Terrorists attack CA Power Station: National Power Grid Vulnerable

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Today’s  Wall Street Journal  (WSJ) had a front page story that raises question of the vulnerability of our national power grid to terrorist attack given an incident that occurred in Silicon Valley in April 2013. It is only now surfacing  in the national media, “Assault on Power Grid Raises Alarms”.

In the early morning of April 16, 2013, the Metcalf, California transmission substation in Silicon Valley was attacked by what federal investigators believe was a highly professional terrorist team .  That sniper  assault  caused 17 transformers to crash severing power to  Internet Service Providers  and other power users in  Silicon Valley.  Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) was forced to  increase and reroute power to the area served by the disabled transmission station.  The recovery  took 27 days for PG&E to repair and bring  the transmission substation back online.

Grid Attack diagram WSJ 2-5-14

Graphic of timeline of Metcalf attack. For a larger view click on the image.

Here is the time line of the Metcalf incident as compiled by the WSJ:

At 12:58 a.m., AT&T fiber-optic telecommunications cables were cut—in a way that made them hard to repair—in an underground vault near the substation, not far from U.S. Highway 101 just outside south San Jose. It would have taken more than one person to lift the metal vault cover, said people who visited the site.

Nine minutes later, some customers of Level 3 Communications,  an Internet service provider, lost service. Cables in its vault near the Metcalf substation were also cut.

At 1:31 a.m., a surveillance camera pointed along a chain-link fence around the substation recorded a streak of light that investigators from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s office think was a signal from a waved flashlight. It was followed by the muzzle flash of rifles and sparks from bullets hitting the fence.

The substation’s cameras weren’t aimed outside its perimeter, where the attackers were. The shooters appear to have aimed at the transformers’ oil-filled cooling systems. These began to bleed oil, but didn’t explode, as the transformers probably would have done if hit in other areas.

About six minutes after the shooting started, PG&E confirms, it got an alarm from motion sensors at the substation, possibly from bullets grazing the fence, which is shown on video.

Four minutes later, at 1:41 a.m., the sheriff’s department received a 911 call about gunfire, sent by an engineer at a nearby power plant that still had phone service.

Riddled with bullet holes, the transformers leaked 52,000 gallons of oil, then overheated. The first bank of them crashed at 1:45 a.m., at which time PG&E’s control center about 90 miles north received an equipment-failure alarm.

Five minutes later, another apparent flashlight signal, caught on film, marked the end of the attack. More than 100 shell casings of the sort ejected by AK-47s were later found at the site.

At 1:51 a.m., law-enforcement officers arrived, but found everything quiet. Unable to get past the locked fence and seeing nothing suspicious, they left.

A PG&E worker, awakened by the utility’s control center at 2:03 a.m., arrived at 3:15 a.m. to survey the damage.

Watch this video for the Santa Clara Police Department released in June 2013 published in the San Jose Mercury:

The WSJ noted that PG&E put out a news release saying it was “vandals” who caused the incident.  Note what former Federal  Electrical Regulatory Commission (FERC) head, Jon  Wellinghoff  uncovered after the event:

Mr. Wellinghoff, then chairman of FERC, said that after he heard about the scope of the attack, he flew to California, bringing with him experts from the U.S. Navy’s Dahlgren Surface Warfare Center in Virginia, which trains Navy SEALs. After walking the site with PG&E officials and FBI agents, Mr. Wellinghoff said, the military experts told him it looked like a professional job.

In addition to fingerprint-free shell casings, they pointed out small piles of rocks, which they said could have been left by an advance scout to tell the attackers where to get the best shots.

“They said it was a targeting package just like they would put together for an attack,” Mr. Wellinghoff said.

Mr. Wellinghoff, now a law partner at Stoel Rives LLP in San Francisco, said he arranged a series of meetings in the following weeks to let other federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, know what happened and to enlist their help. He held a closed-door meeting with utility executives in San Francisco in June and has distributed lists of things utilities should do to strengthen their defenses.

A spokesman for Homeland Security said it is up to utilities to protect the grid. The department’s role in an emergency is to connect federal agencies and local police and facilitate information sharing, the spokesman said.

The WSJ article drew attention to the problem of replacing the transformers, the target of the Metcalf terrorist  attack:

The country’s roughly 2,000 very large transformers are expensive to build, often costing millions of dollars each, and hard to replace. Each is custom made and weighs up to 500,000 pounds, and “I can only build 10 units a month,” said Dennis Blake, general manager of Pennsylvania Transformer in Pittsburgh, one of  [only]seven U.S. manufacturers.

Given our work on the EMP threat to our national grid, there are 300 critical transmission substations like Metcalf that are vulnerable to such a terrorist assault. See: Interview with Jerry Gordon on The Electronic Armageddon -The … .   A rolling assault by trained terrorist  teams  against  these 300  sub stations  could  create havoc  and a shutdown of the national  grid  far in excess of the 50 million who lost power when the Northeast grid crashed in 2003.  The grid  vulnerability  is reflected in the limited  US manufacturing capacity for large Extra High Voltage (EHV) transformers.  Most of the world’s EHV transformer manufacturing capacity is located in China, South Korea and Germany.  A study by the National Academy of Sciences indicated  that  replacement of just the 300 EVH transformers from  limited US and offshore producers could take upwards of a decade. Further national security concern is the more than 100 military bases  connected to these vulnerable civilian grids. The WSJ article also illustrates the underlying problem of utility industry opposition to HR 2417: Shield Act sponsored by  Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) which would set standards including provision for standby replacement transformers. Based on work of the  Congressionally chartered EMP Task Force a thin shield for the national grid might cost $200 million, while a more robust program could run between $10 to $20 billion.  The impact on electric utility users would be an increase in electrical rates per user of less than $.20 cents per annum.

The  North American Electric Reliability  Corporation (NERC), the principal electric utility standard setting organization,  has opposed passage of the Shield Act calling the network “resilient”.  Au contraire  says  an official of Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) cited by the WSJ: “The breadth and depth of the attack was unprecedented” in the U.S., said Rich Lordan, senior technical  executive. “The motivation”, he said, “appears to  be preparation for an act of war.”  When we checked the websites of House Energy and Commerce Committee  Chairman  Fred Upton (R-MI ) and  Energy and Power Subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-KY) their major concerns as regards the security of the grid is vulnerability to cyber attack.  According to the WSJ  retiring  House Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Henry Waxman (D-CA) raised concerns  about the lack of federal  authority to undertake protective actions regarding the safety of the national grid during FERC oversight hearings in December 2013.

Whether it is  a terrorist attack like the Metcalf substation incident, the threat of a massive geo –magnetic storm during   or an EMP caused by either North Korea or Iran , this latest WSJ report should embolden US taxpayers and electrical users to request serious  Congressional  consideration of HR2417: The Shield Act .   If any of those events occurred  that would  bring us back to pre-industrial times. If that occurs, the estimates are that more than 200 million Americans could succumb to a  pandemic  virus from lack of food, water, sanitation  and  medical treatment caused by the breakdown of industrial , transportation and communications networks.  If you are concerned about this lack of security of the national  grid, you should consider signing a petition requesting Congressional consideration of the Shield Act , here.

Listen to this August 2012 Electronic Armageddon Rob Schilling Radio Show interview with Jerry Gordon.

EDITORS NOTE: This column originally appeared on The New English Review.

Christian group pledges an “Oath for Israel”

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Pastor Jerry Clark from a Christian Voice for Israel in Chicago leads his visiting group of pastors in an oath of allegiance and support for Israel and the Jewish people during their visit to Jerusalem on February 3rd, 2014. The video was posted by Barry Shaw from The View From Israel.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/JvN9Z_vTKCA[/youtube]

The Gay Attack on American Values

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In societies around the world, homosexuals encounter not just resistance, but the threat of death for their sexual orientation. In the West we regard this as barbarian and it is. I concluded long ago that gays—using their own term—have no choice over this sexual aberration from the norm of heterosexuality.

In America, gays—male and female homosexuals—represent about 3% of the population. That leaves 97% in a majority and that majority is now under a full assault on their traditional values concerning marriage—intended only for the opposite sexes—and in some cases on their religious faith that deems homosexuality a sin.

In recent years we have seen gays achieve a legal status for same-sex marriage, thus undermining centuries of tradition that understands marriage to be for the purpose of procreation and as the keystone of society. We have a President who changed his mind from his 2008 political campaign and announced that he not only approved of gay marriage but that his administration, the Department of Justice, would not enforce the Defense of Marriage law passed by Congress.

The Obama administration has pressed hard to alter the military that went from “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” under the Clinton administration, to the present status that sees no problem in the close living conditions under which heterosexual and homosexual troops must live and work together. This was always regarded as a problem of unit cohesion in the long years leading up to the 1990s and it likely still is. In a similar fashion, the infusion of women into combat units poses problems that the military understandably avoided for most of the last two hundred and twenty-eight years of the nation’s history.

The passage of Obamacare has posed significant problems for religious groups that oppose abortion and related practices. It has particularly affected Catholic institutions and, most recently, the Little Sisters of the Poor, a group of nuns who do not want to signal any concurrence with the law as it is written. The Supreme Court has granted that some respite, but their issue and others will surely have to be addressed by the Court at some point.

In Massachusetts, a homosexual legal group has filed papers to force a Catholic school to hire a man who is “married” to another man. As reported by MassResistance.org, “Back in July, Matthew Barrett of Dorchester applied for a job as the food service director at Fontbonne Academy, a Roman Catholic girls’ high school in Milton, Mass, and was subsequently offered the job. When he filled out a pre-employment form listing his ‘husband’ as an emergency contact the school told him that ‘the Catholic religion doesn’t recognize same-sex marriage. We cannot hire you.’”

“Barrett claimed to be shocked by the school’s action,” noted MassResistance, “But it appears that he was purposefully dishonest. He told the Boston Globe that he was raised a Catholic and that he was informed by school officials during the interview process that employees are expected to follow Catholic doctrine. However, he did not tell the school that he was openly involved with homosexual behavior and was in a ‘gay marriage.’”

MassResistance regards the case as “the beginning of the homosexual movement’s legal assault on conservative churches, particularly Catholic, that have steadfastly refused to modify their religious convictions and comply with the homosexual movement’s demands on society. Up until now they’ve been largely left alone. But that is about to change.”

As the Boston Globe noted, “Barrett’s complaint, which may be the first of its kind in the country, comes at a time when religion-based schools in the increasing number of states where gay marriage is legal have been scrutinizing hiring and firing practices to ensure they conform with the pillars of their faiths”

“School administrators,” the Globe reported, “have been fired from Catholic schools and universities in Arkansas, California, New York, and Washington, among other states, after marrying their same-sex partners or announcing plans to do so.”

Bennett Klein, the lawyer for the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission against Discrimination, asserts that “Our laws carefully balance the important values of religious liberty and non-discrimination. When Fontbonne Academy fired Matt from a job that has nothing to do with religion, they came down on the wrong side of the law.” It has everything to do with the free practice of religion.

“We’re seeing religion-affiliated entities more and more trying to push the line toward discriminating against gay, lesbian, and transgendered people,” said Klein.

No, it is the homosexuals who are pushing the line against religious groups who believe that their belief in God and their faith precludes the destruction of the construct of marriage is a sin against mankind and society.

It is 3% of the population demanding that 97% toss aside their faith and their values to accommodate the aberration called homosexuality. And, yes, it is an aberration because homosexuality cannot be interpreted as “normal” in any species.

MassResistance correctly says “This is madness and should not have any legal leg to stand on.”

If the homosexual assault on values and practices that have existed for centuries in the Catholic Church and in other religious faiths succeeds, the whole of our society will suffer for it. The Supreme Court decision to legalize abortion—murder—has resulted in the deaths of millions of unborn children who had a right to life.

Now, in Massachusetts and other States where same-sex marriage is deemed to be legal, the whole of the nation’s defense of marriage is under assault.

© Alan Caruba, 2014

RELATED COLUMN: Questions You’re Asking About Cakes, Gays, and Religious Freedom

Marie Winkelman guardianship: A Test Case to Lower the Bar on Incapacity in Florida?

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The above photograph shows Willi Berchau  (seated front row center) at his guardianship freedom celebration party in January 2014.

At least 100 pages of Florida law, Chapter 744, are devoted to “Guardianship,” which may or may not be imposed upon a person who is determined to be incapacitated. Holocaust Survivor Marie Winkelman is now a Ward of the State of Florida, based upon the order of the Sarasota County Probate Court, which adopted a mediated settlement agreement that denied Marie her due process rights. This is the fourth part in an investigative series on the involuntary guardianship of author and acclaimed painter Marie Winkelman.

What is incapacity supposed to be?

According to the Uniform Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Act (1997), an “Incapacitated person” is an individual who, for reasons other than being a minor, is unable to receive and evaluate information or make or communicate decisions to such an extent that the individual lacks the ability to meet essential requirements for physical health, safety, or self-care, even with appropriate technological assistance.

So what was Marie’s status before she was put into State guardianship? Until July 2013, Marie lived independently in a lovely residence in Sarasota, Florida, where she cleaned her apartment immaculately everyday, organized her papers and closets effectively, dressed herself beautifully, prepared her meals, entertained guests frequently, did all of her own shopping, talked with her bankers and financial advisors regularly in person and by telephone, made and received calls multiple times per day, read the daily newspaper, paid her own bills by check and by telephone, and carried on conversations for hours, switching from Polish to English, depending upon the recipients with whom she was speaking.

Why Marie Winkelman’s guardianship is a test case …

Can Marie receive and evaluate information? Absolutely. Can Marie make and communicate decisions? Assuredly. Does Marie have the ability to meet essential requirements for physical health, safety, and self-care? Yes. By lowering the bar of “incapacity,” the State of Florida has created a substantially larger pool of affluent persons whose lives and fortunes are under the authority of the probate courts that increasingly operate in secrecy by closing hearings to the media and the public and removing court records from the public sphere.

Why is Marie in Florida state guardianship?

As a Ward of the State, Marie’s assets – millions of dollars – are no longer in her control. They can be and are being spent on hundreds of thousands of dollars of attorney bills, guardian fees, service provider charges, and other such costs that Marie never had before she was forced into guardianship. In other words, Marie’s assets are feeding dozens of professionals in a distressed economy. Only a few individuals are permitted to see the enormous bills being paid by the Sabal Trust Company from Marie’s assets, without Marie’s consent and without any court records of them.

How does Marie’s case affect you?

Have you ever left your checkbook on the table? Marie’s visiting nurse decided that this was a sign of financial incapacity. Do you have paintings on your walls? Marie’s visiting nurse testified in court that someone could take the paintings or the checkbook; so she determined that Marie must be financially incapacitated. Are you?

Can Marie ever escape guardianship?

Marie could litigate her incapacity and guardianship order, but so far, her attorney, Audrey Bear, has only asked the court for yet another mediation (scheduled for January 28, 2014), with which Marie disagrees.

Although Marie has repeatedly asked to have her rights restored, so far Ms. Bear has not filed a restoration of rights petition with the court. On December 15, 2013, Marie passed her examination of four consecutive hours by Dr. Eric Weinstock, the psychiatrist whose positive restoration of capacity evaluation promptly resulted in the freedom from guardianship of Florida Ward, Willi Berchau, who, like Marie, lived independently and successfully managed his wealth until he was forced into guardianship for many years; but, finally, at age 99, Willi is free.

Marie’s guardianship is a test case for the American people to speak out before more of us lose our life savings because we left our checkbooks lying on tables. Lowering the bar for incapacity is opening the floodgates of total state control of elders.

ABC Action News interview with Willi Berchau:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/p7izeaAPdEI[/youtube]

O’Reilly versus Obama: A Contentious Interview

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Syndicated columnist Dana Milbank penned a recent article lambasting Bill O’Reilly for being unfair to President Obama in the now-famous Super Bowl Day interview. Not surprising, and certainly subjective.

What Mr. Milbank failed to point out, is that good journalism strives to elicit truthful answers on important issues, and when the journalist is limited to a ten-minute time frame, it leaves no time for lengthy discussion about anything, which is why O’Reilly had a short list of pointed questions, some of which were left hanging unanswered.

The president’s forte’ is speechmaking. Knowing this, O’Reilly was in a position to present as many questions as possible without allowing a time-consuming filibuster.

It was necessary for O’Reilly to interrupt the president. For example, he asked a question like: “Why didn’t you fire Sebelius, the secretary in charge of this?” (Re: Obamacare website fiasco) Obama dodged the question completely.

“You know my main priority right now is to make sure that it delivers for the American people…”

So, O’Reilly interrupted again: “You’re not going to answer that?”

To which, the president cited a litany of enrollment numbers, but nothing about Mrs. Sebelius. The president could have been more honest had he simply said, “I like Mrs. Sebelius, period.” End of discussion. Instead, he rambled about items unrelated to the question. Obama was simply not going to answer.

The president also tap danced around the question of when he was first informed that the Benghazi attack was terror related. That question still remains unresolved. Fortunately Obama did not retort, “What difference does it make?”

The president dishonestly dodged another question, submitted by a citizen: “Mr. President, why do you feel it’s fundamentally necessary to transform the nation that has afforded you so much opportunity and success?”

[youtube]http://youtu.be/mjZFl5-2N_A[/youtube]

Answer: “I don’t think we have to fundamentally transform the nation.”

Pinocchio!

O’Reilly: “But those were your words.”

Fact:  Five days before the election of 2008, in Columbia, Missouri, Mr. Obama made a campaign speech which included:  “We are five days away from fundamentally transforming the United States of America.”

The president never addressed the question

But the president did manage to get in his jab at Fox News about the IRS scandal: “These kinds of things keep surfacing, in part, because you and your TV station promote them.” (These are questions being asked by many millions of people Not a good time to be a cry baby.)

When asked about the IRS fiasco, the president sloughed it off to a few boneheaded decisions in the field, claiming there was no mass corruption. Adding, “Not even a smidgen of corruption.”

Really?

O’Reilly could have countered, “But it is still an on-going investigation, the answers are still unknown. How can you make such a conclusion?”

There were no softball questions, which other journalists are famous for. O’Reilly did his job well, considering his restraints. The columnist, Dana Milbank’s criticism should have been directed to the president for emulating Fred Astaire and wrongfully drawing conclusions about on-going investigations.

To his credit, the president did agree to the interview knowing it would be contentious.

To his credit, Bill O’Reilly was not intimidated by the president and did his job without backing down.

RELATED COLUMNS:

Bill O’Reilly’s Obama interview showed a nation still divided – The Washington Post

TRANSCRIPT: Bill O’Reilly interviews President Obama | Fox News

Jorge Bonilla Statement On Downgrade Of Puerto Rico’s Bond Rating

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Jorge-Bonilla

Jorge Bonilla

Republican Congressional candidate Jorge Bonilla has issued the following statement in response to Standard and Poor’s recent downgrade of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico’s bond rating to speculative, or “junk” status.

“Generations of fiscal mismanagement have finally caught up to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and its bond rating was cut to speculative (also known as “junk”) status. Unfortunately, Puerto Rico’s political class has scrambled to get their talking points out instead of coming together and focusing on the island’s deep structural problems.

Puerto Rico’s bond market problems are relevant to all of us for several reasons. Puerto Rico’s rate cut may have been the first, but there are also many cities and states on equally precarious footing. Additionally, our federal government keeps piling on debt like there is no tomorrow. We must enact reforms that address our ballooning debt and deficits at all levels of government.

Also, it’s no secret that many of the residents of the 9th Congressional District have deep ties to Puerto Rico, whether of blood, affection, or both.

Instead of pandering to the Puerto Rican community, our Congressional District’s Representative must have a deep understanding of the failed policies that have wrecked the island and forced the equivalent of three Mariel Boat Lifts over the past fifteen years, as well as the resolve to fight the implementation of those very policies stateside.”

CNBC reports:

S&P said it worried that Puerto Rico, a Caribbean island populated by 3.62 million people, has limited ability to sell more debt in the U.S.’s $3.7 trillion municipal bond market and faced possible cash shortages.

“We believe these liquidity constraints do not warrant an investment-grade rating,” S&P said in a commentary.

The move could also squeeze the island commonwealth’s cash reserves. S&P peer Moody’s, in a Dec. 23 report, said Puerto Rico could face up to $1 billion in collateral demands and note accelerations in the case of a one-notch downgrade by any of the ratings agencies.

The Politics of Common Core: FL State Board of Education Poised to approve Common Core 2/18/14 at Orlando Board meeting

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With breathtaking hubris, Governor Scott’s Education Commissioner, Pam Stewart, has ignored experts and citizens loud cries to stop the giant experiment called Common Core, which could damage a generation of children.  But this is not just a move born of benign ignorance, it is a political calculation.

The stakes in their games are enormous.  The Governorship and the Presidency could hang in the balance.  Early speculation comes from past experience.  Just what is happening behind the scenes?  It certainly doesn’t take a mental giant to see that Governor Scott is leaning on support from his predecessor, Jeb Bush and his new friends, who promised and delivered support and influence to win the last election.

The growing rift between the Republican Party groups and the Republican Party of Florida was nowhere more apparent than the recent annual state meeting.  County Executive Committees voted to oppose Common Core and were overruled in the end by the Executive Committee, Jeb Bush’s cabal, squeezing the grassroots out of the party in Florida.  They assert that we must blindly go along with Governor Scott’s adamant support of Common Core because we certainly don’t want a major rift in support to allow “Charlie Hippochrist” to steal the election.

Newsflash!  Charlie Christ is ahead of Scott in the polls and gaining.  Continuing his path of isolated decision making on this and other issues is not bolstering Scott’s campaign.  So WHY is he supporting this unpopular, anti-conservative position on Common Core?  Two words….Jeb Bush, and the promise his new support team will carry Scott over the finish line a winner.

You see, Jeb Bush is playing his own game here for yet a larger prize, the presidency, and this political calculation has worked for Jeb Bush before.  This interesting article from the St. Pete Times shows how Jeb Bush uses foundations to gather money and power to unleash a successful campaign.

When he narrowly lost his bid to be Governor, he needed a way to stay in the mix and build strength.  His foundation provided a way to collect money and support and it worked.  Flash forward, the conservative “education governor” of Florida embraces Common Core before the standards are even developed and his foundation gets $501,000 as a first installment.  He joins with Bill Gates Foundation, GE, Eli Broad Foundation, Pearson Education and many more multi-billion dollar groups who can provide as much money and power as he could ever need and a nationwide platform of education reform.

Just one problem, Common Core is a Trojan horse delivering poisonous messages to our children, not a “reform” at all.  His “team” includes unpopular multi-nationalist billionaires who stand to gain more money and power by “Transforming” America through the hearts and minds of the children.  The book recently written by Dr. Terrence Moore called “The Story-Killers” shows just how this is done.

Florida is ground zero for this high stakes game.  If Common Core collapses, his “money tree” coalition likely will suffer a similar fate.

This is all coming to a head as Anti-Common Core groups mobilize against this assault on their families and their future.  “Healthcare, concerns me.  But when they are contaminating the hearts and minds of our children, this is where we draw the line!”  Kathy Doan, co-founder of Stop Common Core FL,  said.

And she is joined by leaders from over 50 groups within Florida who are not fooled by the bait and switch maneuvers by this administration.  On the 18thof February, the State Board of Education plans to vote on changing the name of Common Core and adopting it in spite of huge opposition from parents, teachers, administrators and children.

A rally is planned for Feb 18th by these groups to demonstrate their disgust with the Department of Education, its Board, Governor Scott who appointed them, and Jeb Bush for promoting this campaign for his political gain.  For information, call Chris Quackenbush, 239-823-2980

We are also advertising on radio against Common Core and sharing our ads with others across the country to grow opposition everywhere. Tax deductible contributions may be made to www.ivbe.org to increase our ad coverage.

How Detroit rejected the Seven Principles of Sound Public Policy and self-Destructed

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I attended an event hosted by the James Madison Institute (JMI) in Sarasota, FL. The keynote speaker was Lawrence W. Reed from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Dr. Bob McClure, the President and CEO of JMI, introduced Larry Reed as a friend, mentor and guiding light in the movement to renew American exceptionalism.

2011_7principles_CoverSMLReed’s remarks dealt with what he calls the Seven Principles of Sound Public Policy. Reed was clear to point out each was not his own idea but he compiled them over the years to show the path to prosperity and happiness for those leaders in business, politics and policy who would embrace them all. One is not enough, all are necessary for any public policy to be successful.

What struck me is that Reed first introduced his seven principles at the Detroit Economic Club in 2001. It is prophetic that thirteen years later we see a Detroit that is an empty shell of its former self. While listening to Reed I came to understand why – for you see Detroit’s leaders had abandoned each and everyone of the seven principles of sound public policy.

I will not go into the details of each of these compelling principles but rather will just list them below:

One: Free people are not equal, and equal people are not free.

Two: What belongs to you, you tend to take care of; what belongs to no one or everyone tends to fall into disrepair.

Three: Sound policy requires that we consider long-run effects and all people, not simply short-run effects and a few people.

Four: If you encourage something, you get more of it; if you discourage something, you get less of it.

Five: Nobody spends somebody else’s money as carefully as he spends his own.

Six: Government has nothing to give anybody except what it first takes from somebody, and a government that’s big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take away everything you’ve got.

Seven: Liberty makes all the difference in the world. NOTE: Larry changed this principle to – Character makes all the difference in the world. Character is value based and without a core set of individual values liberty cannot survive.

Detroit is the poster child for ignoring these seven principles and by doing so, set itself on a path to self-destruction.

First, Detroit made it public policy to make everyone equal by promoting unsustainable social programs that bankrupted the entire city. Then the city took control of more of their citizens property (by taxation and seizing) and the city fell into disrepair. Over time multiple city administrations and political/policy leaders did not consider the long-run effects of their policies. Ultimately their programs to help the few, impoverished the many. Then the leaders of Detroit in desperation encouraged failure by further subsidizing it, rather than promoting the bedrocks of any community – family, neighborhood and work. They continued to spend the people’s money until both the people and the money left Detroit. They took from the few to give to the many and thereby started on the long painful road to perdition for all.

Perhaps most importantly Detroit lost its character, its moral compass if you will. Only if Detroit embraces these seven principles can it revive itself, by itself.

It was fitting and proper that JMI would host this event, at this time in Florida. As James Madison wrote, “I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.”

Was Madison predicting what would happen in Detroit, MI? Is it happening in America?

EDITORS NOTE: If you wish to see Larry Reed’s full commentary on each of the seven principles please go to this link.

ABOUT THE JAMES MADISON INSTITUTE

The James Madison Institute is a Florida-based research and educational organization (501c3) engaged in the battle of ideas. The Institute’s ideas are rooted in a belief in the U.S. Constitution and such timeless ideals as limited government, economic freedom, federalism, and individual liberty coupled with individual responsibility.

The Institute’s mission is to keep the citizens of Florida informed about their government and to shape our state’s future through the advancement of practical free-market ideas on public policy issues.

The Institute achieves its mission through research, conferences and seminars, and a variety of publications.

Since its inception in 1987, the Institute has remained independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan. It makes no attempt to aid or hinder the passage of legislation, nor does it accept government funds or respond to special pleadings from any sector.

ABOUT THE MACKINAC CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy is a nonpartisan research and educational institute dedicated to improving the quality of life for all Michigan citizens by promoting sound solutions to state and local policy questions. The Mackinac Center assists policy makers, scholars, business people, the media and the public by providing objective analysis of Michigan issues. The goal of all Center reports, commentaries and educational programs is to equip Michigan citizens and other decision makers to better evaluate policy options.

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy is broadening the debate on issues that has for many years been dominated by the belief that government intervention should be the standard solution. Center publications and programs, in contrast, offer an integrated and comprehensive approach that considers:

All Institutions. The Center examines the important role of voluntary associations, business, community and family, as well as government.

All People. Mackinac Center research recognizes the diversity of Michigan citizens and treats them as individuals with unique backgrounds, circumstances and goals.

All Disciplines. Center research incorporates the best understanding of economics, science, law, psychology, history and morality, moving beyond mechanical cost/benefit analysis.

All Times. Center research evaluates long-term consequences, not simply short-term impact.

RELATED ARTICLE: Their Legacy: The Race Riots Doomed Detroit Forever (Debbie Schlussel: Death Of Motown Alert)

New book coming April 14 — Arab Winter Comes to America: The Truth About the War We’re In

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My thirteenth book, Arab Winter Comes to America: The Truth About the War We’re In, will be published on April 14 by Regnery Publishing. You can pre-order it at Amazon now.

I’ll be giving more details about the book in the coming weeks, including some enthusiastic pre-publication reviews. But I like the jacket so much that I wanted to share it with you right away.

Obama poised to essentially surrender Afghanistan

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I think it might have been George Santayana who quipped, “those who fail to learn from history are doomed to hear this quote over and over again.”

And so here we are as the International Forces Commander in Afghanistan, Marine Corps General Joseph F. Dunford Jr. meets with President Obama to propose his plan for a residual force in Afghanistan after 2014. Interestingly enough, General Dunford was joined by US Central Command Commanding General, US Army General Lloyd Austin. General Austin was the Commander of forces in Iraq who proposed his plan for a residual force in that combat theater of operations – and we see how that ended up.

As reported in the LA Times, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan will argue for keeping about 10,000 troops in the country after this year, “a subject that has exposed a fissure between some of President Obama’s top advisors and the Pentagon.” Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. is recommending U.S. troops stay to help train Afghan forces and conduct counter-terrorism operations against Taliban insurgents and al-Qaida-linked militants.

Coming on the heels of former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates’ revelations in “Duty” regarding the distrust between the Obama administration and senior generals, the final decision will be interesting.

Lest we forget, when General McChrystal was the commander on the ground in Afghanistan, his requests for a troop “surge” operation were arbitrarily decreased by President Obama — and Obama summarily announced when the surge operation would end during his speech at the US Military Academy at West Point.

In order to placate Obama – and allow him to save face, General Dunford says the 10,000 should pull out by 2017, when Obama leaves office, according to two officials, confirming a Wall Street Journal report.

But, not to be outdone, that astute purveyor of military strategy, Vice President Joe Biden reportedly says:

The insurgency has been contained after 13 years of war and that Afghan security forces are strong enough to preserve security in urban and other key areas. He also says a stable Afghanistan is no longer critical to halting terrorist attacks against the United States, one official said.”

Biden and others in the Obama administration believe 1000 to 2000 troops would be sufficient, but anyone with common sense realizes those numbers would not be capable of any training or counter-terrorism mission and certainly hard-pressed for self-defense.

According to the LA Times report:

General Dunford recommended keeping only a few hundred U.S. troops if Obama rejects his plan for 10,000, officials said. Their mission would be to run an office in the U.S. Embassy that would manage military aid programs, the officials said, but not conduct training or operations.

If General Dunford’s plan is adopted, about one-sixth of the force — around 1,800 to 2,000 special operations troops — would be reserved for counter-terrorism operations. The rest would support, train and advise Afghan commanders, however they would be barred in most cases from participating in combat except for self-defense.

Most of the troops would work out of Bagram air base, north of Kabul, and at Kandahar air base in the south. A small contingent would be based around Kabul to help train Afghan forces at the Kabul Military Training Center (KMTC).

The real question is whether or not President Obama will engage with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, or his successor to solidify a security agreement. Or will it be a rerun of President Obama and Iraq’s Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, where no effort was exerted and al-Qaida is right back in western Anbar Province.

Once again, President Obama’s political, campaign promises and personal agenda may be more important than vital American strategic interests. He didn’t “end the war” in Iraq, he just ran away.

I have no idea what the purpose was behind supporting combat operations in Libya, but I do know al-Qaida in the Maghreb, the Muslim Brotherhood, and other “JV” Islamic terrorist groups have free reign and are influencing events there.

President Obama drew a “red line” in Syria and then said it wasn’t his red line. The bottom line is Obama proclaimed the US would “pivot away” from the Middle East thereby allowing Islamic totalitarianism and jihadists to fill the vacuum.

There is no possible way to negotiate with the Taliban unless you support Islamic fundamentalism, which is contrary to every principle and value for which America stands – at least as far as I know.

President Obama needs to study up on Carl von Clausewitz and realize that war is about the imposition of your will upon another. Warfare is fought to achieve annihilation, assimilation, or attrition of your enemy. And in case that’s too complicated for Obama to understand, there are only two ways to end a war: win or lose.

EDITORS NOTE: This column originally appeared on AllenBWest.com. Photo courtesy of US Army.

Slavery, lynchings, segregation – thank the Dems

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February is Black History Month and today I am attending the Republican National Committee “Black Republican Trailblazers” luncheon at The Howard Theater in Washington DC.

I am proud not just this month, but every month of the accomplishments and achievements black Americans have contributed to these United States.

My own story is one connected to the legacy of the first black men to don the uniform of America, the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, whose valor shined brilliantly at Fort Wagner during the Civil War. As well, prior to myself, the last black Republican Member of Congress from Florida was Rep. Josiah T. Walls. These are the stories we must continue to tell this month, and every day to our next generation of children and grandchildren so they may never forget the service and sacrifices that enable them to have the blessings of liberty and freedom.

At the same time, it is imperative for the Republican Party to tell its story, not just during this month alone, but to engage continuously with the black community.

The “Grand Ole Party” was established in 1854 in Ripon, Wisconsin for one single purpose: the abolition of slavery, a dark and heinous part of America’s history. The GOP was focused on the issue of individual freedom and ensuring the words of Thomas Jefferson came to fruition for America.

Sure, the start of the Civil War was not about the issue of slavery, but it was the first GOP president Abraham Lincoln, who realized after the stalemate victory at Antietam, that it had to be. The film “Lincoln” beautifully portrayed the dedication — and a little nefarious actions –of one man, of one party of men, to rectify a great wrong. They set in motion the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments that would begin to make our America a better country. The first black Members of Congress were Republicans. The first attempts to institute civil rights legislation came from Republicans.

The black community must never forget trailblazing men like Hiram Revels, Frederick Douglass, and Booker T. Washington. And today’s GOP needs to remember their history and connection to the black community as well.

Unfortunately, it was one person and one poor decision that altered the relationship between the black community and the GOP. That person was Richard Nixon. If Nixon had listened to prominent black Republicans such as Jackie Robinson rather than his coterie of white advisors, and supported Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as he had been jailed — history may have been a bit different.

Instead, for fear of upsetting white Southerners — mostly Democrats – Nixon did not reach out to King, while John Kennedy did. From then on, during that generation in the South, there were three pictures in black homes (including my own): Jesus, Martin Luther King Jr., and President Kennedy. In that one moment, the bond, the connection of the GOP to the black community, was severed.

From then on, the black community has put all its political eggs in one basket. But let me ask, how many of you invest your hard-earned capital in only one account? I believe most people diversify their capital in several investment accounts.

So, why is it that the black community invested all its political capital in one party? Liberal progressive detractors will vehemently throw themselves into a tizzy about this, but clearly in America, the black community has become almost politically irrelevant to one party and taken for granted by the other, to whom they have given blind allegiance.

The history of the black community at the hands of the Democrat party has been one of slavery, segregation, Jim Crow laws, lynchings, poll taxes and literacy tests. America’s first “progressive” President Woodrow Wilson even praised the racist film “Birth of a Nation.” Another American progressive president, Lyndon Johnson, put the black community on the road to decimation with the welfare nanny-state, and just look at the destruction of the black family.

The current progressive president, Barack Obama, cancelled the DC school voucher program in 2009 for deserving young black children, caving to pressure from the National Education Association, a Democrat teacher’s union. My liberal colleague at Fox News Channel, Juan Williams, called the decision to end the program, “Obama’s outrageous sin against our kids.”

So today we shall remember and honor the Black Republican Trailblazers of the past as we develop the Black Republican Pathfinders of the future. Those who will clear a new path for the black community to restore our inner cities, our families, our faith in God, and ring in the harmony of liberty. I am proud to be a black conservative Republican. Hate on me all you want, but my community has survived much worse from Democrats and progressives. And we shall persevere.

EDITORS NOTE: This column originally appeared on AllenBWest.com under the title “Black History Month and the Republican legacy.” Featured image courtesy of Marie-Nacc Bez, Val de Marne, Ile de France, France.

Israel Watchful in Midst of Mideast Unrest

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While Syria remains in turmoil, Iraq is afflicted with bombings, and Egypt addresses terrorism in its cities and the Sinai desert, Israel is an oasis of peace even though it continues to be rocketed from Gaza, the base for Hamas, a Palestinian faction that is in conflict with the Palestinian Authority.

The Authority has been led since 2004 by Mahmoud Abbas after the death of Yasser Arafat. Elected president in 2005, his term ended in 2009, but he has remained in that office by not holding any elections.

Despite the fact that Israel has been a steadfast ally of the United States and is the only nation in the Mideast that does not pose a threat to peace it continues to be an obsession with the United Nations that is devoted to the stateless Palestinians and has declared 2014 the UN Years of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

Since its declaration of independence in 1948, Israeli efforts to secure any peace with the Palestinians have proven futile. Instead, it was immediately attacked by a coalition of Arab states, followed by wars in 1967 and 1973. It exists with threats of extinction by the Palestinian leadership and from Iran.

Journalist-in-residence at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Claudia Rosett, recently noted that “In the 1993 Oslo accords, the Palestinian Liberation Organization promised to recognize Israel’s right to exist, and resolve all outstanding issues of permanent status ‘through negotiations’. Instead, the Palestinian Authority has been reneging on this agreement, seeking a path to statehood by applying for, and getting, full membership in UNESCO in 2011, and enhanced status in the UN General Assembly in 2012, as a non-member Observer State.”

The efforts of the Obama administration ignore the fact that setting up an independent Palestinian state, one that would have control of the West Bank, would produce a disaster for Israel as a flood of refugees from neighboring Arab countries would arrive, throwing the territories into chaos and posing a huge security threat to Israel. In addition, Jordan has expressed opposition to such control.

The Palestinian Authority, created by the Oslo Accords, has enormous unemployment problems and so does the Hamas-controlled Gaza. Neither has the financial stability to maintain itself.

The “Arab Spring” that saw Egypt’s, Tunisia’s, and Libya’s despots deposed have declined into internal conflicts in these nations. Groups affiliated with al Qaeda and comparable movements have taken advantage by seeking to assume control. Syria is divided by many groups, some of whom oppose the jihadists. In Egypt, the threat of the Muslim Brotherhood (of which Hamas is an offspring), led the government to crack down on the organization.

Egypt’s former defense minister, Gen. Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, resigned in late January in anticipation of running for president. Though the new constitution separates the two pinnacles of power, the army and the political executive, he would likely remain the most powerful leader, still able to continue the war on the Brotherhood to free Egypt from its grip. One of his goals is the remove the Palestinian Hamas rule in the Gaza Strip and this would be very good news for the Israelis.

AA - Israeli buffer_ZonesMeanwhile, the Israelis have been working with the U.S. to develop two security buffer zones that are taking shape in Syria. This involves the provision of U.S. small arms to local militias where some 180,000 Druse tribesmen live in 120 scattered villages. In Jordan, the U.S. has Special Forces helping, along with the Jordanians, to train Syrians opposed to the jihadists. A second buffer zone will include the Syrian-Golan border area to include Quneitra that has a population of around 300,000.

According to a news report by Israel’s DEBKA File, “The goal is to connect the two buffer zones as a safe haven and a stronghold in southern Syria for moderate Syrian opposition elements, safeguarded by U.S., Israel and Jordanian military support.

What remains a cancerous conundrum is the hatred directed at Israel by the United Nations, an international organization allegedly devoted to world peace. Not far behind it is the European Union and, of course, the whole of the Mideast region mired in a hatred that goes back 1,400 years thanks to Islam.

The Obama administration owes much to Israel for the assistance it has provided as it has tried to find a role in resolving or containing the Syrian conflict. Despite protestations of support, Israel cannot be blamed for being watchful of what the U.S. says and what it does. As in the whole of the Mideast, President Obama has squandered any trust the U.S once had.

© Alan Caruba, 2014

EDITORS NOTE: Photo courtesy of Libertinus from Wikimedia Commons.

FL Rep. Dane Eagle Introduces HB 733 – Second Amendment Preservation Act

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Florida State Representative Dane Eagle (R-Cape Coral) introduced the Second Amendment Preservation Act, House Bill 733. The provisions of H.B. 733 are simple and easy to understand. Florida officials would be barred from enforcing federal gun control laws and would be fired if they did.

Gun Owners of America (GOA) in an email states, “Whatever the intent of the 1968 Gun Control Act, it has become a monstrosity. It has been used to strip more than 150,000 veterans of their constitutional rights without due process. The ATF is now using annual inspections to Xerox 4473’s and compile a national gun registry.”

“And the Obama administration is now setting the stage for using medical information to strip tens of millions of Americans of their constitutional rights — again, with no due process. This includes individuals with ADHD and PTSD — plus those with common anxiety disorders or Alzheimer’s. And while no one has been able to identify any ‘danger of gun violence’ posed by people with Alzheimer’s, many of them do have very large and valuable gun collections which they would like to pass on to their children,” reports GOA.

GOA warns, “Unfortunately, like prisoners who have come to identify with their captors — called the “Stockholm Syndrome” — a few gun owners have become addicted to federal infringements.”

GOA observes:

  1. Under the Supreme Court’s Printz decision, Florida has no obligation to be a regulatory lap dog for President Obama.
  2. Even without Federal Law, Florida has more than enough laws regulating firearms ownership.
  3. Contrary to promises, the Brady Act hasn’t worked particularly well, producing “false positives” in roughly 95% of the cases where gun owners are denied by the Brady Check. Not only that, the law sure hasn’t stopped calls for more gun control.

To those who have become addicted to having their constitutional rights taken away, we would say this: “You will get used to freedom, and you will really like it.”

GOA ACTION: Contact your State Representative. Tell our representative how you feel about House Bill 733.

HOW TO CONTACT-WRITE YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES:

  1. Go to http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/myrepresentative.aspxand type in your street name and city.
  2. Click on the “Full Detail” banner under the picture of your state representative.
  3. Click on the “Email Representative” banner.
  4. Once you are at your legislator’s webmail site, you can fill in your name and address, and then copy-n-paste the letter below.

GOA Pre-written letter:

Dear Representative:

Please cosponsor and support the Second Amendment Preservation Act (H.B. 733).

The provisions of this bill are simple and easy to understand. Florida officials would be barred from enforcing federal gun control laws and would be fired if they did.

Whatever the intent of the 1968 Gun Control Act, it has become a monstrosity. It has been used to strip more than 150,000 veterans of their constitutional rights without due process.

The ATF is now using annual inspections to Xerox 4473’s and compile a national gun registry.

And the Obama administration is now setting the stage for using medical information to strip tens of millions of Americans of their constitutional rights — again, with no due process. This includes individuals with ADHD and PTSD — plus those with common anxiety disorders or Alzheimer’s. And while no one has been able to identify any “danger of gun violence” posed by people with Alzheimer’s, many of them do have very large and valuable gun collections which they would like to pass on to their children.

Sincerely,

EDITORS NOTE: Kansas and Alaska have enacted Second Amendment Preservation Acts.

FL Rep. Keith Perry’s attack on term limits stirs controversy in his hometown

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In Sunday’s Gainesville Sun, I make the case in an op-ed that Rep. Keith Perry’s (R-Gainesville) bill to weaken Florida term limits from eight to 12 years is an effort to benefit legislators at the expense of citizens.

“The results during Florida’s term limits era have been good. Legislatures are like marriages, in that they are all dysfunctional in their own special way. But some are definitely better than others — and Florida’s is pretty good. In a 2013 ranking of states by their fiscal condition — an outcome highly influenced by government policy — the Mercatus Center at George Mason University ranked Florida as sixth in the nation. Incidentally, five of the top 10 states in this ranking have eight-year term limits on their legislatures. So, it must be asked again, why is Rep. Perry launching this attack on eight-year term limits?”

The answer isn’t flattering to Rep. Perry. Perry is a successful businessman who got the opportunity to run because Speaker Larry Cretul reached his 8-year limit in the House. Now, it appears Rep. Perry wants to cut the ladder off beneath him.

Perry rationalizes this in a straight piece in today’s Gainesville Sun.  He claims eight years isn’t sufficient to master the complexities of being a Florida legislator. Eight-year limits are, however, the most common in the United States from the president, to governors, to state legislatures, to county commissioners and mayors. He does not explain what makes being a Florida legislator so particularly daunting.

Hint: It isn’t.

Fortunately, I was provided a chance to respond. “Blumel said that when politicians say eight years is too short, people should keep in mind that the Florida Senate is made up of many former members of the state House of Representatives who possess considerable legislative experience, while the lower chamber has more political newcomers who provide better representation of the citizenry.”

Instead of focusing on the centerpiece of the legislation, the weakening of term limits, Perry instead focuses on the fact the bill also lengthens the terms themselves from two to four in the House and four to six in the Senate. But these are just window dressing. Legislators have tried to loosen their limits numerous times and continue to test new angles to slip this idea by voters.

Perhaps the best quote in the article isn’t by Rep. Perry or me. It is by Alachua County Democratic Party Chairman Robert Prather.

“We’re disappointed that Rep. Perry seems more interested in protecting jobs in Tallahassee… than … Gainesville, Alachua County and Dixie,” Prather said.

For the complete articles, see Blumel op-ed and Perry news article.

“IMPEACH OBAMA” T-Shirts and Displaying American Flag Deemed Illegal by Town

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The Thomas More Law Center (TMLC), a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, announced today that it has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Town of Campbell, Wisconsin’s ordinance which police are enforcing to prohibit citizens from displaying the American Flag and wearing t-Shirts which call for the impeachment of President Obama on the highway overpass managed by the Town. Joining TMLC as local co-counsel is La Crosse, WI lawyer Bernardo Cueto.

At issue is the enforcement of the Town of Campbell’s ordinance, 9.12, which prohibits the display of signs and flags on, or within 100 feet, of the only pedestrian overpass managed by the Town of Campbell. The Town enacted the ordinance on October 8, 2013 in response to some angry calls about the “Impeach Obama” expression on the t-shirts and the resulting media attention.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin on behalf of La Crosse residents Gregory Luce and Nicholas Newman against the Town of Campbell, its police chief, and one of his officers. Luce and Newman were participating in a nationwide movement called “Overpasses for America.”

Click here to read entire Federal Lawsuit

Erin Mersino, a TMLC attorney handling the case, said, “Viewpoint discrimination is one of the most harmful threats to our freedom of speech. The answer to contempt of a certain viewpoint is not to silence that viewpoint, but to invite more speech and create a discourse. That is one of the most fundamental tenets of our Republic. The ordinance at issue turns the public sidewalk on the overpass, which is otherwise open to the public into a dead speech zone.”

The lawsuit claims that the Plaintiffs’ constitutional rights to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly have been violated and that the Ordinance is unconstitutional on its face and as applied by the police. Because the Plaintiffs wish to continue their constitutionally protected speech, they asked the Court to enter a Preliminary Injunction banning further enforcement of the ordinance during the pendency of the lawsuit.

Gregory Luce is a Catholic who is pro-life and opposes President Obama for many reasons including the President’s actions in support of abortion. On October 24, 2013, Luce along with a few of his supporters appeared on the pedestrian overpass wearing t-shirts that collectively spelled out “IMPEACH” on one side and “OBAMA” on the backside. A Town of Campbell police officer confronted Luce and his supporters and ordered them to leave or receive citations. Luce and his supporters left as ordered. This police action also thwarted a similarly planned demonstration by Luce on public land 100 feet from the overpass in question, which was also prohibited by the challenged ordinance.

Plaintiff Nicholas Newman is a patriotic American. On October 27, 2013, Newman appeared on the overpass in question carrying an American Flag to express his pride for his country and the ideals on which it was founded. Police issued Newman a citation for displaying the American Flag in violation of the ordinance, which carries a fine of $139.00.

The pedestrian overpass consists of only a sidewalk with a fence on either side. Sidewalks are considered by the courts as traditional public forums.

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, “The Supreme Court has repeatedly stated that a bedrock principle of the First Amendment is that government cannot ban the expression of ideas just because some find it offensive. In fact, the Supreme Court has allowed the burning of the American Flag on the grounds that it is matter of free expression. So I’m astonished that the Town of Campbell and the police department think it can ban a citizen from displaying the American Flag.”