Minnesota’s Center of the American Experiment celebrates SCOTUS Janus v. AFSCME decision – Union outraged!

According to the State Policy Network:

June 27 [2018]—Today the US Supreme Court released a landmark decision in Janus v. American Federation of State, Country, and Municipal Employees, Council 31. The Court ruled in favor of plaintiff Mark Janus, a child support specialist who works for Health Care & Family Services, returning First Amendment rights to public sector workers. This means that five million public servants in 22 states no longer have to pay a government union as a condition of employment.

Specifically, the Court ruled that the “State’s extraction of agency fees from nonconsenting public sector employees violates the First Amendment,” overturning the Court’s earlier decision in Abood v. Detroit Board of Education.

The Court agreed with Mark Janus that public sector union speech is inherently political since “it covers critically important and public matters such as the State’s budget crisis, taxes, and collective bargaining issues related to education, child welfare, healthcare, and minority rights.”

The Court’s decision will impact how government unions extract fees from members—moving the system from opt-out to opt-in. The onus is now on the unions since public sector employees must now “affirmatively consent” to pay dues. Now, no government worker can be forced to check their First Amendments rights at the door in order to serve their communities.

On Constitution Day the Center of the American Experiment, a Minnesota think tank held, an event celebrating the Janus v. AFSCME decision.

 in a column titled “Celebrate Labor Day by Telling Your Friends About Employee Freedom Janus-Style. And Join Us on Constitution Day (Sept. 17)” wrote:

I cannot think of a better way to celebrate Labor Day this year than telling every public employee you know about the Janus case. After decades of forcing employees to subsidize the political speech and agenda of government unions as a condition of employment, the Supreme Court restored their First Amendment rights. The Court said that our government has to get the “affirmative consent” of public employees before union dues can be deducted from their paychecks.

[ … ]

We won at the U.S. Supreme Court on June 27, 2018 but our hard work has just begun.

Public employees do not know their rights, and they are being pressured by unions that do not want to lose their revenue and power. Unions have enjoyed, and still enjoy, a position of political privilege that was never envisioned by our constitutional system or representational democracy. Lawsuits have been filed and legislation is being drafted to enforce the Court’s ruling. We are up against Goliath but remember what happened to him.

The unions are angry and on going on the offensive against the Center and anyone else who dares to defy their monopolistic position. They are not accustomed to having to sell themselves to employees, to be customer friendly and frankly they are not very good at it!

PR Newswire reports:

More than 100 union members and their supporters converged on the Minneapolis Hilton to protest the [Center of the American Experiment] event and picket outside the hotel.

Minneapolis is a union town and Minnesota is a union state,” said Teamsters Local 320 Secretary-Treasurer Brian Aldes while addressing the crowd. “We’re here to keep it that way!”

The pickets were the length of a city block stretching from one end of the hotel to the other. Pickets were chanting: “Who are we? Union!” and “What’s disgusting? Union busting!”

Do unions support giving their members the right to chose how their union dues are spent? Apparently not.

About Center of the American Experiment

Center of the American Experiment is Minnesota’s leading public policy organization. The Center is more than a think tank. It not only researches and produces papers on Minnesota’s economy, education, health care, the family, employee freedom and state and local governance. It also crafts and proposes creative solutions that emphasize free enterprise, limited government, personal responsibility and government accountability.

American Experiment’s staff advances those solutions by drafting legislation, testifying before legislative committees, placing op-eds in newspapers and magazines across the State of Minnesota and nationally, appearing on radio and television news programs, holding town meetings, and lobbying. Further, American Experiment conducts grass roots advertising campaigns on radio and on the internet, which bring the key findings of the Center’s research papers to millions of Minnesotans. And the Center carries out investigative reporting, uncovering waste, abuse of power and ineptitude in Minnesota’s state and local governments, schools and unions.

For more than 25 years, Center of the American Experiment has been the most impactful and effective public policy organization in Minnesota. It leads the way in creating and advocating policies that make Minnesota a freer, more prosperous and better-governed state.

The Center is a civic and educational 501(c)(3) organization. Contributions are tax deductible.

Everyone Should Pray as Much as Mark Wahlberg by Tess Farrand

According to Answers.com variations of the word prayer appear 540 times in the King James version of the Holy Bible:

  • the word – pray – appears 313 times
  • the word – prayed – appears 65 times
  • the word – prayer – appears 109 times
  • the word – prayers – appears 24 times
  • the word – prayest – appears twice
  • the word – prayeth – appears 7 times
  • the word – praying – appears 20 times

In a Movie Guide article titled “Everyone Should Pray as Much as Mark Wahlberg” Tess Farrand reports:

Mark Wahlberg is an actor, producer, director, father, husband, co-owner of a family restaurant chain…. This guy is busy, busy, busy. Regardless of all his commitments and responsibilities, according to a daily schedule of Wahlberg’s that was made public, the star, who’s a committed catholic, spends 30 to 45 minutes in prayer every morning. If this media mogul can find the time, we should be encouraged to do the same!

The star whose recent movies include DADDY’S HOME, DEEPWATER HORIZON and the upcoming family comedy INSTANT FAMILY shared on Tuesday the answer to some frequently asked question about his daily routine. He detailed his movements starting at 2:30 am when he wakes up until 7:30 pm when he goes to bed. A good portion of his day includes working out, workout recovery and meals, but if one looks closely, you can’t help but notice a good chunk of time dedicated towards prayer and family time. Thirty minutes to be exact from 2:45 am to 3:15 am Wahlberg likes to spend praying.

Despite the chaotic life of this actor/entrepreneur, it seems that Wahlberg’s successes in life come in part to his dedication, but more importantly, by starting every day with God.

Read more.

Here are some Bible passages on the power of prayer:

Psalm 107:28-30 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven

Matthew 7:7 ”Ask, and it will be given to you seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Matthew 21:22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Mark 9:29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

John 14:13-14 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it

Acts 9:40 But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.

Ephesians 6:18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

Philippians 4:6-7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

James 5:14-16 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another,that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

In what call many these “dark days” it is fitting and proper for Christians to pray for the church and the people of the world to deliver them from evil.

Mark Wahlberg, and his fellow Christians, understand that though the church has many critics, it has no rivals.

EDITORS NOTE: The featured image is courtesy of Movie Guide.

It Does Not Take A Village – It Takes An Adult

Mammals, including humans, have a cycle of life with a beginning, a middle, and an end. The survival of the species requires that adult members of the group help newborns survive and develop into reproducing adults who can then help their own newborns develop into reproducing adults and the cycle of life continues. The growth process from the smallest to the largest mammals demands food, water, shelter, and a transfer of information from the knowledgeable adult to the uninformed young. The adults in the community teach their young how to survive. What happens when the process is impeded?

The United States of America and its social order was founded upon the principles of adulthood. Powers entrusted to the adult members of the family were gradually transferred to the children as they became adults themselves and began having families of their own. Parents taught their children survival skills and imbued them with their personal, moral, and religious values. What happened?

There has been a gradual shift in the established social order of America. Institutional “experts” pressured society toward regression, dependence, and mediocrity rather than growth, independence, and individual achievement. This movement has eroded parental authority and tilted young people away from independence and adulthood toward collectivism and middling both personally and professionally. The social order of adulthood is under attack. This is how it works.

Let’s begin at the beginning. Traditionally, when new babies are born young mothers turn toward their own mothers for guidance – grandmothers have standing in the transfer of knowledge about raising children. Grandma’s successes as well as her mistakes are a rich source of information for new moms – not anymore.

Authors Ari Brown, MD, Denise Fields, and Michele Hakakha, MD, have written an overbearing and incredibly condescending book titled Baby 411: Clear Answers & Smart Advice for Your Baby’s First Year. On the acknowledgements page of the 2014 edition they arrogantly state that, “It’s sad but true: any parenting book written before 2013 is already outdated.” REALLY?

In an equally pompous description of themselves they state, “We give you the 4-1-1. Ours is the ONLY parenting book series in the market that updates with new editions every two to three years, giving our readers the most current, scientific-evidence based advice.”  Ahhh – scientific advice!

21st century parents are persuaded by anything claiming to be scientific – it is the foundation of their world. They willingly surrender their common sense and critical thinking skills to the “experts” who gladly tell them how to do anything and everything scientifically. A generation of American parents have surrendered their adult authority and independence to the self-proclaimed experts who offer them self-assured advice and online communities for support.

No other mammal seems to have this problem – once the bears and the cows learn their survival lessons they are on their own and either survive or die in the environment.

People are more complicated, especially new parents, they ruminate and obsess over whether they are doing the right thing and whether they are being good parents. Most of all they worry if their children are happy. Rather than having confidence in their own parenting instincts and the generational advice of trusted family, they trust the often corrupt “scientific-evidence based” advice of designated experts. Bears and cows trust themselves.

What happens when their children go to school? 21st century parents willingly surrender their adult authority to the educational experts as well. Why is that a problem?

Most parents are completely unaware of the ideological agenda of the experts in charge of the Education Establishment in America. Their children are being indoctrinated away from independence and traditional Judeo-Christian values toward collectivism and global citizenship and the parents are oblivious. Out with the old – in with the new.

Parents today are extremely stressed – they lack confidence in their own competence and ability to problem solve and are constantly in search of experts who will soothe their fragile selves and absolve them of personal responsibility. It’s easier to believe the experts than trust themselves. Why are these parents so fragile and uncertain?

Adulthood requires assuming personal responsibility for one’s decisions and taking responsibility for the consequences of those decisions. Parents today are so other-directed that they have unwittingly denied themselves the self-confidence and self-esteem enjoyed by their parents and grandparents because they have never assumed the adult responsibilities that empowered their elders. When an individual surrenders his/her adult authority and independence that individual is resuming the position of childhood instead of assuming the position of adulthood. Why does this matter?

It matters because it does not take a village – it takes an adult to raise a child. It matters because Hillary Clinton’s village is socialism. When she talked about an unaware and compliant public she described the situation of childhood. Socialism is a children’s village where the state has assumed the responsibilities of adulthood and the public has resumed the powerlessness of childhood.

Still, Hillary’s romanticized village requires leadership – Hillary conveniently leaves that part out of her description of the village. It is the elite in socialist societies who rule those societies and reap the benefits – not the citizens. The Cubans and the Venezuelans were promised social justice and income equality too. What the citizens of their once thriving nations now have under socialism is poverty, scarcity, and lawlessness. The leaders have all the wealth and power – of course they do – that was their plan all along.

Every incremental step that reduces individual personal adult authority awards the government more authority and control over the individual. To understand the devastation of Hillary’s village it is necessary to examine education in the village.

Bruce Deitrick Price has written a stunning book titled Saving K-12 that explains in chilling detail the deliberate destruction of public education in America courtesy of the leftist Education Establishment. He writes:

“When most people say the word ‘education’ they mean something very specific, and almost everyone knows exactly what that is: reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, to be followed by history, science, literature, and the arts. . . Unfortunately, the people who control public education and shape the debate have another meaning in their minds, and they know exactly what that is: social engineering, indoctrination, political correctness, and left-wing politics.”

Price explains in unique and meticulous detail how failed systems of Sight-Words and Reform Math are still being taught decades later to innocent students with the support of clueless parents, often with fancy new scientific names. Traditional learning modes that stress simplicity, facts, and practical application are out of fashion. The new methods focus on “scientific” abstract concepts instead of basic skills. Common sense dictates it is impossible to run before walking so it should surprise no one that American children in public schools are falling down.

Consider the method known as Constructivism, an experiential program where children are supposed to invent their own versions of knowledge and teachers stand back and act as their facilitators to encourage the process. WHAT?? The problem with Constructivism is the same problem with Sight-Words and Reform Math – running before walking. Basic skills are what give children the foundation to understand their experience – simple before complex – children must walk before they can run.

Constructivism is just another harmful example of adults (teachers) abandoning their authority because the experts told them to. The children end up anxious and without foundational knowledge. It is idiotic to expect children to “invent knowledge,” and since they cannot read they cannot even acquire basic knowledge independently outside their toxic classrooms.

The left-wing experts have deliberately dumbed down, confused, and produced such nervousness in students that many are being misdiagnosed as having disruptive behavior disorders, learning disabilities, anxiety disorders, and/or attention deficit disorders. The children are then given drugs and other therapies to calm them down!!

In 1955 Rudolph Flesch published his blockbuster book Why Johnny Can’t Read that sold 8 million copies and explained why America had an illiteracy problem (Sight-Words) and what to do about it (bring back phonics). Flesch explained that English is a phonetic language that must be taught phonetically. If you teach English as Sight-Words, you are turning English into Chinese. The “experts” have arrogantly ignored Flesch’s wisdom for 60 years but Johnny still cannot read. Why not?

What is the motive for deliberately insisting upon systems that are known failures? Why is this happening?

The answer is extremely difficult to accept because the good citizens of America trust the Education Establishment to teach their children well. They have great difficulty embracing the notion that there is a purposeful educational dumbing down of their beloved sons and daughters. Parents remain perilously unaware of the despicable ideological campaign of the Education Establishment toward mediocrity and socialism. It is simply inconceivable to most parents that their children are being deliberately taught to fail.

The Education Establishment’s collectivist goals are accomplished through the the twin strategies of eliminating as much of the traditional curriculum content as possible and then making the remainder so confusing that the children don’t understand or remember what they are being taught. The outcome is a staggering ignorance of basic knowledge.

Bruce Dietrick Price explains in exquisite detail the traumatizing experience of the child being taught to sight-read in a system of WHOLE WORDS rather than learning the foundational basics of sounding out words using phonics:

“Just for a moment, consider the silly theory that our top educators put forward. There should be no sounding out of letters and syllables; instead, children should memorize words as graphic designs or diagrams. Put yourself in the head of a kid showing up for first grade. The teacher points to a design like ‘xhylg’ and instructs, ‘This means house. When you see this, say house.’ So, can you memorize ‘xhyld’? Probably. But will you be able to pick it out from similar designs, of which there are dozens, such as: xhydd, xyhld, xhydl, xyyld, xhdyl, xyjkl, xkyht, xygld, etc. of course you will need to be ready for variations such as XHYDD, XYHLD, XHYDL, XYYLD, XHDYL, XYJKL, XKYHT, XYGLD. . . You can probably feel the dyslexia creeping into your brain.”

Price’s book is riveting and should be required reading of all parents with young children. Saving K-12 says the unsayable. The motive for insisting upon failed systems of Sight-Reading and Reform Math that produce illiteracy is social control through a dumbed-down population. It is the strategy necessary to create Hillary’s village of compliant adults who function as compliant children. A functionally illiterate society is easy to control.

In an equally disturbing article appearing in Renew America titled, “Memo to K-12 students: Resist” Bruce Dietrick Price exposes the psychological warfare being waged against K-12 students to prepare them for global citizenship in a restructured globalist one world government.

“You are a participant in a vast psychological war. Believe it or not, you are the enemy in this war. You are the primary target. Yes, they want you, your unformed personality, your uninformed mind. They want to shape you and make you so that finally you’re indistinguishable from other kids. You’re not supposed to know much or think much. In Brave New World you would be a Gamma or maybe a Delta. According to Wikipedia,’these people are deliberately limited in their cognitive and physical abilities, as well as the scope of their ambitions and the complexity of their desires, thus rendering them easier to control.’”

Limited cognitive abilities has been the undisputed consequence of decades of debilitating educational systems that subvert learning the basic skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic. There are 50 million people in the United States who are functionally illiterate. Price argues very persuasively that READING is the basis of all learning so parents can at least inoculate their children against the education establishment by teaching the children phonics at home.

Price reiterates Flesch’s central thesis that English is a phonetic language and must be taught phonetically. If you teach it as Sight-Words, you are turning English into Chinese. It is as simple as that. So, why does Common Core teach Sight-Words?

Under ex-president Obama the egregious Common Core State Standards were adopted by 42 of the 50 states – all incentivized by “stimulus money” – nothing scientific about bribery. Common Core is the educational standard of the United Nations Agenda 2030 marketed to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all.” WOW! Sounds great! The problem is that United Nations Agenda 2030 is a globalist campaign to indoctrinate our children into becoming global citizens in an internationalized world under one world government – administered by the UN of course!

Now you are beginning to understand the deceit because what the “experts” mean by inclusive and equitable is probably not what you understand those words to mean.

Ileana Johnson has written an important article titled, “The Link Between Declining National Education Quality and UN Agenda 2030” that appeared in The Epoch Times on 7/15/18. Johnson directs the reader to the Pearson curriculum and its Common Core textbooks that are methodically indoctrinating our children and grandchildren.

In a suspiciously unpublicized event Education Secretary Betsy DeVos signed on to the anti-American globalist United Nations Agenda 2030 initiative while attending the July, 2018 G20 Education Ministerial Meeting in Argentina. Any American Secretary of Education who signs on to the globalist United Nations education agenda, including Betsy DeVos, is not fit for office.  What could DeVos be thinking?

Appointing Betsy DeVos to be Secretary of Education was a HUGE mistake. DeVos’ job was to eliminate the destructive Common Core Standards and return educational authority to the states and to parents. The United Nations Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals are diametrically opposed to American sovereignty, American independence, and the stated America-first goals of the Trump administration. President Trump has wisely taken us out of the Paris Accord, the Iran deal, and NAFTA – thanks to Betsy DeVos he will now have to take us out of any commitment whatsoever to this egregious agreement with the UN.

The United Nations and every one of its deceptive initiatives is designed to weaken America in preparation for one world government. The deal DeVos signed on to with the Education Working Group of the Group of 20 is arguably the worst and most sinister deal of all because it propagandizes American students against America! We need representatives of America who represent American interests like Nikki Haley – not incompetent fools or closet globalists like Betsy DeVos.

When curriculum content becomes a national security threat it is a federal matter and demands the attention of the President. President Trump must withdraw the United States from any involvement in UN Agenda 2030 and replace Betsy DeVos with an education secretary who is committed to American excellence through excellence in American public schools.

Making America great again requires making American public education great again. We must reclaim the power we were entrusted with and demand a total K-12 educational overhaul committed to reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, to be followed by history, science, literature, and the arts. We must insist upon restoring phonics and traditional math in the classroom. We must ensure our children acquire the skills they need to survive.

It does not take a village to raise a child – it takes an adult.

If Americans continue to trust the Education Establishment “experts” and allow the insidious dumbing down of America through Common Core and the UN Agenda 2030, America will not remain free. As Thomas Jefferson said, “You cannot be both ignorant and free.”

EDITORS NOTE: This column originally appeared on the Goudsmit Pundicity. The featured image is from UnSplash/Sandy Millar@sandym10.

If You Believe in #BuildTheWall here are Ten Reasons to see the film “Peppermint”

In our column “New Yorker labels movie ‘Peppermint’ racist. Is it because the bad guys are MS13 or the hero is a white woman?” we wrote:

There are two things that get Hollywood critics in a tizzy. The first is a picture of a woman with angel wings made of bullets. The second is a story line that makes the case for securing America’s borders from organizations like MS13. It is the perfect film for those “despicable” supporters of President Donald J. Trump.

Movieclips Trailers video of “Peppermint”:

We went to see “Peppermint.” For those who believe in the rule of law, building a boarder wall and toughening our immigration enforcement, there are ten reasons you must see the film.

  1. The film depicts Los Angeles (a city run by Democrats) as it truly is, a failed city with a high crime rate, high poverty rate and a growing population living is squalor.
  2. The film shows corruption in the Los Angeles Police Department, that undermines an FBI investigation.
  3. The film shows corruption in the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office that makes the MS13 criminals into the victims and the mother into a criminal.
  4. The film shows a corrupt Los Angeles District judge who is bribed to rule against the mother and in favor of the drug cartel.
  5. The film shows a white family being gunned down by members of MS13.
  6. The film shows a white mother who cannot get justice via the corrupt judicial system.
  7. The film shows how brutal the illegal alien based MS13 organization truly is.
  8. The film shows the enemy of the people to be those who come to America to commit crimes. Los Angeles is a sanctuary city in a sanctuary state.
  9. The film shows how the poorest people of Los Angeles are in great danger from Mexican drug cartels.
  10. And finally, the hero of the film is a white middle class mother who has had everything she loves taken from her and given no other option strikes back.

Jennifer Garner does a stellar job portraying a woman, wife and mother who has felt the pain of having loved ones killed by gangbangers. She portrays a woman who tries to get justice, but justice is not what the system provides.

Sound familiar?

RELATED ARTICLE: California Leads Nation In Poverty But Governor Jerry Brown Launching State Satellite To Monitor Global Warming.

EDITORS NOTE: The featured image is from the “Peppermint” movie trailer showing Jennifer Garner.

An American Weekend

As I write this, it’s the beginning of the weekend. An American weekend. It’s not the heart of summer. It’s not a holiday. But it’s a celebration in any event.

It’s an American weekend. Americans will be out mowing their laws, doing maintenance on their homes, working on their cars, spending time with family, friends and neighbors. Maybe even going to a party or a bar or night club.

Yes it’s an American weekend.

We celebrate our hard work week that has ended. We forget, if only for two days, the troubles of the past week. We indulge our fantasies whatever they may be. We are happy.

An American weekend means freedom to some degree. Freedom from work. Freedom for bills we may be having trouble paying. Freedom to worship as we please or not please. Freedom to sleep late. Freedom to stay up late. We celebrate freedom.

An American weekend is like no other in the world.

Study after study after study says that Americans typically work longer hours during the week than any other nation on the planet. We slave at our jobs or we fret over looking for a new job. We get up early, we stay up late. Not because we want to but because its our job or our duty.

Many enjoy their work. Many do not. Many think about changing their work. Many look forward to their next promotion in their current work.

When Americans work, we work. And we work hard and we tend to work long. It doesn’t matter if you are salaried or hourly. You work.

Some would think that this is slavery. But we work towards a goal. A goal of our choosing. Its our goal. Each individual. And nobody can tell us how to achieve that goal.

You know the sayings. Put your head down and work. Keep your nose to the grindstone. Get ‘er done.

Some of think we give our lives to our work and for some that may be true. During the week it’s all we think about. It’s all we talk about. Even when we get home at night. The conversation around the dining table is centered on work.

We lose ourselves in our work all too often. Sometimes that work gets in the way of family life. It can hinder family and friend relationships. It can cause friction with those who are not as dedicated as you.

Yes, during the week we may struggle and labor. It may be a labor of love or a labor of convenience or even a labor of hate, but we labor anyway.

But the weekend. Ah the weekend is all ours.

Americans can weekend harder than anyone on the planet. Whole businesses are dedicated to the weekender. Some businesses are only open on the weekends. From Friday night to Sunday evening, they are open to ensure that this and every weekend is an American weekend.

What do Americans celebrate on weekends? It is always summed up in one word. A word that is universal. A word that at least half of the world population would do anything to experience. That word is FREEDOM.

An American weekend is a celebration of freedom.

Not just on Memorial Day. Not just on the Fourth of July. Not just on Labor Day or Veterans Day or Thanksgiving Day or Christmas or New Year’s Day. But every weekend.

But Americans know there is a threat to this freedom. We note the politicians and bureaucrats that want to take our weekends away. They want to raise our taxes to such levels as to force us to actually work on our weekends to make ends meet.

These politicians and bureaucrats want to tell us how to celebrate our weekends by introducing laws and regulations that prevent us from grilling outside, from planting and tending a garden on our own property, raising our gasoline tax so we cant afford to take that wonderful weekend trip to the lake or ocean.

If we make it to the lake or ocean, they want to charge us outrageous entrance or usage fees. And if you are a weekend shopper, try parking without getting a ticket in your downtown area.

Big government doesn’t like the weekend. Big government wants you to work. Slave. For them and them only.

Want to work on your house this weekend by expanding or doing certain repairs? Better make sure you have the proper permits in which you have to pay for. If you don’t, a government agent could show up and throw a thunderstorm on your weekend.

But Americans don’t like it when somebody tries to rain on their weekend. It’s the only time that is truly all their own. Americans usually resist when politicians, bureaucrats and big government agents want to ruin their weekend.

Americans love their weekend. And anyone who says the same and wants you to fully enjoy your weekend usually gets the votes of other weekend lovers.

Why?

Because the weekend represents freedom and Americans love their freedom.

Americans love their weekends.

Americans love the American Weekend.

ABSURD: Media Blames Trump for Hurricane Florence and Rick Scott for Red Tide [Video]

The legacy media was quick to criticize two Republicans for things that they have absolutely no control of, e.g. the weather and algae blooms. There are two recent examples of Republican politician blamed for natural occurrences, which have been taking place for millennia.

In a Huffington Post column titled “Red Tide and Blue-Green Algae Could Block Rick Scott’s Path To The Senate” S.V. Date wrote:

Like millions of Floridians whose livelihoods are directly and indirectly tied to the state’s water quality, Conley is watching his income dry up just as the man he and many others believe is responsible for the environmental calamity is seeking a new political office: Gov. Rick Scott, who hopes to become Sen. Rick Scott.

Will the algae disaster be enough to stop Scott, who won both his terms as governor with but the slimmest of margins?

Read more.

Red tides were documented in the southern Gulf of Mexico as far back as the 1700s and along Florida’s Gulf coast in the 1840s. According the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):

While harmful algal blooms (HABs) may occur anywhere along the nation’s coast (especially during the summer), red tide events caused by blooms of the harmful algae Karenia brevis are particularly common in coastal regions of Florida and Texas.

According to Live Science, “Since June 1 [2018], about 25 billion gallons of algae-laden water were discharged from the lake [Okeechobee]. On June 20, Gov. Rick Scott issued an executive order to curtail the flow of harmful water and prevent the blooms from spreading.”

Dan Bongino did a video about the media blaming President Donald Trump for hurricane Florence. Bongino writes, “The media and the left is interested only in a pre-emptive outrage campaign, blaming Donald Trump for a storm he has no control over, and a federal government that is obviously going to be limited in what it can do in a state.”

Scientists and meteorologists have been studying natural occurrences such as red tide and hurricanes for centuries. No man, no matter how powerful can control nature.

This is another column which contests the uncontested absurdities.

RELATED ARTICLES:

Did you know that President Trump is responsible for Hurricane Florence?

Anne Hathaway denounces white privilege in award speech

2018 Amendments to the Florida Constitution

As part of the 2018 midterm elections, Floridians will be asked to vote on thirteen amendments to the state’s constitution. Thirteen seems a lot, but it is understandable as many of them are proposed by the Constitution Revision Commission, a state commission that meets every 20 years to recommend changes, and, Yes, this is the year when they met, hence the substantial number of changes.

A copy of the amendments can be obtained from the state (click HERE), and I encourage voters to become familiar with them prior to November 6th.

The purpose of a constitution is to define the basic mechanisms of the government. For example, the U.S. Constitution defines the duties and responsibilities of the three branches of government, including voting and how to enact changes. The Bill of Rights is a separate document related to the Constitution detailing our rights. In Florida though, the state constitution is a bloated document where everything is thrown into, thereby requiring it to be updated frequently. Many of the Amendments here should be placed in a separate document or simply handled by the state assembly.

I endeavored to find out how the Democrats and Republicans feel about each issue. This was difficult as I could find no party specific recommendations. Along the way though, I discovered how many of the party officials felt and deduced their answer. Naturally, the two parties were black and white on every issue (no surprise there). The one group who was unafraid to state their position was the Florida Chamber of Commerce. Consequently, I have included their response herein.

With this said, here are the thirteen amendments, along with their sponsors and pertinent comments:

NO. 1 – BALLOT TITLE: Increased Homestead Property Tax Exemption
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, ARTICLE VII, SECTION 6, ARTICLE XII, SECTION 37
Sponsor: The Florida Legislature/House (HJR7105)

BALLOT SUMMARY:
Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to increase the homestead exemption by exempting the assessed valuation of homestead property greater than $100,000 and up to $125,000 for all levies other than school district levies. The amendment shall take effect January 1, 2019.

COMMENT:
Democrats will likely vote NO, Republicans YES, and the Florida Chamber of Commerce is Neutral. Conceptually, the legislation gives homeowners a tax reduction, and by doing so will result in less money for municipalities, counties and special districts.

NO. 2 – BALLOT TITLE: Limitations on Property Tax Assessments
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, ARTICLE XII, SECTION 27
Sponsor: The Florida Legislature/House (CS/HJR 21)

BALLOT SUMMARY:
Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to permanently retain provisions currently in effect, which limit property tax assessment increases on specified nonhomestead real property, except for school district taxes, to 10 percent each year. If approved, the amendment removes the scheduled repeal of such provisions in 2019 and shall take effect January 1, 2019.

COMMENT:
Democrats will likely vote NO, Republicans YES, and the Florida Chamber of Commerce is a YES.

NO. 3 – BALLOT TITLE: Voter Control of Gambling in Florida
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, ARTICLE X, SECTION 29
Sponsor: Voters In Charge

BALLOT SUMMARY:
This amendment ensures that Florida voters shall have the exclusive right to decide whether to authorize casino gambling by requiring that in order for casino gambling to be authorized under Florida law, it must be approved by Florida voters pursuant to Article XI, Section 3 of the Florida Constitution. Affects articles X and XI. Defines casino gambling and clarifies that this amendment does not conflict with federal law regarding state/tribal compacts.

COMMENT:
Democrats will likely vote YES, Republicans NO, and the Florida Chamber of Commerce is a YES. If passed, 60% of Florida voters will be needed to regulate it in the future. Is this something that really belongs in our constitution?

NO. 4 – BALLOT TITLE: Voting Restoration Amendment
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, ARTICLE VI, SECTION 4
Sponsor: Floridians for a Fair Democracy, Inc.

BALLOT SUMMARY:
This amendment restores the voting rights of Floridians with felony convictions after they complete all terms of their sentence including parole or probation. The amendment would not apply to those convicted of murder or sexual offenses, who would continue to be permanently barred from voting unless the Governor and Cabinet vote to restore their voting rights on a case by case basis.

COMMENT:
Democrats will likely vote YES, Republicans NO, and the Florida Chamber of Commerce is Neutral.

NO. 5 – BALLOT TITLE: Supermajority Vote Required to Impose, Authorize, or Raise State Taxes or Fees
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, ARTICLE VII, SECTION 19
Sponsor: The Florida Legislature/House (HJR7001)

BALLOT SUMMARY:
Prohibits the legislature from imposing, authorizing, or raising a state tax or fee except through legislation approved by a twothirds vote of each house of the legislature in a bill containing no other subject. This proposal does not authorize a state tax or fee otherwise prohibited by the Constitution and does not apply to fees or taxes imposed or authorized to be imposed by a county, municipality, school board, or special district.

COMMENT:
Democrats will likely vote NO, Republicans YES, and the Florida Chamber of Commerce is a YES. A YES vote means tax increases require a 2/3 approval in both the state senate and house; a NO vote means a simple majority is needed for passage.

NO. 6 – BALLOT TITLE: Rights of Crime Victims; Judges
CONSTITUTIONAL REVISION, ARTICLE I, SECTION 16, ARTICLE V, SECTIONS 8 AND 21, ARTICLE XII, NEW SECTION
Sponsor: Constitution Revision Commission

BALLOT SUMMARY:
Creates constitutional rights for victims of crime; requires courts to facilitate victims’ rights; authorizes victims to enforce their rights throughout criminal and juvenile justice processes. Requires judges and hearing officers to independently interpret statutes and rules rather than deferring to government agency’s interpretation. Raises mandatory retirement age of state justices and judges from seventy to seventy-five years; deletes authorization to complete judicial term if one-half of term has been served by retirement age.

COMMENT:
Democrats will likely vote NO, Republicans YES, and the Florida Chamber of Commerce is Neutral.

NO. 7 – BALLOT TITLE: First Responder and Military Member Survivor Benefits; Public Colleges and Universities
CONSTITUTIONAL REVISION, ARTICLE IX, SECTIONS 7 AND 8, ARTICLE X, NEW SECTION
Sponsor: Constitution Revision Commission

BALLOT SUMMARY:
Grants mandatory payment of death benefits and waiver of certain educational expenses to qualifying survivors of certain first responders and military members who die performing official duties. Requires supermajority votes by university trustees and state university system board of governors to raise or impose all legislatively authorized fees if law requires approval by those bodies. Establishes existing state college system as constitutional entity; provides governance structure.

COMMENT:
Democrats will likely vote NO, Republicans YES, and the Florida Chamber of Commerce is Neutral.

NO. 8 – BALLOT TITLE: School Board Term Limits and Duties; Public Schools
CONSTITUTIONAL REVISION, ARTICLE IX, SECTION 4, NEW SECTION, ARTICLE XII, NEW SECTION
Sponsor: Constitution Revision Commission

COMMENT:
THIS AMENDMENT HAS BEEN STRUCK DOWN BY THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT. As such, it will not be included on the November 6th ballot.

NO. 9 – BALLOT TITLE: Prohibits Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling; Prohibits Vaping in Enclosed Indoor Workplaces
CONSTITUTIONAL REVISION, ARTICLE II, SECTION 7, ARTICLE X, SECTION 20
Sponsor: Constitution Revision Commission

BALLOT SUMMARY:
Prohibits drilling for the exploration or extraction of oil and natural gas beneath all state-owned waters between the mean high water line and the state’s outermost territorial boundaries. Adds use of vapor-generating electronic devices to current prohibition of tobacco smoking in enclosed indoor workplaces with exceptions; permits more restrictive local vapor ordinances.

COMMENT:
Democrats will likely vote YES, Republicans NO, and the Florida Chamber of Commerce is a NO. It is a mystery why a bill concerned with offshore drilling includes a section on e-smoking devices.

NO. 10 – BALLOT TITLE: State and Local Government Structure and Operation
CONSTITUTIONAL REVISION, ARTICLE III, SECTION 3, ARTICLE IV, SECTIONS 4 AND 11, ARTICLE VIII, SECTIONS 1 AND 6
Sponsor: Constitution Revision Commission

BALLOT SUMMARY:
Requires legislature to retain department of veterans’ affairs. Ensures election of sheriffs, property appraisers, supervisors of elections, tax collectors, and clerks of court in all counties; removes county charters’ ability to abolish, change term, transfer duties, or eliminate election of these offices. Changes annual legislative session commencement date in even- numbered years from March to January; removes legislature’s authorization to fix another date. Creates office of domestic security and counterterrorism within department of law enforcement.

COMMENT:
Democrats will likely vote NO, Republicans YES, and the Florida Chamber of Commerce is Neutral.

NO. 11 – BALLOT TITLE: Property Rights; Removal of Obsolete Provision; Criminal Statutes
CONSTITUTIONAL REVISION, ARTICLE I, SECTION 2, ARTICLE X, SECTIONS 9 AND 19
Sponsor: Constitution Revision Commission

BALLOT SUMMARY:
Removes discriminatory language related to real property rights. Removes obsolete language repealed by voters. Deletes provision that amendment of a criminal statute will not affect prosecution or penalties for a crime committed before the amendment; retains current provision allowing prosecution of a crime committed before the repeal of a criminal statute.

COMMENT:
Democrats will likely vote NO, Republicans YES, and the Florida Chamber of Commerce is a YES.

NO. 12 – BALLOT TITLE: Lobbying and Abuse of Office by Public Officers
CONSTITUTIONAL REVISION, ARTICLE II, SECTION 8, ARTICLE V, SECTION 13, ARTICLE XII, NEW SECTION
Sponsor: Constitution Revision Commission

BALLOT SUMMARY:
Expands current restrictions on lobbying for compensation by former public officers; creates restrictions on lobbying for compensation by serving public officers and former justices and judges; provides exceptions; prohibits abuse of a public position by public officers and employees to obtain a personal benefit.

COMMENT:
Democrats will likely vote NO, Republicans YES, and the Florida Chamber of Commerce is a NO.

NO. 13 – BALLOT TITLE: Ends Dog Racing
CONSTITUTIONAL REVISION, ARTICLE X, NEW SECTION, ARTICLE XII, NEW SECTION
Sponsor: Constitution Revision Commission

BALLOT SUMMARY:
Phases out commercial dog racing in connection with wagering by 2020. Other gaming activities are not affected.

COMMENT:
Democrats will likely vote YES, Republicans NO, and the Florida Chamber of Commerce is a NO. Again, is this something that really belongs in our constitution? And what is next, elimination of horse racing?

As you can see, there isn’t anything here to change the basic mechanisms of our government, yet people find it necessary to put everything but the kitchen sink in there.

Keep the Faith!

What Bruce Ohr Told Congress

In case you hadn’t heard what the #4 person in Department of Justice, Associate Deputy Attorney General Bruce Ohr, told Congresspersons behind closed doors. The article below from Kimberley A. Strassel, one of few reliable journalists and investigative reporters while enlighten you.  Kimberley Strassel is a member of the editorial board for The Wall Street Journal. She writes editorials, as well as the weekly Potomac Watch political column, from her base in Washington, D.C.

Now what will Attorney General Jeff Sessions do with this information?

What Bruce Ohr Told Congress

He warned the FBI that Steele had credibility problems. The bureau forged ahead anyhow.

By Kimberley A. Strassel

To believe most media descriptions of Justice Department lawyer Bruce Ohr, he is a nonentity, unworthy of the attention President Trump has given him. This is remarkable, given that Mr. Ohr spent Tuesday confirming for Congress its worst suspicions about the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s abuse of its surveillance and sourcing rules.

If Mr. Ohr is only now under the spotlight, it’s because it has taken so much effort to unpack his role in the FBI’s 2016 investigation of the Trump campaign. Over the past year, congressional investigators found out that Mr. Ohr’s wife, Nellie, worked for Fusion GPS, the opposition-research firm that gave its infamous dossier, funded by the Hillary Clinton campaign, to the FBI. They then discovered that Mr. Ohr had numerous interactions of his own with Fusion chief Glenn Simpson and dossier author Christopher Steele, and that he passed on information from these talks to the bureau. So the G-men were being fed the dossier allegations from both the outside and the inside.

This week’s news is that Mr. Ohr’s deliveries to the FBI came with a caveat. Congress already knew that Mr. Ohr had been aware of Mr. Steele’s political biases. In notes Mr. Ohr took of a September 2016 conversation with Mr. Steele, he wrote that the dossier author “was desperate that Donald Trump not get elected and was passionate about him not being president.” Congressional sources tell me that Mr. Ohr revealed Tuesday that he verbally warned the FBI that its source had a credibility problem, alerting the bureau to Mr. Steele’s leanings and motives. He also informed the bureau that Mrs. Ohr was working for Fusion and contributing to the dossier project.

Mr. Ohr said, moreover, that he delivered this information before the FBI’s first application to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court for a warrant against Trump aide Carter Page, in October 2016. Yet the FBI made no mention of this warning in the application, instead characterizing Mr. Steele as a “reliable” source. Nor does the application note that a senior Justice Department official’s spouse was contributing to the dossier and benefiting financially from a document the FBI was using in an investigation. That matters both because the FBI failed to flag the enormous conflict and because Mr. Steele’s work product potentially wasn’t entirely his own.

Read more.

EDITORS NOTE: The featured image is by Fox News.

The Anti-Israel Effort Increases in Politics and on Campus

Antisemitism is being aggressively promoted in Britain and on American Campuses. Jewish students in American colleges face ostracism or worse.

Quote—“The growing advocacy of BDS and anti-Zionist activists has contributed to a continued deterioration of conditions for Jewish students. A report from John Jay College noted that BDS leaders actively orchestrated the ostracizing of Jewish students, blacklisting other groups who might co-host events with Jewish organizations and harassing individual Jewish students. Some Jewish students feel pressured to denounce Israel and Jewish organizations in order to participate in campus social life”.

“A new report from the AMCHA Initiative discusses these patterns. Among other conclusions, it shows that “nearly all of the Israel-related incidents in 2017 involved behavior intended to suppress pro-Israel expression and/or that specifically targeted pro-Israel individuals or groups for ostracizing or discriminatory behavior intended to exclude them from fully participating in campus life.” While the number of anti-Israel events remained fairly constant, behavior aimed at ostracizing pro-Israel individuals and groups expanded in 2018”.

The Anti-Israel Effort Intensifies in Politics and On Campus

By Dr. Alex Joffe

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Anti-Semitism continues to be aggressively promoted in the guise of anti-Israelism in two highly influential arenas: politics, particularly in Britain; and on campus. In the US, the BDS movement is doing all it can to ostracize Jewish students.

August’s major BDS issue was the continuation of the British Labour Party’s anti-Semitism crisis, which began more than two years ago. It was revealed that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had formally endorsed BDS in 2015, had laid a wreath at the graves of the Black September terrorists who orchestrated the 1972 Munich massacre, had met Hamas leaders in the West Bank during an undeclared trip in 2010, and had participated in a 2012 conference in Qatar with Hamas members responsible for numerous terrorist murders.

Corbyn’s preposterous excuse that “I was present at that wreath-laying, I don’t think I was actually involved in it” was excoriated by the British press, British Jews, and many Labour Party members. His later comment that “Zionists” do not understand “English irony” compounded the problem.

But these and other outrages were followed by an explosion of anti-Semitic abuse directed at Corbyn’s critics, including accusations that false claims of anti-Semitism are being used to smear Corbyn and wreck the party. Corbyn’s divisive leadership and the anti-Semitism crisis are among the issues leading some observers to predict a permanent split in the party.

The sources of Labour’s crisis — which originated on college campuses — should be emphasized. Campus politics in Britain have long been incubators for national politics, mirroring such national trends as “intersectionality” and identity politics in progressive circles.

Read more.

Dialogue with a Demagogue

Barack Obama is hitting the campaign trail — and no one could be happier than Republicans! The former president stepped back into the spotlight last Friday, campaigning for a Congress that he spent his entire two terms ignoring. In a speech to University of Illinois students that was equal parts smug and self-righteous, the 44th president’s antagonism was a potent reminder of what voters rejected in 2016. And not a moment too soon.Almost two years to the day that Hillary Clinton gave her fateful “deplorables” speech, Obama proved that Democrats still haven’t learned how to control their contempt for millions of conservative Americans. With a sanctimony that people learned to despise, one of the most polarizing presidents in history had the nerve to lecture Americans on demagoguery. Implying that Trump supporters are “bigots” and “fearmongers,” Obama went on to blame Republicans for tearing the country apart. “…The politics of division and resentment and paranoia has unfortunately found a home in the Republican party,” he said. This from a man who made Middle-America bashing a professional sport in his eight years at the White House. Who dismissed blue-collar patriots “bitter clingers” who turn to religion and guns because they’re too ignorant to know better. Who called political opponents “unpatriotic” or even “craz[y].”

Republicans like Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) fired back at the hypocrisy almost immediately, posting, “Pres. Obama is right. It is wrong for a President to use divisive language, such as: 1. Call all opponents of same-sex marriage bigots; 2. Call the Pro-Life movement a ‘War on Women;’ 3. Call all immigration enforcement advocates racists; 4. Call the GOP the enemy of Hispanics.” On Fox News, Judge Jeanine Pirro said that if Obama was looking for someone to blame for the animus, he ought to look in the mirror. “Your lies, your policies, and your divisiveness… You elected Donald Trump.”

To evangelicals, his longtime punching bag, he tried to preach a decency he rarely practiced. “Even if you are an evangelical and our position on certain social issues is a bridge too far… I’m here to tell you that you should still be concerned with our current course and should still want to see a restoration of honesty… and lawfulness in our government.” So let me get this straight. The president whose reign included an attorney general who was held in contempt of Congress, an administration that refused to enforce federal law, and misled Congress and the American public with meaningless executive orders wants to lecture evangelicals on lawfulness? That’s like Judas lecturing Matthew on proper accounting principles.

Two years is a long time, but it’s not long enough for the American people to forget the man who built a bigger bypass around the Constitution than I-495! His administration was synonymous with lawlessness. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) chronicled 76 examples of it by 2014 alone. The president who said, “Middle class families can’t wait for Republicans in Congress to do stuff. So, sue me,” is sermonizing on political authority?

“He used his ‘pen and phone’ to circumvent the will of Congress,” Chris Pandolfo fumed. “He sicced his IRS on conservative organizations for opposing his agenda. He ran a gun-running “Fast and Furious” program that put illegal firearms in the hands of violent criminals. His administration spied on Fox News reporter James Rosen. His communications director Anita Dunn said the Obama White House would treat Fox News “the way we would treat an opponent.” Obama lied about keeping your doctor, lied about the Iran nuclear deal, lied about NSA spying, lied about how easy it is to buy a gun, and lied repeatedly throughout his presidency.”

And that’s just the tip of the overreach iceberg. The courts have an equally impressive tally, having rebuked and overturned the administration on everything from recess appointments and immigration to Obamacare mandates.

Not content to sit in the shadows and watch Trump rack up victories on the economy, unemployment, trade, and denuclearization, Obama tried desperately to take some credit for the president’s successes. In a sad attempt to rewrite his disastrous financial legacy, he told the students, “Let’s just remember when this recovery started. I’m glad it’s continued, but when you hear about this economic miracle that’s been going on, when the job numbers come out, monthly job numbers and suddenly Republicans are saying it’s a miracle, I have to kind of remind them, actually, those job numbers are the same as they were in 2015 and 2016 and — anyway. I digress.”

The former president can talk all he wants about jumpstarting the economy, but the numbers speak louder than any stump speech soundbite. In reality, Barack Obama presided over “the worst economic recovery since the Great Depression.” It was so awful, CBS’s Michael Graham pointed out, that “in August of 2011— two years after the $1 trillion stimulus was passed — the economy added zero jobs.” Vice President Mike Pence was just as surprised as anyone else that Obama would try to “tout policies that resulted in less than two percent growth, saw tax increases, Obamacare regulation, and doubling the national debt. [I]t was very disappointing, but frankly I think it just illuminates the choice the American people had in the midterm elections.”

“If we don’t step up,” Obama said, “things could get worse.” Worse, as in more take-home pay, a stronger military and economy, peace with North Korea, and a return to free speech, religious liberty, and respect for life? If that’s the Left’s best argument heading into November, then political strategists are right. Obama is doing more to help conservatives out of the White House than he ever did in it!


Tony Perkins’ Washington Update is written with the aid of FRC senior writers.


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The Top Nike Memes — #JustDon’tDoIt

After Nike Corporation decided to side with those who don’t side with Nike customers who voted for President Donald J. Trump a number of memes have mysteriously appeared on social media sites. We have selected some of those that you may wish to ponder upon, as you put on your Nike shoes and go to the next NFL game or Antifa demonstration.

This has lead to a new anti-capitalist movement by our Socialist comrades in the former Democratic Party. This new #JustDon’tDoIt movement has joined with #MeToo, #BlackLiveMatter and #TakeAKnee.

#JustDon’tDoIt is part of the #JustImpeach campaign started by our comrade and favorite California socialist Maxine Waters. Watch comrade Maxine:

Memes rock!

And finally comrades our very favorite.

EDITORS NOTE: This column by Russian Bot did not appear on any Nike advertisement in the New York Times.

America Has A Problem

You hear it everywhere.  You hear it from just about everyone.  This November’s elections are the Most Important In Our Nation’s History.

Don’t they say that about EVERY election?

Well, there is some truth to the hyperbole, however.  Every election IS important.  Every election counts.  And I mean every election, down to local Dog Catcher.  Why is this so?

The person getting the job will represent you, the people, in that elected capacity for the next two or four or six years.  They will administer their duties as they see fit based on the limits of their elected office.

Thus, elections do have consequences.  In fact, every election has massive consequences.  As we have seen this past presidential election, the change in who occupies the Oval Office can change the course of our country on a dime.

A new governor of a state can change the direction of that state nearly over night.  I am not being dramatic, its just the truth.

Our problem as a nation is that we used to accept an election even if our candidate did not win.  We understood the consequence of electing the right and the wrong people.  If we thought it was the wrong person, we geared up for the next election to make sure the right person got elected.

In the mean time, we had to deal with the decisions made by, the votes cast by the person we did not vote for.  It didn’t matter what party that person was a member or if they were not a member of any party at all.  It was the individual that got elected that made us pay attention.  But the election was fair.

But now we have a whole group of people, a generation of people that don’t believe elections should have consequences. They don’t believe in fair elections.  If their candidate of choice does not win, they will not accept the one who does win.

They tell us this person needs to be booted from office before the next election in order to protect and preserve our democracy.  My question is, what kind of democracy says that only one side can win in a fair election?

Our problem as a nation is that this generation as a whole, is ignorant of the meaning of democracy. They are ill-educated in the ways of elections.  They are childish in their mentality when their candidate of choice does not win. They scream Unfair, Unfair at the top of their lungs like a five year old who was just told to share the toys in their kindergarten class.

Yes America has a problem.  As frightening as it may seem, our biggest problem is not those who win various elections.  Its not even those who run for various elected offices.  Our problem is one generation turning into two generations that don’t understand how a Republic or even a simple Democracy runs or even works.

This problem is only going to get worse, bigger with each passing election cycle. Imagine if you will, by the election of 2020, the Millennial Generation will be hitting 40 and Gen Z will begin to populate the voter rolls with the oldest in that group being about 22.  Two generations that are used to getting their way by screaming not fair.

Let me explain it this way.  Right now we have President Trump and over half the population seems to be happy with what he is doing and the direction he is leading the nation.  But those that voted for him will be outnumbered soon.

By 2024 the voter rolls could tip in the favor of these younger generations.  Generations that are ignorant of our Constitution, of what free and fair elections are.  They wont care about outcomes if their candidate of choice does not win.

Now imagine that the presidential election in 2024 goes to their side.  Do you think a Democrat or Socialist will continue in the direction that President Trump has?  If you think its possible then may I remind you that Donald Trump took a completely different course and direction than Barack Obama did and Trump changed course overnight.

That means a Democrat Socialist will do the same.  Now imagine you trying your best to save this nation during this time.  Save freedom and choice.  Save the Constitution during this time.

If we fail to educate our kids, they will turn into adults who vote and whine when they lose.

Now do you see the problem America has?

RELATED ARTICLE: In Sweden, the Elite Lost Touch with the People

Current Media Being Crippled By Culture and Technology

Two coinciding culture points are flowing side-by-side to suggest an ongoing revolution in communications — one that could both dramatically change how Americans choose their communication channels while sharply undermining the influence of the mainstream media.

Number one: We, driven by the media and our celebrity culture, have made American presidents out to be far more important in our daily lives than they really are, and certainly should be.

Number two: The media, largely responsible for No. 1, is again late to see an ongoing revolution in the communications industry, just as it has consistently during the past 25 years.

Here’s how it works.

I’m listening to the radio while working and the top news story at the top of the hour is that Trump has narrowed the list to 12 people who he thinks might be the Anonymous that wrote the utterly unsubstantiated hit piece the New York Times chose to run. The next story was the ongoing circus of clowns and disruptors at the Kavanaugh hearing, followed by the traffic report.

No “news” impacting Americans’ lives in any way until the traffic report. So it goes almost every day, with endless stories about what Trump said or did. It was similar with Obama, just fawning instead of attacking. Trump loves this. So did Obama, every bit as much.

Yes, the media is dishonest as an industry now (however, not every individual in the media) and is only trusted by those within its own worldview silo. Yes, the media is partisan. Yes, the media is chock full of self-aggrandizers from WaPo’s pompous “democracy dies in darkness” to the preening self-puffery of CNN’s Jim Acosta. Yes, the media is actively working to overturn an elected President of the United States. All of this works to undermine the credibility of the media — but only with about half of the country.

The reality is that the media’s hyper-focus on a president is both lazy and dangerous, because it elevates everything a president says or does in a way that is not reflective of reality. It in no way affects Americans’ lives that Trump has narrowed his list to 12. It will not affect Americans’ lives outside of politicophiles when he names the person and fires him or her. Nothing changes in Americans’ lives when he tweets out mean things (almost always in reaction, FYI) or that people in Washington say mean things about him. It is largely is irrelevant to our day.

What does affect Americans are his policies and those enacted by Congress. On that front, we get more about Michelle Obama’s arms in some wondrous dress or that Melania Trump once wore questionable shoes than we do about actual economic policy that really does affect Americans.

The intended portrayal is that Trump is a bad person. Maybe. But the people shouting that the loudest are the people who have been telling us for years there is no objective moral truth. But so what? Is he a bad president? Jimmy Carter was a very good person and a terrible president. Bill Clinton was a very terrible person but a decent president. FDR was a flaming racist against blacks, imprisoned Japanese Americans for having Japanese heritage and tried to expand the Supreme Court for his own political gain. Really bad stuff. But on the foreign front, he was a good president. LBJ was a really bad dude and a pretty bad president. Reagan was a decent guy and a great president.

The point is that there is no correlation between the “goodness” of a president and whether the president is good for the country — which is what actually matters for the president. Yes, we’d greatly prefer a person of high moral character, but what is most relevant is a person who acts in the historical interests of the United States, defends the Constitution, individual liberties and the institutions and foundations that made us exceptional, and pursues sound policy for the benefit of all Americans. That’s what matters.

Yet the media hyper-focuses on all the wrong things (particularly in support of their partisan agenda) which elevates the importance of the president in American minds to demigod status. Trump cannot destroy the country if he wanted. (He doesn’t.) Neither could Obama (Jury is out on whether he wanted to or not.)

This is part and parcel with our celebrity-enthralled culture, which is pretty much bad for everyone. So yes, some is on all of us.

Meanwhile, on point No. Two, mega-podcaster Joe Rogan interviewed Elon Musk for 2 1/2 hours the other day in a substantial, eye-opening, sometimes thought-provoking way — clearly providing insights into Musk that no media coverage ever has. Musk told Rogan it’s “easy to demonize people” but that when you do so, “you’re usually wrong about it.” So true. Rogan’s language is rough, but his long-form interviews are incredibly valuable and he is a premier interviewer in drawing out deep wells of information from his guests. Here’s the deal. Rogan is not a trained journalist in any way. He was a standup comic, a reality show host, and entrepreneur and now the most popular in podcasting — which continues to grow rapidly.

Rogan is hardly alone. He’s joined by so many news and information podcasters that the media has finally realized maybe this podcasting is a thing. The New York Times launched The Daily podcast maybe 18 months ago and it exploded. It’s a slick, 20-minute or so conversation with reporters on a single topic. Others have jumped in, trying to grab the band wagon.

But the key here is that podcasting is an incredibly diverse platform and, unlike Youtube, Facebook and Twitter, it is not centralized in the hands of progressives with their instinct towards censorship of things like “hate speech” — which is only definable in personal opinions and on which there can be no limit, meaning anything is censorable.

Honestly, I get an enormous amount of my information now from podcasts and social media. This continues the siloing effect of information, of course, but that is on the media and its penchant for dishonesty. If they had not become so partisan and then been dishonest about it, the door would not have been so wide open when the technology arrived.

Rogan is just an example. (And FYI, he’s not some kid. He’s 51.) There are news podcasts, lots of commentary podcasts, repurposed TV news podcasts, and podcasts on every subject out there. The uniqueness is that you can be doing other things while listening, from working out to working in the garage to driving to most anything that does not require all your full concentration. And all on demand — not just when it comes on according to a schedule.

Further, it is long form. It’s interesting that as our attention span has diminished with TV, then video games and then down to 140 characters on Twitter and emoji texting, podcasts actually take us the other direction — expanding our attention span and making us think more in-depth. That is good for Americans and America, bad for the media (and arguably the Democratic Party and D.C. establishment.)

Remember, though, it’s not just the tech platform changing, it’s the content.

A lot of podcasters, and youtubers when they are not being censored, are going more in-depth and going longer than the short media hits that tend to totally miss context and full information. I think that is the revolution the media is missing, because people want not just more honesty, but actually more depth, than the media has been providing for a long time.

And that makes the media less influential. And that is a very good thing.

EDITORS NOTE: This column originally appeared on The Revolutionary Act.

Ending Black Lives: As NFL Season Starts, Teams Support Abortion-Backing United Way Chapters

The 2018 NFL season officially kicks off today. As players and their corporate allies continue to push racial divisiveness over football, 2ndVote has discovered that 12 NFL teams partner with United Way affiliates that financially support Planned Parenthood–America’s largest abortion company and a group which has targeted black babies for disproportionate death for years.

Earlier this week, 2ndVote cross-referenced United Way’s list of chapters which partner with local teams with those chapters which financially support Planned Parenthood. As seen below, some NFL teams’ United Way partners sent over a hundred thousand dollars to Planned Parenthood.

NFL Team United Way Partner Funds Planned Parenthood?
Arizona Cardinals Valley of the Sun United Way No
Atlanta Falcons United Way of Greater Atlanta No. Last donated 2015.
Baltimore Ravens United Way of Central Maryland Planned Parenthood Federation of America ($6,629) Planned Parenthood Keystone ($8,670) Planned Parenthood of Maryland($125,631)
Buffalo Bills United Way of Buffalo & Erie No
Carolina Panthers United Way of Central Carolinas No
Chicago Bears United Way of Metropolitan Chicago & United Way of Lake County Planned Parenthood of Illinois($5,876)
Cincinnati Bengals United Way of Greater Cincinnati No. Last donated 2015
Cleveland Browns United Way of Greater Cleveland No. Last donated 2015
Dallas Cowboys United Way of Metropolitan Dallas & United Way of Tarrant County Planned Parenthood of North Texas ($7,356)
Denver Broncos Mile High United Way Planned Parenthood of Rocky Mountains Denver($8,455)
Detroit Lions United Way for Southeastern Michigan No
Green Bay Packers Brown County United Way No
Houston Texans United Way of Greater Houston No
Indianapolis Colts United Way of Central Indiana Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky ($33,848)
Jacksonville Jaguars United Way of Northeast Florida No
Kansas City Chiefs United Way of Greater Kansas City Planned Parenthood of Kansas & Mid-MO ($41,946)
Los Angeles Rams United Way of Greater Los Angeles No.
Miami Dolphins United Way of Miami-Dade & United Way of Broward County Miami-Dade last donated in 2014. Broward County does not contribute
Minnesota Vikings Greater Twin Cities United Way No
New Engand Patriots United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley No
New Orleans Saints United Way of Southest Louisiana No
New York Giants United Way of New York City No
New York Jets United Way of Northern New Jersey No
Oakland Raiders United Way of the Bay Area Planned Parenthood Foundation-Nati HQ ($7,733) & Planned Parenthood Northern California ($23,845)
Philadelphia Eagles United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey No
Pittsburgh Steelers United Way of Allegheny County Planned Parenthood of Western PA ($84,824)
San Diego Chargers United Way of San Diego County No.
San Fransisco 49ers United Way of the Bay Area Planned Parenthood Foundation-Nati HQ ($7,733) & Planned Parenthood Northern California ($23,845)
Seattle Seahawks United Way of King County Last Donated 2015. 2016 Tax Records not available
Tampa Bay Buccaneers United Way Suncoast Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida ($31,468)
Tennessee Titans United Way of Metropolitan Nashville Planned Parenthood of East and Middle Tennessee ($84,968)
Washington Redskins United Way of the National Capital Area Planned Parenthood Federation of America($5,348) & Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington ($273,215)

This shameful double-speak is outrageous. The NFL has allowed its players to slander America’s police and disrespect the national anthem while promoting a false narrative on race. Yet the league partner is a major partner with United Way and its $2.7 million in donations to Planned Parenthood in 2016 alone.

To make matters worse, Planned Parenthood doesn’t just end lives through abortion, it also has allegedly sold the parts of babies it killed for profit and it has frequently covered up the sexual abuse of minor.

We urge 2ndVote shoppers to double down on forcing the NFL to ditch the double-speak theatrics about black lives, to stop funding killers of black babies, and get back to playing football.

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EDITORS NOTE: The featured image is by Shutterstock.

Elon Musk Tilting at the Wrong Windmill

By Mateen Elass.

In June and July of this year, when a youth soccer team was trapped in flooding caves in Thailand, billionaire Elon Musk offered to help by using his tech firms to create a special mini-sub capable of maneuvering through the flooded serpentine caves to reach the desperate boys and their coach. Though the device was never used, the Thai government ultimately thanked Elon Musk for his widely publicized efforts.

One British caver/diver, Vern Unsworth, who was not part of the actual rescuers but provided invaluable logistical support at the site, spoke critically of Musk and his mini-sub after the successful rescue operations, calling Musk’s efforts “a PR stunt” that “had no chance of working,” and claiming that Musk was asked to leave the area as he was presumably “in the way” of ongoing rescue efforts.

The billionaire responded to Unsworth’s words in a fit of self-acknowledged rage, unleashing a storm of tweets. In one of them he addressed Unsworth as “pedo guy”, apparently assuming that since the 63 year-old Unsworth spent much of his life in the Chiang Rai area of Thailand known for its child sex-trafficking he must be guilty of such practice. After an immediate backlash on social media, Musk, to his credit, quickly apologized for his overreaction, tweeting on July 18th, “The fault is mine and mine alone.”

Last week, however, the issue erupted once again, when Musk intimated there was truth to his initial claims since Unworth had not sued him for libel. The organization BuzzFeed News contacted him with follow-up questions, and in one of two email responses, Musk wrote:

““I suggest that you call people you know in Thailand, find out what’s actually going on and stop defending child rapists, you f**ing a**hole. He’s an old, single white guy from England who’s been traveling to or living in Thailand for 30 to 40 years, mostly Pattaya Beach, until moving to Chiang Rai for a child bride who was about 12 years old at the time….”

Musk has provided no corroboration for this latest charge. For the record, Unsworth has been in a long-term (seven plus years) romantic relationship with a 40 year-old Thai woman named Woranan Ratrawiphukkun.

It seems clear that Elon Musk has an axe to grind with Vern Unsworth, and is seeking to tar and feather the latter with the reprehensible crime of  child rape/pedophilia. If these unsubstantiated charges somehow prove to be true, then Mr. Unsworth will deserve the full legal and moral judgment appropriate for his base behavior. If not, Mr. Musk will deserve to be excoriated for his heinous defamation of another human being.

What interests me most about this whole seedy affair is that there is near universal agreement that the sexual predation by an older male of a pre-pubescent or pubescent girl (or boy) is an abhorrent evil, and those who commit such acts, when proven, should face legal punishment as well as the moral opprobrium of the civilized world.

Yet today there are some one and a half billion people on the planet who revere as a prophet the man Muhammad, about whom there is no question that he took his best friend’s nine-year old daughter A’isha to be his “wife” when he was fifty-three. Apologists will say that back in 7th C. Arabia, such practices were common, or at least not considered immoral, so we should give Muhammad a pass. Even worse, Muslim theologians argue that according to the Qur’an Muhammad is the perfect paradigm for human life and his practices are to be emulated by all Muslims as closely as possible. Hence, marriage of old men to young girls is a good practice. Worst of all, the idea that people are capable of believing that a man engaged in such practices could somehow be a true prophet of a morally perfect God is frightening beyond measure. Yet, such is commonplace in the Muslim world. Even such a well-schooled  Islamic scholar as the Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini could (and did) say:

“A man can have sexual pleasure from a child as young as a baby. However, he should not penetrate vaginally, but sodomising the child is acceptable. If a man does penetrate and damage the child then, he should be responsible for her subsistence all her life. This girl will not count as one of his four permanent wives and the man will not be eligible to marry the girl’s sister… It is better for a girl to marry at such a time when she would begin menstruation at her husband’s house, rather than her father’s home. Any father marrying his daughter so young will have a permanent place in heaven” (from his book Tahrir al Wasilah).

How is it possible in this day and age that anyone could excuse a mindset approving such evil behavior? While it is true that sexual predation occurs in all cultures and societies, only in the Islamic world is it given a religious stamp of approval. Where are today’s human rights activists calling out child rape masquerading as holy marriage? Where are the Western feminists taking on Shari’ah laws which enslave helpless girls to Muslim men who buy them from destitute parents for a paltry dowry? Where are the ethicists and theologians and statesmen of the world to denounce the behaviors and teachings of Muhammad regarding child marriage and sex slavery, and to demand that Islam renounce such practices?

Elon Musk may or may not be right about the particular case of Vern Unsworth (to date, he has presented no objective evidence).  But if he really is concerned about child sex-trafficking and pedophilia, he would make a much bigger impact were he to use his vast resources to expose and publicize the undeniable, religiously-approved child rape practiced throughout wide swathes of the Muslim world all because of Muhammad’s perverse example fourteen centuries ago.

Read the rest here.

ABOUT MATEEN ELASS

Mateen was the second of four children born to a Syrian Muslim who had married an American while studying at the University of Wisconsin. Some years after Mateen’s birth, the family moved to Saudi Arabia where his father worked as an oil company executive. During his early teens Mateen began a search for God, largely through reading. For six years he focused on eastern mysticism and meditation including a stay at an ashram in India. Yet his nagging questions, Who is God? How can I know him? remained unanswered.

God guided Mateen toward an answer to those questions by bringing him into contact with genuine Christians. They repeatedly pointed him to Christ and challenged him, “Read the four gospels of the New Testament. Get to know Jesus.” He took up the challenge. After days of reading, study, and prayer, at the age of twenty Mateen became a follower of Christ. As is common in Middle Eastern families, he soon paid a high cost for his newfound faith: isolation from his father for more than a decade.

By the end of his college years, Mateen sensed God’s call to Christian ministry. After completing a B.A. at Stanford University he graduated from Fuller Seminary, earning M.Div. and M.A. degrees in Biblical Studies and Theology. After several years of pastoral work he returned to school earning a Ph.D. in New Testament Studies from Durham University in England, studying under the world-renowned NT scholar James D. G. Dunn.

EDITORS NOTE: This column originally appeared on Jihad Watch.