and blind; not only to the plight of our Republic but also to reasonable solutions. It seemed that only a popular (not populist) constitutional uproar would get their attention.” —Bud G. “We are everyday people, real Americans, your neighbors, family members. We are tired of being told what to think and how to feel about our country, our values, and especially freedoms. It is a result of being lied to and betrayed by both parties for so long. They still don’t get it!” —Donna B. “We are disgusted with the corruption in government and the godless direction our country is headed. We consider ourselves conservative first and republicans second. We are not willing to compromise our values.” —Rich G. “I was totally disengaged until the last presidential election. I woke up. I do not want to live in a socialist country. I grew up believing that our representatives had our best interest at heart. Obviously, I no longer believe that.” —Roberta M. “It’s our turn to preserve the freedom bought by the sacrifices of our Founders and the gift of God Himself. Bipartisanship, triangulation and consensus have no place in dealing with progressivism.” —Burton H. “I am outraged at the rapid movement of my country toward socialism. I want my grandchildren to experience the Republic for which our flag stands.” —Linda T. “My greatest concern is the financial burden that has been heaped upon generations unborn by … politicians, who put themselves and their party before the welfare of the country. Never before would I have considered participating in a public protest of any kind, much less one in which I carried a sign, yet I did!” —Dee L. “After fretting for years over the direction of our country and the inactivity, apathy and complaining of everyone, we determined it was OUR job to do something. We love America and want to leave a safe and wonderful country for our four kids.” —Pete and Adrienne R. “I work on politics every spare moment of my day, while I run a household with three daughters. I will save our country from socialism and liberal ideology. The buck stops here, in Castle Rock, Colorado.” —Crista Huff, Castle Rock, CO “I would like to see the Republican Party taken back by the majority of us who are in most ways conservative if not just fiscally conservative. I have been a small business owner for 16 years and really feel the squeeze of our economic situation brought on by both parties as we sat idly by. Not any more.” —Brian H. “We are profoundly worried about the direction our nation is heading and the lack of understanding many have about BLADES on page 4
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BLADES continued from page 3 our political system. It is a constitutional republic. Conservatives are now finding their voices and finding the courage to speak up.” —Jennifer and Keith L.
up in slavery through socialism and defilement of our way of government. My greatest fear is that my children will be the first generation to live poorer and less free than their parentsy.” —Karen P.
“It makes me sick when I think about the freedoms and finances that our nation’s government is stealing from us in the form of tyranny and taxation. [The left] want an elite-ruling class – them – and the rest of us enslaved like the Colonials were to the British empire, which they left to found our great nation.” —Paul M.
“I love my country and my freedom. I attend events as I can, but I always am praying for our leaders in these events. I know I could always be doing more.” —Carol S.
“We have to take back our nation. It’s time we speak for what we believe and let the chips fall where they might.” —Bev Giltner “The entire tea party movement and rallies are about telling the socialist democrats, NO! The president calls the Republican Party the ‘Party of no!’ I will not shrink from this title. I welcome it.” —Brett S. “This country was founded on solid principles of freedom, and now is being pressed and contorted into a socialist state. The under-lying foundation is based on atheism, and the breakdown of family and community. This is not what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they sacrificed for our freedom and the birth of this wonderful nation.” —Ann R. “I believe freedom is the most precious gift a person can have. Without it, God, health and family can be taken from us. I don’t want that to happen here. Freedom is NOT free. That is why I keep fighting in whatever ways I can. It is a small price for me to pay.” —S.S. “The real grassroots movement is comprised of good, hard-working, honest, patriotic Americans who are fed up with the direction of our country, the corruption and out of control spending. We love God, our country, family and friends, and feel that this great country and the proud people in it deserve to be heard.” —Ingrid A. “I love my freedom, I love my country, and I am terrified about the direction this country is headed. I worry every day… I know how hard life is now. Is it fair to make it harder on my children?” —Nicole M. “I love this nation. It was founded on the Word of God. I love my freedom. Those freedoms are rapidly disappearing. My husband has fought in more than four conflicts for our freedoms than our present government is trying to destroy.” —Dianne W. “I love my country, I love my freedom, and I want to ensure this freedom for my children. I don’t want my children to grow
“Our founders knew they were taking a chance breaking free of a governing system which did not have to answer to those who were being governed. This movement is about the chance to become something better than what we are. It’s an attempt to give back freedom of choice, the responsibility to fail or succeed based on self driven motives and merit.” —Cyndi C. “I want the Constitution to matter again and to be applied to government employees. Regardless of different opinions, views, or beliefs, we are all supposed to share the same rights and protection of rights by our constitutionally limited government. This is an important basic concept that must be restored.” —Debbie S. “I want the energy and enthusiasm of the Tea Party groups to be directed at returning the Republican Party to its professed core principles. The core of the movement is the people like me who have always been political conservatives but never got involved in politics because we don’t have a desire to tell other people how to live their lives.” —Jim G. “I want to be able to lie on my death bed knowing I did everything I could to preserve liberty, freedom and free markets through limiting my government. The grassroots movement is not about any political party or platform. The movement is all about the silent majority of hard working Americans who have had enough of their government and their usurpation of our Constitution. ‘We the people’ are the grassroots movement and we have awakened to take back our government.” —David K. “I care about this country. It has been a great country with much freedom. I want my granddaughters to live in the same freedom. I pray for the leaders of the U.S.A.” —Gloria D. “America is at a crossroads. Two years ago I became aware that I had left my obligations to hold the government accountable to others for too long. I have been active in 9-12 since its inception in March 2009. Grassroots is nothing new. It’s always been the people when they decide to act. The people being every citizen: neighbors, friends and families of any political leaning who believe the Constitution is the ba-
sis for all our freedoms. Alone, I am one voice; together we are America.” —Don R. “I am greatly encouraged by a movement that seems to be doing what the major parties got away from: agreeing upon a limited set of core principles and working to promote them. I hope the Tea Party Movement avoids anointing a figurehead or pledging allegiance to a party or developing a central authority. It already has a clear platform. It’s called the Constitution.” —Ed D. “I am 69 years old and do not expect to see the fruits of our grassroots movement in full bloom…but I want to be part of the seed planting so that my grandchildren will not be burdened with the results of what this and previous congresses have done over the past 100 years. I will wear the badge of whatever label the opposition cares to give me… but ‘loving dad and grandpa who cares is the one I will cherish.’” —Michael Schneider “I want to see our country return to the values that made us great. I am tired of being ignored and Washington doing what it wants without regard to the wishes of the people.” —Mike F. “I am involved, and deeply, in regards to the future of America, our freedoms and our way of life. I have become incensed with what is happening in our nation and am ready and willing to do something about the proposed changes coming out of Washington D.C. (The District of Chaos)!”—Jim H. “The real power in this country is an informed and aroused electorate, which is what’s happening today with the Tea Party. But if the Tea Party fragments or fails to unite behind qualified conservative candidates running under the Republican
banner, they could ensure more liberals or socialists in elective office. Conservatives must remember that liberals wake up every day with one thing on their minds— their agenda. If conservatives aren’t equally as dedicated to their principles, this country will continue on its ‘two steps forward, one step march toward socialism.” —Jere J. “I never thought I would be interested in politics, let alone fight as hard as I have for the last year. I never thought I would be ostracized socially for standing up for the Constitution. It blows me away the number of people who appear intelligent and say the most hateful things to me because I believe in freedom. I have been called a racist, a domestic terrorist, and a right wing extremist. I’m not any of those. I’m just an American mom fighting for my children’s future.” —Kathleen B. “When Nancy Pelosi compared [the Tea Party] to Nazis that really infuriated me. I am not a Nazi and in fact I abhor their actions! We are “redneck” in our belief in God, the rights as guaranteed by the constitution and in our love for our country and our family. We see this country heading in the wrong direction and greatly fear that folks today don’t realize what they are losing and have lost.” —Helen S. “Many of the older people are actually apologetic to their children and grandchildren for being asleep for all these years as the foundation for this out of control spending was being laid. They made the mistake of believing their representatives and senators were actually representing them. They are now realizing what Ronald Reagan meant when he said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from being lost.” —Joan E.
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4 | The Constitutionalist Today
Seven Deadly Myths, #1 of 7
The Constitution Made Easy
By Mike Holler Featured Writer
Do not separate text from historical background. If you do, you will have perverted and subverted the Constitution, which can only end in a distorted, bastardized form of illegitimate government.
—James Madison
One of the deadliest myths stripping text from historical background, and freedom from Americans today is the notion that the Constitution is a living document. This idea is most zealously promoted by Progressives who, in truth, believe it should be a dead document and are determined to kill it. The United States Constitution is the enemy of Progressives, and the Statism that the Progressives are making progress toward. In fact, Progressivism could be defined as a process of moving a population closer toward any totalitarian form of government. These governments are sometimes called Socialist, Communist or Fascist but since all of them include almost total State control over individual choices, they may be gathered together under the general heading of Statist. Proponents of the living document theory will uniformly identify themselves as Progressive or some may prefer the less trendy label of Liberal. At the end of the day, they will work together for bigger government, until government is so big that the behavior once known as freedom can only be exercised by permission. The United States Constitution stands athwart this
perverse definition of progress and shouts, “Halt!” The Constitution’s stated purposes include granting a short list of powers to the United States, reserving all other powers to the states or to the people, and protecting the rights of the people against government at every level. Limited government, state sovereignty, and individual liberty are embodied in every Article of the United States Constitution. These precepts are anathema to the Statists and to their Progressive apparatchiks. If only they could find a way to make the Constitution meaningless – “Aha! We will call it a living document. We will seldom say what we truly think, that it is an outdated document written by primitive farmers and slave-holders. We will say that we admire the Constitution and the wisdom of the framers. They gave us a living breathing Constitution that we can adapt as needed to changes in society and technology.” Calling it a living document is designed to sound like high praise but it belies sinister intentions. Progressives want progress alright, but only in one dimension: they want government to make progress. They want government to take over education, the environment, energy, health care, marriage, banking, manufacturing, wages, charity and every aspect of freedom that ever made life worth living. They intend to concentrate all power over our lives in the hands of a few rulers, whom they say will be wise enough to make the world a better place, maybe even a workers’ paradise.
This has all been tried before and it has almost always succeeded in accomplishing its primary objective. Oh, it has always failed to bring about paradise. In fact, it has brought misery to the lives of its subjects but it has almost always succeeded in creating a small ruling class that exercised vast power and enjoyed a standard of living worthy of lords and ladies. The working class has been exploited by every experiment in Statism, but that is of no concern to the master class. Most of the current members of the Supreme Court treat the Constitution as a living document and themselves as its masters instead of its servants. This has done as much to undermine the rule of law as the arrogations of Congress. Law students are seldom required to read the Constitution, studying Constitutional Law in its place. Lawyers and judges seldom reference the Constitution. Instead they reference the large body of court decisions called “precedent.” In this way, the current view of the Constitution changes over time and it lives. This flies in the face of every other thought any sane person ever had about contract law. If the Constitution is not regarded as the primary precedent, why should any precedent ever be precedent? Is any contract, a contract? Contracts are written for the very purpose of memorializing the intent of the parties at the time they entered into the agreement. The Constitution is at minimum a very formal and deliberate con-
Calling it a “living document” is designed to sound like high praise; but it belies sinister intentions.
Grace Books
tract. It was carefully crafted, and every clause and nearly every phrase was debated at length. Every state gave careful consideration before ratifying. It is as proper and as voluntary as any agreement ever drafted. All parties agreed among other things that the Constitution and the laws made “in Pursuance thereof ” will be the “supreme Law of the Land; and (that) the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby…” If the Constitution is not regarded as supreme by the law-makers, how much weight should we give to laws that they supposedly write “in Pursuance thereof?” Logically, they would have exactly the same authority as the decisions of judges who refuse to be “bound thereby.” The Founders did wisely provide for a method of making the Constitution capable of adapting to changing times. It is called amending and it has succeeded 27 times. The ruling class has found this process to be beneath them since it requires a wide consensus among Congress and the states. They think they know best and can accomplish all the amending they desire by calling our great binding legal agreement, a living breathing one, and doing with it as they please. George Washington had a name for this, “But let there be no change by usurpation… it is the customary weapon by which free governments are destroyed.” 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 continued from page 2 and the God who grants our rights and liberties, it won’t matter whether the dead raccoons we send to Washington are conservatives or liberals. They still won’t clean the windshield. —Dolores Kimball
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Many conservatives today make the argument that the health care reform bills are patently unconstitutional. This is correct within the scope of Article 1, Section 8 and the 10th Amendment. Under these same U.S. constitutional proscriptions Medicare and Social Security must also be viewed unconstitutional. Various Supreme Courts have ruled several times to uphold the constitutionality of these programs. I maintain that the court is every bit as political as the executive and legislative branches. I call upon my fellow conservative revolutionaries to carry our crusade against a federal healthcare takeover to the next logical step of disbanding Medicare and Social Security and giving the states the opportunity of taking over these types of programs. What is next? One option is to do nothing and maintain the status quo. This course of action enshrines disregard of the Constitution and the rule of law as accepted practice and policy of the federal government. The second possibility is to disband the patently bankrupt Medicare and Social Security programs. States could pick up the programs if they chose. While this would be the strictly correct thing to do according to the Constitution, it would ignore the millions of older Americans who have spent their lives planning and paying for their retirement and medical care through these programs. The third option is to begin phasing out these programs by privatizing portions and rolling the other functions to the states. New entrants into the workforce should not be enrolled in these programs but in the new state-run, privatized programs. Workers already enrolled would have their benefits paid as promised, but no new federal commitments would be incurred. It is time to quit throwing good money after bad and start following the law. —Kyle C. Akers, MD, Colorado Springs I would like to commend you on a remarkable publication and thank you for being a voice I can relate to. I have always felt that the 10th Amendment to the Constitution was never addressed or understood, or was completely ignored by our federal politicians. In the premier edition of The Constitutionalist Today, the article regarding the 10th Amendment by Tim Priebe reignited a passion that has been at rest since my college years. The amendment is about the ability to gain strength through diversity and giving instructions to the federal government to preserve this ability for future generations. Our Founding Fathers understood that our nation’s longevity depends upon protecting our communities’ diversity. It is that diversity that gives us strength and character as Americans. The amendment
is a legal safeguard to protect citizens from political forces that don’t understand their wants and needs. Our government is structured with many checks and balances. The 10th Amendment allows less populated states with less political influence protection against more populated states with more political influence by limited federal government control to only what is given to them by the Constitution. A large nation is best governed by a representative government divided geographically. Because of our population’s diversity, the more local the government the better equipped it is to meet the needs of its citizens. A strong centralized government, governing a large geographical area, can easily disenfranchise large numbers of its population. Our Founding Fathers did not want any citizen to be alienated by their government. A national government is necessary to ensure certain levels of stability nationally and internationally. Limiting their power protects our inalienable rights. The purpose of the 10th Amendment is to limit federal control to what is outlined in the Constitution, leaving all else to the discretion of the state. —Jason R. Argo We owe President Obama a debt of gratitude. He has accomplished more than all the No Doz in the world by awakening the sleeping giant – the silent majority. He turned complacent middle class Americans like us moderates, independents and lapsed Republicans, into card-carrying conservatives, protesting across America as 9/12ers, Tea Partiers and numerous other conservative factions. As we approach the mid-term primaries, it is past time to determine if we are a protest movement that will remain disparate and unorganized with similar sounding but separate messages. Or will we unite putting parochial interests aside and representing ourselves with one voice to force the Republican Party to adopt our platform and candidates as their own? Despite what appears to be a righting of the Republican ship, there is still too much business as usual in the Republican Party. If we continue with traditional candidates, positions, and thought processes, it will result in more of the same. We can do a lot with our individual votes. However, that will not influence party platform and candidate selection for funding by the big bucks Republican Party. The party has too many progressive, narrow-minded, old school favorites that will shrink our grassroots tent and cause many of us to ‘waste’ our vote or abstain from voting as we did when McCain was the party’s choice. By failing to unite, not having a PAC with a war-chest, and not having candidates to urge into the fray, we risk having to settle for the options offered by the mainstream parties. We also risk suffering and protesting for years to come with disparate voices claiming to be one. Voices, as in Nashville, proclaiming, “They do not speak for us!” It appears we may remain separated by egos and a common cause. —Chuck Graybill, Colorado Springs
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The Mount Vernon Statement “We recommit ourselves to the ideas of the American Founding. Through the Constitution, the Founders created an enduring framework of limited government based on the rule of law. They sought to secure national independence, provide for economic opportunity, establish true religious liberty and maintain a flourishing society of republican self-government.” These are the opening lines of the Mount Vernon Statement, a declaration of conservative beliefs, values and principles. You can read the Statement in its entirety at www.themountvernonstatement.com. If you agree with its principles, you may sign it online.
Taking It to the Streets—And Beyond Why I became a 9/12er If a year ago someone had told me I would soon find myself standing on street corners and sidewalks, in front of TV stations and U.S. senators’ offices holding signs reading, “No to Government Takeover of Healthcare” or “Stop the Spending Now!” I’m pretty sure I would have laughed at them. But that was a year ago. There’s nothing to laugh about now. This is serious business. Taking the time express my concerns about our out-of-control government (at every level) and the freedom we are losing at an alarming rate is a privilege I don’t take lightly. It is a responsibility I have shunned for far too long. Getting my “political feet” wet started with holding signs, waving flags and attending Tea Parties, but it’s way beyond that now. I’m getting educated. I’ve learned more in the last ten months about the founding of our country and the amazing men who sacrificed their lives, fortunes and honor to make it happen than I did in all my years of school combined. I’m getting involved in the election process, beginning with the caucuses, so I that I’m no longer tempted to simply sit back and complain about the quality of candidates. I write letters to my state and federal senators and representatives. I read up on the issues so I can be informed and tell them how I’d like them to vote. I attend town hall meetings and ask questions. I believe in holding my government officials accountable. “We the People” has taken on a whole new meaning for me these days. The more I learn and get involved, the more concerned I am about the future of this country. But that concern looks differ-
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ent than it did a year ago. At that time, I was extremely frustrated over the results of the national and state elections. The spending was out of control and so was the government. They were taking over banks and auto companies and no one seemed able to stop them. Despite concerns about our national security, our borders were not secure and our new president seemed intent on apologizing for this nation at every opportunity. But my greatest frustration was less about what was happening, and more about the fact that I felt powerless; unable to do anything about it. I felt alone. And then came a day in March 2009, when Glenn Beck, a well-known radio talk show host and TV personality, displayed on his TV show hundreds of thousands of pic-
tures of his listeners. They are people who, like me, love this country and want to see it return to the values and principles upon which it was founded. Through these pictures, and with the motto, “We Surround Them,” he launched a movement, The 9/12 Project. It bears that name because on September 12, 2001 we were all Americans. There were no red states or blue states, nor was there any interest in party politics. On that day, people came together for the good of the country and that was the priority above all. Our freedoms and our way of life were attacked on 9/11. Protecting and defending those precious treasures was at the forefront of most everyone’s mind on 9/12. Beck launched the 9/12 movement, but he doesn’t lead it. He just struck the match and watched the fire take off. Lo-
cal 9/12 Projects ignited throughout the nation, initiated by ordinary citizens who watched Beck’s show that day and understood what was being asked of them. They are doing their part to help concerned citizens come together with one voice, and to collectively act to save this nation from its path of destruction. Why does my concern for my country look different now than it did a year ago? Because through 9/12 I’ve been given the tools and the training needed to focus my frustration into effective action that makes a difference. I’ve found power I didn’t know I possessed and I am using it. Some elected officials have forgotten that they work for us, not the other way around. But for the first time in a long time, the blinders are coming off and there is hope that things can change. If I were to laugh at anything these days, it would be the mainstream liberal media and the current progressive administration. They have attempted to paint me and millions like me as “right wing extremists, who cling to our guns and religion.” We’re “Astroturf tea baggers” who just don’t get what’s going on because we’re not nearly as smart as they are – or something like that. Let them think what they want. If the elections in New Jersey, Virginia and Massachusetts are any indication of what may happen in 2010, we just may have the last laugh. The 9/12 Pikes Peak Patriots www.Freeandunited.com
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Citizens on the Street Compiled by Lana Fore Warkocz
Question to small business owners: How do you feel about Colorado’s state government balancing its budget by increasing taxes on businesses and farms? Examples: Internet download tax, taxes on soda, candy, and napkins. There is also a bill to attach sales tax to “agricultural products,” more commonly known as food.
Enough already! Small businesses can barely stay open with the taxes we currently pay. Once the overhead is purchased, we cannot afford to pay anything else. What about the big chains? Some of them have nine or ten stores. Tax them! We are a small business employing a few and want to hire more, but can’t afford to. Government needs to help us by getting out of the way. They need to cut taxes, so that we can get ahead and employ more people. Isn’t that what it’s all about? Joey and Josh Joey’s Pizza
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It harms more than it helps. The government always thinks that their bottom-line will increase, but it won’t. They think it will help because the “rich” will have to pay when the truth is the “middle-class or the poor” spend more in food, so in all actuality it’s the ones who can’t afford it—-will pay it. When you levy taxes on food it’s the “middle-class or poor’, you are actually penalizing. Jennifer Sugarland Sodas
My initial reaction is that the State of Colorado should not increase taxes on any product or service in order to balance the budget. They should reduce spending and cut out non-vital programs first. I also believe that taxes should be fairly applied to all. Why do I have to pay sales tax on equipment that is necessary to run my business while ranchers and farmers get an exemption? Is it because they hire better lobbyists? Richard Jones British Home Shoppe
It’s not helping anyone (except the government). It hurts small business and the customers who patronize them. The customers will feel it, the small businesses will feel it and it’s already a tough economy, why would you raise taxes again? This will only set us back even further. Cindy McNulty McNulty Jewelers
The Night the Lights Went Out in Colorado Springs
OVER 100,000 SOLD & INSTALLED!
By Lynda Jones Contributing Writer
February 1, 2010 was the night the lights went out in Colorado Springs; or began to go out. The process of turning out 8,00010,000 street lights is expected to take about 10 weeks according to city officials. These represent about one-third of the city’s 24,512 street lights. The city expects to save $1.245 million this year by deactivating lights. City officials say the dimming of city lights is due to diminished sales tax revenues and general fund budget gaps. Dave Krauth, city traffic engineer, said the price tag for keeping all of the lights on is about $3.2 million per year. Some citizens think the city council is using its street light strategy to punish voters for not approving a requested tax increase in November, the same time the city council was developing the city’s 2010 budget. Citizens are also looking closely at what specific expenditures the city council is making, including salaries of city employees. During the budget development/approval process, Council Members Sean Paige and Tom Gallagher and some citizens present at the city council meetings, supported pay cuts among city employees to reduce the gaps between funding resources and expenditures. When asked if the city council had implemented or considered any across-
the-board cuts to the budget or pay cuts before turning out the street lights, Council Member Sean Paige said, “Cutting pay could have prevented a lot of (budget) cuts.” Paige said he supported modest pay cuts and furloughs, but the majority of his colleagues on the city council disagreed. Targeted street lights are those with the least efficient bulbs, those in areas with high ambient lighting, and half of the downtown street lights. Residents can identify intentionally deactivated lights by orange tape wrapped around the poles and red caps on top (the caps cover automatic sensors). “We don’t want to create unnecessarily unsafe areas,” Krauth said on a TV video. “Obviously we do encourage people to be diligent and be careful about where they walk or where they ride their bicycles or pay a little more closer attention on the roadways when they’re driving …be sensitive to the fact that light levels are going to be a little bit lower.” Citizens are also asked not to approach the field workers deactivating lights because they have work orders to follow. Citizens with concerns about the lights being deactivated, or about lights in need of repair, can call Colorado Springs Utilities, or email askcity@springsmail. com.
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also needs help taking calls, including weekends. There are also jobs for news hounds. CSPD needs people to work as news researchers who will scan and electronically cut newspaper articles once a week and send to the command staff. It may still be winter but weeding season is near. The title of Vegetation Control Volunteer translates to weed control. These volunteers will work with the Code Endorsement Office to respond to weed complaints. Volunteers to assist with fingerprinting are also needed. The impound lot needs an attendant to answer telephone calls and walk-in inquiries. A facility services clerk is needed for data entry, waiting on customers, and helping to process deliveries. The CSPD also needs police chaplains who can be on call one 24-hour shift per month on a rotating basis and to ride with a patrol officer four hours per month. Additional volunteer positions and descriptions are posted on the CSPD web page at http://www.springsgov.com. Anyone who wishes to be a CSPD volunteer should contact the CSPD Volunteer Coordinator at 444-7441.
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The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) was threatened with the elimination of several patrol officer positions during the fall budget process. Those positions were reinstated in the final version of the city’s 2010 budget. Evidence of frugality is apparent by the various volunteer jobs that have been established. CSPD offers a myriad of unpaid work opportunities for some of the city’s unemployed and other citizens who just want to volunteer their time. CSPD volunteer positions include: file clerk at the City Administration Building (requires polygraph exam), data entry (accuracy is important, speed is not), small office machine repair, Senior Victim Assistance Team (urgent need in this area), and Victim Advocates. The Senior Victim Assistance Team (SVAT) is looking for volunteers to help seniors victimized by crime, abuse, neglect, or life itself. Volunteers need to be available 24 hours, two days per month (minimum) to respond to calls from police officers, agencies, family members, or seniors. The Victim Advocates Program needs volunteers to contact and assist those who have been victims of violent crimes in the community. Crime Stoppers
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City Council Debates Medical Marijuana Dispensaries By Lynda Jones Contributing Writer
Constitutional rights regarding medical cannabis (marijuana) production, dispensing, and usage, personal property rights, and personal privacy rights are current topics of debate in Colorado Springs. The Medical Marijuana Joint Task Force presented the proposed Colorado Springs Medical Cannabis Business Ordinance during an informal city council meeting Feb. 8. The proposal presents definitions and regulations for dispensaries and producers of medical use cannabis. Amendment 20 to the Colorado Constitution (Article XVIII, effective June 1, 1999) allows an exception from the state’s criminal laws for patients or primary caregivers in lawful possession of a registry identification card to engage or assist in the medical use of marijuana. The amendment does not specify where patients can legally obtain medical cannabis. In previous years, city and state officials did not really concern themselves with the amendment, because federal law
trumped state law. On Oct. 19, 2009, the U.S. Department of Justice sent a memo to all U.S. attorneys regarding investigations and prosecutions in states authorizing the medical use of marijuana. Colorado Springs Council Member Sean Paige said the Obama administration turned the issue over for state control, unless certain federal violations are involved. Now, the Colorado State Legislature and cities around the state are looking for ways to regulate the medical cannabis industry. Dr. Peter Brumlik said Amendment 20 to the Colorado Constitution is called medical marijuana. “It is not, ‘I’m 18 years old and I want to get high’ marijuana,” Brumlik said. Medical cannabis is used to treat patients with debilitating diseases such as multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, cancer, and chronic back pain from failed back syndrome (continuous back pain after back surgery). The proposed ordinance offers specific regulations for medical cannabis dispensaries, including operating hours,
parking requirements, security cameras, alarm systems, postage of licenses, signs, and distance from schools. Specific requirements for producers and small growers are also defined. Tonya Garduno, task force member and caregiver, produced illustrations of equipment used by small growers. According to these illustrations, the largest container is the size of a standard filing cabinet. She said the four containers required for growing easily occupy a bedroom. Kamal Patterson, task force member, estimates the potential financial impact for Colorado Springs to be $1,653,750 in annual sales tax collections (3.5%). His figures are based on an estimated increase of 17,356 to 50,000 registered patients from July 30 to Dec. 31, 2009 who use medical cannabis three times a month on the average. Patterson said the city would also benefit from licensing fees for dispensaries and producers. Colorado Springs Vice Mayor Larry Small asked the city council about the
former Mission Inn. He said with the zoning laws in effect today, it is illegal for a dispensary to be housed there. Small said he will review the building permits for the Mission Inn site. If the permits specify anything other than the intended use, he will shut down the facility. “I will make this a personal case if a dispensary moves in there until we get this thing resolved because that’s inappropriate, particularly when we know the neighborhoods are opposed to it,” Small said. Further city council discussions revolve around legal land use, what to do with dispensaries that operate illegally, potential for litigation against the city if rights of patients and their caregivers are violated, potential for conflict between future statewide legislation and home rule issues with regard to this ordinance. The proposed ordinance will be an agenda item at the first formal city council meeting in March. Citizens will be able to provide input on the proposed ordinance at that meeting.
Just Ask Richard! With Jarred Rego, the Next Generation of Talk Radio
Compiled by Cindy Lyons Senior Staff Writer
TCT: How are the budget shortfalls in Colorado Springs affecting the city? Jarred: The city council says we are going to take trash cans out of all the city parks. There has to be things to get rid of before taking the trash cans out of the parks which saved maybe $26,000? They want to play hard ball with the city’s ice and snow removal. It’s like the city is saying, “Yeah we’re just going to make it to where people slide around on their streets. Then they’ll give us the money the next time they vote on a tax measure we want passed.” Richard: Some of it feels punitive. A lot of people say, “Why can’t we get a snowplow out here or are they trying to send a message? Taking the trash cans out...is it a way to poke back at us a little bit?” Credibility is everything, whether it is a talk show host or a U.S. president or city government. You told us that money was not available for many things and then all of a sudden you find an accounting error and you find a couple of million dollars.” TCT: What would you recommend the city actually do to find funds to cut? Richard: They built a model that relied too heavily on home sales. It should have been predictable that it wasn’t a sound foundation to build your city budget upon in terms of financing it. So part of it would be to make entities such as Pioneers Mu-
seum and Rock Ledge Ranch run by volunteers instead of by city government. Jarred: We were heavily dependent upon property taxes with the idea that the housing bubble was never going to burst. The best thing to do is make this city more business friendly and by cutting taxes. TCT: Why are the progressive democrats in the Colorado State Senate trying to increase taxes on small businesses? Why don’t they choose successful tax reductions such as Gov. Jindal’s state of Louisiana? Jarred: They are ideologically blind to ideas outside of their point of view. They’re Keynesian, which is the idea that you spend your way out of debt. They say to themselves, “What generates revenue for us? Taxes. What do we have a shortfall of? Revenue. What do we need more of? Revenue. How do we generate more revenue? Higher taxes.” Richard: They do not believe in tax cuts. They believe in taking exemptions away and then say it’s not a tax increase or call something a fee when in reality it is a tax increase. One of the things about
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the progressives is that there is an elitism amongst them. I talked to a lot of people last year who say, “I can afford a mill-levy increase.” However, my vote is not just for what will impact my household but also the people I know who can’t afford it. A lot of people have come to the same conclusion. The average American is saying, “We spent all of this money and what is there to show for it? We don’t even have jobs to show for it.” Jarred: We have nothing to show for it. They’ve stopped even attempting to count the jobs they helped save or created with the stimulus package because they couldn’t even find an accurate matrix to do it. TCT: What was the message in Scott Brown’s win? Richard: America is fed up. That should be a resounding message to Washington that if this can happen in Massachusetts, then Colorado and a lot of other states will do the same thing. But I don’t think they get it in Washington. Jarred: I think the message was “Stop doing what you are doing.” They have gotten so bad in Washington and so politically tone deaf to the point where you have people in Massachusetts saying, “Stop!”
TCT: Since this is an election year what do you see happening this coming November? Jarred: Eli Bremer of the Young Republicans said recently on my show, “It’s going to be an anti-incumbent kind of year. It’s not just going to be anti-Democrat.” But I absolutely believe the Republicans can take back the House. As far as the Senate goes, I think it is 50/50. Richard: A lot of people who have been complacent or busy in the past have said, “I’ll withhold my vote to send a message or I’ll vote for a third party candidate.” A lot of people now see how important their vote is and are far from being complacent. Now the biggest motivation is a love of one’s country and a concern for the direction the country is not only heading... but with the fundamental change in the fabric and nature of the existence of this country. These Americans will not only cast their vote but they will work hard and they will write checks to make sure that doesn’t happen. 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 Sundays in Colorado Springs from 9:00pm to 11:00pm on KVOR radio, 740 AM.
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Area Groups and Organizations
Join one or more! Help us bring our country back to its roots of liberty and freedom for all!
Compiled by Cindy Lyons Contributing Writer Below is a partial list of grassroots and political groups based in El Paso, Teller, and Douglas counties. More information is available on their websites or from their contacts. The Liberty Events Calendar (libertyevents.org) is a comprehensive calendar for Colorado grassroots and Republican party activities. For questions or suggestions, contact me at cindy@theconstitutionalisttoday.com. ACT! For America actforamericacoloradosprings.com Americans For Prosperity, Colorado www.americansforprosperity.org/colo rado As a Mom—Colorado Group asamom.ning.com/group/coloradomoms Clear the Bench Colorado www.clearthebenchcolorado.org Coalition for a Conservative Majority, Colorado Springs www.ccm-cos.com Coffee4Conservatives in Franktown coffee4conservatives.com Colorado Springs Campaign for Liberty ronpaul.meetup.com/310 Give Me Liberty www.givemeliberty.org
Pikes Peak Firearms Coalition, Inc. www.ppfc.org R.A. Mayes: Colorado Conservatives www.ramayes.com/Colorado_Conserva tive_Coalition_Groups.htm
Republican Organizations: Colorado Republican Party www.cologop.org Sunrise Republican Women www.coloradosrw.com Douglas County Republican Women www.dcrw.org El Paso County GOP www.gopelpaso.com Colorado Federation of Republican Women www.nfrw.org/statefederations/colorado. htm Republican Club of Falcon www.falconrepublicans.org UCCS College Republicans Josh Manweiler: 719-251-7765 Pikes Peak Young Republicans Eli Bremer: 719-213-3428 email: eli.bremer@gmail.com
The Independence Institute www.i2i.org
POWR: Political Organization of Women Republicans powrnetwork.ning.com
The Leadership Institute www.leadershipinstitute.org
Teller County Republicans www.teller-gop.org info@teller-gop.org
Leadership Program of the Rockies www.leadershipprogram.org
Tea Party and 9/12 Groups
Liberty on the Rocks, Colorado Springs coloradosprings.libertyontherocks.org
9-12 Pikes Peaks Patriots freeandunited.com
Limited Government Forum www.limitedgovforum.org
912 Project, Castle Rock www.meetup.com/South-Denver-912Project-Group/
Local Liberty Online locallibertyonline.org ParentalRights.org parentalrights.org
Colorado Springs Tea Party www.teapartypatriots.org/Group/Colo rado_Springs_TEA_Party
The Patriot Caucus thepatriotcaucus.com
Teller Tea Party www.tellerteaparty.com
Pikes Peak Economics Club pikespeakeconomicsclub.com/CMS/ PPEC/
Tea Party Patriots, Castle Rock www.teapartypatriots.org/Group/Castle_ Rock_Tea_Party
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El Paso County Elections
Compiled by Brad Kerstetter Senior Staff Writer
When more than one candidate runs for an office, the selection process begins at the precinct level. On March 16 at the precinct caucuses, delegates are selected to attend the County Assembly on April 10. Votes are cast by the delegates at the Assembly, and candidates receiving 30% or more of the votes continue on to the Primary or General Election. For more information on the Republican caucus visit www.gopelpaso.com. Listed below are Republican candidates running in El Paso County, with their websites: State Senate District 9 is contested between Kent Lambert and Tom McDowell. Kent Lambert is the State Representative for House District 14 of El Paso County and is a member of the Joint Budget Committee. He received the House Champion Award from the Colorado Union of Taxpayers. He retired from the U.S. Air Force as a Colonel. www.kentlambert.com Tom McDowell is a retired army officer and business owner. His website states that he is a fiscal conservative, will support the Clear the Bench initiative and expects judges to uphold the law and Constitution. www.mcdowellforsenate.com State Senate District 11, Owen Hill, unopposed. www.owenhillforsenate.com State House District 14, Janak Joshi, unopposed. www.electjanakjoshi.com State House District 15, Mark Waller, unopposed. www.markwallerforhd15.org State House District 16, Larry Liston, unopposed. www.arrylistonforhd16.com
State House District 17 is contested between Mark Barker and Kit Roupe. Mark Barker is a practicing attorney, and has served at the El Paso County District Attorney’s Office. He served for 24-years as a Colorado Springs Police Officer. He supports limited government and TABOR. www.markbarker.org Kit Roupe has 16 years of political experience, 14 as a Committee person, an election judge, and a vice-chair of Senate District 11. She has 12 years of volunteer experience that she believes will help her serve the citizens of District 17. www.catherineroupe.net State House District 18, Karen Cullen, unopposed. www.electkarencullen.com State House District 19, Marsha Looper, unopposed. www.gomarsha.org State House District 20, Amy Stephens, unopposed. www.amystephens4hd20.com State House District 21, Bob Gardner, unopposed. County Commissioner District 1, Darryl Glenn, unopposed. www.darryl glennforcitycouncil.com County Commissioner District 5 has four Republican candidates running for office, Patrick Carter, William Guevara, Peggy Littleton, and David Williams. Patrick Carter is a former precinct leader and Chairman for District 16, according to Facethestate.com. William Guevara’s experience includes former Mayor of Carlsbad, CA and the Fire and Police Commissioner of Carlsbad.
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Peggy Littleton’s experience includes seven-years on the State Board of Education, and 15-years of involvement with various community boards. She is a commercial real estate broker who understands the importance of property rights. Littleton claims to be the most visible and accessible candidate running for District 5. Littleton has been speaking with various Tea Partiers throughout the county and is listening to their concerns. www.Peggy Littleton.org. David Williams was student body president at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, and has a degree in political science. “I know what it means to be an elected representative,” Williams said. For more information visit www.electda vidwilliams.com County Assessor, Mark Lowderman, unopposed. County Clerk and Recorder is a contested race between three candidates: Charles Corry, Sandra Damron, and Wayne Williams. Charles Corry has been an expert witness in cases involving electronic voting equipment, according to his website. He believes that “Honest, transparent elections with a secret ballot are so fundamental to our freedom that every effort must be made to preserve them,” according to his website. http://corry.ws Sandra Damron has spent the last seven years as the El Paso County Treasurer. Damron points out that the offices are similar in many ways—both offices support themselves based on fees charged for their services, and are both administra-
tive executive positions. She believes her experience as a CPA and Treasurer and her proven track record as an administrator set her apart because much of the job is administrative. www.damronforclerk .com Wayne Williams was County Commissioner for District 1 starting in 2002. He has also served as an El Paso County Republican Party Chairman. He believes what sets him apart is that he is the only candidate running for Clerk who has beaten a Democrat in an election. “I have a history of standing up for conservative values,” Williams said. www.winwith wayne.org El Paso County Sheriff is a contested race between two candidates, incumbent Terry Maketa and Jacob Shirk. Terry Maketa is the current Sheriff of El Paso County and is running for a third term. He announced in January that he would not run for re-election. But after supporters urged him to reconsider, his is back in the race. The Sheriff ’s Office currently has 628 employees, according to the El Paso County Sheriff website. Jacob Shirk has spent the last 35 years in law enforcement, according to his website. He has been the Chief of Police in Monument since 2005. He implemented several new programs in Monument including a Police Officer Reserve Program. www. ChiefJake4Sheriff.com County Surveyor, G. Lawrence Burnett, unopposed. County Treasurer, Robert Balink, unopposed. www.bobbalink.com
Public virtue cannot exist in a nation without private virtue, and public virtue is the only foundation of republics. —John Adams
Communist Refugee Cherishes American Liberty
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For many Americans freedom is a way of We headed toward the border by train life that is often taken for granted, but not hiding from Soviet patrols searching for for Zsuzsa Hand. As escapees. Our cona refugee from comtact was a farmer munist Hungary she my father paid to has always cherished hide us and direct us the liberties America to the border. One offers. Zsuzsa was night the farmer led just 8 years old when us across the fields her family fled but with a small group she vividly rememof people. Commubers life behind the nist patrols were ilIron Curtain. Here is luminating the sky Zsuzsa’s story in her with flares, catchThe Schmidt Family, circa 1948, Budapest own words. ing, arresting and “It was a terrible struggle for my parsometimes shooting people trying to esents, Anthony and Maria Schmidt. They cape. After a time, the farmer stopped and lived in constant fear of the government. pointed to a red light saying, “That’s AusMy parents seldom spoke to my sister and tria.” We walked for hours toward the light. me about the political situation and their Another flare lit up the sky so we dove for fears. Our teachers would ask us what our the ground. Suddenly, soldiers with guns parents talked about so my parents were shined a flashlight on us. They said we had very careful. My father listened to Radio reached the Austrian border! Free Europe, an illegal activity, with his ear A few days later we arrived at the against the speaker and a blanket over his American Red Cross refugee camp in Vihead for fear of being overheard and arenna. Red Cross officials asked my father rested. The supervisor of our apartment which country we would like to go to. He building reported all suspicious activities said, ‘You mean we have a choice?’ My parto the government. ents had not dared to dream of going to Prior to the communist takeover in a place of their choice, they had dreamed 1945, my father was executive of a large simply of freedom.” company. After being forced out of that The U.S. quota for refugees was full position and needing so the Schmidts immito support our famgrated to New Zealand ily, he started a series where Zsuzsa’s parof small textile weavents started a successing and spinning opful textile business. In erations. Despite the 1970, Zsuzsa met her near-subsistence level husband, David, an of these businesses, the American soldier on government “nationalR&R from Vietnam in ized” my father’s work and confiscated his Australia. She proudly became a U.S. citiequipment, books and cash. He never gave zen in 2000. up. He gathered supplies and set up shop Although Zsuzsa loves the U.S., she many times only to have it all confiscated. is concerned about the direction America Eventually, he was sent to jail but his friends is headed. “Government infringement on were able to bribe officials for his release. personal freedom scares me. We need freeThe years were very difficult for my dom to be able go to work, have our own mother. She navigated ration lines for food businesses and to make our own decisions and pawned our family valuables. In Octofor our families. Our national debt is of ber 1956, the Hungarians revolted against great concern to me; how can our governthe occupying Soviet communists. The ment continue to function with higher and sight of dead bodies and army tanks in the higher deficits? I believe we should be able streets brought back terrifying memories to make independent choices, rather than of World War II for my mother. She sufour government making them for us.” fered a nervous breakdown. In spite of the challenges America facIn December my father heard rumors es, Zsuzsa has not given up hope. “I believe of openings in the land mine fields that in the ingenuity and the resilience of the blocked the border into Austria. Despite American people. I believe someone will my mother’s fragile condition, my parents figure a way out of this. I have great optidecided we would leave Hungary. We told mism because of the American people and no one we were leaving and took nothing who they are.” but the clothes we wore.
Communist patrols were illuminating the sky with flares, catching, arresting and sometimes shooting people trying to escape.
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Small Business: Comatose and On Life Support
Urban Renewal has Negative Impact on Local Businesses
By Chuck Graybill Contributing Writer
“We don’t want to close... we cannot afford to stay open.” These words are uttered daily by small business owners across America. If we close we don’t register in any unemployment statistics. We just fade away after years of being ignored by our local governments while they focus on tax breaks and abatements for chains, big-box stores, corporate headquarters and government agencies, all with no allegiance to the city, county community or residents. We just fade away as city planners and officials kowtow to developers laying barren formerly bustling sections of the city as they seek to grow and ignore all the small businesses that staked their fortunes and futures on longevity. When the abatements and entitlements run out, these entities often run off to another locale with a better offer and leave behind a cavernous building to fall into decay or a constant reminder of the need for urban renewal. Despite administration claims of inflation being in check, small businesses have seen increasing costs of doing business which have squeezed the life out of these symbols of the American dream and drained their owners’ retirement savings. Hanging on too long is commonplace for these backbones of the American economy, as they try to remain viable for their longtime staff. Most of us are not rich, far from it! We exhausted our life’s savings or separation pay from three decades of corporate “downsizing” lay-offs due to the flow of jobs overseas and south-of-the-border brought on by taxes, regulations and overreaching and extorted union contracts. Nearly all of us are struggling to make ends meet. We
By Bev Giltner Guest Writer
awaken each day afraid revenue will once again not cover the day’s costs, and worried that today we will have to cut another one employee and ‘ruin’ lives. Mom and Pop stores run by families are part and parcel of the community, unlike the national and regional stores where decisions are made by a computer or an indifferent group of executives concerned with their bottom lines and stock price. I haven’t raised prices in over three years while some of my costs increase at least once a season, if not every delivery. A friend has also chosen to “eat” cost increases draining thousands of dollars from his 35 year retirement savings in order not to lay-off staff. When small business owners go home they discuss the day’s sales and customers and updates on the kids and grandkids. At a big box store or chain, you lose the knowledge and personal touch of the owners and all too often become a computer tally or statistic. You also lose the personal attention, quality and care you get at the local store that stocks that one product only you use. Small businesses were once the darlings of media, banks and financial institutions. Since 2008, we are outcasts no longer welcome at most bank loan windows. Recently, a longtime fixture of local business in Colorado Springs who had about $2 million of free and clear assets for collateral applied for a $100,000 line of credit to expand his business, increase his buying power with suppliers, and keep his staff employed. He was turned down because his cash flow had declined with the economy. His longCOMA on page 16
It’s obvious some city officials have been drinking the Kool-aid that has been passed around Washington D.C. It doesn’t matter how they word it, urban renewal is urban sprawl. It is self-defeating and needs to stop. City officials encouraged the development of a new retail center at University Village, the last thing this city needs. It would have been better if the incentives for University Village had been diverted to the relocation of a business who hired employees who, in turn, might spend money in some of these shopping centers. The city needs to focus on revitalizing what is here and provide incentives for reinvestment into existing commercial centers. I have a personal stake in the issue of urban renewal since I just lost a major investment in a retail store in the renewal project at Marketplace (Academy and Austin Bluffs). Retail stores are hanging on by a thread. The city should know this just by looking at their sales tax revenues. Merchants will be forced to close their doors because customers have more shopping choices than they need. Then there will be even less revenue. Academy Boulevard has turned into a virtual ghost town. Most of the commercial buildings in the city will fail their appraisal when it is time to renew loans.
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Is the city going to subsidize their loans when they have no tenants, no income, and are unable to substantiate their values to renew their loans? We cannot continue to pretend this economic downturn has no consequence, or continue to dilute the little retail demand we have. A fancy new shopping center will not make people spend money they don’t have. Have our city officials noticed we are basically a bluecollar city thanks to a city government with no creative ideas for attracting new and diversified business? The per capita income for northern El Paso County is yesterday’s news. I live in that area and I know that we, along with many who were in the construction/real estate industries, have seen their high per capita income disappear. Many people have lost their jobs. Our city officials need to address the hard issues. Dreams and goals are wonderful, but they need to work on the good, the bad and the ugly facing this community before building bigger and better shopping centers, dream cities, mega malls and sports centers. Maybe we need city leaders with bigger and better ideas that help us through our current situation. Many city officials may be experienced planners and developers but what happened to plain old common sense? Save the grand ideas for better days.
We cannot continue to pretend this economic downturn has no consequence, or continue to dilute the little retail demand we have.
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A dog is not only man’s best friend, but in the case of Army Specialist Cameron, and many like him, his dog is, literally, a life saver. In Cameron’s case his dog Harper is his savior. Harper helps Cameron with everyday tasks that are difficult for him due to back, knee and ankle injuries he suffered while serving in Iraq. Harper assists Cameron by keeping track of his keys, cell phone, wallet and other necessities. He opens doors and refrigerators and performs “crowd control” to prevent anxiety, a symptom of Cameron’s PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). “Harper is a wonderful tool and companion,” Cameron said. “In combat, you can’t go anywhere alone. You don’t go anywhere without your battle buddy. In civilian life, I want my service dog to be my battle buddy. I want the dog to go everywhere I go.” Cameron has Freedom Service Dogs (FSD) to thank for his faithful companion. FSD was founded by Michael and PJ Roche of Denver in 1987. Few people have a better appreciation of freedom and independence than Michael Roche. In 1978, Mike was working as a paramedic field instructor. He
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Want a lower crime rate? Need jobs? Kennesaw, Georgia, citizens said “yes” to all three of those questions. In 1982, the Kennesaw city council passed a law requiring heads of households to own and maintain a gun. The law lowered the crime rate, brought in more business and created jobs. Should Colorado Springs follow Kennesaw’s example? We could definitely benefit from a drop in crime rate, more jobs and more businesses coming to town. It’s worked for Kennesaw. Responding to the passage of a handgun ban in Morton Grove, Illinois, and the round-the-clock media coverage of it, the Kennesaw city council decided to respond to the publicity in an opposite manner. Their ordinance states the gun law is needed to “protect the safety, security and general welfare of the city and its inhabitants.” Apparently it worked! Cobb Chamber of Commerce President Bill Cooper talked about one benefit of the law. “It helped business development,” he said. “Kennesaw is home to more manufacturing businesses than any other Cobb County city. Companies have said they want to be located in conservative areas.” Kennesaw Historical Society President Robert Jones said another benefit to the town following the law’s passage was that the crime rate dropped 89 percent in the city, compared to the modest 10 percent drop statewide. “It did drop after it was passed,” he said, “and has stayed at the same low level since then.”
The author of the ordinance, attorney Fred Bentley Sr., stated, “I am definitely in favor of what we did,” he said. “The law may not be totally responsible for the decrease, but it is a major part!” Another councilman remarked about a third benefit to the law. “Unlike Morton Grove, we believed in the right of people to own guns as the Constitution says. We are following what our forefathers had in mind when they talked about a well-ordered militia. All of us locals would come to the assistance of the city if needed just like the militia did a couple of hundred years ago.” The councilman went on to explain, “There are loopholes, so not everyone is required to own a gun. Those who are conscientious objectors or those who oppose maintaining firearms as a result of beliefs or religious doctrine are excused from the law.” Others such as the physically and mentally disabled, paupers and those convicted of a felony are also not required to maintain a firearm.” Kennesaw Mayor Leonard Church said, “The law has had many positive effects on the city of Kennesaw. Other cities should try it. It works!” So should Colorado Springs follow Kennesaw’s example? Maybe our city council should consider adopting such a law. It would be interesting to see if it brings in businesses and jobs. Colorado Springs could also use a drop in the crime rate like Kennesaw has experienced. If it works for Kennesaw, Ga. and provides great benefits, could it work for Colorado Springs?
COMA continued from page 14 standing relationship with the bank meant nothing. His 20 times collateral and an equivalent balance in his 401k meant nothing to his bank which was under pressure from federal regulators. Small business funding has driedup in this era of bailouts for administration favorites, supporters too big to fail, record government deficits, skyrocketing debt and totally reckless spending to repay campaign debts and fund favored voting
districts in the land of Obama, Reid and Pelosi. All of these small businesses who were encouraged to grow, hire and borrow to grow and hire more or take on new product lines now find it impossible to refinance those loans or find a bridging loan to stay in business. The next time you decide to shop at a neighborhood store, think twice. Spend your hard earned dollars locally where you can be assured they will be greatly appreciated and invested locally.
DOGS continued from page 15 that Mike had dropped and open doors for him. Mike and PJ married in 1987, the same year they started FSD. FSD has placed dogs with five veterans and has six veterans on their waiting list. Any veteran may apply for a dog. “We will provide a service dog to any veteran who qualifies and applies. If they are located near another ADI (Assistance Dogs International) facility outside of Colorado, we attempt to have them work with that facility for their own convenience, but if no service dog organization will serve them and they pass our application/interview process, we will get them a dog,” said Sharan Wilson, FSD Executive Director. Clients and dogs are carefully matched to create a working team, and each dog is specially trained to support the needs of his/her new partner. The dogs, which come from rescue shelters, undergo a minimum of 7months of intensive training. “Some dogs stay in the program as long as 12 months, based on their age and the specific tasks they must master before being placed in the home of a client,” Wilson said. “The dogs are mainly trained to assist people with a disability that affects their mobility, such as a spinal cord injury. They provide their human companions with a greater degree of independence, assisting them with a variety of tasks including retrieving objects, operating doors, pushing 911 and lifeline buttons, providing brace and balance while walking, and other special-
ized tasks needed by the client. Freedom Service Dogs also help people with PTSD by providing a calming effect, interrupting dissociative episodes and acting as a social link to other people.” Another FSD success story is Army Staff Sergeant (retired) Newland and his dog, Clark. Newland was injured in Iraq in 2006 when a hand grenade was thrown into his humvee and detonated. He suffered traumatic brain injury, shrapnel wounds to his face, arms, legs, right hip and knee. He was left with severe mobility problems. Clark provides stability for Newland by preventing him from falling which enables Newland to live without a wheelchair or cane. Newland said having Clark has definitely had a positive impact on his life. “I feel like I can do more than I did before I was injured.” Today, FSD operates without the benefit of Mike and PJ but they left behind a great legacy. Mike still lives in Denver but is retired from service dog work. He is very proud of the quality of dogs that have been trained and placed yet frustrated that not enough dogs can be trained to meet needs, thus there will always be a client waiting list. PJ died several years ago. She was once quoted as saying, “It’s not a job about training dogs. It’s a job about helping people and animals, and providing life-long support to the pair, like family members.” For more information or to apply for a Freedom Service Dog go to www.freedomservicesdogs.org.
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16 | The Constitutionalist Today
2010
Colorado Supreme Court Justices on the Line
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Coloradoans have a unique opportunity in the November election to vote out four justices on the Colorado Supreme Court. As reported in the February issue of The Constitutionalist Today, the justices are accused of violating their oaths to uphold the state Constitution. Our article stated, “Led by Chief Justice Mary Mullarkey, the court majority has ruled against the Constitution on multiple occasions in order to impose their political agenda on the citizens of Colorado.” Matt Arnold, founder of Clear the Bench Colorado, claims that the justices ruled in favor of unconstitutional tax increases, violating the TABOR amendment. He also shows how they blurred the distinction between taxes and fees, and they opened the door to the abuse of eminent domain by municipalities with their ruling on the “Telluride Land Grab.” Arnold argues that the Supreme Court grabbed power from the state legislature in the important issue of redistricting. Voters will be able to vote for or against retention of the four justices named by Arnold. Besides Chief Justice Mary Mullarkey, the other justices are Michael Bender, Alex Martinez, and Nancy Rice. More information is available from our archived article at: www.theconstitution alisttoday.com and from www.clearthe benchcolorado.com.
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18 | The Constitutionalist Today
Colorado Governor’s Race Heats Up By William T. Gillin Editor-in-chief As we head into the caucuses, Republican candidates Dan Maes and Scott McInnis continue their campaigns. Former Congressman McInnis has raised over $1 million and has received many endorsements from Republican leaders. He touts his political experience and his plan to bring job growth back to Colorado. Dan Maes claims his experience as a business executive qualifies him to be governor, which is an executive position. Although Maes trails McInnis in fundraising, he appears frequently at Tea Party gatherings. His message of fiscal responsibility, free enterprise and lower taxes seems to make him popular with many grassroots conservatives. The Democratic race for the senate has begun to heat up. While appointed
Senator Michael Bennet has just completed his first year in office, he is facing competition as former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff has thrown his hat into the ring. The Gazette recently reported that Mr. Romanoff “has been endorsed by 60 current and former state legislators,” as well as the Teamsters and United Food and Commercials workers unions. President Obama flew Air Force One to Colorado in February to help Sen. Bennet raise campaign funds. One has to wonder if Sen. Bennet is hoping to break the string of defeats for Obama in Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. Both Republican candidates have agreed to appear at the Candidate Debate at Mr. Biggs’ on March 9.
U.S. Senate Candidates for Colorado
By William T. Gillin Editor-in-chief
The Ute Pass Cultural Center in Woodland Park was packed February 6 with about 400 citizens who came to hear five Republican candidates for Senator. Sponsored by the Teller Tea Party, the forum gave voters the opportunity to listen to Steve Barton, Ken Buck, Jane Norton, Cleve Tidwell, and Tom Weins. Since appointed Democrat Senator Michael Bennet did not agree to attend, he was represented by his picture atop an empty suit in a chair on the left side of the stage. Congressman Doug Lamborn gave opening remarks by highlighting the drastic spending and debt problems with the Democrat-controlled Congress. He pointed out that 43 cents of every dollar spent by the U. S. government is borrowed, and that the current budget adds $1.6 trillion in debt. Most in the audience were well aware of the issues and were eager for real change. The Senate candidates then answered questions submitted by the audience. When asked why voters should support them, each answered with variations on a conservative theme. Ken Buck said that when he takes the oath of office, it will not be to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, but to the U. S. Constitution. As Weld County District Attorney, he said he gets to do the right thing every day, and he will do the right thing to correct the problems in D. C. Steve Barton said the goal is to toss out Sen. Bennet, and held up a Weimar Deutschmark from the 1920s to show how deficit spending brings hyper-inflation. He emphasized sensible budgetary restraints, and ending the graft and corruption in the federal government. Jane Norton said the answer lies in you, the American people. Taxing and spending are stifling job creation, and we need free enterprise to create jobs. Cleve Tidwell emphasized his business experience, and wants to bring his business sense to Washington. He said he took an oath when he joined the Marine Corps, and will take it again to serve this country. Tom Weins pointed to his record in the Colorado House and Senate, which he said shows him standing up to both Democrats and Republicans. He had opposed Republican Governor Owens’ support of
Referendum C, which kept $4 billion from Colorado taxpayers. When asked how public officials are violating their oath of office, most candidates replied that the 10th Amendment is being abused by the federal government. Mandates from Washington are often unconstitutional and need to be stopped. During the two hour session, the candidates rotated through several more questions. We do not have the space here to highlight them all. At the closing of the forum, moderator Dave Doll said he wished he could clone himself and vote for all of them. Someone wisecracked that if he was in Chicago, he could! The Democratic race for the Senate has begun to heat up. While appointed Senator Michael Bennet has just completed his first year in office, he is facing competition as former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff has thrown his hat into the ring. The Gazette recently reported that Mr. Romanoff “has been endorsed by 60 current and former state legislators,” as well as the Teamsters and United Food and Commercials workers unions. President Obama flew Air Force One to Colorado in February to help Sen. Bennet raise campaign funds. One has to wonder if Sen. Bennet is hoping to break the string of defeats for Obama in Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. We recommend that you visit the candidates’ websites to learn more about their stands on the issues. And DON’T MISS the CANDIDATE DEBATE at Mr. Biggs’ on March 9, where you will be able to meet and hear the Republican candidates. Steve Barton www.bartonforsenate.org Ken Buck buckforcolorado.com Jane Norton janenortonforcolorado.com Cleve Tidwell www.tidwellforsenate.com Tom Wiens www.tomwiens2010.com
To Advertise your Restaurant Here: Please call: 719.260.7776 FIx-A-FEAST Want great meals for your family but don’t have time to shop or prepare them? We prepare quality “Take & Bake” Meals , just call ahead and we will have them ready for you. “My kids loved them so much they practically licked the bowl!” Donna M. ALL NATURAL meats, fish & poultry, Amazing DELI and CATERING for all your office/private party needs. “After numerous caterers, we chose FIX-A-FEAST (for corporate lunches) because they are the best!” Sam M. (office manager). 5901 Delmonico Drive, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80921, 719-531-5170.
ROCCO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT Want an Italian restaurant with fresh pastas, home-made lasagna, mouth-watering charbroiled steaks and seafood? Then look no further than Rocco’s. Serving Colorado Springs since 1982, Robert and Laurie have made Rocco’s a must-eat destination for years. Enjoy our exciting dinner specials made every day. With a full bar and a banquet room, this is the perfect place for all your family, business and special occasion events! Centrally located at 3878 Maizeland, (NE corner of Maizeland and Academy) Serving lunch Tuesday through Saturday, and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. 719.574.1426
AUNT NELLIE’S Welcome to Aunt Nellie’s Cookies, Baked Goods, and Sweet Treats! Are your taste buds hungry for your delicious home baking, that Mom or Grandma use to make? We can give you a hand. Family recipes are important part of our baking and candy making. We have special recipes that have been passed down to our family and now made for yours! We wouldn’t share anything our family didn’t think was yummy. We make everything fresh for you. Aunt Nellie’s uses the finest ingredients to create delicious products. We use real butter, pure vanilla, quality chocolate and natural ingredients like nuts and dried fruit. 5901 Delmonico Drive, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80921, 719531-5170, www.auntnellie.com.
TASTE OF PHILLY Located on the NW corner of N. Carefree and Academy, this is truly Colorado Springs’ hidden gem. Feel like your back in Philly with one of our mouth-watering Philly cheese steaks. We make them to order, to your liking and with the best and freshest ingredients. Hoagies, salads, subs and everything in between. Try our famous fried mushrooms and onion rings too! 719.638. 0200 MANDARIN BISTRO Mandarin and Thai flare, this restaurant has the best in authentic Asian foods. Take-out or free-delivery within a 5 mile radius. Located at 1831 Briargate Blvd (right across from The Chapel Hills Mall and on the SW corner of Chapel Hills Drive) Phone: 719.532.0110 or 719.532.0111. Open: Mon-Fri, 11am-9:30pm, Sat 12noon to 9:30pm.
JOEY’S PIZZA Joey’s Pizza established in June of 2008, has mad a huge impact on pizza lovers here in colorado springs. Joey Stasolla owner of Joey’s Pizza born and raised in New York has been making pizza for over 12 years. For true authentic New York pizza there is no other place in town to get it but Joey’s. From pizza by the slice, specialty pizzas, calzones, stromboli, subs, salads and more, there will be a taste of New York in every bite. Come on in, have a great time---1829 Briargate Blvd (Across the street from the Chapel Hills Mall) 265-6922
BROOK’S CUSTOM CAKES I have over 10 years baking experience. I can help you celebrate something so simple yet so important like a birthday or something extravagant like a wedding! Call me at 719.533.0990 and let me help make your special occasion wonderful. MCCABE’S TAVERN If you are looking for a great place to have a pint and some great food, then look no further than McCabe’s Tavern. Located in historic downtown Colorado Springs, McCabe’s features some of the best Irish fare in town. It is also a mainstay for anybody that is looking to relax in a traditional Irish style pub. McCabe’s also makes sure that the soccer fan is well covered with it’s big screen televisions broadcasting everything from the MLS to the English Premier League. It would be very hard pressed to find a better happy hour than what McCabe’s can offer. With its awesome specials on food and great beer, it is the perfect place to get together after work or on the weekends. So the next time you and your friends are looking to hang out with spectacular food and drinks, you need to find your way into McCabe’s Tavern.
BLACK FOREST BISON Direct from the ranch sales. All natural/organic, 100% grass fed bison meat, “Gourmet to Go” heat and eat bison dinners, award winning bison jerky. BBQ sauces, hot sauces and salsas. Plus farm fresh eggs & local raw honey.. Gift packages and shipping are also available. 1234 E. Woodmen Rd. 719-488-3898, www. BlackForestBison.com FAIRWAY GRILL & PUB We’ve hit a hole-in-one with our new restaurant! Relax in a comfortable atmosphere, and capture one of those rare opportunities to mingle over great drinks and succulent food. Menu includes burgers and guilt-free fries, stacks and wraps, soups and salads, pizza and more! Our food is always fresh, never fried and prepared to order. Join us for lunch, happy hour or schedule a private party, meeting or event. Open seven days a week, 364 days a year. Winter hours 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or later for your event. Fairway Grill & Pub, A New addition to World Golf Sand Creek Golf Course, 6865 Galley Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80915, (719)597-5489.
BLACKJACK PIZZA PIZZA IS OUR PASSION! Four locations in Colorado Springs: Academy @ Hancock, Centennial @ Garden of the Gods, Kelly Johnson @ Academy, Unitah @ 19th. Specials everyday,. Visit our website www.blackjackpizza.com for coupons and more information. STEAKSMITH NEW NEW NEW! Now serving our “Sunset Dinner Menu”, served for 4-5PM on Sundays through Thursdays. Up to Five Entrees offered, including Dinner Salad, Entrée, Starch and Vegetable, including Coffee, Tea, and Soft Drink. Prices range from $12-$17. Happy hour pricing in the Dining Room. Reservations for Dinner are highly recommended. “Best of Springs Winner” - 2007, 2008, 2009.What locals have known for 29 years. 3802 Maizeland Rd. 719-596-9300. www.steaksmith.com
BLACK BEAR DINER At Black Bear Diner, our mission is to be the pre-eminent family dining concept, providing excellent food and value, served in a fun, uniquely bear themed atmosphere, by friendly, committed and knowledgeable employees. The Black Bear Diner reflects our founders’ upbringing in small-town America. Their restaurant concept sprang from a desire to bring home-style cooking and personal service back to the dining experience. Our entire menu is available to go, and just a phone call away! To phone in your order, call us at 719.314.3616. Located on the SE corner of Academy and Galley at 975-A N. Academy Blvd.
DAT’S ITALIAN! Opening April 1st! DAT’S ITALIAN! is anxious to serve you their unique “Family Recipe Cuisine” that’s been passed down four generations. You’ll enjoy delicious affordable meals with a warm and friendly atmosphere. The patio in the rear will be a comfortable option when the beautiful Colorado weather permits. So, come on in, enjoy the good food, friendly service and an atmosphere like no other! Located at 2514 West Colorado Avenue, Old Colorado City. (719) 632-3287
BUFFALO WILD WINGS Our award-winning wings are served with your choice of 14 signature sauces. Our full menu, including salads, burgers, wraps, and more, is served all day— even late! Our full bar features 20 draft beers. Come watch all your sports on our 39 HDTV’s and take advantage of our free wi-fi! Located in the Falcon Landing Shopping Center on Academy and just north of Woodmen, Open Mon-Thur11am-1am, Fri & Sat. 11am- 2am, Sunday 11am- 12am. 7425 N. Academy Blvd. 719.594.WING
ExTREME PIZZA Handmade the way it should be: fresh cut vegetables – not canned, dough made in our store – not frozen. From pepperoni to gourmet vegetarian, we deliver honestly good tasting pizza loaded with toppings. Delivery, pickup, or dine in. 7340 N. Academy Blvd - north of Woodmen, next to Panera. Extremepizza.com 522-1515
OLIVER’S DELICATESSEN This cozy neighborhood deli located in the Rockrimmon area is the place to be anytime Monday through Saturday. For breakfast….Enjoy muffins, assorted baked goods, bagels with eggs, cream cheese or butter. Breakfast burritos made fresh to order, and don’t forget the caffeine jolt from our delightful lattes and cappuccinos. On to lunch? Sandwiches, salads and our homemade soups reign here. So, come on by…let us meet you:) When you are here, you are family! Located at the corner of Delmonico & Rockrimmon, 6602-A Delmonico Drive, Open M-F 6am-4pm and Saturdays from 8am to 2pm. Good food, Good friends and Good service awaits you! 719.599.9411
FRANKIE’S SPORTS BAR & GRILL This casual neighborhood sports tavern and grill is the place where “friends tell friends to eat” since 1984. Frankie’s offers delicious food, good service and prices that won’t dent the pocketbook! Big screens, pool tables and cold beer. Come on in, we’ll treat you right. Located on the corner of Powers & Galley in Colorado Springs. (719) 574-4881 and Woodman & Meridian (719) 495-8707. www.FrankiesBarGrill.com VIETNAMESE GARDEN We serve authentic Vietnamese cuisine made from scratch. Our restaurant has an elegant and pleasant atmosphere with a great view of Pikes Peak. No MSG is used in the making of our food. Our Brown Rice option makes our food vegan-friendly. We also offer Gluten free meals and desserts. Lunch portions for $7.95 + tax on all Noodle Bowls and Noodle Soups. We have beer and wine along with exotic weekly specials. We also offer take out, as well as a military discount. See our menu at www. vietnamesegarden.net or visit our location at 3043 W. Pikes Peak Avenue, on the Corner of 31st and Colorado Avenue. Our normal hours are 11:00 am to 3:00 pm Tuesday through Friday. Our winter hours are 11:00 am to 8:00 pm Tuesday through Sunday, closed Mondays. See Customer Reviews at SuperPages.com. 719.520.9299
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. We are located at 8816 N. Union Blvd. Our phone # is 282.3135. We are open Monday thru Saturday from Noon to 8pm. THE MASON JAR American comfort food served in a casual Colorado lodge atmosphere. Famous chicken fried steak, slow roasted prime rib, seafood, plus soups, salads, sandwiches, and homemade cobblers. Full service bar. Fireplaces. A Colorado tradition since 1982. Lunch and dinner from 11am daily. 2925 West Colorado Ave at 30th St- 719-632-4820. Now at our second location at 5905 Corporate Drive and I-25 (Exit 148)719-260-6555, Same great food and service as the original West Colorado Avenue location. Two large banquet rooms. Full service bar. Fireplaces. Patio dining. Easy access from I-25.
South Jersey Subs
SOUTH JERSEY SUBS You want a sub? I mean a sub? A real one with only the finest deli meats, cheeses and toppings on the thing? Well, you haven’t been to a sub shop, like South Jersey Subs! Our subs are loaded with goodness in every bite---your mouth is watering and you’ll come back for more! Located at 1726 Brookwood, just one block south of Woodmen, 531-5100. THE AIRPLANE RESTAURANT The Airplane Restaurant’s centerpiece is a Boeing KC-97. Forty-two passengers can actually eat in the plane of the 275-seat restaurant. Rich in aviation history, displaying 100s of pictures, memorabilia and rare artifacts, The Airplane Restaurant offers a great menu featuring burgers, pastas, salads, fresh fish and steaks, including a full bar. The next time you are in Colorado Springs, fly on in. From 1-25, Exit 139 (Fountain Blvd.) east past Powers Blvd. Just look for the plane! For reservations or more information, please call 570.7656 LANNA THAI Briargates only authentic Thai and soon to be voted the “Best Thai in Colorado Springs”. All dishes prepared with the freshest ingredients. Try the famous “Pad Thai” or “Pa-nang curry”. Best Thai beer selection in the Springs. Opened Monday - Saturday for lunch and dinners. Located at 8810 N. Union (NW corner of Research and Union in the Albertson’s Shopping Center) 719.282.0474
COPPER CREEK COFFEE Your Conservative Coffee Shop! Carefree and Nonchalant. Home of the “Palin Mocha” and the “Butter Rumsfeld.” We have all Espresso Drinks, Coffee’s, Teas and “Ice Pressos.” Copper Creek Coffee has cozy, fun atmosphere with free WiFi! It’s a perfect place for meetings, gatherings, and quiet talks with friends. We also have assorted baked muffins, delicious smoothies, pastries, and breakfast “Breggos.” 3315 W. Carefree Cir. From North Carefree, turn right on W. Carefree, and Copper Creek Coffee will be one block on your left. Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-6pm, Sat 7am-2pm. 719-597-4189
R E S TA U R A N T A N D P U B
MAGGIE MAE’S RESTAURANT AND PUB “Homemade from scratch” is our ideology! 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. We make food so good Mom wishes she made it! 2405 Pikes Peak Ave. CASPIAN CAFé Step through the entrance of Caspian Café and be transported to an exotic land where a friendly and capable staff eagerly awaits your arrival – where a variety of beautifully prepared and incredibly delicious culinary creates tantalize your senses – and where you will return time after time to recreate your delight. Experience the Caspian Café! FIESTA JALISCO Home of Authentic Mexican dishes, we specialize in bringing Mexican dishes right to you! From taco salads to our delicious fajitas, you have to see our extensive menu. We are located on the NE corner of Stetson Hills and Powers, 6074 Stetson Hills Blvd. 719.573.8813, open Sun-Thurs from 11am-9pm and on Friday and Saturday from 11am-11pm. Bienvenidos A Su Casa!
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Firearms Freedom Act Takes Aim
The Colorado Caucus System
By Jeremy Goodall Managing Editor
By JM Peterson Constributing Writer The Colorado Firearms Freedom Act, SB10-092, could have been one of the single most important bills to come through our legislature this year. It is the culmination of what the Tea Party activists have been working for, and it would, in effect, allow the state of Colorado to take a strong stand against an overreaching federal government. It was introduced by State Senator Schultheis, January 20. However, it was “indefinitely postponed” by the democratic majority in an effort to kill the bill. But if some strong conservatives are elected in November, this bill can be resurrected once more. Montana was the first state to bring forth this type of legislation in January 2009 through Joe Boenik, basing the act on the contract it had with the United States when Montana was admitted as a state in 1889. The law encountered some difficulties with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), which stated that the federal government superseded any state’s laws. A lawsuit against the ATF was filed on October 1, 2009. The lawsuit is expected to be dismissed, but it is a battle worth watching closely for it is likely to be repeated many times over as more and more states file similar lawsuits as the FFA passes. Many states have joined Montana’s stance, with Tennessee already passing the law and about twenty other states intending to introduce a similar law. Following the trail blazed by Montana and some 21 other states, the law is beautifully simplistic, simply stating that it “… exempts from federal laws and regulations all firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition that are manufactured in Colorado by persons who are not federally licensed and that are sold and remain in Colorado.” Obviously, this bill could have an enormous impact on firearms laws and regulations. It would allow Coloradoans to enjoy the 2nd Amendment by eliminating federal requirements such as registration, as long as the firearms, ammunition, or accessories have not left Colorado’s borders. The bill considers such current regulations to be an illegitimate government objective that diminishes the 2nd Amendment.
However, in the big picture, the Firearms Freedom Act takes aim at much more than gun rights. It is specifically designed to go against the constitutionally-questionable federal government’s regulation of inter – and intrastate commerce, otherwise known as the Commerce Clause. The interstate Commerce Clause was worked into the Constitution to help the federal government regulate troublesome trade between colonies and on Native American lands. It was relatively ignored until Franklin D. Roosevelt discovered its power as he was trying to expand the government’s powers. FDR’s opportunity arose when the landmark case of Wickard v. Filbrun reached the Supreme Court, involving a wheat farmer whose use of an extra acre of land to grow wheat to make bread for his family. This supposedly violated the wheat quotas put in place by the Agriculture Department. Due to FDR’s very real threat to pack the Supreme Court with sympathizers to his cause, the Court sided with the government and set a precedent for the use of the Commerce Clause to expand governmental authority. Since then, many laws have been passed on the basis of violations of the Commerce Clause, including the ruling that marijuana, legalized in California, could not cross state lines because it might affect interstate commerce in the not legally recognized national marijuana market. The Firearms Freedom Act is designed to help overturn these rulings on interstate commerce by standing up for states’ rights through the 10th Amendment. By taking a strong stand against the overreaching federal government through SB10-092, the door could open for Colorado and other states to refuse to accept a federal takeover of healthcare, cap and trade, or any other government expansion plans and mandates. The 10th Amendment may be our best hope or last line of defense against such federal intrusion. The FFA bill is tabled for now in Colorado, but the momentum is national. State sovereignty is a major issue and one that will not go quietly into the night. More challenges to federal authority are sure to be looming.
The Firearms Freedom Act is designed to help overturn these rulings on interstate commerce by standing up for states’ rights through the Tenth Amendment.
What is the caucus?
Things to know:
The caucus is simply a meeting of the members of a political party organized at the precinct level. These meetings take place every two years. In Colorado the caucus is also the first step in selecting party leadership. The primary purpose of the meeting is to select delegates to the “Higher Assemblies”. The delegates go to these assemblies and vote on the nominations of candidates. The importance of the delegates in getting conservative candidates onto the ballot cannot be overstated. Your voice must be heard at the caucus to have any effect on your party. The caucus is meant to provide a forum for the discussion of issues and candidates. As such, it is the first meaningful opportunity to campaign for your candidate. Aside from the delegates, participants may also put forth resolutions. These will be presented for consideration at the county assembly and, if passed, may end up being incorporated into the state party platform.
• You must be registered to vote as a party member in your precinct to vote at the caucus. You do not have to be a party member to attend; bring your friends.
When and where is the caucus held?
What is the “candidate preference poll?”
The precinct caucuses are held March 16. The meeting locations vary by precinct. Contact your local county party for current information on the location of your specific caucus meeting. You may be able to find your precinct on the party’s website. Delegates are chosen at the precinct level to attend the county assembly, which will be April 10 for Douglas, El Paso, and Teller Counties. The Colorado State Assembly will be held May 22.
A new feature of the 2008 caucus was the introduction of a “Candidate Preference Poll.” This poll is meant to establish the general view of the declared candidates by the rank and file members of the party as the nomination process moves through the assemblies.The poll results for each precinct are not binding on the delegates that are subsequently elected.
• The Preference Poll conducted at the start of the meeting is NOT binding on chosen delegates. • Be sure that all paper work is properly notated and signed. If you don’t have your signature in the right place, you may forfeit your elected position as a delegate/alternate. • Be prepared to voice your support or opposition to issues and candidates. • Bring along your copy of The Constitutionalist Today, to help identify like-minded folks.
Resolutions: Resolutions are policy statements addressing key issues and establishing a proposed course of action. Those that are introduced at the caucus will be presented at the county assembly. If it is adopted at the county assembly then it will be presented for adoption by the state assembly.
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“Five for Freedom” State Sovereignty Resolutions By Jeff Wright Guest Writer (Ed. Note: Guest Columnist Jeff Wright introduces resolutions that claim state sovereignty according to the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. These would demand that the federal government cease all mandates and programs that are beyond the scope of its constitutionally-delegated powers. The resolutions would also return our currency to sound footing.) Well, folks, it’s once again caucus/assembly season! That means party resolutions need to be developed and introduced in every precinct at caucus meetings March 16 and for the county/district assemblies to follow-up to the state assembly. I have produced a package of suggested sovereignty/10th Amendment resolutions for the upcoming season. I call them the “Five for Freedom” (FFF) resolutions. I believe that it is past time to put real ‘teeth’ into a body of legislation to protect our state from the feds and the Federal Reserve. The resolutions are available online at the website of the Colorado 10th Amendment Center: http://colorado.tenthamendmentcenter.com/. A brief power point overview is included, which may be used as a presentation to introduce the package to groups. One goal was to write a succession of resolutions that were both integral, if passed together, and severable if passed separately. They get successively specific from 1-5. Within each resolution it is also possible, with the exception of resolution three, to also delete any specific resolved point and still have a stand-alone resolution.
Each resolution can be edited or reduced if it is felt necessary to get passed. However, editing MUST be done in a manner that retains the substance necessary to make the resolution(s) work and to clearly convey the original intent written into them. The FFF resolutions must be understood and fully distributed before then to be ready for introduction. It is up to each precinct coordinator or those wishing to be delegates in any county to know what they mean and to be able to speak to them at their precinct caucus and later as county assembly delegate. Some may consider the FFF package radical or too far ahead of its time. Given a realistic, in-depth understanding of the current budget/fiscal circumstances the state and the republic are in, the resolutions may not go far enough. If we don’t start this process now, in two-three years it will be too late to start the education then. Turning large ships headed directly for the reef takes time. The population will see a steady stream of very dire fiscal news coming out of all the states and around the world as the budget/financial crisis escalates. My hope is that Colorado and the other states will pick these up as a countrywide project to move the agenda of a ‘Return to the Republic’ forward. Our future freedom and liberty needs nothing less. Jeff Wright is Secretary and Co-Founder of the Pikes Peak Economics Club.
Kitchen Table Politics Juicy Tid-Bits from Denver
By Leah Hotchkiss Constributing Writer
The state legislators are off and running. There are 338 bills on the House agenda and from January 13 through February 12 over 50 bills have passed. Seven tax exemption bills have passed both House and Senate, five more tax bills are on the way, and several bills have been “postponed indefinitely.” These first seven have passed the House and Senate. All but one of these will go into effect March 1. Combined, HB101189 through HB10-1196 have been estimated to raise tax revenue by over $425 million.Here are some key points from the bill summaries. • 1189: Eliminates the state sales tax exemption for direct mail advertising materials… • 1190: Suspends the exemption for the storage, use, or consumption of electricity, coal, coke, fuel oil, steam, nuclear fuel, or gas for use in processing, manufacturing. . .telegraph. . . street and railroad transportation services, and all industrial uses… • 1191: Narrows the existing state sales tax exemptions for food so that candy and soft drinks are no longer exempt… • 1192: Repeals a special regulation related to the type of software subject to sales tax. The bill specifies that standardized software is included in the definition of tangible personal property and defines standardized software… • 1193: Relates to current law requiring a retailer to collect sales tax from a person residing in this state only if the retailer has sufficient connections with this state… • 1194: Narrows the existing state sales tax exemptions for sales to retailers or
vendors of food, meals, or beverages of articles, containers, and bags that are furnished without separate charge to consumers . . . articles, containers, and bags that are nonessential to the consumer are no longer exempt… • 1195: Suspends the exemption from the state sales taxes for the sale, storage, use, or consumption of agricultural compounds used in caring for livestock… • 1196: The bill disqualifies category 7 motor vehicles from the state income tax credit… These bills place an even heavier burden on local small businesses and individuals by taxing what was exempted, operational costs for business, and raising the price of previously tax free internet goods. Just how is taxing a restaurant for the purchase of a “spork” (1194) supposed to help the economy? Also, why is coke listed with electricity, nuclear fuel, and telegraph listed as an industry (1190)? Do they mean Coke-A-Cola? If so, why is Pepsi being left out? Would it have anything to do with their symbolic alignment with President Obama’s hope-circle logo? Conspiracy lovers have at it! With these bills, and the five yet to come, a lot of money will flow to state coffers—money that should be spent by the private sector providing jobs and maintaining our economy. Money brought in by tax rule changes and not put before the voters. Please send your notes of thanks to: Jack Pommer-D (Boulder), Rollie Heath-D (Boulder), or Mark Ferrandino-D (Denver). Before my higher-taxes-eye-tick worsens, we’d better move on. Here are some other bills that have passed. I have
summarized these because I am tired of clipping and pasting the bill summaries from the assembly web page (plus it’s just more fun this way): • 1137: Requires the use of “people first” language. Example: Instead of “the developmentally disabled” it now must read “persons with developmental disabilities.” (That deserves to be changed; the former is clearly bigoted.) • 1052: More money to be invested in recycling infrastructure, over the last two years 2.4 million dollars was spent, we need more. (This one includes feel-good reasons why we need to keep funding recycling projects. Read it for yourself. It’s a pretty good laugh in light of the new climate scandals.) • 1004: Standardization of Health Insurance information provided to consumers. (As if the insurance companies reprinting all their paperwork is going to save the consumer tons of money.) Didn’t lawmakers say they wanted to reduce health care costs? Between this and the removal of the tax incentive to buy category seven green cars, I can just sense that somewhere, a small corner of the rainforest started crying.) Unfortunately, there are a few more serious things I have to show you. My eye is starting to tick like a clock on espresso so let’s be quick. These House and Senate bills have failed or been postponed indefinitely: • HB 10-1100: This bill seeks to stop unions and legislature from using the exchange of gifts and money to remove a petition initiative from the ballot pro-
cess. (Testimony was heard from the Colorado Secretary of State and the state attorney general—both agreeing this addresses the appearance of misconduct and bribery. The bill was voted down along party lines. Representative Amy Stephens-R sponsored this bill, and in a forthcoming article we will take a more in-depth look.) • SB 10-092: The bill exempts from federal laws and regulations all firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition that are manufactured, sold and remain in Colorado by persons who are not federally license. • SB 10-051: Eliminates the authority of the governor to suspend or limit the sale, dispensing, or transportation of firearms during a state of disaster emergency. (These are both straightforward 2nd Amendment rights bills sponsored by Republicans Jerry Sonnenberg, Scott Renfroe, Dave Schultheis, and Keith King. Therefore, both have been “postponed indefinitely” by the Senate Committee on State, Veterans & Military Affairs as of 2/10/2010.) There you have it, a few juicy tidbits to add to the discussion around your kitchen table. Visit the general assembly website http://www.leg.state.co.us/ to find the entire agenda, the written text, and history of the 2010 session’s bills. You will find many I didn’t have the intestinal fortitude to bother with in this summary. I laughed, I cried, and after the research for this article I will be seeking the advice of a doctor about my eye.
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Mortgage Without a House A perspective from the Colorado Springs Young Republicans By Eli Bremer Contributing Writer School loans were once described to me as “a mortgage without a house.” The national debt has all the negatives of school loans and none of the positives. Barack Obama won the youth vote in the 2008 election by a wide margin which helped propel his campaign to victory. But now, many of those same young voters are starting to question what they really got in the last election. The answer is simple: they got screwed. Assuming our government keeps deficit spending at gargantuan rates, then sometime during my generation’s working age, the interest payments on that debt will become a crippling burden. It’s a mathematical fact. Unlike a school loan, my generation has received nothing for this debt, nor will we, ever. In fact, we received less than nothing. The loans our government is taking out today are being used to pay for pet political projects used to buy votes for entrenched politicians. Once the government starts a program, it often remains long after its political sponsor is out of office. While this type of activity has been ongoing since the start of the New Deal, the effects of decades of perverse fiscal policy and compounding interest are about to catch up to us. My wife and I were extremely fortunate to graduate college debt-free, but many of our friends were not. After college, we had the same total monthly expenses as our friends with school loans, but my wife and I put our paychecks toward a mortgage on a nice starter home rather than a cheap apartment. Now, eight years later, that house is an incomeproviding rental property with built-up equity. Some of our friends are just buying their first homes after paying off their college debt. While no one likes paying off school loans, at least the payer received something of value (an education) that should increase their earning capacity over time. Unless this reckless deficit spending stops in the next few years, generations X and Y will be socked with a tsunami
of debt that will define our generation. We will spend our working years slaving to pay down a debt incurred without our consent and spent without consideration of our consequences. Debt payments will come out of every paycheck, every profitable transaction, every inheritance, and every bonus we receive during our working lives. Don’t believe me? Just look at the numbers. In his first two years in office, Obama will add roughly $3 trillion to the debt—over $25,000 per taxpayer. For a family with two incomes, that’s over $50,000 in new debt in just his first two years. (And that doesn’t even include existing debt from years of reckless spending by Democrats AND Republicans.) If allowed to continue at this rate through four years in office, every married couple of two taxpayers will owe over $100,000 more than they did in 2008. Want to know what else you could get for that much money? The mortgage on my first house was also just over $100,000, but I have a house to show for it. As my generation is starting to work, pay taxes, and look to the future, they are seeing the problems that lie ahead. Spend-happy liberals (and some “conservatives”) have given us a mortgage with no house, a mortgage that we will be paying on for the rest of our lives. What’s worse is that there is no chance we will pay this debt down in our lifetime. Children not yet born to my generation will earn a birthright of a massive debt accumulated and handed down by their parents and grandparents like a perverse inheritance. Young Americans are starting to wake up and realize that Obama and liberals sold them a bill of goods in the last election. It’s now time for Generations X and Y to stand up and fight against the massive deficits and debt that will define our generation. For an up-to-the-minute accounting of our national debt, including the debtper-taxpayer, check out www.usdebtclock.org.
Unless this reckless deficit spending stops in the next few years, generations X and Y will be socked with a tsunami of debt that will define our generation. We will spend our working years slaving to pay down a debt incurred without our consent…
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…even a strong tradition of political liberty is no safeguard if the danger is precisely that new institutions and policies will gradually undermine and destroy that spirit. The consequences can of course be averted if that spirit reasserts itself in time and the people not only throw out the party which has been leading them further and further in the dangerous direction but also recognize the nature of the danger and resolutely change their course. —F.A. Hayek, The Road to Serfdom
A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned—this is the sum of good government. —Thomas Jefferson
The New Ronald Reagan A perspective from the Colorado Springs Young Republicans
By Ryan Parsell Contributing Writer
We Republicans are fortunate to recall a plethora of political leaders from whom we can draw inspiration. Abraham Lincoln, one of our greatest Republican leaders, brought a divided nation together through sheer will and unrivaled political skill. Dwight D. Eisenhower achieved victory over the Nazis while maintaining a fragile coalition. Despite his controversial policies, Teddy Roosevelt was a famous war hero who gave an entire speech just after getting shot in the chest. All were great leaders. For many conservatives and Republicans, however, Ronald Reagan reigns as our most powerful and impressive political role model. Reagan restored the conservative movement, rescued the country from Jimmy Carter and his policies, and restored America’s faith in itself. For these reasons, many conservatives long for a repeat of Reagan’s presidency. As each election cycle approaches, these same individuals scan the horizon hoping to spot another Reagan. Candidates for public office recognize this desire and often go to great lengths to show that they are Reagan Republicans or Reagan conservatives. Political candidates who are not true conservatives will sometimes pose as Reagan Republicans by either attempting to redefine what he stood for, or excessively emphasizing the fact that they once met, worked for, or simply stood next to Reagan. This is understandable. Reagan’s example and accomplishments deserve respect and deference. However, at what point do Americans stop revering Ronald Reagan and start looking for the person who will take his place?
Reagan’s replacement in conservative hearts is both necessary and positive. It is not, however, a sign of disrespect for Reagan and his accomplishments. Rather, it is a fact that, over time, political views have changed. While Reagan’s policies and ideas remain relevant, they don’t apply exactly to the problems the nation currently faces. In today’s political environment, even a Reagan clone couldn’t replicate the successes he achieved 30 years ago. Instead, a new leader is needed for the conservative movement. One who, like Reagan, will inspire the next generation of conservatives. Who that person is or what he or she will espouse is unknown, but it is unlikely that this person will be defined as a Reagan conservative. Rather, this leader will be one of a kind, just as Reagan was, and will infuse conservatism with new and challenging ideas. This leader will demonstrate a larger-than-life personality that won’t fit neatly into the Reagan mold. This person will forever replace the phrase “Reagan Republican” with a new mantra that defines their unique brand of Republicanism. This new conservative leader will find positive influence in the organic political changes currently under way in this country. Those changes will affect how this leader makes decisions and casts votes. As Mitt Romney pointed out during the 2008 Republican primary, even Reagan wasn’t always a “Reagan Republican.” It is possible that the new Reagan is currently a conservative Republican, but he or she might also be a Democrat or a Tea Party Activist. This new Reagan could be currently waiting in an unemployment line
or is perhaps a college student starting to regret the vote they cast for Obama. With this in mind, conservatives should be extremely careful in passing judgment on, or against someone based on their current political beliefs lest they prematurely cast aside the new Reagan. Somewhere out there is the person who
will redefine conservatism for this and future generations, and who will help solve the problems facing this great country. To find this person, voters must get involved in politics, then wait and watch patiently as candidates come forward. After all, the next great conservative leader could be anyone, even you!
The battle for freedom must be won over and over again. The socialists in all parties to whom Hayek dedicated his book must once again be persuaded or defeated if they and we are to remain free men. —Milton Friedman
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By Brian Beck Contributing Writer This is the United States of America, a country founded on key fundamental beliefs. Among them are that man’s destiny can be achieved if the individual is free to utilize his God given talents and abilities to better himself and the human condition. This concept is sacred to us as a people and as a nation and we have fought to preserve it. Throughout history man has struggled to achieve a state in which people could prosper and be free from tyranny and oppression. Mankind fairs better when it is able to operate in an environment that allows it unrestricted access to its potential. “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” was the birth cry of our nation which gave promise to posterity if we kept the ideals of our founders then the gift of freedom that was so dearly paid for would not be lost. Since the inception of our country we have experienced trials and tribulations. We have grown as a nation into a people that the world could look to for hope. We have been the beacon of freedom for a long time, but that flame of liberty has been dimmed over time. In order to know where we are heading we must know where we have come from, what principles led us to our finest hour, and how we can wipe off the tarnish to pursue our destiny. Religious freedom is where all of our freedom is derived. Our country was instituted on the belief that people should be free to worship God in his or her own way, following their conscience rather than the wishes of the state. For over 1,000 years Europe wrestled with the idea of religious freedom only to fail repeatedly. After persecution and government oppression had taken its toll, a few brave souls dared to cross the Atlantic. They staked their very lives on the hope of living free of tyranny, following their dreams of a new life, and serving God without persecution. By eliminating the bonds of an oppressive government man could be free to create a moral government which was limited and served the will of the people. Our religious heritage is the very reason why our government is influenced by the notion that all men are created equal by their creator with unalienable rights given by God, not by man.
Political freedom is the result of freedom of speech, the right to protest an unjust government and correct or replace it with one which rightly serves the people. We have a republic, which is different from a democracy. Every state has an equal voice, provided by democratically elected representatives. Those representatives are elected for the express purpose of speaking for their constituency. The people should not be subject to the tyranny of mob rule, or the majority. Our system was meant to provide level footing for everyone regardless of status. Our government was intended to defend the population, serving some basic needs and remaining as small as possible to avoid trampling the rights and freedoms of the people. The larger a government becomes, the more it costs to maintain and the more it ignores the will of the people. When government is small the people have more freedom. They have more freedom to pursue their chosen field to succeed or fail according to their abilities and judgment. Taxes, regulation and bureaucracy prevent people from creating new products, services and jobs. It has been proven if the American public is left alone and the size of government shrinks, ultimately it will produce a nation that will outwork, out produce and outperform any on Earth. Personal freedom stems from financial freedom and financial freedom stems from a small, unintrusive government. We must return to our fundamentals which produced this great country if we are to correct the problems facing us today. We can best do this by drastically reducing the size of government, educating our younger citizens on the merits of capitalism, remembering our spiritual heritage and participating in the free enterprise system. We must quit seeking the path of least resistance and become involved in the system, whether it is in a religious, political or business capacity. Our government can only exist within the context of a moral people. We have history to learn from, to teach us what has succeeded and what has failed. We are still a great country that has many faults but I believe that if we change, we can correct the damage our country has suffered. We need leaders to change this republic. Will you be one of them?
In order to know where we are heading we must know where we have come from and what the principles are that led us to our finest hour as a nation…
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West Point: The Enemy Camp? By Jimmie H. Butler Contributing Writer The cartoon of President Obama at West Point (p. 24, February 2010) reminded me of MSNBC host Chris Matthews’s seemingly stupid comment about President Obama perhaps having gone into the “enemy camp” at West Point in early December. The cadets at the U.S. Military Academy were used as props for President Obama as he announced his policy to increase troops for the war in Afghanistan. Although Matthews “clarified” his remarks after being challenged by FOX News, the outspoken liberal may have been much more accurate than even he realized. One piece of freshman knowledge I had to memorize upon entering the Air Force Academy in 1959 was a characterization of West Point as something like “150 years of tradition unhampered by progress.” That was a shot of inter service rivalry from the new kids on the block recognizing the nation’s oldest service academy. Despite an ignominiously unsuccessful attempt to kidnap the Army mule before the first USAFA-USMA football game, the real thing many of us early members of the Long Blue Line envied about West Point was their motto “Duty, Honor, Country.” One of the classic inspirational pieces of military oratory is General Douglas MacArthur’s farewell to West Point ad-
dress May 12, 1962. It is more commonly known as “MacArthur’s Duty, Honor, Country, speech.” At age 82, MacArthur delivered that eloquent tribute to the American soldiers without the use of notes, or the need for teleprompters. That is a tough act to follow, even 47 years later. We have envied West Pointers for their motto and for having MacArthur’s eloquence as a direct part of their heritage. In our early years as commissioned Air Force officers, we had a copy of MacArthur’s magnificent speech in the foreword material of the Air Officers Guide. His words served as a credo for many of us who flew off to war in Southeast Asia. “Duty, Honor, Country” was adopted by many non-West Pointers as a personal motto for dedicated service to our country. Dedication to those words, Duty, Honor, Country, and the concepts they represent, form a character that is totally alien to the self-serving politicians of today, who put their own reelections and sense of entitlement to the spoils of corruption above all else. The character developed at West Point demands a sense
of honor where a man’s or woman’s word is his/her bond. Liars need not apply. Words are not just words, in spite of what the current crop of liberal radicals want Americans to believe. If you incorporate lying as a routine facet of your character, you are not worthy to be among those who set a higher standard for themselves. Once you sell out whatever sense of honor your parents tried to instill in you, you are no longer respected by those who serve our country with honor in the U.S. military. Redemption does not come from piling more lies upon the lies that already forfeited your honor. No wonder the liberals dislike the American military so much. So, did the president enter the “enemy camp” as Matthews suggested? If this president speaks truthfully and is dedicated to being the best possible commanderin-chief in these times of war, obviously Matthews was just demonstrating his ignorance and his over-the-top liberalism. If this president routinely lies, shirks his responsibilities in ensuring the safety of America against the real and demonstrated threats of terrorists, and is promoting
Ask yourselves how much better America would be today if the politicians in Washington, D.C. lived up to the motto of Duty Honor Country
policies that will take away Americans’ basic liberties and freedoms, then Matthews blindly stumbled into the truth with his stupid comment. West Point cadets are taught to revere “Duty, Honor, Country” and they are smart enough to recognize any enemies – foreign or domestic – who threaten what that stands for. The cadets will show respect for the office of the President of the United States. Respect for the president, however, must be earned by his actions. President Obama’s response to the Christmas day terrorist bomber attack shows that he still doesn’t get it and America remains at much greater risk until the president finally lives up to his responsibilities as commander-in-chief. Ask yourselves how much better America would be today if the politicians in Washington, D.C. lived up to the motto of “Duty, Honor, Country” and would rightly feel at home on any visit to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. I suggest everyone check out Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s famous speech “Duty, Honor, Country” at: www.hughcox.com/macarthur.htm Col. (Retired) Jimmie H. Butler is a proud member of the USAF Academy Class of 1963.
Our Economy: Stubborn Facts, Pliable Statistics By Bob Adelmann Contributing Writer
“Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable,” according to Mark Twain. This statement accurately portrays our economy which has been stimulated, bashed, attacked, and blamed for a vast array of difficulties plaguing bureaucrats, forecasters, politicians and workers. Locally how our economy looks depends on where you stand. The Gazette reported in January that the unemployment rate in the Springs “jump[ed] back up to 8 percent,” reflecting a “general weakness in the local economy of a magnitude that was not expected,” according to Fred Crowley of the Southern Colorado Economic Forum. Statewide, according to The Gazette, “unemployment jumped in a similar fashion,” although “payroll numbers hinted at an improving economy.” Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced in early February that
the U.S. economy shed another 20,000 jobs, but the unemployment rate went down, from 10 percent to 9.7 percent. However, the BLS revised its estimate that the national economy lost an additional 1.2 million jobs since the start of the Great Recession. The BLS concluded that December’s job losses were revised downward from 85,000 to 150,000. According to CNBC there are so many opinions as to why the economy isn’t creating jobs as fast as promised by Obama, “that impatience may be on the verge of exasperation.” As far as when the recession officially ended it depends on who is looking at the numbers (AC-
CORDING TO WHOM?) “The recession ended either in May, June, July or August. Since then, the economy has lost 350,000 jobs, at the least; 1.3 million jobs, at the most.” Optimists have been predicting an increase in net new jobs by December 2009, or by January, or by February, or perhaps even by March. Chris Rupkey, an economist with Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, says, “Payrolls jobs come back quicker than you think, [but] if employers are not hiring by June, then we have a real problem.” Another economist with a hedge fund expressed his position: “[We] should have seen an increase in payrolls by now.” But he points out that the consumer is fac-
… the consumer is facing at least three major headwinds: Banks aren’t lending, consumers aren’t borrowing, and consequently they aren’t buying.
ing at least three major headwinds: Banks aren’t lending, consumers aren’t borrowing, and consequently they aren’t buying. This is especially hard on housing and autos, because nobody pays cash for these items, and financing is difficult if not impossible to arrange. A wag once said that if you laid every economist in the world end-to-end, they couldn’t reach a conclusion. Another said that an economist is someone who takes long strides to save wear and tear on his shoes, and tears the crotch out of his brand new slacks. The Denver Business Journal headlined, “Macy’s sees January sales jump [and] raises guidance [for improved earnings as a result].” Macy’s January sales rose to $1.25 billion, compared to $1.21 billion for the same 2009 period. Same-store sales also rose 3.4 percent in January but total FACTS on page 29
www.TheConstitutionalistToday.com | 27
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: Out of the Closet By “Eli Thomas” Contributing Writer
Yes, Virginia, there are gays in the military. There have always been gays in the military; there always will be gays in the military. The question is not whether gays serve in the military, but whether or not they will serve openly. In question is the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy established under President Clinton in 1994. While samegender sex acts remain grounds for discharge, DADT essentially allows gays to serve in the military since it forbids the military from inquiring about a person’s sexuality as long as that person doesn’t voluntarily reveal their sexuality. The military won’t ask if the service member doesn’t tell. Many gay rights activists take exception to this rule, arguing that it continues discrimination against gays. They’ve long pushed for the repeal of DADT. With attention once again focused on DADT, many experts seem to think it is inevitable that the law will be changed to allow gays to serve openly. In his State of the Union message, January 27, President Obama announced his intention to repeal the law that established DADT. Shortly after that, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral
Mullen also spoke out in favor of repealing DADT. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has put together a working group to look at how to best prepare the military to transition away from DADT. Let’s hope they look realistically at the issues involved. First, we must understand that serving in the Armed Forces of the United States is a duty, an honor and a privilege. Constitutionally speaking, however, military service is not a right. While many accuse the military of discrimination against gays, we need to remember the military is legally allowed to discriminate. The military can and does discriminate against potential service members based on age, prior legal difficulties, gender (to a point), and certain physical, mental and cognitive disabilities. So, just the fact that gays are discriminated against in the military is not a reason to repeal DADT. One senior non-commissioned officer, who wishes to remain anonymous, said his biggest opposition to the repeal of DADT is the plethora of new “sensitivity training” service members will be forced to endure. Although partly joking, he does fear these classes will serve as yet another
First, we must understand that serving in the Armed Forces of the United States is a duty, an honor and a privilege. Constitutionally speaking, however, military service is not a right.
distracter, taking time away from the life and death business of training for war. On a more serious note, several significant issues exist that don’t receive much air time. Will their peers accept openly gay service members? Our younger soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines come from a generation more accepting of homosexuality than were their predecessors. Anecdotal evidence suggests that in most units the younger service members already know who is and isn’t gay. Another valid question relates to housing. With good reason, service members of opposite genders are generally not made to share quarters. The rationale is rooted not just in the obvious sexual reasons, but also in concern for privacy, good order and discipline in the military. Romantic relationships between service members – whether gay or straight – in the same unit are bad for unit morale and cohesion and always have been discouraged. If the concerns for privacy, good order and discipline are valid for service members of opposite genders, the same should hold true for same-sex service members in which one, or both, are homosexual. Another issue that will have to be dealt with if DADT is repealed is the likely increase in discrimination complaints within the military. Some will be justified, others frivolous, and a few valid. There
will be complaints, real and false, of gay soldiers being discriminated against in the arena of promotion, awards, assignments and training opportunities. There will be complaints, real and false, of harassment of gay soldiers by straight soldiers, and vice versa, and of unwanted sexual advances. What will be the military and public response when a gay soldier wants to be an active member of a military chapel congregation and the military chaplain’s denomination forbids gays from having a leadership role in the church? How the military deals with these issues will be critical. Repealing DADT will be controversial and complicated. Gays have always served in the military, their sexuality hidden, with the same dedication and honor as heterosexuals. The greatest threat to military good order and discipline comes in the form of either gay or straight service members who want to make a political and social statement with an “in your face” display of their sexuality. It seems clear that DADT will be repealed. Let’s hope the military and Congress move slowly and purposefully. Once the service member is out of the closet, there’s no going back. Common sense and rational solutions to real problems will be necessary before that door is opened.
Once the service member is out of the closet, there’s no going back. Common sense and rational solutions to real problems will be necessary before that door is opened.
28 | The Constitutionalist Today
My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government. —Thomas Jefferson
National Perspectives
The Virtue of Inequality By Richard Eleuterio Contributing Writer To call inequality a virtue in America’s current cultural environment seems to imply some form of bigotry. Rest assured: We can agree that before the law all should be treated equally. Political correctness has changed the way most of us perceive the words “discrimination” and “inequality.” The meaning of “inequality” addressed here regards individual uniqueness. Another way to express this concept is as a lack of equivalency. We are not clones or interchangeable parts in a Borg-like machine called humanity (an interesting Web search: Borg). We are, instead, all living, breathing, adapting, thinking, quarrelling, ambitious, creative and unique entities called human beings. Therefore, it is appropriate, due to our uniqueness, that we discriminate. This concept makes use of a definition of the term “discriminate” that has fallen out of use: to note or observe a difference; distinguish accurately. Martin Luther King, Jr. dreamed that one day people would be judged not, “by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Character, of course, is an attribute each of us possesses individually. Judging and discriminating based on this and other like qualities is something we all should do. To confirm the observation that each of us is one of a kind, try recalling all the people you observe or interact with on a daily basis. No two are the same. Some are shorter or taller than others, heavier or lighter, younger or older. Some smile or laugh more readily than others, and some tend toward grouchiness more than others. Indeed, there is (some would say fortunately) only one of each of us. Even identical twins brought up in the same household are different from one another. So we are all different. How is that a virtue? Consider that some members of our species possess talent and aptitude of such magnitude that they are outliers of statistical probability. Most of us have no hope of playing center for the Denver Nuggets. Aside from a lack of athletic ability, chances are we lack the height. Fortunately for the Nuggets, there are 7-footers in the human gene pool with exceptional athletic ability.
There are those in the human race whose genius and ability occur only once in history. Aristotle, Shakespeare, Einstein, Mozart, and Charlie Parker, to name a few, each contributed something to the world that cannot be repeated. We all stand on the shoulders of our great ancestors. Yet each of these great human beings relied on the talents of more ordinary people to accomplish much of what they did. For example, Mozart did not make his own shoes. Instead, he sought out someone skilled in cobbling shoes, but presumably with inferior musical ability, to make them. The shoemaker and Mozart then directly or indirectly exchanged the products of their skill sets. Mozart got well-made shoes and the shoemaker enjoyed a new Mozart composition, thus benefiting them both. When each of us is allowed to work at that which we are best, we can trade the tangible results of our labor with someone who has skills in another area of endeavor. This system offers the added advantage of allowing us to specialize and perfect our skills. Had Mozart, for example, somehow learned to cobble shoes better than the shoemaker, would he not also have lost his advantage in creating music since he was taking some of his composition time to make his own shoes? The answer obviously is yes! Finally, the ability to exercise our particular skills sets and, in turn, make use of the skill sets held be others, enhances our well being. Our individual, one of a kind, human characteristics are virtuous far beyond what most of us could ever envision! All of the above presupposes that we live in a world where we are free to work at what we are most gifted and to freely trade with others with the same opportunity. This requires a world where our inherent human rights are secured by a limited government with the rule of law, respect for private property, and the pursuit of individual happiness, as delineated in the Constitution of the United States. We are all unequal because we are all unique. With the exception of our necessary equality before the law, our uniqueness allows our special qualities to enhance the lives of others and ourselves. La différence est magnifique!
…our uniqueness and that of others…allows our special qualities to enhance the lives of others and ourselves.
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FACTS continued from page 28 fourth-quarter sales were off 1 percent… and same-store sales fell 0.8 percent, but that was better than the company’s forecast of a 1 percent to 2 percent decline. A closer look tells a different story. Some retailers reporting declines are: J.C. Penney’s 4.6%; Dillards 5%,; Walgreen’s and Rite Aid down 1.1 percent and 2.1 percent respectively. However, there were some retailers posting modestly positive results in January: Costco, Kohl’s, Gap, TJ Maxx, and Ross. Another Denver Business Journal headline read: “Colorado foreclosure sales [were] down 4 percent in 2009.” But they also reported that foreclosure filings (which are different from foreclosures completed) in 2009 rose by 18 percent from the previous year. It’s scarcely better in Colorado Springs. The Gazette quoted El Paso County Public Trustee Tom Mowle who said, “Every month, every week, fore-
closed properties show up on the market. It’s not like you can wait it out, or kind of look for a gap where, OK, there aren’t any foreclosed properties. Every week, in every neighborhood, just about, there are foreclosed properties coming on the market.” In an interview in The Gazette, Realtor Hank Poburka of the Platinum Group said he fears “more layoffs locally, and worries that homeowners with adjustable-rate mortgages will see their interest rates rise…which could create a ‘tidal wave’ of foreclosure filings and distressed properties coming back on the market.” Even if filings do decline, as predicted by Crowley, they would still number about 5,000 in 2010. Mowle put it this way, “The river may be going down, but it’s still above flood stage.” Ah, economists. It’s the only profession where one can be 100% wrong 100% of the time and still be considered an authority.
A wag once said that if you laid every economist in the world end-to-end, they couldn’t reach a conclusion.
The Founding Fathers knew a government can’t control the economy without controlling people. And they knew when a government sets out to do that, it must use force and coercion to achieve its purpose. So we have come to a time for choosing. —Ronald Reagan, 1964
Our country is now taking so steady a course as to show by what road it will pass to destruction, to wit: by consolidation of power first, and then corruption, its necessary consequence. —Thomas Jefferson
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Tea Parties: The Insurgency that will Destroy the Left By Al Maurer Featured Writer
In the aftermath of the Tea Party nation’s “national conference” in Nashville, the media and others are busy trying out figure out what the Tea Party Movement is. The left, their eyes firmly fixed on their vision of a socialist utopia, cannot understand what is happening. The Tea Parties will be their downfall. Who are these leftists? Aren’t they the counterculture? Are they not the insurgents of the 1960s? They are, and yet these Marxist-inspired radicals now hold power in the White House and both houses of Congress. We know from history how socialists act when they finally attain power. Hitler, Lenin and Pol Pot provide classic examples. They move as rapidly as possible to transform the victim state into their view of the socialist utopia. They did not count on the Tea Party Movement. It is a spontaneous, grassroots insurgency to retake the country. It is as simple as that—fiscal responsibility, limited constitutional government and a return to free market principles. Everything else is secondary. The republic that the founders gave us is resilient. We have a history and culture of liberty that will not be denied. There are four reasons why the left will fail to stamp out the Tea Party insurgency and ultimately be destroyed by it. First, the left is ill-suited to govern in the first place. Their radical tactics were
30 | The Constitutionalist Today
designed to fight the establishment and take power. Now that they are the establishment, their usual destructive tendencies don’t work. When difficulties arise, Alinksy advises putting the pedal to the metal. That will just grow the insurgency. Second, the Tea Parties are here to stay. This is not a third party. This is not business as usual or a normal part of the election cycle where the electorate wants to throw the bums out. Actually, we do want to throw the bums out but we are being very careful about who we support to replace them. The labels that count are not R and D, they are patriot and socialist and examples of each are found in both parties. Third, the left wins by demonizing the opposition. The Tea Party Movement consists of hundreds or even thousands of local groups. There is no one national organization, no leader, not Tea Party Nation, not Sarah Palin. This is an almost aggressively egalitarian grouping of likeminded people. Finally, the left have shown their hand. We know their tricks. Once burned, twice careful. They will squirm, try to reinvent themselves again. They cheat, plot, lie—the usual tricks. But it won’t work. We know them for who they are and there is no place they can hide. The left cannot deal with that. No government, especially one with statist tendencies, can deal with that.
Doubling Down on Debt By Jim Pfaff Featured Writer I was recently in Nevada conducting grassroots trainings. Gambling is everywhere in the state, as you might expect, and most events are held in casino hotels. On the blackjack tables, they have an interesting betting scheme. If your first two cards add up to ten or eleven, you can “double down” your bet. You take on twice the risk betting that the next card will be an eight, nine or ten. There’s no way you can bust on the next card. Problem is, you can take only one more card. The dealer can still take as many as he or she wants. Of course, you’ve taken on twice the risk and given the house a great advantage. I was talking to one of the dealers about this and she said, “They don’t build these casinos on people winning.” Good point. Is the current budget proposal from the White House any different? Barack Obama has spent the last 12 1/2 months telling us what a horrible budget mess George Bush left him. We are supposed to believe that the $1.3 trillion deficit last year was “not just because of what’s happened in the last year or two years, but what’s happened over the last eight years,” as Obama recently said. Yet almost all of the new government spending under Obama is solely his responsibility. Welfare, for example, has ballooned under Obama. In FY2009, the Bush administration spent about $283 billion on welfare. Claiming the need to give people an extra safety net during the recession, the Obama administration in the FY2010 budget increased it to a total of $419.6 billion. These numbers are only the direct federal payments to recipients. If you include state and local welfare spending, total welfare spending rose from about $500 billion during Bush’s FY2009 to $800 billion in FY2010. Most state and local welfare spending comes in the form of federal mandates which are hamstringing state budgets. Consider these differences between the Bush FY2009 actual spending and the Obama FY2010 budget (see table). Welfare and education spending increased by 33%. The total federal deficit increased by 67% while defense spending increased by a modest 8%. Healthcare – the area where Obama says we most need to reign in spending – far outpaced the Bush budget. Bush’s $406 billion actual deficit in FY2009 compares against his planned $160 billion deficit, clearly an effect of
Category
Bush FY2009 Actual
an unplanned downturn. Obama far exceeded that number by $900 billion his planned budget. Had Obama kept federal spending growth neutral, or at the nearly neutral inflation rate, the argument that he has been hamstrung by Bush’s policies would be more politically credible (though every bit as fallacious). Instead he presented a budget which increased by double-digits, likely to be well above 20% when actual FY2010 numbers are calculated in July. Obama now projects total government spending in the budget he presents this year to be $3.8 trillion dollars with a planned deficit of $1.5 trillion. The Office of Management and Budget projects another $12 trillion of deficits between 2011 and 2020. Not only is government spending out of control, they are massively increasing the very types of government spending which bring about the worst results: welfare and education. Welfare, which will continue to increase at a double-digit clip in Obama’s budget, creates dependency and draws people out of the productive workforce. Education spending continues down a rat-hole where teachers’ unions are a solid barrier against reform and a major political ally of the president. The current result of our education system is already horrendous. Let’s not forget the political third rail. The red ink flowing from the two big-daddy entitlement programs – Social Security and Medicare – is enough to sink the ship of state. We’re doubling down on welfare and other entitlements and we’re doubling down on spending hoping government outlays will overtake our economic doldrums. The White House is succumbing to the addiction of the gambler. When he puts his first chips down and loses, he goes back to the banker for more money. Now with more cash on hand he tries to increase his winnings by doubling down on two good cards. The problem is, his money goes away faster as a result while giving the house a greater advantage. The end result is a cycle of debt which he tries to resolve by going back to the tables when he needs to get to work and bring in some income. Jim Pfaff is host of The Jim Pfaff Show on 560 KLZ in Denver and editor and publisher of www.OpinionTimes.com.
Obama FY2010 Budget
Percent Increase
Welfare
$283.1 billion
$419.6 billion
32.53%
Education
$99.9 billion
$149.6 billion
33.18%
Healthcare
$712.7 billion
$846.8 billion
15.84%
Defense
$805.0 billion
$871.9 billion
7.67%
Total Budget
$3107.4 billion
$3591.1 billion
13.47%
Total Deficit
$407.4 billion
$1258.4 billion
67.63%
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help small men by tearing down big men. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatreds. You cannot establish security on borrowed money. You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man’s initiative and independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves. —William J.H. Boetcker, 1916
Postmoderns and Progressives Have Similar Agenda By Sid Huston Contributing Writer
What postmodernism has done to weaken the American church, the political progressive movement is doing to our U.S. Constitution. It is my belief that the more flexible we allow the Constitution to become, the more we lose the backbone of our society. This is why liberal-leaning progressives constantly chip away at it. They want us to relent from defending it. Recently, the Supreme Court handed down a decision that allows U.S. corporations to give financial support to individual candidates (Citizens United v. the Federal Elections Commission). Senator John Kerry cried foul and threatened to amend the Constitution. This slippery attitude regarding the Constitution is right out of the progressives’ playbook. They believe the Constitution is a growing thing and should be able to evolve to their liking. In the February issue of The Constitutionalist Today, Al Maurer wrote, “The progressives believed that society evolves along some path of historical development and that governments should evolve as well….This belief they hold in common with Marxism; that society is developing toward a utopia and that human nature itself evolves over time toward perfection.” The American church has a similar problem with postmodernism. This philosophy seeks to get church leaders to extract Bible passages they want to apply and leave out the ones which make them uncomfortable. I will not make a case for the sacredness of the Constitution as I would for the Holy Scriptures, but we are blessed as a nation with this fine, foundational document. As a pastor, I have seen an evolution take place in the American church for more than 25 years. Long ago, people were instructed to base decisions and values on facts and evidence, then act on that basis. Today, both in politics and church, people are urged to base their thinking on experience and feelings regardless of the facts and let their beliefs evolve. This is the post-modern mindset. What is lost? Moral truth. George Barna, in his book Think Like Jesus, wrote, “The most important and fundamental principle conveyed is that God is the essence of truth. Everything that emanates from Him – words, plans, laws, judgment, blessings – is a manifest of moral truth. Given His nature, truth is an aspect of perfection and holiness. He is the source of truth
and the gauge of truth. The laws, rules and commands listed in the Bible give us the guidelines we need to comprehend and carry out moral truth.” In politics we see people rush to amend the Constitution. In the church, we see a slower erosion, but a definite evolution just the same. One day after church service, when I had referred to God as the creator, a deacon asked if I really believed God was the creator and evolution was a myth. I told him I did, and as science improves I believe it will ultimately defend the creation account. He told me in no uncertain terms I need to change my thinking or I would be laughed out of the church. He said, “After all, we have educators who attend our church.” It might seem old fashioned to believe the Bible is inspired, authoritative and reliable, but that belief is the rock solid foundation that will keep our lives and our culture from eroding away. I see no need to bend the Bible to adapt to psychology, philosophy or scientific research. We don’t need to adjust to the times; we need to adjust our lives to the Bible. It doesn’t need to change, we do! Post-modernism is an attack on truth. The post-modern way of thinking dissolves truth into ‘whatever.’ When you talk to a post-modernist they will repeat your words to you but the meaning is different. They will act as if they value and respect the truth, but to them the truth is never absolute. It is subjective. It is whatever they want it to be. This is moral relativism. The last thing they want to be is offensive and politically incorrect. For them, the truth is like Play-dough. You can shape it into whatever you want it to be. It is their convenient truth. They think that seeing truth as an immovable mountain is excessively inconvenient. They would evolve the Ten Commandments into the Ten Suggestions. The progressive movement is to politics, what post-modernism is to Christianity. My hope for all of us is a secure identity as Americans. Do everything you can to preserve and defend the U.S. Constitution, regularly give God thanks for giving us a godly national heritage, and this fine foundational document. I urge you to build your life on truth, take God at His Word, and believe it is truth.
In politics we see people rush to amend the Constitution; in the church we see a slower erosion, but a definite evolution just the same.
Sid Huston is the host of The SYI Show heard daily on 100.7 KGFT, Christian Talk Radio, www.sidhuston.com.
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The Attack of the Alinsky-ites By An American Patriot Contributing Writer
Although reminiscent of names of bad scifi movies, this title characterizes the assault America and America’s values have been under for years. Remember the 9-11 Commission’s recognition that radical Islam had been at war with America but America hadn’t been at war with radical Islam? Similarly, the Alinsky-ites have been at war with America and America’s values. What caused the current lack of civility in Washington? Sounds like a job for the free press, as called for in the Bill of Rights, but today’s mainstream media refuses to fulfill that responsibility. An investigation would lead to the 1971 publication of Rules for … Radicals by Saul Alinsky. Roots of this assault on America go back to 1946 when Alinsky wrote Reveille for Radicals. An interesting fact: Hilary Rodham’s thesis at Wellesley College was titled “There is only the fight…An Analysis of the Alinsky Model.” Rules for Radicals references Alinsky’s opposition to the Vietnam War. Remember the anti-war movement giving aid and comfort to the enemy while Americans were in combat? Alinsky-ite fingerprints likely are all over that anti-war movement and on recent efforts by Americans to undercut America at war. Since Alinsky-ites are at war with America and America’s values, we should apply the military axiom of “know your enemy.” What’s their strategy? Rush Lim-
baugh referred to Rules for Radicals as “Obama’s big organizing bible.” If you research online, you’ll discover Americans who connect Rules for Radicals with Obama’s assault on capitalism and his push for rapid redistribution of wealth and more government control. Is that a stretch? In an August 2008 letter in the Boston Globe, L. David Alinsky, claimed credit for his father’s inspiration: “…The Democratic National Convention had all the elements of the perfectly organized event, Saul Alinsky style. Barack Obama’s training in Chicago by the great community organizers is showing its effectiveness…Obama learned his lesson well.” Think about Obama’s czars. Many have chugged the Alinsky Kool-Aid for years. Learning more about Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals will anger most American patriots. Much of what has bothered us for years fits the Alinsky model, which supports lying as a way of life for the Alinsky-ites. Is it fair (one of their favorite words when it suits their agenda) to use the ‘L’ word against Alinsky-ites? You bet! The organizer (Where have you heard that job title over the past two years?) doesn’t have a fixed truth. Truth to him is “relative and changing.” That should be your first Aha! moment. Think of Hilary’s lies about being named for Sir Edmund Hillary (6 years before he climbed Mount Everest) and
you’ll discover more Americans connect Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals with Obama’s assault on capitalism and his pushes for rapid redistribution of wealth and for more government control.
about scrambling under sniper fire upon arrival in Bosnia in 1996. Instead, the video shows Hilary hugging a little girl who brought her flowers. Think of Bill Clinton trying to explain away his soiling of the majesty of the White House by claiming guilt or innocence depended on what the meaning of the word “is.” When caught in a lie, Alinsky-ites claim they misspoke. For example, saying you were under sniper fire when you were actually receiving flowers from a little girl at a ceremony on the tarmac isn’t misspeaking. It’s a despicable combination of lying and trying to mislead people into believing you are something more than you are. The mainstream media routinely provides cover for Washington’s most pathological liars/Alinsky-ites. The Tea Party and Constitutionalist Movement erupted because truth has been “relative and changing” to many of our national leaders
who spend the people’s money insanely and have undercut American prosperity so deeply. Now Alinsky-ites must deal with an aroused American public and a proliferation of video cameras documenting their lies in ways much harder to refute. As KVOR talk show host Richard Randall says, “Were you lying then or are you lying now?” Because Alinsky-ites start believing their own lies, they are shocked to find themselves in a battle with an American public awakened by the lying and corruption of the first year of this administration. A changing tide of El Nino proportions is about to inundate them. Recognizing that Alinsky-ites treat truth as relative and changing is only the first step in knowing the enemy. We must also understand the key rules for radicals and develop strategies and tactics to defeat their plan that has eroded our values for decades.
An “Angered and Outraged” Public Versus the Alinsky-ites By An American Patriot Contributing Writer A quote from Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the architect and commander of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, applies to today’s Constitutionalist and Tea Party Movements. In the movie Tora! Tora! Tora! Yamamoto is romanticized. A quote has him expressing fear that the sneak attack on America has only awakened a sleeping giant. That phrase has been used to characterize the awakening of the American people who have been motivated to act against the excesses of the Obama administration coupled with the ultra-liberal, big-spending Reid-Pelosi Congress. A quotation from the Hiroyuki Agawa’s 2000 book, The Reluctant Admiral: Yamamoto and the Imperial Navy, seems even more apropos of where we are now. On January 9, 1942 Yamamoto was quoted as saying, “A military man can scarcely pride himself on having ‘smitten a sleeping enemy;’ it is more a matter of shame, simply, for the one smitten. I would rather you made your appraisal after seeing what the enemy does, since it is certain that, angered and outraged, he will soon launch a determined counterattack.”
32 | The Constitutionalist Today
In 2010 most American citizens have been awakened. They are angered and outraged. The first significant responses to the Attack of the Alinsky-ites are the astonishing election results in Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. The very determined counterattack grows daily with ever larger battles through the elections in November 2010 and 2012. Who knows? The ultra-liberal Alinsky-ites in the Democrat party may soon face a determined counterattack by more traditional Democrats who want to take their party back. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor more than a half century ago, Presidents Roosevelt and Truman pursued the goal of forcing unconditional surrender on the Japanese. Americans of all political persuasions understood the threat and stood together to defeat the enemy. We must stand together, once again, to defeat the Alinsky-ite threat to the American way of life. Only then can civility return to American politics and no longer be at the mercy of a radical minority following rules designed to undercut America and America’s values.
Legitimate Government By Pat Francomano Contributing Writer The overreach of our federal government during the last couple of years, with its effective takeover of the banking industry, its partial ownership of GM and Chrysler, its push for cap and trade, and its urgent rush toward a massive government-run health care system—especially the speed of it all—has many Americans calling their government socialist. Even Lech Walesa, former president of Poland, recently indicated that the U.S. is headed toward socialism. Sheldon Richman, editor of The Freeman, the monthly journal of the Foundation for Economic Education, calls it “good old American progressive-corporate elitism.” Other terms have been used as well, but they all amount to various forms of statism. Regardless of any name used to describe just what the U.S. government is, or is becoming, it is clearly being transformed into something that would be unrecognizable by our founders. They got us off to a good start by leaving us a republican form of government with limited and decentralized powers. They gave us a constitutional republic which recognized an individual’s natural and inalienable rights, among which are life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness.
According to Ruth W. Grant, in her book John Locke’s Liberalism, Locke believed that any political authority in society, that is any government, if it is to be legitimate, must be compatible with these inalienable rights. Grant states that such a system of legitimate government must have the following four characteristics: 1. The right to rule is not absolute or arbitrary and must be based on the consent of the people. 2. Political power must be exercised only for the sake of the preservation of the society and its members—including their individual inalienable rights. 3. Political power must be exercised by known, standing laws. 4. No member of the society can be exempt from subjection to its laws. Now let’s see how our government measures up to these characteristics. We see that conformance to item number one is still intact, since we do have an electoral process to bring about change in our federal representatives and leaders. Item number two is clearly questionable. Consider the Supreme Court’s LEGIT on page 34
There is no need to abolish our government, yet. But those of us who believe that it has indeed abused its powers and has become “destructive to these ends” of preserving our liberties, must replace the offenders, those who arrogantly ignore the Constitution.
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Should Christians Be Involved in Politics? By John Shumaker Guest Writer
(Ed. Note: While The Constitutionalist Today is not a Christian or religious publication, many of our readers are people of faith. We provide this opportunity for our guest writer to express his views, which are not necessarily those of the editors and staff.) It seems as though in our society today Christians have a view that it isn’t necessary to be involved in politics. After all, God is going to put into office who He wants, right? Isn’t that what Paul says in Romans 13:1? The Amplified translation explains this verse this way: “Let every person be loyally subject to the governing (civil) authorities. For there is no authority except from God [by His permission, His sanction], and those that exist do so by God’s appointment.” According to this verse, God is the One who puts into positions of authority who He wants to be there. Looking at the leaders of our country today can we honestly say that these are the people that God wanted to be in office leading our country? I believe the answer to both of these questions is an absolute “NO!” If that is the case, then either Romans 13:1 is wrong and God’s word isn’t true, or there is something here that we totally misunderstand or take out of context. How does God accomplish His will on earth? The answer is very simple: He uses people! As we trace the history of
man throughout scripture, we find that God would work through various people to accomplish His will. God would also give warnings and promises based on the choices people made. For example, 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 says, “If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people… then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Notice the “if ” and “then” in these verses? The implication is that when God’s people turn away from Him, or perhaps forget about Him because everything is going well, He allows things to happen to cause us to turn back to Him. For our land to be healed there are four things we must do: humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways. The reality is this is a spiritual issue. The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 6:12: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” The politicians in office today are as dishonest and corrupt as ever. In Romans 13:1 Paul said God put into office who He wanted. Why these people? Were these really God’s first choice? If not, how did they get there? The answer is simple. God’s people sat on their rears and didn’t do anything.
For our land to be healed there are four things we must do: humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways.
When we see politicians boldly make statements about their platform that are clearly in contradiction of God’s word, we can be assured that these people are NOT His choice. People, this is a wake-up call to get off of our behinds and do something! God is sending us a warning of what is going to happen if we don’t act. That means that as God’s people we are to do what we are capable of to bring about God’s perfect will as He influences us. Be assured that if we ignore God’s warnings and choose to do nothing, then the god of this world will have his way and our God will allow it. If we choose to ignore God’s lead, then know with
certainty that the people who end up in positions of authority are the ones God chose to bring about our destruction. Thus, Romans 13:1 is true no matter who ends up in office. If you’re fed up with what is happening in the political arena, don’t blame God; look in a mirror. That’s where the problem lies.
Our Constitution was made for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the governance of any others. —John Adams
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LEGIT continued from page 33 changing the meaning of eminent domain. And does cap-and-trade have anything to do with preserving individual inalienable rights? How about government-run health care? Item number three is almost there, meaning that our laws are written— somewhere—and could be known if we knew where to find them. But often times, the implementation of our laws is left in the hands of anonymous bureaucrats. Item number four presents real problems. For we have legislators who make some laws for some people to obey, but from which they explicitly exempt others and even themselves. The very recent bribery of certain senators in order to get votes for health care reform comes to mind, a violation of the Constitution, by the way. It’s not looking too good for legitimate government, is it? How did this happen? How did we allow such a good start to deteriorate so much? We became complacent somewhere along the way, that’s how. We neglected our stewardship responsibility to preserve what was left in our care. Thankfully that is changing. America’s citizens are waking up to what we’ve lost and we want it back! Locke’s views are evident in the Declaration of Independence: “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. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government…” There is no need to abolish our government… yet. But those of us who believe that it has indeed abused its powers and has become “destructive to these ends” of preserving our liberties, must replace the offenders, those who arrogantly ignore the Constitution. This we will do, and we will do it peacefully in the voting booths across America. After that we must remain watchful. We must remember our founding principles and restore them and preserve them, and pass them on to the next generation. This we must do relentlessly, so that what is happening now won’t ever happen again. Pat Francomano is a retired software engineer with a master’s degree in mathematics. He is a freelance writer and speaker living in Colorado Springs.
You need only reflect that one of the best ways to get yourself a reputation as a dangerous citizen these days is to go around repeating the very phrases which our founding fathers used in their struggle for independence. —Charles A. Beard
Readers Recommend
Liberal Fascism
The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning, by Jonah Goldberg
Reviewed by Marc L. Sabin Contributing Writer Liberal Fascism: The Secret History is a serious work that is well researched and d o c u m e nt e d . This is a book you should read if you want to understand the evolution of liberal politics in the United States today. It is a book you must read if you want to preserve the freedoms we have enjoyed under our Constitution for over 200 years. Goldberg begins with the observation that the word “fascism” is used without an understanding of the term or its origins. His book takes the reader down an arduous, fascinating, sometimes humorous, but always convincing, path to a more complete understanding of what fascism means and more importantly, to an understanding of what motivates today’s liberal politics. Fascism, Goldberg says, is not a phenomenon of the right at all but rather a phenomenon of the left. Modern liberalism evolved from classical fascism. Goldberg’s history lesson begins in earnest with the rise and fall of the father of Fascism, Mussolini. Goldberg also discusses Adolf Hitler, Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt. At each
5 Star Rating step, he highlights the synergy among the worldwide elements of liberal progressive thought. Goldberg lays out the praise which progressives such as Woodrow Wilson, Will Rogers, liberal Jewish leaders and the New York Times heaped on the Italian dictator. Roosevelt’s New Deal was not new but rather drew heavily on the progressive ideas of Wilson, with whom the Italian fascists shared a mutual admiration. Goldberg’s discussion of liberal Fascist economics dissects the convoluted thinking of the left as they seek to portray the rule of law and free market capitalism as fascist. The truth, however, is that fascist intellectuals “were openly contemptuous of capitalism and laissezfaire economics.” Goldberg explains Hillary Clinton’s liberalism. She had her own Reverend Wright in the radical Reverend Donald Jones. She was also strongly influenced by Saul Alinsky. Her views on governmental rather than parental control of education derive from the progressive work of educator John Dewey. Her book It Takes a Village contains “all the hallmarks of the fascist enterprise within its pages.” The last sentence of this chapter is an excellent description of Liberal Fascism, “an unwanted embrace from which you cannot escape is just a nicer form of tyranny.”
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The Law
Foundation for Economic Education, by Frederic Bastiat
Reviewed by Al Maurer Featured Writer I am embarrassed to write that, although I’ve heard about his analogy of the candlemakers’ guild, I’ve never actually read any of Frederic Bastiat’s works. In reading The Law, I am happy to say I’ve corrected that. There has been a renaissance in the reading of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged in the past year and there deserves to be one for The Law. Unlike Rand’s 1,000-plus pages, Bastiat’s work is only 58 pages in the Foundation for Economic Education’s 2007 printing. Bastiat is classified as an economic writer because his main topic is economic liberty but in his defense of economic liberty he finds the main threat is government and its application of the law. It’s brilliant, really. Writing just after the 1848 revolution in France, Bastiat nails the socialists to a “T.” He could be writing about the progressives of today. His defense of liberty is absolute and clearly in line with the social contract theory of Locke that the Founders built into the Constitution. Government’s sole purpose is the defense of our God-given
536-9442
5 Star Rating liberties. It is justified in taking our money only for that purpose; everything else is legalized plunder designed to reward the followers of the party in power. Does any of this sound familiar? Utopians are simply socialists who think they are smarter than the rest of us; therefore they have the right to make laws to control us and mold us into the kind of people they think we should become. Socialists are simply communist-lite. As various factions fight for power, they court the voter with one face only to change face immediately upon gaining power. Each faction in turn rewards its followers and punishes its enemies. The law is not absolute. It is a weapon to be wielded against one’s opponents. I have heard some on the left say that our Constitution is outdated because it was written in the 18th century, borrowing on 17th century ideas and designed for a pre-industrial society. Here is my answer: Bastiat writes in the middle of the 19th century during the Industrial Revolution and in the middle of the rise of socialism. The critique of socialism proves liberty still prevails. In today’s post-industrial society it is socialism that has become obsolete. Outside of the Declaration of Independence you could not ask for a better defense of liberty.
Life, liberty and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place. —Frederic Bastiat
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On the Lighter Side
Ellis in Wonderland
Pin the Quote on the Czar!
A Convention to Reconstitute the U. S. Constitution?
President Obama has appointed at least 32 “czars” who are not subject to Senate confirmation. They answer only to the President and are outside the constitutional boundaries, often filling positions that should be taken care of within current Cabinet posts and departments. President Obama is not the first president to appoint czars. FDR had them and called them “Dictators.” Here are some quotes by some of Obama’s czars—see if you can match the quote with the person who said them (one czar is quoted twice).
by Ellis Posey Contributing Writer
SCENE: President Barack Obama and the Democrat leadership meet in a secret basement room in the White House.
lishment of Republicans, Tea Partiers, Fox News or conservative talk shows on TV and radio.”
PRES. OBAMA: I hope all of you have good suggestions for rewriting the U. S. Constitution. First, let me read what I jotted down: “We the People, in order to make the unions more perfect...” (Pause, waiting for applause which does not come). Okay, Whadda you got, Harry?
SEN. REID: This war is lost!
SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID: This war is lost!
REP. BARNEY FRANK: Have any of you seen Amendment Ten in the old Constitution? Outrageous! Let me read it: “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.” The People! Outrageous! That undoes most of the legislation we’ve passed in the last 80 years.
PRES. OBAMA: Shut up, Harry. Get over Iraq, okay? Anybody else? SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER: Why bother. Everybody knows the Constitution is unconstitutional. We all know how the Supreme Court decision to support free speech has undermined our agenda to fundamentally transform America. After extreme right wing members of the Supreme Court testify at my Senate committee hearing they will to all go to jail anyway… SEN. REID: This war is lost! PRES. OBAMA: Shut up, Harry. Whadda you got, Nancy? HOUSE SPEAKER PELOSI: Listen to this new First Amendment, “Congress shall make no law respecting the estab-
PRES. OBAMA: Shut up, Harry. Good start Nancy. See me after the meeting. I have a list of others to add to that, as soon as I can check my teleprompter to see what they are. Anybody else got ideas?
SEN. REID: This war is lost! PRES. OBAMA: What do I have to do to get you to shut up, Harry? You have to get over George W’s Iraq war. SEN REID: I don’t mean the Iraq war. I mean if I don’t get reelected in November, and we lose the house and senate, this war on the Constitution is lost! PRES. OBAMA: Shut up and get outta here, Harry. Somebody call security!
A Peek Inside The New Old Boys Club SCENE: A tree house in a remote corner of the White House lawn. Boards nailed to the trunk form a ladder. A rough lettered sign nailed to the trunk reads: “No Girls Allowed! (Hillary and Sarah This Means You!!!!)” Smoke curls out between boards of the tree house. Inside Pres. Obama and V. P. Biden sit cross-legged smoking grapevine. Biden looks green. VP: I feel sick... Where did you find this stuff? Can’t you smoke real tobacco? PREZ: She won’t smell this on my breath. Man up, Joe. Now, whadda ya got so far. VP: Not much. Cutting and pasting in a history book is not as easy as doing it on a computer. PREZ: No excuses, Joe. Did you finish that part about the Iraq war to make it look like we thought up the surge and personally fought our way through the streets of Bagdad? VP: Course I did. Didn’t you hear Dick Cheney yappin’ at me? And all that stuff he says about us not fighting the war on terror? It takes time for me to think up answers! PREZ: Ignore him, Joe. We won, we get to do stuff our way. Just talk about hope and change, okay. How you coming on changing the dictionary?
36 | The Constitutionalist Today
VP: It’s hard, sir. It has actual facts and stuff in it, and then you have to find your place in the alphabet... PREZ: Well hurry and get to the part where you cross out the words “Republican” and “Conservative” and write in “Obstructionist”. But do it lightly in pencil. We may have to erase it if I end up running as a conservative in 2012. This is important stuff, Joe. VP: You didn’t say “when we run,” sir. PREZ: Man up, Joe. This isn’t about you. It’s about me. VP: Well, I’m the one who has to go on all the Sunday talk shows and yap back at Dick Cheney. Wish the Supreme Court would do somethin’ to shut him up. PREZ: I couldn’t even get the Justices to shut up during my brilliant State of the Union speech. Get back to work, Joe. And hurry it up. We have to go pick kale and water cress in the garden, then we have this state dinner thing. I love those. Never know who’s gonna show up. VP: So little time, so much to do. Let me see now, does “R” come before or after “Q”? PREZ: (Mumbles to himself) Sometimes I think his mouth bone isn’t connected to his brain bone.
By Zach Lee Wright Contributing Writer
1. “A physician’s duty, includes working for the greater good of society instead of focusing only on a patient’s needs...reform must include redefining doctors’ ethical obligations.” 2. “Current treatment of livestock and other animals should be considered a form of unconscionable barbarity not the same as, but in many ways morally akin to, slavery and mass extermination of human beings.” 3. “Hamas has fired thousands of unguided Kassam rockets at Israel, but the rockets have killed only a handful of Israelis… In Israel, politicians jockeying for power have launched the most lethal military assault on Palestinian territory in decades.” 4. “I got stoned more often and went out to the beach at Bellows [AFB],... spending hours watching the planes take off and land at the airport, which is actually quite fascinating when you are drunk and stoned.” 5. “I happen to be a proponent of the single payer health care plan – a single payer health care plan – universal health care – that’s what I’d like to see.” 6. “In Bush’s America, questioning makes us weak. In my America, we value dissent and debate because we know this is what makes us strong and free. I hate the fact that after promising to unite us, this president, [Bush] has done his best to divide us.” 7. “In Venezuela, with Chavez, really an incredible revolution — a democratic revolution — to begin to put in place say-
ing that we’re going to have impact on the people of Venezuela the property owners and the folks who were then controlling the media in Venezuela rebelled — work frankly with folks here in the U.S. government worked to oust him and came back and had another revolution. And Chavez then started to take the media very seriously in this country.” 8. “Indeed, it has been concluded that compulsory population-control laws, even including laws requiring compulsory abortion, could be sustained under the existing Constitution if the population crisis became sufficiently severe to endanger the society” 9. “The mainstream white polluters and the mainstream white environmentalists wound up collaborating to put all the poisons in the black community, in the Latino community, in the poor communities.” 10. “We need to make sure that we’re moving electricity in the smartest way and using the most cost effective electricity at the right time of day. Eventually we can get to a system where an electric company will be able to hold back some of the power so that your air conditioner won’t operate at its peak.” A. Barack Obama, President B. Rosa Brooks, Pentagon Czar C. Carol Browner, Climate Czar D. Ezekiel Emmanuel, Health Policy Czar E. John Holdren, Science Czar F. Kevin Jennings, Safe School Czar G. Mark Lloyd, Diversity Czar H. Van Jones, Green Jobs Czar* I. Cass Sunstein, Regulatory Czar *resigned post, 9/09 Answers to quiz: 1-D, Ezekiel Emmanuel; 2-I, Cass Sunstein; 3-B, Rosa Brooks; 4-F, Kevin Jennings; 5-A, Barack Obama; 6-B, Rosa Brooks; 7-G, Mark Lloyd; 8-E, John Holdren; 9-H, Van Jones; 10-C, Carol Browner
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